May 2008 Archives

When I first joined SL, I was a student. I had the luxury of keeping all kinds of weird hours, and I used to stay up all night on SL... with the result that I used to meet folks from very different time zones.

Now I go in-world at more reasonable hours, usually at night around 10pm to 1am, and none of my friends are around. *sobs*

So, that's part of the problem :) I need to meet more folks from my own time zone! (GMT +8, if you were wondering)

Should you happen to be online during my usual hours -- which would be 7am to 10am SLT -- look me up and give me a holler, will ya? ;)

So, now I have 1024sqm of land, I want to put stuff on it. I'm fast coming to the conclusion that positioning stuff is the second hardest thing to learn in SL. The first hardest was av moment - walking and flying. Especially walking, though. In the first week, my av would never go where I wanted it to go, and I kept on bumping into things and people. Funny thing is, everybody understood perfectly when I apologised and explained I was new.

I had to call on my landlord to help me figure out positioning. I'm still not quite clear how it all goes though...

I've done it. Paid 4 weeks' rent to my landlord, IBME Swindlehurst, for a 1024sqm piece of land. I'll give myself 4 more weeks in SL, and if I remain as bored as I am now, that's it :)

Talking to IBME, I realised something. I am very much a words kind of person, rather than a graphics kind of person. I lived without a tv for many years and didn't miss it, but if you were to take my books away from me, I'd die. Maybe that's why SL is not clicking with me. It's a graphics medium.

People like SL because it gives them an avenue to be creative and to explore things which they might not be able to do in RL. But my creativity is mostly all word-based. I was once a journalist and I own 7 blogs, three of which are updated regularly. It's all words with me. Words, words, words :D

Maybe that's why I find it more interesting to read SL blogs and surf the SL forums rather than go inworld. Words over graphics every time. I'm very weird, I know. lol

"That was the most depressing post I've ever read," Aureis said to me. Mind you, she called me up just to tell me this. Sometimes hard to have RL friends cross over into SL :P

I'm finding that reading SL blogs and the SL forums is far more interesting than being inworld. Maybe I'm just weird lol. Then again, I've always loved reading and, ever since discovering the world of blogs six years ago, have always read loads of blogs. I like to hear stories about people and their lives.

So... dunno. Just not very motivated to spend much time inworld. Now that I've upgraded my PC's RAM, I can run Firefox (Internet browser) and SL at the same time, so I find that I log into SL, switch back to Firefox while SL is loading, get distracted by surfing the Internet, replying emails, reading blogs, checking Facebook, etc., and then look at SL like 30 mins later and realise, "Oh, I'm actually inworld!"

Then I clear IMs and notices, visit a few places mentioned in the notices, get bored, and log out.

I suppose I might take a break from SL. It's just that I feel guilty coz my landlord has been so nice to me. Ever since I got my Internet access back a week ago, he's been waiting for me to make a decision on the land. See, my lease at the cottage expired, and I couldn't decide whether I wanted a 512sqm plot or a 1024sqm plot. Problem is, now I'm not sure whether I want ANY plot. How to tell him that?? And he's been so patient, asking me to take my time deciding, since I've been tied up with RL stuff -- unpacking, settling down in the new place, getting a new job (which starts next month).

We'll see... we'll see. Since I've lost the desire to shop, I have enough Lindens to pay 4 weeks of rent. I think I'll do that and see how I feel about SL after a month.

I think I've figured it out; SL is making me feel lonely.

Been asking around, and people tell me there is so much to do in SL... the question is, what? I find that, generally, most things in SL I can also do in RL; it's whom I do it with that makes the difference. And in SL, I don't really have any friends that I regularly hang out with and do stuff with, apart from a ladies' group I'm part of. We shop together, share tips about freebies, and go on treasure hunts, but now that I sort of want to move beyond that, I find I don't have friends to do other things with, and don't know where to make new friends either.

SL for me is about doing things with people. If it's just about the socialising and chatting, well, I can chat on Yahoo or MSN. What makes SL different is the ability to do stuff with others inworld. So I need to find people to do stuff with, I guess.

I am so bored with SL :(

I sent my female alt to find a male escort today. He was okay, we had a 30-min session but it didn't do anything for me.

Still bored.

I log in, I don't know where to go or what to do and I just wander around aimlessly. Even shopping is boring now. *shock, horror*

What do you guys do in here, anyway?

Too tired to think about blogging fodder tonight... so am answering Thema Felix's Weekend Quiz over at Shopping Cart Disco:

1. When you hear about a new release, which are you most likely to run out and buy: hair, shoes, or clothes? Clothes.
2. Skin choice: pale, tan, coloured (like green), or dark? Blond, brown, red, or black hair?
   Skin: Pale
   Hair: Depends on the style. Usually will get it in both blond and brown
3. Which event do you most likely put on your calendar: fashion show, live concert, store sale, sim opening, club contest, or a class?
   Sale, of course!! :D
4. What's your ideal SL™ job?
   Never had a job. Ideally one which wouldn't take too much commitment (I know, I know, which job doesn't require commitment?) since RL is always cutting into SL time
5. Sexy clothing preference: silks, lingerie, or revealing clothing (mini skirts, super tight dresses, etc)?
   *cough* Revealing clothing *cough* (for wearing out in public, that is)
6. Facial hair on male avies (or yourself, if you are male): yea or nay?
   Yea!! (but not too much, don't want him to look like Father Christmas)
7. Land home or skybox?
   Land
8. Decorating your walls: SL™ photos, objects, RL photos, or RL art?
   Haven't decided yet. (I never finished decorating my 3-month-old cottage)
9. Do you prefer to own land or rent?
   Rent. It's cheaper
10. Small boutiques or large stores?
    Depends on the product not the store
11. Photo-realistic skins and clothing or hand-drawn?
    Personally, I like hand-drawn clothing. No preference when it comes to skins
12. For your one-on-one conversations, do you prefer voice or typed chat?
    Typed chat (have never tried voice!)
13. Prim objects or sculpties?
    Does it have to be either/or???
14. Bling, effect sounds, and particle effects: on or off?
    OFF! OFF! OFF!!!!
15. (If you use one) What photostudio do you like best?
    N/A
16. Face light: necessary or blinding?
    No point - I always have local lighting turned off
17. Do you pick up all the freebies you find or only pick the ones from designers you know?
    I read the freebie blogs and pick up the freebies that appeal to me from the pictures presented. If it's something I stumbled upon by myself, I pick it up regardless of designer - because I'm curious as to what's inside
18. Pre-fab buildings: do you own one? Do you like them?
    Yes I own one. They're convenient. Like them only if they come with mod rights, so I can tweak colours/textures if necessary
19. Would you rather be a Furry or Tiny?
    Furry. Hard to navigate around and see stuff as a Tiny
20. Graphic settings: Short draw distance or long? Release Candidate or standard viewer? Avatar imposters (yes/no)?
    Standard viewer, no avatar imposters (pixellated avatars - yuck), short draw distance (reduce lag)
21. Sim design: tropical island, residential neighborhood, urban streets, or themed fantasy (or another type I didn't think of)?
    Don't really care as long as it's low lag and rezzes fast
22. When not in a club or concert, do you stream music or turn it off?
    Always off
23. Flickr: Woot? Ick? (add me as a contact so I can see your stuff!)
    Only use it to upload photos I wanna use for my blog. Rarely check out other people's Flickrs
24. What's your favorite place to explore or hang out (that isn't a shopping area)?
    No fave yet
25. Animation Overriders: Do you prefer to make your own or buy a set? And where's the best place to go for them? (I'm actually shopping around for another, so this is a selfish question ;)
    Make my own, I like the ability to customise it with the poses/stands/anims I like :)

Yes, I am still alive! lol

Let me see... I've been away from SL for exactly two weeks. Two very busy RL weeks, which left me no time to mourn at all.

And I've discovered I can -- *shock, horror* -- live without SL!

In fact, I didn't even miss it very much.

I just got my Internet connection up and running at my new place this afternoon and have not been in-world yet. Lots of email to clear, blogs to read, my own blogs to update... you know the drill ;)

At this point I am undecided whether I should return in-world and allow myself to be sucked into SL again. I miss my SL friends, but I don't miss the SL obsession. And the thought of shopping in SL is... wait for this... boring!!! *Quaintly feels her own forehead and wonders about her sanity*

Kinda ironic, this, considering that I just bought 1G worth of RAM to facilitate a more enjoyable SL experience. Life surprises you that way...