Second Life Mobile App, Broken Modems and Being Thrifty

 

Have you taken the new Second Life mobile app for a spin yet? 

I've been using it for a while, mainly to check group messages and to keep an eye on the ad boards. I've been pretty impressed with it so far.

Until recently, my WIFI has been sketchy, at best. I think it's got something to do with how many times the cat has tossed the modem against the wall and to the floor. I've got a temporary solution rigged up now, I'll spare you the details, but it means there's a much better connection. Now I can run amok on mobile.

Actually it's mostly me running into walls. I'm still getting the hang of the movement controls. 

I noticed today that everything doesn't rez. My animesh isn't there, although everything else seems to be. 

As an incentive, LL is currently offering a daily payment to premium members for each day you maintain a log in streak. Each day in a row that you use the app, the amount goes up. I think I'm up to L$40. Considering I do most of my shopping on the weekend sales, it's been enough for an outfit or two. 

In case you haven't noticed, I'm cheap thrifty. 

That reminds me of a fun story. About a month ago I ran in to one of the guys who would hang out on the wall with us at Bear. I said hello, asked if he remembered me. I mean, it's been a minute, ya know? And this .... person... says, "Oh yeah, everyone thought you and your little gang were kind of trashy."

*blink*

It was hard to keep my cool and not go full-on vengeful hillbilly on him, but I kept my composure and walked away. 

Anyways, I hope I don't run in to him again. Now that I've had time to think about it, I might not be as kind. 

I hope ya'll had a happy lovey-dovey Valentine's Day and remember all the chocolate will be half price tomorrow!

Folders and Boxes and Landmarks, Oh My!

Actual photo of me sorting inventory. You can tell I'm absolutely ecstatic. 

If you ever want to strike up a conversation with strangers on the grid but you're not sure what to say, just bring up your ginormous inventory. In Second Life, complaining about the endlessness of inventory sorting is the social equivalent of talking about the weather.

Not everyone's inventory is a mess. I've heard stories of the mythical creatures who have excellent habits, placing each item into the correct folder the moment they unpack it. 

I am not one of those people.

I wish I had a magical solution to share, but I don't. My inventory is so far gone, I'm not sure it can be saved. It can't hurt to work on it from time to time though, especially after a few weekend shopping sprees. I usually start by deleting all the demos I've accumulated, followed by landmarks. 

I never use landmarks to get anywhere. depending mostly on my teleport history or search. Stores and clubs move to a new home or relocate their landing zone and you can't be sure where you'll end up. Nothing makes me stabby like TPing to a store and landing in a wall. The few LMs I do use regularly are saved in my favorites bar. So most landmarks get deleted.

After that is the sorting. It helps to have a second inventory window, making it easier to drag and drop things into the right folder. 

So many folders.

You have one for "shoes?" Great! But is it divided in to "flats" and "heels?" And did you divide the flats in to "sandals" and "dress?" Then you can break it down in to colors, if you're a control freak and never want to see the outside world again.

If mine makes it to "shoes" I consider it a success.

I occasionally see sorting parties pop up, where folks get together and chit chat while they work on their inventories. I think that's a grand idea. It's a lonely, boring business done alone. 

I've just come to accept the imperfection of my own collections of stuff and things. It's not totally out of control, just a little messy. And it's a great conversation starter.

I hope ya'll have a great week! Begin something magical. 

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!

Character Designer, Freebies and Dean Gets a Makeover

 

Before and After

Did everyone get the free head from Lelutka this Christmas? I decided Dean needed a glow up, so I sent him to get one. We played with the settings, I think the facial hair makes him look more mature. He could probably use some head hair, eventually. And a change of clothes. His career as an adult club greeter is over, so the "gym bro with a touch of organized crime" look needs to change. Something more casual, laid back. Unemployed. 

He also got a new freebie AO (animation override) from the marketplace. He didn't have one before because he was stuck on his SmartBots stand most of the time. It's actually pretty good and you can't beat the price. At least he's no longer standing there waving his ginormous, splayed out hands around like he's looking for a booty to smack.

I'm still holding out before using him to experiment with the new A.I. Character Designer. Currently, if you have multi-factor authentication enabled on your main account, you're not able to connect. This makes me a little nervous, for a few reasons. For the time being, I'll just keep my fingers crossed that this changes in the near future. 

It's a little surprising to me that people have such strong opinions about the use of artificial intelligence.  As someone who watched a lot of 80's sci-fi, I'm excited to play around with it. It's not the flying cars we've been waiting for, but it's something.

Would you try the shiny new Character Designer? What attributes would you give a new A.I. companion? Let me know below. I'd also be interested to know if you want nothing to do with it. 

I hope all ya'll have a safe and happy New Years!

TTFN

A.I., Chatbots and Landscaping Mainland

My happy little corner of the mainland.

Did ya'll hear about the new AI chatbots Linden Lab is working on? I can't wait to play around with it! At first I thought it was going to be like Smartbots, which are great if you have a business with a storefront or office and are looking for a presence there. I have one alt I've used with them, Dean. He was the greeter for Puddles, the discussion venue, and the club I ran after that. He was fun to play with (get your mind out of the gutter, not like THAT.) You can find more information about the AI Character Designer here.

I used to joke that Dean just wanted to be a real boy, so maybe AI will get him closer. He can sit on the porch at my new place and annoy the neighbors. I'd have to change his clothes though, he's currently dressed like a body guard, complete with earpiece. Maybe I can get him some booty shorts and a tank top. Or better yet, find him some overalls. 

Speaking of my new place, the ticket I submitted for the abandoned parcel was approved the day after Christmas. In the past, I've had to wait a bit longer. It was a pleasant surprise. I need to finish landscaping (see pick above.) I've already changed my mind and torn everything out once. I'm happy with how it's turning out now though. I need to add grass or hay and put my horses back out, plant some more trees. 

Maybe I'll give ya'll a tour when I finish. I need to practice my YouTube skizzles anyway.

Why is a new home in Second Life so satisfying for me? I'm sure there are some arm chair therapists out there who could figure that out. 

Anywho, ya'll keep living your best Second Life. I'll be over here sliding trees around at the new place. We'll talk again soon!

Cheap Land and Blessings from the Innerweb Gods

My photo with Santa looks more like a hostage situation.

Anyone who knows me personally, knows I don't stay anywhere for long. I often joke that the name of this blog should have been "I've moved again."

A few months ago I changed back to a Basic account. I was spending more money than I felt I should on virtual pursuits and decided to drastically scale back.

When I tell you I'm on a budget, know that I've been living the freebie life. 

My one SL related expense was rent. I had a little sandy beach for me and all my alts. The neighbors must have thought I was really popular. Prior to that I had leased a parcel on a fantasy, role play estate. I loved it there, but I've never gotten into rp much, my social anxiety causing me to either over compensate by coming on entirely too strong, or to going completely silent. As a result, I never felt like I fit in. Let me make it abundantly clear that it was no reflection whatsoever on the community there. Bless 'em, they tried to include me. 

When I moved to the beach estate, I made sure to do the math to ensure that I stayed within budget. About two weeks in, a first life weather event took my access to power (and a lot of other things, but I'll spare you.) It was a struggle. I was able to log on using my phone as a mobile hotspot, just enough to keep rent paid. 

During that time, the aftermath of the previously mentioned weather event caused me to re evaluate my spending again. I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to have "normal" internet back. 

When the innerweb gods did decide to smile down upon me, and a collective rejoicing echoed throughout the mountains, I did more math and realized I was paying more than what a Premium Plus account would cost me.

WTF?

So after some hand wringing, I upgraded my account. The same day, I went in search of a 2048m piece of mainland, which I quickly realized I couldn't afford. (For real, what's up with these land prices?) Bellisseria was an option, but I've lived there in the past and it's not really my first choice. 

For the record, Bellisseria has a very vibrant and active community, it's just not my thing.

Since old habits die hard, I went in search of a piece of abandoned land. I wanted roadside, quiet area, not TOO many ginormous prims to derender and a place to rez my boat nearby. I spent some hours over the course of a few days looking for the right parcel. 

I think I've found just the one. It's two regions away from an infohub, just in case I get nostalgic for my early years and decide to go n00b watching. 

I filled out a ticket, which is no longer a form, but a friendly little chat with the chatbot. I figure with the holidays it'll probably be next week before I hear anything.  Any earlier than that I'll consider to be a Christmas miracle. I'd like to think all the Lindens are at home, enjoying festivities with their families anyway.

I hope everyone has a safe and peaceful holiday! 

Until next time :)

Making Videos and Coffee

 

Take time to rest when you need to.

Yesterday I spent more time than I care to admit, remembering how to manipulate the SL camera for making videos. 

It didn't go great.

And because I'm impatient, I stayed up entirely too late poking around on Youtube (and the deep recesses of my brain) to edit said video, refusing to allow the raw, chaotic evidence to exist of my repeated, accidental riding of my poor horse, Seamus, into the creek. 

Luckily for both of us, he's an avid swimmer.

I finally did get the recording somewhat edited and available for viewing. You can check it out here. 

As for today? I plan to spend the remainder of the day, slothing about in my pjs. If you happen see me wandering around a shopping event, shuffling my feet and with a death grip on a ginormous cup of coffee, mind your business. 

 

Or say hi.

TTFN!

Holiday Gift Ideas for Second Life

Photo taken at "Candy Christmas Dream."

 It's time to start picking out those holiday gifts for all your Second Life friends. If you're feeling overwhelmed, no worries, I'm here to help!

You can always make your way over to the Holiday Shop and Hop, a tried and true source for finding gifts (and a little Christmas treat for yourself.) There are usually freebies galore to be had, deals and gift cards. I haven't checked it out for myself this year, but it's still early yet.

In the mood for a little "thinking outside the gift box" (see what I did there?) Following are a few of my favorite ideas for gift giving on the grid: 

Wish Lists: I'm often surprised by the people who don't realize you can create a wish list for your Marketplace account, or that you can share that list on your profile. There is something about knowing someone took the time to check for a wish list and buy you something you've actually picked out. No questions about which body you have, if your head is compatible with ... whatever. You get the idea. 

Vacation Experience: I love this idea as a couple's gift. Send your favorite twosome on a tropical weekend getaway, with massages and drinks by the pool. If the recipient is your significant other, or one you'd like to be, plan an evening together. People are always looking for things to "do" in SL. Think beyond dinner and dancing. Horseback riding, camping or a romantic tour by boat will mean more to them than one more thing in their inventory, especially if their inventory is anything like mine. Treat them to an adventure, create a memory. 

Funny Gifts: Let's face it, with the state of the world right now, we could all use a few more reasons to laugh. Are you buying for someone who's in to GTFO? A person who had one of every kind of vehicle? There are tons of unconventional modes of transportation on the Marketplace. I love a funky spaceship or balloon powered bike for cruising around the mainland. 

I'd love to hear your ideas for unique gifts in Second Life, drop yours in the comments below. 

Tata for now. We'll talk again soon!

Nothing to Do? No Friends? Make Your Second Life Great Again.

Are you bored in Second Life? 

You've shopped the sales, built a wardrobe to rival the Kardashians and found the perfect hair and skin. You look fabulous! But now you're standing alone in your skybox, with no idea what to do next. 

It happens to all of us. Whether you're new to the grid or a long time resident, everyone finds themselves in a rut from time to time. After encountering countless residents looking for something to do, I decided to come up with a list of tips for breathing a little life back in to your Second Life. 

Find a Job

Having a job in SL is the most effective way to get out, meet some people and kick your social life into gear... and it's fun! I've met some of my best friends while working. There are countless host/hostess jobs, role play positions, openings for dancers, club managers, personal assistants, the list goes on.

Make sure you shop around and find an employer who works with your in-world schedule. Keep in mind, the majority of business owners don't consider Second Life to be just a game. Honor your commitments and respect that they've likely invested real world money into their venture. 

You can find job listings by browsing the classifieds, visiting the employment forums and on social media sites. 

Host an Event

I've used the events listings to club hop, enter contests, join discussions and explore.  Hosting events makes it easy to find people who are online the same time you are and share a common interest. 

I've found that many residents don't realize that you don't need to own land to hold an event. You can have a basic account or be new to SL. This excerpt from the official Second Life event rules explains that an event can even be held on "public" land:

You may currently post up to 15 events per day (including event edits). In addition, your friends will now be able to post events on a parcel that you own. However, you must set that parcel to show up in Find Places as a Hangout. If your parcel is not set up as a Hangout, the parcel will not be available to your friends, but will continue to be subject to other availability rules.

To further clarify, you may post an event on a parcel if:

• You personally own the parcel and it is at least 512 square meters in size.
• The parcel is owned by a group that you are an owner of, or that you have the 'host events' ability for, and is at least 512 square meters.
• The parcel is in a private island that you are on the access list of, and is at least 512 square meters.
• The parcel belongs to Governor Linden and is set to show in Search Places as a Hangout.
• The parcel belongs to a friend, it is set to show in Search Places as a Hangout, and is at least 512 square meters.

An event is defined as a special group activity that is led by a host on land owned either by the host or by a group the host belongs to. Examples include discussions, group meetings, hosted dances, classes, tours, and competitions. 

I've hosted discussions on varying topics from SL relationships to how to survive a Mars colony. Whether you're an intellectual or just looking for some folks to share celebrity gossip with over coffee, creating your own event is a great way to find other people who share your interests and time zone.

Learn a New Skill

Have you always wanted to learn another language? Ready to tackle Blender, but not sure where to start? 

Our virtual world can be a resource to learn fresh, new skills. A quick search of the classifieds finds free English lessons, DJ classes, even classes on public health.

Builder's Brewery offers ongoing classes in creating almost everything on the grid. Mesh, basic prim manipulation, scripting, textures, you name it. You can visit their in-world location here.

Look on YouTube for how-to videos by some of our long time residents. For business advice, Black Dragon settings and creating SL content for social media, I head for Meela Vanderbuilt or Strawberry Singh. There is an abundance of long time residents with great advice on all things Second Life. 

Play a Game

I'm not talking about the gaming sims, where you can lose your $L balance in a matter of minutes. We have board games, like Simopoly and Greedy, SL versions of popular first life games. You can find sims with public access to most of the popular ones. There are usually a few people in and out, looking for someone to compete with. 

I'm personally addicted to Bubble Pop. I need a 12 step program.

My favorite driving game, GTFO, uses a HUD to create a freight delivery system. Use your own vehicle to explore the mainland and Blake Sea picking up and delivering imaginary parcels, while discovering new and unique places around the map via roads, waterways and air.

Participate in Groups

Enjoy chatting with other residents about common interests? 

We all belong to in-world groups for our favorite stores and sales, but there are other groups for everything under the sun in SL. Do you have first life hobbies? Is there something you've always wanted to try, but can't because of physical limitations? Explore those interests virtually. Learn to fly an airplane. Gallop into the sunset on your fancy Irish Cobb. Groups for aviation, role play, driving groups or equestrian competitions can be found by using the in-world search. 

Seriously, there is a group for anything you can think of.

Some are more active than others and most are free to join. Be sure to take a moment to read through their rules, you don't want to step on any toes.

I speak from experience. 

There's no reason to be bored in Second Life. I think we get in the habit of doing the same thing, each time we log on and forget how expansive our world is. Hopefully, this will give you some new ideas. 

What do you do when you feel like you're in a virtual rut? Share your ideas in the comments below!

We'll talk again soon, keep living your best Second Life!

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!

Second Norway: A Thriving Second Life Community

 

One of the many roadways running through Second Norway

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently packed up my mainland parcel and relocated to Second Norway. 

I had looked at several options. While I continue to root for mainland to thrive, I couldn't afford the parcels that had all the bells and whistles I wanted. I've leased homesteads before, but I didn't like being cut off from the Blake Sea, not having neighbors, etc. 

Exploring by horseback, speedboat or auto are how I spend my slack time in SL. After weighing all the options available, I finally found a solution.

Second Norway is the best of all worlds. 

The medium sized island I chose is close to the open sea and easy for me to navigate. I only ran into someone's pier once. 

I'm not a great driver on land or sea, but boats are way easier.

In addition to residential islands, Second Norway has a network of roads on larger islands, connected by a series of ferries and bridges. One boasts a large airport, and others have airfields, a golf course, diners, marinas and other opportunities for role play. 

I stumbled upon a clinic yesterday, with a full list of services ranging from OB/GYN to psychiatric services.

I read back through some old forum posts created around two years ago, when Second Norway announced it had gone bankrupt. There seemed to be some confusion about the actual ownership of the area and whether Linden Labs actually controlled the property. 

I kept digging and found this article by Stex Auer on Medium featuring an interview with the new owner, Vanity Bonetto.  In the article, there is a good explanation of the future intentions of the new management team. I'm happy to see that it's still successful. 

I have been a little disappointed by one aspect of life here. There don't seem to be any active groups or regular events. I could be wrong, maybe I've missed something. I searched public groups and joined a few, but it's been crickets so far. I wouldn't mind hosting the occasional discussion or get together, I'm just not sure how I'd go about it.

I am open to suggestions.

Maybe I could organize a horseback tour? 

I don't know, we'll see.

In the meantime, I've enjoyed meeting a few of the neighbors, they all seem pretty friendly. I love sitting on our dock, watching boats go by or seaplanes flying overhead. It all reminds me of the coastal Virginia community where I grew up and my heart still sometimes aches for.

That's what Second Life is all about isn't it? Creating a virtual space to visit and remember those things you can't do in first life.

And the weekend sales. We can't forget the shopping.

Until next time, keep living your best Second Life!

Your Privilege is Showing

Taking my boat out for a night cruise.

 

In the original metaverse, Second Life, we host residents from all over the world. People of different cultures, varied languages, economic circumstances and intellectual abilities. It can be easy to forget, especially when we're all shrouded behind our online personas and lacking the subtle visual cues we normally experience in first life. 

I've seen a bunch of snarky avatar shaming posts on social media, especially on Facebook (before my account got banned, go figure) and Twitter. The comments in question fall into the following categories:

• Avatar appearance
• Creator skills
• Account age
• Residents migrating from other games
• Communities

I've caught grief from others for my Maitreya body. It doesn't lend itself to the current, curvy trend and as a result I've been told I had "triangle" hips, that it's not "realistic," etc. 

I bought my body because when I returned to SL after an absence, during which the whole mesh bodies change took place, it was simply the brand that I saw in most places. 

I'm not sure why it seems to be a problem. My first response to people with these comments is usually, "Why do you care? Mind your business." 

If you don't like another resident's appearance choices, that's fine. You do you. Why be a jerk about it?

By the way, in those instances where it matters, I've had not one complaint.

There's a lot of cocky comments regarding items at events that aren't "original mesh." 

So don't buy it. What's the problem? 

Everyone can't master Blender. Sure there are classes and my hat is off to everyone who has embraced mesh creation, but it's not an option for many people, whether it be because of time constraints, limited computer resources or, like me, they would rather spend their time in world sitting on the beach, watching the boats go by. 

Just because someone can't create the way you do, doesn't mean they aren't allowed to live out their version of Second Life, to own a successful business in a virtual world.

Personally, I think those who create full perm mesh for others to use are masters of marketing. They've created a resource for a large chunk of the grid.

I could go on, but you get the gist. We have to learn to embrace our differences if we're going to survive. Adopt a newb once in a while, help them out. Hug a furry. Let's try to remind ourselves that we have no real idea what that person behind the avatar is going through IRL. Especially nowadays. 

If we alienate residents and they end up leaving, who's going to like your Flickr photo that you worked all day editing? Who is going to buy that 950li mesh mansion you're trying to sell or those 18 parcels you've been paying tier on for 3 months? 

While LL struggles to improve the retention of new residents, we need to continue the process by making people feel welcome on the grid. 

You don't need me to tell you how to do that. We are (presumably) all adults and while we might not always embrace the practice, we all know how to play nice. 

I know you do.

Anywho, enough of my bickering. Moving on...

Ya'll will be happy to know that after an intricate dance of messages between neighbors, peace has been restored to our little corner of Second Life. Ugly dayglow boundary lines have been removed, plants have been rearranged and my passage to the sea has been restored. 

I love a happy ending.

Have you experienced bias in world, for any reason? I'd love to hear about it below. 

Life is a struggle. Second Life shouldn't have to be.