Looking Back: Shellie Sands and Grey Lupindo

 
By Bixyl Shuftan

When Second Life Newspaper closed down in early June 2010, four writers would go on to found and write for it's successor, the Second Life Newser: Gemma Cleanslate, Grey Lupindo, Shellie Sands, and myself, Bixyl Shuftan. Gemma and I have continued writing to this day. Sadly, Shellie and Grey have stopped writing. So who were they and what did they write about?

Shellie Sands joined up with the Second Life Newspaper sometime in 2009. Besides her articles, she also did poetry inspired by what she saw in this virtual world. In 2010 came a new subject: Ozimal bunnies, which she loved and would write about. She would also write about musicians and art. She would later get some Amaratto horses and write about those as well, one picture which Hamlet Au would cartoon in January 2010 following the results of the lawsuit between the two breedable pets makers.

Shellie would take a couple breaks in 2011, but came back, her last article in August and last poem in September. She would attend at least one more meeting, but sadly the Newser's poet would send no more.

Grey Lupindo was different from other reporters at the Second Life Newspaper in that I first met her before she joined. I ran into her at the Second Life Sixth Birthday grounds sometime in June 2009. When I mentioned I was covering the event for the paper, she told me she had yet to hear about any newsletter covering Second Life and had a few questions. A few months later, I would see her at the office getting a job interview by Dana, hired, and given an office. Like me, Grey was quickly distinguishable from the others with her furry appearance: the starter furry avatar with the stiff tail replaced by a flexible one, which she called her foxette.

Grey would write the first of the Newser's articles after it's introduction, and would go on to report about a variety of subjects. She would write about the Fantasy Faire. She would interview fellow reporter Grease Coakes about his just published book. She would write about the Meeroos, the fashionable breedable pet of 2011. But what I most remember her for are her articles about various locations across the virtual world. She would also write about her home community of Syzygy. One community event she reported took place outside their estate when several of the folk went down the mainland highways in tanks.

Grey would take a break in 2014 in order to deal with matters in real life. She would return in April 2016 when things on her side of the computer became less hectic. She would do a few more articles, such as an interview with SLB Cake builder Mikati Slade. But then the articles would stop. It would seem real life had taken over once more.

Over time, the Newser has had a number of reporters. A few sent in one or two articles after they were officially in, then having to leave. Others would write for years. But twelve years later, I still remember fondly these two whom helped found Second Life's best newsletter.

Bixyl Shuftan