When I first arrived in Second Life, I had no idea how real this virtual world would become to me. In the beginning, I was determined to just explore and have fun without spending any money. My avatar would sit on those camping chairs for a long time, trying to earn a little spending money. I frequented freebie stores. But in time, I became frustrated that I was unable to afford some of the beautiful clothing, hair and household items that I was seeing everywhere.
Eventually, I broke down and added my credit card information, so that I could participate more fully. I rented my first home and I bought furnishings to decorate it. I discovered the joy of moving things around with just a click and a mouse drag….so much easier than in real life. Why, even easier than those “moving men” furniture slider discs that are supposed to make moving heavy furniture a breeze!
Second Life became and has remained an important part of my life. It has allowed me to explore deeper parts of my personality…parts of me long hidden and forgotten. I have had a chance to get back in touch with the real me…the Jeanne underneath the surface.
I have tried things I would never do in real life..living out the dream of owning a store (or two), living on an island, building furniture, being a mermaid…and more. And I have made friends from all walks of life and from all over the world…people I would never have met were it not for Second Life.
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| Papparazzi!! |
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| Mermaids! |
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| Skydiving! |
To be part of a community of people, working together to build a cooperative ideal society based on scenic New England, has truly been my good fortune. To be accepted and then asked to take on certain responsibilities as an estate manager (in my case mostly landscaping and welcoming new residents) has given me some much needed self-confidence and allowed me to demonstrate my people skills and my creative ability. My shyness has taken a back seat as I reach out to the community in Second Life in trying to be a friend to those who are hurting, an encouragement to those who can use some, and a helper wherever I have the skills to do so.
My musings cause me to consider my life without Second Life. And honestly, if my computer was to permanently break and Second Life was to go away….I would miss it tremendously. Oh, I guess I would survive somehow. I would have a bit more spending money each month. I would retain the richness in my real life because of the things I have learned about myself. But there would remain a huge void that could never be replaced.
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