How Long Have You Been in Second Life?

Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.

Thomas Hardy

My recent scribblings about my sixth year of blogging about Second Life (SL) have got me thinking about how long I’ve been inworld. 

In total, I’ve spent seven years in SL.  (Took me a while to figure out how to get out of the new arrivals center.  Significant Other mutters something about, “Just like in Real Life (RL)”) During this time, I’ve met a lot of people and been to a lot of places. 

I think this is a respectable length of time.  (Much of it under the watchful eye of Significant Other who does enjoy shoulder surfing during my various misadventures.) When

I prepare my annual look backs in SL, I always feel like I’ve accomplished something.  (Which also includes not getting ejected!) 

As my three loyal readers can attest, this type of soul searching about my time inworld leads me to bigger thoughts.  (This is usually when Significant Other stops shoulder searching and leaves the room.)

My Big Thought this time is how long have others been in SL?

Yes, numbers are reduced regularly by simple disappearances, death in RL, or someone simply coming back as another avatar.  (I’ll ignore Significant Other’s suggestion that they’re simply avoiding me.)

But, despite this turnover, there seems to be a hardcore of SL residents who have been around for quite some time. 

Some have been here from the very beginning, others sometime afterwards, while others just disappeared after attending SL’s tenth anniversary festivities a while back. 

Always, there’s the changing of the guard.

So, yes, there is a cadre of long term residents inworld.  They are individuals or groups either way staying to themselves. 

There doesn’t seem to be any effort to have a group consciousness to try and

influence policies and conditions inworld.  Once upon a time, there may have some such efforts but mainly they’re lost in the mists of time now. 

(Unless of course, Significant Other is correct and there are such groups and they’re simply avoiding me.  Significant Other brightens at this prospect.)

How long have you been in SL?

I’d love to meet you and hear your stories especially those that seem to be lost in the mists! 

So, no matter how long you’ve been inworld, from the very beginning, somewhat later, a recent arrival, or someone who just pops in and out as the urge hits you, please

reach out to me!

Let’s meet, share our experiences, and maybe I’ll get some new stories for my three loyal readers out of this!

Look forward to hearing from you! 

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

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

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.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Six Years in Second Life

Time is standing still. We are measuring ourselves by how far we are going.

Debasish Mridha

It’s that time of the year!

No, not when we in the States cough up the dough to pay for the three ring circus that takes place down in Washington, DC.

I’m talking about when I sit down and look back on blogging for another about Second Life (SL).  (Significant Other looks surprised that it’s happened so quickly.)

This has been a difficult year to stay on top of my blogging.

A loss of a loved one in Real Life (RL) took me away for a while last summer.   

Since then, things have been a bit up and down.  But, not to worry, Significant Other and I are fine and the situation is under control.  (Significant Other asks, “Really?” but look relieved.)

There have been accomplishments!

First off, I passed the one million hits mark on my blog!  (And, no, this was not just my three loyal readers hitting my blog every day.  Don’t listen when Significant Other says I thought they asked for too much money.)

Since I wasn’t able to spend as much time as I’d planned originally, I fell back on discussing life inworld.

I blogged about travel, how we spend our time, and are we enjoying ourselves. 

Then there are my old favorites!

Mieville always has an active social life and Route 66 made a recent comeback. 

First UCC is still helping those in RL who need it and called out their pastor, Jerome Newstart, as one of the most interesting people whom I’ve met inworld. 

And, recently, one of SL’s most creative builders just opened two fantastic Star Trek exhibits.

Sadly, I sometimes feel the need to blog about the dark side of SL, like when I wrote about sexual harassment inworld.

Yes, I still have plenty to blog about in SL! 

What do I have to say about SL after six years of writing about it?

SL is alive and well! 

Change may be coming.  Sansar is on the horizon and Facebook recently announced that it’s getting into the virtual world game.  Maybe we’ll see renewed interest in SL. 

I still enjoy SL! 

I have family and friends.  It’s a wonderful place to wander about and marvel about what can be done online.  There are many great people to meet in these wanderings of mine.  SL is somewhere that I’ll be returning to often in the future.  (Believe it or not, Significant Other does enjoy having me near at hand.)

I plan to be exploring inworld and blogging about it for a long time to come!

My thanks to all who read my scribblings, my three loyal readers and all the rest of you!

If I haven’t met you inworld yet, I hope to soon! 

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

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

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.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Want to See Some Cool Star Trek Builds in Second Life?

Science fiction is the most important literature in the history of the world, because it's the history of ideas, the history of our civilization birthing itself. ...Science fiction is central to everything we've ever done, and people who make fun of science fiction writers don't know what they're talking about.

Ray Bradbury

Recently, I learned from the very creative builder in Second Life (SL) and good friend of mine, Lora Chadbourne, has two displays of her Star Trek themed work open inworld!

My three loyal readers (Again, have no fears, I won’t out you!) from my three previous stories about her work in SL, the Tomb of the Resurrection, the Simpsons home, and the Mayflower and Plymouth Colony.  (Significant Other nods approvingly having enjoyed all these builds.  Significant Other is an inveterate shoulder surfer!)

Unfortunately, Lora’s work takes up space and prims and doesn’t stay open for very long!  So, hurry to see these before they close!

The first display entitled, Lora’s Star Trek Museum – Gallifrey Stands! contains a

 collection of starships, other craft, and props from Star Trek: The Original Series (STTOS). 

Walk around the USS Enterprise or stand on its bridge as you imagine yourself as Captain James T. Kirk going where no man (or woman has gone before!)

The next display of Lora’s is entitled Star Trek Metamorphosis Display and is unique because it’s based on the STTOS episode “Metamorphosis” where Zefram Cochrane, the inventor of the warp drive on Earth, is encountered by the crew of the Enterprise.  The display recreates his home and the

space shuttle Galileo.

As in all her work, Lora’s attention to detail is incredible.  The accuracy of her recreations has to be seen to be believed.  Lora has a boundless enthusiasm for her work which is self-evident within it. 

(A quick aside, Lora has written and published several books in Real Life (RL) about Star Trek.  So, she definitely knows her way around the subject matter!  She’s asked me not to reveal the details for now but someday she’ll allow me to.  Watch this space for more!) 

The pictures in this story and the additional ones on this flickr page are all done by The Companion are marvelous but don’t do full justice to Lora’s work.

It really must be seen to be appreciated!

So, like I said earlier, hurry to see these exhibits because they won’t be here forever! 

I’d like to thank Lora for informing me of her exhibits and The Companion for taking such great pictures!

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

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

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.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Looking for the Easter Bunny in Second Life?

I only do this because I'm having fun. The day I stop having fun, I'll just walk away.

Heath Ledger    

You may not be aware of this but, I’m a big fan of the Easter Bunny! 

(Significant Other’s eyebrows arch.)

I’ve never met him in either Second Life (SL) or Real Life (RL).

(I am suspicious that Significant Other may be right about this time and he’s avoiding me.)

But, I may have a chance this year!

            At least in SL!

            Here’s what’s happening!

Those wonderful people in Mieville, led by their incomparable Mayor, Perryn

Peterson, are having an Easter Market!

            Now, unlike their usual extravaganzas, this one will be short, running only from Thursday, April 13^th to Sunday, April 16^th.  Sunday being Easter itself!

            Easter Market will be another holiday themed event inworld with many merchants from across the Grid and many Mieville residents participating. 

            As always, a good time will be had by all!

            Mieville is a great community and Perryn does a magnificent job in keeping the

social calendar filled!

            It’ll be fun so be sure to come out and see I finally meet the Easter Bunny!

The Easter Market will take place at the Clubhouse in Mieville Chesterton.

Don’t forget to join the Easter egg hunt!

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

For more pictures from my visit to the Easter Market please visit this flickr page. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

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.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Do You Wander in Second Life?

To wander is to be alive.

Roman Payne   

As my three loyal readers know, I’m an explorer and wanderer in Second Life (SL).

In other words, I’m a wanderer.

To quote one of my favorite writers, J. R. R. Tolkien, “Not all those who wander are lost.” 

(Significant Other looks doubtful.)

I wander inworld because my meanderings in Real Life (RL) were curtailed a while back. 

(Significant Other smiles appreciatively.  Occasionally, I come through!)

But, what about you?

Do you wander in SL?

(I’m talking about meaningful wandering not simply getting lost inworld.)

Or, do you tend to stay in one place?

Not that there’s anything wrong with that!  (Another future story here!)

If you do wander then why?

Are you like me looking for new places, new friends, and new experiences inworld? 

Where do you wander?

Anyplace that happens to come along or is there a method to your journey?

How do you wander?

Alone, with friends, engaging with the locals, or just lurking in the shadows?

Is there a purpose to your journey, or are you like Jack Kerouac in On the Road, just answering the call of the open road? 

Will your journey ever end?

Are you looking for something, someplace, or someone?

Will you simply leave SL never to be seen again?

Will you leave a trail of friends with memories of you behind?

Me, I enjoy wandering across the Grid!

I enjoy blogging about my journeys there. 

Yet, while still a wanderer at heart, I find myself with friends and places that I return to from time to time. 

I’m not too predictable and RL adds its own dynamic.  

So, what about you?

Please send me your thoughts and I’ll either write about them or maybe join you on part of your journey! 

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

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

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.

            Open roads and kind fires!