Refreshing...

The Big Bad Blogger Challenge was very inspiring to me. It was fun to add some more personal perspective on Second Life rather than just talking about places to visit in world.

Being in SL for over two years now, gives me a greater perspective on how everyone experiences this vast world in different ways. Personally, I like drawing on the expertise of others. Because we all have taken different paths, we have a different set of knowledge. For example, let's look at building. Is all building the same? No. Someone who builds jewelry is an expert on creating tiny prims and setting them up in line for necklaces, etc. I build furniture and household goods. Until recently, I never created a tiny prim. Now I'm attending classes with some friends to expand our knowledge since we all have our own niche.

Having some touch with the business, educational, library, and social sides of SL, let's me see how different one's experiences can be. Someone who comes in world to mainly teach or take a class usually lacks in social knowledge and building skills in SL.

I know I have a lot more to learn in this large virtual world. So, let's continue our voyage through SL and learn together.

Hugs,

Effie

Who would I want to be?

A question was posed on a blog this week during the challenge asking if you could be anyone in SL for the day, who would it be? Well, that question took some thought. First I thought of some Lindens. Then decided that if they do come in world they are probably bombarded with ims and questions. Next, I thought of people in SL making money. But, I realized I love to have fun in SL as much as I love to work with my business.

Finally, I came up with an answer... Gavin. Gavin and I have been friends in SL for almost 2 years. Gav and I have similar views on things and talk to each other almost every day.

Gavin is the former manager of Kim Seifert and currently works with Shantu Selene. Gav knows so many people in SL music because of his work with artists. He knows many venue owners, live artists, and fans.

I'd love to experience the relationships with all the wonderful people that Gavin knows just for one day.

Darkness, A Moon, Music and Me

As I look back on my numerous times in SL, I specifically remember one night. I went to the building of a SL company that I was associated with. I was relatively new. No one was around.

I looked up and saw the incredible SL moon. I went to the top of the 4-story building and just watched the moon move across the sky. It was me, the darkness, the moon, and the soothing jazz music playing.

As I ponder how our real life avie moods affect what we do and how we interact in SL, I remember that night. Perhaps my RL avie just needed to relax and ponder. Perhaps I was just mesmerized by the first time I saw a moon in SL.

Even more amazing, the picture in this posting is really of that night. Notice I had red hair back then. :-) It's amazing what we have in our inventories.

Riverwalk - A Hidden Jewel

An attachment to a place so strong that you call it "home" is amazing in itself. In SL it's even more amazing. My first home in SL was Riverwalk. Riverwalk was the first place that impressed me, so I made it my starting and stopping place in SL for a few months at the beginning of my life in sl. I would greet people as they came to Riverwalk.

One of my fondest memories is when 4 red-headed avies came together one evening in Riverwalk. We sat and shared our knowledge and experiences in SL. By the time I left, I had made three new friends. Two of those friends still hold a place on my friends list, and one is a very good friend.

Today Although it's been a long time since those days (about 2 years), Riverwalk still holds a special place in my heart.

This beautiful art park seems to not get as many visitors as it used to. It's quite a shame too. It's a beautiful place with lots of things to do.

• Take a stroll throughout the park and view the beautiful artwork.
• Ride the swans on a leisurely water tour of the area.
• Play board games on the terrace.
• "Eat" and talk to friends at a table on the terrace.
• Ride the swings.
• Get your fortune.
• Go Fishing.
• Test your skills at getting through the maze.

Even though Riverwalk hasn't been my home for quite a while, I still have a sense of it being my original home and visit it occassionally.

To visit Riverwalk, CLICK HERE. (Ganymede 20, 230, 26)

Winter Wonderland - Creativity Unfinished

During the winter holidays last year, I met a friend in SL that is still a friend today. He's a very generous soul. At the time he owned a few sims, and let me use one to do with what I wanted... to unleash my creativity.

With assistance from him, I started creating a winter wonderland. The frozen water was plentiful as the land masses across the sim were more like icebergs. I sought out a skate vendor and put fencing up around the vendor area with a couple of benches to create a place to begin ice skating. A big glowing bonfire sat upon one of the hills near the skating. It was a nice place to warm up. Snowy trees graced the hilltops. A few cold weather animals graced a few of snowy caps. And, an ice house was beginning to get furnished to make the inside cozy despite the coldness of the ice. I terraformed for the first time and was having a ball shaping a sim.

The creativity came to an abrupt halt when my friend had to give up the sims for financial reasons. I never got to finish or take pictures. The picture above is a smaller scale creation I made on top of my first skybox home in SL.

My dream is to one day have the opportunity to wrap my creativity around another sim. In the words of J.P. from Angels in the Outfield, "It could happen!"

PS If you are wondering why the change in what I'm posting this week, I'm working on a blogging challenge... The Big Bad Blogger Challenge. It's basically a challenge to create a new posting every day. I decided to go ahead and make it more personal perspectives on SL. If you want to read about the challenge, CLICK HERE.

Friendship Beyond the Edges of the Worlds

Two years ago when I was a newbie in SL, I would explore a lot. Typing a word, any word, in the search box then teleporting to a new location would fill part of my time. I loved talking with people and learning everyday. The other part of my time would be spent at the occassional live music events.

There was one live artist that I really liked. Kim Seifert has powerful voice and mainly sings country, but I also loved her jazzy tunes. Kim quickly became my favorite SL live artist.

My blog had just began. I did a blog posting about Kim and caught her attention.

I'm not sure exactly when our friendship really began. Perhaps it when she said she was moving within a 3 hour drive of where I live. Kim and I met for lunch one day, and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Kim and I are friends in both worlds now. We still live about 3 hours apart, but when you have a friend you really like, a 3-hour dive is a great way to spend the day. Kim has a lovely family who welcomed me with open arms just as Kim did. I love spending time with them whether it's just sitting and talking, playing a game or cooking dinner.

I'm amazed at the possibilities that Second Life and the Internet brings to our lives everyday. Years ago I would have never dreamed that a virtual world would have brought such a special friend into my real world.

It's Another Party! Rock the Castle 3 "Country Style"

CLICK HERE to join the party! (Midnight Oasis 91, 195, 29)