Newbie Stories

The last few weeks I have been spending a lot of my time at home base at Meyers.  I cleared my property of excess prims in order to place the lighthouse along the river edge.  I have gone through my inventory making liberal use of the delete key.  And I entertained or was entertained by newbies.

 

I wanted the front of my barrel to be clearer, and without thinking, I did it without selecting texture before changing the transparency number.  A newbie flew into my barrel and made herself at home.  “Is there work here?”  she asked.  I wanted clarification and asked if she meant Second Life or the sim.  She was interested in working in SL and wanted to experience it.  I suggested that she would do a search.  She informed me that others told her to do that.  She wanted to know who the boss was.  She didn’t want to work for Linden Labs.  I didn’t figure she did.  She wanted escort and dancing jobs.  By then she had made herself at home and sat on my wicker couch.  She suggested I should sit with her.  I had better things to do than to entertain.  When I have good feelings about a newbie, I will cancel my plans and make them my focus and help them get a start in SL.  I didn’t feel that way about her.   I pulled out a rat head from inventory, placed it on a chair and proceeded to customize it.  It is kind of unsettling to see a head with blinking eyes on a chair.  We chit chatted a bit.  She got bored and left.  Lesson:  Bodiless rats with blinking eyes can spook newbies.

 

I had the barrel front back to being transparent from the inside only.  I sorted through gestures, deleting the most of them. A newbie was roaming around my place when I came across “I smell a newbie” gesture.  She could see crazy statements in chat, and if her sound was on, hear the statements and music as I tested the various gestures.  I don’t remember what was all contained in the newbie gesture, but she sure made a hasty exit when I played it.

 

I was at Bernstein’s with a friend and a newbie wandered in.  He complimented the set up and I told him it was a store that we were in the process of stocking with inventory.  If, he thought it was a home, why did he just come in without an invitation?  When finding out that it was a business, he said there wasn’t very much in it.  Didn’t I just tell him that?

 

Newbies will stick out because of their clothes and skin.  This doesn’t bother me.  People need time to discover SL and themselves within the SL environment.  What bothers me about so many is that they forget to bring manners along with them when they enter SL.  I wonder if those that stick with SL are those who do bring in manners with themselves.  These are the ones who are more likely to receive assistance from long term residents.

 

Identity Crisis

Yesterday I came face to face with someone who looked pretty much like me, a small grey rat.  I was stunned.  How could someone steal my identity?  I checked my friends list, the imposter was not there.  How did she find me?  Easy, I have my home base on my profile.  But I had to deal with the current situation.

 

I stood in front of my barrel house wearing a cat suit and a cape, the Lillani look.  Lately, Rat has been into other avatar’s identities.  This all started in the Big Brother House after Phaylen had given me the red beehive hair.  I had found a dress in my inventory and ended up looking like diva rat.

 

I am the one with the problem, not the small grey rat in front of me.  I could easily see differences between the two of us.  We talked about tails, mine, hers and where to get a different one.  I mentioned having a tail with a different attachment position so I can wear the flex skirts.  I needed to log off to attend to rl.  We added each other to the friends lists.

 

I had to examine rat in the cat suit.  I determined that I was not trying to look and act like Lillani.  But, the use of others styles shows the playfulness of rat. 

 

Earlier, while waiting for my car to be serviced, I read most of “Second Life, the official guide.”  The book pointed out that you can change your avatar’s appearance as often as you like.  In SL you have the chance to be whoever you want to be.

 

Rat evolved.  First, it was the avatar, as purchased, and then a new tail.  Slowly other changes were made, the biggest change, the use of a smaller shape.  Rat’s hair and clothing started with shorts and t shirts ended up having to have a separate folder.  Rat developed character.  At first, being rat was a way to be able to explore without the interference of others.  As she evolved, she began to get the “how cute” from people.  Most people tend not to take her seriously.  She could say things my human wouldn’t.  She also got into places my human would have stayed out of.  She likes having fun.  She lives in a barrel, but thinks out of the box.  She is a loner, but also enjoys people.  Rat has ADD, (attention deficit disorder).

 

To my new friend, Leona:  Welcome to my world, the sl rat race.  I am delighted that I have had in influence with your choice of a sl identity.  I look forward to the development of our friendship.  And, being true to rat’s personality, I have some advice for you.  Rat is good at giving advice, whether you want it or not.  Take the time to feel yourself as a rat.  Develop your own style and personality.  Be open to change.  After all, this is second life.

 

My first day of freedom . . .

Today is my first day of freedom from the Big Brother House where I spent at least 8 hours a day for 34 days in a glass box.  The final eviction ceremony was Thursday at 10 am.  I was the first to be evicted.  King told me to leave the house but to come back to the celebration party.   The furries were upset, my supporters were upset and even some of Lillani’s supporters were upset.  I had forgotten to make a plan for eviction.  Soj sent me a tp and I landed on the main Big Brother Island.  I waited for the results.  Madlen won.  I collected my lighthouse that still stood in the construction yard.  After saying good bye to Soj I went to Club Extreme.  I received a warm welcome and arrived in time for free play.  My Second life promised to normal.

 

Today I had breakfast at Extreme, a serving of freeplay and friendship.  Tiberius, a tiger, talked to me.  When we were through talking, he said “Bite Size.”  Ack!  No more glass box to protect the rat, I was on my own.  The rest of my time on Second Life was talking with friends and working on an out of control inventory.  It is amazing that being cooped up could cause such havoc on inventory.  I found my new dolphin avatar and went swimming in the beer hot tub and then in the river. 

 

I spent more time off line than I had in a long time.  We have groceries in the house.  I finally got a place to blog.  And I actually slept better than I had for over a month!

 

ASK THE RAT – the portion of my blog where you can ask the rat a question.  Al wants to know why I got in SL, what I do here and why I decided to participate in Big Brother.  The first time I heard of SL was from Dorie.  Her explanation didn’t make any sense so she showed me.  But, her computer was so bad, it didn’t rez good and it left me more confused.  I confuse easily.  Well, eventually she got me to try it and I got hooked.  (We do have better computers now.)  And as far as what I do here; build, make things, hang out, explore, shop, and soak in beer.  And last, I decided to participate in Big Brother because I didn’t think they would pick me so why not apply.  Dorie wants to know why I am still in SL and didn’t tire of it.  Really I am tired of SL, but I need to keep tabs on what you are doing.  J 

Here I am, you were looking for me?

The last month, people have asked me if i blogged.   My standard reply was no, I have never kept a diary up, how do you expect me to keep up a blog?  With the start of the new year, I decided to give it a chance and share with you my life on Second Life and what I am learning from it.  I plan to share some of my past SL history as well as the all important subject Big Brother.  But for now, I just want to see how this new blog looks. 

Talk to you later!