In World, Trip Like I Do...

Second Life "Jobs"

2010-05-27T22:27:00.003-04:00

I was recently speaking with some acquaintances on Second Life; or rather, they were chatting away and I was in the background biting my tongue, in an *attempt* to stop myself from saying something mean.

Needless to say, the discussion had to do with why one person in this conversation didn't work on Second Life. Then the group started talking about their respective Second Life jobs, or desire for money on SL to buy stuff. The entire time I was thinking, "How about... get a real job?"

I do make judgment calls, and sometimes they aren't nice. But one reason why you will never make "real money" in the general "Second Life" employment field is simple. Firstly, you are depending on the value of "Lindens." Secondly, you rely on how much people are willing to pay for "virtual" goods and/or services. Guess what, it's not much.

If you want to make big money in Second Life you create an actual career. Some examples are: land purchasing and selling, big-ass stores and scripting. Or alternatively, you work for Linden Labs. Mainly, you need a college degree and capital. Otherwise don't complain about your job in SL not paying enough or how you need to meet a sugar daddy in SL. How about: get a real fucking job, it pays better than SL (which as a DJ/Host you probably are making less than the people making your clothes in Indonesia) and sometimes even has health benefits!

If you want to "work" in Second Life, that's fine and dandy. In fact, I DJ in Second Life, but I don't expect to make any "real" money...it's for fun. Lower your expectations in the realistic zone and you'll find yourself happier.

***If I've offended you because you're retired/disabled/unemployed/etc, then your real issue is not having RL money, don't blame me for not wanting to listen to your unrealistic Second Life whining. Even if that is the situation, SL will never pay your rent, sorry.

"I may be unemployed at least I have cute prim shoes"

2010-05-05T21:56:00.008-04:00

Recently I stopped by a store that I had known since it first started years ago.

Back when it first started, this store was but a small shop that had cute items at very reasonable prices. I remember buying almost one of everything. The quality was amazing and affordable. For the sake of anonymity (or an attempt at it) I will call this store, "Store X."

I went to the current footwear area of Store X. This store has now expanded, owning its own sim and creating a MEGA store. While there I came across some cute heels. I began collecting demos of said shoes:

However, when I looked at the price of the shoes, I was shocked to find out the price. One pair of shoes costs $1175L! Yes, I repeat $1175L. XstreetSL estimates the value of $1175 L to be approximately $4.38. I don't think I've ever spent more than 400L on any pair of shoes on SL. In a situation that I did pay that much, you damn well know I was wearing those shoes constantly---in fact I think they are boots that I still wear on a weekly basis. When the price of a pair of virtual accessories looks to me like the price of a meal or the value of some actual decent stuff in REAL LIFE... the price seems to me to be obscene.

A recession is a time to cut back, go on an austerity budget... not spend almost 5 dollars on a pair of SL shoes you will only wear a lot the first few weeks you bought them and then as time goes on they will just sit in your inventory gathering virtual dust. After 3+ years on SL, I know this happens, it always does. As my dad used to say "80% of having something is WANTING it.." after you buy it...the shiny wears off.

I am still shocked at these prices. Do note: Store X does sell shoes at more of a "value"...only $975 L ($3.60) a pair! I went to one of my friend's about these overpriced shoes and explained to her my shock. Her response was, "(the price) is normal these days." What about paying almost 5 dollars on a pair of virtual shoes is "NORMAL"? I spend lots of money on SL items, but when you pay over $1000 L, you better damn well be buying a house, car, textures, HUD or other big ticket items... not shoes.

And when I thought these prices were obscene, my friend informed me, "Well, Store Z charges 2300L a pair, I won't buy those." (Store Z's name has been changed for anonymity.)

Maybe I'm the last of a dying breed who shop for a value in RL and SL. I spend lots of dollars on erroneous things, but there are limits to that. When the unemployment rate in my area is approaching 13%, other nations are experiencing budget crises and credit card rates are souring, you have to ask yourself: Did we learn anything?

Apparently not in Second Life. Well, I'll take my $4.38 and save it for something better.

Remember when?

2009-10-20T20:23:00.002-04:00

So I just recently downloaded this new "GreenLife Emerald Viewer" to see all the wonders of SL in a brand new light... or at least to see jiggling boobs. That got me thinking about remembering the days when boobs were stiff, there were no flexi boobs...and a friend of mine made talking prim boobs for me to wear in a costume contest (I was Pam Anderson...go figure).

Things have changed since I joined SL 3 years ago... flexi prims were new back then, and sculpties weren't even a twinkle in Philip Linden's eye...

Ah yes Philip Linden was still the CEO. The Big Cheese... extra cheese. To me he sorta always looks like a tool, especially b/c he wore that damned SL logo on a necklace. Now, I have no idea who is the CEO, and whoever they are they can't be nearly as fun to make fun of as good ol' Phil.

Nowadays we have flexi boobs, flexi butts and apparently prim vaginas? One thing SL has not changed in...it's ability to make the most fucked up stuff and sell it... and people pay for it. Sex and SL don't change, still crazy, still weird, and still lots of people coming on sl to "get off." Whether it's via furry humping, bondage seks, or prim vaginas?

There are some things I really do miss, Last Call. The brain child of Ginny Talamasca, RIP. To this date she singlehandly made some of the best quality and most beautiful clothes in the history of SL. It's a shame all the "newer" people who have joined in recent years won't get to experience her clothes. I think it's because she did fashion in RL as well as SL. All I know is I whip on a Last Call dress and the compliments just keep rolling in. It makes me mourn the loss of such creativity. I have yet to see someone to rival her talents... and I'll still keep waiting.

So, remember when... sculpties were a dream, we Beta tested SL Voice, opensource viewers weren't as pretty, you "saw gray people," "missing image" was the worst skin, and prim penises were enough.

To Death do Us...meh, we probably won't make it that long

2009-06-05T23:33:00.005-04:00

"Someone stole my heart...and left me for dead"

So, I've been meaning to post this for awhile and really what finally provoked me was not only a very cool picture of me in a wedding dressed covered in blood...but also learning that a decent DJ with a sexy voice was partnered on SL recently. Mostly my shock over this discovery was because his partner was a crazy FANGIRL wearing multiple tags/titlers that said "XX's Babygirl" and various other ownership titles. Also, she was dressed trashy...but that's besides the point.

The fact is on Secondlife I have this theory that applies 9 out of 10 times...as soon as you partner the person you're "romantically involved with" on SL, you've doomed the relationship. I can cite numerous couples that proved this theory to be true. Now, it's completely different if the relationship is not exclusive to SL. I'm mostly talking about the "wow his avie is so cute and we have fun, let's partner."

Commitments are hard enough in RL, how can you work through that in a virtual world? Especially when people are busy with RL...sometimes busy with another person in RL. Making a commitment in any relationship requires saying that person is who you like above all others. I question how that statement can be made when, as a general policy, RL comes before SL.

So my advice is, don't partner...unless it's something you want to pursue in an RL fashion, because a partnership in either reality demands lots of time, effort, and energy.

I PRoTesT PEaCe!

2008-12-13T21:28:00.005-05:00

Ok, I don't exactly protest "peace"...but I do protest this "Peace on Earth" hunt. I will admit, the idea of 400 stores of FREE stuff had me excited. I mean, I enjoy getting stuff for FREE as much as the next person, but when you start to realize that to go to every one of these stores and find the globe could take weeks... it doesn't seem as enjoyable. Even with "slurl" cheats, I still was taking hours to get through 30 or so globes.... and then there's the mess of going through all these globes. Now, I'll easily admit to having an overstuffed inventory inventory approaching 40K, so I have to be careful with what I decide to keep around. I went through all the globes I picked up (the 200 or so I managed to bother grabbing)...and I'll easily tell you...THE HUNT IS NOT WORTH IT. Most of it really is Free SHIT...yes...Free CRAP...Free JUNK! I am not saying these people who build things don't mean well.... and perhaps I'm snobbish...but if I am going to spend time looking for globes that are hidden, there should be good stuff in there...esp not Grid-wide freebies (do I need another penis gun? I think not).

I totally endorse hunts, I think they are fun and a great way to meet people *yay for meeting Tristan*... but do you really need 400+ globes? I mean, it sorta defeats the purpose of the hunt, which is to get people to the vendor's store.... but when you're in a rush to find 400 globes and you're on number 100... eff checking out stores!

Thus, I have given up on this hunt, and spending time on Secondlife *not* filling up my inventory with crap...even if it is free.

Clubbin' ain't all it's cracked up to be

2008-09-13T17:55:00.003-04:00

The past week or so I've been extremely bored on SL...or bored with SL? It's not about my friends or things to do... because I know I could go build stuff or maybe have a party? But I just want to go around the grid and meet more friends and I find myself out of luck. The thing about SL events is that most people are there for money, and those that post in SL>>>Events>>Nightlife... only post events that are giving out money.. 500L for best in jeans! Free Camping! Sploders up the Ass!

So when you go to these events, that's the calibur of people you will meet. You will be in a laggy sim, where the bling on the people is almost as painful as the scripts running themselves and the particle effects. All together, your computer is lagging out, no one is talking in chat except saying gestures like "AIR HORNNN" or random ASCII pics of a Wolf, a Heart, a Crown, the Sistine Chapel Mural...whatever. (though snaps to whoever comes up with the Sistine Chapel Mural in a gesture form..I'll pay double for that) Anyway, so in those situations you just have to dance and hope someone maybe ims you? Or you can try the friendly approach at a Club.

Option 1) Talk in Main Chat: The problem with this is if there are people who know each other, and they are complete dicks (very common)...they won't let you get a word edgewise in the conversation. For example, I was at a not so busy club dancing, someone mentioned they were from my city, I started talking... and they just carried on their conversation with the other person, like I wasn't there. If you want to talk to one person, keep it in IMs, don't be a dick.

Option 2) IM random people: This requires some skill, because you have to be able to hunt down someone worth your time. This can be hard as newbies (who can be cool people) make crappy profiles... and some people make abrasive profiles such as "I am unaffectionate and if you're looking at this you're a stalker, peace"... While profiles are meant to be looked at, hence them being public... some people don't sound particuarly friendly after reading them. So usually you can be stuck in ims to Mr. Lame Ass Pretty Newbie or Lady Blings a Lot... and then you wish you were just in silence. Or you get people who don't answer back. Either way, it's rough.

Option 3) Wait for them to come to you? The chances are if you are a female, it will be some dude checking out your avatar's ass or your 1st life pic...and finding either/or both sexy.

From this I've deduced CLUBS SUCK if you want to meet people... or at least Clubs actually listed in Events. The best places are out of the way bars, like Dark Raven, Bushy Beard or Club 24. You get to know a few people, people are nice and the music is pretty good.

I am a sociable person, but sometimes meeting people on your own on secondlife can be difficult, especially when you are trying to filter out the duds.

The trials of friendship even in a virtual world

2008-04-09T14:21:00.006-04:00

A lot of people escape reality and enter virtual worlds to free themselves from the burdens of their real life existence. Entering the grid can be an attempt to leave behind: loans, spousal drama, upcoming exams, the fact you need to really clean your apartment.... but what I've found in my journey is that virtual reality has the same amount of emotional wear and tear (and happiness) as REALITY.

I've heard stories of dealing with SL™ partners and their habits, or the business that goes on at Welcome Area crowds. For example, one Welcome Area known as "Violet" has special days where they dress alike ~~and act like they're in a poorly done rendition of Mean Girls~~. Or I got questioned (like the Spanish Inquisition) by an acquaintance wondering if I was the person who sent out wicked emails about him. Firstly, WTF. Secondly, I have better things to do than bother with the drama. Finally, WTF.

Recently for me the stuff that happens in world that has made going online a different experience has been between myself and my best mate and partner in crime...Hazel Kyrgyz. Needless to say we are inworld and out of world mates, and it makes things dramatic for us both, especially when we both act stupid or like lame.... anyway. The week where I wasn't talking to her, seemed to drain on forever. I kept on stalkering her through others, and finding out how she was.... and she did the same it seems. In the end, we worked it out and I think our friendship is stronger for it. But really I think no matter how much you TRY to avoid drama/emotions/etc in SL™, you can't; especially if you put your heart and soul out there and really MAKE friends and START relationships.

No matter how we try to escape reality, maybe we're just getting closer to it?

They ®'ed up my virtual life!

2008-04-02T17:11:00.004-04:00

If you're unaware already, the corporation of Second Life® has decided to fuck up things yet again. If you didn't already think the client software was buggy, your "picks" in your profile are limited, or you can't join enough groups; or various other complaints (of which we all have many), then this is just the cherry on the sundae of despair.

LL released this report regarding branding the term Second Life® and all other coined terms mentioned.

See: http://secondlife.com/corporate/brand/trademark/reference.php

As such I had to fuckin' change the domain title of my blog, and add ® to every mentioning of their virtual world in my blog. Can I tell you what a pain that was? I think they've just gone too far now, because it cramps the style and creates an annoyance for every business or blog that had any of the copywritten terms used in their title. I am sorry but LL's virtual world is more than just a corporation, some may say...it's a lifestyle. Now they've completely removed any and all vocabulary of describing that lifestyle UNLESS you put a freakin' ® symbol next to it. Plus they make it so you can't refer to SL® being "your's" and various other grammatical bullshit. I was reading the Brand Center and I felt like I was in english class again.

They said Language Arts stuff like:

"Display Requirements. Always capitalize and spell Linden Lab's brand names exactly as they are shown here, and do not abbreviate them or alter their spelling, spacing, hyphenation, or punctuation."

"Never use the brand name as a generic noun or verb, and never use it in the plural or possessive form."

I have to say this, most Americans and most people of the world...don't know what a possessive noun is. It's called a failed education system...or you're just too old to remember. This is especially true for people who speak English as a second language. While this makes things more complicated for us native born English speakers, you can now get sued for using the wrong possessive form of a verb and conjugating it up yo' ass...etc. Bullshit.

So thanks LL for making my virtual life more like real life, complicated and full of bullshit.

The Lifestyles of the Welcome Areas

2008-03-24T12:17:00.008-04:00

Until recently, I really hadn't bothered with SL® voice nor visiting random areas of Secondlife®. But upon shopping for tattoos for my avi and being asked by some random guy (who is now a SL ® "friend")to get on voice....has led me to explore the powers of Voice on SL ® and the draw of the Welcome Area cultures.

So, if you are not familiar with how voice works, it's pretty much you put in your mic and talk! Voila! It's like skype on SL® and is nice for those lazy typers out there. Also, if you're someone like me who thinks listening to other accents is kinda cool (or hot: if they're Aussie or British), then it's definitely a perk of SL® Voice. Now, if you are afraid of sounding like a different gender then your avatar or that your voice generally "sucks"...then stick to typing. But I would like to think that people secure in themselves overcome those barriers and join the World of SL® voice. Because really, it's pretty cool.

Now, the Welcome Area culture. While wandering around with my friend KyleeRose and causing mischief, or mostly just being ourselves, we stumbled upon Waterhead. Now in Secondlife ® I would like to say that there are 2 types of avatars: douchebags and not douchebags. Saying that, there are two types of Welcome Areas: places you can expect more douchebags to frequent and troll and grief AND others that has chiller folk.

Waterhead is a douchebag frequenter. These douches "troll" in world--i.e. pick on someone and say douchebaggy things to get a rise out of the victim. Generally I would say majority of these trollers are underage Secondlife ® players OR early 20s white males (probably in college). They create griefing accounts and pull shit like this to make themselves feel better about their (probably) less awesome real lives. The trolling can consist of making fun of general things like "you're ugly" or "you're so smart eww" or "are all people on hear lonely and geeks." Other people get more specific like "you read the economist, you are retarded".... yes, they attempted to troll me because I know about Darfur genocide...and read the economist. It was pathetic. Anyway, so if you want to watch the trolling or participate, go to Waterhead.

Ahern also had douchebags, but the "cooler" people keep them away OR mute them. I mean there are always going to be some instigators trying to rustle feathers, but I've generally had a more pleasant experience at Ahern. It is usually chill folk who have little tolerance for fucking annoying people (see: douchebags, griefers, trollers).

However, these cultures overlap. People from one Welcome area sometimes frequent another, like this gentleman known as "JJ"...he is infamous or famous? I dunno which works but it seems that everyone knows him. And normally when I would go to Ahern I would stay if I saw the "nice" people...your friends. And if I go there and see the few names I associate with "douchebag"....I know quick to avoid and go do something else with my time.

Overall, SL® Voice and these areas have been a really fun experience and I think I'm going to stick with it. Plus, accents are awesome and I'm a typical American in my shininess <3 for them....even if I hear them all the time on BBC or other tv outlets.

Relationships and Secondlife®

2008-03-11T00:51:00.012-04:00

As some of you do or do not know, I met a guy on Secondlife® around 8 months ago. 3 months later this blossomed into a beautiful real-life relationship. Phone calls turned in to weekend visits, and talks about the past moved towards our future, together. It was actually quite nice to not only meet someone I was attracted to as a "real life" person, but also that I was able to share something that is so important to me, with them; that is Secondlife®. However, this tale only has an unfortunate ending. That is, the relationship did not last as long as my continued interest in Secondlife®. That is life, as they say...or perhaps "That is life....both first and second."

Thus, I have been trying to ponder and contemplate a good entry into this long forgotten blog about my learnings from a Secondlife® partnership that led to a real life partnership; to shed light to this phenomena. We see it everywhere, and all of us have been invited to them, yep, that's right, Secondlife® weddings! I myself have wedded 2 couples, been in 2 weddings, organized a wedding....and even crashed one. They are a good reason for two people, who have met on Secondlife® to tie the knot. Usually it is because they have a "sexual" relationship on SL that has aspects that permeate into RL. (ew) Or sometimes it's a consolation prize when one partner buys shit for the other partner in RL or Secondlife®. I myself know of a woman who received a FREE computer from a guy on SL® and thus, partnered him! Then again, free computer!

However, what happens when people take SL® into the RL. Myself and a few other avatars are friends in RL. We haven't met *yet* but we phone one another, text one another, send pictures of baklava to one another, email, etc. We are part of their lives, both in world and out. What happens when the RL part ends? What then?

After my former boyfriend and I went separate ways, I cut off all contact with him in RL. A fresh start with a new me. Or as I like to think...exs have a role in your past, that shaped who you are in the present, but they do not have the privilege of being in your future. Thus, in SL®, I've done much the same thing. At first it was kind of hard to see him Log On, and know we weren't talking. And I also hope he would "be a mature adult" and resign himself from property I have an interest in; this was to no avail. How do you act around SL® mutual friends? Does this change your attitude towards the game?

Pretty much what I've learned is, while friendships from Secondlife® can be long lasting, and closer than many "real life" friendships--I don't think SL® is best for "romantic" relationships to bleed into real life. Not only did dating said person take away gaps in my real life, that I am finding now that I missed, but there were gaps in my Secondlife® that I missed out on! I didn't DJ for months while we were dating, and I LOVEEEE it... I didn't make clothes... I didn't see or hang with my SL® friends. It was not the former bf's fault by any means, but I realize what I sacrificed for something in "real life"....I sacrificed...me.

While some people enter SL® being furries, fairies, robots, dinosaurs, other genders, etc. SL® is an extension of myself; to the extent that if I'm having a "poopy" day, I want my avatar to show it. And thus, I put a lot of heart and soul into the verse, and I think entangling my heart and soul with someone also in the verse.... complicates things. And there is the chance you may run into them again, as much as you just want them gone. Even on the internet you can't hide from ....THE EXS!

Moral:

1) don't date people you meet on Secondlife®, otherwise it makes things more awkward and can make it harder to move on in RL.

2) SL® has some really great people on it, truly amazing people; make friends!

3) Oh my avatar is pondering in a NYC subway car because I am in NYC and I was in a subway car...or 6...today! See, RL--->SL®--->RL--->SL®....sense a pattern?

Hazel Has been Naughty

2007-12-06T20:45:00.003-05:00

The best part about exchanging avatar passwords with your SL® Business partner is getting on their avatar, dressing them up as a sex kitten and then photoshopping them in a seedy place. See below.

Hazel Kyrgyz: XXX Life

Also, why do people make their alternative avatars look just like their regular avatar? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having an "alt"... so if you have 3 avatars that look the same, is the 3rd called an "alt's alt" ... and What happens if you created 100 avatars and had them all look the same...and then had 100 computers and logged on with all those alts...would that totally creep people the fuck out? I think it would people, I think it would.

"I'm Starting With the Man in the Mirror..."

Happy David B-Day! bahaha

2007-10-12T12:23:00.001-04:00

So despite the ghettoness of running anything on my craptop, I decided to make a collage for Hazel! She sent me the AWESOMEST care package for my (David) B-day!

And the items were WRAPPED IN THE ECONOMIST!!! BAHAHAHA. Anyway... I feel it is appropriate to post the collage and this shout out :)

When your computer implodes during your birthday week... and stuff is sucking, nothing is happier than TOM HANKS! and turkish delight mmmmm...

Computers suck

2007-10-11T01:18:00.001-04:00

I hate my computer and I want it to stop being so fucked up and for it to work! Due to power outageness and the fact my BIOS battery is dead... my computer is currently out of commission. Yes... it will not recognize the monitor or the keyboard....thus.. it is rendered useless.

On the bright side.. YAY for Second Life ®friends. My buddy offered his computer genius services, while Hazel Kyrgyz offered her support ("Live Computer Live") for this situation.

However after 2 hours ofservices, and Ms. Kyrgyz's happy thoughts... the computer is still ..fucked up.

I really hope I am not condemned to my laptop to play SecondLife ®... because this laptop, while being very useful for recreational websurfing .. is not equipped for SL.

I'm now going to go burrow myself away under the covers until this is over and my friend's husband agrees to assisting me in my mess of a situation.

I'm so Haute right now

2007-09-11T21:28:00.001-04:00

You know what has been bothering me more than the outrageous prices for clothes in world these days? The absolute misuse of the term haute couture by Second Life Designers. Apparently haute couture has become the age old excuse for charging 400+ L per dress... without living up to the standards of the actual haute couture houses. Last I checked, haute couture did not mean "rip off prices." No... let's take a step back via Wikipedia.com...

In modern France, "haute couture is a 'protected name' that can be used only by firms that meet certain well-defined standards. However, the term is also used loosely to describe all high-fashion custom-fitted clothing."* As one who lived in Paris over the summer, the truth about haute couture houses is they are elite! We are talking small boutiques filled with unique dresses tailored to the clientele... and I swear I saw on customer being served cafe au lait in the one in Rome. Anyway... this is NOT what Second Life® designers live up to as a standard. Those designers who dare use the term haute couture have mall sized shops and sell dresses to the masses---they have turned their businesses into a Walmart of Clothes, albeit higher prices and haute couture stamped on the side.

Just because you say your items are haute couture ...does not mean they are... or that you even have the legitimacy in using such terms when describing your product. In Paris apparently the term haute couture is protected by law, to be considered with such a term a designer's house must meet certain qualifications--i.e. objective standards---before being able to associate themselves with the term.

Additionally, because haute couture is prided on its individual unique designs...if a house has too much commercialization and "ready-to-wear" items, it can lose its status as a haute couture house. If applied in-world... perhaps the better term for these SL haute couture knock-offs would be ... Resident Shopping Malls for the masses. Overpriced, but accessible to all.

It's ok, I don't shame you SL®"haute couture" designers for attempting to be what you aren't, but realize you are misusing the word and move on...because those of you have started the trend have created a plague. Whereby anyone with a looprezzer, photoshop/gimp and computer is considering themselves a haute couture designer. Well... Christian Doir would be ashamed!

* Haute couture, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haute_couture

Because this is a necessary test if you Game...

2007-09-10T23:19:00.004-04:00

I have nothing of interest to report.. although the fact I have a Second Life Blog for my avatar should make me more than "Slightly Dorky"...you'd think?

Turning Into Your Avi

2007-08-28T20:25:00.002-04:00

Have you ever gotten dressed for the day, done your hair, unwrinkled your clothes...and then looked in the mirror and said to yourself, "SHIT..I look like my avi."

Whether it's the makeshift hairstyle you did or the outfit you bought at the store because it looked "cool"...I think we all end up looking like our avi. Now the question remains, are we looking like our avis...or our are avis looking like us? This is a perplexing question when considering that some RL people have avis of different genders and/or different species. Thus, when you are looking at tiger costumes (or another gender's clothes) ...do these people want to wear that shit in RL too?

This is probably one of the reasons the whole "furry" culture has creeped me the fuck out. (and still does). Like every other American I learned about this subculture through nothing else but... television, C.S.I. nonetheless. In this episode the furries (i.e. people in costumes) were "doing it" in like fur piles. Fur piles of people in costumes... not so hot right now. And rather disturbing.

After watching such an episode [and ofcourse EVERYTHING on TV (esp. C.S.I.) is true] I came to a rather disturbed conclusion about furries... they all dress up in costumes and go at it like rabbits (excuse the pun).

But is this truly who SL ® furries are as they RPG on SL®? Are they RL furpilin' sex fiends?

While I turn more and more into my avatar (or vice versa) ...are these SL® furries secretly developing tails and ear and fur fetishes in RL (or vice versa)? Maybe this is something I never want to know the answer to... especially as a recent friend of mine on SL turned ..FURRY *gasp*

I think ultimately we don't want to think that the furry chick we know on SL ®who looks like this:

Really looks like THIS:

MOM is WOW upside down!

2007-08-18T14:17:00.001-04:00

A few months ago my mom and I were on a bit of a roadtrip for 15 hours...alone...with mom. As such you can imagine the insanity of being stuck in car with your mother for that long brings. I grasped for topics to talk about; I can talk for days, but after a few hours your throat gets dry and so does your wit... Anyway, Second Life came up. I went into all the sordid details of the metaverse known as Second Life. ~~From furries, to sex shops, to men being women~~ (hey, it's my mom!) Well I didn't tell her ALL the sordid details, or really ANY... I think I mostly stuck to how I DJ in world, ride elephants and make dresses. Somehow this conversation struck a chord with her...and in my midst of trying to pass the time in the claustrophobic car.. the world ended. All it took were the words uttered by my mother.."Wow, I'd like to try Second Life." The look of horror on my face was only comparable to that of a 13 year old realizing mom and dad are chaperoning the 8th grade dance... or various other teenage angsty horror stories. On the upside...my mom was only half serious. Apparently she is going to hold off the grid, and the possibility of "chilling with my avatar homeys" until her retirement, years from now. But the thought of my MOTHER joining my sacred world of the grid, somehow horrified me... and this made me think of how we all would breach this subject with an interested parent.

I mean, a lot of people who I am friends with on SecondLife® are old enough to be my mom or dad.. So why this big of a deal?

I'll tell you, it's the thought of this:

"Average" Mom* by Day:

"Average" Mom by NIGHT:

And that thought...keeps me thoroughly creepified enough to hope my mom never joins Second Life.

Oh, btw, I dedicate this entry to a close Second Life friend of mine, whose mother just joined Second Life. Godspeed friend, godspeed.

*note: not my mom, some random google image I found when searching "mom"..although she looks reallll cool. heh.

The Crash Screen of DEATH

2007-08-08T04:29:00.002-04:00

Every avatar has seen this screen...and as you get older and wiser in the ways of Ye Olde Secondlife®...you can feel it coming. The crash screen of DEATH. It usually starts out as a bit of lag, your avatar moves like the Million Dollar Man...sllooowlllyy.. and then... you're trying to type and you just keep typing, but nothing is said in chat. Then...boom. SL® is out of sight and the blurby box pops up in your OS saying "You've just crashed, sucks to be you... you might even have to uninstall SL and reinstall again, suckaaaa."

It is at those times you feel like you are the puppet of some prank...and worse is when by the TIME you get back on you are only to be flooded with ims from all your friends (who were online when you crashed) saying that they've left. So, you've crashed and now you're alone...and have no reason to be on SL® at 4 a.m.

Don't you just hate that shit?

And since it's 4 am...let's ponder this? Does anyone else thing Philip (Rosedale) Linden is mildly attractive in the "dorky 30 something (who is filthy rich) wishin' he was a frat boy" sorta way? Or is it just me?

Poverty Stricken Avatar Seeks $Lindens$

2007-08-05T05:37:00.001-04:00

The trouble with using SL®®® as a form of entertainment is that ultimately it does cost money. And to spend money in world you need to either make money in RL or in SL®. As I currently do not have a job in RL (see: poor law student phenomena), I depend on my SL income to meet my prim demands. My shopping addiction in SL is never ending~~..storrryyy~~. Be it hair, skin, shoes, tattoos, or flying elephants...I WANT IT ALL. As such, I turned to the secondlife classifieds in search of employment needs... I found none.

However, will someone explain to me why there are so many crappy DJs that are employed? And why do people listen to them? And...why do people use that fucking "fuego" gesture and GESTURES in general. While the two latter points lead to another issue entirely, that of people being fucking douches in RL and SL...the first part does pique me. If a DJ has a monotone voice, no rapport with the audience and generally plays sucky music....why are they employed on SL? Better yet, why do people flock to their venues? Is it that people have no taste in music? Or is it that most SLers are about 37 years old, and have somehow, in the years leading up to that age, totally forgotten what REAL music sounds like? I understand they grew up in the 1980s where Bobby Brown was like Elvis and The Scorpions were melodic rock...but C'MON! When a DJ is so bad that you stop going to your old hangout to meet up with your friends because DJ "Suck-a-Lot" will be streaming.... something has got to give!

And in case I am unable to get tips from my DJing ..(probably)... I shall offer myself up as...a free Kitten?

I'll at least have to live in that cardboard box... it's low prim right?

New Store Rant

2007-08-04T04:13:00.002-04:00

Firstly: Look it's Hazel and I in the new store! Finally, things come together!

One thing they don't tell you in the "Girls Who Want to Become SL® Fashion Designers" handbook is that image is everything! I think it's even more true in Second Life. While in real life we see the most beautiful people...in magazines, tv, movies etc... in Second Life EVERYONE is beautiful. Thus, if your avatar has fecked up thighs or non-prim hair..we notice. And, we also notice in the way stores are set up! The most well known, designer stores of SecondLife® seem to have the nicest stores! I can't imagine what they pay to have rl/SL® contractors come and build their area to sell their product, but I can guarantee it's probably more linden than I make in 6 weeks of being in France off SL®! Thus, you don't just need capital and land to start your own Fashion Biz on SL®, you also need...classiness and building capabilities. It's not just about making tiny prim necklaces and flexi dresses, you need to be able to build the classiest store to sell your sassy and floofy dresses.

Anyway, we finally built it. Talisman 4.0? The History of Talisman...
Talisman 1.0: Hazel sold flexi dresses from the back of her ~~car~~ club. Sam joins the team
Talisman 2.0: New store built, purple walls. Lili becomes Hazel's ~~sidekick~~ partner and makes clothes under ^V^Omen^V^; Sam brings her b/f Ladi from Holland.
Talisman 3.0: Hazel's next store includes a fountain full of sharks and a bigger catwalk. Sam & Ladi bring more ~~Flying~~ Dutchmen (Keynir and Mijn)
Talisman 4.0: Talisman drops its ghetto exterior and now looks like a classy joint and less like, a Walmart. Now we have a place as classy as Hazel and I. It only took: 3 weeks, uncountable Lindens (cost/loss), chocolate floors, a potential sphinx, firing of incompetants, ~~and a partridge in a pear tree~~.

Now all I need to do is like, make shit for the store.... yeah...photoshop...here I come?

Identity Issues

2007-08-02T07:49:00.001-04:00

So, I don't like when there are people on SL that have screwed you over and then you find them lurking around your home! As if, "you're fired" doesn't get it across that Shit...get out of my Second Life®! There is this one avatar on my Friend's List who I have just been waiting to de-friend...but she's ALWAYS online. And I think it would be a little uncomfortable for me to de-friend her and then have to deal with the iming explaining why I defriended her. It becomes way too much of a hassle and ultimately, she is still on my list. You know I'm not nearly this selective on my AIM list, maybe the whole virtual reality of running into the person in Last Call or at my own skyplat makes me more anxious.

Today I decided to venture outside of my redheadness...and I wasn't just buying hair for my model! No...I bought PINK HAIR! Yes, virtual money from my pocket purchased hair that is not red. Let me tell you it seemed very strange. I think you get used to seeing your avatar a certain way, similar to seeing yourself, and when the avatar suddenly changes...it is just weird. I identify myself so much with being a redhead in RL and SL®..that it's just weird. Luckily, with one click of a button, I am unattached to the pink hair and voila, redhead again!

The only problem was that my friend said I looked like Avril Lavigne. WTF! The other day he said my RL self looks like Gillian Andersen ("The Truth is Out there Scully...") and now my SL pink haired avi looks like that waste of space neo-punk singer. *puke* Surprisingly, as I tried to go to sleep this morning....what did I find on tv? The only thing on TV besides infomercials?? X-Files.

Welcome to Reality..er SL®reality?

2007-08-01T12:18:00.001-04:00

So, while driving to work this morning I figured, shite..I should have a blog that is completely distinct and separate from my RL blogs. I wanted something that, if I wanted to put a web address to in my profile...I could...or if I was just in the mood to rant and rave about shit..I can.

The worst part about some of these blog things, is that people will inevitably read them. People love gossip, in Secondlife® in reallife...and on tv! Thus, ultimately this blog will be full of what would be coined "gossip" but what I would perceive as...my fuckin' opinion.

News to report:
Yet again another "woman" on Secondlife® has revealed "herself" to be of a gender unlike my own.. yes...another He-She strikes again! I need to start counting and making a list of who decides to come out in SL®. And I keep on thinking maybe I should do a report on this. What an inquisitive psychological report, or even academic paper it would be to discuss the alternative life styles choices of men living as women on second life. I mean, I want to know why they do it? Most of these men-"women" are probably straight males in relationships, then why the utter delight in living as another gender in SL®? Even worse, not just living as another gender but engaging in feminine behavior and seeking it out! I mean, like becoming a model, buying TONS of female clothes, even escort services? Is it all a ploy to get to know women better? And does it work if probably half the "women" the he-she avatars know are probably also he-she avatars. These are questions I want answers to, damnit.

I guess, life is just boring playing your own gender? wtf.