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.

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!

Twitter in Flames and the SL Social Media Struggle

 

As a Second Life resident and wannabe influencer, I struggle with social media for the virtual world. In first life, I had a fairly successful blog with a large following, but the same rules for success don't apply in SL. 

It's not enough to post to the most popular platforms, you have to figure out if there's a Second Life community there as well, otherwise you're just screaming into the void.

My struggles grew a couple of months ago when my Facebook and Instagram accounts were locked due to advertising an adult venue. I got flagged for the equivalent of human trafficking.

Seriously.

I could have argued my case, but not before sending them a photo I.D. to verify my identity, which wouldn't have matched my display name, obviously. So I let my Facebook die and, in the meantime, created a new Instagram, using the same email address, phone number, etc. 

The adult venue that caused this clusterfuck had already been closed when my accounts got dinged. 

After moving (a couple of times) and licking my wounds, I made the decision to go back to what I know best. I began restructuring this space, making an action plan and trying to get my virtual life together. 

I decided to create a new Facebook account

After discovering TikTok and finding other residents there, I was reminded about profile link sites like Koji, Linktree and others. These sites enable you to set up a profile page with all your social media links, allowing you to give access to all your profiles on platforms like Instagram which only allow one link per profile. 

Simple right? Not for me. I have to make everything complicated. 

I had created a Koji account last year and it was linked to my old accounts. I'm pretty computer savvy, but I couldn't figure out how to change the settings to my new profile pages. I contacted their customer service and explained, and their response was to send me right back to the editing page I'd been to. 

Koji uses your email and phone number to find your accounts for those two particular sites and once it's linked, it's done.

*bangs head on desk*

It was during this time that Elon Musk took over Twitter. Now, according to what I've read from various sources, there will be an $8 charge for a blue checkmark. Previously, the check meant your account had been verified. Now, it just means you paid for a checkmark with no verification. However, if you don't buy the checkmark, your posts won't be searchable via hashtag and will basically float off into the abyss, or posted on MySpace, I don't really know for sure. I just know that my personal relationship with the current economy can't justify $8 a month just to use Twitter. 

Maybe I'm the exception, but it is what it is.

I really wish Linden Labs could create an inworld social media app. 

Anyway, here we are. All (well, most) of my social media is now linked to tabs at the top of this page (yay!)  

I've always felt there was a real lack of advertising opportunities available for Second Life business. There are plenty of ad boards, but ugh. No one looks at them, if they even rezz before people leave the area. There has to be a better way. 

If you have a business and are looking for an alternative to ad boards, I have two spots available in the sidebar. You can get more information by clicking the "advertising" tab at the top of the page.

In the meantime, I'm still out here struggling. We all are. 

I need to go find the ibuprofen. Ya'll have an amazing day and keep living your best Second Life!

COVID-19 and It's Effect on Second Life

As the world reels from the effects of the current plague, Second Life is feeling the effects. 

You can hoard all the free toilet paper you want on the Marketplace, guilt free (so please stop hoarding the real stuff.) There are also fashionable surgical masks and hand sanitizer dispensers for your personal protection role play. 

While I was out couch shopping, I found this classic plague doctor dude stuck in a back room with the Halloween decorations. Some folks seem to think I need a man in my life so I snagged him up. 

The Destination Guide's "What's Hot Now" page is full of packed clubs and role play regions. There's been a steady stream of sailboats and mini yachts passing by my coastal home all day. Second Life is hopping.

But aside from the grid being busier than usual, I've noticed other changes.

I'm seeing neighbors that I didn't know I had, standing around in their homes. Some have said hello. People are checking in on each other. Performers are sending out messages to their subscribers, asking them to stay safe. Group chats have become more lenient in their rules, allowing more "off-topic" discussions as folks from around the globe check on each other, offering prayers, messages of support and virtual hugs.

As we all isolate ourselves in our 1st lives, we're here together in our second. There's a unique sense of community here. While we may be twerking to the latest tunes with half our clothes still waiting to rez, we are together and having a blast.

Be kind to the new users and the returning users. Invite them to see your spiffy little cottage or skybox. Share some landmarks. Show them how awesome Second Life can be.

As for me, I'm still working on those selfie skills.

How are you spending your time on the grid? Let me know in the comments below!

Finding Bargains at Gacha Resellers

Click to enlarge.

 After my return, it took me a while to figure out what, exactly, Gachas were. Once I found out, I made a conscious effort to avoid the little machines like the plague. I don't have anything against them as a rule, but I know me and my addictive personality. I knew I'd get hooked and end up begging for $L at the infohubs for hair money.

I once became so obsessed over a piece of land that I got involved in an auction bidding war and ended up buying more $L in the process which almost resulted in my paying about 5 times what it was worth.

Luckily I was out bid.

I do, however, love shopping at the many Gacha reseller areas. They're like ginormous flea markets of STUFF. Most stores are set up with little boxes neatly aligned with rare and common items clearly marked. Great for finding that rare piece to complete your collection. I'm not interested in collections though. I want to wander around and look at everything in-world. Shops like the one pictured above, with a smorgasbord of items crammed together remind me of the 1st life thrift stores that I love.

Click to enlarge.

 I try to avoid stores that specialize in pets. I don't need more, but I'm a sucker for anything cute and cuddly, like this little dinosaur. My home will be full of chubby pandas and shark plushies if I'm not careful.

There were a few things I had in mind before I set out on my shopping trip. I need something for my back deck, but I'm not sure what. Maybe an outdoor dining set or possibly a yoga mat. Or fairies and gnomes. I DON'T KNOW.

That's what's great about shopping the resellers. They're full of ideas, different styles and designers. Marketplace is great if you know exactly what you're looking for, but if you're like me and not sure, it can be frustrating.

I looked on the Marketplace recently for a small, contemporary fireplace to fit my latest house, but without much luck. So when I wandered in to the back room of a Gacha shop and found this, I was super excited.

Click to enlarge.

 It fits the space and style of my new home perfectly.

If you set out on an epic Gacha shopping trip, try the smaller places first. With less traffic, their prices tend to be a little lower and they stock the same items you'll find at the massive sim-wide malls.

Anywho, that's what I've been up to this week.

We'll talk again soon!

Seeking Paradise

Wanderlust Lagoon

I've gone through a few houses since I last posted and in the process, I learned a few things about myself. The most prevalent lesson is: Sometimes you don't know what you want until you've tried everything else.

I loved my little white cottage, but after fiddling around with different island sizes (I now have a lifetime supply in my inventory,) waves and ginormous cliffs (to block the neighbor's day glow border marker,) I realized I wanted more water, less land. For that, I'd need a smaller house. I bought a boat house and a boat, but it was still just too big. I spend most of my time outside anyway. I didn't need that much house and the thoughts of buying furniture to fill it up made my stomach churn.

I hate buying furniture. That's an entire post in itself.

The bed I'd bought for the cottage wouldn't fit in the tiny attic of the boathouse, and after about a day, the constant use of the same basic texture for EVERY surface started to get on my nerves.

The Boathouse

I set out to find a nice little house, with few rooms. I don't have roommates or a partner. To be honest, I really don't even need a bedroom.

For now.

I wanted something on stilts or a treehouse that wouldn't take up much room.

Just because a builder says a house will fit on a 1024m doesn't mean it will, nor does it mean it's a good fit for what you're trying to do.

Lesson learned.

I found that I kept going back to Tiki huts and little tropical houses. There are three major builders that fit that description. The first I went to, I'd bought my little Gypsy wagon from and knew the animations were screwed up. I went back there, hoping that after time they'd fixed their problems, but nope. I ended up sitting on my head.

The next one had beautiful furnished houses, but their house rezzing area was a clusterfuck. It looked like someone had rezzed every house, some were turned upside down and on their side. Due to past experience, I wasn't buying another furnished house if I couldn't test the animations first. I went back a few times, hoping I'd find it cleared, but to no avail.

The third Tiki house builder had three areas for looking at houses. The first one had a big clump of bushes in the middle of the rez area, so you couldn't really tell what the hell you were looking at. In retrospect, I suppose the smart thing to do would have been to derender the bushes, but by then I was so annoyed, I guess I wasn't thinking straight.

But then? I noticed that the sign in front of the third clearing said "Islands." Some were houses on islands, houses built into caverns. I wouldn't have to keep fiddle farting around with island prims and landscaping. It was all included. I found a small house with a living room and a bedroom, fully furnished, on it's own island AND landscaped.

I was sold.

When I got it set up, I found a bonus cave hidden in one of the rocks on the foundation. The perfect space for my altar. Also, there were little butterflies already flying around the flowers on the rocks.

Setting up a new house meant I'd have to rearrange the landscape a bit. I've discovered that while I DESPISE big, flat privacy screens, I do enjoy my solitude. I didn't want to create an eyesore for my neighbors, yet I wanted a clearly defined border and somewhere to put a few plants.

I started with a cheap pack of rocks that I recolored to match the pitted lava rocks at my house's foundation, but that turned out to be... tacky.

While out looking at different parcels for sale, I happened upon some natural looking cliff faces that weren't too huge. I sought out the designer's store (they weren't on MP) and ended up buying those as well as some more natural looking waterfalls.

I may add more plants or some underwater landscaping, but as you can see by the first picture above, my perfect little 1024m lagoon is complete. There's plenty of outside room, privacy and lots of places for visitors to sit and chat by the fire. I think I'm happy now.

And the cave. I love the cave.

Feel free to drop me an IM for more information on the houses and landscaping in the photos. This isn't a sponsored post, nor do I want to upset anyone by posting negative opinions about their products.

~*~

Looking for your own little island paradise? I currently have a nice little 1024m water parcel for sale. 

The Bramant Island parcel is a quiet, 1024m square water lot. To the east and west are tasteful builds. To the south is a large vacant parcel, with a smaller one to the north. Just beyond the northeastern border is a protected waterway, perfect for boating. This serene, low-lag island is just L$4700. L$3900

See it inworld here:

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bramant/77/192/21/