I have fussed in this blog before about how the press focuses on the negative, especially when it comes to relationships in SL. Yesterday, Newsweek released a really nice positive story (for once!) about a couple who met and fell in love and have made it work. If you read the comments on the SL main blog, it'll make you smile with the stories. Thing is...that's not news to me! I have always heard stories of folks with positive relationships within SL and/or in RL as well. For me for instance, yesterday marked my being with Phin for 1 1/2 years in SL. We've been together in here since Oct '07, and partnered for 6 months now. He makes SL a joy and is my favorite squirrel...
Let's take Steelhead, for example. Its managers Tensai & Lunar are married in RL. Hawc & CeAire DeCosta have been married in RL for 24 years (Happy Anniversary!) and like Remington Pinion & Krystine Qinan--who are also married in RL--have a great time together in SL doing things as a couple. Rem & Krys are my neighbors and I remember watching Krys swim by in mer form as Rem followed nearby in a small boat. How often can you do that in RL?
Riding the log flume w/Baube (front)But it's not only about partners and marriage...Family too! Phin, for instance, is Zoe Connolly's RL brother and they have a great time exploring everything aviation-related. My own RL sister (Baube Laval) comes in from time to time. In Steelhead, Tensai's dad has come in and so has Lunar's sister and mom. The Davies Sisters (Myfi & Tanarian), separated by distance in RL, have a great time together inworld. People have also made great friends inworld as well that have come to mean a lot to them in RL. I know the same is true across SL. SL is more than the stereotypical destroyed relationship stories. It's also about love, caring, friendship and family that transcends both the real and virtual worlds.
4 comments:
What a lovely post, Elle. Thank you for writing it.
Indeed, Eladriane, I agree wholeheartedly. Oolon Sputnik, Emilly Ladybird, Fuschia Begonia, Alfonso Avalanche are some of the very first people I met in SL and have remained great friends. I've visited Sputnik & Ladybird in RL, and Fuschia and Alfonso have visited me and my husband in RL as well. They are just as fun and silly in RL and i really value having them as friends. Quality people, THE BEST! :-)
I agree! Thank you so much for writing. I know that SL is very important to me for friendships due to my anxiety and social problems IRL. My only real friends are on SL - I feel like Steelhead is part of my family!
Bloody hell, I'll never remember all that - I can't remember the names of my own RL family :D
Seriously though, it's great to see positive relationship stuff written about. I've never gone in for SL relationships (the good lady wife in RL would remove my happiness attachemnts with a butter knife) but I've made some of the strongest friendships of my life in this world - and I hope to make even more in Steelhead :D
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