Socially|Mundane

Second Life really is a world unto it's own. It looks, smell, feels and acts like a game. But so many will argue with you, passionately that it is not a game.

It's real.

What makes it not a game? The interactivity with real people. And this is the focus of the 'game' of Second Life. Linden Land, the original name, it dull and uncreative. 'Second Life' on the other hand seems the perfect description for what it is.

There are no bogey-men and dragons and trolls and goblins to slay - well, there are. But the dragons are fun avatars you can be, the trolls are the idiot fuckwads with entitlement attitudes and the goblins are simply known by another name: griefers. The point is that they are not the focus of your experience in Second Life.

The focus is in the social experience. Unfortunately, the technical nature of how Second Life is presented, makes it a bit out of reach for a lot of people on the internet. There are many who can't afford the kind of equipment necessary to experience Second Life. And they are the ones usually with entitlement issues and bitch about how SL is unstable and operates like shit on their PCs.

Hint: if you bought your three-year-old PC for $800 - it's going to choke. thus, the majority of the problems you have are yours, not Linden lab's.

Anyway, the point I am getting to is that Second Life is a lot like real life: there are assholes and there are wonderful people and everything in between. The friendships one makes in SL is astonishing. People get to know each other well. We end-up loving, hating, hurting, being hurt by, so many other people that it's becomes real. it is real.

I would even venture to say some of those friendships are stronger and more endearing, tighter and more robust than many real life friendships. and with people from all over the world, peaople you'd never have possibly met in real life.

And with the anonimity of SL - all you really get to know is the personality of these people. No distractions to be had. You are not distracted by their body shape or size as everyone is SL is beautiful. You are not distracted by deformities r handicaps as everyone in SL is beautiful. You are not distracted by locations or someone's living conditions because everyone in Sl is beautiful.

SL is the dreams we all have made real.

I have many friends in SL. From those I hold most dear all the way to some I'd rather not really talk to again. Allow me to introduce you to one of them:

CeNedra Rivera.

Why Cen? Simple. She's the personification of the good ones you'll meet in SL. Not there for any particular agenda. Not there to become the next Anshe Chung bazillionaire. Not there to cause trouble. Not there to necessarily role-play. Not there for any reason other than to have a good time, live-out a few dreams and to, for the most part, make and be with friends.

She also is open and freindly to perfect strangers. There are a lot of people like this in Second Life. but they are, unfortunately, becoming harder and harder to find. For instance:

Cen sez: "Yes Cen's whirlwind SL101 and make over. I have so much fun meeting new people, taking them places, holding their hand while they figure out what most of us think are basic things like being able to look at yourself, unpacking boxes, and using the search. Their excitement is contagious and can remind us all how amazing SL truly is."

I don't mind newbies either. I only wish I had the inclination and time to do this for people. But my Second Life has become a whirlwind of a different nature. I run a sim that centers around role-play and it really is a lot of work. So much so that it is difficult to get any role-play time in myself. But it's a labor of love and my own dream-come-true.

So, Cen: I love you, hon. You're one of the good ones.

Thus, dear reader: pop over to Cen's blog. Follow along. She shares a lot of her personality there and you will find a really good person in her. The kind you'd like to actually keep around. Two words: Socially Awesome.

A fantabulous day!

Cen's Two Cents
(which has also been for the longest time one of the few chosen blogs in the blogroll of this blog)