Elle in InWorldz: Raglan Shire!!

OhmyGlob! I found Raglan Shire in InWorldz! w00tw00t!! Extrovirtual has a branch there for tiny avatars, so of course, I was able to be my black bunneh self. Bought a Romani outfit from Teal. There are shops and the Museum and Welcome Center and lots to see, but the most incredible thing about it is...the Great Tree!!!! Grown from a seed of the Great Tree Steve in SL, InWorldz's Great Tree makes Steve look like a sapling. I couldn't even fit it into a pic. It is HUMONGULOUS.  

Wanderer

In SL, we all take on different personas as we feel they fit us. For the longest, mine has been a steampunk/NeoVictorian explorer. While I am still very much a steampunk in my heart, my experience now feels very different. I feel like the wanderer I was when I first came inworld.

This seems to really fit me now more than anything else. I parked my wagon behind the post office. I am enjoying the gorgeous water and bridge views, but it's like having an itch, this wanderlust...time to explore.

Elle in InWorldz: First Day!

I thought I would finally check out InWorldz. Not only was I pleasantly surprised, but found myself wondering "Why aren't more people using this grid?" It felt stable, looked good, and felt like SL to me. The starter avatars were not bad at all. The one I chose wasn't too far off from my normal one anyway. Normally I take a welcome center pic, but forgot. When I arrived, I felt lucky that I was already grid-familiar, so I didn't need help with the UI or what to do. If I was brand-new, I think I would've been very confused. A mentor was there, but I wasn't sure if there was a person behind the avatar or not. They didn't interact with me beyond a greeting. So I hopped off the island ASAP and tried to get my looks more together. A lot of familiar creators are already there, so it wasn't too hard... 

It was actually in InWorldz that I recognized a wanderer persona fit me best. They actually have an active community in there that goes from sim to sim. InWorldz has a lot of potential for those who want to move/have an alternative to SL. Some aspects of it are rough in places and reminds me of SL back in the day in a good way, but trust me...it's not bad at all. 

Upon Returning

Between RL obligations and a computer that refuses to allow me to stay inworld longer than 10 minutes, I don't get to come in that often. But when I do, I've found that I love catching up with my friends, including some that are my oldest in SL like Hy above.

Lunar recently asked me is it hard to return, as I've been away for a while now. My answer? Yes and no. I feel redefined, as I now have no house, no businesses, and no obligations. SL feels more like a getaway and I can be free to enjoy myself more. It's like being new again, but the thing is, the relationships I've made inworld still feel the same in a good way. 

I have made wonderful friends in SL, and although I'm not able to come in and see you all as often as I'd like, I want you to know that I'm thinking about you!

Sharknado & Shanghai

Only in Steelhead would there be a Sharknado themed party...

Last night I braved the crashiness of my computer to come inworld and support my friends Lunar and Tensai, as they made the difficult decision to close Steelhead Shanghai...

I've spoken a lot about the ephemerality and challenges of SL. One of those challenges is knowing when to make decisions that are truly painful, but necessary...

I know how much hard work went into this sim's creation. I helped create projects for it myself and will be sad to see it go away...

But Steelhead is a strong community and being able to continue to maintain that community is what is most important. That's life in SL. We have projects and places we love and lose. I know that feeling firsthand myself. It will be missed, but we move forward.

You can read all of my former posts about Steelhead Shanghai here.

Goodbye Neighbor

Gryffin contacted me yesterday to tell me that Nix Sands, our former Caledon Regency neighbor and one of the Steamlands' greatest creatives, passed away. He had been ill for quite some time.

When I first met him back in 2007, I never knew in what form I'd see him in next as he considered himself a noncorporeal time traveller. Yes, he is the glowing lights beside me.

Once, he even showed up at my big birthday bash as my most fave entertainer, the Purple One himself...

 

But what I remember the most was how nice he was to me, how he was always one of the first to greet me in Caledon chat, and of course, his prodigious creativity.

When I think of him, I think of this skating pond he made with snow and sparkling trees. I loved it so much and skated there every day that he had it up...

We can go through our SL lives never knowing the real names of the friends we make in there. What we do know is what they have meant to us through the beauty they have brought to our lives, whether real or virtual. My condolences to his family. He will be missed.