Rainbow Notes

Exploring Virtually

2012-01-30T18:20:00.000-05:00

On top of the world, Venice @ Prada

A Second Life friend of mine found a beautiful sim and invited me to join him to explore it. The sim is Venice @ Prada http://secondlife.com/destination/venice-prada. The scenery here is lovely and is enhanced in sunset setting. From the waterfront to the quaint village shops and buildings, there is lots to see and do here with an emphasis on "see", as the appeal of this place is truly visual.

Of course, any virtual rendering of Venice would be incomplete without a Gondola ride, and my friend proved to be a good Gondolier aside from getting stuck in some dead ends. The full moon over the water and the sim's music stream added to a delightful and relaxing ride.

Before and during exploring the village, we stopped and chatted at the numerous waterside cafe tables. I felt like an Italian tourist and had tried to dress the part with my white Stole and designer SL jeans but made a quick change into a dress for dancing.

The TP sign by the dock took us to the New York Jazz Club (yes, even in Italy, I could feel at home). The warm wood textures and varnished floors of this dance venue along with its wonderful skyline windows were charming and atmospheric. The only drawback was that the return TP to Venice was either missing or well hidden, so keep the LM handy if you want to continue your exploration.

All in all, virtually exploring Prada @ Venice was fun and immersive. I felt like I'd traveled to Italy for a few hours with no jet lag to recover from.

Kindle Fire Hot in the New Year

2012-01-07T09:44:00.002-05:00

Okay, so one of my New Year's resolutions was to write more often for this blog, so I'm trying to catch up. I hope everyone reading had nice holidays. Most years, I don't get many gifts that I really use, but this year I received a Kindle Fire. I wasn't so sure I would use it much either because I like print books. But, as a librarian, I realize that one must keep up with new trends, so I put the Kindle Fire at the top of my Wish List for Santa. It seems a lot of other people did, too, as the Fire was one of the most popular gifts this season http://androinica.com/2011/12/2011-holidays-the-best-ever-for-amazon-as-the-kindle-fire-continues-to-be-their-top-seller/.

I like the size of the Fire because it is very portable, fitting into a large purse or carry case. The screen is quite readable (although I haven't tried it in bright sunshine yet). As an Android device, it has some of the familiar options (I also upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy phone recently). Still, there is a learning curve, as there is with any technical gadget. The user guide is adequate. My main goal was to download ebooks. A nice benefit of being an Amazon prime member is that many ebooks (and also videos and other downloads) are available free. You are allowed to download one ebook per month if you are a prime member, but not every ebook is eligible under this option.

The Kindle Lending Library at Amazon is quite easy to navigate, but I found Overdrive's Digital Library Collection harder to use. Consulting both the Overdrive online help screens and our own library's FAQ sheets created by our computer tech, I managed to download my first Overdrive library book. Since then, I've managed to check out, return, and even place several ebooks on my request list. Some of this, I discovered through trial and error. For instance, I thought it would be fine to just delete an Overdrive title from my library, but I later learned that if you don't return it to the collection (using the Manage my Kindle option in at the Amazon website), you might be holding it up from someone who is currently on the reserve list.

How do I like ebook reading? Well, I've managed to read over 50 % of the novel I selected, and I still have another 5 days to finish it. Overdrive loans are two weeks in duration. Compare that to the library print books I've had to renew several times before finishing them (Overdrive books can't be renewed but can be rerequested). It seems I can find a little more time to get to read from my Kindle, although maybe it's the novelty for now. Some other cool options include automatic bookmarks and access to a dictionary for any unfamiliar words I come across in the text.

I would recommend the Kindle Fire to anyone who didn't get it as a gift and doesn't currently have one. There are many others out there and more being designed, but I would say to try them and see if you like them. You may be pleasantly surprised. I was, but it doesn't mean I won't ever check out another print book. It just means I am getting on the tech bandwagon and having some fun, too. My library is also purchasing its own Kindle Fire and a Nook for training and demonstration purposes (with possible loaning options in the future).

CVL Travelogue #3 Roleplays in 1920's Berlin

2011-09-21T11:20:00.000-04:00

CVL Travelogue members and guests met their tour leader at the Teleportplatz

As I've written in two other articles, the CVL Travelogue group continues its tours with #3 on September 18 to 1920's Berlin. The 1920's Berlin Project tour was conducted by Rosemary Thyme who met our group and visitors at the Berlin Teleportplatz where freebie period clothing was available for those who needed them. Although we were told that the Berlin Project is not a strict role-play sim, it's best to look and act the part as much as possible.

The train ride into Berlin was fast.

The group's favorite spot, the library

Outside the Club Eldorado

From the Teleportplatz, we took the train into Berlin. After disembarking, Rosemary gave us the history of the sim and some interesting tidbits of information as we visited such places as Der Keller (a backstreet where you can dance and listen to 1920's music); Alexanderplatz (where the municipal building, stores, and residential areas are found); Club Eldorado (open every Saturday for Cabaret/burlesque shows and concerts); Magdalenenkirche (the church where services are held each week); the library (our favorite spot); the museum (which is closed now but offers exhibits occasionally); the Odeon theater (that features concerts and performances regularly); the Unter den Linden (famous square in Berlin); Adlon (a luxury hotel that is almost always booked to capacity and where the second anniversary ball recently took place); the school Hindenburg schule (the only place on the sim that allows voice chatting and where language classes are given); the police station; and the final stop, the night club der Keller, where Rosemary told us there is a "happy hour" every night.

The Church

The luxurious Adlon Hotel

The language school

The Unter den Linden with blimp above

Second CVL Travelogue Tour Visits the Past

2011-07-29T19:23:00.000-04:00

In a previous blog, I wrote about the fun and entertainment sims that the CVL Travelogue featured on their first tour. On July 17, the CVL Travelolgue group conducted a second tour of historical sims. The places visited included the First World War Poetry Digital Archive, Virtual Harlem, and Virtual Montmarte. The First Wold War Poetry Digital Archive tour was led by Csteph Submariner and the Virtual Harlem and Virtual Montmarte tours were led by Bryan Mnemonic.

The CVL Travelogue Group and guests at the
WWI Poetry Digital Archives

Touring the Trenches

The first stop on the historical tour was the World War I Poetry Digital Archive where the group and guests, led by Csteph Submariner (Christopher Stephens in RL) of the University of Oxford, visited the camp and trenches. Since time was limited and there is a vast amount of very detailed historical information to see and learn about, it was suggested that participants visit again on their own. A free HUD is available to teleport between sites. Videos and notecards highlight the immersive historical experience. At the campsite, there are realistic illustrations of wartime living conditions on the front down to scary, animated rats. The group and visitors agreed that this is an important and very well-created build. We later learned that funding for this project was discontinued in 2009 and that Submarinar is in need of keeping it going. He wrote an email to the head of the CVL Travelogue group asking her help in sending an email in support of the WWI Poetry Arachive to

stuart....@oucs.ox.ac.uk -- Director: computing Services
katharine.lind...@oucs.ox.ac.uk -- Project manager: WWI Poetry Digital
Archive

CVL Travelogue tour group at the Cotton Club

The Virtual Harlem tour led by Bryan Mnemonic (Bryan Carter in RL), Associate Professor of English at the University of Central Missouri, began at the Dark Tower mansion, the office of Dr. Menemonic. After a brief introduction, Menemonic gave a tour of several sites in 1920's Virtual Harlem, the famous Cotton Club jazz club and two locations that featured student art exhibits. Afterwards, he led everyone across the bridge to France where we visited Virtual Montmarte, a very authentic-looking French village with some nice shops and sites.

Virtual Montmarte

A slightly larger number of people joined us for the history tour, and we hope that more will come to the next one which may possibly focus on roleplay sims. There are so many places to visit in SL, and the CVL Travelogue is a great way to learn of them and become introduced to the different location themes. The group is always in need of volunteers and has its own Google as well as SL group to communicate its meetings and events.

Pets are the Best Friends in RL and SL

2011-07-08T18:23:00.000-04:00

I am amazed at the number and variety of Second Life pets. After purchasing two Amaretto horses last year, I recently picked up two Kittycats that were being given away free in honor of SL8B. As a cat lover in RL and one who even created a SL pet memorial center (Rainbow Gardens Pet Memorial Center) when my own cat died last year, I found that one can really form an attachment to virtual pets. I nearly lost my boy cat, Magic, to a SL inventory glitch but was relieved when the great folks at Kittycats were able to retrieve him for me in less than 24 hours.

I found a cute milk carton house for my kitties and then added some other virtual pets -- a bunny, free Fourth of July Biobreeds Beagle, a blue jay (I keep in a cage), and an aquarium. Not all of these pets need to be fed and most are relatively low prim, but, as in real life, there is still a cost to keeping them (but no vet bills except the fee for some medicine if they do get sick). The best thing, of course, is that they don't die. However, Amarettos can be sent to "Horse Haven," and Kittycats can go to "Happily Forever," if you don't want to sell them or keep them for some reason.

I have to say I enjoy my SL pets, and they are somewhat easier to care for than RL pets. I'm glad SL offers this option for pet lovers.

Time Flies When You're Busy

2011-06-16T19:49:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I just realized I haven't written for this blog since April. I simply haven't had the time. Between working full-time at the library, taking care of my six- year old daughter (I can't believe she's going into second grade already in the fall), and keeping up with my Second Life, it isn't easy. Yes, I know, if I cut my online time, I'd have a lot more time to do things (but writing this blog, of course, wouldn't be one of them). So what would I do if I had the time? I gave this some consideration and came up with a theme for this post. It's not a bucket list or a list of resolutions. It's simply stuff I'd do if I had some extra hours in the day. And btw this is not in any order of priority because I had no time to do that -- lol.

1. Get more sleep (I know that's not being productive, but after learning that not getting 8 hours of sleep a night can put on weight, it makes me wonder what I'm missing).

2. Get more excercise (I still can't seem to find the time to work out too often and this also goes along with #1 as far as weight loss).

3. Read more books (I used to read so much more before I had a child or started SL. Both of these take a toll on that, although I have read a lot more kids books and notecards -- lol).

4. Write another novel (I miss writing but never seem to get back to it).

5. Write to sell (maybe getting back to article writing would be more worthwhile and pay more).

6. Take a class (I enjoy learning and wouldn't mind taking a class to learn something new, but I'd probably gravitate toward a computer class while an excercise one might be more helpful.)

7. See my family more (it seems I hear less and less from my relatives, and some of us only communicate on Facebook).

8. Buy more stuff for myself (not online). I'm not much of a shopper but, besides buying online in rl or SL, I hardly shop in stores anymore and when I do, I end up buying stuff for my daughter.

9. Travel (of course this takes money, too)

10. Clean (this is a big one. I tried the little by little approach in my house organizing my desk and closets, and it takes forever. If I had a chunk of time, I could really do it justice).

11. Go to the doctors and dentist (I hate taking time off from work or vacation to do this, but the longer you put appointments off, the worse it gets).

12. Spend more time in Second Life (oh, no. Sad but true).

Hoppy Easter

2011-04-20T10:33:00.000-04:00

My daughter is very excited about Easter which is natural at her age (6), but her excitement was dampened by a case of strep throat recently. Hopefully, she will be all better by Easter and, since she is in Catholic school, she has the week after Easter off and should definitely be recovered by then. I'm planning our annual Easter Egg hunt where I hide eggs filled with toys and candy around the house on Easter morning (I won't hide any real eggs, although we will color them. The plastic eggs are safer to hide in case some are not discovered (when real ones go bad, they tend to smell). We will also be spending time with family, and she will not doubt get lots of baskets, candy, and small Easter toys.

Dulcie in her bunny outfit at Rainbow Gardens

In Second Life, I've already hosted two Easter parties -- one for my Rainbow Gardens Pet Memorial Center and one for my neighbors on Seahorse Isle. It was nice to interchange decorations and dance balls, althoughI had enough room to set up an egg hunt on Seahorse and enough prims for a 10-person bunny hunt line dance. Most people came with ears and tails, and we even had one avatar bunny. It was a lot of fun.

Dulcie in the SING party bunny hop line

Throughout the month, I've also participated in SL egg hunts sponsored by some shops and enjoyed visiting Easter Town where I had the chance to race on the back of a Peep and float in an Easter eggshell (where else but in SL could you do that?) and also hunt eggs and bunny hop.

Dulcie in an Easter eggshell at Easter Town

Whatever you do in rl or sl to celebrate Easter, have a "Hoppy" one!

Spring in SL

2011-03-26T11:34:00.000-04:00

I know it snowed here the other day, although it cleared up pretty quickly, but spring is still on its way despite the cold temps. In Second Life, you can have spring, summer, or any season you want all year round. But if you prefer to follow the calendar, you can start working on your house and garden to make it ready.

Dulcie on her new patio

Dulcie by her new fountain

As March came around, I began to think it would be nice to add some outdoor stuff to my SL house. I "planted" some flowers and added a patio. I found a nice bistro table and chairs set that coordinated nicely with the wrought iron fence around my house and then bought a fountain from the same shop where I'd found the furniture, B&D Designs. The price and prims were reasonable, and the arrangement comfortable for spending more time outdoors.

Another spring project at my house includes breeding my two Amaretto horses, a feat I'm not sure how is accomplished but which should yield some interesting results. My female horse, Star, actually just became pregnant to my surprise by our male horse, Steam. I was playing around with the breeding menu, and I guess I did something right. The little foal is expected on Tuesday.

I'm also planning some Easter parties at home as well as at my pet memorial center. What is spring without an Easter egg hunt, spring outfit, and bunny hop dances? In SL, all of these are in abundance. I look forward to the warmer weather in rl but, for now, I am enjoying spring in SL.

First Travelogue Tour

2011-03-20T17:06:00.000-04:00

I recently joined the CVL (Community Virtual Library) Travelogue group, a new group that will offer tours of a variety of Second Life places on a quarterly basis. Our first tour's theme was "Places to Play." We visited 3 locations: Chelsea's Diner and Bowling Alley; http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vitae/127/162/1503, and the Celestial Game Tower.

Chelsea's diner and bowling alley
1st stop on Travelogue Tour

At Chelsea's Diner and Bowling Alley, our guide, Aiyden Crystal, showed us around the diner and bowling alley that also featured a nice game room. The bowling alley has three lanes that can accomodate groups of 4 per team. He also showed us a bit of the Butterfly Kisses sim which is PG-rated. We saw the ice cream shop, and he pointed out some of the clothing and other stores that are on the sim, as well as a mini golf course. Everyone agreed this is a great place to go with friends.

Bumper Cars next to the Movies @ Vitae
2nd stop on Travelogue Tour

The next stop on the Travelogue tour was the Movies and bumper cars @ Vitae where I showed the group the theater that features a concession stand with popcorn and other goodies and shows full-length films. By clicking on the box in front of the screen and adjusting your media settings, you have your choice of shows. All directions are on a notecard, and you can even sync the movies for your friends to watch the same shows with you. Next to the theater is the bumper cars which temporarily rez at your command and disappear when you vacate them. Groups can have a lot of fun playing on these, and our group enjoyed a hands-on demonstration.

Celestial Game Tower
Final stop on Travelogue Tour

The last location visite was the Celestial Game Tower where owner, Sorina Garrigus, showed us an amazing collection of all types of SL games that can be purchased or played on-site. She said there are over 300 games on display!

The next set of tours will be of historical places, and I am looking forward to attending, if not leading the group this time. There are so many places to see in SL, so a group like the CVL Travelogue is one that can help introduce residents to those they have never visited before and may definitely want to explore further on their own.

My Rockin Rez Day

2011-03-07T19:18:00.000-05:00

I just turned 4 in Second Life yesterday, and I celebrated with some friends. We went to a bowling alley and then to a fifties-themed sim. We all dressed up in 50's clothes. It was a real blast.

Chelsea's Bowling Alley and Diner

The Chelsea's diner and bowling alley is on the Butterfly Kisses sim. Besides bowling, there are several other things to do both indoors and outdoors including a movie theater and mini golf course. The building that houses the bowling alley also has an arcade room and diner. The bowling alley has 3 lanes, and 4 people can be on a team. It's a little tricky to learn how to maneauver the ball in mouselook, but my friends seemed to catch on pretty quickly. I still need to practice, but I'd definitely recommend it as a fun night out.

Celebrating my Rerz Day with Friends at Runaround Sue's

Runaround Sue's is a great 50's themed sim with a full calendar of DJ music playing terrific oldies. The dance floor itself has some incredible dances from the twist to line dancing to just great Rock and Roll moves. There is even dancing inside the ice cream shop/diner that also sells some fifties clothes and hair. The rest of the sim is quite attractive with a lighthouse, lover's lane, and shops selling a variety of 50's items -- all with a laid-back summer feel. Posters of popular fifties personalities decorate the main walkway. It's the kind of place that's fun to visit anytime and is especially fun to go to with friends.

I enjoyed my rockin rez day and hope to go back to both places again.

My SL Horses!

2011-02-24T14:22:00.002-05:00

Dulcie with Star, a white female Palomino Amaretto

I don't ride horses in real life, but I thought it would be fun to buy some horses in Second Life. I had no idea the marketplace for them is so big. Not only can you buy a horses to ride, you can buy ones that breed, too! It seems horses is a big SL business. They are sold, auctioned, and housed. The most popular are the Amarettos.

I began to shop for just the right horse, but I didn't realize how much was involved. These horses have stats, information about parentage, eye color, need to be fed, kept happy by riding, and age. A horse has to be at least 7 days to breed but no older than 120 days. Afater 120 days, the horse will no longer breed, but you can keep it as a pet. Along with a male and female horse, unless you buy a bundle which looks like a hay bale but turns into a horse in 3 days after it is "born," you also need to buy food and a barn or stable to keep the horse. Optional purchases include snacks, a salt lick to make it happy, aphrodesiacs if your horses aren't mating as quickly as you'd like, saddles and bridles, etc. It can be quite costly to keep them. Male horses are a bit more expensive to buy because there are fewer of them born.

Now if you really want to get into horsing, there are sims you can ride them, groups you can join, and lots of cowgirl outfits and other western clothing for you to wear. I took a few shots of myself with one of my horses wearing some of my new cowgirl outfits. Yeere Hah!

My SL Valentine

2011-02-11T14:14:00.002-05:00

I have to admit that I have never been to a SL Valentine's party in the nearly four years I've been a resident. But this year, some friends and I are having one up on the top level of our new clubhouse/treehouse. I found some decorations on the Marketplace and in my inventory and helped set up the deck that overlooks our beautiful winter scenery. The view is nothing short of breathtaking. I got lucky finding a heart dance floor that also included a set of twinkling red heart lights that I strung all around.

All that was left before the party was for me to decide what to wear. Not an easy task in rl or SL! We had decided that the dress code for the party would be formal, so I went about checking all my red, pink, and purple gowns to see what was suitable. I also looked in my favorite stores to see what they were offering. Since SL clothing tends to be a bit revealing, which is often an understatement, I wanted something that was attractive but classy. I narrowed it down to 3 dresses and had to try them on with accessories. My choices were between a pink and purple gown with wide bustle skirt and surprise bustline from Lushish Catz,

a slimline dark gown with high leg slit and ruby heart accents along the shoulder from Dressed by Lexi,

and a simple yet captivating gown from Yess that came with 3 skirt options.

I considered a new hairstyle, but I couldn't find anything I liked better than my current style. Of course, I had to have a manicure and find the right makeup to go with everything. It seems that even in SL, women have a harder time getting ready for these things.

So when I finally chose the perfect outfit, and it turned out not to even be one of the above -- lol, I was prepared for the party. I also ended up changing my hair to show off my jewelry. I had to say my avatar looked gorgeous, sexy but not slutty, which is what I was striving for. I am a librarian, after all.

Trying to Lose It!

2011-02-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

I think the most popular New Year's resolution is to lose weight, especially since we all overeat during the holidays. But for those, like myself, who keep procrastinating starting a diet, it can give a nudge for us to begin. Now I admit that it isn't easy to get started, keep at it, and then maintain any loss you achieve. That's been my problem over the several diets I've been on in my lifetime. But, lately, I decided that dieting is not really the answer for people who need to lose. Healthy eating and exercising is more important.

Since I'm a librarian, I am aware of all the weight loss books out there, and any new diets that appear in print. Before Christmas, I read the Mayo Clinic diet and thought it might be good to try because it focused on healthy eating and exercising. I bought myself a copy for Christmas. I still hadn't started dieting until a few days ago because I had to find the right time to start. The ironic thing is that, just before I was ready to begin, I read a Facebook post about a website called "Lose It" where you can calculate your calories and exercises over the internet and also on your iphone. Since it was free, I thought I'd take a look at it.

Screen from iphone app

I was surprised to find that Lose It, for a free online program with an accompanying app, is so well designed. I hardly needed to access help to use it. Another good feature is the forums and friends option so that people using it can support one another. The weekly reports, goals, and motivators are also nice to use, and the numerous reward badges are fun and inspiring. There is a book that actually was written after the program launched, and I have it on reserve at my library but only out of curiousity, as the program itself is self explanatory. It can be used with any diet, although it is based on calorie counting. Although the Mayo Clinic diet doesn't require calorie counting but habit changes, the two of them work well together, at least for the three days I've been on it. I'm not sure if I've lost anything, but I've been keeping to it and will know on Sunday.

What I like most about Lose It (and I'm not a rep), is that, for people like me who spend a lot of time on the computer (most of who are overweight btw), it is a convenient way of keeping track of what you are eating which is a very important part of dieting. And, when you are away from the computer, you can track things on your iphone, both sync perfectly. Of course, the price itself makes it worth it to try. Trying to Lose It with Lose It makes a hard undertaking a little bit easier.

Snowbound Makes for SL Decorating Fun

2011-01-27T17:16:00.001-05:00

Well, the East got hit again with another snowstorm, and I'm off from work today. I had some time to play around with my SL house (yes, I know I should've spent that time cleaning my rl house, but this is way more fun). In any case, I decided to decorate for Valentine's Day, and one thing led to another. As you can see, I added a beautiful silk-upholstered red couch, chair, and love seat to my living room with gold accent pillows and a heart rug. The whole set came from ETC., including the vases of roses, candles and endtables. Actually, there was much more to this set, but I didn't want to use too many prims (although most items in it are quite reasonable).

What you may not notice in my photo is the grouping of Valentine cards on my fireplace mantle shelf. A low-prim fireplace also comes with this deal, but I decided to keep my own. If you want to add some pretty boxes of gift-wrapped presents, those are in the set, as well.

Although this furniture is intended for Valentine's Day, it can be used at other times of the year, too. I'll probably do something lighter for the spring, but the cost was very reasonable, and so many of the pieces can be interchaged.

There are some other decorations I added independent from this set, and I haven't included the Valentine gazebo I put on my property either, but let's just say I'm set for February 14. Decorating in SL can be time consuming, but it's a lot of fun. I wish I could buy a living room set like that for $1.13 including delivery.

Winter Wonderings

2011-01-19T15:51:00.042-05:00

Snow, Snow, go away. Lately, that's been my refrain. We've had a bad winter so far in the NorthEast, as have other parts of the country. Our first big storm, only a day after Christmas, brought 20 inches to our area. We got about 8 more inches last week, and they are predicting more this weekend, although the last few days have seen rain with warmer temps. I can stand the winter when it's sunny and at least 40 degrees outside, but, otherwise, I can do without it. I know I complain when it's too hot and humid in the summer, but I really love wearing less clothes and enjoying longer days.

So, I wonder, if I'm not a fan of winter in real life, why do I enjoy it so much in Second Life? Why do I find the beauty of our new snow-laden sim so breathtaking? Why have I made friends with penguins and polar bears? Why did I even buy a winter igloo and snowy gazebo for my property? Am I crazy? Well, in SL, you really can't feel the cold. But tell that to all the clothes designers who are selling sweaters and winter coats for the season. The new layer options are really helpful, too. I have to admit I'm dressing warmer in SL myself. In real life, I don't often go ice skating, but I have an ice skating rink right outside my door in Second Life. I also recently found a really fun sled that seats up to 4 people. It can get a little hairy going over mountains at top speed, but it is rather fun. I still have to master SL snowball throwing, but my boots are keeping my feet dry as I walk through prim snow.

When I am sick of outdoor winter activities in SL, I can cozy up in my snow-covered cabin by my fireplace with my kitty cat and drink some hot cocoa that is one of the choices from my bar dispenser. Or, if I am daring, I can teleport to a tropical beach and soak in the sun.

When not in SL, I don't participate in too many winter activities, and I can't take a Florida vacation to escape the cold either. So I spend most of my indoor time when I'm not at work playing board games and, yes, computer games with my daughter, reading; and, when I get especially bored, even cleaning and housework. Recently, I've also started some writing again, not novels or short stories, but blog articles. I joined a blog of two good friends, Verde and Pie, and am now writing for "Eye on the Grind" as well as "Rainbow Notes." It's another way to spend the cold months but something I can do year round, too.

Making Plans, not Resolutions

2010-12-31T18:44:00.014-05:00

I'm not really one for going out on New Year's Eve or for making resolutions that are too easily broken, but this year I thought about some things I'd really like to do and a few things I really need to do next year. On the "Like to Do" list for 2011 is taking my daughter to Disney World, reading a few good novels and maybe writing one (if I can get my energy back into that), and generally just having more fun whether it be in real life, Second Life, or both.

On my 20ll's "Need to Do" list are lose weight and exercise, organize my stuff better (both in rl and SL. I can't tell which is in poorer shape my SL inventory or my rl closets), and find time to relax more and stress less (which maybe should be the first one on this list because it's such a big one for me).

I don't know how my list compares to others, but it really doesn't matter. My goals are flexible, and I may not achieve them this year, but they are something to aim at. Taking my daughter to Disney will take some planning, not to mention a lot of money, but it will be worth it, something she will remember for years to come. The same is true of my other "wants" and "needs." There will be time and effort involved to do or get them, but it will be worth it. By dieting and exercising, I'll feel a lot better. If I organize my stuff better, it will also ease my stress because it will make things easier to find (and isn't that a skill I should have as a librarian?). If I learn to relax and have fun and stress less, it will be a big plus for my health.

So those are my two lists for 2011, not resolutions but more like wishes, or maybe plans would be a better term for them. Happy New Year and good luck with your own plans in 2011.

Tis the Season to be Busy

2010-12-01T12:19:00.012-05:00

I'm writing this on December 1. Although I started my holiday shopping over a month ago when I was doing my daughter's birthday shopping, too, I am still getting a bit panicky. I've ordered most of my gifts online through Amazon, Ebay, or other online sellers. What's getting me nervous is the thought of wrapping all those gifts that I did not realize were as many as I had originally planned to buy. The thought of my credit card bill in January is daunting, too.

But my major concern is finding the time to do everything and have some seasonal fun, too, both in rl and SL. As most Second Life residents know, it is a tough act to balance both real life and Second Life activities. When a very good friend decided to have her wedding in mid-December and asked me to be her bridesmaid, I was very happy and looking forward to the occasion. Now, after planning an engagement and two holiday parties in SL, as well as preparing for my rl holidays, I'm getting a little jittery. That's not to say I won't enjoy it. I will immensely. It's just that time goes so fast when you're older and, when you're a kid, you don't have to worry about buying and wrapping gifts, writing out Christmas cards, and fitting everything in between work and your regular daily activities. Add Second Life into that equation and things get even more hectic, even though they are lots of fun.

The winter season is actually one of the most enjoyable in SL, and you don't even have to worry about getting cold, although some of the ice and snow on winter sims can give you a little chill. Just turn your heat or fire up while you log on, and you're all set. Lots of holiday cheer abound throughout SL if you have the time to check them out or hold your own party. I guess the hectic pace is just part of the fun. No time to chill until the New Year.

Celebrations, Real and Virtual

2010-11-02T16:19:00.013-04:00

I just realized I didn't post my usual monthly blog. Part of the reason for that is I had a very busy October. Besides planning three birthday parties for my daughter who just turned 6, one of which was on Halloween, I have also been busy in my Second Life helping to plan an upcoming engagement party for my friend who is getting married in December. A few of the wedding party members, friends, and neighbors got together the end of October and visited each other's islands to look at the decorations that were put up. Some were spooky; others funny, but all were creative. They ranged from halloween/fall rides such as a haywagon and haunted carousel, to piles of virtual leaves on which to jump or recline; a haunted house and graveyard where blood rained; and a cute pumpkin house complete with comfy living room and seasonal decor.

Celebrating in SL is fun and, while not as much work as in real life because the cleanup is so easy, it can still be time consuming. What sometimes takes the longest is shopping for items or trying to locate them in your inventory. And, of course, the big challenge is finding the room and prims to fit everything and coping with the lag once you do. But, even if you choose not to decorate your own place or are currently homeless, no matter what time zone you are in or what holidays or events you celebrate, it isn't difficult to find places that are selling decorations, holding dances or other events, or just looking festive. A quick check of the Destination Guide usually includes special seasonal sims to visit.

So when you trick or treat, eat your turkey, wrap gifts, go to a birthday party or wedding, remember that you can do all these things virtually, too. Friends will add to the fun. One of the most popular activities in Second Life beyond shopping is partying. Have fun. Immerse yourself. Celebrate!

The Best Laid Plans

2010-09-20T16:07:00.010-04:00

I'm a planner, even though I'm a bit disorganized. This trait has carried over to my Second Life and, while it has its good points, it also has some bad ones. Usually everything turns out okay, but not always exactly as I've planned. And, like real life, Second Life, has its own unique challenges which can get in the way of best laid plans.

Take for instance two recent SL experiences of mine. The first was when I was working on an article for the Simseeing section of the fall issue of RezLibris Magazine. My collaborator and I had discussed covering a certain story but, as certain real life circumstances prevented us from working on it sooner, when we were close to deadline, we learned that the person we needed to interview would be unavailable. As time was very short for the deadline, we had to find another place to cover and completely revised our theme. I then could not get in touch with the owner of the sim for an interview, so my collaborator came up with the idea of my writing a poem to illustrate the machinima he would be shooting. The result was "Alirium: a Sim for All Seasons."

The second example of when my plans didn't turn out the way I had envisioned but still worked out well was when I recently threw a party that included a treasure hunt. The hunt was pirate-themed and included several keys and a treasure chest. I followed the directions on the notecard, hid all the keys, and added the prize to the treasure chest. The object was for each player to search for a key and then find the treasure chest. The person who did both first would open the chest and find the prize. Each time a key was found and a person took it, a copy would go into that person's inventory. That was how it was supposed to work, but it didn't. My treasure hunters found the keys, but the keys were not copied into their inventories. To make it even more difficult, the group chat that I had hoped to use during the game to keep in touch with the players who were all part of a group I'd created, wasn't working. Despite these problems, and my dashed expectations, all worked out well when someone found the treasure chest, told me where she'd found a key, and I simply transferred the prize to her. It wasn't exactly what I had planned, but it worked, and everyone enjoyed the hunt and party even though it wasn't perfect which just goes to show that you should never plan anything in too much detail in real life and especially Second Life.

I know I will still continue to plan, but I will also now be aware that those plans are just tentative, subject to last minute changes and improvisations. Isn't that what life is all about, after all?

Summer at Sesame

2010-08-29T20:05:00.008-04:00

I've been pretty busy this summer and am thankful I've been better healthwise than I was last year (although, I've still had a few problems, but nothing serious). Between horse camp, pool parties, and playdates, my daughter has been busy, too. We also managed a trip recently to Sesame Place in Pennsylvania, my daughter's first overnight trip in a hotel. She had a terrific time. I also enjoyed it, despite how tiring it was. We spent two full days at Sesame Place and then visited the Crayola Factory and canal museum on the way home. Below and to the left are some photos from our trip. I took over 100, and my daughter helped me put them into a Cookie Monster album after they were printed. Now it'll be back to school soon and the end of the summer. But we have some nice memories and are looking forward to another trip (to be determined) next summer.

Only in a Virtual World

2010-07-21T15:32:00.028-04:00

My co-worker at the library recently joined Second Life and is enjoying it immensely. She's experienced some things she could never dream of doing in real life, and I have had a good time (and have also learned) along with her, even though I've been living the virtual life for the past three years. In a virtual world, you never stop learning which is why so many librarians and educators have become involved. We now share a house on my island, although I recently put up a treehouse for her so she could have her own private space. She attended the barbecue at my house at which I introduced her to some friends and neighbors and also had a good time at the Ice Cream Social I had at Rainbow Gardens for the pet book exhibit opening for the Community Virtual Library's summer book fair. One of the highlights was spinning around on an ice cream cone merry go round. Where in real life can you do that?

I've also shown my new SL cohort, Twilight, the pleasures of freebie shopping and introduced her to midnight manias and lucky chairs. Where in real life can you sit in a chair with the letter of your first name on it and win a prize or click on a board and have a prize delivered to you if a certain number of other people have done so, too?

And where in real life can you create a memorial center for pets where people can add photos of their deceased pets to a pet viewer and view exhibits or attend events related to pets? Where in real life can you fly on a book to various spots that feature children's books with links to the works and the authors? Where in real life can you see or set off beautiful fireworks without the fear of any dangers or breaking any laws? Where can you buy a gown for $2 or a house for $5 or even get some for free? Where can you find events going on 24 hours a day? Where do you get to celebrate two birthdays, your real one and the date you joined SL (your rez day)? Where can you dress formal, casual, or even as a bunny or mermaid and always fit in? Where can you immerse yourself in your dreams and see them come to life? Where can you meet people from all over the world who can become real friends even though you only know them online?

It's been fun but sometimes a challenge explaining to Twilight how to change clothes (the importance of underwear if you're wearing a dress or skirt and are flying); how to eat and drink; how to join groups; how to open boxes, and how to flirt with handsome avatars (the last I think she picked up all on her own).

So now, Twilight is on a crusade to persuade other library staff to join us in the virtual world. One of my neighbors and a good friend in SL suggested we might get our own library island one day. I kind've doubt that. There's a lot of resistance and kidding when the topic comes up. If naysayers tried it, though, they might change their mind. Twilight even hesitated at the beginning, as did I. Now she is sharing a jetski with one of our neighbors, rope climbing on mountains, dancing by clicking on ice cream sundaes, riding boats down rivers, diving in my inground pool, relaxing on her bear rug in her treehouse -- all just the beginning of the virtual experience. And all it takes is an open mind and a computer.

Having Fun in the SL Sun

2010-06-14T16:48:00.010-04:00

I recently hosted a pool party which was also a surprise real life birthday party for a friend in Second Life.

One of the reasons I rented land in SL, besides having a private place to change, was to also have a place where I could invite friends for get togethers. While these parties take a bit of planning and some work, they usually turn out well worth it because they are lots of fun. Add a nice music stream, decorations, and games for a group, and you have the makings of a good SL time. In this case, I asked a DJ friend to stream the music and my friend who happens to live across from my island to host part of it at his place where he had a great idea to do a fireworks show, too.

One of the highlights of the party aside from the swimming, dancing, bouncing on the bouncer, soaking in the hot tub, playing a beach ball game which didn't quite work but, hey, this is SL we're talking about, and watching the fireworks, most people enjoyed the Truthball game where we took turns answering questions about ourselves. Some of the answers were funny; some serious, but they were all a good way to learn about one another -- something that isn't always easy to do in chat or at regular SL meetings. One of the interesting things I noticed was how similar the answers were to the question about what brought people to SL and what keeps them here were. Almost all of us, and keep in mind we are a group of librarians, came here for professional reasons and are staying because of the friends we made here.

There really doesn't have to be a reason for a party in Second Life. Any excuse will do for a virtual good time.

Friends Never Leave You

2010-06-03T05:55:00.013-04:00

I lost a friend last week and nearly lost another. The one who passed away was not a close friend, but I knew and admired her. The one who had a sudden emergency is one of my best friends. Both of them I met in the virtual world, Second Life. As I've written in this column before, that makes no difference to me. A friend is a friend no matter where you meet them, and when you find one, you are very lucky. It is not easy to find or keep friends in today's world with all our time limits, pressures, and other obligations. But friends are so important. They make a big difference in our lives.

Daisyblue Hefferman was a sweet and very talented lady who touched many lives. Her family knew what her virtual friends meant to her and contacted them when Daisy was taken ill with a serious stroke. When Daisy passed away, the community of librarians in Second Life mourned her with a special memorial service while her real life funeral was taking place, and many memorials were created to honor her in the place she contributed to with many innovative projects and which she loved so very much.

During the time Daisyblue was in the hospital and people were sending her get well messages and posting photos and videos of her work in Second Life to her Facebook page, Verde Otaared suffered a heart attack and had to have cardiac surgery to put stints in one of her arteries. Messages about her also appeared on Facebook. Fortunately, to everyone's relief, Verde pulled through and is currently making her recovery.

I learned a few lessons from this and also from my hospitalization last year for sudden severe asthma attacks. First, I saw the strength of the library community in Second Life, and this was far from a surprise. As someone commented during Daisy's ordeal, librarians are great people, but the librarians in Second Life are especially so. I also learned that things we take for granted such as our health and sometimes our friends, often our family, need to be our priorities in life. So many of us worry about such little things, although at the time they seem of major importance. When things like this happen, it opens your eyes. Lastly, I learned that friends never leave you even if they pass away. They stay with you as the fond memories you shared and live in your heart the rest of your life. That's the power of friendship, the miracle of the bond people can share whether it's for a short or long time, whether it's purely online, in a virtual world, or in real life. It's something you can't ever lose and something that needs to be treasured.

I was very touched when I attended Daisyblue's memorial and visited Heartsease Gardens where Daisy's plaque was added to those members of the SL library community who have also passed on. What a wonderful way to keep these friends close to us, as if they would ever leave.

My Spring Vacation

2010-05-20T09:04:00.028-04:00

I recently took a short trip to nearby Spring Lake, New Jersey. Even with a little bit of traffic out of New York, it took only about 2 1/2 hours and the drive was even a bit shorter coming back. I chose Spring Lake because my husband and I had really enjoyed a trip we took years ago to Cape May, and I heard this was closer and somewhat similar. I did notice differences. I'd still like to go back to Cape May one day, but Spring Lake, on the Jersey Shore, was very pretty, and I enjoyed the trip very much and would highly recommend it as a place to relax but also a place with a variety of things to do if you are so inclined.

While we were in Spring Lake, we toured some of the nearby towns. Most of them have small shopping villages and a beach front. Ocean Grove featured some of the Victorian homes like Spring Lake and a very nice area of antique and boutique shops. I found a unicorn statue for my daughter's bedroom at the Scarlett Unicorn which had an assortment of items (only a few unicorns) in both their upstairs and downstairs shop. We ate at an outdoor cafe, Yvonne's, in town which also had indoor seating. The weather throughout our 3-day trip was picture perfect, and I took almost 400 photos using my iPhone because there were so many lovely spots.

We stayed at the Hewitt Wellington, a condo hotel across from the lake and not far from the long strip of Ocean Avenue beaches. Our room was a very comfortable suite with a coffee maker, refrigerator, and couch in the sitting area and a separate bedroom and a bath with a shower. The hotel also has a wraparound porch with wicker furniture where you can sit and look across at the lake. It was very relaxing to do this. On the last day of our stay, some folks were operating remote-controlled sailboats that were pretty to watch.

While in Spring Lake, we saw a play at the Spring Lake Community House which also houses their library (which, of course, I had to check out - no pun intended). We saw the Secret Garden on Friday night and just missed a very quick rainstorm as we got to the theater. The performance was excellent and the small theater had a full audience.

Also on the trip, I visited Jenkinson's Pavilion in Mount Pleasant which features a small aquarium, carnival stands on the boardwalk where my husband and I won stuffed animals for our daughter by throwing darts to pop balloons, and restaurants and souvenir shops.

Three days wasn't enough to see all the attractions on the Jersey Shore, and I'm told the crowds are heavy in the summer, but it's a place you can enjoy year round. I was sad to leave and even stayed an extra night but had to get back to work on Monday. Vacations are never long enough.

Finding Your Special Place in SL

2010-05-04T07:06:00.016-04:00

My real birthday is May 9 which falls on Mother's Day this year. In second Life, the day my avatar, Dulcie, was "born" or what residents refer to as a Rez Day is March 6. I like to celebrate both days, as many people do. I don't always do anything big, although I've had a few Rez day parties. For my real birthday, I also like to do something in SL. It's always nice to have an excuse for a party or celebration, and there are so many places to dance, explore, or just have a good time with friends.

When trying to plan a place to go, I wanted to try some place different than the old standby, the Jazz Cat on Info Island International, although I always enjoy going there, as do many of my fellow SL librarian colleagues and friends. I asked for some recommendations but, of course, just like asking for a book recommendation, everyone's taste is different. I also checked SL blogs and the Destination Guide. I didn't really know exactly what I was looking for, but I thought I'd know it when I saw it. The problem was that there were too many choices, and I really wanted to visit each one to see what they were like.

I saw a play advertised, Alice in WonderSland, and thought that might be fun to try, but it wasn't performed on the day that worked best for me. I also considered a SL cruise that one of my friends had tried aboard the SS Galaxy or even a more daring voyage on the HRS Titanic. But when I visited Foxxie's Ballroom and Jazz Club in Shadowfox, I felt that I'd found the place where I wanted to celebrate. In addition to a really breathtaking ballroom of gold, silver, and black, the grounds of the Shadowfox sim feature lovely gardens scattered with dance balls, a gazebo, and a pretty lake with swans. You can take a hot air balloon or horsedrawn carriage tour of the area, have a free photo taken, row a rowboat on the lake, and, of course, shop. As far as dancing, the Ballroom has a strict formal dress code, but it is a classy place and worth the effort. Besides most ladies love to take out their gowns from inventory every once in awhile or buy a new one for the occasion, and men can always find a tuxedo tucked away in their inventories.

So next year, I may celebrate my Rez Day or birthday by seeing a play or taking a Second Life cruise or maybe I'll find another nice place or even just stay home, but, this year, I will enjoy a special night at Foxxies. I am looking forward to it.

A Poetic Look at Virtual Friends

2010-04-24T16:01:00.020-04:00

I recently won second prize in the Community Virtual Library's poetry contest for my poem, "Virtual Friend" which is reprinted below. I posted the poem on Facebook and was both surprised and pleased that so many people commented about it. Hollyjean Allen felt it expressed her own feelings about her friends in Second Life so accurately that she wants to send a few of them a link to it. When I wrote it, I did have a certain SL friend in mind, but I realize that most of the sentiments are quite general and can be shared by many. I certainly believe that virtual friends can be as important to a person's support network, and sometimes even more so, than real life friends, although I also think that friends are friends, whether you meet them online or in person.

One of the lines in my poem asks, "Where do you find a friend?" Friends can be found anywhere, but there are many degrees to friendship. A person is lucky to have a close friend that they can share their ups and downs with. When we're young, we sometimes have a "best friend" that becomes almost like a brother or sister. But as we grow older, it's sometimes not as easy to form close friendships because we are involved in so many other things and have hardly the time for ourselves and our relatives, let alone a friend. It's sad that so many people go through life just having casual friendships. Whether a virtual world is the place many lonely people can find deeper friendships, I don't know. Speaking from the viewpoint of a person who is shy in real life, I do think that it is easier to strike up similarities with people online, although, of course, one must be careful. The advantage to socializing online is that the physical is not a factor, and some people may feel more comfortable revealing themselves when they are not being judged by looks or age or sex. As I also say in my poem, "Age doesn't matter, sex doesn't matter, and distance matters even less." Isn't it a great thing that people from all over the world can meet and interact via the Internet?

The photo on this blog is from a recent get together at my new SL house with a few of my virtual friends.

Here's the poem.

Virtual Friend

We met in a virtual world
a place created from fantasy
yet the friendship we formed was based on truth and reality
I can't fully grasp all that you've come to mean to me
I can tell you things that I can share with no other
I have no fear that you will hurt me, and you know your confidences are safe with me
You see me clearer than those who see me every day
even though you've never laid eyes on me
You touch me deeper than those who are always by my side
even though you've never laid a hand on me
Your support strengthens and encourages me
I am glad to share your sorrow,
You can heal my pain
just by listening.
And when we laugh together, it's at the same jokes
the ones written in the same books
but we read them from miles apart, worlds apart, and yet they are so close
as close as we are virtually.

Where does one find a friend? Not just an acquaintance but someone true, someone honest like you?
Age doesn’t matter, sex doesn’t matter
and distance matters even less
I guess
we never would've met years ago
before technology gave us a way
Today
there are so many ways to stay in touch online
You're always there for me
and I am thankful I found you along the path
It's a lonely walk otherwise
And when we walk it together, it's the same path
the one we follow that leads the same way
but we walk it from miles apart, worlds apart, and yet we are so close virtually.

Spreading the Word about Virtual Librarianship

2010-04-06T17:26:00.015-04:00

I was among five librarians recently asked to say a few words about my experience as a librarian in Second Life for a convention of the Portuguese Librarians, Archivists and Documentalists Association (B.A.D) Congress 2010.

The person who asked me, Clark Abismo (Miguel Correia in real life) is a friend of mine who I met and worked with in Second Life. I was honored to have been asked to make this presentation, although a bit nervous, because I felt it was a good opportunity not only to help a friend and colleague and introduce fellow librarians from Portugal to virtual librarianship but also to review for myself what I and other librarians, most from the Community Virtual Library, have done in Second Life.

If you'd asked me three years ago, before I'd joined SL if I'd ever make a testimony about virtual librarianship, I'd probably say you were crazy. There are still many in the library field who feel that environments or worlds such as Second Life, actually they refer to them as "games," are inhabited by people with too much time on their hands or nothing better to do than play. This couldn't be further from the truth. Most SL librarians that I know have regular full-time jobs and, although they do like to have fun in SL once in awhile such as going to dances, this helps them to network as it does in real life. And as far as the type of librarians who join SL, they come from all over the world and bring with them experience and knowledge from their own academic, public, or special libraries, and the person who started it all, Lorelei Junot (Lori Bell in real life) of Alliance Library Systems is definitely not a person you would say plays games. She is a professional in every sense of the word and has brought that professionalism to the group that continues on the Info Archipelago now as the Community Virtual Library.

So speaking to groups like B.A.D. from Portugal or other countries or even locally, we can spread the word about virtual librarianship. And maybe those who hear us might join SL or bring their libraries here. Wouldn't that be great?

The Trials of Home Ownership in SL

2010-03-09T16:28:00.026-05:00

For those of you who have been following this blog or those who are reading this for the first time or missed the last entry, I had been looking for a new place to live in Second Life. I had some offers from some friends who were very kind, but I finally settled on a brand new island or what is actually one parcel of an island that has been divided into four. These Isles, two of which I believe are still unoccupied as of this writing, are known as Seahorse Isle and are being rented by Sonja Morgwain and Jarhead Euler, two really great landlords. In fact, I know Sonja quite well. She is also the Estate Manager over on Cybrary City where the RezLibris magazine Office is located. I was thrilled when she contacted me about the availability of these rentals. She also mentioned some skyboxes, too, but since I had already spent some time in one, I wanted to try land this time.

The next step after moving onto Seahorse 3 was selecting a house. I wanted to use a different one than I had in my skybox even though I did like that one which was built by a friend, but since I had more prims to play with now, I wanted to upgrade a bit. It so happened that I had a house in my inventory that I'd never used from when I first joined SL 3 years ago. I'd never had enough land to put it out on and was eager to look at it, so I rezzed it, but even though it was a beautiful house and had some great features including a kitchen and bath, many of the scripts weren't working and, for some reason, I couldn't access the house's main control panel even though I was listed as the owner. I considered finding another house, but I really liked it otherwise, so I looked up the builder who was still in SL and sent her a IM. She responded quite quickly. Unfortunately, she told me the house was old and that she really couldn't do much to fix the scripts. She offered to refund my money, but, before she did so, it turned out that she found a newer version of the house in her inventory and that version had all the scripts corrected. I was thrilled. The sinks in my kitchen and bath now worked and so did my shower. I could control my whole house from the main control panel which included opening and closing my windows, adding ambience, etc. I couldn't thank the builder enough. She left, and I was happy and began putting out some furnishings. Well, for those who know me, even after three years in SL, I am still having trouble manipulating things. I went to take an object back, clicked in the wrong spot, and you know the rest. I took up a wall. Now I wasn't sure I could just put it back because it was a big deal with the original set up, and I wasn't about to mess with anything now, so I IM'd the builder, but she had already logged off. I left everything and waited until I heard back from her.

The next day, the builder returned and helped me put the wall back. In addition, she taught me how to lock the walls and floor of the house but strongly suggested I take some buildng classes. She also told me I shouldn't lock everything, especially the windows, because then I wouldn't be able to open and close them from the control panel. I was very glad to have my house back together again and promised her I'd be very careful and would definitely find some time to check out some building classes.

So everything was perfect until I started playing with my new kitchen. All I did was open the oven. I swear I only went to close it again. I can't even remember clicking "take," but the next thing I knew, the whole kitchen was in my inventory. Now it wouldn't have been too bad to move it back into place. It was only one piece. But it came with the scripted sink. And because I couldn't align it back with the water, it wasn't working. I didn't know what to do. I felt so terrible about sending the poor builder another IM, but I had no choice. I was so guilty that I only said in my message that the sink wasn't working. I was too embarrassed to tell her what I'd done, but I knew she'd probably figure it out. Well, of course, she did, but she was very nice about it. She'd done some of those very same things she told me and even worse but only in the first week she's been in SL, not after 3 years. But she was actually very understanding, and I thanked her profusely.

So now I have my house on my island, and I am looking forward to decorating and furnishing it. I am a bit hesitant about touching it too much. I am just too dangerous when it comes to houses. SL really needs to add an "undo" function to its options. For now, I will keep the builder's card handy and also my friends who build. And I will also look into those classes, but I do have a feeling my aptitude does not lie in that area. Not everyone is skilled in SL building. And, of course, my story is not yet over. Even as I try to end this, I had one last incident at the house. While putting out a table to prepare for a dinner party, I was changing its texture to darken the wood to match the rest of my decor when somehow I also changed the texture on two of my walls. Now I wait to hear back from the builder yet again. I am thinking to myself that while I always imagined moving into a home in SL would be so much simpler than moving into one in real life, that is not necessarily true, at least not for the SL skill challenged like me. But I will keep trying because practice is supposed to make perfect and even in the virtual world, that is probably true.

Moving Out - SL Style

2010-02-22T11:15:00.017-05:00

Circumstances just turned out that I will have to give up my skybox in Second Life shortly and find a new home. I have moved several times since I've started SL, but for some reason, this feels like it will be the hardest relocation for me. Maybe because I was the most attached to this place. I'm sure I will find something new and possibly even better, although I may have to spend more than I'd planned. I actually have been very lucky in that I've had free office and home space for so long thanks to the AVL/CVL. And it's not that I mind paying so much. It's just hard to start over again, but I'm sure it will also be fun and a nice new start. I just tend to dislike change and take things a bit seriously, two traits that are really not compatible with SL which is a very changeable and non-serious place. What's nice is that I've already had offers from some good friends about rentals and even places to stay for free while I'm land hunting. I did rent a space already but am not too sure it will be permanent.

My real life friends and husband both think I'm crazy to spend so much time and express so much angst over this situation, but some of my SL friends understand. It's almost like I'm losing my real life home. And anyone who has moved in real life, can understand how disruptive it can be.

I can remember sitting on my gazebo last summer as the sun set looking over at my pond as my swan swam across it and thinking how peaceful it was. It made me feel nice just to have a spot away from the craziness and stresses of real life just for a few moments to myself. And then when I hung my Christmas stockings over my fireplace mantle this Christmas and put up my virtual tree, it was nice to decorate in SL and it added to my holiday cheer. I was looking forward to spring planting soon and I know I can still do it elsewhere, but I will have to say goodbye to this particular place. And I am reminded once again that life is full of goodbyes to people . . to places . . . in SL and RL. I'll get over it, but I'm still sad ):

Back to Writing

2010-02-11T07:04:00.005-05:00

As my Rez Day approaches, I've been thinking of a few things I'd like to do in my next three years in Second Life (if there is another three years, one never knows). But, anyway, I really would like to learn to do some basic building. I still feel like a newbie in that regard. And if I have the time, I should try to take some classes. But since that is not where my talent really lies, what I really want to concentrate on is getting back to writing both in real life and in Second Life. After I wrote my virtual romance "Cloudy Rainbow," I tried writing another book but developed writer's block and then got involved with a lot of other SL activities, mainly working on RezLibris, http://rezlibris.com the magazine for librarians, which I am happy to report will be under new management soon but which I will still contribute, too.

I have been amazed to note how many writing opportunities there are for writers in SL. From poetry groups to writing clubs to magazines and newspapers. There are open mic nights, contests, anthologies, book readings, so many creative ways to promote your work. The Reader's Garden is a great venue and the Sci Fi Portal for Science Fiction fans. BookStacks is a wonderful group. Inksters has a large and active membership. The Learning Experience has a publishing division and offers many classes and workshops on writing. Netera Lander operates a coffee shop, tea house, and conference building where she conducts author chats. The Blue Angel's Poet Dive is also has a popular open mic poetry reading each Sunday night. The Virtual Writer's group is a great source of writing information on all SL writing activities. There are so many places and groups I can't list them all, but may can be found through a SL search.

So I am starting to let the creative juices flow because SL is the place to do that. I truly believe that SL attracts creative people. I have seen the products of so many creative individuals be it those that produce photos, machinima, builds, or stories. I hope that this will rub off on me. I know I have the stubborness -- lol and lots of ideas. All I need, alas, is the time.

No Resolutions This Year

2009-12-30T16:29:00.009-05:00

Every year on New Year's Eve I make a list of resolutions that I end up breaking within the first few days of the New Year, so I decided not to bother this year. Yes, there are things I'd like to accomplish and it's true it always helps to have goals. Yet resolutions should be ongoing and not just once a year plans.

2009 was not a very good year for me. I was sick quite often and developed asthma for which I was hospitalized this past summer for a week. Although I published my first novel, "Cloudy Rainbow" in 2008, sales were not wonderful, and I have not been motivated to either promote it or complete a follow-up book. Due to my health issues and needing more time for myself, I also made the decision to resign from my position as publisher of the online magazine, RezLibris, which was aimed at librarians in the virtual world of Second Life. I don't regret that decision, but there's always a little sadness when you give up something that's been important in your life especially when it is hard to find someone to take over your position.

So other than trying to find ways to relax more, take better care of myself, and stay healthier in 2010, I'd also like to enjoy my five year old daughter more (she's hinted at a trip to Disney World for her 6th birthday next fall which I think will do us all good), find more time for friends, and maybe I'll be inspired at some point to start writing again or, if not, that can always be my resolution for another year. For this year, being healthy and happy is my priority, and I wish that for all of you, as well.

Searching for the Virtual Meaning of Christmas

2009-11-30T20:41:00.005-05:00

It seems to pass us by each year in the rush of crowded malls and shopping centers, and I have to admit I do most of my shopping online now to avoid a bit of that. But while the season seems to start earlier and earlier each year, some decorations going up right after Halloween (and many catalog and online items being advertised in late summer), Christmas always ends up speeding by in a blur of torn wrapping paper and blinking holiday lights. Not much peace, not much joy, too much hectic, too much stress.

So I take a break and look at what the virtual world of Second Life offers, some beautifully decorated winter sims decked out with Christmas trees and ice rinks, falling snow and lovely ice sculptures. But yet again not too much in the way of the blessed. A few churches but not many nativities or mangers except those you can buy on Xstreet. I guess Virtual residents are more interested in ice skating or having virtual snowball fights than reflecting on the season, but that's okay. The magic is still there behind the pixels if you believe. And even if you don't, there are still some pretty sights.

What's most fun of all is if you own a home and can decorate it. Just watch the prims, and you're okay. It's also usually a lot easier decorating your virtual tree or hanging your virtual stockings from your virtual fireplace than doing it in your real home, and Santa would be proud to come down most virtual fireplaces. In fact, there are quite a few nice plates of cookies and hot chocolate that most virtual bakers sell that can be left out for him.

What about Christmas cards? Well, in real life, sending cards is often a chore and postage increases each year. But in the virtual world, sending a card is only a click away. Just drop them on your friends and spread the cheer.

So whether you celebrate in real life, Second Life or both, the main thing is to enjoy the season among family and friends and to remember the true meaning. It doesn't have to cost a lot to show you care. And in giving of yourself, you always receive much more back.

Reality Can be the Perfect Fantasy

2009-11-04T14:48:00.015-05:00

My daughter just celebrated her fifth birthday at the end of October. Her party was at a farm because she loves horses. It wasn't the best day weather-wise, but she and her little friends all got to take pony rides, feed baby animals, and listen to animated chickens sing the birthday song (she even got up and did a chicken dance). Just a week earlier, she had been thrilled to lose her first baby tooth and receive a dollar bill from the tooth fairy (inflation has caused the TF to increase her allowances). She was also busy this week with a Halloween party in her Kindergarten class where she dressed up as, what else, a horse. She also went back one day to her pre-school for a Halloween parade and then ended the week with trick-or-treating in the horse costume for yet another time. It was fun seeing her get all excited, although I do have to admit it was a bit exhausting for me.

Besides her birthday party at the farm, my daughter also went on a field trip with her school the day before to another farm where she said the kids got to pick pumpkins and even milk cows. She told me her cow didn't give her any milk, but she still enjoyed trying to get some. My daughter has a way with words already, but I guess it's in the genes. I showed her my farm in Farmville on Facebook, and she was so excited when one of my friends gave us a horse. But then she wanted to ride it, and I had to explain that, while you could do that in Second Life and some other games you can't do that in all games.

Next year, my daughter informed me, after she'd asked if there were anymore new gifts that I hadn't shown her, that she wants her sixth birthday party in Disney World. Will it cost too much, she wants to know, to fly her whole class there? And can we just please look at their party room?

Well, I have to say, I am tempted by the idea. I've taken out some books from the library and even showed Holly around a replica of Disney World in Second Life. She wanted to go in Cinderella's castle but was disappointed when all that she saw there were shops. She got bored, so I told her to wait for the real thing. Sometimes reality is more interesting than fantasy, but often a mixture of both can be the best combination. I can't wait until next year.

Exhibiting at a Virtual Writer's Expo

2009-10-03T14:05:00.013-04:00

Although my book , Cloudy Rainbow, was published late last fall, I missed the spring writer's exibition in Second Life. I visited it, though, and was impressed by what I saw -- the number of authors who participated and the many opportunities for promotion. I vowed I would get involved when another event was planned. So when I heard that the Autumn Writer's Exhibition (AWE) was open, I applied for an exhibit space and was given a free tent to put up my work. I already had a poster of the cover of my book with links to my website, http://debbiedelouise.com/ and a few note cards that I had used when I'd done some virtual book talks for book groups in Second Life, so I used that as the focal point of the exhibit. Then, since rainbows is a big part of my book and one of the words in its title, I added a rainbow above a comfortable book seat where visitors could sit while visiting the tent.

While this is my first time exhibiting at a virtual writer's expo, I am hopeful that it won't be the last. I don't expect to sell a lot of books through this promotion, but you never know. It also helps to network with other writers, attend the numerous events that are also offered, and just have fun. Where else can you have this type of opportunity for free?

For more information on the Autumn Writer's Exposition, see http://www.writtenword.org.uk/

Home Sweet Virtual Home

2009-10-01T06:08:00.004-04:00

There are many people who never have homes in Second Life or any other virtual world and, I have to admit, I did question the importance of having one when I first joined over two years ago. It seemed strange to want to have a place when you wouldn't spend much time there (or, at least I didn't expect to spend too much time there when I joined). But I guess the same reason people buy real homes are the same ones that persuade virtual residents to create their own cozy virtual nests -- to have a place to call "home" (especially useful to change clothes in SL); to have a place to invite friends (and hold those wild SL parties if you're so inclined); to have a spot to display your art, hobbies, or other interests as long as they don't take up too many of those precious prims that we are all so short of and that in real life are equivalent to space; and, in some cases, to have a place to share with a SL partner as one would a husband, wife, or family in real life.

I've had several virtual homes so far. Since I've moved a few times, I've changed homes with each move. I've also accidentally taken up my homes and decided to replace them with new places rather than having to bother putting them out again and figuring out where everything goes (a good excuse to redecorate). Currently, I have a new home that was built for me by a friend who heard of my plight when I took up my last home while changing clothes. He told me there was a way to lock my prims so I wouldn't keep having these accidents, so I might just be stuck with this place for awhile. I actually don't mind because it's rather cozy and fits well in my skybox.

It's really amazing to see what people do with their virtual homes. Virtual interior and exterior decorating is really a unique art form. And virtual builders also do an incredible design with so many house styles. Virtual gardening and landscaping is also a major pasttime, as is decorating one's home for the holidays. So put out those welcome mats, fresh prim flowers, and glasses of wine, it's time to toast your virtual home sweet home even if it's only on your computer screen.

Starting Off on the Right Foot after a Rough Beginning

2009-09-05T19:47:00.006-04:00

New beginnings are always refreshing. My daughter starts Kindergarten this Tuesday (probably already has by the time anyone reads this). Of course, I have high hopes for her despite the fact that this past week has been quite trying for our family. An unexpected illness landed me in the hospital and turned many of my plans upside down. And I am definitely a planner. I organize, make lists, try to anticipate all upcoming appointments, jobs, events, etc. I put a lot of stress on myself, and that's probably a big part of my problem and why I may have come down with a severe case of asthma that has never been a part of my history or background.

I've never smoked or suffered from allergies before and, other than what I thought was a regular cold I caught a few weeks ago and other annoying but minor ailments I've suffered from lately, most of them more chronic than serious, I've been pretty healthy most of my life. Besides one small surgery and the birth of my daughter, this was only the third time I'd been overnight in a hospital and actually the longest hospital stay of my life. I've seen more doctors and had more tests done than I've had in years. I'm not one who likes to go to doctors regularly, but there was no choice in this matter. I was having severe breathing attacks, coughing spasms, and felt generally miserable. I couldn't eat or sleep and could hardly talk. It was a very frightening experience. Compounding it, of course, was my concern for my young daughter. I knew she was worried about me and was also nervous about starting school. It was a hard time for her, and I wanted to be there for her.

I had also been told to remove the new cat we had recently taken in from our house, even though several doctors agreed he wasn't the cause of the problem because, before the loss of my beloved Floppy two years earlier, I'd had cats all my life but that, because of my sensitivity, it would not be a good idea to have the new cat around for awhile. It broke my heart to have to do this and I knew it hurt my daughter although she understood it was to help mommy feel better, but we were lucky that a relative was able to temporarily board the cat while I was recovering.

Other concerns, although less paramount emotionally but still of significant importance, were my having to be away from both my jobs, my real life one as a librarian and the one I have been doing in Second Life for almost a year now publishing an online magazine about a virtual world. While worries about my real life job mounted because my sick leave was used up, my boss was very understanding that my health had to come first before I could consider coming back to work. Likewise, my staff on RezLibris took over handling the monthly production work so that I could take my time recovering. They knew that even though the magazine was not a regular paying job to me, it is still very important to me.

So it's been rough. I'm home now and starting to recover gradually. I'll be off from work a little longer and also taking a break from my virtual world endeavors, too. I'm concentrating on my health and learning to relax more which can only aid my recovery. I'll spend some quality time with my daughter and see her get started at school. It's been a hard start for both of us, but we'll get through it. That's about it as far as my plans because I've learned that planning really doesn't work when anything can happen to interrupt those plans. It's one step at a time now; day to day. That's the way you start. That's the way you go on.

The Pitter Patter of Furry Feet

2009-07-28T07:57:00.005-04:00

I am proud to announce that there's been a recent addition to my home. His name is Stripey, and he's a four-month old Tabby cat. I have to admit I was hesitant to make the decision to adopt him because, if any of you know my story, I am not fully recovered from the loss of my beloved Floppy cat who passed away two years ago this coming October. But since my daughter insisted that, at four and three-quarters years old, she is old enough and because my neighbor, the cat rescuer, did not give up on persuading me take one of the kittens she was trying to find a home for, there is now the lovely sound of the pitter patter of furry feet again throughout my house.

It really is fun having a new kitten, although it does take some adjusting to (it's been some time since I had a kitten, as Floppy lived to the pretty decent age of 15). The preparation itself was pretty tiring. I had to kittenproof the house which wasn't easy in light of all the stuff a pre-schooler leaves around.

The kitten is adapting nicely. He's found some great spots to hide, but he's very social. He loves our front bay window. He's also caught several insects around the house, a few small spiders, which has delighted my daughter who shares her mother's fears of bugs. I am sure if a mouse got in the house, he'd take care of that, too, as he loves the toy mice I've given him to play with. My daughter laughs at how he runs and pounces on them.

I think it will be great that Stripey will probably grow up with Holly. As with my other cat, I intend to keep him as an indoors cat, make sure he has all his shots, and take him to the vet regularly. I know that it will be sad when he is ill or gets old, but that is part of having and loving a pet. They become part of your family.

So here's to the pitter and patter of furry feet. It's a sound I welcome hearing. Welcome, Stripey!

Even Avatars Get Sick

2009-07-14T10:06:00.018-04:00

I just got over a bad bug which threw me for a curve (high temperature, chills, that generally lousy/sick feeling). Although I've been through this many times in my life, it was a bit scarier this time with all the warnings about Swine Flu and Super Bugs. How does one stay healthy when germs are everywhere? For me, working in a public library, it is especially hard because of the germs that can be transmitted from all the adult patrons, kids, and even staff members. They tell you to wash your hands, spray Lysol around, take your vitamins, eat healthy. Do these preventions work? Sometimes and sometimes not.

Catching a virus or flu is not the only way that people get sick or feel bad. Many people suffer from chronic illnesses that, while aren't usually fatal, can be quite debilitating. Take migraines, for example, or back pain, arthritis, acid reflux, allerigies, the list is pretty long. A lot of these ailments are caused by stress, diet, or just a predisposition to them through heredity or history. It seems staying healthy, in light of all these possible conditions, is not too easy.

But getting better once one is sick is even harder because most people avoid going to doctors until they are pretty sick or in too much pain they literally have no choice. But do you blame them? Most doctors have limited office hours and then squeeze you into an already overbooked schedule which results in your waiting an hour or longer in the waiting room and then possibly an hour more in the exam room. Then, when you do get your five minutes with the doctor, he or she either orders you to go for tests, prescribes a pill that has side effects, or refers you to a specialist. That's why so many people resort to home remedies, chiropractor treatments, and acupuncture. But are these the answer? For some, but not for all.

If you belong to a virtual world like Second Life, you may also mistakenly think your avatar can't get sick. Guess what? Even though a computer-generated image is pretty indestructible (as long as your computer works that is), there are viruses other than computer ones it can catch. I'm often amazed at how many people my avatar knows who come down with colds, viruses, all the usual human complaints, and how they all swear they caught it from one another over the computer which we all know just isn't possible. On a more somber note, avatars even die. There were two deaths recently among my group of library/information people in Second Life. Where do avatars go when they die? No one really knows the answer to that either, but they are missed and mourned by those who have known them virtually. I can attest to that. Even online memorials are sometimes given in their honor or virtual trees planted in their memory.

So how do you keep you and your avatar alive and well? I guess the bottom line is trying to lead as healthy a lifestyle as you can. Don't smoke, excercise, eat fruits and vegetables, retain a healthy weight and have as much fun as you can even if it means hanging out in a virtual world. After all, laughter is the best medicine, and happy avatars are healthy avatars.

Traveling on Your Computer Saves Money and is Still Fun

2009-06-05T12:41:00.019-04:00

We're all concerned with saving money these days, so many people are travelling more locally for summer vacations. But have you considered that there are places you can go without even leaving your house and still have a great time when you visit some of the attractions of a virtual world?

If you've been reading my blog, you know that, in addition to being an author of the virtual romance, Cloudy Rainbow, I am also a publisher of a magazine aimed at librarians in the virtual world of Second Life. For this magazine, RezLibris, I have recently started a travel column that will feature monthly themes of places to go in Second Life. For instance, in our June issue that just came out, we feature an article on a museum devoted to King Tut, the Virtual King Tut exhibit at Kings Rezzable. In July, we will take a tropical vacation to the Costa Rica sims to scuba dive, horseback ride, and enjoy the many amenities of these islands. For August, we are planning more vacation fun with a trip to a Second Life amusement park or game sim. And in September it will be back to school to visit one of the many schools that offer virtual instruction or perhap one of the many real colleges that have a presence in the virtual world.

For those of you who have never experienced sightseeing in a virtual world, there are many benefits besides the financial. Have you often worried about what to wear to a party or other social event? In a virtual world, you can attend in your pajamas literally and your avatar, the 3D respresentation of yourself that you create in such a world, can wear gowns or tuxedos that cost $2 or less to buy. But you will also find that you are invited to as many pajama parties as formal events in these worlds, too!

Another benefit to virtual travel is that no passports are required; instead a password enables you to travel around the world and meet people from many countries, too. In addition to visiting many international sights that are recreated as places or sims in virtual worlds like Second Life, you may also visit locations not possible in real life -- science fiction worlds, immersive environments, role-playing lands to name a few.

But how to you find the best places to visit in a virtual world? In Second Life, many players or residents as they are known, have created blogs devoted to their travels (some of my favorites are Second Seeker, Mermaid Diaries, and SL Things to Do) as well as inworld groups catering to others who enjoy the same type of interests be it Art, Music, Science, Sports, or other entertainments. Even virtual travel agencies have sprung up along with virtual hotels, resorts, and clubs.

So for fun at your fingertips literally, pack light, save money on gas, and take a virtual vacation!

Online Friends and Virtual Pals

2009-05-05T16:38:00.015-04:00

I know there's a lot of concern in the world today about the affect computers are having on society, how reliant we are becoming on them, how they are affecting our socialization skills, especially those of younger people who have over the years gone from interacting with others in group activities such as sports and clubs to spending more time in front of computer screens emailing, chatting, and social networking with people who are often strangers. I know there are dangers involved, but being of a slightly older generation (35+), I never thought I'd become so hooked myself or find that I could develop real online friendships. Or are they real? What is the definition of friendship? Can you be a friend to someone you have never seen? Is it possible that type of friendship could even be deeper than that with friends you see every day?

To answer these questions, I reflected on my own experience. As a librarian, I've been a member of online mailing list groups for a long time where I was able to discuss some of my interests in books, cats, and parenting. But two years ago, I ventured out into another online experience. I joined Second Life, a virtual world where not only could I talk to people, but I could see them, or at least the 3D graphical represenation of themselves that they call avatars. Even more fun, I could create an avatar of myself, dress her like a Barbie doll, name her, and even have her dance to the best steps that I haven't even mastered. I have to admit I was skeptical at first and quite confused. There is a much more difficult learning curve involved in participating in a virtual world versus joining a yahoo or Google group. After two years, I still can't build anything, but I am starting to arrange the furniture in my house better than I had when I first joined. I still have problems keeping up with multitasking my private IM's with open chat, but I'm also improving there.

It's strange for me to realize that I've made more online friends during my time in Second Life than I have in real life. Is that sad? I don't really think so. What does it say about me? I've always been a bit of a loner, shy and somewhat introverted. Throughout my life, reading and writing have been my favorite pasttimes, and you know they are rather solitary occupations. So maybe that's why a virtual world appeals to me. And yet, Second Life is anything but solitary. In fact, if it were solitary, you would be bored out of your mind. The whole idea is to mingle there, find something to do, and have fun. But it can be more than that if you want it to be. It can be a place to develop real friends.

When I joined Second Life, I was lucky in that I found out about a community of librarians who had started up a great group -- what was then Second Life Library 2.0 and is now the Alliance Virtual Library. Through this group, I became involved in writing about their news, events, and happenings (yes there are virtual newspapers and magazines and most of them are online, too). I opened up my own pet memorial center after my beloved cat, Floppy, died. People actually helped me build and design it. After some time, I heard about a library magazine that was just getting off the ground and decided to join its efforts. I have been working for them for a year and am now the publisher of RezLibris http://rezlibris.com/ I oversee a staff of ten, and I consider many of them my friends. We are all in touch practically daily through email or chat and meet in Second Life occasionally, too. Two of them gave me a hand when I had to relocate my virtual home, helping me set out furnishings and landscaping. One helped me create and maintains my real life website: http://www.debbiedelouise.com.

So getting back to my question about what constitutes a real friend. The definition of a friend to me is someone you can talk to, someone you enjoy being with, and someone who you know you can trust and who will help see you through the hard times, who will be there to lend an ear and give you a hug to lift you up when you are down. Does an online friend or virtual pal fit that description? You can certainly talk to someone online or in a virtual world, but most of the chatting is done by typing words on a keyboard (using voice is now possible in most of these worlds, yet typing is still preferred). Can you really enjoy being with someone you've never met in person? Why not? I often find myself laughing at some things people write, and I actually have memories of fun things I have done with friends in Second Life, the virtual parties and dances I've attended, the incredible art and other exhibits I have viewed, the meetings and conferences I took part in.

A harder question is if you can trust someone you meet online or in a virtual world. Since these people can reveal whatever they'd like about themselves and still remain anonymous by using a pen name (whatever they call their avatars), how can one place trust in such elusive identities? And yet is meeting someone at a singles bar or even a respectable place in real life any better? Many times you just have to trust your instincts. You need to be careful, yes, but that is true in all social situations, the real as well as the virtual.

Another difficult question of whether online friends should be considered real actually concerns the real person behind the keyboard typist or avatar. Can someone you speak to on the computer actually help you in hard times? When I had some last-minute problems regarding the publication of my book, Cloudy Rainbow, I turned to an online friend to discuss the situation. Just talking about it to someone who was there to listen helped, and you'd be surprised at how little real life family members or friends really listen in that way. A virtual pal sometimes has more time and compassion for us than a distant relative or a busy friend.

Last but not least, how in the world can an online friend give a supportive hug? Well, it isn't easy but, in a virtual world, or any immersive experience, the imagination is capable of recreating physical contact. I'm not referring to any x-rated stuff that many of these virtual worlds are avoided because of. What I'm talking about is what psychologists have known for ages, that all feelings begin in the mind. Virtual hugs and handshakes are possible through imagination or animations. Not exactly the real thing, but a pretty decent substitute.

So, yes, online and virtual friendship is not only possible, it can be very rewarding. Whether or not you ever meet these people in person, they can play a very meaningful part of your real as well as virtual life.

The Tough Truth about Talent

2009-04-21T13:29:00.004-04:00

For those of you who haven't watched the amazing video of Susan Boyle's singing performance for Britain's Got Talent, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY, it's worth it to have a look. This unassuming, unattractive lady who is initially scoffed at for dreaming of a singing career, belts out a tune that is nothing less of heartrending. A lesson is here for those of us who judge a book by its cover or imagine that talent comes in any predefined or stereotyped package. In so many fields today, especially the creative ones that are so competitive, the only edges that people can get are who they know or how they look. It's sad but true. So much talent is out there waiting to be recognized that never will be.

Performers are particularly judged by their looks, and, in some fields, such as fashion, youth is a criteria for success. Writers, however, often pen their first famous works after they retire from other careers and, while a nice cover photo is great, it's not essential nor is a model-perfect figure or appearance for book tours. Still, writing talent is not often measured fairly and accurately by editors, publishers, and agents. It is not an easy task to weed out the chafe from the wheat, so to say when there are so many manuscripts vying for attention and promotion.

So how is true talent recognized and identified? How do you know if you have what it takes to shine in a world where so many wannabe stars can block your light? Think back to your childhood. What hobbies and pasttimes did you enjoy most? Did you ever have teachers compliment you especially on one of your creations or projects? Were you particularly proud of your achievements in one field? Is there something today that you still dabble in and that co-workers or friends admire? Although talent needs to be nutured, it usually is inborn. Many artists and musicians come from families of people with similar talent, although it's not purely a genetic inheritance. Often, it is being exposed to certain pursuits from an early age. For instance, most great pianists start lessons early. But not all those who begin young become virtuosos. The seed has to be there. but so does a great deal of hard work and luck.

For myself, I've always loved to write. I was encouraged by family members and teachers to continue writing and expressing myself with words. But most of what I wrote, I wrote for myself. I enjoyed seeing some of it in print in college when I wrote for my college newspaper and later when I wrote for pet magazines. But when I finally decided to self publish my romance novel, "Cloudy Rainbow," it was a different ballgame. I didn't expect to become an overnight talent or grow rich by the copies that were sold. And, of course, neither scenario has taken place. I'm glad my work is out there and am hoping to continue writing. I'm also hoping it will be recognized by a traditional publisher or an agent eventually. Like Susan Boyle, you just never know. You have to keep trying to live your dream and polishing your talent no matter what the initial reactions are.

When it Rains, it Pours, literally and virtually

2009-04-04T11:14:00.014-04:00

Have you ever had a really bad week full of really bad news? I know we all get those once in awhile, and this past week was my turn. It started when my mom informed me her cat 16-year old cat passed away. I felt bad for her because I knew what she was going through and although the cat hadn't been mine, I'd known him since he was a kitten. It also brought back the loss of my Floppy who will be gone two years this fall and whom was the both the inspiration for my book, "Cloudy Rainbow," and the pet memorial center I operate in Second Life.

The week continued with bad news. I learned a long-term patron at the library where I worked who was also a good friend had succumbed to the Cancer she was trying to fight. I had seen the woman less than a month ago. We had shared a smile and a hug. You just never know.

A few other less noteworthy things occurred both at work and at home that added to my rotten week, and then the week was topped off with a message from an online friend that both surprised and saddened me. I was surprised both by the message and my feelings about it. For the purposes of this blog piece, the circumstances don't matter. It just meant that my online correspondence with this person would change and possibly cease. Have others experienced this, I wondered? Have you ever really come to depend on the support and friendship of someone you've never met but someone you email or chat with on a regular basis over the Internet? I imagine this occurs occasionally if not commonly as our society has become so reliant on computers and more people are still lonely even if they have real life friends and family.

In my book, "Cloudy Rainbow," my main character also becomes involved with someone she meets online in a virtual world who she later learns is someone who is actually part of her real life. In a turnabout, the feelings she develops with this person online transfer to her real life relaltionship with him. When I wrote this, I wasn't basing this on any of my own experiences, even though many other events in the book are fictionalized fact. But now that this has happened to me, in a different yet similar way, I can relate. Another acquaintance I have in Second Life recently wrote a column for RezLibris, the library magazine I co-publish, saying that people often reveal more of themselves online and can become as close if not closer than in real life because they are more transparent, having only their words to share with one another. I had never thought about this, but I now see it is very true.

So while I mourn for my mom's cat and a library patron friend, I also mourn the friendship of someone I'd never met in person but whose friendship meant a great deal to me.

When it rains, it pours, literally and virtually. I hope next week is better.

Writer's Blocks

2009-03-25T10:50:00.005-04:00

I am always amazed when people say they are experiencing a "writer's block." Not that I can't sympathize; I definitely can. Although I do a lot of writing both in SL and in real life, I have often experienced times when I just couldn't find the right words or the right ideas to put on paper (or on computer, as the case may be). I am actually experiencing that right now almost halfway through my second novel (and I also experienced it at about the same point in my first novel). There are some "tricks' that can help, one of which is definitely not thinking too hard. The other is to keep writing no matter how terrible or silly you think it sounds and then worry about going back to edit later.

But there is something I thought of recently that I wanted to share on this blog -- the difference between "writer's block" and "writer's blocks." Everyone knows that writer's block is when an author is stuck and unable to continue writing a certain piece or even unable to begin writing anything. But the term writer's blocks is a totally different thing. In fact, writer's blocks can actually help a writer get over or through a writer's block. Writer's blocks are those tools a writer uses to build a story. Jenaia Morane, a Second Life friend, author, and writing instructor recently hosted a Story Quest that allowed participants to "search" for clues that were actually story prompts or blocks that they could use to create a story.

The common blocks that writers use are dialogue, setting, characterization, etc., but they can use more specific ones, too. When I was writing "Cloudy Rainbow," I used many of my own personal experiences at college working on the student newspaper as well as almost all of my experiences with my cat whose death was the impetus for my writing the book. I truly believe that fiction writing is more authentic when it is based on fact which, of course, is fictionalized but still has a stronger impact on the reader than if it is based on purely imagined characters and plots. As a block for writers, true experiences are important along with interests and feelings. If you like what you write about, if you believe in it, if it evokes emotion in you, it will do the same for the reader. Maybe not as personally, but you know, we all do try to relate to the characters we read about. And most of our experiences are similar. Don't we all experience the loss of a loved one? Don't most of us fall in love at some point in our lives? Don't we all grow in so many ways through our lives as the main characters grow in each chapter of a book?

So if when you experience a writer's block, try to think of how you can use writer's blocks for inspiration. Your writing will start to flow again before you know it.

Change is hard but necessary

2009-03-09T09:49:00.004-04:00

I just turned 2. That may seem a little strange considering I am writing this blog and have a daughter who is 4. But the explanation is simple. My real birthday is in May, but I also celebrate a birthday or what is termed a "rez" day in Second Life which I joined two years ago. It's nice having a second birthday, and this one has the added benefit of not making you feel older because you can look as young as you want depending on how you dress and design your avatar or character.

For my second year in Second Life, I decided to change my appearance slightly. Most people probably haven't noticed, but I have a new skin and shape. I didn't yet make any drastic changes like wearing a new hairstyle, but I may consider that. It's really much easier and less expensive to do a makeover in Second Life than in real life, but it's strange that one can feel so reluctant and fearful to do so. Just like in real life, change isn't easy but it can be beneficial.

In some parts of the world, the seasons don't change. In some places, the clocks don't either, or they change on different dates. But little changes happen to everyone every day. We may still get up on the same side of the bed and take the same route to work, but some days we may feel more tired than on others (especially when we are adjusting to the mini jetlag of changing the clocks as some of us did this weekend), some days we may be happier or sadder, and some days we just would rather stick our head in the sand like some camel and not bother getting out of bed. But all of us need a change. If we don't actually get away on vacation, we still need a break from routine whether it's escaping through a good book or visiting a virtual world.

What changes have you made lately or would like to make in your life? Even the little ones count. If you're afraid, just remember that change is hard but necessary. There are many things we have little or no control over, but, for those we can change, the power requires choice. We have to want to make the change and be prepared to face the result. It need not be drastic. It can be subtle like my Second Life makeover. The main thing is that it makes you feel better just trying something new, and you don't need to do it to please anyone but yourself.

So don't wait until a birthday or other special day. Celebrate yourself today and make some changes now.

What picks you up?

2009-02-25T06:01:00.002-05:00

I find this time of year always hard -- the holidays are over, it's still cold most of the time (at least if you live in an area that has winter), and colds, flus, and other viruses are still knocking people out. Yet the promise of spring is starting to appear. Daylight is lengthening, trees are starting to bud, early spring flowers are preparing for growth.

The sun is a very powerful force. That's why people tend to feel gloomy on cloudy days and brighten up when it's sunny. There are other things that can pick you up, too. Reading a good book; a smile; a hug; an honest compliment; a nice cup of tea; a piece of rich chocolate; a relaxing walk; visiting a new place whether it's in real life or a virtual world like Second Life; petting a kitten, puppy, or other animal; a bubble bath; watching the sky, and writing. All of these can take you away for a few minutes to a few hours and give you a much needed break from the stresses of everyday routines.

So when you're feeling low and the skies are gray, do something that picks you up. You'll feel better and more hopeful that brighter days are coming.

What makes a romance romantic?

2009-02-01T20:24:00.003-05:00

Valentine's Day is symbolized by hearts, flowers, and chocolates, but there's a lot of romance in literature, too. In fact, most books, whether they are classified as romances or not, tend to feature at least one love story. People like to read about romance, not only young people. It's an ageless topic, so writers have a variety of ways to approach it. By changing the setting or time period, characters or themes, a romance can be historical, suspenseful, heartwarming, erotic, or paranormal. Romances compete with mysteries in the large number of subgenres they can occupy.

But what makes a romance romantic? You can ask a dozen people the same question and get different replies based on their experiences, ages, education, etc. As a librarian for a public library, part of my job is ordering the books for the fiction collection which include romances. I have also recently written my own romance, "Cloudy Rainbow." For me, the best romances and the ones that patrons at my library ask for most, are the ones that tell a good story and don't necessarily have a happy ending but make you feel special and touched along with the main character. Authors such as Nicholas Sparks, Debbie Macomber, Luanne Rice, and others including myself, convey romance without racy dialogue but the use of words that invoke images and feelings, a setting that enchants more than seduces, and characters that are realistic and not based on super heroes, vampires, or Scottish Highlanders. No need to kiss the frog to turn him into a prince. In the best romances, the prince doesn't change into anything but himself and that's more than enough for the princess.

What makes a romance romantic most of all is what makes people fall in love in the first place. It isn't easy to define, but you know it when it happens. When you read that scene, peruse that page, close the book and wish it hadn't ended, you've experienced the magic. Whether you're 90 or 19, you never get enough of romance, and luckily, romances continue to be written and published every day. Find one that touches your heart and don't settle for a cheap date. The one you take to bed should be special and, of course, romantic.

Old News is Good News

2009-01-23T13:30:00.004-05:00

I'm going to a reunion tomorrow of some people at my college alma mater who worked with me on the student newspaper. It's actually a publications reunion of those who were involved in the newspaper, yearbook, and magazine. I'm excited but nervous, of course. I won't say how many years it's been, but I'm sure I won't be able to recognize some people and vice versa. What will be most interesting are not the changes in the faces, though, but what people have done with their lives. Most of my fellow editors were journalism majors, but some were not. I was an English major and then went on to library school. Although I did find a job in my chosen career and have been working at a public library for many years, I have also been able to fulfill my interest in writing in a variety of ways, most recently self publishing my romance novel, "Cloudy Rainbow."

When I first found out about the reunion and considered attending, I wondered who would be there and what everyone was doing now. I prepared a short speech in my head to reintroduce myself to the group. One thing worried me. Should I stick to talking about my library job, as mundane yet traditional as it is, or should I reveal my writing endeavors in a virtual world? For the past two years, I've been writing for a newspaper that covers Second Life news, making $4 a story which is even lower than most starving journalists make. In addition, this past year, I've been volunteering as the Associate Editor of a Second Life library magazine called RezLibris. All this is done in my spare time, of which I don't have a lot with a 4-year daughter at home. But I do it for the same reason I joined the student newspaper all those years ago -- for the experience, the fun, and the challenge.

Would my old colleagues, no pun intended, find it interesting or strange that I have become involved in virtual writing? And would they consider my self-published book, also featuring a virtual world, a literary achievement or a waste of paper (since it's POD, that may not be such a factor). I'd love their feedback, their reactions, especially since one part of the book is taken from my recollected experiences on the student paper. There was no Internet back then, no social networking, no 3-D worlds like Second Life. But there was still the need for communication, the need for news that could be provided and reported whether to a local community, a college campus, or the world. That need remains, although the media has changed in many ways.

So as I prepare to share my own personal news, I decide that my virtual writing just may interest some of the college publications gang and my book is a tribute to them as much as it is to the cat who I wrote it in memory of. For what I learned and what I gained from my experience with them surely shaped what I am today and the writing that I do.

A New Year, a New Book

2008-12-28T15:43:00.003-05:00

Besides going back on my diet, my main resolution for 2009 is to promote my book, "Cloudy Rainbow" and get back to writing the other book I started right after I finished it. This book has a working title already, "Tales from a Virtual Life," and continues my theme of fiction with a virtual twist.

As a followup to what I consider my virtual romance, "Cloudy Rainbow" (although some may consider it romantic suspense or paranormal romance), "Tales from a Virtual Life" will be a virtual mystery of the cozy kind. It will include different characters, even a toddler based not so loosely on my four-year old daughter; no cat this time but a dog that plays a minor role; and a murder. As for similarities, my new novel will feature a virtual world (not a fictional one but Second Life itself) and another main character with a computer-related job (this one is a housewife with a website design business on the side). My hopes for this mystery include a possible series as the heroine or lead character, Louise, acts as amateur sleuth solving murders tied to virtual as well as real life crimes.

Another resolution for 2009 is to set up my website where I will post excerpts and news about all my books and works in progress. Santa already purchased some domains for me, and the elves are working hard helping me design websites for them. As soon as they are ready, I will include the URL's here and link this blog to them.

So I hope everyone who reads this has a very Happy New Year and that you all take time to consider your own personal and professional resolutions or goals for the upcoming year. Here's to 2009 -- good health, good books, good friends, and good goals!

Reviving this Blog with Book News

2008-11-26T11:12:00.013-05:00

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I've added anything to this blog. I've been wanting to revive it for awhile but now have a good reason to do so. I have self-published my first novel, "Cloudy Rainbow" available for purchase as an ebook or softcover copy at: http://www.booklocker.com/books/3754.html

I started writing the book after my beloved cat, Floppy. passed away at 15. We had wonderful years together, and I feel as though he inspired me to get back to writing (I had published some articles previously but had stopped writing for awhile partly due to lack of time but mostly due to discouragement).

After I lost Floppy, I sat down and wrote a few pages each night. The story began to unfold like a puzzle, piece by piece. The characters, except for Floppy who is represented under his own name, are imaginary, but many parts are based on fictionalized facts. I combined elements from my past as well my current experiences, to create a very heartfelt and personal story about a woman who loses the man she loves and is facing the loss of her beloved pet when she receives a message that sends her on a hunt through a virtual world to find answers about life after death. Sixteen years in the main character's life is shown in alternating flashbacks and fast forwards. I consider it a paranormal romance because there is a hint of the supernatural (one of the characters is a clairvoyant). The main theme, though, is communication after death. Do the ones we love who have died reach us in ways we may not be aware of and, if so, how can we discover what they are trying to tell us?

I don't expect to make much money off this book and may not even recoup what I am spending to have it printed, but I don't really mind. If one person reads it and is consoled after the loss of a dear pet, a friend, or relative, then I have contributed something important by sharing this story.

Is Virtual Writing Real?

2008-01-27T20:18:00.000-05:00

I've been writing a long time. I've also been published both in real life and in a virtual world known as Second Life. In real life, I have not earned much money for my work. In Second Life I've earned even less but since the game currency, the almighty Linden, can buy more virtual items than U.S. dollars can buy real merchandise, I am actually making out better. I can buy a designer gown for 1,000 Lindens or less (about $4 cash) and some really nice stuff is actually given away for free. But that's not why I write in a virtual world.

When I joined Second Life nearly a year ago in March 2007, I had no idea what to expect. I didn't expect to enjoy it. I just wanted to try it. I found it tough at the beginning and was only thankful that I received lots of help from the Alliance Group of librarians who have created a wonderful resource that started with one virtual island known as Info Island and now includes a group of virtual islands that are known as the Information Archipelago. I will write more about these virtual librarians in another entry.

As a librarian and writer, I had researched Second Life before I started playing by becoming a virtual resident there. I discovered that in addition to many real life businesses as well as virtual businesses, there are publications including newspapers that serve the audience of this worldwide community that now boasts 4 million or so occupants. I applied to a paper called the Metaverse Messenger and was hired as a staff writer. I began writing two columns, one geared toward new players, or newbies in SL lingo and one that profiled people who ran businesses in the game. From writing both these columns, I learned much about the people and culture of Second Life. I went on to write feature articles and cover events, particularly those hosted by the librarians on Info Island. I was offered my own virtual home to cover Info Island news, and I gladly accepted.

I am now beginning to join the several writer's groups that meet in Second Life and am learning from the real life authors who are guests or hosts of these groups. I am amazed at how real virtual writing can be and how unique a venue a virtual world can be for a writer. All fiction is, after all, virtual. It exists in our minds to be verbalized or written. Once we create it, it is real no matter where it is read.

My Favorite Books

2008-01-19T16:44:00.000-05:00

Authors (and librarians, too) are often asked what books they have read and enjoyed. Like movie reviews, their replies are very individual and not necessarily meant as recommendations. Below I have listed some of my favorite books and series along with why I liked them and what I would perhaps like to emulate about the writing style or plot.

1. Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
While I have read a few of Picoult's books, this one stands out for me. It has the touch of paranormal that I admire with the sense of past and strong characters that appeal to me.

2. The Eight by Katherine Neville
Not an easy book to read but one that is worth reading several times. Historical detail about the French Revolution is nicely researched. Characters are witty and colorful. The time switches between the past and the present merge well. Information about chess and its history and masters is a plus.

3. Perfect Nightmare by John Saul
I enjoy Saul's horror which can be more psychological than physical but still produces that tingling up the spine. I found this one particularly well written.

4. Chill Factor by Sandra Brown
This mystery novel is atmospheric and features well depicted winter weather effects. It kept me guessing until nearly the end.

5. Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux
As a time travel fan, this hit a chord with me. I loved the characters and plot.

6. Find Me by Carol O'Connell
All of the Mallory mysteries are good, but this one was especially well written. The Mallory series is tough to read but worth the effort. I like books that make you think and feel. This one does both, as do all the books in this series.

7. Lightning by Dean Koontz
Koontz is another of my favorite horror authors. This was an oldie but greatie featuring time travel with great characters and plot.

8. Time and Again by Jack Finney
This wonderful time travel classic tells a beautiful love story set in atmospheric turn-of-the-century New York. The black and white photos were an interesting plus. I loved this book.

9. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Historical fiction is not my favorite genre, but this book is an exception. It's a lengthy read but a good one. I waited a long time for its follow up "The Winter Rose."

10 & 11. Carolina Moon and Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts
I thoroughly enjoy most of this prolific author's novels, but these two are my favorites, so far, for atmosphere, suspense, and romance.

12. In Death Series by J.D. Robb
All of these futuristic mysteries are fun to read. I love the characters, sensuality, humor, and mystery. These four ingredients are perfectly blended in each "In Death" book. I was hooked fron the first one and have read the whole series.

13, 14 & 15. The Mayfair Witches Trilogy by Anne Rice These three books are full of wonderful New Orleans atmosphere and supernatural elements. While lengthy, the descriptions are vivid and absorbing. These are stories to savor.

16. The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser
This classic features wonderful historic detail along with time travel and romance. It is a sweet, old-fashioned tale with a wonderful plot and characters.

Works in Progress

2008-01-13T15:16:00.000-05:00

What is a work-in-progress? When you think about it, isn't everything we do, everything we are, a work-in-progress? It is easy to see a work-in-progress when a writer looks at his unfinished manuscript or a parent looks at her growing child. I know that when I see the leaps and bounds my daughter is making at 3, that she is definitely creating the adult she will be through what she is learning, the other children and adults she is meeting, the books that are read to her, the movies, television shows, and other entertainment she is watching. But as I watch her grown, I am growing, too, as I continue my work in progress as a mother.

Adults are works-in-progress, too. As we age, we still continue to learn and interact with our environments. Many seniors take up new hobbies when they retire, but even younger adults can take adult ed classes, read books on topics and areas that are new to them, travel to places their imaginations have previously only visited.

As I write my first novel, although I've been writing articles and short stories for many years, I enjoy the process of watching my characters and the plot develop. Even after the manuscript is complete, and I've edited it and hopefully published it, the story will continue as it is shared by others. It will become each reader's work-in-progress. They will get out of it what their experiences, backgrounds, and beliefs may find interesting and special, what touches them through what has touched them.

In Virtual Realities, it is very easy to change one's appearance and persona. Somewhat like a character in a book, when you participate in a virtual world such as Second Life , Entropia Universe, World of Warcraft, or many of the other multi-player online games that have attracted participants from around the world, you can be whoever you want to be. Many people choose to do in these worlds similar activities to what they do in real life. For instance, I belong to a group of librarians and educators in Second Life and also write for one of their virtual newspapers. Others, however, may role play and act out as totally different characters. In this way, they continue to develop their own works in progress, creating another facet of themselves using the platform of virtual worlds to exhibit it.

Whether you raise a child, write a book, read a book, take up a new hobby, or take up residence in a virtual community, you are further developing your own work in progress, your final copy, the one that is continually being edited by you.

Loss for Words vs. Love of Words

2008-01-10T11:27:00.000-05:00

What's worse than a writer at a loss for words, or a reader without a book? Words have been a good part of my life since childhood. I recall my eagerness to learn how to read, how it seemed magical for me to visit other places and times through the pages of a book. I am happy to see my own 3 year old daughter, Holly, sharing this interest, even as computer programs and websites appeal to her. The library is still her favorite place which is no wonder because I work at one and take her there often. Books are just as fun for her as toys, as they were to me as a child. My favorite birthday and Christmas gifts were always books, so I make sure to provide plenty of these for her along with Barbie dolls, Dora the Explorer playsets, DVD's, and other items that will hopefully not be recalled for safety issues. Barring paper cuts, most books are pretty safe, and now that she doesn't rip, chew, or color in them, they are lasting much longer.

So what am I doing writing a blog? I thought I'd give it a try. As I said, my life has been pretty full of words. In college, I majored in English and then went on to graduate school for Library Science. During college, I was also Features Editor of the student newspaper. In my twenties and thirties, while working at the job I still currently have as a reference librarian at a public library, I continued to write as a freelancer for cat magazines and journals and also had a short-story published for a mystery anthology. I gave this up for a short time after having my daughter in 2004 and am now returning to writing both in the virtual world, Second Life, and on my own writing a novel in memory of my beloved cat, Floppy.

You can never really "lose" words, but words are less meaningful if not shared. I hope that, through this blog, I can reach those who may have similar interests as mine or who would like to provide feedback on my experiences with writing, cats, virtual worlds, and/or librarianship. Thanks for reading.