On Second Thoughts

It seems that SL with voice is the latest buzz. I have thus far avoided it, and unless someone gives me good reason, I'll probably continue to to so. Don't get me wrong, I can understand the attraction: it potentially provides an additional depth to the way we interact in a digitally flattened world. A popular video parodies this single dimensionality well. Brillaintly funny, to me the most striking feature of the video is how free of aural clutter it is, the opposite of our real lives. And honestly, so much of Second life seems empty for this reason, even when you are surrounded by other avatars. The problem I have is two-fold. First, Voice in SL inherently breaks the "secondness" of SL. Second Life is, for many, an escape from our various realities, and quite frankly, I'm not sure I want your voice echoing in my study. That might be too real. No offense, but I've assigned voices for all of you, and in some ways, I don't want to be disappoint...

I logged into the second world today for the first time in ages. Kieres mentioned a few weeks ago that he was retreating to the real world for a while. I've done the same, though not announced such till now. It wasn't a fully intentional disappearing act. Work has gathered a stranglehold on my life in the past month, company has come and gone, and little opportunities and mishaps have sprung up the way mushrooms do: with delicate beauty and just a little of that unsettling creepiness. I logged on tonight mostly because I want to be alone but don't want to suffer loneliness. An odd thing to expect from SL, I guess, but it's true. My real space is filled with my peace, my cat, and my music, and yet still I can enjoy a connection to others (but still be able to cut it off with a mouse-click). Meh, I'm in a mood. Anyhow, a few weeks away and the neighborhood goes to hell. "For Sale" signs spin everywhere. The good news is that I can see the water fro...

Dolmere Talamasca asks: Today's not-a-meme challenge is a question about your usage patterns. This could be things you do when you login, things you do just before logging out, activities bordering on OCD, etc :) "Do you have any Second Life usage habits?" The first thing I always do is check to see who else is online. I don't always start an IM with others, but its nice to know I'm not alone. The Second thing that I do is get dressed. I'm not sure why, but I refuse to let my avi wear the same thing twice in a row. When dressing, I usually try to pick something which reflects my mood and what I hope to be doing. Sometimes this is an easy process, accomplished quickly. My inventory is pretty well organized so I know where to find things usually. Unfortunately, I'm also indecisive as hell and I can easily spend half an hour just figuring out what shoes to wear. The worst thing about this is that it fuels my SL shopping habit, because I often find that...

Recently I've mentioned a few stores that are worthy of note not only for the products they carry, but also for the design of the space they use. All of them are highly polished, and despite their contrivance, they feel like places I'd like to visit in Real Life. In fact, they feel like places I have visited in RL. On a whim, I decided to re-check out Unpopular Designs, run by Gabby Lime. Unpop is the origin of both my avi's glasses and my all-time favorite skirt, and I really like the unpredictably eclectic selection of clothes and accessories. While I was there I ran into Gabby, and she pointed me to her other shop, Tacky Shit . Oh wow. Ms. Lime is a master of prim-work, but that's not what makes Tacky Shit amazing. Prim-wise, it's beyond simple. It's the textures that are frightening. Stepping into the building made me feel like stepping into a Neil Gaiman short story. The hand-drawn (scribbled might be a better word) doodles on notebook paper which...

Vint Falken has posted Not-A-Meme challenge #13 , and as my friend Coyote so cleverly intuited, it is one that catches my attention. It's a two part challenge; the first part is to reveal something about my second self, and the second part is to reveal something about my first self. It's a very yin-yang sort of thing. This assumes, of course, that there is a difference between the two. I sometimes wonder. Are we not but two faces on that which is Aly? My first life shapes my second. For example, I usually wear glasses in both. Though my Avatar presumably has 20/20 vision, she dons spectacles also in an expression of solidarity with her RL counterpart. And of course, my second life seems to shape my first, if by no other means than the sleep that I am deprived by my avi hanging around the Shelter until the wee hours. We are linked. But distinct. I sometimes refer to my avatar in the 3rd person, as it is natural to do using the "/me" feature in chat. Speaking...

Another reason that I find some of the SL merchants interesting is that their spaces are more dynamic than many of the parks. Part of that is due to the shifting nature of the merchandise, but it seems that sellers are more attuned to constantly tweaking or updating their spaces to provide the most attractive or attention-capturing store. It's to be expected, really. Unfortunately, many of the locations in Second Life are quite static, and this, of course, makes them uninteresting. We're used to living in an ever-changing world, and if it were to stop changing, it would be unusual. Downright disconcerting. So despite the virtual three-dimensionality of Second Life much of it ends up being flat. I'm not talking about big changes here; they can be subtle, even repetitive. Something to give places a pulse. It never rains in Second Life, the leaves never fall. It's like an idealized Hollywood. On a less philosophical note, I found a working swingset. I'm sure ...

I'm not actually being paid to write this, though I probably ought to be. Maybe word will get back to some store owner and I'll get a free sample or two by way of thanks (hint, hint). I have to confess, first of all, that I do my part to keep the American economy strong. Yes, I do like to buy things. And while I wouldn't consider myself a shopaholic--compared to some women (and men!) I know I'm practically an ascetic--I do like to trade my wealth for shiny (and sometimes not so shiny) things. There's something exciting in the search and discovery. Something indulgently daring in the transaction. And when the price and item are right, the moment can be (I admit) fleetingly orgasmic. I don't expect you to understand. I don't understand it. I hate waste, and so much of what is out there is simply waste. I hate shopping malls for this reason. Department stores are only a lesser evil. Mostly, it's the wastefulness, but I deplore crowds and parking ...

February has been a crazy month for me in that other game we call life. As a result I'm going to be away for a few days to recharge my spirit, without computer access, if I can help it. It just dawned on me that the SL world is flat. Columbus would have been screwed.

I visited The Lost Gardens of Apollo upon the recommendation of a friend, and it is another delightful find. It's exquisitely constructed in a sort of Persian style natural garden rather than Hellenistic as the name would imply (but it's not an important detail). The craftsmanship here is top notch and is definitely a place you could relax, reflect, or carry on a quiet conversation. There's a good mix of public and semi-private spaces, which leaves open the possibility (or not) for interactions with other people. Wandering around the island, I began to wonder about the notion of personal space as it exists here in SL. I encountered others, and unless I was talking to them, I noticed that I kept my distance, as much out of social habit, I guess, as anything else. But how close is too close, I wonder? Does our need for personal space derive from our need for emotional spaces? There seems to be a connection. I know that when I want mental quiet, I gravitate towards th...

We can't replace our real lives with our second ones yet. It seems obvious, but I became aware of this in the past few weeks as RL work, RL deadlines, RL people, RL play, and RL drama kept me out of their SL counterparts. Even if I wanted to submerge into the virtual sea, I couldn't. SL doesn't put food in my mouth. The heat from the laptop isn't the same as the warmth of a lover's touch. I can't smell the rain or diesel exhaust. A laggy sim and a nagging mother are about an even trade, however. Anyway, the primary has taken over the secondary, and so I've been absent. Subsequently, my initial quest has ground to a halt, but it hasn't been fruitless. Just the other day, while sitting in a sim thinking about what to write for this blog I met another person on her own mission: she was photographing birds she found. I can't tell you how excited I was by this. It's not that I'm interested in birds at all. In RL as well as SL, they ar...

I'm nearly four months old; no longer newbish, but still a far cry from being anybody of consequence. I've befriended a few people, bought more digi-wear than a fashion-driven emperor, and even tried my virtual hand at a bit of design. I find myself at a bit of a crossroads, but that's not quite right. It's not the right metaphor, since it implies a both flat dimensionality to the experience, and that there is, should I choose, a way back to my origin, the place I lived before I ever had a Second Life. But there isn't, is there? I could simply leave, but that's not the same thing. Second Life, due to its sheer interactiveness isn't just a book, movie, or even video game. It's not even a proper simulator insofar as I understand the notion. But it's not life, either. At least not as we understand it. So I'm left adrift. Treading water, so to speak. I haven't got a direction, and so the currents just pull me. I suspect I'm caugh...