Judging by Appearances

While scouring the net for anything remotely interesting, I came across this blog entry.

I ties in neatly with my own way of thinking - I assume that behind every avatar I meet is a 5'3" male who has long ago relinquiched the dream of a sixpack for the reality of a beerkeg. And probably has unpleasant personal habits as well.

What this means is that I do judge the people I meet by their appearance - their appearance as avatars in SL. Equally important is their behaviour - again as they behave in SL. Maybe that makes me shallow, but in this world of appearances I find this the only viable route.

So here are some "Basic Rules, Mistress Lawra, for the Interaction with":

Pay attention to how you look. Jeans and a T-shirt wouldn't attract a second glance from me in RL; it won't in SL either. Stick-figure bodies with DD cup breasts would get a second glance from me in RL, but only to decide whether disgust or pity should take the top position. Eight-foot tall and six foot wide with muscles that would get you tossed out of a Mr. Universe competition on suspicion of stereoid abuse? oh come on - get real! I adjust my "typist-height-estimate" to 5'1". :D

Not that this means you have to look human - I have met enough furries, nekos and other "just plain weird" avatars (including one very nice luminescent green lady) that "human-looking" is not a prerequisite.

Maybe I'm becoming speciesist? Since we can look like whatever we want, I feel that those who prefer to resemble humans should at least make an effort to look a little like RL humans? I know I'm not setting such a shining example myself - last I checked, I was 6'9" in my high-heeled boots. That's a bit much, even if my typist really is unusually tall. I'll chop some inches off my legs as soon as I can log on again...

The other important factor is communication. Do make an attempt to write whole words and complete sentences. Don't attempt to communicate with me in "txtspk". I am fluent in two languages, decent in three more, and could probably get by in another four if I really had to. Txtspk is not among them. "Standard net abbreviations" like lol, afk and brb are OK (unless overused), witing "r u" instead of "are you" is not. I don't want to hear your voice; I don't do voice myself and most of the time the sound is off on my typist's PC. Add to this that my typist is a trained singer and very difficult to impress. ;)

Which leads to the third point: Be polite. Rudeness gets you only rudeness; politeness can get you anything.

So what is this SL thing anyway?

I think every single SL blogger has tried to answer this, as well as several scientific publications and the official SecondLife wiki.

So I will say what it is to me: It is a stage.

A stage where you play your chosen part in a play without a script, where every action or inaction of every player affects every other player - although only the actions of those close to you are immediately obvious.

Some "players" only dip their toes in the waters, preferring to skim lightly across the surface. Others dive deep down, and are absorbed in the ocean. There are those that use SL to play games, others who use it to make artworks, there are even theater performances within the fictional world.

For my own part, I live here. I do not play a role, I am that role - that of Lawra Idlemind, Mistress of the Moirai family. When I stare frostily at an offending slave it is not an act, it is my own reaction. When I smile sweetly and forgive, that is also totally real to me. When I was commended for my "good role play" recently I did a double-take - I hadn't been acting at all!

This makes it all the more enjoyable to me: The challenge of living the life of a Mistress is far more interesting than merely acting the part. So even if I am fully aware that I am a fictional character controlled by a person behind a keyboard somewhere in Norway, I am still totally convinced that I really am - myself.

I have discovered that how I react ("play my part") is very much influenced by the costume I wear. As the tall blonde in the virginally white outfit I am sweet, caring and forgiving. In full spiky goth armour, skin and hair, and riding Spike (my Gothic horse) I am cold, cruel and utterly unforgiving. My dark-skinned wide-hipped big-bosomed form is unabashedly erotic, and can make any outfit from bikini to ballgowns look sexy enough to border on the slutty.

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:

Horsing Around

I mentioned the ponyboy who brought me into the Family, didn't I? Yes - I did. We had many enjoyable rides over the next few weeks, and he was very impressed when I turned up for a ride wearing a full classic riding costume - complete with helmet and (non-functional) crop. We rode all over Tetrapoli and much of FFF where he had his home stable.

Whenever I log on, one of the first things i see is an IM with "Greetings, Mistress" from him. That really makes one feel appreciated!

But one day the IM held sad news - for me. He had been sold to a new mistress, who forbade him to ride out with others for the first week or so. He explained that this was his Dream Mistress who he had long wanted to be owned by, so I am happy for him. But sad for myself.

Out of the blue I received an IM from one of the first friends i made in SL, with an invitation to come look at some horses. She TP'ed me over to the AKK stables. Just as I arrived and things started clearing up a little I saw her TPing out, but by then I was fixated on the horses. I promptly picked up a demo horse (good for four uses) and went back home to gallop up and down the main "street". :)

And then it turned out that most of my Family had horses already, but had avoided using them when the ponyboy was around - and we were usually there at the same time...

They were all riding horses from S Haras though, so when I gave in to temptation and bought myself a horse that is where i went.

S Haras has a habit of running occasional online auctions to pay his tier fees - and what is sold there is a more-than-complete set of all his horses. Late one night I decided to bid in one of these auctions, and lo and behold - I won! Suddenly I had not one, but sixty-odd horses, including "regular" horses, battlehorses and pure fantasy creatures. And five to give to friends...

The first gift horse went to someone who had supported me when the auction was re-run after complaints that bids had been lost due to lag. I started off by resubmitting my initial bid, and noone dared bid over. :D

So what do I do with all these horses? That remains to be seen, and could be a good subject for a later blog entry. I do have a horse to match nearly every outfit, though - ballgowns excepted.

Long time no Update

Strange. I blog only when I cannot log in.

Or perhaps it isn't that strange - if I could log in, I would much rather be running around in SL than sitting here blogging...

Of course a lot has happened since my last entry. Most significantly a love affair went sour and turned into a nightmare, complete with stalking. There will be no more details on this, except to say that I am now a LOT more careful - and sceptical of unknown avatars in my home sim. In the case that my stalker reads this - yes. It's you. We all recognise you by your style now. Go away, and don't even think of returning.

In the course of the next few days I intend to write a little about several other events - all minor compared to this, but all important in my life. And every single one positive. :D