trees are people too

so, last night i had somewhat of an epiphany. I missed IM2′s second life ‘happy hour’ yesterday due to another class, but I decided i’d pop in anyway (albeit late) and just check if anyone was still around.

There had been some building going on (more cheezels in the sky, I see) but it still looked pretty remote and desolate, with not much action. But not long after I arrived I met a few more RMIT’ers, Pineapple and Pyewacker. Although they weren’t from IM2, they were extremely friendly and helpful, and thus began my first real ‘engagement’ in second life.

These two were hot. Both had invested significant time and effort into their avatars (which looked wild) and were experienced sl’ers and builders. They taught me how to drink coffee, build small objects and use my camera, and it became glaringly obvious that I was going to learn how to use sl far more efficiently by watching, copying and practicing, rather than reading about it in articles. In fact, that is exactly how Pineapple described it (forgive me, I’m smitten) – she was modify, Pyewacket was transfer and I was copy. This was how I could learn sl. And they do say the best way to learn is by copying.

Suddenly things were beginning to make sense. As Pyewacket asked me, “have you ever wanted to be anything? A fireman? A dancer? A pig farmer?” I could be and could build and modify anything here. What seemed daunting suddenly seemed really exciting and liberating. But this was just the beginning.

Pineapple gave me a flight feather, which allowed me to fly many metres higher than a normal sl being, and took me to see the ship that she had built in the sky. And that was that. I was hooked. An amazing, creaking mishmash of collected and modified objects, Pineapple had built the most amazing home in the sky, complete with small side vessels, bars, galleries and a hot tub, where I was permitted to soak while they gave me tips on where to go and how to beautify my avatar (apparently un-primmed hair is immediate evidence of being a newbie).

Now I know this sounds like a cheesy fantasy novel, but suddenly I started to realise not just the allure of second life (the ability to live out all of your fantasies and be whoever you want, wherever you want) but also the ability to create and to communicate. Everything about Pineapple and her buildings was a carefully and beautifully orchestrated narrative dictated by her. And it was kinda magical.

BUT, enough gushing for now. Let it just be said that this could become dangerous because I feel I could get easily addicted, and this is just the first meaningful exchange (they taught me how to dance!) On a more practical note, I now feel incredibly inspired to build, modify, texture and develop my own buildings, sets and concepts. I just have to work out how to do it.