Corporate Logo vs Human Logo

I never do this, but today I did. I took at peek in de.li.cious to see who really reads this blog. I was amazed. Not that there is a strong following of people (or not that they care to admit) but the fact that more than two people actually read my blurbs? Well, I need to step it up a notch! :o)

I came across KnowProSE blog entry, as a tangent off mine Corporate Image Blurred. I am glad they went their. They saved me the extra typing :o)

It reminded me of a book I picked up in the budget/sale rack. The name escapes me but I couldn't help and wonder how I could get to meet the genius that wrote the book. It talked about a new shift in business management. One that was going to change the old ways and actually incorporate realism with corporatism. Meaning, the new progressive businesses of the future were going to acknowledge their employees as human first and then employee second!

Many new companies have adapted to this thinking, Google, Apple, just to mention a very few (but there are more, I just can't think right now on only two hours of sleep!)

I agree, that wearing corporate logos and colours when walking, flying or teleporting around in SL can be a good thing! A very good thing.

It should NOT be about the LOGO but the human behind the LOGO. The mind behind the logo, the heart behind the logo and the Soul, who happened to find their way in SL, not by accident! :o)

I am glad KnowProSE went on that tangent!

Got bit by the Money Bug?

Got bitten by the 'money bug'? You know, that little tyke that you never really see but know it's there once you feel an itch to make more money .. or simply just to make money period.

Maxine, being the budding entrepreneur/philanthropist in SL had finally decided to partner with another avatar (female of all things!) and go into a development and management conceptual project.

Not at all a real estate mogul but perhaps one that likes to dabble in land ownership, Maxine has finally started to realize that there may really be money to be made while exploring the vast avenues of synchronous connections in SL. With that said, enter Ysabel Isabella. An assertive and very focused personality that has joined the ranks of 'amateur builders' in SL.

In just over a week Digital Femme Properties & Management Inc. will have completed (deadline is Dec 1, 2006) their first project, The EMERALD TOWERS: Phase I, in the Isla Bonita region. What was 10 stories of spacious CONDO/Offices has just been turned into 5 stories of moderately sized CONDO/Office units, ready to lease by Dec 1, 2006. That's in 2 days! Will they do it?!

"We mean what we say and therefore the building will be completed by Dec. 1. Meaning, it will be liveable. Three businesses and one residential space has already been leased and we are dedicated to making sure that our residents get settled in quickly and smoothly." Ysabel Isabella, the land developer and head of construction and design boldly spewed out their intention. Thank you Ysabel.

Where is Maxine?
"Ah, Maxine is doing what Maxine does best. She divides her time with helping out Newbies, giving extra money to them to help them get settled in their SL, as well as scouting around for more land opportunities."

So she leaves you to do all the work, so to speak?
(laughs) "Actually, we keep close tabs on one another. We have to. Much of what I do needs her input and vice versa. Without the other Digital Femme Properties would not run the way it does."

Do you two work together in RL?
"On and off, yes. We've known each other for a long time so we know how the other thinks and functions. Finally we are collaborating on something that we are both passionate about."

I see. Passionate eh?
(smiling much) "Yes. Very. She loves the business side of things. And I love the technical side of things. A perfect match perhaps .. well, I hope so. No. It is a good partnership."

What are your plans for the next project?
"I'm not really going to say. Phase II of the EMERALD TOWERS is in the works. And there are two other big projects in their planning stages. We hope to be in full swing by January 2007."

Seems to me you two are really busy. So, are you going to talk about this P.U.U.C?"
"Oh my gosh! Who told you that?"
*I smile*
"Yes. We are very excited about it. Actually that is one of the projects that we hope to get underway in January."

What does P.U.U.C stand for? I hear it is a metaphor or something .. on the word, umm pussy?
(laughing loudly) "That's right. Pussy! Maxine and I have always hated that word. But we could not escape the fact that it is a word so commonly used when referring to women. We hate to hate, and more so, since the word pussy is really just 5 letters arranged in such a way to make one pronounce it the way they do. Pussy is just a word. Why put any emotional attachment to it."

Hmm, I see what you mean. But what does it really stand for?"
"Pussy. P.U.U.C. Progressive Ultra Urban Chicas."

That's interesting. But what is it. Please elaborate?
"The Progressive Ultra Urban Chicas is an organization that is really tied in with Digital Femme Properties. This organization will provide a platform in SL for the encouragement, support and resources for women entrepreneurs, artists, humanitarian's and anyone really .. where they will be given the opportunity to network with their peers all in unified SIMS. It is not a male bashing commmunity. On the contrary. I feel that the P.U.U.C. will be a vital movement in the social and economical advancements here in SL. Okay, that is all I am going to say."

Are there many members?
"Yes and no. There are many potential members. Right now enrollment is only by invitation. We are seeking like minded, strong, creative, assertive and empowered female avatars to help pioneer this movement. Okay, you made me say too much."

I'm sorry, but I really am interested in this. But I will let you go. Good Luck."
"Thanks."

The Boundaries of Love in SL

No. I have not fallen in love with any avatar in SL. So let's get that out of the way.

I wanted to write about the 'love thang' that goes on in SL. Not the kind that involves body parts that are Xcite enabled, but the 'emotion' kind.

It's been over a year now since I've joined SL and I've met many interesting avatars. A few of them have managed to engage in some form of relationship with another avatar while both have significant others in RL. Some have kept their SL relationships going (but not without their share of obstacles and uncertainties). Two have had to break off their SL connection and one had to leave SL altogether (as an ultimatum given by their significant other).

So I ask them,"What is the difference between love in RL and love in SL?"

Their answers were as varied as their avatars! And I was surprised by some of their responses.

A few saw no difference. They felt no difference. And of course, they were torn by their feelings in RL and in SL. Sigh.

Some just disregarded their SL feelings altogether, knowing that the emotion existed for them in SL but discounted the 'realism' of their SL emotion because it existed in SL, a VR medium. I asked these people, "So, do you feel the same way about your SL partner when you think about them in RL? Do you think about them in RL?"

Their general replies were that 'yes' they thought of their SL partner in RL and missed them and couldn't wait to log into SL to see them or be with them. I asked if they felt guilty when they were with their RL partners, and they said, 'yes'. I asked them if 'loving in SL took away their ability to love in RL' they said no, and as a matter of fact, for many, it enhanced the way they were able to love in RL. Hmmmmm.

I asked them, "How do you deal with the guilt?" Their response, "I just do." Hmmmm.

Feeling guilty is no way to live in RL or SL. What a waste of energy. Not only is it a waste of energy but guilt feelings can lead to 'sickness', even the promotion of cancer cells. Believe me, this is true.

Why does 'loving someone' have to involve guilt and pain? Love is suppose to be a healing energy, amongst other things. Why does it have to be that there should only be ONE primary person designated to be the ONE you LOVE on the level of partner?

Love is everywhere. It is in our cells. We are surrounded by it. It is who and what we are. Love cannot be compartmentalized. Nor can it be defined as one particular three dimensional state. It just IS. It is LOVE.

Real LOVE does not distinguish between flesh and avatar. Real LOVE knows what REAL is and is able to find its way and spread to others despite image/visual or even from outside the boundaries of technology.

Real LOVE is like light. You cannot escape it. It will shine on whatever it can reach. It may be blocked and thus shadowed, but it is always there. Remove the block and it is there.

The 'block' can be seen as the set of 'rules or guidelines' that we have been taught to follow within a modern society to avoid CHAOS. But what is modern society if not really just a concept in which to justify a means.

Reall LOVE is not selfish. It is not jealous. It is understanding.

If you LOVE, then LOVE. Forget about the rules and laws that you have been brainwashed to follow. Recognize it as a GIFT that you give your SELF. For when you LOVE, you are simply acknowledging the 'magnificence of creation', of your SELF reflected in others. It is not narcissism. It is the JOY of the realization of TRUTH.

But of course our three dimensional brains/minds cannot yet grasp that TRUTH, so what we end up doing is finding ways to express the three dimensional form of love, the 'emotion' as a physical feeling. Feeling of 'calm', 'warmth', 'goodness' - and this transcends into sexual feelings .... which is not a bad thing .. it is just a way for our three dimensional SELVES to grasp it.

However, because in a three dimensional state, we are still very limited from SEEING what IS, we cannot understand its greatness, therefor we revert to what we only know of. And that is, the rules and guidelines that we have been brainwashed to follow. To Love only one wife/husband, and that it is acceptable to love more than one child (of couurse), and that you can love your friend, or cousin... etc...

Our three dimensional brains compartmentalize LOVE into little departments so as not to confuse anyone, (really our SELVES) and so as not to promote feelings of jealousy, anger etc .. in others.

HOWEVER .. if someone gets offended by you loving another (I am referring to 'loving' and opposed to 'fucking' .. then really, their offense, jealous state, anger etc .. is another mask of FEAR. Fear of not being accepted. Fear of not being LOVED. When you remove the FEAR, then there is nothing else but LOVE.

But you cannot, we cannot remove the FEAR unless we truly recognize and are aware of the GREATNESS of LOVE and what it really means. Until then, we will continue to live in darkness, with our guilt. Never being really FREE. Never experiencing LOVE at its most finest!

For you see my friends, LOVE is our right. It is our RITE. When we deprive ourselves of our RIGHT, we loose.

Love is Love. Love is the only thing that is REAL. That is our lesson here on earth. That is why we exist. To learn the many ways in which LOVE can exist and to realize and once again and become aware that we are LOVE. Once we learn this, once we remember this, recall this TRUTH, once we are made AWARE, then we cease to exist as we now know it and become ONE - where we came from. As we once were.

So tell me, does a drop of water know that it is a part of a greater body of water all made up of doplets? Does is KNOW that it is WATER and not just define itself as a water droplet?

We are like water droplets. We KNOW we are water droplets but have not yet woken up to the fact that we are a part of something GREATER than what we experience. We know that other water droplets exist but still do not wholly realize that we are one and the same and that we are completely connected .. all forming something GREATER than we we can ever imagine.

Get out of your MIND and exist thru your SOUL. Be FREE to LOVE, for we ARE Love.

Corporate Image Blurred?

I met an RL CEO today in the new *New Paris* SIM of Madam Zagato. A team in his company had joined SL to study and observe how they could use SL in their sales training. He decided to log on to familiarize himself with the SL environment. I, of course, being the Ms. P.R that I am, had offered to show him around.

During our conversation he had mentioned to me how the company could restrict their employees from accessing the more 'fun' areas of SL when logged in during 'business' hours. I told him that you probably could not, unless someone in his company found a way to create a software program that would limit access to certain areas of SL. I am thinking that THAT aspect alone could give someone in RL a great opportunity to work with Linden Lab in developing such a program to offer other companies with that same concern. Anyhoo ....

I also mentioned to him about my alt avatars and what each one did in SL. He had asked me if everyone in SL had more than one avatar. I told him not likely but that there were certainly many with alt av's. Mr. CEO then asked if perhaps his employees would need two avatars. Hmmmmm.

I thought about it for only a mere moment then said, "Yes! It might be a good idea."

The reason why I agreed to having an alt avatar for anyone whose company had a presence in SL was for the sheer fact of 'corporate image'. Afterall, an IBM employee whose avatar name might be JoeShmoe IBM can't very well be seen hanging out at the Free Archan Sex Community, now can they? I mean, it wouldn't be good for corporate image.

Besides, I am almost sure that anyone whose company had a presence in SL would be smart enough to obtain an ALT avatar just for the reason of having a SECOND LIFE separate from their RL. It would make me assume that having your company in SL would not warrant you the full privilege of creating a Second Life since the avatar you use for your company's SL presence would still have an association with a concrete RL image. I hope I explained that well enough.

This leads me to wonder about corporate image and image in general.

With so many companies and organizations joining SL I am thinking that it would be challenging to maintain whatever corporate image they may hold in RL - in a TRUE sense.

The reason why I say this is because in RL it is very easy to pretend we live our lives within boundaries. We go to work for respectable or reputable companies, dine in restaurants that maintains or increases our social status or ' image standing' , allows us to shop in places that say something of our financial status, and surround ourselves with people that help increase our social standing. (This statement of course is in general. I am well aware that there are a majority of people that are open minded enough to view others as EQUAL)

We can easily define ourselves in RL by the way we dress, the places we frequent and the people we choose to network with. This all helps to create a three dimensional image and impression.

But in SL the boundaries are blurred. They are blurred because as much as IMAGE is so well thought out and put together in the form of avatars, one cannot really KNOW who is behind the avatar and what RL image they present. Can they?

Of course, when one interacts with another avatar over time, they enter into an opportunity of sharing their RL and their SL (if they so choose). But more than that, they enter into a wider range of opportunity for themselves when they interact with an avatar in SL because even though they see an avatar image .. and get visually attached to that avatar image .. inadvertently, they must eventualy realize that they are still connecting ..... connecting thru not just image .. but .....

Okay, the title of this blog entry is "Corporate Image Blurred" because when a company or organization enters SL, there are no boundaries. The only boundaries that an employee has, or any other SL resident or visitor has is whatever boundaries are in SL.

Everyone in SL has an equal opportunity to experience the same things in SL. (Other than those annoying red no-access lines that people put up around their properties, making it difficult for people to fly from one area to another ... which sucks! Sorry I just had to mention that here).

The SL playground is not limited to anyone. So when a company or organization, no matter how image conscious they are or pristine they appear to be in RL, knowledge of what can go on in SL is in everyone's knowledge base (whether they choose to partake in it or not there are no secrets about SL.

I may work for a company in RL but no one can in that company, not even my close co-workers can really know what RL boundaries I have set for myself. They can assume, but they cannot really know. As well, even if I wanted to try a certain type of lifestyle in RL I would not really be free to because it would involve me physically participating to a certain degree and having to use my ONLY RL physical self. And what if anyone in my work place or relatives for that matter, found out?! Yikes!

But in SL, we can go anywhere with our avatar. Or we can create another avatar with an entirely different lifestyle.

So, for all you CEO's out there whose company's are thinking about joining SL and are concerned about limiting certain SL areas to your employees .. fergeet it!

An employee is still an employee when they go home at night and log on as BIGSTUD Johnson!

Why does image have to be so important? Why does corporate image have to be so important?

We are all just people.

Curious. Explorative. Curious. Adventurous. Imaginative. Horny. Curious. Playful. We are essentially all the same.

Synchronocity At Play

I (Alt Avatar #1) was at one of my favourite cafe's, Cafe Capisce at the New Paris Region of Madame Zagato. I love this area. It is also the home of the N30 Photography System.

I often come there alone to sit and think after a day of shopping in New Paris. I took a window seat and noticed a man walking up the stairs. He entered into the cafe and since I hardly ever see anyone there when I am there, took the opportunity to say, "Hello".

We started up a conversation and began to share both our reasons for being in SL and also what we did in RL. I found out that he was a psychologist. Hmmmmm. He and a partner wanted to set up an office in SL where people can come and have discussions, Hmmmm. He was waiting for someone to help them with setting up an office building so that they could get started. Hmmmmm.

At this point I was squirming in my bed with the laptop on my lap. I told Mr. Psychologist that the night prior, another avatar friend and I were talking about setting up an office where people can come and discuss and share their experiences on SL. And of course I started to share my observations .. then *poof* he was gone.
At least I had the chance to catch his name and offer him 'friendshhip' (something I have been reluctant to do of late for fear of bombardment of IM's)

The next day Alt Avatar #1 was out shopping with the girls when Mr. Psychologist 'accepted my friendship offer'. He then immediately IM'd me to meet him at a bar. I got teleported.

Thus continued our conversation from the previous night.

I shared with him an experience I had earlier (which I will blog about soon). We ended up sharing our philosophy's on certain issues and found them to be very similiar. One thing lead to another and I started showing him a tour of Maxine's homes. One home in particular, Maxine's first island home in SL appeared suitable for a psychologist(s) to conduct appointments and discussions.

I told Mr. Psychologist that I had set up the home for just that. A place where people can convene to share ideas, visions and well, pretty much anything relating to SL and RL. I then said, "I have been waiting for you. This house has been waiting for you."

It is true. When I designed the interior of the home in Aquila, I envisioned a place where meetings and discussions can be held. A meeting of the MINDS! Lol .... so to speak.

Finally, the home will no longer be empty (as Maxine continues to explore SL's other regions) and it can now be used to facilitate 'meaningful connections'.

More on the Psychologist Project once things get set up.

" .... VR is not reality ..."

" .... VR is not reality ... it is not real" so said a friendly avatar as we were having a discussion on tech stuff and such and such.

VR is not real. VR is not real?

I had to stop and think about that one. I wanted him to elaborate. I wondered if he could. So I didn't ask. My fault.

It didn't matter, for questions like those send shivers up my spine and into my brain and inadvertently seeps into my MIND's thought process.

And all the while as we continued our topic on tech stuff and such and such my MIND went off on its own tangent to explore the answer.

The result?! (drum roll please ...)

VR IS REAL.

SO to speak.

If you mean the reality created by these virtual worlds, where people role play, act out alter ego's etc .. as not being REAL, then okay, I can buy that. But to say that Virtual Reality is not a reality .. then WRONG. It IS a reality because it is HERE. We participate in it. We interact and connect. Some have tons of sex and others do business, or both. Now mind you, I have not been in other VR worlds but I am not sure that any other VR world has companies like IBM, Sun Microsystems and now Dell Computers, or schools such as Harvard Law or Federal organizations such as the Center for Disease Control - all cramming in to be a part of SL. So what does that mean?

Do these companies just want to role play as well? Does IBM want its employees during break and lunchtime to sneak away at the Del Mar XXX Hotel to try out the *ahem* Sexgen beds? Would the Center for Disease Control want its employees to gather at a casino to try their luck? And would Prof. Nesson's Harvard Law Class: Cyber One suddenly all be found at the KitKat club after, say, a lecture? I THINK NOT! But then again ..

For those of you that still believe that SL is a game, and that VR is not real - then can someone please alert Congress or the FBI or whomever is responsible for investigating ludricous acts of behaviour made by high end corporations? Someone should alert their shareholders at least! Please, not another ENRON.

(I was being sarcastic!)

Of course VR is real. It is HERE! DUH!!!

Now, as to what other dark mysteries that people choose to create while in SL as in role play etc ... is that REAL? The intention is, the outcome is but then the inbetween may not be ... think about that one, will ya?!

Maxine in San Francisco Chronicle

Reyhan Harmanci of the SFGATE recently wrote an article chronicling the various ways in which some people choose to use Second Life. The article only skimmed the surface, however, it provided a broad scope of what can be expected when one decides to venture inside Second Life.

It was an interesting read. It made me think about my avatar's life. And the lives of the other two newly acquired av's.

Much exploration can be done with one's own psyche - if you dare to go that way.

I've found Second Life not only to be a playground for one's alter ego but a platform in which to explore human relationships .... your relationship with your SELF.

Me, Myself and I : Alt Avatars & Experiment #1

Alt Avatars.

I know there are some mixed feelings about having more than one avatar. Some feel as though they can be used to deceive while others find the necessity of an alt avatar perfectly normal (when one wants to be online and not be bothered while focusing on things like building and shopping).

A few days ago I had felt it was necessary to create an alt avatar. I did this for the mere purpose of being in SL to 'shop' for land, buildings, clothing etc ... without having to be inundated with IM's and people locating me on the map and teleporting to my location. Sometimes a gal just wants to be left alone ;o)

My alt avatar is female. She dresses more 'sassy' and really had begun to take on a whole other personality just based on her looks. Quite different from Maxine, I must say. It didn't take but a few hours for my Alt 1 to be on SL when sure enough someone offers friendship. Please do not get me wrong, I welcome all friends in SL but I find that a lot of people use the 'friendship feature' for 3D chat. If I wanted to 'chat' then I'd be on MSN or Yahoo (actually I hardly ever log in anymore, especially when anyone I ever need to get in touch with, I can text via phone!)

Just as I am strongly 'independent', valueing much ALONE time in RL, I find that I am the same way in SL. When I DO engage in conversation then you cannot shut me up but it would have to be the type of conversation that can stimulate me i.e. tell me something that I do not already know. If it's for mere babble, then sorry but my attention will wane (I am an undiagnosed A.D.D. - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Sadly, I spend most of my time in SL for the mere fact that I can find MORE STIMULATING conversations with people inworld then I can in RL. But I also need my alone time to explore and well, conduct business matters.

So, my Alt 1 accepted the 'friendship offer' from a male avatar (crossing her fingers that it would not lead to daily 3D chat and being stalked.

The one predicament that I found with having an Alt 1 is that she would have to start from scratch. Most of Maxine's inventory items are not transferrable so Alt 1 had to purchase much of her own things. It became frustrating when Alt 1 needed a place to rest and none of Maxine's places were accessible. Hence, Maxine had to log on and give Alt 1 access. Really rather annoying I might say.

Now, choosing to be female for Alt 1 was not such a good idea. Alt 1 would have to suddenly TP out of a region if some guy started 'chatting'. (Remember, the purpose of Alt 1 was not for 'friendship' making purposes but so that I could be online to do what I needed to do, search for land, find homes etc ...) then came the creation of Alt 2 - a man.

Alt 2 was born out of the need to really be LEFT ALONE. Mind you I did not choose my Alt 2 to be non-attractive. He in fact is quite good looking, tall, broad shouldered and exudes a quiet and understated confidence. I found it amusing when female av's would walk up to him. I had to catch myself from saying, "Ummmmm, sorry, but I am really a woman" and found teleporting out was the best way to go.

Now this is what I wanted to share with you after the experience of being 3 avatars in a span of 2 days. All three have entirely different personalities and interests!

But how can this be?! There is only ONE person behind each of them so technically they should all behave and think (so to speak), the same. But NO, they do not. And this totally astonished the person at the laptop, witnessing these very different transformations.

Maxine likes to wear business suits, glasses and always carries a handbag with her. She owns several parcels of land and has furnished each home rather beautifully. She has no SL BF nor does she want one. She is more of a philanthropist. And, just like in RL she has more male friends that she does female.

Alt 1 appears somewhat younger in age but still definitely as confident and independent as Maxine but she does not want to own land. She will be living in a rented Loft apartment within the week. Unlike Maxine, she welcomes the comraderie of females (and this was purely by accident). She collects art and has a photography studio set up in one of Maxines homes. She drives fast cars and never wants to carry a handbag.

Alt 2, being male, likes to look at cars and bikes. You can find him at the race track riding his motorcycle or car, or at weapon/gadget stores trying out the new wares. He likes to shop ALONE and his clothes reflect his need for 'comfortability'. Of course he has a suit and a pair of nice shoes if he needed them but he can be found wearing his favourite pair of jeans and t's most of the time. And the most important thing - he does NOT have a PENIS.

More on my experiences with these different Alt's but you must know that in NO WAY are these Alt's meant to deceive. They have completely different circles of friends and only appear online one at a time, unless I choose to tell people of my Alt selves, in which case, I bring them out for introduction.

They live completely different lives so there is no reason whatsoever for Maxine's friends to ever meet the other two. If it happens that Alt 1 or Alt 2 ends up bumping into Maxine's friends, they simply TP out before any contact is made - end of story.

If you are one of those people that have certain concerns about having an alt av I highly recommend that you explore the opportunity. I use to be against it but after the need arose I found it not at all to be what I thought. It all depends on your intentions for having alt av's. If it is meant to spy on your 'friends' or to get information from other's then that would totally be out and out deceitful!

But if you happen to obtain an alt av then your MIND will begin the process of 'reaching out' and 'growing' into ALL THAT IT CAN BE. It is fascinating to experience and witness the transformation of one avatar personality into another.

Oh GOD! I hope I an not giving myself away as being of multi-personalities! If so, then I am not aware that I am, however, there are days when I certainly feel like I have more than one.

Which brings me to tie in how this blog entry relates to the general theme of this blog.

Here it is:

Does IMAGE / VISUAL have a lot to do with how we form our perceptions and how we choose to engage in our experience with living?

Does gender really play a strong force in how we relate to our surroundings or are these just LEARNED? DUH! Of course it does.

If we have ONE MIND, then how can it be possible to project different thoughts and behaviours onto varying images, based on image alone and knowing full well that we chose that image?

Is MIND really over MATTER?

Can we really paint a strong visual in our thought patterns that will ultimately affect the way we LIVE our lives?

Or am I just crazy!?

Experiment #1: Create and Alt avatar (without deceiving your First avatar's friends) and experience a change in thought pattern based on IMAGE / VISUAL and let me know what you found ... about your SELF.

Getting Heat from RL Peeps

I don't know about you but I've been getting some heat from my RL friends and people that happen to hear me talk about SL.

1. They think I'm crazy (no news there)
2. They think I'm wasting my time being in world and often laugh and tell me that I should try living in RL for awhile.

If you think I just smile and accept the comments passively - think again!

Unlike my very diplomatic avatar that is soon blossoming into her RL SELF, my RL cohort never shy's at the opportunity for 'teaching', fostering 'understanding' and making people THINK where no thoughts have gone before.

I have the greatest come back ever! And this is it:

In my job I see pain. I see blood.
I clean fecal matter between the labia folds of very pungent vagina's.
I wipe off the sticky smeggum underneath penis heads of uncircumsized cocks.
I watch the last breath of life as it is taken.
I have touched the dead - and I even have to clean the dead body and dress it.
Once in awhile our team gets to REVIVE a body back to life - that's pretty cool.

I have been married, had two children and buried one.
I understand the concept of UNCONDITIONAL Love and of what "Letting Go" really means.
I am currently in an 8 year long term relationship with someone 12 years my junior, yet I
still allow myself to meet people and 'connect' with them (no, I don't cheat).

I have many blogs and I readily immerse myself in new technology.

If that is not REAL LIFE then I don't know what is.

What do you tell the 'sleeping sheep' when they comment about your SL?

"I Love You" :: SL and RL Meaning

I had a very insightful conversation with an avatar in SL. The topic was on SL relationships. They had told me that they had been spending a certain amount of time with a particular avatar with whom they enjoyed the company of. Just recently this avatar was told by their 'friend' how much they were liked and appreciated. In other words, they mentioned the "L" word in a sentence.

"I Love You."

It had not occurred to me that this statement would and could take on a different dimension here in SL. Afterall, wouldn't it have the same meaning and implications and obligations it may have in RL?

Now think about it. Would it?

Granted, there are many ways in which the sentence "I Love You" can be said and taken to mean, depending on the context.

But no matter to what level one chooses to take their particular 'meaning' of the word/emotion "LOVE" - just the mere thought and acknowledgement of that word "LOVE" puts someone on a vunerable platform, as well as placing the 'Lov-ee' on another vunerable platform.

LOVE.

I Love You.

During our insightful conversation, this avatar asked me, "What does saying 'I Love You' in SL mean?"

My mind went blank, but only for a mere moment.

I had always assumed that the words 'I Love You' would mean whatever it would mean to the person saying it and to the person receiving it. But in SL .. does it change?

The reason why this question was raised was because in SL, unlike RL, (or maybe MUCH like RL) promescuity can run amuck. I am not placing any negative connotations to the word 'promescuity' by any means. I simply chose to use that word for what it has come to mean in RL. Besides, I DID blog about Sex in Second Life being the Safest Sex Ever!

When someone says "I Love You" in RL and depending on where you stand in the morality/ethical scale, you may decide to conduct your actions in RL accordingly to not HURT the one that said, "I Love You" - although, I personally do not see why you would have to.

By saying 'I Love You' is only a mere verbal expression of an emotion felt by that person. It is their choice to have expressed it verbally, and it is their choice if they EXPECT a certain behaviour back from the person who received the "I Love You". In which case, I deem the Lov - er as SELFISH.

Love, believe it or not is a SELFLESS emotion / and should be a SELFLESS ACT. It should not come attached with rules and contracts and expectations. It should be, as we have heard countless times in our RL - UNCONDITIONAL.

Besides, there are so many reasons why someone would perceive that they FEEL LOVE towards a person. Many Reasons indeed. Some 'Love Emotions' are not even REAL but are rooted from some deep subconscious level in a person allowing them to perceive that it is REAL LOVE. And that my friends is where all trouble starts.

And I DO mean - ALL Trouble.

In order to KNOW what LOVE is and to fully understand its capacity you need to first understand YOUR SELF. You first need to accept YOUR SELF for who and what you are and from there develop a loving and trusting relationship with YOUR SELF and realize how SELF is very much a part of a GREATER ENTITY - That which IS LOVE.

If we are not aware that we are in fact 'energies' that are made up of LOVE and with LOVE then we are denying ourselves our basic RIGHT for a MEANINGFUL EXISTENCE.

Don't get me wrong. All forms of existence are meaningful .. but it would be that much more 'beautiful' if we were aware of it and not just go on living blindly.

If we cannot LOVE our SELVES then we cannot LOVE anyone else, for anyone else are mere mirror reflections of our SELVES, just in different images.

Just like the countless possibilities of creating alt avatars in SL, the person/mind behind each alt avatar is ONE.

We love them all the same for we created them equally from some likeness of our RL SELF despite each alt avatar having totally different lives and different personalities. They are all ONE - connected to the One person behind the image who sits at a computer screen manipulating their acts.
(Okay, this is all getting our of hand here and it just gave me an idea for another blog entry).

What does saying "I Love You" mean in SL?

The words "I Love You" mean exactly the same in SL as you would perceive it to mean in RL. It is subjective. It is REAL.

What does it mean for the receiver of the words "I Love You"? It would mean whatever the receiver perceives it to mean.

Communication people. Communication. If someone says "I Love You" both in SL and RL then it opens up another level of communication for growth, understanding and for a much more meaningful experience in whatever LIFE you are in.

Happy Loving!

Titles: What Are They Good For & How Big is Your Cake?

In RL (Real Life) it is not uncommon for an individual to hold more than one job. Perhaps two part time jobs, or one full time and one part time, or even two full time ones! Augh!!

In SL (Second Life), one can hold many.

Currently I hold two titles. One of Director and the other, a CFO of a new and growing company. I did not need to apply for the positions. As a matter of fact, I was approached. And no, there was no sex involved with the Boss! :o)

I can only imagine that the reason I was approached was based on my reputation amongst my crowd and the way I conduct myself in-world. I was flattered. But before accepting I had to ask in detail what was expected of me etc ..

Can I do both jobs? Of course. Am I qualified? Certainly!

Although my RL Career is a mile away from the likes of these two SL jobs, my entire RL life has been practically based on the skills set and knowledge base that these SL jobs entail. Coincidence? I think not.

It was not by choice that I chose my RL 'work', rather, it was a calling. And for the longest time, I have been trying to find a way to get out of this so called 'calling'. I just want to 'hang up' altogether.

I feel as though there is more to me in RL that can be tapped into and that my contribution in other areas would be a great assett to any company/organization. The reason why I have not yet ventured off is because I also feel that "It is not yet the time."

When the TIME comes, then I will know. Another door will open and I will know whether to walk thru it or to re-think my route.

In SL, with these two titles of large responsibility, it is easy to maintain and keep up with the obligations. I teleport to one meeting after the next. No traffic, no looking for parking. I change business suits from one meeting to the next all in a matter of seconds AND I always look my best. My buttons are all done up, my make up is perfect and my hair is always in place. I also oversee three of my properties. One is where I conduct SL Orientation Sessions and the other is rented, per se and the third is just nearly completed its renovation. I am my own contractor and designer so believe me, it is not easy. But it is almost not impossible.

You just need to juggle work and play and what not in between IM's and Group Notices.

Am I busy or what?!

Despite the great demands that I place on myself in SL, I always make time to PLAY.

Late in the evening after a gruelling day of teleporting and flying, my SL hunk logs on and we are able to share a few intimate moments. The cherry on top of a sundae kind of day in SL!

In RL I've always believed that you can have your cake and eat it too.

In SL, you can own the Pastry Shop and Eat ALL YOU WANT. There are no limits.

C'est La Vie! In SL!

The Margaret Question: A feeble reply

In an earlier post titled Learning to Set Limits a reader named Margaret posed the following question:

If the smart, the creative, the innovative and the technically wise expend their talents in the metaverse, what happens to the rest of the world? What happens to the environment? What happens to the poor? Something like a third of the world has never even used a telephone....

I was amazed at the depth level that this question had engaged me. I promised Margaret that I would come up with an insightful and thoughtful response.

It is almost 4:30 am CST as I sit on my bed blogging this post. I had some time to allow the Margaret Question to seep into my being and play around in my mind. My response is not the answer to her question but rather the attempt of a mind in a three dimensional state to explore the possibilities of a sane response. Here it goes.

Granted, there is a large amount of SL residents who are creators in both building, scripting etc .. the most logical response would be that NOT ALL the smart, creative, the innovative and the technically wise expend their talents in the metaverse. There are still countless people in RL who feel that their sole purpose in life is to make a difference in Cancer Research, bridging the Digital Divide, Educating Third World Nations and so on.

Those that create and innovate in SL represent only a very small number of the technical world. It is true that there are still people that have never used or seen a phone but to count them in as part of this new WAVE would be plain silly.

It is a Third Dimensional fact that there will always be people who are more opportuned than others. This is based on social, financial, or whatever status one has to be involved with to have such opportunities.

As well, there will always be a BALANCE in the world. The Rich and the Poor, the Educated and Non Educated etc. I am not even going to talk about 'the choices people make' because frankly, there are those populations where certain choices are not even factored into their life experience.

Metaphysically speaking, a Soul chooses what they are to be, how they are to live and what experiences are necessary for them to have in a particular lifetime in order to move up the rank so to speak.

If you do not believe in Souls and in the returning of a Soul back to a lifetime then I encourage you to read on and bear with me. For what is the use of moving on to another web page if you have not at least read what I have to say.

Long ago people thought the world was flat. Long ago people believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe. Long ago people thought that you can get AIDS from merely touching someone and not too long ago people believed that a
'certain' drug was the cure for their ailments and NOW more and more drugs are being pulled off the shelf every time a discovery is made that INDEED that drug is harmful to your health. NO SHIT!

There is the concept of Group Souls. Those that are artistic, creative etc together work simultaneously thru the Great Ocean of Consciousness to help humanity achieve it's goal of AWARENESS. There are other Souls that work from a financial end, and those that appear to merely exist as a Third Dimensional entity (obviously, they have not yet evolved) but they will. That is their choice. I cannot and will not get into deep metaphysics here.

My mom is not a good cook, but she can command people do to things and run an entire company. My aunt is an amazing cook and can't speak in public or even use a computer.

There will always be extremes of things in this world and there will always be groups of people whose life experiences will be so different from that of others. Should we do anything about this? No.

I do believe that those that are more privileged with whatever power, have a responsiblity to humanity to share thru reaching out and teaching to. But more than anything, each of us that ARE AWARE should be first obligated to our SELF to ensure our SELF Evolution. There is NO SENSE in the blind leading the blind per se. Just look at the world history for proof.

The sad thing (sadness being a Third dimensional experience) is that there are many people that wander thru life living their Three dimensional lives without even being aware of the other levels. But that is fine. That is all they know in their realm of experience and perception.

Not everyone will agree that SL is just more than a game. Not everyone will even feel the need to find out what SL is all about.

I am one of the most open minded and flexible persons you will ever meet but I don't think I will ever feel the need to eat Pig's blood that is a delicacy in my culture.

I know this attempt at a sane response is really just an attempt but perhaps we need to ask ourselves this:

If the entire world were equal and equipped with the same technology that seems to be spewing out of Silicone Valley, would that make for a better world? I cannot imagine every nation having nuclear power.

If everyone had access to a phone, would that improve communication?

Communication that is not merely the transferring of facts and data between brain processes, but meaningful, essential and life changing communication.

Technology and all other platforms i.e. music, art, humanitarian service, accounting, motherhood etc .. are just other ways of connecting with others using a common ground for understanding. That is how I see it.

On the other side of the coin, if you were to remove the creativity and innovative work that a number of people have invested in, in SL and channel it to those areas of the world that are less privileged, would that still make a better world?

So I guess Dear Margaret, there are no exact black and white answers to your question. A very profound question INDEED.

BALANCE.

It is about achieving a state of BALANCE. Life in Moderation is usually safe but there will be times when a WAVE will occur that will catapult mankind to another level. Will it be good? Only time will tell. How many years has it taken to change the way people thought of the world being FLAT, until some crazy dude decided to travel AROUND it.?!

Yin and Yang.

Truthfully, this whole phenomenon of Metaverse is merely just another vehicle in the evolution of mankind that will eventually lead man to the same question. Why do I exist.

It is my hope that this time around, we will be closer to the answer.

There is still a great divide and I am not speaking of DIGITAL. There is indeed a great divide between human consciousness and the consciousness of the Universe. That to me is more of a concern than people not having the use of telephones.

Let them be I say, to run around naked and free in their land.

Yes, poverty is pathetic but so is extreme wealth by a person who's heart is empty.

Ask Yourself the Margaret Question

After just posting the Mind Distortion ... entry (see previous post) I realized I had 2 comments on the blog entry Learning to Set Limits. One reader, Margaret, posed this question that just gave my MIND a new yogic pose, I'll call it "Ahhhhh! Uh Oh ... "

Margaret's question is: If the smart, the creative, the innovative and the technically wise expend their talents in the metaverse, what happens to the rest of the world? What happens to the environment? What happens to the poor? Something like a third of the world has never even used a telephone....

Then she closes her comment with:

Sometimes, I want to go and live in a rainforest and eat leaves. :) Take me with you, Margaret! :o)

I am going to ask myself the Margaret Question. Right now my MIND is excited. It has encountered a new Yoga pose and I need to practice it and breathe thru it. I am going to bump down all my other blog entries until I come up with a decent and thoughful response to the Margaret Question.

Also, I am going to incorporate my response to Sorcha McConachie's comment as well.

Both Margaret's and Sorcha McConachie's comments are very engaging and thought provoking. We may have felt similiarly to how they describe feeling about spending time online but at least now, we know we are not alone.

You must always know that YOU ARE NEVER ALONE anyway.

Image Distortion and Mind Yoga

Efforts to blog regularly are being ambushed by SL. That poor excuse is actually true. One cannot blog about Synchronocity and the influence of the Greater Consciousness in SL if one does not spend time in SL. That being said, my brain/mind has been processing much of my experiences in SL in a magnitude of levels. A revelation occurs almost regularly and a new blog topic is born.

In an early post (too lazy to make a link, sorry), I talked about how my purpose in SL was not about making relationships or having sexual encounters. It was simply to immerse myself in the In World and to have the experience imprint itself in my cognitive. To this date I can easily call myself a hypocrite.

Apart from living out my alterego in SL it almost seems impossible to NOT CONNECT with any avatar. I use the term avatar because despite an avatars connection to a person in RL, that avatars image has a lot to do with how one person in RL chooses how their avatar in SL relates to the other avatars. Ouch. Similiar to how we first judge people based on appearance in RL.

What was that saying? "Image is Everything". But is it?

My friend in SL, the one who posed the question, "... what's the point in having an SL if you set limits for yourself in SL..." is a very handsome avatar. He also has a sarcastic and dry sense of 'tell it like it is' humor and candor that I appreciate. I have learned to accept this avatar as a 'buddy' so to speak and like most male/female encounters in RL, the issue of sexual tension arises.

Now, I am going to share something that is rather personal but heck I don't really care.

Something happened to my psyche in RL that made it difficult for me to enjoy and express myself in a sexual manner. This was not always the case for back in '96 - '99 I truly believed that I had attained the epitomy of sexual freedom and expression. It was a raw emotion of SELF that came from within a place inside of me that seemed natural and of course, empowering.

I won't get into the 'why and what could've happened' to have made my RL person turn into somewhat of a sexual recluse but I needed to share this juicy tidbit as background for this blog entry.

So, here I am, umm, my avatar rather, spending time with a very handsome and witty male counterpart and one thing lead to another and yaddah yaddah yaddah.

IT didn't happen suddenly. I can only speak for my 'avatar self' in that spending time with conversation and the constant 'image vision' I had with my 'buddy' avatar made my RL person grow attached to that avatar. Silly? Not to those with whom I had this very discussion with in SL.

What started off as a spontaneous 'first date' in one of SL's beautiful waterfall gardens, ended up in wild, raunchy sex in a room in Amsterdam!

Yup folks. Maxine has lost her SL virginity!

The first time was not as uncomfortable to my RL mind as I thought it would be. While 'buddy' kept up with the sexual lingo while I remained somewhat quiet - somewhat, merely watching the screen as our avatars were performing 'hot and heavy' moves on a sex-gen bed. (Gotta love those sex-gen beds!)

That night, I had been broken. But it wasn't my avatar hymen that I am referring to, rather that psyche prison where the crime committed was 'conscious choice of a sexless life'. (Sexless meaning sex without a partner, for ME, Myself and I do very well alone, thank you)

Was I disturbed by the fact that my set out purpose in SL has been sabbotaged? No.
Was I bothered later by the mere act of cheating on my RL bf with an SL hunk? No.

Do I consider it cheating? No. (I'll blog later about why I do believe that monogamy is NOT a natural state)

Looking back at that evening in Amsterdam, I realized that I was put in a psyche prison in RL by sabbotage indeed, but the sabbateur was ME.

The SECOND time was different. My mindspace was ready to GO WHERE I had not been able to go in years ..... (with an RL figure, that is). This time, I was not quiet. The sexual lingo did not flow as easily as it did years back, but I got into it, and typing words expressing pleasure and satisfaction was a big giant step to getting that parole!

So that is the story behind this blog entry, now for the clincher.

The next day I met up with my 'buddy' in SL. And my mind was in for some yoga. I felt as if I someone had gone inside my MIND, physically and grabbed it and squeezed it and twisted it. Ouch.

What did I see after his avatar image rezz'd? No hair! My handsome avatar (most of which was enhanced by hair) was hairless! I did remark in a seemingly nonchalant fashion so as not to alert him to my "WTF happened to your hair!" "I loved your hair!" and "But that's what partly made me attracted to you!" "Put back the hair." "Put back the hair NOW!"

Huh? I was stunned. I was stumped. My MIND went OUCH.

We carried on a chat and thru the chat my MIND was still hurting. His image had been distorted, and all that I had as visual for a possible third enconter was dissapppointing.

Mind you, his newly bald avatar image was still handsome and it was the same sarcastic, dry and witty verbage that spewd forth on my chat screen ... so what .....

Then came the revelation that relates to this blog topic.

Despite IMAGE BEING EVERYTHING in our seemingly RL way of thinking, it also is THAT in SL. Just look around at all the HOT and GORGEOUS female human avatars strutting in sexywalk 2!

It appears that we do not leave behind certain prejudices or ignorant states when we immerse ourselves in SL. It may be easier to, but when you least expect it, like I did that day when my 'buddy' tp'd over, hairless, it becomes easy to loose yourself in THAT, WHICH YOU NEED WORK ON.

This was NOT the revelation.

THIS IS:
With image being such an important variable in SL and so easy to heighten and maintain, perhaps, once we get use to the fact that 'what our MINDS get emotionally attached to is NOT the image but rather the 'MIND' behind the avatar - not the fit and cut body of a male avatar or the sexy 40 - 22 - 26 shape of a female in SL, but rather the connection established during chat and IM's.

Avatar Images can come and go, but the MIND stays somewhat constant. (In a balanced person anyway)

I saw an autopsy in RL long ago - occupational hazard, and while watching the lifeless body undergo the process of strategic mutilation my MIND encountered its first Yogic pose. The pose of "Hmmmmm.....". And after the autopsy came my first revelation. "You are not your BODY."

To this day, my MIND stays in it's first Yogic pose of "Hmmmm". While in this pose my experience and journey thru this lifetime has been one of much learning .. and much teaching.

After the initial visual of a hairless 'buddy' and my mind had time to resort back to its first pose of "Hmmmm...." I felt centered.

I encourage you to try this MIND Yogic pose of "Hmmmm....". Not just in SL but in RL as well. This pose will help STILL your MIND and in that stillneess, make it easier to accept and see what is, and what is not.

I am looking forward to my third sexual encounter with me 'bald buddy'!