Escaping the News Cycle, Shop n' Hop and Random Strangers

 

When it seems like the whole world has gone crazy and my stress levels are running high, I like to find somewhere to unwind, even if it's virtually.

I fled to Second Life after watching one too many first world press conferences. I opened the map, found a small, public island on the Blake Sea and teleported over. I sat on the sand and watched the boats go by, listened to the waves. It took me back to my 1st life hometown, I could almost smell the sea air.

There were quite a few people around, doing their own thing. I enjoyed people watching.

I got a random DM from someone, an innocent "hi." I responded politely, but I wasn't really in the mood for company. I did read his profile, because I am nosey as hell. It listed among his interests "panty sniffer" and "upskirt expert."

Just ew.

I try not to judge but at the same time, I don't necessarily want to spend quality time with a self-described panty sniffer. 

When he cruised by in his tiny prim houseboat and said "Let's child together," it was hard not to bust out laughing. I'm still not sure if "child" was supposed to be "chill" or if that was his way of inviting me to bump uglies. Either way, I politely declined, while internally I snort-laughed.

I know I should have taken pics, but I wasn't prepared. 

Anywho, early access to the Valentine's Shop n' Hop is open, so I'll probably check it out later. I'm still trying to build up a basic LaraX wardrobe, maybe I can find some deals there. I'm also on the lookout for a small, rustic kitchen set and a decent, rigged backpack. 

Reasonably priced of course *wink.*

Do you ever use Second Life as an escape? How do you feel about receiving random messages? Let me know in the comments. (I told you I was nosey!)

Mainland, Memories and Early Predictions

Click here to visit.

During the early years in Second Life my friends and I spent countless hours parked on the wall surrounding Bear Dream Lodge Infohub. We had many deep conversations about the future of the grid, while modeling the latest in freebie fashion. I don't remember any of us having any grand business plans or motivation to improve our new reality. I seem to remember telling people I already had a first life job, I was just here to live out my fantasy as a socialite, which, it turned out, was just a glorified bum. 

Our loitering was frowned upon, but it didn't matter. We'd claimed the space as our own. Looking back, as our numbers grew, our congregating on the wall did take up space that prevented new residents from arriving, so there was that. 

Teh smexiness, it hurts me. (Click to embiggen)

When Linden Labs began offering private islands for purchase, I speculated that soon our beloved Mainland would become an apocalyptic landscape, lawless and covered in slums, abandoned by the elite who'd fled to private islands, leaving those of us who were less privileged to fend for ourselves. Many of the wall dwelling crowd agreed, painting a dim view of the future.

To say our imaginations ran wild is an understatement, but there were wee bits of accuracy to our predictions. 

Most rental estates fled to islands, which at first seemed like a horrible thing, but gradually rent prices began to level out. It wasn't long before more and more residents could actually afford "luxury"  island living. Fast forward to today when even premium account holders, with the offer of a free house on Bellisseria, still opt to live on private estates.

As for Mainland, it's not the post nuclear hellscape I imagined back then, but it does feel sort of empty. There aren't the strict rules of the estates, giving you the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want. A UFO abducting a cow behind your ultra-modern beach home? Sure, go for it! Dragon breedables wading in the surf? Not a problem. As long as you're within the Linden Labs Terms of Service, you can entertain any flight of whimsy your heart desires. 

The flip side of that is, so can your neighbors.

Adding to the feeling of emptiness on Mainland are the vast rolling hills of abandoned land. Abandoned land happens a few ways. One example, someone buys up large parcels without regard to the tier they'll have to pay, intending to stack skyboxes on every square meter, only to realize no one wants to live that way, even in Second Life. With no way to make tier (virtual taxes, sort of) they usually try to sell it first, eventually giving up as they lose money and letting it go. It then becomes the property of Linden Labs. 

And that, is good for you if you're looking for land to buy. You can purchase any abandoned land for L$1 per square meter directly from the Lindens. 

There are some wild builds along the highways of Second Life, making exploring one of my favorite past times. Playing GTFO or taking part in the weekly Grid Drive will add another layer of excitement to your exploring. 

You never really know what you'll see, which is usually a good thing.

Anywho, I hope ya'll have a good week. We'll talk again soon!

A New Avatar Look, Weekend Sales and Pet Peeves

Why is it giving Lindsay Lohan?

 Do you ever log on and just, on a whim, decide you need to change your whole look?

That was me recently. I had made the move to LaraX a while back, but I couldn't find clothes to fit, so I gave up. When shopping for a new skin the other day, I discovered I'd have to change bodies if I wanted the newest one. There wasn't an option for Maitreya Lara. I browsed the weekend sales to make sure I'd be able to at least cover my bits and pieces until I could build up a new wardrobe, verified that I could, and made the switch. 

Sometimes I want to embrace every new thing when it comes out, other times I wish nothing would change. 

Before I go any further, a bit of advice. Always save a copy of your current look before you start messing around with shapes and skins. Somehow I end up trying to do too much and either my viewer or my computer gives up and I have to re-log. At one point yesterday I had hands so big I could have swatted planes, and no way to fix them other than log off. 

It wasn't a good look.

Today I started hitting up some of the weekend sales and was pleased to find plenty of LaraX options. I may have picked up more, but sometimes it's nearly impossible to tell what's on sale. I usually go through the galleries on Seraphim to see what's out there and sometimes either the image is so dark you can't make it out, or it shows a beautiful, modern avatar with fabulous hair, clothing and jewelry with no way of knowing what they're selling.  

Yes I need to see how it fits, but a cute little pudgy navel is telling me nothing about the necklace around their neck.

I suppose some may say that it's a way to get people to their shop, forcing them to teleport over to see what they've got, but not everyone has that kind of time.

It's right up there with landing at an event and not being able to find where it is when you get there. Or landing at the bottom of the ocean when you just wanted to go dancing. 

Sorry, I didn't mean for this to turn into a pet peeves post. 

As for the new look, I'm not sold on it. I need to tinker around with it a bit more. I do love the skin. 

Anyway, what are some of ya'll's shopping pet peeves? How often do you change your look from bodies to skins and hair? Let me know in the comments! 

Have a spectacular weekend! We'll talk again soon.

Landscaping Struggles and Making a Home

 I spent time over the weekend working on my Second Life parcel. I try to include representation of all the elements: water, air, earth and fire. I was missing water.

At first I had terraformed down to see if I hit water, I can see (if I squint) the sea from my porch, but I wasn't as close as I'd hoped. Most of the landscaping I've done in the past was on larger parcels, regions even and I'd forgotten how the slightest change can effect your whole parcel when you live on 2048 sqm.

I ended up buying a premade pond, but I didn't pay attention to the textures and how they did NOT even remotely match the sandy grass of my land. I put it back in my inventory.

I have the Skye river building kit and for about a minute I considered building a small creek bed along the dirt road/driveway, but that seemed like over kill. I decided to build a small pond beside the house, using another Skye component. It didn't look bad, but one side was against the border and as much as I tried, there was no way to make that one side of it look right.

I scrapped that too.  I'm thankful I don't have any nosey neighbors. I would have been embarrassed by my landscaping shenanigans. 

Eventually, I threw in the towel and decided on a fountain instead of a natural water feature. I dug around in my inventory and cobbled together a little seating area from a few different landscaping sets. The results aren't perfect, but it didn't cost me anything to use what I already had. 

I love decorating and landscaping, but I could never do it professionally. I'd have to keep going back and changing things. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't go over well with the clients.

I worked on the house some as well, added a kitchenette and a few homey touches. 

I feel like it's complete. For now. 

Do you ever truly finish decorating your Second Life home? Is it constantly changing or does it stay the same for long stretches of time? 

I think I'm going to make a short video later. We'll see. Ya'll take care!

How Much First Life in Your Second Life?

Not THE beach but a pretty little spot just the same. Fairweather Beach.

 It's a debate that's been heard on the grid since at least 2006, when I first created my account. How much personal information is too much in a virtual world? 

I've heard strong opinions on both sides. Some share every aspect of their first life, including their photos, information about their children, pets, spouses, etc., while others are more guarded, sharing only very basic facts.

I think most people fall somewhere in between.

When I was still a doe eyed newbie, I had a friend (a Scottish biker who swore he was in Hell's Angels,) who started a group for people who looked like their avatar. To join, you had to be vetted by the owners after submitting a photo. They'd commissioned someone to create skins based on the photo (which you paid a hefty price for,) and it was all very strict.

I didn't join. 

Okay, full disclosure: I was dating the Scottish guy and the co-owner of this group was a friend of mine. They ended up together and I went full drama queen when I found out, throwing a text based screaming fit on the shores of the beach when I spotted her. I think the beach was called Amore. 

I was younger then and prone to fits of drama. 

But anyway, back on topic.

In the beginning, I was fiercely protective of my personal information, mainly because of my professional life. I enjoy the freedom my anonymity gives me as I wander around the grid. It works both ways. When I meet someone and they begin sharing pictures, it's really cringey to me. It makes me want to run away screaming "LALALALALALALA" with my fingers in my ears. 

Seriously, I don't want to know.

I have noticed that some who are okay with freely sharing also wear it like a badge of honor. They state they have nothing to hide, don't believe in keeping secrets, you get the idea. And that's cool, if that's your thing, but I kind of feel like they're missing the whole point of Second Life. To me it's the chance to experience a life that's different from your reality. 

Second Life can be different things to different people and we can coexist peacefully. 

But if you send me your "first life" photo, don't expect to get one in return.

How much first life do you want in your Second Life? Are you guarded with personal information? Let me know below!

We'll talk again soon. Ya'll have a great weekend!

NOMAD, Birth and Others Named in SecondLife GenAI Blacklist

There has been some chatter on social media about the use of AI-generated images in Second Life—not only in ads but also on actual product textures.

This debate isn’t new. Shoppers have long suspected that some body and head skins, which look a little too realistic, might have been AI-generated. Misrepresentation of products offered for sale is fraud—that much isn’t up for debate.

BlueSky user Maple Moose (angrymaplemoose.bsky.social) has taken things a step further in their disdain for all things created by artificial intelligence. Their critique extends to ads, store assets, hangout assets, and event posters. This sentiment is reflected in the list of businesses they’ve curated on their Google Doc, titled "SecondLife GenAI Blacklist," which is currently circulating on BlueSky.

When I used to run Second Life businesses, I often relied on platforms like Canva to create posters for advertising events. I don’t think I was alone in this.

To me, this blacklist feels like a step (or two) too far—bordering on bullying. Others might argue, however, that Maple Moose is entitled to their opinion.

When it comes to misleading ads with doctored hair or filtered images, the best way to protect buyers is to encourage everyone to view items in-world before making a purchase. I realize this puts smaller creators—those without in-world stores—in a tough spot. But at the very least, they could offer a demo or include a short video showing the product in action.

When I buy furniture, I need to know what poses are included. When I buy jeans, I want to know if my butt looks good—or if my knees are going to glitch through the fabric. And when I buy a blouse, I need to know: will it show just the right amount of cleavage, or is my whole left boob going to be hanging out?

These are the important questions.

So, what do you think? Is calling for a blacklist of Second Life creators who use GenAI content—whether for product textures, event advertising, or anything else—a step too far? Have you ever used AI-generated content in any aspect of your Second Life business?

Let me know your thoughts below!

I’ll be over here rearranging my parcel if you need me.

Sitting at the Cool Kids Table and Wiggling My Pixel Booty

This is my thinking face. Or maybe I smell something. Could be both.

It’s been a weird couple of weeks for me in SL.

Back on the 2nd, I attended a Zoom meeting with Philip Rosedale. Linden Lab was announcing the launch of the web-based Second Life experience (which I’m sure you’ve heard about by now). There were many bloggers there, including some whose work I’ve admired for a long time, like Strawberry Linden. I remember when she was just an SL blogger like the rest of us.

I felt like I was having lunch at the cool kids’ table.

I stayed off camera and stuck to text. It was my very first Zoom meeting ever, so I was careful not to click anything.

After more years in SL than I care to admit, it was also the first time I felt like Linden Lab really wanted to know what we, as residents, thought.

Fast forward to yesterday. While wiggling my pixel booty at Wet Willie’s, I checked in on the forums to see what was new. I happened to see a post from Darcy Linden saying he’d be in-world at 1 PM to talk more about the Character Designer project. It was almost 1 o’clock when I saw the message, so I TPed over.

There was a nice turnout—maybe 10 to 15 of us—plus Kali Linden and Viola Mole. Darcy answered lots of questions and shared a bit more about what to expect in the coming weeks. Granted, most of it was over my head, but I learned a little and it was cool to see the avatars of people I’ve read about on the forums.

Afterward, I went back to my little house, sat on the porch with a hot cup of coffee, and thought, “What is happening? Am I hobnobbing with the cool kids now? AM I A COOL KID???”

And then I got excited, splashed hot coffee down the front of my dress, and realized that no, I’m still the same clumsy, awkward Mahala I’ve always been. I’ll probably have to stay on my sky island for a few days to get back to normal.

I hope y'all have an awesome week ahead. We'll talk again soon!

Places to go in Second Life - Siren's Isle

Sunset on Siren's Isle

Over the weekend, I wanted to do some exploring, so I pulled up the map and looked for a good place to begin. I hadn't cruised the Blake Sea in a while and I love to be on the water, so I started plotting a course from the northern coast of Corsica down and around the islands to see if it was going to be doable. I think I could have made it, but it would take a while and I didn't have a lot of time.

I decided, instead, to teleport to Windlass where I knew there were rez zones. Once there, I dropped my boat in the water and made me way over to Siren's Isle.

There's always a gathering of residents at Siren's Isle, some in boats, a handful on the island itself, flying overhead and swimming underwater. You never know what you'll find when you get there. On this recent visit, I saw a woman riding a dragon, a Ninja Turtle flying a helicopter, several boats, people fishing and one man in a three piece suit, pacing back and forth in the shallow waters. 

I donned my bikini and stretched out on the deck, listening to the gulls and the waves crashing into the shore. The gentle rocking of the boat, the sunset, the two ladies quietly fishing off the back of their pink and white vessel all adding to the ambiance. 

Siren's Isle used to have a serious griefer problem, but I haven't experienced any in recent months. That's a chance you take anywhere residents gather. 

From here, you can set off in any direction to explore the open sea. Just make sure to keep your mini map open to help you navigate. I usually check the big map every once in a while to make sure I'm still on my chosen course. 

Exploring is probably my favorite pass time on the grid. What's yours? I'd love to know.

We'll talk again real soon. Keep living your best Second Life.

When Backdrops Fail: A Creative Solution in Second Life

I'm aware of the hand clipping. Someday I'll be able to get Anypose. 

I recently popped over to Backdrop City for the first time in a while. Anyone who takes lots of pictures knows they have a HUGE selection of Second Life-inspired background images. I was met with a sign announcing changes to their setup. Now, instead of having all the individual background builds, they have rezzers, making it possible to offer even more options. This sounded like a great idea to me, so I decided to give it a try.

I wanted to use my Supernatural (TV show)-inspired Impala as a prop, so I thought it would be a good idea to start with a gas station or garage image. I scrolled through until I found the perfect one, tried to rez it, and a "region full" error message popped up.

Dang it.

I tried a few different ones (the definition of insanity) to no avail, and finally gave up and TP'd back home. After some thought over a game of BubblePop, I came up with a solution.

Since it was a car-themed shot, why not just head down the road a bit to the nearest rez zone? I have the region to myself most of the time anyway, so it's not like I'd be blocking traffic—well, except for the occasional pod tour, but I'm used to dodging those. I adjusted the environment settings, added some light, the car, a pose stand, and some fog. Above is the result. There's another angle on my Instagram page, if you'd like to check it out.

I think places like Backdrop City are great, but sometimes we get used to the convenience of using premade atmospheres when we have everything we need right in our backyard. 

Think of all the quirky little builds along SL roadways and how cool they'd be for a photo backdrop. Granted, rezzing props would be an issue, but you can get creative with attachments. 

What tricks have you learned for getting the perfect shot?

Let me know below and we'll talk again soon!