Drivers of SL

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

In a virtual world in which you can get from place to place by teleporting and flying, people in Second Life don't really need a car. But many of us have one or more and use them anyway. Sometimes people will use them to race. There's also cargo delivery games in which cars and trucks are an option. But sometimes people will go ahead and take them out for a leisurely drive with no particular destination. Or perhaps there is a destination, but you're not in a particular hurry to get there, and the real fun is cruising and watching the scenery go by. As one particular Chuck Berry song put it:

Riding along in my automobile
My baby beside me at the wheel
I stole a kiss at the turn of a mile
My curiosity runnin' wild
Cruisin' and playin' the radio
With no particular place to go.

For those who like driving for it's own sake, there's a group in Second Life for them: Drivers of SL. I heard of this group thanks in part to the videos posted by Zady Bury. Talking to her about the group, she had a few things to say. She stated the drives aren't designed by just one person, but "there are multiple people checking them, before (they) become released. ... because every driver, every computer, or connection reacts different. So the programmer might have no problems (but) the normal drivers might have ... trouble," going onto say the group has over five thousand members. None of the drives are outright races in which there's a declared winner, "Some of the drives are also 'cooperations' with e.g. 'Grid Haul' or 'GTFO'. And some drives work together with the sponsors ... others just finish, and then TP to the location/store of the sponsor.

The drives vary a lot. Zada brought up one announcement of a drive not long before we talked:

"Capital Motors Grid Drive in One Hour  ---  There's more than one way to complete the four, unnecessarily and increasingly difficult challenges you'll travel to on this weekend's drive, but it is not likely that most will complete more than 1 or 2 of them, so don't get frustrated, because either way you'll get an awesome reward from Capital Motors upon finishing this trip!

"VEHICLES NEEDED: Road Vehicle (any), Watercraft (any), Aircraft (any plane recommended, but helis will work too)

"First drive 11.30a Or Midnight"

So what were the rewards for doing a run? Zada would tell me they were " 'different in their quality.' At 'Surplus Motors,' we got the regular vehicles. ... Average vehicle shops (also air, ship, etc.) sponsor the drives. But it can be anything. Once we got weapons, other time (period) clothes, gadgets, etc.) To be honest, yes, a great reward makes fun. But it can also just be 'something' (simple), as the most fun in the driving."

From Zada Bury's Youtube

Of who leads the group, Zada told me with a smirk, "Well, the 'head' or face of the DoSL is Christi Charron. But the drives and so are teamworks. Meaning they are most times for each week 'programmed' individually,. so you need an idea, checking the possible ways, and so on. I could also (try) programming a drive, but I struggle with the tool for it. It is pretty powerful. Christi seems to manage it all, or showing the directions." She would go on to say she never saw her scolding anyone or telling them to make changes, "I think she is a 'networking central.'"

She went on to say that with the large number of people in the group, there were some who wanted longer drives than others, "a usual discussion is the length of a drive, which depends on a lot factors. Some are faster around, others slower ... works the sim-crossings or makes SL trouble,. and all of that. There are the people (who feel) '2-3 hours are enough,' and (those who) want '5 hours and more!' It is like 'you can't make it right for all.' Lately after the normal drives, (there is) also a 'bonus leg' added, which seems to be a good solution for me. So, you do the normal drive, get the reward, and (whose who) have time (or the urge), doing also the 'bonus leg.'" 

Zada would say some places were easier to drive through than others, "(A) nice to drive is Bellisseria, about the road network and rezz-zones, and more friendly (and enforced) community standards about ban-lines and security-orbs. Zindra is often complaints about the lag and so, well, the lands are 'full', lot various textures, or lag, than sims with (a) lot abandoned lands on the 'normal' mainland. Also the Zindra-roadnetwork is, a shame. Private islands are difficult, as them are not connected, but the NavHUD can Teleport. Mainland works best. Some roads are or were made in the past 'unlucky', crossings over 4 sim-edges, for example, but most drivers can handle it."

from Zada Bury's Youtube

The group had people with all kinds of avatars, "Everything is ok, human (for sure), furry, anime, feral, dinkies, some also toddlers . The Japanese drivers ("Inaka-Team") is often also around in pretty strange avis. Also it does not matter, if mesh or classic." This wasn't usually a problem, but there could occasionally be complications. Child avatars could get in trouble in some places in Zindra. And when going through private areas, "if they make limitations, (the drivers) can decide to 'swallow it or no visit.' One land made (among) their rules no furries for example. There are such things, where we enforce own rules. at other areas. One example is the National Forest, no motor vehicles, for example." While some could switch to bikes or horses, "I use a feral vixen *smiles*  The "National Forest" parcel had a huge, VERY huge cave system."

Zada went on, "The drives bring you to or along interesting places, you maybe would never (have) seen or visited before. Oh, and the people, you find there people you never would have expected." Zada told me she met one from an old comic project, as well as community people in Zindra and other places, "and building up some 'other'relationships."

Of the navigation HUD, "the programming takes work, nothing to do automatic. If you have a long straight road, easy. But even if it just have a curve , you need to set the waypoints along it, even the NavHUD might not need to give orders, like turn in x meters left/right' and walking is even more detailed."

Another of the Drivers of SL group I talked to was Jazzimus Maxwell. He maintains the three Drivers of SL headquarters, and we met at the first one. The group had over 5000 members. Jazzimus felt it had a few hundred when it started. The group drives every Saturday at Noon and Midnight SL time. Jazzimus guessed on any one drive, between twenty and eighty take part. "We also have events each year ... usually summer and winter camping events, boating and driving while camping. We get a land sponsor and you get a space to camp, with limited prims of course. It's very popular. Oh, and we do a space camp too. We work together with GTFO! as well. That's another thing as thats a whole other 'game' within a game. And we do a GTFO drive each month, meaning we incorporate GTFO on the grid drive. ... You collect XP points for delivering goods to and from GTFO hubs on the roads, or on water or in space. They do not equate to any physical rewards, just points."

"The neat thing about Drivers of SL," Jazzimus went on, "is it's a way to socialize and have fun. A lot of people need friendship ... and this is a great way to start. We also work with the Roadway Cruiser Group at the end of each month, we usually do s sim track drive on those." He would mention they were somewhat linked to the Leeward Cruising Club and the Skyward Flying Club, "driving, flying, boating, they have events each week as well, and they provided a HUD for each event. Not as complex mind you as our NaviHUD, but more of a locator HUD. They also socialize at the end of each event with a dance party. We only works (with) the Roadway Club officially, but a lot of our members are in all three groups as well."

 

He would also say the group had a Flickr page, a blog, and several drivers who posted on Youtube, including Zada Bury.

 

Jazzimus would then take me out for a drive in a Tide racecar, leading to a joke or two about "making a clean getaway." We drove around on the mainland for a while, crossing a bridge or two and at one point going offroad. After riding around in a while, we went on a plane for a while, going over the water, passing some ships and islands, eventually landing on a small aircraft carrier. 

I would also have a few words with the group's founder Christi Charron. Christi is also known for being in the Second Life Cheerleading Squad. Talking to her, she told me the HUD used by Drivers in SL had it's orgin in the SLCS, "Originally the Nav HUD we use was created for the Second Life Cheerleading Squad, and was used for friends to find our weekly friday 'Destination Unknown' party. where you HAD to follow the navigation HUD to find it, after having being given the starting point. Patty Croquet, a SLCS Cheerleader and super geniun, created the NAV HUD for us, and still improves on it today. The Nav HUD is what makes it all possible.

"We stopped having the parties and after a few years I dusted off the HUD to go for a drive, and sent a group notice in a few vehicle groups asking if anyone wanted to join.  When I showed up for the drive, there were 30 or so people there, and I was expecting one or none. So that was a clue that others enjoyed this, and we just began having them weekly from then on, and the Nav HUD has vastly improved during that time, as it can now track what we're doing inworld as well as point us where to go."

She would tell me the events became weekly in September 2017, and the group, "increases at an average rate of 100 new members per month or so. We've done one every week, sometimes two or three for our periodic weekend camping events. So around 60 per year for over five years now.  Each drive is like a simple video game mission. Some are more complex than others." I asked her how complex can they get and what was the most complex one. Her answer, "A simple 'go here go there' drive takes about 16 hours to create, the average drive takes about 30 hours to create. Some can take as much as 80 hours of work or so.  The most complex drive we had I think was within a storyline resembling 'Back to The Future,' where they went forward in time and have to go into space to steal plutonium from a satellite to have fuel to return back to their own timeline.   Some have had helicopters chasing them like a James Bond movie. and some have had a string of 30+ (drone) police cars chasing them across an entire continent.

"The one that gets the most comments is likely 'A Christmas Drive' we (typically) do annually, it is a mix of 'Its a Wonderful Life' and 'A Christmas Carol,' where the person doing the drive is cast as the role of a combination of Scrooge and George Baily.  It shows them 'what SL would be like if its closing' due to people not getting premium accounts or spending money. It kinda shows them that someday this could and will likely have an ending, one I saw similarly in another online game Ii played as a teen."

Of the game's sponsors, "Every drive has a 'sponsor.' The sponsor of that drive has their name associated with that drive, ie : 'Capital Motors Grid Drive.'   Each sponsor supplies a reward to be given to every person who completes the drive within its two week time-frame. After two weeks, the drive reward may no longer be available, Drive rewards are almost exclusively cars, but can be boats or planes. almost always its a vehicle.  If the reward isn't a vehicle, they're usually given one elsewhere in the drive.  Each drive ends AT the sponsors store, where they're shown their car demos if any, and vendors, and are directed to join their VIP group if they want, and even visit their MP store.  It improves the sponsor's sales and get them some exposure that can otherwise take many months or more. We typically have  sponsors scheduled Three months in advance, so its very popular with vehicle sellers. Sometimes an airport or some other location will sponsor a drive, and find a reward to give us."

And what was the most unusual reward? " We have gotten some crazy ones. most of the super unusual ones come in the form of 'Easter eggs.'  They may be hidden in a crate they're delivering for someone else as part of the drive, and would only be seen if they look in the box out of curiosity.  Some have been some really unusual 'walkers' that have you sitting on what amounts to a bug with 6-8 articulated, animated legs, that actually move like legs, and push the vehicle forward. They can even climb up walls (laughter)."

I then asked with the builder of the HUD being with a Relay group, have there ever been any fundraising Drives? Christi answered, "Most dont realize that The Drivers of SL is owned by The Second Life Cheerleaders, but that connection is being made more evident more and more over time. We have had fundraising drives and have one yearly that both ends at, and tours the annual RFL walk, the nav hud continues to direct them around the track after their initial drive, and points out interesting locations, as well as encouraging them to donate to RFL.  We don't do as many charity drives as we should, though many end at the monthly SLCS Funday Charity Events for RFL purposely for that reason. I typically embed things like that within drives, vs. making them entirely charity focused, as I fear that might give some the impression we have an agenda other than just having fun each week. This group is more focused on helping each other and treating each other well than most i think and hope.  It's more of a giant group of friends than it is a random touring group. 

 

From Zada Bury's Youtube

"We try to make sure everyone is included, and even try to translate most drives into Japanese for our growing population of friends from there. Typically 350 complete each drive with the two week timeframe.  over the years to come, another 200 or so will do the drives from the archives. Pyo Igaly (who is a Japanese female) assists with the Japanese translation, and works hard to help with that as well as tst the drive. LukeFlywalker Fittinger also tests the drives weekly and broadcasts a weekly radio show for the drivers. Eowyn Southmoore and Camanula Aeon help host the two drive times we have weekly, as I'm very absent minded and will forget to send the notices out otherwise (laughter).  and Jules Catlyn does a great job in helping to moderate group chat and to spread an infectious, nice temperment within the group."

Bringing up the Japanese drivers, I asked if the group was getting the most interest from Japanese users besides American ones. Christi answered, "I believe there as many or more Europeans/British and Russians doing the drive collectively as folks from the US. The Midnight Drive each week has the most attendance, and is made up of mostly non US participants."

I asked about some of the more interesting personalities in the group. Christi's respons was, "Oh My God, a grid drive start can be like a Mardi Gras parade.  Some drive conventional vehicles, but some are crazy and may have a restaurant on the back of a truck or otherwise resemble parade floats (laughter).  People who attend drives become friends quickly and the , particularly midnight drivers, are really a varied sampling of avatar and personality types from SL.  Some may be furries or goth avs, some may be  more 'kawaii', some very military. But we all know each other well and get along well as a fun group of friends that has sort of a 'misfit' feel to it, in a good way.

"Nadnerb is a pony av for instance. Beylana wear black always and makes sex toys. I do SLCS stuff, but were all very good friends who may not have otherwise met. Its an interesting and funny (combination) in person. One avatar who is Bender from Futurama, makes us all laugh constantly with his quick wit. As a group we take our time, and typically take about 5 hours to complete a drive that takes a single person around an hour. Most don't do the drive as a group. About half or more do the drive alone, or with their small group of friends. If we have challenges during the drive, completing them is a never a requirement for completing the drive and getting the reward. One can always skip those portions is we have them in a drive.  some take a helicopter down the road where they're instructed to use a car, and may even ask in group if this is okay, and it is, pretty much anything goes and one should have fun on a drive in the manner they see fit, in their own vehicles of their choosing, usually ones they've customized, or even made entirely on their own."

From Zada Bury's Youtube

Going over the HUD, she would say, "The Nav HUD is pretty specific about where they go, and even for how long sometimes,  we try to give them as much slack as we can but have things like banlines and peoples private parcels we have to worry about keeping them from invading. It has a simple arrow that points in the 12:00 position if headed the right way. If they need to veer right some, the arrow would be more in the 2:00 position or so. As an example, many drivers stream their grid drives weekly, or make videos of them afterwards. And they're interesting to watch, particularly for me, as I can see how they're reacting to the hud instructions as well as a vehicle I may have created. Some are Japanese, I can see how they're reacting to the translated version as well.

"Each week I try to do something someone usually doesnt know or expect that a hud can do. Zada Bury creates short videos of her drive that show the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBUHLI7h9EE  this one is her doing the Christmas drive where they have to deliver presents to Drivers' homeowners across Bellisseria, for a person they assume is Santa. In this particular drive, Santa's truck has a surprise in that it allows them to walk, while still seated on the truck, and the nav hud tells the truck when to do this (so they can deliver presents to Drivers homeowners in Bellisseria without their vehicle being returned). The nav hud can teleport them, fade their screen in and out, tell where an object is, or if the avatar is sitting, and if so on what, and can make them sit for so long, or get a drink or other attachment and detect it, or even make them fly the entire course on autopilot, and at high speeds, up to 300 mph. A typical avatar driving speed is around 25 mph otherwise.

From Zada Bury's Youtube

"We also use planes, boats spaceships, and even have camping events 2-3 times a year where we camp n the snow, space, or even on boats for the entire weekend. One has to drive to the event to find the campground, which is part of the experience, similar to the original SLCS 'desintation unknown' parties originally intended for use with the nav hud. The camping events are really popular and have around 200 people or so camping in their vehicles all weekend, or sitting around the bonfire playing games or dancing.

"While we promote businesses and patronize peoples parcels and builds each week, and give them traffic theyre likely imagined when building their place, we have a not so well known agenda in promoting spending money on SL in general, whether through premium accounts, or buying merchandise or rent, in a small effort to try and help extend the longevity and viability of SL for Linden Labs."

It should be noted that the conversations I had with Zada, Jazzimus, and Christi took place a few months ago. Since then, their main headquarters had moved to the Hugues sim, and "the other at the airport got a massive makeover and so it moved." I would also be told the number of people in the group had gone up to over 6100.

 

The drives are continuing, with the drivers having fun.

The Main HQ is at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hugues/19/218/43

For the blog, check out https://www.driversofsecondlife.info/

One can follow Zada Bury's videos on her Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@zadabury

For the Flickr page, https://www.flickr.com/groups/driversofsl/ (some pictures iffy for work)

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: My Cancer Journey ( Still Outgoing )

 
By Alysabelle Resident.

'CANCER' that dreaded word! We feel for them, those who have been afflicted with Cancer and those who are survivors, caregivers or in remission. I was diagnosed with Small Cell Carcinoma Lung Cancer Stage 3 in late 2020. Ironically I didn't feel any symptoms except, I had pulled a muscle in the chest area. Numerous test later, x-rays, blood work, ct-scan, finally a biopsy . Results: I was told I have the ugly 6 letter word 'Cancer'. Realisticaly, you don't think this will happen to you, but it did to me. I had appointments to see both the Chemo Oncologist and the Radiation Oncologist. As I sat there waiting clinging to hope, because ultimately that's all I had, it also felt like an eternity waiting for them .

Finally they both came in, I look at them there was introductions and they pointed towards picture of themselves, I thought and shrugged we are reduced to looking at pictures of doctors, specialist and nurses because of the mask wearing due to the pandemic. I nodded. I was anxious for them to tell me my prognosis. I said, 'What are my chances?' My Chemo Oncologist said 30 percent.' Now I wasn't just shocked about cancer, I was devastated. My life as I knew it changed from that moment on. I was barely able to continue any conversation, and all I could think of was 'I'm going to die.' This was it, a death sentence hanging over my head and nothing and no one can do anything about it. After all 30 percent was a horrible outcome. I disliked him of course at that moment, that was my emotional feelings inside. I started crying so much so and I look at him upset that he just dashed any hope I was clinging to.

He talked about treatments. 'Treatments,' I thought, 'why bother?' And he walked off to get papers for me to sign. I thought how do I leave here without falling apart, even before I even get to the exit? I couldn't even fathom walking at that point. I was sitting there rooted to my chair 'shocked' He came back and explain to me that some people, even thought not a large percentage, can live 5 to 10 yrs, and he even had a patient that still living, and its been over 10 years since his treatments. It may or may not happen to you. So he talked about a plan with both Chemo and Radiation treatments. It was to start in two weeks. It will be aggressive, three chemotherapies, one from the start, one in the middle somewhere, and one in the end of the six weeks period. And radiation everyday except weekends.They talked about the side effects and the medications I would have to take prior and during and after the treatments and watch for any sign of a fever. I was told ' stay positive.'  I thought, "are they are out of their minds, 'positive'? What is positive about cancer?" I later learned for me it was focus, not positivity, during treatments. They both told me that they will be there every step of the way, they gave me several leaflets with information and a phone number for the Cancer Center whenever I needed, which I did. And I was told 'get your affairs in order just in case.' I now had a Cancer Team.

While I was sitting there I look at both of them and realized that I don't want them to know me with a mask, my name with a mask, no thanks. They couldn't see my true expression and I couldn't see theirs, who could? So I stood up and I said, 'Look at my face.' I removed my mask and I said 'this is me,' and quickly put my mask back on. And surprisingly they stood up and removed their masks and their face guards and said 'this is us.' That small gesture meant a lot to me. Soon after, I got a call to come in to get a scan done and the technician placed four tattoos. They really are called markers for radiation. I cried. It hit me the realization that soon the treatments were about to start.

 For my family and friends in real life, that was difficult of course. They were stunned, but their support and and love and prayers meant a lot to me. I also picked one person to give my updates to everyone else. I knew I wouldn't have the energy to speak to each one individually, or so I thought. And I was correct. There came a time where I actually just texted the person because one of the side effect of the radiation would be difficult speaking because of the location of the treatment.

For online friends, I did the same, picked one person who meant the world to me, my partner, to tell a few selected friends. I also couldn't tell everyone on my list. It was way too much. And even still today, some don't know what I have been through. Then came the morning of my first chemo and a few hours later my first radiation. I can't speak for every one going through treatment. For me it was 'rough.' My second treatment of chemo was worse, 'Hell,' and I felt like death was on my doorstep. I understood then and there, quite clearly why some people going through treatment would want to stop completely. I even thought to myself after several weeks I wont go through the last chemo treatment that was planned .
But I forged on, and did it after all. Also I found difficulty in standing without help or holding on to some kind of piece of furniture or even a wall. One memory I had, I recalled standing in the kitchen just trying to make myself a sandwich holding on to the counter for support, because surely I was going to fall. I managed to butter a piece of bread. I didn't fall, but that's how weak I was. Radiation was a different process, the more you receive the more you start feeling the symptoms of radiation, the sunburn feeling on my back which I got cream for, the fatigue also associated with chemo and radiation combined, the nausea, the difficulty swallowing. I even had to have an IV drip at times so I can get fluids down. I didn't think water would have been an issue swallowing. I thought if anything food would have been the most difficult, that came later.

At some point I was determined they would both get to know more then just ' I'm a cancer patient.' I finally had my chance. I had an appointment several days later with the Chemo Oncologist. I wanted to feel some kind of human connection with him. I didn't feel any up until that point. So I decided to show him two pieces of poetry I had written. I figured what better way to get to know me but through my poetry. There were two pieces, one was light-hearted, the other one more profound. First poem, he smiled. The second one he understood it quite well and pointed at the poem and started at me speechless. I told him 'I know 'and smiled =. I told him I understood that he faced not death personally, but those who are dying and if not dying then those who like me, are receiving horrible news. That couldn't be easy for him and the distance emotionally is key. He talked about his family, wife and children, briefly. I looked at him far differently then I did before and I knew he looked at me far differently now.

Then came the day of my last treatments. Tired as I was, I was elated. It was over. You're told for many months the treatments will still be working in your system. It was longer for the radiation. Two months after the treatment. I ended up with a fever and had to stay at the hospital overnight and start antibiotics. More times than not, your body can start an infection. But not always do they know where its coming from. Then they started talking about immunotherapy. It would have to start within 14 days after the treatments were over. There are benefits as well risks involved, and side effects. Not everyone is a candidate. I wasn't one of them, after all . My last physical appointment with both Oncologists, after talking a while we all stood up. It was time to go. I thanked them. And as I was going to shake their hands, but instead I was soon engulfed in bear hugs from both of them, Pandemic be damned. After that, communication between all of us was to be done virtually.

After three months, I was going for my very first scan to find out how the treatment worked. I was anxious and stressed out for the findings. I was happy they both told me that they saw a decrease in the size of the cancer. For a while the scans are every three months, and then eventually its every six months, and then yearly, if all goes well. So far I have done all the three month scans and the cancer continues to decrease. I just finished my first six month scan, and again with the same results. I'm fully aware that some people, depending on their treatment and the length of their treatments, how difficult it is. Truly my heart goes out to them and in some ways I am fortunate because my treatments, although aggressive as it was, wasn't as long as some people that have to go through it longer than I. There is always someone worse than you. During the time you're going through treatment, you have your cancer support team, you depend on them where I always depended on myself and been always there for others. But this time it was different, to learn to lean on people. It was so foreign to me. You also don't realize how focused you are through treatment, till you don't have to be anymore. It's a huge relief, but at the same time you say to yourself 'What now?' Emotional therapy is the key before during and afterward treatment. I would recommend it highly .

Will I always be a cancer patient? Yes. Do I still have cancer ? Yes, although I'm in remission . Will cancer ever return full force? It could. Will cancer always be part of me the rest of my life? Yes, if not physically, emotionally. Do I have a scar from the radiation location lung? Yes Did my voice change due to radiation ? Ye . Do I want pity from anyone ? NO! I never wanted that in my life and certainly not now. I was victimized by cancer, but I refuse to be a victim. Did I ever question at times 'Why me about my cancer?' I sure did, but then again....why not me?

Writing about my journey, my cancer, it was difficult at times. But if it helps anyone, then it was all worth it. Although in my real life my family and friends know what I have been through, online there are still friends on my list that aren't aware of what I have been through. Perhaps now they will.

In closing ...

I also like to mention a place in Second Life where I attended a meeting, at the American Cancer Society's Hope Haven Survivors & Caregivers Support Group in Second Life.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/37/148/23

The lead person at Hope Haven is Sandie Slate (sandie.loxingly). They try to get together every other Sunday if possible. The meeting starts at 12:30 pm SL time.They have Survivor Moderators as well as Caregiver Moderators. There are others I met briefly, the most amazing courageous people I ever met. I was grateful to them for hearing me out. I was overwhelmed with emotions. It was several months after my treatments and I walked in and felt the immediate feeling of belonging. I'm also grateful that I listened to others and what was happening in their lives and how they were coping. I didn't feel alone.

When you have cancer, I understand people sympathize and give you hugs and so on. But there is nothing like someone else with the feelings associated with cancer. Sometimes you want to talk about it, sometimes you don't, sometimes you just want to listen. It's all okay. We are with friends who have either been there or still there. For news and updates, click on the terminal that is placed at the entrance that says' American Cancer Society ' Survivor and Caregivers Info Net.' It's on the ground. Once you click on it, a notecard will appear. It will explain everything you need to know. There is another one at the side of the building with the names and how to contact the Survivor Moderators and the Lead Person as well as the Caregiver Moderators. Cancer is Cancer no matter who you are and where your from. Everyone is welcome. I read a poster that was on the wall in the other building that made perfect sense to me. “Hope .. is not a wish it's a belief." So true (smile).

Thank you (smile)

Alysabelle Resident
 

Tantari Kim's "Journey of Sound"

By Grease Coakes

A short while ago Tantari Kim the blue vixen well known for being in Second Life over a decade has decided to give DJing a try. DJs have been around for a long time in Linden land being entertainment in clubs for earning linden, sharing their music or perhaps DJing for charity. Lots of pixelated avatars DJ for various reasons. I caught up with the blue vixen herself at her favorite hotspot Shadowquine Maltz's "The Ark" which is a popular hang out for furries. It's certainly well known for being far from G-rated.

I asked her was there an event or person who inspired her to DJ. She had this to say.

Tantari Kim: "Well, I listened to a lot of My Little Pony fanmixes, and I made a mix for myself.  I really wanted to show it off, so I did a one-time show at Cutlass."

Tantari Kim: "The Sunweavers did like the MLP set, but that was it (with what I had).  I had to fight to get airtime and I wasn't invited back.  So... I didn't become a DJ then.  It was Bix that made me a DJ."

Bixyl Shuftan (our editor), who helps manage the Happy Vixen, a club on the Sunweaver/Angel Estates, asked Tantari to DJ yet again. Tantari had a "Vixens of Science set," but she had to scramble to it put together. Tantari said Bixyl's club was low pressure, so she could make mistakes as she was starting out. When I was starting out as a DJ I had a simlar start.

By the sound of it, in a way, Bixyl Shuftan inspried and kept pushing Tantari to become a DJ. I asked Tantari what kind of music she plays. One of her themes was the Vixens of Science set for herself. But she's not a one trick fox. She's capable of playing other musical themes for herself.

Tantari Kim: "I flipping love science!  I love robots and sci-fi and technology and computers and all that stuff.  So SCIENCE was a natural set for me. I get my themes from all sorts of things, but they have to be something I care about, something that inspires me."

 Tantari said she likes playing music which pleases her furry ears. She had to this to say about her music selection, and about sharing her music with her friends and dancers.

Tantari Kim: "All of my sets have a very strong theme. It's a DJ's job to play the music you never knew you always loved. (smile)"

Tantari Kim: "My sets start with: 'This is a Journey into Sound with DJ Tantari.'  That's my goal: to take you somewhere.  Make you feel something.  Sometimes even tell a story. It's not enough to be a good song.  It has to fit the feel and message of the set.  Otherwise I don't play it."

I agreed with Tantari that DJ sets have to stay within a certain theme or else they will sound horrible. Making a DJ set is hard work. She was saying she spent between 6 to 9 hours making a DJ set making sure all the songs fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Tantari Kim: "Please come check out my sets.  Come with me on a Journey Into Sound."

Tantari wishes to share her music so much that she now DJs for three diffrent clubs around Second Life. She DJs for Rita Mariner and Jenni Greenfield's Club Cutlass, the Happy Vixen and of course the Ark where I interviewed her at. Also, Tantari has her own DJ group to join. If you want in on her DJ fan group go on her profile and join for free DJ Tantari Kim's Sound Journeys. You might expect this if you came to her sound journeys. And here's a good idea of what she plays from the fox's muzzle herself.

Tantari Kim: "I mostly play electronic dance music and rock, but I'll play anything as long as it's good and it fits my set.  Some rap.  A tiny bit of country.  Some classical.  A lot of movie and TV themes.  Whatever it takes."

As Bixyl pushed her into djing, the Second Life Newser had it's five year anniversary. So she made up some "facts" about Bixyl Shuftan such as.

Tantari Kim: "TRUE FACT: 'What Does the Fox Say' was written about Bixyl Shuftan."

Tantari Kim: "TRUE FACT: Bixyl Shuftan once interviewed a Magic 8 Ball... and got it to confess to a murder."

Grease Coakes: (Laughing out loud)

Tantari Kim: "Tell them 'Please come check out my sets.  Come with me on a Journey Into Sound.' "

She has to update her website for her DJ times, but she told me Saturday night at 6pm SLT and 9am SLT Sundays at The Ark here http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Quarabia/187/127/501

What to hear a fresh and new talent here in Second Life? Look no further than one of it's oldest and bluest's avatars. Ms. Tantari Kim.

Grease Coakes

Dahlia's Second Life Adventures

One thing about Dahlia Jayaram, she loves Second Life Adventures. Should you choose to interview her you will be doing it from a hot air balloon.

Dahlia completed the tour of the Blake Sea and Island communities in January and February. It's her favorite location because of the beauty of the sims she passes. She flew us past one of the bigger airports in SL. I leaned over carefully, not afraid of heights, just sim crossings.

"My first adventure was the Great Sailing Adventure in late 2009. It went from August to October of that year," she said while we hovered over Hollywood Airport. "I sailed from the southeastern most aspect of the Blake Sea and Island Communities around all the connected continents. I sailed everyday for six weeks."

Dahlia navigated the hot air balloon south toward Fort Sumpter stating that this was a very active travel area and that the Blake Sea was created for this reason. She began her balloon adventure in Jan. 2010 after finishing the sailing adventure in Oct. 2009.

As we fly over a popular pirate hide-out she jokes about the cannons facing toward the sea and that the pirates never thought about an attack by air. She navigates the balloon NW at speed 5 and tells me that like her sailing adventure, she'll write an Second Life book that covers it all while she continues her exploration on with the seventh continent of Corsica. She's written seven adventure books already.

"Have you ever seen the 3-sim long sailing boat, the SS Galaxy," she asks me, while directing the balloon southeast. "There are wedding chapels, exercise rooms, ballrooms, rental cabins, retail, helliports and I can go on."

Dahlia informed me that others have been inspired to have similar adventures. She considers that a great compliment and is happy that she's encouraged others to open their eyes to see beyond their usual boundaries.

Dahlia notices storm clouds and lightning ahead. She cautiously changes her hot air balloon's speed.

She tells me that after her sailing adventure, she wanted to find a way to include all of Second Life's regions that the sailing one could not. This is because not all continents are connected by a common body of water.

We hear the thunder as we enter the Temasek sim and we're hovering over the SS Galaxy again. A few sim crossings force me into the sea and we seek a more secure area to continue our conversation.

"The balloon adventure began Jan. 1, 2010," she begins to explain. "Because the Great Sailing Adventure could only include five of the 11 continents, I wanted to find a way to explore them all. Air seemed the next interesting way for me. I wanted to know more about the development of SL, so I wanted to start at the very oldest/first sim ever made and then fly to each continent in the order of their creation."

She considered it would make a natural progression. While she was still in the middle of one of the continents, a new one was created. It was established for new residents who wanted a free house and was named Nescera.

She anticipates her balloon adventure will be completed by the end of 2012. She has six more continents to explore.

What's next? Maybe a long distance swim. She's not sure.

Netera Landar

Ludo Merit and the Prism Walk

The best way to interview people at a grid-wide Second Life event is simply to do a shout out. I'd taken pictures of SL8's birthday party on my real-life vacation. I wanted only those interested in networking with me to come forward so I said in the group chat, "Who wants to be interviewed?" One of the first people to reply was Ludo Merit.

The concept for Merit’s Prism Hero Walk was created in the late 1980s. She first considered her idea a game.

"But as I developed it in Second Life, I began to see that my 'market' is not gamers, but helpers and those who needed help," Merit expressed. "I played with the idea for years, and then I heard about SL and came here specifically to develop it."

She read Sam Keen's "The Passionate Life' and Max Luscher's "The Luscher Color Test" at the same time and put the two together. Shortly after she read about Joseph Campbell's hero journey and went to the Mythic conferences in Georgia, she merged the colors of the hero journey with Sam Keen's life stages.

"Because we are all heroes, and each of these steps is a step in the life of a hero according to Campbell, it's called a hero's journey rather than an individual's. The journey was created from myths and legends from all over the world.

After teleporting to the Prism Hero Walk sim, read the directions inside the building on the floor. Begin by standing on the brown square. Click on the picture on the wall to get information, which appears in local chat. There are 11 more and the colors represent the following:

Brown tells of your parents’ unconditional love and need to protect you. It helps you to understand why you leave the safety of your home to explore.

Yellow declares a child's need to explore. You make friends and discover they have different approaches to play and lifestyle.

Gray symbolizes the beginning of rebellion and finding one's own path.

Purple is the age of self discovery. Drifting, dreaming and setting goals.

Red has you coming forward to take your place in society. You have to prove you’re worthy of a quest.

Chartreuse places you into your quest and down the path of obstacles.

Black signals loss and the desire to get it back.

Aqua is returning from the journey, tired, scarred and having personal growth.

Green names you as an experienced member of society. You are now known for your wisdom.

Orange has you recognizing the fact that change is necessary.

Violet symbolizes the jester/fool who is not afraid to express him or herself.

Blue leads you to the realization that your quest has ended and now you can focus on yourself.

"People who read and answer the questions for themselves, I hope, see that their lives are very much like the Campbell hero life," said Merit. "Most of all, know that you are a hero, that we all are heroes and every kind of hero is needed.

To get to the Prism Heroes Walk, head to Prism Lila (60, 59, 22)


Netera Landar