20 Questions Challenge

 So this morning I was sitting alone in my office in SL browsing through a plethora of other peoples blogs. As you've probably noticed during the course of my blogging adventure, I've probably only done one other blog challenge. This particular challenge interested me. I hate being asked direct questions because I tend to go all shy and freeze up, and getting information out of me could be likened to getting blood out of a stone. I'm not sure how this is going to pan out but I will try to be as open and honest as I can so here goes.....

1. When and how did you discover Second Life? – I don't exactly remember the month but it was back in SL's infancy good old 2004.
2. Did you know about virtual worlds before or was this your first experience with them? – I knew something of virtual worlds. I can't recall the names of the clients I had dabbled in before SL but they were nothing like what SL encompasses as far as features and graphics are concerned.
3. Has Second Life met your expectations? – I think I would have to say overall, I have mixed feelings about SL. I would have to say that as far expectations go SL has been both good and bad to me.  I never really had any major expectations to begin with I think with any kind of social platform you will have either a really good experience or really bad experience.
4. If you could teleport back to the first ten minutes of your avatar’s life, what would you tell yourself? – I would probably assume the fetal position cry for a few hours, and then go exploring until I found some sign of life.
5. How long did it take you to master avatar flying and driving vehicles inworld? – It actually didn't take me very long at all. I think my first car was one I picked up from a freebie store, and I had absolutely no troubles mastering it.....flying is a different story. I usually hit a tree shortly after take off, and demand that the owner remove the obstruction.
6. Do you have a mystery alt? – Nope I have no hidden alts. I use one account, and one account only. I think two accounts would be pointless because I would rather just be me, and having another account would get too confusing and really weird.
7. Is your SL avatar a reflection of you, or someone you wished you could be? – My avatar is basically me personality, and the way I dress myself are the same as in RL. I don't wish to be someone I'm not I like being me, and I don't follow anyone or wanna try and imitate anyone either.
8. Is there an individual you met in SL that inspired you in your RL? How? – Yes there is someone who has indeed inspired me to do things in RL that I may not have otherwise had the courage accomplish.
9. Do you feel it is easier to create stronger bonds/relationships with people you meet inworld as opposed to the real world? – No I have absolutely no trouble making friends in the real world. I think whether in world or real world they're sort of the same in that respect.
10. Did you ever imagine or believe people could fall in love with someone they never met before Second Life? – Yes I do believe in love over the internet. I know plenty of couples who have been going strong for years that have met in second life.
11. How has your perspective of dating changed (or not) since you started playing second life? – I think you have to make some concessions as far as dating is concerned in second life. The one obvious thing that is lacking is the physical touch, but are you really the type to feel up someone on a first date? lol
12. How has your perspective of employment changed (or not) since you started playing second life? – My perspective of employment hasn't really changed based on the fact that. I have had several jobs in the past that dealt indirectly with the virtual life.
13. Name three things in both your lives that overlap each other significantly. – Three things? umm well I would have to say friendships, love and being a writer and poet.
14. If you could live your life more immersed in a virtual world, would you? (Kind of like the Matrix) – Not really. I mean don't get me wrong I do consider a lot of the aspects of it real. I mean after all there are real people behind all those computers. I love to socialize and I have been known to talk somebodies ear off for hours on end, but after a while I think everyone needs to take a break from it for a while and regroup. I wish the teleport feature included teleporting all your favourite people from second life into your home so you could give them a great big hug and kiss lol.
15. How do you think behaviour changes for people if they’re inworld vs in real world? Why do you think that is? – Of course it changes. I think people in second life are free from any inhibitions that might effect them in the real world. I've found that you can run around naked almost anywhere in second life, and nobody really seems phased by it. Try that in the real world and I guarantee unless you belong to an exclusive nudist camp you're going to jail buddy.
16. How has second life consumerism changed your perception of spending habits, the value of money, the need to be “bleeding edge” with fashion?– Um I've always been pretty good with money budgeting for things etc. I don't need to be bleeding edge in fashion if I see something I think would suit me or it's within my taste boundaries I will fork out a certain amount for it.
17. Do you think virtual worlds like SL drive and redefine human interaction or do they narrow and limit it? – Based on personal experiences, and from what I have witnessed myself. I think places like SL redefine a negative human interaction. Perhaps I am getting old before my time, but I remember as a kid before facebook, before SL human interactions particularly in the family unit were much more face to face and not with your head buried in a screen for hours on end. I feel that people rely too much on hiding behind screens and not enough face to face conversation which I feel is much more personal and meaningful.
18. If technology progressed tomorrow to allow you to send emotions to people the way you’d send text or voice messages, would it enrich your SL experience or infringe on it? – I think it could be good or bad who's to say it's not here yet, but I could see it being beneficial for certain people.
19. Name three skills you attribute to having learned or honed in second life alone. – Second life really hasn't helped me improve anything I didn't already know how to do in the real world. I enjoy it for what it is and will continue to do so for as long as it's around. :)
20. If your grand kids googled your Second Life Avatar’s name, would they be intrigued, disgusted, proud or something else? – They'd probably be bored to tears. I'm sadly not a very exciting person I'm just simply me a thinly wrapped enigma. ;)

Credits:
Hair: *Dura-Boy*49(Wood Bark)
Jeans: *Shai* Mens Relaxed Jeans Vintage M
Shirt: *Shai* Swallow Logo Tee M
Ring: EarthStones Everlasting Love Mens Wedding Band - Platinum
Hands: Slink Male Hands (AvEnhance) M - Relaxed
Skin: -Labyrinth- Leaf Skin (Pale) - TheCleanShaven
Eyes: Mayfly - Deep Sky Eyes (London Fog Shadow, w3)