A Walk in the Neighborhood

I have an affection for a great city.  I feel safe in the neighborhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets. 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Being back in Second Life (SL) after my enforced vacation from being inworld, got me thinking about what I do in SL.  I flit around, visiting places like Manchu Picchu or 1920’s Berlin, to name but a few.  But, I’ve never really gone for a walk in the neighborhood, Nowaki, where I reside inworld when I’m not traveling around. 

For my readers who may be wondering why I have a home on the grid, I made the decision to do so when I wanted to have some privacy while either working on my appearance or discoursing with other residents. Having roots someplace seemed right.  So, when I came back after being “locked out”, I felt like I had come home after a long time away.  Strange, huh?

Finally, arriving back in my home, I decide to go for a walkabout in Nowaki. Smell the roses, meet the neighbors, that sort of thing. 

So, one recent evening, I open the door of my house and step out into the neighborhood.  The sun shines, I happen to like going about in daylight for these types of constitutionals. Birds are chirping.  Trees and flowers are in bloom. 

Yet, something doesn’t feel right. Things are a little too perfect.  Walking around I see the various houses which are styled in a Japanese fashion.  They are laid out in a random fashion with trees and shrubs scattered about.  The effect is something like Levitt Town meets Disney World.  The Christmas tree left in front of one dwelling only adds to the effect. 

And, it’s more than just the buildings and shrubs.  No leaves are on the ground, I guess I moved into perpetual spring.  There is no litter.  (Again, Disney World comes to mind if not Singapore.)  No wind is blowing. 

Walking along I find myself looking over my shoulder to see if anyone is there.  (OK, I admit I scare easily, another reason for keeping the lights on when I go for these walks.) Nowaki has the feel of a ghost town about it.   

The small things that are seen when walking around a Real Life (RL) town are not in evidence inworld.  People are not walking their dogs.  In fact, there are no pedestrians about at all.  Using the SL mini-map I see there is only one other resident in the Nowaki area.  And, this is where I run into a question of SL etiquette.  (Contrary to popular belief, I struggle with not being an ugly American in SL.  I just have not been very successful yet.) 

How does one arrive unannounced at another resident’s doorstep and ask to meet?  I mean there are no doorbells or door knockers in SL.  An IM feels like the modern equivalent of standing in the street and hollering for Ed Norton or Ralph Kramden upstairs in an episode of The Honeymooners.  Probably that’s why my neighbor is otherwise engaged when I call. 

In earlier blogs, I’ve written about the sense of community in SL.  But, walking around Nowaki, I just don’t feel it.  Yes, there is a small town feel, buildings huddled together separated by small walkways and paths.  Maybe it’s the lack of people, the lack of street signs, or maybe just the lack of a basic service like mail.  (Where’s the Fedex truck?)  Or, perhaps it’s the lack of customization around the homes.  There’s that errant Christmas tree and some residents do have plants and shrubs about but not enough to make a noticeable difference.  There are no roadways ergo there is vehicular traffic. 

I think what’s bothering me is the lack of randomness around me.  Everything is just so orderly, too orderly.  RL’s not like that.  I’d probably go nuts if it were. 

This brings me back to that sense of SL community.  It’s about the people not the buildings or the prims or whatever.  The latter are just icing on the cake.  Maybe SL’s technology serves as a barrier to entry.  First, the difficulty in learning how to build and live inworld and, then, SL’s inability to support more than approximately forty residents in one place at a time. Maybe that’s why Facebook has taken off.  (Don’t worry, I’m not leaving SL anytime soon.) 

Whenever I’m with my friends in SL or with other residents, I have a sense of belonging.  We do what people do what they do when they get together in RL.  Talk, especially about the US Presidential election, joke, swap technical war stories, and generally have a good time.  I mean we wouldn’t be doing it if didn’t enjoy it would we now? 

Wandering around by myself, even if it’s in my own neighborhood, I find that I don’t like being alone inworld.  After several months of being with people on a regular basis, being on my own is tough.  Sometime ago, a resident, Bunky Snowbear, tried to walk across the grid but gave up after several months.  He had several reasons but one of them was the continual solitude of encountering empty places while on the road.  I believe that we are social beings no matter where we are.  SL simply requires us to work harder at being social and allows us to be very much alone if we’re not careful. 

I’m in the process of getting reconnected across the grid.  I’ll also be doing an occasional blog called “Nowaki Notes” where I’ll recount my efforts to try and find the Nowaki community and interact with them. 

Finally, I want to apologize again to those whom I may have appeared to have simply fallen off the grid.  I hope I haven’t caused any inconvenience and I look forward to seeing everyone again very soon!  As always, I’m open to any and all ideas for places to visit and people to meet. 

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: My Home in Nowaki

Photo No. 2: My Neighborhood in Nowaki

Photo No. 3: Stairs to Higher Level

Photo No. 4: Nowaki Pathway

Photo No. 5: One of the Larger Homes

Photo No. 6: Someone Has a Pet

Photo No. 7: The Christmas Tree

Photo No. 8: Some Local Color

Photo No. 9: Water’s Edge

Photo No. 10: Pathway Light

Back from the Wilderness! (Part III)

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.

Nelson Mandela

 

I’m back!

OK.  Maybe not everyone is as excited about this as I am.  But after a hiatus of several weeks I finally managed to log back into Second Life (SL) and walk the grid just a few minutes ago. 

I walked around.  Cleared my IM’s.  Found I’d been capped.  (Groan!) But, it felt good to be back.  Of course, I have a lot to do.  I’d made commitments to other residents which I have to now catch up on and I’m still dealing with the fallout from my hardware problems.  (When we meet inworld, I’ll share the Saga with you.)  My writing schedule resembles O’Hare International Airport’s flight schedule after a blizzard.  However, for all of that, being back is good.

I learned a lot while I was away.

First, the SL reader is an anachronism in this day and age.  I had a machine on loan after mine died, however, I couldn’t add programs.  Hence, I was up the creek without the proverbial paddle.  Prior to my problems, I hadn’t given this much thought.  Now, as I think about it and I see the proliferation of smart phones and pads, I’m beginning to how much longer can Linden Lab (LL) go on with a self-limiting technical solution. 

Next, I found that the SL community is alive and well, if not thriving, in Real Life (RL) across the Metaverse.  Residents are in Facebook, blogs, Flickr, and many other spots.  Last week’s blog explored SL fashion across the Web and that was just one aspect of the SL communities out there in the Metaverse.  I’ll be returning to these in my future blogs.  Interestingly, I made many friends in SL despite not being able to be inworld.  Maybe the community would survive if SL and LL were to go away?  We would become modern cyber gypsies, having lost and forgotten our original home world, but staying together because of a common history and traditions. 

Finally, I found that the SL community does care for its own.  Residents helped me, offered encouragement, and told me to hurry back.  I’m still in awe of the wonderful people who make up this world and share their lives with one another. 

I’m keeping this blog short because I have a lot to do.  My intention is to get back to my regular schedule and to include material from my misadventures. 

I’m glad to be back and will be reaching out to my all friends in the next few weeks! 

I have a request of those reading this blog, if they run into any of my other readers inworld if they would please tell them about my recent technical problems and inform them that I’m back inworld can be reached either via IM, at my blog, or at webseplunker@gmail.com.  I’d love to hear from them! 

Finally, I want to apologize to those whom I may have appeared to have simply fallen off the grid.  I hope I haven’t caused any inconvenience and I look forward to seeing everyone again very soon!  As always, I’m open to any and all ideas for places to visit and people to meet. 

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.

Into the Wilderness: Among the Second Life Fashionistas (Part II)

The difference between style and fashion is quality.

 Giorgio Armani

(To my faithful readers who are still following my blog during my hiatus from Second Life (SL), thank you for staying with me while I have my technical difficulties!  A quick update, a replacement machine is on order and is expected any day now.  So, I hope to be back inworld shortly.  As I blogged last week, I’ll be among the SL community out in the Metaverse and keep posting until I’m back to normal – please, don’t go there!  Thanks again for everyone’s understanding and support, and I look forward to being back inworld with my friends very soon!)

When I first started out in SL, I very quickly became aware of the role of fashion inworld.  Most SL retail establishments offer clothes, shoes, accessories, and hair.  In addition, given the nature of this virtual world, skins, eyes, and just about everything else can be “fashioned”. 

Some of my earlier readers may recall my first forays into SL where I worked on my appearance.  That’s when I attempted to create my “look” by acquiring eyes, hair, skin, tattoos, and clothes for nothing.  (Some of my friends have commented that it shows, I rather like to think that it merely confirms my struggling writer status.) 

The world of SL fashion is not just limited to the grid.  There is an entire community of “fashionistas” out there on the Internet In fact one blog is called The SL Fashionista and is dedicated to the best of “freebies and cheapies” in SL.  (Where were these guys when I was starting out?)  This is another interesting aspect of SL, so much is for free and it’s good stuff.  Add a blog dedicated to this type of material and one has to wonder how anyone can make a buck in SL. 

            Iris Ophelia blogs on Wagner James Au’s New World Notes blog about SL fashion.   She covers technical subjects in addition to clothes and current issues like content theft. 

Another blog dedicated to SL fashion is Avenue covering style trends and the latest tools like mesh.  Pictures and advertisements supplement the posts. 

Finally, in my whirlwind tour of SL fashion blogs, I’d like to call out the blog at Second Nights dedicated to fashion and lifestyle in SL.  Links to other SL fashion resources are here. 

As I reviewed these blogs, I was struck by the broad variety of fashion and opinions offered, not to mention, the many different designers. Besides the artistic aspects of fashion, the technical aspects are well covered.  These blogs are current, at least as of this writing, and reflect only a small portion of what’s available about SL fashion on the Internet. 

Besides the many blogs available on SL fashion, there are also magazines devoted to this subject.  These are o high quality both in terms of content and production values and rival those dedicated to Real Life (RL) subjects. 

The first magazine I’ll mention is The Best of Second Life  (BOSL) which has just published its February 2012 issue.  BOSL is dedicated to covering the best of what is in SL.  The articles, pictures, and even the advertisements give a very good perspective of fashion and lifestyle in SL. 

Another online magazine which covers SL fashion off the grid is Retropolitan.  (I wrote about it in a recent blog.)  This publication’s focus is everything retro. 

The last magazine I’ll mention in this blog is Glance giving yet another perspective on inworld fashion. 

All these magazines are current as of this writing.  Sadly, while researching this story, I came across others, such as Second Style, which no longer publish and many blogs that haven’t been updated for years.  (As I’ve written elsewhere, the onset of the Great Recession of 2008 seems to have been the watershed event here.) 

I’ve attempted here to give a brief overview of some of the activities undertaken away from the grid by SL residents involved in the fashion scene.  What I’ve found is a thriving community who have taken advantage of tools like Blogger, Flickr, and Facebook to do in the Internet what they cannot do in SL.  I wonder if Linden Lab (LL) sees this too?

I have a request of those reading this blog, if they run into any of my other readers inworld if they would please tell them about my current technical problems and inform them that I can be reached either at my blog or at webseplunker@gmail.com.  I’d love to hear from them! 

Finally, I want to apologize to those whom I may have appeared to have simply fallen off the grid.  I hope I haven’t caused any inconvenience and I look forward to seeing everyone again very soon!  As always, I’m open to any and all ideas for places to visit and people to meet. 

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.

Into the Wilderness: Among the Second Life Diaspora (Part I)

Sometimes we feel we straddle two cultures; at other times, that we fall between two stools.

 Salman Rushdie

Recently, I encountered some difficulties with the laptop I use when visiting Second Life (SL).  (Someday, Linden Lab (LL) has to do something about that awkward viewer.)  A polite way of saying my hard drive died.  They certainly don’t make ‘em like they used to. 

Last week I managed to post to a blog despite my machine’s vagaries.  This week I wasn’t so lucky.  I have been unable to go inworld for almost a week now.  I’m not going through withdrawal, DT’s, or anything like that. But, I do miss my friends on the grid. 

This little technical problem is also playing havoc with my planned writing schedule.  (I was so pleased with myself with having three months of stories laid out.  I guess it’s true what they say about if you ever want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.)  With the help of inworld friends, I’ve reached out to those with whom I was a no show on our appointments.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have Real Life (RL) email addresses for all my SL friends so I’m playing catch up right about now. 

My plan right now is to acquire a new machine.  (BTW, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, don’t bother with Geek Squad.  Check out my rant on their Facebook page, which was replied to nine hours later, for the gory details.)  This will take a little more time but I should be back inworld in February. 

In the interim, I plan to visit with the SL community across the Metaverse until I can go back inworld.  I want to see what they’re going and how they’re using the tools available, especially the social media ones. 

I’ve learned during my travels across SL over the last eight months that SL residents are doing a lot across the Metaverse. 

There are ezines, Inner World , The Best of Second Life , and Retropolitan  focusing on various aspects of life in SL.  Then there are blogs like New World Notes , Janey Bracken’s Janey’s place in Second Life, and Chey Palisades’ Chey’s Second Life Blog where their owners write about their experiences in SL and related worlds.  Other places on the Web where SL residents congregate are the SL Forums, Flickr, Facebook, and Google+. 

What all of these locations have in common besides SL is they don’t require a SL viewer.  (I have access to another laptop, I’m just not permitted to load additional software onto it.)  So, I can stay in contact with the SL community.  (Assuming they want to stay in contact with me!) 

So, for the time being, I’ll still be out there with the SL community.  I just won’t be inworld for a bit. 

I have a request of those reading this blog, if they run into any of my other readers inworld if they would please tell them about my current technical problems and inform them that I can be reached either at my blog or at webseplunker@gmail.com.  I’d love to hear from them! 

Finally, I want to apologize to those whom I may have appeared to have simply fallen off the grid.  I hope I haven’t caused any inconvenience and I look forward to seeing everyone again very soon!  As always, I’m open to any and all ideas for places to visit and people to meet. 

I would like to thank Perryn Peterson and Janey Bracken for helping me reach out to other SL friends.    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.

What Love Creates...

Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.

Eric Fromm

I thought that title might catch your attention. Although, I can’t take credit it for it.  It’s the name of a hunt taking place in Second Life (SL) in February and is being put on by FAR Hunt Group.  I found out about the hunt and the company from Kaii Kiranov  whom I wrote my last blog about.  She told me about Ava Runner and the hunt that she is organizing and asked if I’d like to meet her.  Never needing a second invitation for an interview, I quickly said yes and went off to schedule an appointment. 

I meet Ava at FAR Concepts inworld  which is the home of FAR Hunt Group.  FAR Hunt Group is a subsidiary of FAR Concepts which focuses on hunts, networking, and marketing for vendors across the grid. 

I begin by asking Ava about herself and what brought her to SL in the first place.  She replies that she first arrived inworld in 2006 after reading a news article about SL.  When I ask why she stayed, I receive the answer that I’ve heard from many residents, because she learned basic building and was hooked!  (I wonder if Linden Lab (LL) ever wondered in the beginning that the Linden Script Language would be responsible for so many staying in SL?)

Ava has found SL to be, as she puts it, an amazing creative outlet.  During the course of six years, presenting as different avatars, she has built homes, furniture, jewelry, clothing, and even sims.  SL has been both a business and a hobby for her.  When she was not building for her business, she was building for friends or herself. 

My questions turn to where the idea for FAR Hunt Group came from?  Ava tells me that while discussing the SL economy with her partner and husband, Falk Runner, they felt there should be more ways to help businesses promote themselves and others in a way that was not overkill to the consumer.  Knowing how popular hunts are in SL, they decided to move forward with a new division and dedicate it entirely to that. 

(BTW, Ava and Falk are another one of those couples who met in SL and became a married couple in Real Life (RL).  They now have a six month old daughter (in RL).  Later this year, I’ll do a story on folks like them.) 

Within two weeks of its inception, they had filled their first hunt, “What Love Creates”.  They put in place a successful VIP vendor program as well.  Ava feels that through all the networking that they are doing with customers and other vendors they are building an impressive content base.  If approached by someone outside of her field, Ava is confident that there are other businesses that she can work with, and will, to help her customers. To date, they have been profitable enough to work on a new project for the benefit of her customers. 

I ask about the first hunt, “What Love Creates”, which is being held from February 1^st to 14^th.  Ava replies that it’s theme is what does love create for each of us individually.  As an example, she cites Athena Naminosaki, a VIP Vendor, who chose comfort and crafted a special outfit for men and women.    

Future hunts will be monthly and each will have a different theme.  Since, Ava’s first hunt begins in February, normally associated with Valentine’s Day, the “What Love Creates” was chosen as the theme.  She and Falk wanted something that would be familiar enough, and yet open enough, to be a creative challenge for the vendors.  Ava expects the emotions created by the theme in the vendors will inspire them to create original, one-of-a-kind items. 

FAR Hunt Group’s business model is to create monthly themed hunts for its clients and then to promote them.  They also promote specific businesses through their VIP Vendor program.  Participants receive blog mentions, photographs, and an interview.  They also benefit from special notices sent to FAR Hunt Group’s members as well as special sales.  Ava works with these vendors outside of hunts and she enjoys the special r elationships that she has with them.  In short, FAR Hunt Group acts as a marketing/advertising-cum-publicist (I’ll bet you didn’t realize that I just made this term up.) for its clients. 

The February Hunt will have fifty-two extremely talented vendors specializing in everything from full perm content (Mattie Rae’s Fabrics and Notions), to clothing (Shey Fashion by Cuba Avedon), to furnishings (BagLady Designs by Tattoodive Jules).   A complete list of vendors and information on how to apply to participate is available on the FAR Hunt Group blog. 

FAR Hunt Group charges a onetime fee to its clients which secures them automatic acceptance into all future hunts.  Ava says this fee is a fraction of what other hunt organizers charge for similar packages. 

I ask about potential competitors in other hunts and the SL Marketplace.  Ava doesn’t view these as competitors but simply as additional opportunities to promote their vendors.  She mentions Mariposarosa Resident, owner of Tiende de Textura, who owns a company called TDT Hunts.  Ava views her hunt programs as an additional means of promoting her won clients and encourages them to avail themselves of this potential channel. 

FAR Hunt Group is also developing a retail center where all their vendors can be found in one place. 

As for the SL Marketplace, Ava views it as just another tool to increase revenues.  But, since some customers prefer inworld shopping to avoid Marketplace fees, they can take advantage of a convenient, event filled location provided by FAR Hunt Group. 

I leave Ava at this point because a customer has arrived and I’m through with my questions.  (People must get tired of me.)  Ava had also called out the FAR Hunt Group staff who help her and Falk, Auburn Firelight, her executive assistant, and Athena Naminosaki of Tragic Beautiful Photography, their staff photographer. 

I feel good after this interview because I saw a small SL business getting started and being successful.  I met a business owner who is positive and upbeat about SL’s future. And, finally, Ava and Falk are building another one of those communities that I keep finding in SL and keep proving to me that there is stll plenty of life left inworld. 

And, please remember to visit “What Love Creates” between February 1^st and 14^th so that everyone who’s working on this program can have the satisfaction of having other residents participate.  (I can sympathize, I like to think someone is reading my blogs!)

I would like to thank Ava Runner for taking the time to meet with me and talk about herself and her work in SL.  I would also like to thank Kaii Kiranov for introducing me to Ave.  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: Ava Runner

Photo No. 2: FAR Concepts Main Location

Photo No. 3: Falk Runner

Photo No. 4: “What Love Creates” Poster

Photo No. 5: Mattie Rae’s Fabrics and Notions

Photo No. 6: Bag Lady Designs

Live in a Box? Why Not? It’s Second Life!

                                                    Cause I know what’s going on

In my own mind

Am I living in a box

Am I living in a cardboard box

Verve and Pigott

As I’m still recuperating from my recent twenty-four hours in Second Life (SL), my routine of regular visits to Second Life (SL) is still struggling to come back to normal.  I took advantage of this struggle to visit an old friend, Kaii Kiranov, whom I’d been meaning to meet all last year and our schedules just never clicked.  Hopefully, this is a good omen that in 2012, I’ll be able to catch up with everyone whom I owe a visit!  (I heard that!  The year will be long enough!)

Kaii and I meet at her store in Glinda and begin to catch up. 

I first met Kaii through Perryn Peterson’s Hunt5.  She and her partner, Poise Collins,  own and manage heap! –cardboard box living-.   

A moment now.  Yes, I said living in cardboard boxes. Now, I can guess what you’re thinking right about this time.  It’s a virtual world, why would anyone want to live in a cardboard box when they could live in virtually anything they wanted? 

Well, there are people who enjoy living in virtual cardboard boxes in SL.  (I’m willing to bet that not too many of them live in cardboard boxes in Real Life (RL)!)  In fact, Kaii’s and Poise’s motto is, “Why live in a palace when you can live in a box?”  (One question still unanswered at the end of this interview was do SL carboard box inhabitants quarrel over the best spots over steam grates in winter?  You have to be from NYC to get that one.)

But, back to Kaii for a little history.  She originally became involved in SL when she moved to Texas from Maryland for college in RL and was separated from her twin sister, Jai.  A mutual friend, JJ, introduced them to SL so that they could be together again and still hang out.  The three started an inworld business called Twisted Sisters. Jai and JJ were programmers so they went ahead and scripted what Kaii calls the best titler in SL.  The titler began as a tool between slaves and masters originally for those involved in Gorean culture.  Later, they made a version for clubs and social events.

However, as many of us know, going away to college means moving away from friends and family in more than a geographic sense.  Jai became involved in RL activities which kept her from SL and Kaii got stuck on SL as she puts it. 

In her early days after Jai moved on, Kaii went sim hopping, just opening the map and clicking on a sim.  That’s how, one day, she ended up in a Belgian sim at at a club called Bushy’s  where she met her best friend and partner, Poise Collins.  The rest as they say is history. 

Kaii describes Poise as an artist and one of the most creative persons she has ever met. Poise has many business interests in SL.  She owns a successful store, Poised, and has her own fashion lines.  Kaii says that Poise is one of the few who runs a successful SL business.  The main store in the mall where Kaii and I are meeting is also owned by her. 

heap! began when Kaii pitched the concept of living in cardboard boxes in SL to Poise and they decided to go into business together.  Poise and Kaii both create the boxes, Kaii putting in their animations.

Kaii gives me a tour of several of the boxes that are on display in Glinda. The first one, entitled “Kaii Kandi” is reminiscent of an Alice in Wonderland scene.  The second looks like an ordinary office one would expect to find in either SL or Rl except that it’s in a box.  Each box comes with at least six animations contained in an animation menu and multi-sit capabilities.   (Although, yours truly here managed to end up on the floor the couple of times he tried to sit down.  Fortunately, Kaii is a patient instructor.)  Boxes available in hunts generally have fewer animations than those sold. 

This may sound strange to say, but, for a SL resident looking for a small place to call home and is looking for something a little untraditional  (OK, OK, a lot untraditional.) heap!’s boxes are good value.  I suspect that there are quiet, little corners in SL where someone could probably squirrel away one or two of these and no one would be the wiser.  (Not that I would do anything like that, of course.)

heap!’s boxes are available at their main locations in Glinda and Tanglewood.  The other two locations are remote at Charisma and Depraved Nation.  They can also be obtained through the various hunts which heap! Participates in during the year.  They feel they are in all the best hunts inworld and rotate hunt locations to reach new customers.

When I ask Kaii how the business side of heap! Is going, she replies that truthfully, they give away more boxes in hunts than they sell.  Their challenge has been getting the word out about the boxes.  Kaii says she and Poise never set out to be rich doing this.  The boxes are meant to be fun and to bring a smile to people.  Well, they brought a smile to me if that means anything! 

Kaii and I talk about the Great Depression of 2008 and its effect on inworld sales.  She believes the recession has had a huge negative effect on SL sales.  She has seen many businesses and residents leave with only a couple returning.  Kaii also believes that Linden Lab’s (LL) failure to protect inworld merchants has also affected sales potential negatively.  LL has to also understand that they can’t always have it their way.  She recommends that LL require merchants to have an inworld store presence and not just sell in the SL Marketplace.  The goal here would be to ensure that there always would be retails centers and communities.  I tend to agree with her logic.

As for the future, Kaii’s not sure what it holds for her in SL.  She never thought that she would be a creator in SL and she is.  She has met many really nice people in SL and enjoys that.  Something tells me that we’ll always see Kaii on the grid doing whatever but that she’ll be having a good time is a definite. 

I thank Kaii and take my leave of her.  I think about what I’ve learned in this meeting.  One interesting point is that Kaii and Poise have never met in RL.  Their friendship and partnership exist only in SL.  I shouldn’t say “only” because if we’re friends and we’re together does in really matter where “where” is? Kaii says she spends time in SL because she can meet people all over the world.  She admits it limiting but it does simulate RL contact. 

If you have a chance, please drop by one of heap!’s locations and check out their boxes.  Especially, if you need an extra room for those in-laws who always show up unannounced.  Or, drop by the club Dare to Dream, co-owned by Kaii and Poise, and just have a good time! 

I would like to thank Kaii Kiranov for taking the time to meet with me and talk about her work in SL.  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: Kaii Kiranov

Photo No. 2: Kaii Kandi Box

Photo No. 3: Office Box

Photo No. 4: Dark Box

Photo No. 5: heap! Glinda Store

Photo No. 6: Poised Main Store

Photo No. 7: Poise Collins

Photo No. 8: heap! – Charisma Store

Photo No. 9: heap! – Tanglewood Store

Machu Picchu – Back to the Past

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.

Albert Einstein

After my recent twenty-four hours in Second Life (SL), I’m ready to return to my normal routine of weekly visits As much as I enjoyed my time inworld, I have to balance Real Life (RL) against my time on the grid.  (In other words, Significant Other has let me know there are limits to scientific inquiry.)

   

For this week’s blog, I decided to take a trip back in time to the Citadel of Machu Pinchu.  The Incan ruins abandoned in the Peruvian Andes and only recently rediscovered in the early twentieth century.  I received the idea for this visit from Wulfride (“Wulf”) Blitzen.  I had encountered Wulf at the ball I attended in the 1920’s Berlin sim.  Her SL profile indicated an interest in digital archaeology and I contacted her regarding this. I have an interest in the archaeology of the Internet and thought this was what her interest referred to.

Turns out, I was wrong.  (I always get in trouble with assumptions.)  Wulf is an archaeologist in Real Life (RL) and is interested in the use of SL to recreate old worlds which no longer exist.  Something for which SL is well suited.  Although, Wulf did mention some technical details which limit its usefulness.  She recommended I visit Manchu Picchu inworld to see what archaeologists have been building. 

So, this is how I find myself visiting Machu Picchu in SL.  The sim was built and is maintained by the Faculty of Engineering and Agriculture at the Universidad de San Martin de Porres in Lima, Peru.  (The sim’s primary language is Spanish with some parts in English.  Any mistakes in translation are due to my poor Spanish language skills.  My Spanish friends say, probably more accurately, that my Spanish language skills are nonexistent.  They do give me credit for trying.  So, be warned.)

I arrive at the rez point and am surrounded by a recreation of the original ruins.  While I’ve never been to Manchu Picchu in RL myself, friends and family have and I’ve had the opportunity to review their photos and those available in books and the Internet.  What greets me looks eerily familiar. 

The effect is impressive and I can only estimate the amount of work that has gone into scripting these remains of the Incas mountain retreat.  The Citadel is nestled in the mountains very much like the famous RL photo.   

I walk across the terraces and up and down the staircases.  A site map near the arrival area indicated where various sites may be found.  Llamas are to be found calmly grazing across the sim.  While they can be petted, they do not interact with visitors.  I spy a condor flying high in the sky and while I only had a glimpse, the workmanship was impressive in addition to the element of realism added. 

One advantage of visiting Manchu Picchu inworld is the almost total lack of tourists, not to mention not having to pay the RL admission fee.  The disadvantage is that neither are tour guides available.  Fortunately, Wikipedia and Google are readily available. 

The use of SL to recreate worlds no longer in existence in SL is another good example of how SL can be used for educational purposes.  The community required to build and maintain the sim demonstrates how SL brings people together to work on a common project.  I applaud the faculty and staff of Universidad de San Martin de Porres who have built this world and made it available for everyone to visit.

Manchu Picchu is well worth the time to visit and stroll around.  One cannot help but think of the people who built the original buildings and then disappeared into the mists of time. 

I have only one minor criticism of the sim.  Pop rock music continually plays.  (Bruce Springsteen was playing when I arrived.)  Some traditional music playing in the background would permit a more immersive experience. 

Wulf also told me of a recreation of the Somme battlefield in 1917 which I will visit in the near future.  With the approaching Centennial of the First World War, the timing is appropriate. 

I would like to thank Wulf Blitzen for taking the time to meet with me and talk about her work in SL.  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: Machu Picchu – Arrival Area

Photo No. 2: Machu Picchu – Llamas Grazing

Photo No. 3: Machu Picchu – Citadel I  

Photo No. 4: Machu Picchu – Citadel II

Photo No. 5: Machu Picchu – Amphitheater

Photo No. 6: Machu Picchu – Site Map

Photo No. 7: Machu Picchu – Among the Ruins I

Photo No. 8: Machu Picchu – Among the Ruins II

Photo No. 9: Machu Picchu – Principle Temple

Photo No. 10: Machu Picchu – Aerial View