2009: Rich in friendships

Happy new year, everyone!
 
I'm starting the new year having some minor difficulties logging in to SL. Sometimes I have to try a few times before I can successfully log in. The screen hangs at "Connecting to region..." and will not move. *sighs and curses my ISP*
 
Today I managed to log in after 4 tries, and this is what I looked like:
 
 

 
 
That is the same hair from my previous post; and you can see the background is all grey. I was standing underwater in the middle of Blake Sea, a water sim, and the ground was not rezzing. Linden ground, which uses default Linden textures -- there was no reason for the textures not to load. I stood there for 15 minutes, afraid to even move, and the ground did not rez. Then I crashed and couldn't get back in. *sighs again*
 
Moving on ;)
 
Looking back on the last year in SL, I think 2009 was a great year for friendships and relationships. I met a lot of wonderful people via Plurk -- too many to mention -- and some became inworld friends too. The constant swirl of conversations on Plurk helped me to get to know many people whom I might otherwise not have known, and I found myself receiving a great deal of care, concern and support from my plurk friends. *hugs all of you*
 
One person in particular became so special to me that we partnered, but alas the partnership only lasted 4 months, breaking up at the end of August.
 
 

 
 
Through it all, Peter has always been there for me, listening to me, giving me advice, providing unquestioning support, cheering me up and cheering me on. Our friendship has grown and deepened in a way I never foresaw. Peter is also the person I rely on the most to give me honest feedback. If he thinks my hair is ugly, he'll say so without compunction :p
 
When I was going through the partnership breakup, Ari was another who reached out to me in support, stunning me with his compassion and... yes, gentleness. We had friended before in SL, but not talked much, so he unfriended me *throws dramatic temper tantrum and pouts* -- but after my breakup we friended again and started talking regularly. I mainly talk with him because he said he unfriends people if they don't talk to him at least once in six months, so I need to make sure I keep my space on his list this time! *grins wickedly*
 
While we're on the topic of deepening friendships, this year I also got to know Elora better. She's been very busy towards the 4th quarter of the year, so we haven't gotten to talk much and I miss her.
 
At the same time, Bon came back to SL after taking a break for a few months. I was sad when he left, and so glad when he returned. His leaving left a hole in my SL. I love our conversations. I feel like I can talk to him about anything and I enjoy spending time with him, always. Plus, he is the only friend I have who regularly takes me dancing ;)
 
 

 
 
Speaking of old friends... I wish I could spend more time with Ciaran. Unfortunately his time zone is bitter enemies with mine and we rarely get to meet *sighs*. Ciaran was my third landlord in SL - we met when I rented a parcel of land from him in June 2008. The first time I set eyes on him, he was in full wizard garb and I was all o.O  He's still my favourite wizard in all of SL -- well, he's the only wizard I know in all of SL, but... yeah! xD
 
 
There are so many people I would love to meet in RL, and this year I did get to meet someone: Kamian came to Malaysia for the MotoGP and I met up with him & his wife, and had a blast. It was so cool to see him "in person" -- I still think of him as Kamian, it's a marvel I didn't actually call him that when we met xD  He had promised to bring me TimTams, a yummy Australian biscuit (cookie), but he forgot *giggles*. When he went home, he mailed me a box of them! *dances and hugs them to my chest*
 
 
And now for the new friends ;)

 
 
I started reading Marnix's blog and later got to know him on Plurk, then began to hang out with him inworld every so often because our time zones are not too wildly far apart (he is 5 hours ahead of me). Yes, he was a tiger when I first met him, why do you ask? *grins*   We became such friends that I freely dumped all over him when I was emo. Several times. The poor guy never complained. He deserves a medal :)
 
He introduced me to Alvena, I think; she had found my blog earlier and left a comment, but I don't think I responded to her comment at that time. After we were introduced, I hooked up with her on Plurk and then we friended inworld, and now we talk often. It is so cool to have found another Malaysian to talk with -- even if she isn't in Malaysia :p  I love how I can be Malaysian and not speak "proper" English, and she'll understand me completely! lol
 
Of course, I could never forget Ted, who helped me set up the beach I have wanted for so long. We met through Plurk (are you starting to see a thread running through these stories? lol). All it took was for him to say, "Hey, I can help" and look where we are now!
 
 

 
 
Finally, this year was also the year that Peter introduced me to London. I love her, she is one of the most warm, open-hearted, funny, honest, generous, modest people I know. I will probably write more about our relationship some other time ;)
 
So there you have it; 2009, the year of relationships and friendships. All of you, my friends -- yes, including those I didn't name, because there are too many to name -- all of you make my SLife richer. I love you all. (Can't you allow me some mushiness? It's NEW YEAR'S DAY, for cripe's sake! :p)