We Interrupt This Stream of SL Posts For a Brief Dedication

Back in my younger days I fell in love with this older guy - one with smarts and a ridiculous charm and a complete disregard for many of life's rules.  It was a period of time when many of us avoided disco and the rest of the 70's and found country - in particular my never ending passion for Waylon Jennings which outlasted my affair with the man I'll call TM but is all bound up into the same memories.

He could be an ass at times.  The song above is one he insisted reminded him of me - and no my name isn't Susan, he'd substitute mine in the lyrics.  It actually didn't seem like a bad song for him to pick.  Years after we parted I passed through his town and had dinner with TM and his wife. The idiot got up in the middle of the meal and put this on the stereo and made sure she knew it was about me.  sigh

I learned today that there won't be a possibility of any future dinners together.  The memories though are mostly happy ones and I want to dedicate the next video to him.  To TM and to my wish that some people would just stick around.

Falling on my Sword in Second Life

Schmuck

So I did something stupid yesterday.  I admit I'm not perfect and I screw up with probably more regularity than I'd like to think but this time it affected somebody else and I felt lousy. I told one of my oldest SL friends what I had done and she recognized the gravity of my transgression however, she also laughed.

She explained that anybody who knew me would have expected it from me because that's what I do.  I tend to "help" whether it's requested or not.  sigh  Now I not only felt like a rotten person but one of those infuriatingly sincere but annoying volunteers at a hospital I used to have to visit.  This day was not getting any better.

I decided I had to perform some sort of ritual in order to imprint the commission of this particular crime on my subconscious so that I don't repeat it.  I did some research on Sepuku and concluded that the full-blown traditional approach was probably not for me but I would tailor it somewhat.

First I searched my inventory for sword - not expecting anything but I thought it would be a good place to start.  It turns out I own swords.  In fact, for some reason I can't explain, I own a lot of them.  I could only carry 3 and not for any distance - those suckers are heavy.

Xena who?

I spent considerable time designing what I thought would be a tasteful, solemn and fitting ceremony highlighting both my regret and my awareness of the extent of my shortcomings. I choreographed the steps I would take and wrote a suitably sincere and dramatic script that involved much soul baring and vows to mend my ways.  The conclusion of the entire thing was to be very moving and, I felt, would result in the expiation of my sins.  There would also be pain but that's to be expected.

I then passed a lengthy period of time in meditation and contemplation.  I wanted to ensure that my mind was prepared for the task - I was not going to mess this up.

I headed out to a sim I felt gave me the proper backdrop for this type of endeavour and started to look for the right location.  It appears some renovations are taking place because there was a lot of rubble and odd gaps in trails and, as I struggled to carry my swords over the broken terrain, I tripped.  That's correct, I spent hours preparing for a ceremony that was very important to me and then did the inworld equivalent of running with scissors.

I guess that falling on your sword is easier to do than I thought.  I will try to remember the lesson even if the process didn't turn out as expected.

Dignity?  What dignity?

A "Modest Proposal" for Art in Second Life

LEA Art Sandbox  (moderate)

There's a new bully in town.  That's right, the Linden Endowment for the Arts is wreaking havoc in the world of art sims.  Bad enough they provide a sandbox. They also have sims which highlight artists in a variety of categories (and of course let Crap and I loose on the world) but now they're giving out grants to individuals so they have an opportunity to create and share their vision with the rest of the grid.  Outrageous!

However, the real problem is much bigger than just the LEA.  I feel compelled to expose the full nature of this situation but please be comforted by the fact that I do have a solution. Falling back on the inspiration of my hero Jonathan Swift I propose to end this scourge permanently.

There are multiple components to the issue.  The first is that there are way too many artists in Second Life and their numbers are growing all the time.  People keep talking about the virtual world and its tools for creativity - this inevitably leads to people thinking they actually have the right to use them and try creating stuff.

The Great Fissure (moderate)

As a result we have a creative birthrate that cannot be sustained.  There just aren't enough outlets to handle the myriad of new and struggling "artists" which means we have a large population of artsy fartsy types living below the poverty line.  They squat in shacks and under bridges and generally make the metaverse look tawdry.

The second part of the problem involves those people who, for whatever reason, feel a need to open new art sims.  We already have enough art sims.  In fact we have too many. They're all competing with each other and to what purpose?  Why bother displaying the work of more than a few "artists"?  It's not like they're as valuable as a new mall or Zyngo parlour.

I propose that we limit the number of art sims to 3.  That seems like a reasonable number. To avoid the spectacle of unwashed painters and sculptors beating at the doors we round them all up.  You read that correctly, we incarcerate all the would be creative types.  (This will have the added benefit of bringing the whole bdsm subculture into the mainstream - we have to do something with these people once we have them.)

The London Dungeon  (moderate)

Stage Two will be to seize all the individuals who have opened art sims over and above the 3 we have designated as acceptable.  We can't have them drawing traffic away from our trio of approved destinations.  As part of this phase all of the Lindens who thought the LEA was a good idea will be included.

The best part of my proposal is Stage Three.  Each of the official art exhibitors will hold regular executions of the prisoners.  The frequency may have to be high initially, because there will be quite a backlog to get through, but it's doable.

Publically sanctioned terminations would give the 3 sims a chance to compete with each other while eradicating the excess artists and sponsors from Second Life.  They could try to outdo each other in style, efficacy and even, dare I say, artistry.

Ankh Morpork  (moderate)

Eventually the population of artists and art sim owners will be whittled away.  This process will also spread the message to any newcomers that they should not consider creativity as a worthwhile activity to pursue.

A terrific side benefit will be that we get a new source of entertainment.  It could be gamified and draw the right kind of residents inworld.

For any of you who do not believe this is a real problem you have not been paying attention. There is a limit to the amount of help and support that should be provided to a seemingly endless number of artists.  Particularly if you believe that only the same two dozen creative types should be indulged at all.  In addition, the whole idea of having both "public" and private sponsorship is an anathema. Really, what were people thinking?

My proposal is an efficacious approach to both deleting the problem and erasing the drama and we'll get a new game out of it.  My hero would be proud.  

Image from A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

On Lives and Journeys and Dark Chocolate in Second Life

Secret Spheres (moderate)

I've been musing on life and change and the unfolding of the universe.  I'm hardly a profound philosopher but there are some things I believe. I know, you're rolling your eyes and judging me, but you can just look at the pictures while I try and articulate some thoughts which have resulted.  

The photos are from Secret Spheres which is a fabulous group of tiny little universes (and yes there are some secret hidden ones) and it seemed in keeping with my mental wanderings.

People I care for deeply are dealing with life changes right now -  the unexpected remodelling of their worlds and how they envisioned their lives.  Some of these changes are small, others are dramatic and difficult, but all of them have altered what they thought of as their "lives".

Secret Spheres (moderate)

I would like to fix things for them but my magic wand is still in the shop.  Mostly I would like to ease their sense of loss and discomfort with their current situations.

I'm going to sound very trite here and I apologize but dammit even the cliched can be true. The only thing I know for sure is that nothing turns out as planned.  My own reckless adaptive approach to change is to consider it a new adventure.  Not all of them are pleasant or ones we would choose but the good news is that things will change again.  

Secret Spheres (moderate)

If I've learned anything in my seemingly hundreds of years of history is that we are not living our future.  Everything, I mean everything, is just a phase.

Why is it that the young see their world and their place in it as fixed?  We talk a lot about potential and possibility but for some reason they put their feet on a path expecting it to just head off into the future without detours or bridge closures or earthquakes.  There are lots of other paths.

Secret Spheres (moderate)

When I was younger, and yes electricity had been finally been introduced, we enjoyed the music of a great Canadian poet.  His voice was similar to other poets like Dylan but, of course, he had the romance and angst we could point to and call our own.

Many years and cartons of cigarettes later his voice is now a deep dark chocolate that drowns you in sensual pleasure. (excuse me while I collect myself)  The song is the same but the experience has changed.  It's not a great analogy but it does let me segue into a favourite video.  :)

You Think I'm What? in Second Life

Winterfell (moderate)

I had this kind of epiphany the other day.  Well at least that's what it could be.  We talk a lot about immersion vs augmentation and I've always said/thought that I'm just "me" inworld, no more and no less.  However I've recently been made aware that there's a perception of me as "soft spoken" and "sweet". ?!?  Understand that my physical alt has most often been compared to Murphy Brown and neither of those terms have ever been used to describe her.

If you never saw the show (probably cause you're much younger than I) she wasn't mean just often caustic and wry and definitely had a temper.  So why am I perceived differently by some on the grid?  I don't think I'm "role playing" - in fact I know I'm not.  Maybe the pace or the nature of my interactions in a virtual world allow me the freedom and the time to show more facets of my character.  However, I have never and would never aspire to being "sweet".  I don't think I want to know that about me.

Winterfell (moderate)

I don't have any issue with being "nice" and in fact I try to be kind, considerate and not careless of other people's time and feelings.  But "sweet"?  That's an outrage!

"Sweet" makes me think of very young, coy, naive and not terribly bright.  I'm sure this is my problem and not an attempt by others to insult me but, trust me, diabetics do not need to fear spending too much time in my presence.  Saccharine is cloying and lacks backbone. I'd like to think I've survived this long because of strength not the ability to sit in a corner sucking on a lollipop and fluttering my eyelashes.

Winterfell (moderate)

There's been a lot of conversation in my virtual life lately about my appearance and that it should be altered.  I think if I really wanted to change something about myself it would be whatever it is that I'm doing to make people perceive me in such a mistaken way.  And I don't think it requires changing the size of my boobs. grin

Speaking of which.  I came across a cool blog the other day (and I can't find the link right now of course but I will and I'll add her to my blog roll) by an educator recording her experiences as a newbie in Second Life.  One of her early observations is that there's an obsession with breasts inworld.  Ha!  You thought it was just me!

Winterfell (moderate)

I went to visit Winterfell to get the images for this post.  It's aimed at the fans of Game of Thrones and is described as a Freeform Para-RP in the universe of a Song of Ice and Fire based within the City of WInterfell, in the North.

And this forced me to confront another one of those peculiarities of our world.  In order to visit you must dress appropriately - medieval.  Bare chests, kilts and Xena Warrior Princess are specifically not allowed.  sigh So much for my Xena fantasy.  This meant looking for a basic medieval outfit that didn't involve Gor.  Not an easy thing to do it turns out.  

However, the sim is worth the effort if you like to explore and if you're interested in that kind of role play then I suggest you go visit.  It was like entering a painting in some ways - nice effects.

Now if you'll excuse me I'll go be horribly sarcastic to somebody so I can feel more like myself.  I must be out of practice.

Winterfell (moderate)

Wherein the Intrepid Explorer Creates a Halloween Costume for Second Life

Well I like it .....

You probably already know this but it always comes as a shock to me - there's an obsession with sliders and skins and the choices people make when creating their avatars.

I love grey and painted skins.  I figure some people are pale and some are tanned and some might be mahogany and I just happen to be grey.  There are those, however, who insist I look like the undead.  sigh

This is not my only crime.  For a variety of reasons which I won't blather on about I choose to keep my sliders to the left.  Honestly anybody who hits on me would probably hit on a park bench - they just want something to jump on the sex balls with.

I can remember an encounter with a grid famous artist who could only talk about my lack of butt.  Seriously? Of course the bust is the big obsession and I was counselled to fix that.  Fine.

Fine I'm pink .....

The shape isn't a big change and it's one I can live with.  The skin is an old one I had - at least it doesn't make me look 17.  I'm not about to go skin shopping just because people have a fear of zombies so great that innocent aliens are targeted for disdain.

However, since Halloween is approaching the discussion gave me an idea for a costume.  I don't really have the wardrobe to pull it off but I decided that just moving that one slider would take me far into the realm of "make believe" that all good costumes require.  Nothing however can make me go shoe shopping!

There but I'm not oiling them .....

I don't understand the obsession with my body parts and I won't change my look just cause other people have deep seated issues (/me grins at the outspoken critic of my choices) but I'll try change and if I can live with it then I'll adapt.

To be honest though I really think the best thing might be if I choose an avatar without slider or skin options that offend delicate sensibilities.

This seems safe

A Bedtime Story About Second Life, Viewer Development & Interspecies Communication

Bonifacio  (general)

A group of small children approach an old lady sitting on a bench.

"Auntie Honour?  What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting little one."

"Can we wait with you?"

"Sure, but it might take a long time."

"What are we waiting for?"

"Change."

The children look at each other and shrug.  The smallest crawls into the woman's lap. "Tell us a story" she pleads.  The old crone looks at them and tries to think of a simple way to describe her concern.  Finally she decides that she can only try and make it brief or these children will never get to sleep.  She nods and then begins to speak.

"Once upon a time there were no computers in the forest.  Hush children, this is my story.  Well then, some brave engineers and mathematicians worked very hard and created these wonderous machines that could perform what seemed like miracles at the time.  As years passed the machines became better and faster and smaller.  The group of people working on them became more and more specialized until an entire new species evolved.  We call them Programmers.

Bonifacio  (general)

Every now and then the Programmers would have to talk to somebody outside their community to get some knowledge they didn't have, like accounting principles, but they tried to limit that type of interspecies communication.  It was difficult and it just complicated things.

One day, after many years had passed, somebody had the bright idea that computers should be used by all species.  A small box was built and passed around and the programmers pointed to a magical genie inside the box that would help even the lower life forms like business people make use of what was now called "technology".  This genie was named DOS (the old lady shudders) and we'll skip his story for the moment.  I will say that "sexy" is in the eye of the beholder and Programmers need glasses.

Over time the whole world of computers got bigger and bigger and a major change took place.  People started to view technology as a tool and, if it was going to be useful, business people felt they should have some input and control over what was done.  The Programmers fought against this new world order but they lost.  In order to make sure the different species could understand each other a new life form was born.  We called them Analysts."

Bonifacio  (general)

"What did Analysts do Auntie Honour?"

"Analysts worked to understand what everybody's needs were and the implications of those needs.  They had to understand the whole picture and translate those needs into a language the Programmers could understand.  You see Programmers lived on code (and sugar and caffeine) but that meant their view of the universe was very narrow.  The rest of the species decided it was not a good idea to let Programmers make decisions about what the technology would do.  It was the Analysts' job to look around and make sure that expectations would be met and that no harm would come from the work that was done."

"What happened to the Analysts?"

"Ah well, you see looking around and understanding required time.  The world was changing quickly and various life forms were seeking for ways to do things faster and cheaper so they decided to "streamline" their methodologies.  The Programmers convinced all the other life forms that Analysts were "overhead" and unnecessary and sent them to navel gaze on a remote island in the Pacific. 

At about the same time that this entire species was sent packing a new form of technology magic suddenly moved into the world.  It had been around for a while in various forms but advances in graphics and interfaces suddenly made "gaming" available to both the technical and non technical species.  Programmers had ownership of this magic and had learned enough from the past that they weren't going to let go of it to anybody.

Then a new version of this magic was created - the virtual world.  The exciting thing for many species was that this world was usable by those who couldn't "code" and didn't speak the Programmers' language.  Everybody was happy in the forest for a while but then things started to go wrong.

Bonifacio  (general)

 The Programmers had found an Agile way of deciding what they wanted to do and actually doing it.  They were in heaven because it meant they got to make many things and do them quickly.  The serpent in this Eden though was that occasionally they still had to get input from users so they came up with a solution that made them very happy.  They would force the other species to communicate with them in the Programmers' own tongue using one of the Programmers' own tools called a JIRA.  

This worked wonders, particularly since only a very small percentage of those users knew it existed and an even smaller percentage could understand it.  This latter group, not surprisingly, were users who were also Programmers.  These "users" would identify bugs and demand new features.  The Programmers would prioritize as they wished and code to their hearts content and pump out fixes and enhancements quickly.  The entire species was very very happy.

But there was a dark cloud forming in the forest.  You see if a new feature was created on the bones of an old one, or if something was changed to make way for the "new", nobody had the job of understanding how the old version had been used.  The Programmers like to focus and focusing on the stories they were given for new code was their job.  Stories about other people who might be impacted were not necessary.  The other species - much like the business people of old - felt that it was impossible to make their voices heard and have their stories taken into consideration. They were hurt and got angry and interspecies relations fell to a new low."

"What happened then Auntie Honour?"

"Nothing yet little one.  I expect the circle to come around again at some point in the future.  Some bright spark will decide that Analysts should be brought back from their exile and facilitate interspecies communication once again.  

You all should go to bed now.  I'm going to sit here on this bench and wait."

Bonifacio  (general)

Techie Trash, Power Games & Missing Husbands in Second Life

Tekkon Tech  (moderate)

Beware - this will be another one of those glimpses into the mysterious meandering thought processes of mine.  I went to visit Ionetorus Habilis' stores and workshop this morning.  While I was enjoying the wonderful, eclectic and intriguing display of her works I noticed a lot of litter and piles of garbage here and there.  Understandable of course - you put an artist or a techie into full blown creative mode and tidying up becomes a very low priority.  It's not like they notice the empty cups or take out containers on the floor.  Discarding pieces that don't fit or weren't just right makes sense and if you have the time occasionally to bag it all up well then you can promise yourself that someday the bags will make it to the recycling plant or landfill.  Civilization won't end if it doesn't get there for a while.

This reminded me in a lot of ways of the days I was in fulltime management consulting. 80 or 90 hour weeks was the norm and what I and my female colleagues did not have time for were the "home chores" that seemed to pile up.  We used to laugh and agree that what we each needed was a stereotypical "wife".  The person who stayed at home and took care of things there. We certainly didn't have the time or inclination.

Tekkon Tech  (moderate)

These thoughts led me to remember something that used to drive me crazy.  I would spend my days meeting with Directors of giant corporations helping solve large, complex and costly problems.  I was in demand and damn good at what I did and they took me very seriously.

However, when I went to conferences, luncheons or social events and was introduced to new people - usually with a reference to my professional status - the very first question which was always asked was "What does your husband do?".

You see people need a way of assigning us to a particular category or station relative to themselves.  In a business context (which to business people it always was) they needed to know if you represented "power" if compared to their own positions.  And, since as a woman, I could only hold power in their eyes as I reflected it from a man they naturally wanted to know my husband's job so they could categorize me.

Tekkon Tech  (moderate)

After the first dozen times I stopped responding with "What husband?"  and just started saying he was a "reactionary poet".  Talk often shifted to the weather at that point. :)

I started thinking about how different Second Life is in that respect.  I don't think people judge you by your "connections" inworld but of course it's not a relatively small homogeneous environment and most of those "power" games are ineffectual.  Certainly not (usually) knowing gender, race or body fat count renders those measuring tools meaningless.

But utopia we are not.  The need to judge and establish (at least in their own minds) their relative superiority is as necessary as breathing to some.  Yardsticks in the metaverse reflect the tools available to people who need a hierarchy so they can place themselves above you.

Tekkon Tech  (moderate)

One of the things people always point to about our world is that you can "create" yourself however you like.  Your appearance is solely dependent on your personal preference (well and your linden balance if you don't want to make things yourself) and the range of choices is endless.  Fashion of course has become an enormous industry and, in some cases, obsession.  Unfortunately it also provides an easy way for those who like to sit in judgement to criticize others for their appearance and feel smug,  Personally I think the concept of "fugly" deserves a place in the Universal Hall of Shame but small minds need their kicks.

We also see people create new categories of bigotry based on shape or species or even height.  They rest easy in their sense of self worth by condemning others for their choice of viewer, or spelling or anything they figure they can compete at with their own rules.

All of this is inevitable because we really do bring "ourselves" inworld when we logon and nobody becomes perfect just by turning on a computer (well except for me of course).  Still, it's depressing and I hope it remains a very small irritant on an otherwise enjoyable grid.

The really good news is that nobody asks me what my husband does.  :)

Tekkon Tech  (moderate)

Maybe it's not about the "I" in Second Life

Rossers Landing II  (moderate)

There's a lot of discussion in both the physical and virtual worlds about the concept of identity and what "I" means in the metaverse.  This is a huge and important topic and one which, if we could ever figure out a useful and easy to understand vocabulary, helps ensure dialogue between those of us firmly ensconced in a pixel based life and those who distrust both us and the concept.

My thoughts this morning were with those watching clocks in every world counting down to a major surgical procedure in just one of them.  I also have the news on in the background and various parts of the world are undergoing massive change while my own slice of the planet is dealing with a significant loss.  The common theme in all of stories I'm following (from my perspective) is hope.  I am hoping for the best for everyone involved.

All of this combined in my admittedly odd brain and led to some tangential thoughts.  They are only partially formed but their impact on me is so strong that I'll voice them here just to quiet them long enough for me to contemplate the implications with more reason.  Maybe.

Rossers Landing II  (moderate)

I've noticed that the announcement of the death of a physical alt brings me real sorrow - even if I have had little or no interaction with them - and the knowledge that the typist behind an avatar is going through personal pain and difficulties affects me deeply.  I don't consider myself an overly emotional type of person and my reactions sometimes surprise me.

We've all witnessed an outpouring of support for individuals or groups represented by Second Life avatars - whether it's the efforts put forward to help a musician dealing with floods, a country devastated by nature, a large percentage of the population impacted by a fatal disease or one glorious talent threatened by an invasive tumour.  We've felt a personal connection to world events - uprisings, riots, war, elections and more - because we know individuals whose physical lives are impacted and we've felt closer to those events because those individuals are involved.  On occasion we can "witness" that involvement or feel closer to it because of parallel events inworld.  We also learn from each other about cultures and events and we're better for it.

Rossers Landing II  (moderate)

I believe the reason for the connection we feel, the sincerity of emotion, is that our sense of self is not the only thing at work in the metaverse.  Our sense of "You" and "Her" and "Him" is growing stronger all the time.  Individuals we would never encounter in our real lives are no longer faceless.  We know we're dealing with "persons" not cartoon characters and we're dealing with "persons" from around the globe - time zones become the only barrier to reaching out of our narrow corner of the physical and, since many of us apparently need little sleep, that barrier is often broken. 

We encounter positions and points of view based on life experiences we've never even tried to imagine.  Events and philosophies are no longer theoretical when we interact with somebody to whom they are personal.

Rossers Landing II  (moderate)

We get very frustrated with news reports that portray Second Life as an online source of porn and virtual sex and retaliate with stories about RFL and other initiatives to demonstrate the "good" that is done inworld.  It could be that the "good" being done is much subtler and much more important.

As intriguing as it is, the discussion concerning our sense of personal identity as it relates to an avatar may turn out to be secondary.  It just could be that our freedom to develop a sense and understanding of the "other" and the resulting impact on our capacity for empathy and compassion will be the real story of the virtual world.

I can only hope. :)

Rossers Landing II  (moderate)

Please Don't Screw Up One of my Reasons for Loving Second Life!

Kinkaku-ji Garden  (moderate)

Ignore this blog post - it's going to be a form of  therapy for me today.  I'm not really a Pollyanna - honest.  I do try to be optimistic because it seems much less fatiguing than the alternative but I can get cranky.  Some days are much harder than others if you're trying to see the less bleak side of things. I keep telling myself that many many others have things far worse than I do and that this stress will pass, however today is one of those days that the lectures aren't working.

I went to Kinkaku-ji Garden this morning to try to find some calm in myself.  It didn't help - but it did give me a target for some of my frustration.  I'm tired of beating myself up so why not pick on somebody else? 

Kinkaku-ji Garden  (moderate)

I mentioned the other day that the redesigned Environment Settings in the 2.8 Beta do not take into consideration people who are taking photographs and these days I spend much of my time inworld trying to do just that. I've talked about how much I love pushing buttons and adjusting sliders to see what effect they have on my photos - it usually brings me a lot of joy.  However, what usually gives me pleasure and brings me a measure of peace is currently adding to my negative view of all worlds.  Having to go through hoops and create new presets every time I just want to change one tiny aspect of the image is driving me batty.   My frustration this morning boiled over and I actually threw my mouse at the screen.  I felt like an idiot.

2.8 is in Beta so I understand we're testing it and expected to give feedback.  Unfortunately, even though they request our thoughts there is no designated place to provide them. Maybe it's obvious to the smart people and I'm just not in that group.  I'm concerned this won't be addressed before it goes into production - in fact it won't be looked at for a long time.

I actually care enough about this issue that I created a JIRA yesterday.  I did a pathetic job of it (my occasional attempts in the JIRA world do not make me skilled at this) and once I calm down maybe I'll go back and try and make it more coherent. There are parts of it I'm sure I screwed up and can't edit but maybe I can make the explanation and impact clearer.  I'll go for a long walk and try to achieve some balance.  Then I can try and do something constructive and not take all my real life stress/anxiety/angst out on some poor undeserving developer.  In the meantime what photos I do manage to take are a little dark.

Update:  OK there's a workaround.  :)

Kinkaku-ji Garden  (moderate)

Caring & Compassion in Second Life

My small contribution to The Wall

At the time I write this the total amount raised inworld by Relay for Life 2011 totals $373,098.  This is a result of the outstanding efforts of the organizers and the teams and the individuals on our grid who demonstrate the best in us.  It is an integral part of the culture of Second Life that communities come together to show and provide support.  It might be a case of a musician losing his house in a flood aided by friends/fans and fellow musicians.  When the calamity is on a large scale, such as an earthquake in New Zealand, the size of the community's response is proportionally greater.

Amongst all of the other projects initiated after the enormous tragedy resulting from the disaster earlier this year in Japan was The Wall - an opportunity for 1,000 residents of Second Life to add their own photographs/wishes to a display which would be offered to the citizens of Japan on behalf of all of us. 

The results are now included in the following video.  We may be "not real" but we manage to feel compassion and caring and a willingness to assist wherever we can.  Our support might be financial or through organization and communication or a combination of everything it's possible for us to do.  I like our world and I'm proud to be part of it.

Don't Panic! Avatars do not carry the Plague, Cooties or even the Swine Flu.

This is the Profile Pic I dared to use

I touched briefly yesterday on Google + and its apparent policy which, in line with Facebook, disallows avatars from creating accounts.  Well it doesn't really because many of us have, but it seems we're doing something bad and must expect that a guillotine will descend at some point and cut us off from many of our Google tools.  

If I read the policy correctly, everything now associated with my Google +  spawned profile would be out of my reach should my profile be suspended.  I'm still trying to understand which components that would be - it should become clear on the day my attempt to infiltrate a different class of society is detected and I am punished.

In the meantime, while I await my inevitable fate, I've been pondering the reasons why avatars would not be wanted on some social networks.  If it's just because of the giant corporations wanting to sell our information to advertisers well, they should really take a look at the amount of money we spend and get a grip.  In addition, word of mouth is a very powerful selling tool and avatars love to share their latest finds and broadcast product information.  This can't be the reason we're not wanted.  Marketers are smarter than that I hope.

I could have used this one I guess

My mental exertions have resulted in only one possible conclusion.  I could certainly be wrong but this is where I've arrived so far.  I think Google and Facebook try to ban avatars because the general populace is afraid of us.  After all, the one thing scarier than upgrading your operating system is the possibility that somebody on your social network is lying to you.  So I'd like to address that issue and the remainder of this post is addressed to you, the avatar-fearing social networker.

I've seen comments over the years that avatars are "pretending" and that we "aren't real" and, therefore, can't be trusted.  For reasons I'll explain further on these concerns are moot but for now let's address them and I'll do so individually.

The one thing avatars are not doing on social networks is "pretending".  We are quite open and honest about being avatars.  Our profile pics show you a representation of our inworld identities and our locations and descriptions relate to the metaverse and our activities therein.  We aren't 49 year old women pretending to be 16 year old boys to bully 13 year old girls.  We aren't sex offenders pretending to be contemporaries to groom young victims.  We aren't stealing identities by pretending to be somebody else.  Our avatars have friends and colleagues and work histories and established identities in the metaverse and by being up front and honest about that there is no pretense involved.

OK I admit this one is scary

As for not being real ...... I have some news for you.  It might be difficult to read so I'd like you to prepare yourself.  The fact is that the internet is not real life.  Take your time dealing with this revelation.  Get yourself a glass of water, maybe pace for a while or do some breathing exercises. This is something you must face.  The internet is a wonderful tool which, in addition to other things not relevant at the moment,  removes the barriers of distance, language, ability and even on occasion time to facilitate interaction with other people and information.  But it is not real life. 

On the internet my avatar is just as real as you are.  Along with you and everybody else on the social network scene, she chooses what information she will share with others.  She has acquired a history of interactions with others using technology.  She has a sense of humour and ethics and her personality has emerged as a natural consequence of her activities on the net.  Everybody around you that you have met solely through online interactions is projecting a persona.  They hide or embellish or deceive at will. 

One thing that avatars learn very quickly is that they are forced to deal with people without preconceptions based on gender, race, age or even culture.  Avatars learn that trust must be earned and you must learn the same.  Even if the photo is of a girl or boy much like you and their name is John or Jane Smith it is not real life.  Don't assume they are telling you the truth.  At least avatars are honest about their identity as an avatar.

and this one might be a little "out there"

I mentioned earlier that the concerns about avatars are moot and they are.  So here it is - the real reason not to care about avatars.  We aren't interested in you.  The truth is that you really have nothing to fear from small enclaves of self admitted avatars within the giant social networks containing hundreds of millions of people.  We socialize online with other avatars.  With very rare exceptions usually having to do with mutual interests in certain topics, we don't interact with people who don't share our preoccupation with virtual worlds.  In fact we're quite insular and don't want to talk to you.

So to you fine folks who are terrified of avatars on your social networks.  Do not fear.  There is no possibility of contagion or contamination.  The gene pool will not be corrupted.  Your children will not be born with fur or blue horns or fairy wings.  You are quite safe from us.  Better you should worry about that person pretending to be "real".

Bird Flu is just a vicious rumour, really!

SL8B, Community & Second Life

The Starting Point

It's probably just as well that I spent so much time at the first week of SL8B typing.  It means my hands need time to recover before I can pound on the keys and vent my feelings about some of the comments I read in the blogosphere about this event.  To go easier on the damaged digits I'm going to speak instead to the volunteers and visitors who made this a fantastic experience.

The word community derives from the old french for "community, commonness, everybody".  One etymological definition I saw said the two words which combined to create this one meant "together" and "gift".  How perfect!  The important component of a community celebration such as this one is "everybody".  Everybody who is in the community is welcome and encouraged to participate in the event.

To those who wondered why Linden Lab didn't just do it "for us".  Well first of all there aren't more than 800 Lindens and that's what would have been required.  More importantly,  the group of willing and dedicated people who did put this event on wouldn't have had the chance to participate, share their joy, have a blast and expand their friend lists the way we did.   

Resident Volunteers Built Almost 300 Exhibits

The first team of volunteers worked with Moles to create the basic infrastructure of SL8B - the canvas for the hundreds of builders who descended and transformed the landscape.  These builders represented all levels of experience and skill.  They worked long hours with passion and joy and a desire to be involved.

To those, like the young woman I know of, who were less experienced builders sharing their excitement about Second Life and enjoying the fact that everybody can build - ignore the ones who criticized you for not being "professional".  Those "award winners" don't get it.  I'm convinced they are the type of people who won't accept handmade birthday cards from children or friends.  They wouldn't be professional either.  The fact that they're made with love and a lot of thought and effort would be unimportant.

To that young woman who wondered why somebody she didn't know and had never heard of would want to hurt her, well that's the kind of people they are.  Not worth your time.

The Range of Skill Levels, Designs & Builds Reflected the Population of Second Life

The builders had about two weeks before the rest of the grid could attend.  They not only spent it working on their own exhibits, they supported each other by providing assistance with problems and transferring skills.  They also had spontaneous parties and there was a lot of laughter and music and dancing.

Some of you builders were accused of being too commercial.  It might be true I suppose.  For most of you though I suspect it was more a case of sharing what you love and any county fair includes organizations giving out information about themselves.  So pffft to those "award winning experts".  The sheer volume of gifts and music and creativity and sharing was fabulous and I thank you.

When the "doors opened" the stages and venues came to life.  More than 300 performances of singing, dancing, comedy and educational presentations took place on the four stages and in the auditorium.  Musicians and DJ's representing every musical genre you can imagine gave audiences a glimpse into their favourite parts of Second Life. To all of you who had the courage and willingness to share with the rest of us, thank you!  Music and performance critics are just noise.  You gave us joy!

To the volunteers who led, coordinated and managed those stages, bravo!  It's OK, you can sleep now. :)

To the exhibitors who added to the performance count with parties and events - what a blast!  Thank you for adding to the sense of celebration!

The Diversity of Builds was Amazing

I'll end this post with a word to two more groups.  First the team of volunteers I worked with known as the Greeters. I am so proud of each and every one of you!  You helped newbies who had just signed up in Second Life and appeared knowing nothing.  You made everybody feel welcome.  You supported each other and the larger SL8B team whenever and however you could.  You demonstrated community every day and it's one of the highlights of all of my lives that I had the opportunity to share the madness with you.  Thank you!

And a final note to the residents who attended.  Thank you for "getting it".  Thank you for being interested in more than your narrow corner of the grid, for experiencing music you hadn't before or finding new favourite performers.  Thank you for checking out as many exhibits as you could.  And thank you for expressing your appreciation to the volunteers who worked so hard on this celebration of our world.  Your comments were very welcome!

The insular, elitist, judgmental "award winners" can have their own community.  If it was a contest we won. :)

The Stages are Dark Now, But Oh It was Fun!