Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Reminisces of 2012 in Second Life



God gave us memories that we might have roses in December. 
 J.M. Barrie

            2012 is coming to an end and I’m trying to wrap up things in Second Life (SL) before the New Year.  Christmas is a time when in Real Life (RL), I stop to take stock about things and look back on the year that has passed.  From there I look ahead and begin planning for the New Year.  (Significant Other says this is the most terrifying part of the year.) 

            So, this year, I’m expanding my approach to SL.  Why not?  SL is part of my RL (Not to worry I know how to maintain balance, Significant Other sees to it should I not.)  

            RL and SL sort of came together earlier this year for me when I had a minor health glitch probably because I spent too long at a computer for my Twenty-four Hours in Second Life series.  (Never sit in the same position and location for an extended period of time.)  Then my computer went on the blink and had to be replaced. 

            Somehow, despite all this, I managed to keep writing.  (Hey, I’m nothing if not hardcore.)  Health improved and until I sorted out my hardware, my time in the Wilderness, I wrote about the world of SL outside the grid. 

            The new in SL has always interests me which is why I go exploring inworld. New friends, places, and experiences await me every time I TP into a new sim and sometimes when I go back to one previously visited. 

            This year I wandered into the nudists and BDSM communities.  (Read the stories if you’d like to know what happened.) I met a tarot card reader and pirates.  I made friends with a mad scientist.  I visited the ancient ruins of Manchu Picchu.   I went for walks in my neighborhood, Nowaki

            I also began two new series within my blog, Sex and the Single Avatar in Second Life  and the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in Second Life

            While doing this, I revisited old friend and places.  Perryn Peterson kept me abreast of the steampunks and his new projects.  Showing that there is continuity and growth among communities inworld.  I went back to 1920’s Berlin.  In fact that’s where I first encountered nudists inworld.  (See what you’re missing when you don’t read all my stories?) 

            One thing I keep coming back to in SL is the idea of change. Things change.  People change.  Sims that I’d visited regularly are now closed with no clue as to where their members went.  Friends have just blinked out of existence.  All one is left with is that in RL they are fine but have just moved past virtual worlds.  But new sims arise and new friends appear.  Maybe there is something to the idea of the great circle of life and not just in RL. 

            As for my blog itself, I’ve managed to increase the frequency of my writing and readership is up!  (Thanks to all my faithful readers!)  I celebrated my first anniversary as an explorer and blogger in SL as well as writing my one hundredth story

            I didn’t get around to everything I wanted to complete this year.  The blog needs work, my makeover is far from complete, and I didn’t get around to that series on SL/RL relationships that I’ve been meaning to write.  Well, that’s why there’s a New Year!  I’ll be writing shortly about my plans for it shortly. 

            I’ll stop here for now, I’ve enjoyed being out and about inworld this year and meeting with everyone this year.  I hope to see everyone again in the New Year and have some new adventures to write about when I do!

            Below are links to a few pictures from my visits this year.  They give a sense of what they’re about.  But you really have to see and experience them for yourselves.

As always, I’m grateful to all for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com

     If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life
please click here.


Photo No. 1 Manchu Picchu

Photo No. 2 Nowaki


Photo No. 4 Ancient Alexandria


Photo No. 6 Paradise Sex Beach

Photo No. 7 Great Pyramid at Giza

Photo No. 8 El Dia de los Muertos


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