Happy 2nd Rez Day to Me!

November 16, 2007 was the night I first signed on to Second Life, not knowing what to expect or not to expect. Good thing because I landed in a volcano hub! I had no instructions, had no idea what to do or not to do so I sat...and sat...and sat. Still, something fascinated me enough to draw me back the next day and the next and the next...but still I was in that dreadful volcano. I noticed people appearing and disappearing but I had no idea where they were going or how.

I wonder why I kept coming back. It probably has something to do with making things a quest not if mastered quick enough. The "failure is not an option" mantra comes to mind lol

How I eventually got out of that volcano hub is another story. But suffice it to say I did and went off to discover a whole new world. Alice, finally found her way past the rabbit hole!

I'm glad I did keep coming back though. 2 years and many adventures later, many houses later (dare I even count? could I even count them?) a long history of friends (some still friends, some not, some left, some drifted, some parted ways), work from RL now in SL and of course finding my wonderful partner, I find SL is very much like RL. Nothing is constant in RL...nothing is constant nor predictable in SL. It's really all a parallel world no matter how you slice it; not perfect, sometimes bumpy but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I look forward to another great year! viva SL!

I'm baaack!

So many weddings, so little time! In the mad, whirlwind world of Second Life love is definitely in the air! Just like in the real world, weddings in SL are as unique as the people saying their vows.





In the past few months I've been in 2 weddings as maid of honor. One was held in a castle high in the sky, the other on the edge of a cliff in an elegant, traditional setting to rival any in the physical world. I've attended lavish weddings and simple ones on the beach with only a few guests. One wedding was abruptly cancelled on it's eve with only the cryptic explaination of "technical difficulties." It was not rescheduled and I noticed that the pair were no longer partnered shortly thereafter. Yes, even in a virtual world couples get cold feet.





But, by far the most fun wedding was our own! Bo proposed on one knee on the balcony of our island home on September 24, 2008. I had expected it at some point but despite knowing that it would eventually happen, I was nevertheless very emotional when the moment actually came to pass. In fact, I was so excited I said yes before he even asked! Fortunately one of us had the presence of mind to focus. "Let me ask you first, darling," he reminded me patiently. Well, oookay....geesh, details, details lol





What followed in the following days was a fun, albeit sometimes frustrating hunt for a church. We had both decided that we wanted a traditional wedding with all our friends witnessing our union, complete with an officiate to marry us with vows, a blessing and a full works reception. In other words, the whole enchilada.


If anyone has planned a wedding in real life, it's about the same. Couples still have to discuss and agree and make decisions. What type of church, what type of ceremony, traditional or personalized, Christian or civil, chapel, church or cathedral, music, flowers, color theme, bridal party, tuxes, dresses, bouquets and boutonnieres (or button holes as they are called in Europe). And, that's only for the church. There's also the reception, DJ and music selections, first dance song, to throw the bouquet and garter or not, cutting the virtual cake (yes) and the best man's toast. Needless to say, there was very little time to go dancing (although we did manage to plan "nonwedding" days to keep ourselves from getting frazzled).

Everything actually fell into place fairly easily for us at first. It only took a few days to find "the perfect church" which also happened to have "the perfect reception" area. Plus, they also happened to have the date we wanted open! The very last time slot! We grabbed it. With that booked and done, we could breath a collective sigh of relief and enjoy the next few weeks of engagement plotting out the other wedding details.

Ha, as they say the best laid plans...As it happened, Bo and I were Best Man and Maid of Honor for a couple's upcoming wedding. Because the European way is to not fuss over your own impending wedding until a friend's wedding is over, we didn't mention the date nor our plans to our friends. That is, until the night of their bachelor/bachelorette party when, I could hold it in no longer and blurted out that our wedding invitation would be arriving shortly and to make sure it was opened outside because it was quite large (a major understatement). When I said the date it quickly became known there was a "problem." Uh-oh our intended Best Man was going to be out of town! Big uh-oh. So we had to quickly decide if we wanted to change the date --that is, if the reception place had an opening for the night before. The good news is that they did--the last spot again but it could be ours. The bad news was that because it was now a Friday night instead of Saturday, many of our friends would not be able to attend because of time zone issues, including a long time friend who had offered to DJ our reception.

We weathered all the challenges with a humor, patience and lots of love. Little did we know that one of the biggest challenges was still ahead of us--the quest for the perfect wedding ring set! In SL hours are like days so to say we spent days and days looking for wedding bands is no exaggeration. I think we visited every jeweler in SL and saw every possible ring set. Then, we finally decided...or so we thought. I exercised my female prerogative to change my mind and so the hunt began again. I'm glad we did. I love my wedding ring set and wear it proudly. It was worth every minute of the hunt.

My wedding dress had to be perfection. No, it had to be beyond perfection. I found the perfect gown very early in the search but of course I kept on looking...and looking...and looking. I think I tried on every gown demo in SL but I kept coming back to "that" one. I thought about it and realized it just needed a few extra customized touches and it would be my perfect dress. So, I contacted the creator at Adiva Bridal and asked could she do this and that? And, amazingly she said yes. Now, if you knew how rigid and/or finicky most SL designers are, this was no small feat. I asked her to add long, fingerless opera gloves. Done. Then I asked her to add a ring of crystal flowers around the waistband to match the headpiece. Done. I had my perfect creation!

In the end, on October 24, 2008 Bo and I exchanged vows in front of over 25 friends at the church at Fanatasia Island. Our attendants were Simon, Charlie, Cirrus, Apache, Anna and Gen. Our first dance song was supposed to be "The Power of Love" by Celine Dion but the DJ goofed up and played "Falling Into You" instead. It's a beautiful song but we've decided at our 1 year anniversary to have a recommitment ceremony and have "The Power of Love" officially played as our song. Wouldn't that be lovely? Maybe Celine Dion will be in SL by then :)

So, that's what I've been up to. I've lots more to report, more fun times, more events and lots more memories. Stay tuned as my SL journey continues!





<--Puglet (USA) & Jim (Australia)'s wedding Oct 2008

<-- Our wedding Oct 24, 2008

<---first dance

September 11, 2008 in Second Life

We will never forget!

BFFs

One thing about Second Life is that it can be a very lonely place unless you make connections. Tonight Bo and I went with our friends to Bedrock for bowling, racing, and a game of miniature golf. But, I lost my golf club before I even started. I fared much better in bowling, however...and held my own in racing. Ok, fine. I admit it. I drove 30 mph but hey I made it to the finish line!

SL is an incredible social networking medium. But the most amazing thing about SL are the connections you make that you would most likely never make in your real life.

For instance, our friends Apache & Simon. Apache is from New England area of USA and her partner is from Germany. Cultural divides fade, friendships are forged and accents become things of interest. Could they have met outside of SL? Maybe, but most likely not. Fate does have its own ideas though and perhaps SL was one of its vehicles.

Bo is from way up from Scandinavia country. Would we have ever bumped into each other in the physical world? I doubt it. Yet, we delight in discovering one another and talk for hours, sharing and laughing.

This mix of accents is delicious to the ear.Accent? Well, their accents, that is. What? Who has an accent? Moi? Hey, I'm just a Jersey Girl from the northeast who goes down the shore in the summer, walks the dawg and drinks cawfee. Accent? Nah...

Really. You ought to hear me speak Dutch. No accent at awl. Nope.

Dance Like There's No One Around!

Fairies, elves, tinies and dragons--oh my! Just another Friday night event at Z9 Christian Rock Club in Second Life. DJ Allan rocked the
house with tunes from Bon Jovi, Toby Mac, Whitesnack, Rainbow, Def Leopard and more. Guests kept the DJ busy with all their personal favorite requests.


At high count, 19 people from around the world danced the night away under a confetti filled moonlit night. Even the dragons (Maggie and Bonnie) boogied the night away, although it did get a bit dangerous with their fire breath!

Next time we'll have to bring marshallows, graham crackers and mmmm chocolate!

S'mores anyone?

Happy Souls

Elysian fields is a place where happy souls gather. I hope so. Peter and I created a lovely retreat for souls to gather, reflect, commune, communicate and connect. There are nature sounds to soothe the heart and wind chimes softly tinkling in the background. And, in the center is our campfire circle where people from all over the world gather to listen, witness and discuss.

So far we've had two campfire circle gatherings. The first topic was about the power of prayer. The second was a well attended session about spiritual warfare. We will have more in the coming weeks, from life stories to the crucifixtion to miracles and more.

Our next campfire meeting will be Saturday May 17 from 9am-10amSL. We'll be participating in the Center for Digital Story Telling's International Day for Sharing Stories. We have an open invitation to Second Life citizens to join us and tell us their testimonies and witnessing experiences. This will be a special session for Christians and nonChristians alike. We even have a colorful "story stick" to pass around!

Soon, we'll be adding a book discussion group to our spiritual center. Book lovers will be able to share their thoughts with others and gain useful insight.

Elysian fields was designed to be multidimensional. It is a park, a spiritual center, a "library" and a retreat. It is also a place for fellowship, prayer and meditation. But, mostly Elysian Fields is a place for us all, no matter what the reason.

Please come and visit soon. You'll be glad you did. Elysian fields is located right next to Z9 Christian Rock Club on the Wings of Hope sim in Second Life. Just Im me inworld for a tp or landmark.

When Doors Open You Walk Through

If someone had predicted last week that we'd have a new club this week, we wouldn't have believed it...but one of the incredible, magical things about Second Life is that your virtual life always changes and offers new opportunities. So, out of the blue, the thought of revitalizing the Wings of Hope sim set off a flashbulb moment. What would bring new life to our lovely, quiet sim?

A new dance club! One of our magazine's sections is called Z9, after Zechariah 9 referencing all the young men and women. Well, what better than to have a fun place to attract all the Christian men and women of Second Life? Add a theme decor, great retro 80's music, fellowship, perpetual confetti and viola! You have Z9 Christian Rock Club!

Our grand opening will be this Friday, May 2, 2008 at 3:30pmSL until the sun sets or rises or whatever time zone comes first. The theme will be Prom Night. And, we'll even crown a King and Queen. Their grand prize will be 100L and bragging rights until the next event :)

Z9 will offer a PG fun place to gather and meet others from around the world. Hopefully, visitors will want to come back and visit the sim's lighthouse, windmill and take the train ride tour. This is only the beginning of what's to come! Wings of Hope is going to be the place to be on Friday nights! See you there in your prom best. Just think, we don't even have to go to the Shore the next day, we're already there!

Serendipity

Part of the fun of working in SL for RL is that you get to find cool, new places quite by accident. Peter and I were hunting for a Readers Garden in Caledon when we stumbled up on this giant chess game! For a moment I felt like Alice and wondered when the white rabbit would race by followed by the Red Queen.
Then we saw the rail road tracks and of course, got side tracked (no pun intended!) when we hopped on the trolley to take the scenic route around the area. We didn't get far when we spotted...

the labryinth! Oh, what a curious sight that was! If work hadn't been pressing on my time, I'd have insisted we try our hand at navigating it but *big sighs* I had to prioritize and work won out--this time.

Yes, we eventually did find the Readers Garden but it paled in comparison to the delights we found in the nooks and crannies of Caledon. We must go back and explore more, perhaps even in Regency era wardrobe. If we do, we'll definitely take pics and post.

The only problem is that in Second Life there is so much to do and see that we never seem to go back to the same place twice. We'll have to make a list...

Oh, the wonders!

One of the best things in Second Life are the wonderous places to explore and visit! Often, Peter and I are way too busy to take a moment to wander and travel across the sims but when we do...well, the breathtaking sights remind us that SL is a place of intense creativity and imagination.

Each place has been built from the ground up. Each object built, sculpted, colored and designed to the smallest detail by the steady hand and mouse of it's creator. Where once flat, virgin land lay now are monuments, cities, caves, harbors and jungles. These treasures are sprinkled across the SL universe just waiting to be visited and savored.

Tonight we explored several sims, beginning with The Lost Gardens of Apollo. This sumptuous, lavish place is a wonder to behold. Even the music is lush and exotic. It would take hours to explore its every nook and cranny--if you can get in, that is! It's not mistake that this sim is always full. The grandeur is beyond measure.



Aside from the sights, there are also activities such as tai chi, flying carpets and hiking. There are also numerous spots just to meditate, ponder or relax. You can also dance at their salsa themed plaza. It is without saying that it is perhaps one of the most romantic places to take your special someone. But, you won't be alone much lol, this place is packed with visitors. Apollo is PG rated and no voice is allowed. This keeps it safe for everyone and aside from the occasional (ok not so occasional) newbie faux pas of public chat texting, it's pretty much a quiet interlude.



Another wonderful place to visit is Celestial Requiem NYC/WTC. The sim creators and designers work hard to recreate the flavor of New York City in order to honor its history and 9/11 tragedy. And, typical of SL, the work is international. The designer who lovingly created the Statue of Liberty is from England. He even created a 1920's replica of a baseball stadium with a working baseball game script! Lots to see and do in Second Life NYC, including shopping and events. The World Trade Center Towers are incredible structures and gives one pause. Being from near NYC, the memory of those huge monoliths still brings tears to my eyes. It's an honorable thing Mel Regent did to dedicate a sim to one of the greatest cities on Earth.


Yet another very cool sim isn't land at all. It's a sphere! And, inside that sphere is the moon, complete with working equipment, a racing explorer vehicle and offers of free moon boots and spacesuits! To make it even more fun, the moon boots create footprints on the moon's surface. But, really aside from the fun is the realism. This is 3D immersive web 2.0 at it's best. It's simple yet very effective. Elon University created Elon Moon base and I hope they continue to create other planets to land on, like Mars and Saturn. Maybe a black hole....


Where else but in Second Life can you travel from an Arabian style harbor to New York City to the moon all in one night? And, I didn't even have to worry about having 3 oz bottles in a gallon sized plastic bag to carry or a passport!

Now, if Second Life's client viewer would just remain stable with the next upgrade, there will be more places to go and see to satisfy my wanderlust.

Building Blocks

One of the most thrilling and challenging aspects of Second Life is being able to create and build. Out of nothing you can create something, although sometimes that something isn't all that great at first. But, as time goes on you get better and better. I still don't like putting structures together or rezzing a flat panel or box but oh boy give me a go at putting textures and colors up and I am in my zone. Let me terraform or put down plants, trees, paint a scenery screen and oh I'm in my element!

But I can't do it alone. I know my limitations :) I know that I am the the accessorizer not the designer. I am the paint, not the brush. It's ok. There's fun in teamwork. Where else but SL could one make a universe all your own, developed in tandem with your partner who is an ocean away?

Peter and I have built a nice world in Inishmore. We've built it up, torn it down, modified and restructured, over and over. And, just when we get it "right" we seem to want to do it a different way.

Why? Because we can...because our synapses fire away, because we get so focused in our designing that we lose track of time, because it's fun, because it's our way to relax. Where else but in Second Life could this be done? Right now that answer is very few places. Soon though, there will be other worlds to build, create and design. Soon, those worlds will invite us to come visit.

And, we will go because we they are there, the same reason why most explorers climb the mountain peaks, trek into forests, dive to the depths of the blue sea or peek into caves. The explorer's mind does not want to stay still in the world they were given. They seek to find something beyond them. Along the way, they also find something within themeselves.

To Have and To Hold

Many people don't understand the emotional and mental intimacy virtual reality relationships can create. When SL only offered text it was still an incredibly close experience but once voice became available, oh my that changed everything! The avatar you were hanging out with, sharing your thoughts and dreams suddenly became real. This may have changed some relationships, I suppose-- some for the worse or some became even closer. Once the voice was there it with all the nuances of every day life, where you could hear their joy, frustration, annoyance and adoration (one hopes) all of us took a giant leap from fantasy to reality.

One of the by products of all this mingling is love. Yes, even avatars fall in love! And because we are creatures grounded in our other world rituals, we bring carry this over to our virtual lives. Viola, the virtual wedding!

Now, don't you go rolling your eyes! Weddings are big business in SL. Sure, avis could all live together in moral anarchy but most of us don't. We like commitment just as well as our flesh and blood counterparts! Some things aren't quite the same--the food isn't eaten but it's still purchased and displayed. That's one of the oddities of Second Life. Can't eat it, but you are a bad hostess and a major virtual faux pas if you don't have it for your guests. Go figure. Same goes with the virtual bar. Some guests even fall down drunk if they have the right script. Mostly people just have fun, dance, chat in text, speak to one another in voice IM or public voice.

Let's not forget all the planning! There is a reception place to reserve, music to consider (DJ or stream?), bridesmaids & dresses---oh yes, wedding gowns, flowers and invitations, even marriage certificates. All of this costs serious lindens (money), too!

Linden Labs, the creators of our wonderful world, hasn't offered the ability for their citizens to change their name after marriage. Sighs...so many people resort to posting a group title over their head, ie: Jane's husband, Jim's wife for all the world to know they are an official couple just in case one hasn't taken a peek at their profile. There is such a thing as "partnering" in SL. It's their version of "we are together." It's in the profile but nothing says married like a wedding!

So far there aren't wedding announcements yet in SL newspapers but it's only a matter of time, I think. How long do SL marriages last? Well, the divorce rate is probably equal to real life but that doesn't stop anyone from giving it a try. I do know several couples planning on meeting in real life with the hope that their real world compatability will equal their SL experience. If it is, they all say they will continue in real life with the intention of marrying! Now, that's cool. After months and months of sharing online will the real world transition be any easier?

I'll be following some of these meetings and let you all know :)

All Work and No Play

After working so hard it was time to play. Of course in order to play we first needed to build our playground: our new dance club.

Our SL lives revolve around building, redesigning, tearing down and building again. It's the cycle of SL life, at least with those who own "land." Owning virtual land affords the owner the opportunity to have their own sandbox; a place to experiment with terraforming and creating, with which we've done plenty.

But, this week we rebuilt the dance club we dismantled when we rented out some of our land. The club is now in the sky, high above the world and amongst the stars. Something you can't do in real life!

So, we had our grand reopening Friday night. Of course, SL is SL and there were glitches. We take it in stride in our virtual world but it's still frustrating. Early on, as soon as our guests arrived, SL went "down for maintenance." Code, for "oops folks we'ze in trouble." And, we were all unceremoniously bounced one by one, until only I remained.

Eventually we all got back on SL but it was late for our European friends so many did not return. However, the following night we tried a grand-reopening re-enactment and this time SL cooperated! Many of our friends came again and we partied late into the night!

Just another night in SL for millions but for us, it was a time to relax at long last with friends. No work, just all play. And that's perfectly all right to do, even for workaholics!

Plan It and They Will Come

Wings of Hope Magazine's first Networking Business Conference was today, March 22, 2008. It was a smashing success! Puglet Dancer, Alliance Library System and Sioban McMahon, West of ireland were dynamic speakers who offered details about their highly successful business models in Second Life. Nearly 25 vendors displayed their wares and services, showing the incredible creative diversity that Second Life offers.

The stores ranged from a virtual animal shelter to sim management gadgets to lovely antique replicas to motorcycles. There were even pets that sat upon customers shoulders for sale! Everyone's displays were eye catching, informative and inspiring. It is obvious that many people are hard at work in Second Life. Which, when you consider that SL is usually considered a time for relaxation and diversion from "real life," is pretty amazing. Instead of finding respite from the rigors of daily life, people all over the world log into SL to work.

Readers outside of SL think that is pretty strange and I would probably agree if I weren't one of those enterpreneurs myself. My partner and I manage 3 businesses, are opening up a 2nd store location and also work on staff of the magazine all at the same time. One might wonder why. Isn't SL for escape?

Well, yes and no. For me and my many businesses friends, SL affords us a chance to create without limitation, for little or no startup capital and to explore a creative and business part of ourselves we may not be able to tap into our real lives because of responsibilities, age or finances. And, if something doesn't work or goes belly up, nothing was really "lost." There are no bankruptcies in SL and nothing is repossessed. The only thing "lost" may be pride, time or energy but you usually dust yourself off and try again. Or, at least Peter and I did--over and over until we found something that "stuck."

We first tried a sphere first. It was a pretty cool idea of Peter's. Once you stepped inside the sphere, you were in a 360 degree immersion of whatever theme was put in there, but we weren't quite sure what to do with them. Then, we created a beautiful place of romance. It was for people to go and have a private talk and cuddle, maybe even propose. Despite our best adverstising best efforts, the only customers were ourselves enjoying the breathtaking ambiance. Next we became landlords. And, that went rather well for the first few months but we made no profit and were left with few prims of our own. There were more startups that didn't go very far beyond idea stage or a few hours of trial and error. Eventually we found our niche: designing a clothing line and photography.

There were lessons learned, mostly that SL marketing and business does not exactly model real life. Still, while we were learning skills, we were growing and enjoying the process of acquiring our new skill sets. As many in SL dance or explore their time away in SL, Peter and I design, create and push the boundaries within our minds on a daily basis. This isn't the lifestyle for everyone and I am fortunate to have partnered with someone who equally enjoys the challenge of innovative creation.

However, as he will tell you, it wasn't always easy. There was the time he forced me to learn terraforming. I kicked and screamed and whined and stamped my virtual foot. No! I did not want to do it! No,no no! But, he chuckled and told me I was going to do it and must, since he could not do it all himself and we had tenants moving in that day. So, I reluctantly tried my hand at it. What was the worst that could happen he said? Ha! He found out within a few minutes. I wasn't paying attention to where I was pointing and something lead to another and long story short, I managed to wipe out the entire island in one click! When he didn't get upset with me nor yell, I knew I had found my perfect love :) He calmly said, "Try again, darling" in that lovely British accent of his. I did and I succeeded eventually. Not that day, not the next but now I am pretty good at terraforming. Just don't ask me to build a box! The answer will be no. Not because I can't, but because I don't want to. And, isn't the beauty of having a second life that I can pick and choose?

Yep :)