Memory Lane

I was going through my Flickr account today. I've always taken lots of pic in SL since the beginning. Going through them was like a blast from the past. Steampunk and Neo-Victoriana is still what I identify with the most (maybe it's the dresses?) I was reminded of so many firsts, so many friends, so many places explored...like the first time I discovered Caledon and the Steamlands.

 Or visited an art exhibit...

 Or owned my first house...

 Or built my house for the first time...

 

 Discovering that being a tiny was incredibly fun...

 

And so was being a shopkeeper...

So many things shaped the person that I was in SL as I often stumbled my way through. There were friends I fought with, friends I've parted from, and friends that I still consider close today and miss talking to more regularly. Being in SL has been one of the most interesting experiences of my life. Getting to explore not only its world and cultures--but aspects of myself. I know I am not in as much anymore, but it's looking through photos that reminds me of what made it so inviting in the first place.

How SL Helped Me Get Into Grad School

When I first started out in SL, the first thing I did was learn to build. I remember trying to build at the public sandbox at the Ivory Tower of Primitives (wow, is that still there?!) and it was griefed constantly. All I wanted to do was build--not get caged or tossed into the air over and over again. So annoying. So I discovered a quiet, unmolested sandbox at NCI (New Citizens Int'l) and practiced, practiced, practiced. I was more of a homeless explorer then, and spent a lot of time visiting the wonderful sims and builds of the SL world. I also spent time attending events thrown by the SL School of Architecture and visiting Architecture Island and the Wikitecture project.

Sure, I made clothes for a long time inworld, but building was always my first love. Anyone who has had to struggle for lindens knows the limitations of one's available space to build structures inworld though. To me, the clothes just funded the other. Also, lucky for me, I found the Steamlands of Caledon and Steelhead--places that appreciated great builds at a time when SL still had a LOT of tacky about it.

Recently, I decided to apply to grad school for a MA in Historic Preservation. It just felt right. I had to write a long essay as part of the admission process and with much hesitation I seriously debated mentioning one of the more recent influences on my love of preservation: Second Life.

Involvement in virtual worlds is still so often dismissed or looked upon with derision, so I wasn't sure about mentioning it at first. I took a chance. A big one. I talked about how there is a community of architects (such as the ARCH Virtual project) who use SL, Unity 3D and OpenSim as platforms to convert their CAD drawings, 3D models and blueprints to create virtual prototypes of RL projects that clients can actually walk through. I also mentioned the community of builders inworld who re-create historic buildings and how after I did so myself--with the Antelope Church in OR that I re-created and turned into the "Steelhead Museum of Historic Preservation"--I went on to join the Nat'l Trust as a result. I felt my inworld involvement made me more aware of historic preservation efforts in RL and I hope it inspired others as well. I wasn't sure what the committee would think of those few paragraphs in what was an essay of over 8 pages, but I felt it was worth mentioning.

All I know is that I will be going back to school this summer and I couldn't be more excited! A friend once asked me if I felt I wasted my time in here. As I have said in a previous post, this quote from the artist Rodin still applies: "Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely."

Thanks SL!

Happy 5th Rez Day to Me!

Today is my Rez Day. I am 5.

1st noobtastic pic of me, 2007:

 2008:

 2009:

 2010:

 2011:

An Update From Eladrienne

 This is what I saw when I logged into SL a few days ago...

 

My lighthouse was gone. My bunnehs, my roses, my little tiny stump, my home. And yet, what did I expect? It was my own fault. Time had slipped by me and I hadn't realized how long it had been since I had been in SL last. All of my properties--from my shops in Regency and Raglan to my museum to my place in Taloo. All gone. I felt a little heartbroken in a way, as I had worked so hard for all of those things inworld. While I really missed my friends, I had become discouraged about SL. Between not being able to keep up with designing and definitely not being able to compete with learning how to do sculpties and now mesh, I watched my lindens dwindle and dwindle. Logging in was starting to make me sad, and that's not what I wanted from my virtual life. I do apologize to Lunar, Tensai, Des and Gabi for not being more proactive about my properties, but a certain someone genuinely had me distracted...

Yup, that's him!!!! Around this time last year I was about to enter the hospital and experience the most harrowing and nervewracking ordeal of my life so far, but he has been worth every single moment. He is now 20 lbs (after starting out at 2 lbs! Wow!) and is 9 months old. He is one of the happiest, sweetest babies you will ever meet and I am so thankful for him every day.

My husband has suggested that perhaps there is a certain measure of freedom to being propertyless in SL now. "Maybe you can go on a walkabout," he said. "Explore its world again and what you used to love about it."

See you on the Grid.

An Update for my SL Friends

Yes...those are his little feet...

Those who know me very well know I am a private person--especially when it comes to my real life, but I wanted to update you all on what has happened since the last post. The day I found out via ultrasound at 19 weeks that I was having a little boy was also the same day I was admitted to the hospital to be on strict bedrest. I went in on a Wednesday at the end of December. My docs thought I'd be home by that weekend--without a baby. I proved them all wrong. It was a very scary time for us, but I refused to believe that would be my reality.

I went on for another month to week 24--when docs consider a baby truly viable and able to survive. It was like a celebration by everyone that day. And then my water broke a few days later. Despite that, I went on for yet another month in the hospital like that and at almost 28 weeks and 3 months early, I had my son Alex two weeks ago. The staff and my docs call us a "miracle". I agree. We are a testament to positivity and what it can do.

He is doing very well in the NICU. He is strong, healthy, loud and feisty and almost 3 lbs now. He just needs to get bigger and master a few things like breathing air correctly before he can go home with us--hopefully next month. I am so thankful and happy that things worked out as they did.

I want to thank all of you so much for your support and well-wishes and good thoughts. My husband, family and I were truly touched and want you to know how much we have appreciated it. Hope to see you on the Grid again sometime. :-)

To My SL Friends

For those of you wondering where I have been lately, RL has truly had my focus...

In RL I am 5 months pregnant and recently found out I have a complication. The above pic is the view I usually see from my window as I'm writing this from the hospital. I've been here for over a week so far on bedrest and do not know when I am going home from as it depends upon how much longer I can continue to carry my baby. This has been a shock to my husband and family as it could be weeks or it could be months...I don't know. We are staying positive as being negative serves no purpose.

What I do know is that all of my SL-related activities are currently suspended. Perhaps someday I'll be back, and I hope that at least my little lighthouse home and bunnies in Steelhead will still be there, but right now my concerns are with the health of my baby and my family. They have to be.

Please think good thoughts for us...I miss you all.

Holy Jeebus, Where Did the Time Go?

To say that this has been a busy summer/autumn would be an understatement. Between travel, an illness in the family and changes in my own life, SL and posting have kind of fallen to the wayside. I mean, I still come in to attend town meetings, chat/visit with friends and tend to my shops and Lunar's requests regarding Steelhead, but I haven't been in as much as I used to be.

I'm starting to feel creative again, which is a good thing. I'll start posting my thoughts on the world again too. I've kinda missed doing so.