This is the research diary of researcher Lisbeth
Klastrup, since february 2001 sharing her thoughts on life, universe, persistent online
worlds, games, interactive stories and internet oddities with you on the www.
I am currently on leave from the IT University
of Copenhagen, and from aug. 2006 - aug. 2007 working as Associate Research Professor at the Center for Design Research Copenhagen, an independant center situated at the School of Architecture. During this year, I will be working on a book about the development of aesthetics, design and interaction on the WWW, together with colleague Ida Engholm.
My blog often reflects how busy I am in general, so posting may be pretty irregular, as well as my potential response to comments. But I read them!
My list of publications.
My official homepage at ITU.
Contact:
lisbethATklastrupDOTdk
February 2001 March 2001 April 2001 May 2001 June 2001 July 2001 August 2001 September 2001 October 2001 November 2001 December 2001 January 2002 February 2002 March 2002 April 2002 May 2002 June 2002 July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007
Fellow research bloggers
-Denmark
Jesper Juul
Gonzalo Frasca
Martin Sønderlev Christensen
Jonas Heide Smith
Miguel Sicart
Mads Bødker
ITU blogs
-Norway
Jill Walker
Torill Mortensen
Hilde Corneliussen
Anders Fagerjord
-The World
Terra Nova (misc, joint)
GrandTextAuto (US, joint)
Mirjam Paalosari-Eladhari (SE)
Jane McGonigal (US)
Patrik Svensson (SE)
Elin Sjursen (NO)
Adrian Miles' Vog blog (AUSTR.)
Other Related Blogs
Mediehack
Hovedet på Bloggen
Bookish
Tempus Tommy
Flickwerk
Jacob Bøtter
Corporate Blogging
Fellow Researchers, non-blog
-Denmark
Susana Tosca
T.L. Taylor
Espen Aarseth
Soeren Pold
Ida Engholm
Troels Degn Johansson
-Norway
Ragnhild Tronstad
-Sweden
Anna Gunder
Jenny Sunden
Mikael Jacobsson
-Finland
Aki Jarvinen
Markku Eskelinen
Raine Koskimaa
©Lisbeth Klastrup 2001-2007
Book domain online
He,he, - the Danish domain I bought to advertise the anthology Digitale verdener [Digital Worlds] is now online. And the final, final, final release date is May 19th!! //working on a English version of the site//
He,he, - the Danish domain I bought to advertise the anthology Digitale verdener [Digital Worlds] is now online. And the final, final, final release date is May 19th!! //working on a English version of the site//
"Game" ranks highs!
According to worddiscover.com Game is on the top 10 of the 100 most popular search words.
According to worddiscover.com Game is on the top 10 of the 100 most popular search words.
The Cthulhu Myth and its transmedial life
Lovecraft and popular culture: a list of his work as it has been implemented in other media. The Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game.
Online games: There is an old Cthulhu MUD at cm.foxpaws.net 8889 [68.16.220.34].
And here a link to the new Call of Cthulhu game coming up - I hope it will have a multiplayer add-on but it is somewhat unclear from the site's descriptions of the game.
An efficient presentation of the myth in the online piece: From Cthulhu to cloning, including an interesting comparison of Hubbard with Lovecraft - I especially like this comment: At any rate, both Lovecraft and Hubbard created extraterrestrial-based religions. Only Hubbard claimed his was real.
And via Miguel: The campus of Miscatonic University
Lovecraft and popular culture: a list of his work as it has been implemented in other media. The Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game.
Online games: There is an old Cthulhu MUD at cm.foxpaws.net 8889 [68.16.220.34].
And here a link to the new Call of Cthulhu game coming up - I hope it will have a multiplayer add-on but it is somewhat unclear from the site's descriptions of the game.
An efficient presentation of the myth in the online piece: From Cthulhu to cloning, including an interesting comparison of Hubbard with Lovecraft - I especially like this comment: At any rate, both Lovecraft and Hubbard created extraterrestrial-based religions. Only Hubbard claimed his was real.
And via Miguel: The campus of Miscatonic University
Dancing Queen
What can I say? dancingpaul.com Paul has done it again: dancing_queen
If you have political webgames, is this then such a thing as "a political entertainment interactive flash thingie"?
What can I say? dancingpaul.com Paul has done it again: dancing_queen
If you have political webgames, is this then such a thing as "a political entertainment interactive flash thingie"?
Princess Leia Dreams
I like the net, when you happen upon sites like this: Star Wars Chicks. It's dedicated to "every little girl who grew up wanting to fly an X-wing or be Princess Leia".
I like it that they put flying an X-wind before being Princess Leia, although I must admit I wanted to be Leia before I started wanting to buy a Star Wars Racing game. Because, you see, the boy I was madly in love with in the 5th grade thought Princess Leia was the most beautiful woman in the world. So of course I wanted to be like her. But I never had the hair to pass as an impersonation....so it remained a love unrequited and I soon gave up on my princess Leia dreams.
Luckily, gaming has nothing to do with love, at least in principle ;).
I like the net, when you happen upon sites like this: Star Wars Chicks. It's dedicated to "every little girl who grew up wanting to fly an X-wing or be Princess Leia".
I like it that they put flying an X-wind before being Princess Leia, although I must admit I wanted to be Leia before I started wanting to buy a Star Wars Racing game. Because, you see, the boy I was madly in love with in the 5th grade thought Princess Leia was the most beautiful woman in the world. So of course I wanted to be like her. But I never had the hair to pass as an impersonation....so it remained a love unrequited and I soon gave up on my princess Leia dreams.
Luckily, gaming has nothing to do with love, at least in principle ;).
Moblogs - picturing life
Matter-of-factly article on moblogging in BBC online A life pictured online. But it has a nice linklist to some of the current big moblog sites in US & UK.
In Denmark, tmk, tv2s moblog site is the one people uses.
Matter-of-factly article on moblogging in BBC online A life pictured online. But it has a nice linklist to some of the current big moblog sites in US & UK.
In Denmark, tmk, tv2s moblog site is the one people uses.
Pay to learn
It's interesting how you have to pay through your nose to go on a conference where you learn from the web practitioners whereas academic conferences normally cost half the price (at least in Europe). But of course no satisfaction is guaranteed at those...
Thorough Danish website listing conferences on web communication, usability, informationsarchitecture etc. .
It's interesting how you have to pay through your nose to go on a conference where you learn from the web practitioners whereas academic conferences normally cost half the price (at least in Europe). But of course no satisfaction is guaranteed at those...
Thorough Danish website listing conferences on web communication, usability, informationsarchitecture etc. .
Finnish Dancing
Via Jill (who got it from Anders) a funny "how to dance disco in the senior version" - in Finnish. It is quite hilarious.
However, did you know that Finns have a very widespread dance culture as such and that next to Argentine, it is the country where Tango is danced the most - in the local Finnish variant of course? They now have an annual Tango Festival and they have even made a tango stamp to commemorate the movement. There is some explanations of the tango culture here and Jutta Jaakkola at the Finnish Music Information Centre has written a fine history of the tango movement in Finland. In the Finnish version of the text, you also find the top 10 of Finnish Tango songs. Number one dates back to 1948: Kotkan Ruusu by Helvi Mäkinen–Leo Anttila. I've heard some of the songs - they are really quite beautiful, reflecting the typical theme of the Finnish tango (cf. Jaakola):
The lyrical "I", almost invariably a man, has lost his beloved (woman), is suffering from loneliness and is overcome by melancholy. He is desolate and longs to be back in the time when all was well. Herein lies the key word of the Finnish tango: nostalgia.
The longing for love and the beloved is, however, expressed without any trace of the sentimentality or escapism typical of other European tangos. Whereas the Argentinean tango is clearly an element of urban culture and the setting for the events is a shady waterside drinking house, the Finnish tango is often set in the countryside, in the bosom of nature.
This year there is even a championship event - The World Championships in the Social Tango* (Nordic Tango). You can read the rules of the dance here, the simple ground rule of movement is:
Nordic Tango is a social dance in which steps, movements and style are based on what is possible to dance at a social event where the lady is simply following the man's lead...
Never think you know all there is to Finnish culture ;).
Via Jill (who got it from Anders) a funny "how to dance disco in the senior version" - in Finnish. It is quite hilarious.
However, did you know that Finns have a very widespread dance culture as such and that next to Argentine, it is the country where Tango is danced the most - in the local Finnish variant of course? They now have an annual Tango Festival and they have even made a tango stamp to commemorate the movement. There is some explanations of the tango culture here and Jutta Jaakkola at the Finnish Music Information Centre has written a fine history of the tango movement in Finland. In the Finnish version of the text, you also find the top 10 of Finnish Tango songs. Number one dates back to 1948: Kotkan Ruusu by Helvi Mäkinen–Leo Anttila. I've heard some of the songs - they are really quite beautiful, reflecting the typical theme of the Finnish tango (cf. Jaakola):
The lyrical "I", almost invariably a man, has lost his beloved (woman), is suffering from loneliness and is overcome by melancholy. He is desolate and longs to be back in the time when all was well. Herein lies the key word of the Finnish tango: nostalgia.
The longing for love and the beloved is, however, expressed without any trace of the sentimentality or escapism typical of other European tangos. Whereas the Argentinean tango is clearly an element of urban culture and the setting for the events is a shady waterside drinking house, the Finnish tango is often set in the countryside, in the bosom of nature.
This year there is even a championship event - The World Championships in the Social Tango* (Nordic Tango). You can read the rules of the dance here, the simple ground rule of movement is:
Nordic Tango is a social dance in which steps, movements and style are based on what is possible to dance at a social event where the lady is simply following the man's lead...
Never think you know all there is to Finnish culture ;).
My world
Via Jill, a nice link to a site where you can create your own visited country map. If the site stats are right, I have so far visited approx. 12% of the world. Still a lot of ground to cover!
Places, I have visited in the World at large:
Disclaimer: unfortunately, you can't choose Zanzibar of the East Coast of Africa, which is one of the most amazing places, I have ever been. And I have never visited the little red blop north of Finland and Sweden, it just pops up automatically when I choose the other Nordic Countries!
Places I have actually been in The United States (previous map overdoes it a bit!):
Via Jill, a nice link to a site where you can create your own visited country map. If the site stats are right, I have so far visited approx. 12% of the world. Still a lot of ground to cover!
Places, I have visited in the World at large:
Disclaimer: unfortunately, you can't choose Zanzibar of the East Coast of Africa, which is one of the most amazing places, I have ever been. And I have never visited the little red blop north of Finland and Sweden, it just pops up automatically when I choose the other Nordic Countries!
Places I have actually been in The United States (previous map overdoes it a bit!):
Antfeast!
Spring is here - bushes are blooming, the plant lice are having a field trip, but those most happy in the end turns out to be the ants...
Spring is here - bushes are blooming, the plant lice are having a field trip, but those most happy in the end turns out to be the ants...
Branding branding branding
I'm currently working on yet another linklist - a Danish site listing relevant literature and links for those of my students in some form working with branding and storytelling in digital media. Take a look at it.
Surfing for this site, I came across this "award" list of the
45 strongest brands in Denmark in 2004.
I'm currently working on yet another linklist - a Danish site listing relevant literature and links for those of my students in some form working with branding and storytelling in digital media. Take a look at it.
Surfing for this site, I came across this "award" list of the
45 strongest brands in Denmark in 2004.
Everybody's doing it, I'll do it too...*
This meme is spreading and it's interesting, so I admit to being infected too:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
Here is mine: "Par conséquent, je devais trouver un"
Amelie Nothomb: Stupeur et tremblements. Editions Albin Michel, 1999.
I've come across the word meme in several blogs lately, but had honestly kind of forgotten what it meant. So I looked it up: here's a few definitions:
"A contagious information pattern that replicates by parasitically infecting human minds and altering their behavior, causing them to propagate the pattern" and "memes propagate themselves in the meme pool by leaping from brain to brain via a process which, in the broad sense, can be called imitation."
- apparently Richard Dawkins was the first to use it all. All this and more at: What is a meme?
Also, someone has tried to track where and when this meme/vira started: page 23, sentence 5: an autopsy.
* this is actually a citation from an early Blur song: Bang
This meme is spreading and it's interesting, so I admit to being infected too:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
Here is mine: "Par conséquent, je devais trouver un"
Amelie Nothomb: Stupeur et tremblements. Editions Albin Michel, 1999.
I've come across the word meme in several blogs lately, but had honestly kind of forgotten what it meant. So I looked it up: here's a few definitions:
"A contagious information pattern that replicates by parasitically infecting human minds and altering their behavior, causing them to propagate the pattern" and "memes propagate themselves in the meme pool by leaping from brain to brain via a process which, in the broad sense, can be called imitation."
- apparently Richard Dawkins was the first to use it all. All this and more at: What is a meme?
Also, someone has tried to track where and when this meme/vira started: page 23, sentence 5: an autopsy.
* this is actually a citation from an early Blur song: Bang
Fake your love life
I like to follow what's going on in world of virtual characters. Here's an interesting variation on it (via Tinka of Distant Sun): The Imaginary Girlfriend service. Sign up for an imaginary girlfriend which will send you mails, chat with you, yes even phone you, so other people can be lured into believing that you do have a girlfriend, even if both you and her knows it's not true. How's that for the importance of facade?....
I like to follow what's going on in world of virtual characters. Here's an interesting variation on it (via Tinka of Distant Sun): The Imaginary Girlfriend service. Sign up for an imaginary girlfriend which will send you mails, chat with you, yes even phone you, so other people can be lured into believing that you do have a girlfriend, even if both you and her knows it's not true. How's that for the importance of facade?....
Where to find me next
I will be giving an informal talk on digital interfaces at the annual Day of the Book somewhere on Frederiksberg.
See more about what's happening in Denmark this day here: Verdens Bogdag 2004
I will be giving an informal talk on digital interfaces at the annual Day of the Book somewhere on Frederiksberg.
See more about what's happening in Denmark this day here: Verdens Bogdag 2004
You can find me at:
BlogTalk 2.0 (paper accepted)
Internet Research 5. 0 (paper accepted, got word just now!)
Also I have been asked to speak at the Danish Media Professionals' Annual Conference in September, so that will be a busy month....
See you around I hope :)
BlogTalk 2.0 (paper accepted)
Internet Research 5. 0 (paper accepted, got word just now!)
Also I have been asked to speak at the Danish Media Professionals' Annual Conference in September, so that will be a busy month....
See you around I hope :)
Techno-thrilled - Digihappy
Yesterday the postman delivered my first own digital camera to me, a Sony Cybershot DSCP72 with macro function and adjustable focus. Just what I wanted. Here's a shot of my keyboard to prove it...
A few minutes ago, the nice postman brought me a new all-in-one printer - a Canon MP360, which scans, prints and copies in a relative good quality. They have apparently run out of them in the factory, so I was lucky to find the last one they had in an internet store placed in Jutland.
I'm on my way to building the perfect home office. And yes, I got some extra money for some of my extra-curricular activities ;). It's almost like christmas.
Yesterday the postman delivered my first own digital camera to me, a Sony Cybershot DSCP72 with macro function and adjustable focus. Just what I wanted. Here's a shot of my keyboard to prove it...
A few minutes ago, the nice postman brought me a new all-in-one printer - a Canon MP360, which scans, prints and copies in a relative good quality. They have apparently run out of them in the factory, so I was lucky to find the last one they had in an internet store placed in Jutland.
I'm on my way to building the perfect home office. And yes, I got some extra money for some of my extra-curricular activities ;). It's almost like christmas.
Anthology countdown...5, 4, 3...
This very moment, rumour has it that the anthology of which I have written quite a lot in this space, has gone to print!
Current release date is May 10th or so.
I made a new homepage for the publication - as it is in Danish, the site is in Danish only at the moment. Sorry, non-Danish- reading readers. Here you can read the blurp and see a list of the contributors.
This very moment, rumour has it that the anthology of which I have written quite a lot in this space, has gone to print!
Current release date is May 10th or so.
I made a new homepage for the publication - as it is in Danish, the site is in Danish only at the moment. Sorry, non-Danish- reading readers. Here you can read the blurp and see a list of the contributors.
Street lyrics
maasaas is a Danish "street art" artist, who could be a remote cousin of Nick & Scott who have done the Implementation project.
Take a look at his gallery to see some of the texts he has "inserted" on the Danish streets. His texts include a "missing person" poster where he asks if anyone has seen his male giraffe Inga..."last seen running"....
maasaas is a Danish "street art" artist, who could be a remote cousin of Nick & Scott who have done the Implementation project.
Take a look at his gallery to see some of the texts he has "inserted" on the Danish streets. His texts include a "missing person" poster where he asks if anyone has seen his male giraffe Inga..."last seen running"....
Danish Easter: much about eating and drinking "easter beer", walks with the family at the seaside, looking for signs of spring. Most Danes, protestants by birth but not by action, think of Easter as a happy holiday.
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Blog fiction = Blog-buster?
Via Jill (who is also featured): How to write a blog-buster - a good little article from the Guardian on the current state of blog fiction.
+ via GrandTextAuto: Blog Fiction by Tim Wright
Via Jill (who is also featured): How to write a blog-buster - a good little article from the Guardian on the current state of blog fiction.
+ via GrandTextAuto: Blog Fiction by Tim Wright
Testing, testing
I'm an apparently intelligent, liberal, not-too-generous, not-too-selfish, seizure-inducingly boring spod!
See how compatible you are with me!
Brought to you by Rum and Monkey
I'm an apparently intelligent, liberal, not-too-generous, not-too-selfish, seizure-inducingly boring spod!
See how compatible you are with me!
Brought to you by Rum and Monkey
Another (form of?) blog cluster
Kristne bloggere i Skandinavia. Christian bloggers in Scandinavia. Looks like quite a few of them are currently commenting on Mel Gibson's film The Passion of The Christ which recently premiered in Denmark. Interesting to read blogs with a shared spiritual perspective in comparision to the blogs, I normally read, which are defined by shared themes, shared geography, shared interest in writing, shared etc but rarely - it seems - defined by strong personal beliefs....?!?
Kristne bloggere i Skandinavia. Christian bloggers in Scandinavia. Looks like quite a few of them are currently commenting on Mel Gibson's film The Passion of The Christ which recently premiered in Denmark. Interesting to read blogs with a shared spiritual perspective in comparision to the blogs, I normally read, which are defined by shared themes, shared geography, shared interest in writing, shared etc but rarely - it seems - defined by strong personal beliefs....?!?
Crash Test Lisbeth (auch!)
Had bad fall with bike yesterday. Lost control of steering wheel because was looking at my watch, went over the kerb with full speed and landed crash down on my left side on the middle of the pavement (thank God no pedestrians in site) also slamming head into pavement. Big lumpy bruise on the left leg (the "good" side which is not affected by the slipped disc I currently struggle with :(( ) and something which is not bad enough to be called a concusion but definitely a feeling as if someone has shaken the "box" which holds the soft part of my brain rather violently. Going home to rest. Argh!!! What a way to start the holiday :(.
Had bad fall with bike yesterday. Lost control of steering wheel because was looking at my watch, went over the kerb with full speed and landed crash down on my left side on the middle of the pavement (thank God no pedestrians in site) also slamming head into pavement. Big lumpy bruise on the left leg (the "good" side which is not affected by the slipped disc I currently struggle with :(( ) and something which is not bad enough to be called a concusion but definitely a feeling as if someone has shaken the "box" which holds the soft part of my brain rather violently. Going home to rest. Argh!!! What a way to start the holiday :(.
Here, there and everywhere
But before you find me there, you will find me here watching this film (UK review). This is an amazing week!
But before you find me there, you will find me here watching this film (UK review). This is an amazing week!
Here is where you will be able to find me tomorrow afternoon. Debatting with three male artists/theorists. But they are all quite nice actually, so I'm looking forward to it. It's fun discussing interactivity and code with people who applies it in their work.
Senior Virtual Community turns 19!
The Well, one of the first virtual communities online celebrated its 19th birthday yesterday with an offline WELL Party somewhere in the US. A party, which I was just informed on through a friend of a friend on Orkut...I'm starting to get a lot of cool party invitations this way, just a shame that most of the parties take place several thousand kilometres from where I live...
Well ;) - for those of you who didn't get invited to the party but would like to know more, I recommend you read the story of the Well in Katie Hafners monographic 'narrative' about the community: The Well - A story of Love, Death & Real Life in the seminal online community. It's an interesting and thought-provoking read, which proves that communities are indeed dependant on the seminal events and key personalities which help create shared stories and icons, "legends" which go on to become an intrinsic part of what the community is.
The Well, one of the first virtual communities online celebrated its 19th birthday yesterday with an offline WELL Party somewhere in the US. A party, which I was just informed on through a friend of a friend on Orkut...I'm starting to get a lot of cool party invitations this way, just a shame that most of the parties take place several thousand kilometres from where I live...
Well ;) - for those of you who didn't get invited to the party but would like to know more, I recommend you read the story of the Well in Katie Hafners monographic 'narrative' about the community: The Well - A story of Love, Death & Real Life in the seminal online community. It's an interesting and thought-provoking read, which proves that communities are indeed dependant on the seminal events and key personalities which help create shared stories and icons, "legends" which go on to become an intrinsic part of what the community is.
A perfect solution?
Brugervenligt SPAM-filter (User-friendly SPAM-filter), the solution to all our problems, especially today.
(for Danes only....;))
Brugervenligt SPAM-filter (User-friendly SPAM-filter), the solution to all our problems, especially today.
(for Danes only....;))
Death Stories project
Walgblog (DK)
DK forskerblogs (DK)
klast at del.icio.us
Site feed Link (Atom)
Klastrup family?
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Buy our book
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Conferences
ACE 2007
Mobile Media 2007
MobileCHI 07
Perth DAC 2007
DIGRA 2007
AOIR 8.0/2007
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My Ph.D. thesis website:
Towards a Poetics of Virtual Worlds
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Misc
I also used to host & work in a world called StoryMOO.