Back from the Wilderness (Part VII) - Back and Forth in Second Life

Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky   

I’ve been away from Second Life (SL) for a bit.

Well, more like in and out, a lot.

Folks have noticed.

My three loyal readers who seem to catch everything about me have been making inquiries.

And, many others, friends and readers, have noticed my absence.

Here’s my tale.

Significant Other and I are still dealing with the aftereffects of someone close to us who passed away last year.

These matters are never easy and we’ve had to spend time away from our usual activities.  (Significant Other is next to me nodding in silent agreement.)

So, not to worry!

We’re both fine, I haven’t left SL, and I’m still blogging!

Unfortunately, as many have me often say inworld, Real Life (RL) always takes priority and right now there are others who need us.  (Significant Other adds that I do come in handy at times like this.)

The good news is that this period is hopefully drawing to an end and we should be finished by late spring.  (Significant Other is nodding furiously in the affirmative right now.) 

Thanks to all of you who have inquired about my status, I greatly appreciate the concerns, thoughts, and prayers that you’ve expressed! 

You have no idea how much this touches me and reaffirms for me the true value of my relationships inworld!  (Significant Other also expresses gratitude to all!)

I’m trying to reply to everyone and this may take a little time.

My messages are being capped regularly so please if you’re trying to contact me use a note card inworld or my email address below. 

Also, to those whom I’ve had commitments on stories please bear with me as I try to sort out the effects of all this on my writing calendar.  (It’s been ugly.)

I’ll be back as soon as I’m able!  (Significant Other promises to send me back once I’m no longer needed.  It’s wonderful to be wanted isn’t it?)

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!

Back from the Wilderness (Part VI) – I Return to Second Life

Death ends a life, not a relationship.

Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie 

             As many of you have noticed by now, I’ve been away from Second Life (SL) for a while and haven’t been blogging. 

            Once again, Real Life (RL) called me away from SL.  

            The death of someone very close to Significant Other and me, especially for

Significant Other, necessitated our being out-of-state for a while. 

            To add to the confusion, the night before we were to leave, my laptop fried.  (Literally, smoke and everything, most impressive.) 

            Let’s just say that for a whole variety of reasons, it’s taken me a while to get back to some degree of normalcy.  (I’ll ignore the pundits who question whether I had any in the first place.) 

            But, I’m back!

            As before, I’m humbled by the messages I’ve received from my inworld friends.

            From those who knew what happened and offered their prayers, kept us in their thoughts, and offered to help me stay in touch inworld, I’m grateful.  (Significant Other is especially grateful.) 

            To those who only knew that I hadn’t been around for a while and wondered why I had gone over the wall, I appreciate your reaching out to express your concerns and to check in on me. 

            Specifically, I’d like to thank L’il Sis and the members of First UCC who offered assistance, prayers, and their condolences. 

            RL events have made me realize once again how much the SL community is like an extended family in RL than being a mere game or virtual world.  People show their feelings,

concerns, and fears as readily inworld as they do in RL.  Sadly, loss appears to be a universal feeling across both SL and RL.  

            Significant Other and I are both touched and grateful to all of you for responding to our grief as you did!  We thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts! 

            I’m getting back up to speed and hope to reconnect with all of you and to thank you personally! 

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!

Back from the Wilderness (Part VI) – I Return to Second Life

Death ends a life, not a relationship.

Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie 

             As many of you have noticed by now, I’ve been away from Second Life (SL) for a while and haven’t been blogging. 

            Once again, Real Life (RL) called me away from SL.  

            The death of someone very close to Significant Other and me, especially for

Significant Other, necessitated our being out-of-state for a while. 

            To add to the confusion, the night before we were to leave, my laptop fried.  (Literally, smoke and everything, most impressive.) 

            Let’s just say that for a whole variety of reasons, it’s taken me a while to get back to some degree of normalcy.  (I’ll ignore the pundits who question whether I had any in the first place.) 

            But, I’m back!

            As before, I’m humbled by the messages I’ve received from my inworld friends.

            From those who knew what happened and offered their prayers, kept us in their thoughts, and offered to help me stay in touch inworld, I’m grateful.  (Significant Other is especially grateful.) 

            To those who only knew that I hadn’t been around for a while and wondered why I had gone over the wall, I appreciate your reaching out to express your concerns and to check in on me. 

            Specifically, I’d like to thank L’il Sis and the members of First UCC who offered assistance, prayers, and their condolences. 

            RL events have made me realize once again how much the SL community is like an extended family in RL than being a mere game or virtual world.  People show their feelings,

concerns, and fears as readily inworld as they do in RL.  Sadly, loss appears to be a universal feeling across both SL and RL.  

            Significant Other and I are both touched and grateful to all of you for responding to our grief as you did!  We thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts! 

            I’m getting back up to speed and hope to reconnect with all of you and to thank you personally! 

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!

Are You Enjoying Yourself in Second Life?

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

Eleanor Roosevelt  

         

          Significant Other asked me a question the other day. 

(For those of you who may not be one of my three loyal followers, Significant Other is my Real Life (RL) partner who exercises what little adult supervision is still left in my life.) 

The question was, “Do you really enjoy yourself in Second Life (SL) for all the time

that you spend there?”  

Which was followed by two more questions, “Why do you enjoy yourself there?” and “How do you enjoy yourself while there?”

(Significant Other has been very happy that I no longer travel away from home in RL as I once did and limit my peregrinations to the Metaverse.  This means that home based tech support is now available on an immediate basis.) 

The questions got me thinking (Significant Other is pleased that I do pay attention.) about not only me enjoying myself inworld but other residents as well. 

What follows are some of my ramblings about enjoying ourselves inworld.  

      

First, for the record, my answer is an emphatic “Yes” that I do enjoy myself in SL and

always have!  

Next question, why do I enjoy myself in SL?

I enjoy the unknown that exists there.  The challenge of getting into SL in the first place and then struggling to get by and becoming accepted by other residents.  Then there are the communities inworld.  I have many friends (Not to worry, I won’t out anyone.) and even family.  (Why L’il Sis was willing to admit that she not only knew me but was willing to be family still mystifies both Significant Other and myself.  Although Significant Other has a theory that it could be professional curiosity.) 

Third question, how do I enjoy myself inworld?

I explore SL with three purposes in mind.  I look for new places to wander about in, new people to meet, and new experiences to try out.  (Check out my stories if you want the

details!)  Then there is my writing which happens in this blog.  

I look forward to all these activities and they make my SL experience very enjoyable. 

Then what about everyone else in SL, are they enjoying themselves?  

Here, I only have anecdotal evidence and no metrics but given how long I’ve been inworld and how much I’ve blogged about SL, I think it’s valid. (If you disagree then tough.  It’s my blog!)  

In my inworld experience, most people are enjoying themselves.  I’ve met some people who’ve come into SL because they can’t enjoy themselves for whatever reasons in RL!  

Be honest, who does something they don’t enjoy doing unless they have to?

Their how’s and why’s vary just as they do in RL where everyone’s idea of a good time is different.  

So, as far as enjoying ourselves in SL, let the good times roll!  

SL is different from many other online experiences.  It’s not a game.  There are communities of real people here with real feelings just as in RL.  If we can enjoy ourselves in these in RL then why not in SL?

Do you enjoy yourself in SL?

Whether you do or not, why not share your experiences with us in the comments below?  

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!

2013 in Second Life

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in.  A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

Bill Vaughan

          My 2012 year end meanderings in Second Life (SL) are drawing to a close.  I’ve already blogged about looking back into the year that’s past and I’d like to look ahead a bit to the New Year and see what the future holds as I write my last story for the year.

          I’ve been able to achieve some goals this year, missed a few (OK, who didn’t?) and overcame a few challenges. 

          Peering ahead, I see more opportunities and challenges in 2013 and look forward to them. 

          I plan to continue blogging and pushing the edges of the envelope about my travels and adventures in SL, to write more stories than I did last year, and to work on my blog’s format to improve my readers’ experience.  (There have been a few glitches.) 

          Other tasks I hope to undertake are reconnecting with old friends, following up on previous stories, and making new friends (less strain on existing ones that way).  As for stories, I’ll blog as always about exploring inworld, trying to complete my avatar’s ill fated makeover, and continue my two series, Sex and the Single Avatar in SL and Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.     

          New stories will be about SL and Real Life (RL) relationships (I missed this one in 2012), a new series entitled Shoemaker’s Children where I’ll write about misses by Linden Lab (LL), and new places and experiences in SL that I haven’t blogged about yet.  My Holy Grail will be to meet at least one Linden inworld.  (Someone said I had a better chance of getting an interview with Newt Gingrich inworld.) 

          Then there will the unknown, things that right now I don’t have a clue about and will go after as they arise. 

          So, as I put this year to rest, I’d like to thank my readers who have followed my journeys through SL and stuck with me even when I had a few issues earlier in the year.  I ask for your feedback, both criticisms and story ideas.  (And, should you have any compliments about my writing, it’s always welcome.)  Or, better yet, join me on my journeys.  It gets very lonely out there sometimes! 

To my inworld friends, thank you for your friendship, help, time, and candor.  You’ve all helped me to learn and to understand that SL is not just a technical phenomena, it’s a community of people who have come together to share their lives with one another and I feel truly fortunate that you’ve permitted me into them. 

I want to give a special thank you to Significant Other who has supported my blogging efforts (Even when it involved my avatar running around nude to get the story.) and permitted me to set aside time for the research and writing. 

In closing I wish all a very Happy New Year!  Make you achieve all your goals and be with those you know and love!

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.