My ultimate goal in this project, is to visit every sim on the grid at one point in time during the 180 days of its duration, take pictures, tell stories, potentially interview a sim owner here and there if one becomes of particular interest, and drives me to want to know the "WHY" behind the sim and its content. If it goes beyond 180 days, then that's ok too, as people are always adding new content, and new private islands are being formed, so this may, very well, be an ongoing project, that at one point I will regret having taken up! HAHA!
So before I go on this exploration and delve into the what, where, why, when and hows of others, let me start Day 1 with a bit about myself.
Name: Betty Antfarm
SLDoB: 11/17/06
Occupation: Club manager/host at DeeTox
Location(Sim): Seashore Cove
I came onto the SL scene as nearly everyone does. Was referred by someone that had checked into it, thought it was VERY interesting and figured I'd enjoy it. At first, it was overwhelming, so many commands, and actions to get used to, the grid was overwhelmingly huge, I felt as though I was dumped in the middle of the wilderness and told to.."HAVE IT IT!" But I wasn't sure what all there was to 'have' here.
Wandering, I stumble upon store, after store, after store and club, after club, after club. Unaware of the underlying etiquette, I was constantly running over people, yelling out in places I should have kept quiet in and attempting to figure out JUST WHAT THE HELL this 'game' was all about.
Eventually I met up with a few select people, that directed me to 'this one club' that they were sure I'd LOVE. This club's name was "the Edge." In all basic terms..this place was a meat market. Every horny, seedy, perverted person in this 'game' was filtered into this club it seemed. I had walked into a 'wings event' where everyone there put on wings..and was competing for the prize that would be handed out at the end of this event. BOY was i confused.."what is the POINT of this?? Sitting, staring at a screen, while pixels gyrated, lagging like hell, crashing every few hours because the computer just had had enough of the torture it was being subjected to..." All this going through my head, however, there i continued to sit, some sick pull from this 'game' forcing me to remain there, to see what would happen next...somewhat like that cheesy movie you sit and continue to watch saying.."this has GOT to get better at some point."
A few months pass..my addiction (Still not knowing what i was addicted TO) has slowly grown as I realize the social aspect of this 'game' is what is drawing me. I also slowly start to realize, this thing is way more than a mere 'game'. For some it is their LIFE..be it that their Real life is such a tragedy that they look to escape in a flawless world, People with serious health issues, can experience a virtual 'thrill' while playing out what it is that they crave. Other's made it their career...and making VERY good real life money in this place. The various facets intrigued me beyond anything I had experienced online before. This place was truly a SECOND life! There is no false advertising in that name at ALL.
Upon meeting my first true friends in a virtual world, I was hooked. As a mother of 2, with a husband that works MANY long hours, and unable to afford a second car for me to get out of this house...this was my 'connection' to other people..and it worked for me! I was introduced into the club scene very early...about a month after being 'born' into the grid, I got my first job hosting. OMG i was making MONEY! I was being 'seen'. I was addicted to the attention.
Then the drama starts to set in...the 'new' starts to wear off. Your heart is broken for the very first time...over a VIRTUAL platform?? WTF is THIS?!?! You start to realize people are just as caddy in this life as they can be in RL...and even more so to a point, because there's plenty to hide behind here. You start to become calloused, jaded, introverted, closed up....wow..this is scarily like real life..however, with an 'x' button. Your source of strength and stability is slowly found in those that stick by you, you form and create your own persona, your own circle of friends. You become 'known', you become 'popular'. You form a life..with or without others. Your heart is broken many times, only to go at it again. YES...just as if it were a real life.
This 'game' has become so much more...this 'game' has become a job, a hobby, a connection, an extension of my life, a way of expression that I could never imagine in my everyday mundane real life. This 'game' is ME, and the people I've met, places I've been, and things I have experienced, have made me what I am today, in both Real life and my Second Life!
So with all of that said, I now wish to reach out, hear other's stories, adventures, share laughs, tears, frustration...everything that makes us human....So my adventure starts today! Hope to see you around the grid as I travel!
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