Surviving and Thriving, Monday, Period 2

[shiroi_tiger]

Once again, today's class was being held in the Danger Shop. The setup, for the time being, was fairly simple. It looked quite like a home office, with a computer and a phone, and, of course, two teachers waiting for the students once they filed in.

"Today," Algren said, looking over the class, "we're going to cover modern modes of transportation and methods of communication that you might encounter in your time as a student here. The current era is unique, when compared with other times throughout history, because technology now allows people to not only communicate with anybody around the world regardless of location, but also to drop by on their doorstep, should one have the time and the financial means to do so. Fandom takes it a step farther, utilizing the technological and magical advances of its citizens to allow people to communicate with people in different eras, galaxies, and universes as well."

"There are multiple methods of transportation here, from the rickshaws the town uses, to bicyles, rollerblades, and personal flying exquipment," Ghanima continued, "But today we're going to focus on the ones most common on the mainland, as well as some of the more important methods of communication."

"We'll start today with communication," she continued. "The most ubiquitous form you'll come across on the island are what are known as 'cell phones,' followed quickly by 'email,' or electronic mail, sent through a computer. Of course, there is still conventional mail, and the post office in town is capable of getting letters to almost anyone, anywhen, anywhere. But perhaps the most infamous method of spreading information here is the squirrels."

"If you don't know what a squirrel is," Algren shared, "they would be those little furry things you see hanging around open doorways and such, with the tiny notebooks. They can be bribed with rum, or probably threatened away, if you aren't keen on having your every move recorded to be recited for the island on the radio broadcast each night."

This was important information.

"We'll be assigning a practical activity today that will allow you to play with email, the telephone, and the tried and true method of mailing letters. But first, I'll describe a few forms of transportation that you might encounter during your time here. Lady Ghanima has already mentioned the rickshaws, which I'm certain you've noticed if you've been into town at least once since getting here. On the mainland, there's a fair bit more variety, including land-based vehicles such as cars and trucks, boats, should you find yourself needing to travel across the water, and also flying machines, such as airplanes and helicopters. Welcome to a century where man can fly, class."

"Planes. Unwieldy things," Ghanima said, shaking her head. "Give me the controls of a 'thoppter. Much more elegant."

She continued on, explaining how each of the communication devices worked. "Even if you are from a world like mine, where thinking machines are aborant abominations, these items are easily mastered and used."

"Your assignment for today will be fairly straightforward." Algren gestured to the office space behind them. "Check your email, where you'll get an invitation to visit a friend in another state. Use the phone to book yourself a flight. You'll get to experience a short simulation of a flight on a modern aircraft, and then, when you've landed, get a postcard and write a letter home. You'll be dismissed from class once you've successfully mailed your postcard."

[Open!]

Comments

Sign In

[shiroi_tiger]

While communicating! Or transporting?

Re: Sign In

[trigons_child]

Raven

Re: Sign In

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

James of Krondor

Listen to the Lecture

[shiroi_tiger]

Or just stare at the computer. Either because it's new and seriously high-tech, or old and ridiculously out-dated. The teachers won't judge you.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[trigons_child]

Oooh, computers. Raven was excited to learn more about them. Hoshi had given her a few lessons already, and soon she would be unleashed on the web. This might not be a great idea.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[nyotauhura101.livejournal.com]

Uhura took notes. Squirrels. Good to know. What was this rum substance people kept mentioning? Maybe the gremlins would like it.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

The computers had Cassidy very curious.

Activity

[shiroi_tiger]

Work through the stations, alone or in pairs, to navigate the perils of contemporary travel.

Activity: Check Your Email!

[shiroi_tiger]

Follow the computer's verbal & pictorial prompts to log into your @fandomhigh.edu email address, and look for your message.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[trigons_child]

This much Raven knew, thanks to Hoshi. She found the message easily enough.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[notagoose]

Goose hadn't had much need to email before coming to Fandom but he was able to find the message without any major problems.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[provostsdog.livejournal.com]

She had this all along? Beka's look resembled sommat close to horror as she sat down in front of the computer. She'd seen other people use it enough to know the mouse moved the small arrow on the screen. She'd get there in the end.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[boho-to-be.livejournal.com]

Christian didn't have much idea what he was doing, but he eventually managed to make it to his email account.

He got mesmerized reading and answering (or sputtering over) all of the spam, and forgot what he was supposed to be looking for.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

This was going to take Rilla a bit of time. For now, she was poking at the keys like they might bite her.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[nyotauhura101.livejournal.com]

The computer was outdated to her, but worked on the same principles she was used to. She got her message easily.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy had never seen anything like this before back home... so, of course, it took her a good bit of time to figure this out.

Activity: Your Cellphone!

[shiroi_tiger]

Place a call to the airline, to book yourself a ticket. Look up the phone number you need, and then navigate the automated system's prompts until you get an actual, honest-to-goodness representative on the line to help you with your travel needs.

Activity: Kids on a Plane!

[shiroi_tiger]

Complete with airline food and complimentary peanuts, yes. Enjoy the wonderful feeling of your ears popping during the takeoff, enjoy a whole five minutes of flight in your window seat, and then cope with such joys as turbulence and more ear-popping with a somewhat jarring landing. Bet you can't tell how highly your teachers think of planes.

Activity: Send a Postcard!

[shiroi_tiger]

There's a rack of suitably tacky, touristy moddable postcards for you to choose from, from a variety of destinations that may or may not be where your pretend plane has landed. Grab one, fill it out, and mail it! Your teachers will even see to it that your postcards hit the real post office after class is through, if there's someone you wanted to write home to.

The TA!

[shiroi_tiger]

Who has been around long enough, hopefully she knows this stuff.

Re: The TA!

[spiritandsword]

Annja was indeed here and ready to help anyone that might need it.

The Teachers!

[shiroi_tiger]

Who have been around long enough that they know this stuff, but also reserve the right not to embrace it.

Re: The Teachers!

[shiroi_tiger]

Algren was there if anybody happened to need him, of course. But best of luck getting anything useful out of him in regards to actually making email work.

Re: The Teachers!

[atreideslioness]

Ghanima was there, and happy to assist with any of the tasks that students might be having problems with.

OOC!

[shiroi_tiger]

So that the world doesn't end. It isn't Tuesday.