Tea house Google theme

[Windwalker]

As you probably know, Google introduced six customized themes today, which change every two hours. Each also has a so-called "easter egg", which shows up for one minute at 3:14 am (the value of pi). So each theme has thirteen slightly different views that synchronize with the time of day.

The one I truly like is "Tea house", which shows the daily activity of a civilized little fox in a Zen-style setting. The person who did it knows their Japanese lore. Their easter egg is also very haunting.

I made a composite file that captures all thirteen frames of the tea house theme. If anyone is interested, I can e-mail it. At the same time, it makes me think that it would be better if people could see the sun and stars for themselves, rather than see them change only on a screen inside a room.

[sanscardinality]

I made a composite file that captures all thirteen frames of the tea house theme. If anyone is interested, I can e-mail it. At the same time, it makes me think that it would be better if people could see the sun and stars for themselves, rather than see them change only on a screen inside a room.

I am interested in the file - if you get a sec I'd like to see it. As to the other comments, I agree. I got a bit creeped out recently reading a forum on Second Life. I don't spend time in 2L - I logged in once and the scene involved large ORACLE banners over plazas of people with multiple sets of genitalia and bondage gear complimenting each other on their hair color - I wasn't offended but it was just kinda pathetic and boring. I'm sure there are interesting things going on there too, but I couldn't find them.

Anyway, in this forum users were chatting about how great the sunset was from their new expensive virtual real estate and how they would just lie on the beach and watch it...

I was creeped on several levels:

1) That people buy expensive real estate made out of bits
2) That they watch virtual sunsets "laying" on virtual beaches
3) That they then go chat about it
4) That I was spending my time reading it



We put away the PlayStation yesterday. My personal goal is to spend 70% of my screen time creating and not consuming, and to get my son more interested in programming and writing.

SC

[Windwalker]

I got a bit creeped out recently reading a forum on Second Life.

What little I saw of 2L was bizarre and depressing -- but apparently it's raking in money. There were also the reports of people dying while glued to their screens playing World of Warcraft. There is something frightening about this, and we're all susceptible.

[intrigued_scribe]

I'd like to see the tea house theme file as well, when you have the time to send it along. I also agree with the comments here, particularly those concerning how consumed people are by 2L and World of Warcraft; that truly is disturbing and frightening.

Heather

[Windwalker]

Google just introduced themes into Gmail as well. One of them is our old friend, the kitsune (Japanese fox spirit). He is now busy on the back side of his tea house, once again doing something different every two hours.

The calm, civilized way of his life has not gone unnoticed. Someone wrote an ode to the nostalgia he evokes. The ode made the rounds of the Internet, including the boardrooms and programming caves of Google. Here is the link to it: Ode to Google's Teahouse Theme.

If anyone wants to see the new dozen (not Easter egg yet that I can find), let me know!

[intrigued_scribe]

This definitely makes for a direct, nicely expressive observation of the moods evoked by the Teahouse Fox; thanks for sharing this well written, humorous post.

Heather

[Windwalker]

And... due to a recent glitch to the Tea House Gmail theme, I discovered the long-missing Easter egg. If anyone is interested in seeing it, let me know!

[intrigued_scribe]

I'd like to see it, when you have time to send it. Thanks!

[Windwalker]

Sent!

[caliban]

Off topic, but new forum "look" looks good!

[Windwalker]

Happy you like it! The older style already looked dated but a server move finally made the change necessary. I've noticed that the avatars look nicer in the new template and I like having the light frames interspersed with the starry dark.