Online communities are real communities if you commit yourself to them. Second Life is as real as you make it. Blogs are as important as you make them. Whether you treat a blog as a bus stop or an every day hang out, some level of community building is taking place.

In second life we create avatars to ask as a mask. A mask's only task is not just to hide something, but to present something new to the world.

What is so cool about having a digital avatar? You can reportedly meet people online (which I have yet to immerse myself in because I have been so preoccupied with shopping for something I feel like me in) and either take them as they present themselves or play detective and find out how closely the person behind the avatar resembles real life.

For my own sanity, I have taken people as I've found them -- it doesn't really matter who these people are in real life. If we work this hard to create alter-selves, unearthing "the truth" feels irrelevant. Unless, of course, the person behind the avatar feels more important than the mask -- see previous post.

As an avatar or a human being, here I am.

Second Life philosophy: Into the woods

(Above: The old fashion way of hanging out: actually going somewhere. My real friends Charles, Magdalena and Katlyn sharing another bottle of red wine in Paris last spring.)

Why Second Life? The endless possibilities of creativity, digital manipulation and social networking, perhaps.

To fully immerse yourself in Second Life, it kind of requires a leap of faith. I have been completely skeptical of the program since I heard a year or so ago that you can buy American Apparel clothes for your avatar. It was the first time I heard of this Sims-gone-global grid, and the thought that people were spending (and making) big money on pixels sounded completely absurd (and a complete waste, frankly).

But my Digital World class at the University of Oregon (Second Life campus coming soon!) urged me to find something on the internet that is out of my comfort zone and immerse myself in it completely. Even as I was picking my name, I experienced the crossword puzzle-style thinking that the second world requires of you. It is all there, but you need to get damn creative to figure it out. The difference is, there doesn't seem to be a right or wrong answer to the puzzle.

From what I understand, there are strip clubs, vacation destinations, vast consumer possibilities, and even a parallel Teen Second Life Grid. You can look however you want (with the skills, and sometimes the money), and my gosh you might be surprised! People actually do look different. I had this irrational expectation that everyone would be tall and blonde and wearing Juicy Couture zip ups. But, obviously, people don't want to only look like California kings and queens in real life, so why would they in Second Life?

Refreshing not-so-So Cal looks: A vampire with a white face and a long black cape, a and my favorite so far: Miss Natalia's sensual mermaid costume. On a recent search for my future orange kitty, I came across an avatar person who was a small white cat.

We all have so much potential here. It does not have to be just a waste of time. In my Digital World class, the American Apparel example came up, and the answer to why people spend money and time in this semi-fictional, digital world? Because they can.

Above: My friend Taran and I having a good chuckle over a local brew. Portland has the most micro-brews per capita in the nation, and Eugene isn't far behind. Are seasonal beers as good when they aren't real?

Above: My best friend and roommate Ali and I enjoying a recent Four Trees concert in Eugene. The only way I think I'll find equally good friends on Second Life as in my real life is if I convince Ali and my sisters to get on the grid. Come on girls, let's go shopping!

New look, fresh start

Victory! Appearance altered successfully, and I am now confidently interacting with my new world. How did I manage this feat, and for free? I went back to Orientation Island (the helpful place you are born into, kind of like the first 21 years of my life all on one island) and grabbed a stock avatar, and set about making myself adorable.

Still working on the clothes...but I fitted my flare jeans into skinny jeans, and the waist was already high, so we kept that to stay on trend (and to avoid the Britney effect...I'm trying to make friends, remember?), and I turned her striped rugby shirt into a Girls Next Door-inspired cropped, low-cut number to hold me over.

For my face, I gave myself the Disney treatment. Big eyes, broad cheeks, small nose, and lots of freckles. It is definitly true that you always want what you don't have, and now I can have it! (We'll get into Second Life philosophy later...)


Here I am at Orientation Island. Quite the characters. There are avatars just milling around, talking, helping each other with problems...and the inevitable, trying to sell you stuff.

I approached the tall Brazilian babe on the right because I was obsessed with her outfit. Her bustier let off pink hearts constantly. Unfortunately, the effect does not show in the picture. Her top was emitting tiny hearts like bubbles. She is apparently anticipating Valentines Day as much as my RL roommate and I are. (Weeks ago we already had picked out our pink and red stationary, stickers, heart-shaped cupcake tins and of course, party clothes...although ours is again, looking more Girls Next Door than sexy special effects.)

It's not Xmas, but I need help: Wish List

Wish list:

1. Hair. Long, dark brown hair (I found a few luscious styles from the Second Life Aveda Salon I am looking into.)

2. A black printed day-to-night babydoll dress (just to start out; once my busy second social life takes off, there will be more opportunity for costume changes)

3. Red ankle boots

4. A small tattoo for my wrist or ankle--something simple like stars or swirls (I may as well indulge, no real life tattoos in my future)

5. An orange kitty, so my RL kitten Justin can have a Second Life counterpart!

Practical things I need to get in order in my second life:

Linden dollars. It is getting harder and harder to do anything cool without money. I am kind of tired of going to free, dark warehouses.

Friends. I haven't seen Miiles online since my first day, and no one else has come into my life. Granted, I have been so wrapped up in modifying my appearance and trying to find something other than ugly stone-washed jeans to wear that I haven't devoted much time to meeting people.

A place to live(?) I am actually not sure yet if I need this. Maybe I can just float around when I am offline, but it would be fun to entertain and have somewhere to keep my kitten.

My niche. Do I like to hike online? Or rock climb? Should I try something I have never done in real life like skydive? Maybe there are some cool cafes I can hang out in to people watch. In the snapshot above, I am at The Bay island. You can sunbathe, swim and lounge on soft looking recliners, so I may be back once I have a bathing suit.


I spent a good half a day trying to download new skin, eyes, hair and clothes so I could start to resemble my SL image, but nothing too positive turned up. I got a new free skin from but I couldn't modify it so that I could have hair or anything other than the standard yellow eyes. I would like hazel or blue, but anything natural would do. Also I am just getting so tired of my hideous ensemble. I found it in a free box (I know, big fashion no-no. But I was naked at the time, come on!) and it is this tight purple shirt with a kind of black vest thing over it, as you can see here in my current picture. I just couldn't stand looking at myself in those faded flare jeans, so I removed them and gave myself black spandex. Now I more resemble an aerobics instructor. This fashion thing is getting out of control! I asked this nice, cute girl named Arianna Psalter where she got her yellow printed bubble dress, and she said (oh this old thing) was from Dazzle, now known as Last Call, so I will get going on that link. There are a ton of SL fashion blogs, so I know it is out there!

In a recent attempt to get away from my obsession and frustration with the clothes and (lack of) hair, I went to a club. It was a big, sparse all-silver warehouse with sexy little avatars getting down. I didn't feel like it would be appropriate here to interupt the grinding and ask the stylish girls where they got their mile-high boots and tunic dresses. To let lose for a moment, I selected my dance "gesture." Let's just say my dance came out more like the chicken dance than any saucy grind. I guess I need to work on my dance skills, too.

Mermaid Diaries inspiration

I am still on the search to make Dinah a young, pretty girl. Nothing too fancy! We started out as a bunny, and a lot of progress has been made through my alterations, but she still looks a bit off. She has long dark hair, which I want, but she has a huge bald spot on her head. As I mentioned before, her face looks a bit like an older woman who has undergone way too much plastic surgery.

Also, once I took her out of her bunny costume, she is naked (embarrassing, I know) and I am in the Free Dove shop, which says no nudity allowed, so I felt a bit stuck. I was considering teleporting to a nudist colony, but I something told me that is not how I want to get started on this island.

Natalia Zelmanov of the Mermaid Diaries has been a great influence and help getting me started. For other Second Life newbies, I recommend looking at her page and getting advice on where to find free stuff, fun adventures like the Cave of Doom and hot dating spots. (Trust her...she was Miss Second Life 2007). Natalia also owns her own boutique called Sirena Hair & Fashion where she sells mermaid tails, and other Second Life costume necessities like flexi dresses and gowns and hair. Her before and after pictures are amazing, (needless to say...she is a mermaid now), so I am inspired to think I won't have to have a bald spot on my head for the rest of my life here.


I found clothes by typing in "free clothes" in the search and transporting to a location that does not prohibit nudity. (Weird) I got dressed in a couple shabby (and very unstylish) capri pant and tank-top sets. At least I have mobility now. At the top, I am in the Freebie Outlet warehouse, in my black leather outfit from White Lily Free Dress.

Visit Natalia's page at http://www.mermaiddiaries.com

First day of my Second Life

I entered my Second Life as a bunny. Somehow my avatar defaulted to this unfortunate form, and I spend the first hour in my second life wandering around trying learning to speak, fly, transport myself and make friends...all while looking like a bunny.

My Second Life name is Dinah Tigerpaw. One of my favorite literary characters is Dinah from The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. The novel is the story of Dinah, a daughter of Jacob of the Hebrew Bible. The story takes a deeply personal (and new) approach to telling about what happened with the Canaanite prince and the subsequent revenge of Dinah's brothers Simeon and Levi. As apposed to how her story is portrayed in the Bible, her life growing up with the strong, influential women in her life is emphasized. Dinah's story is important because it shows how history can bend life stories to serve a patriarchal purpose, when really, there is more love behind the story than history is willing to admit.

Dinah will now live another story, through my exploration of the online world of Second Life. Together we will push the limits of creativity, truth and love (and see what all the fuss is about).

After I found my way off Orientation Island, my bunny costume and I landed on some other island (I am still learning, so it is all German to me so far) and there were the most fascinating characters dressed up to the nines as witches, wizards and buff beef cakes. I just stood in one spot for a while turning around and around trying to take in all the glitz I was seeing. My communication control is set so I can hear what everyone around me is saying as well as personal conversations I am having. I have never felt so under dressed, and out of place!

I announced, to no one in particular, that I would like to not be a bunny anymore, and I asked how I should go about changing this. One very kind individual (Miiles from Amsterdam) with a white cut-off sleeve top, gray camou pants, tattoos up his arms and shoulders and a plethora of silver bling, heard me among the chatter and basically saved my bunny life.

We communicated by typing, and the dialog pops up in an IM format. While the character you are talking to is typing, their hands are making typing motions in the air in front of them. Miiles took me to a warehouse looking island with boxes of free stuff. He spend more than an hour with me while I fiddled with my new skin and hair. I thought it would be fun to be a blond for a day, so I gave myself long, California-bleach hair. It turns out to be not so much fun, so I am already dark haired again.

Miiles was shocked to learn that in RL (real life) I am only 21, because in all my tinkering with my face, I made myself look like an older woman with beaucoup de plastic surgery. So despite all appearances, (bunny and otherwise) I made my first second life friend!