Letter To The Editor, And Response: The Borrower

 

 Dear Newser

I've been in Second Life for a while, and know a number of people. Some are cool, some not so cool. Among the not so cool is this one guy who's always hitting me up for money. Sometimes it's for Lindens to rent out a place. Sometimes it's for real money for real life, saying he needs a new pair of pants or a new music player. He eventually got himself banned from one club I hang out at for pestering people with his "Can you give me some money?" But instead of getting the hint, he keeps it up.

Just what is up with this guy? Why won't he stop? And is he really as hard-up as he says, or is he lying?

Annoyed and Irritated

Dear Annoyed,

To start off with, some people really are short on money. In real-life, my late Father once had a co-worker named Tate. Tate was a hard enough worker. But he had a problem. After he got his once a month paycheck, after paying his bills he would spend all his money on things like a new hunting rifle, a new fish-finder, etc. And by the time the fourth week came around, he was so short on cash he was quite literally picking up roadkill to cook, which got him the nickname "Buzzard." He once asked my Dad how he managed to save money, and Dad tried to tell him. But Tate never did. "Buzzard" Tate would end his days a poor man with little in his bank account.

Why don't he and others save their money to avoid trouble down the road? Some feel these people just aren't very smart, at least when it comes to money. Others wonder if life hands them problem after problem that doesn't allow them to build up their savings, they conclude that once they get some money they might as well enjoy it then and there before something comes along to take it away.

Unfortunately, there was one such person I came across in Second Life. And while Tate prided himself on being self-sufficient, this person was not.

This person, who I'll call Frank, was someone I ran into through some friends of mine who told me he had been the one-time owner of a sim before he had to turn it over to others due to financial difficulty. We had known one another for a while, and one day he told me he needed a few bucks for cab fare so he could make a trip he needed to otherwise he'd be in trouble. I was in a generous mood, so gave him the few dollars. Well, he was someone on my Facebook list at the time, and I soon saw a picture of him showing off a new clock! Infuriated, I told him I didn't appreciate being lied to, and defriended and blocked him.

It would be some time before I ran into Frank again. I had decided enough time had passed, so unblocked him as a courtesy. He had told me he had come across some more money at the time, so was able to make the trip and get the clock. He seemed like a decent enough guy at the time, and he would end up meeting up with another friend of mine who was in therapy for emotional problems and since he seemed to be helping her out my impression of him improved. But not all of my friends liked him. One considered him a thief, telling me he was once arrested for shoplifting. When I would later question Frank about that, his response was it was true but he had ran out of prescribed meds for mental illness.

Time went on, and Frank was soon asking me for money again. The first time it was a large amount of cash to get an item of his out of the pawn shop. I told him I couldn't afford to pay that much but eventually gave him a few dollars. Eventually I heard he was asking/bugging other people for cash. He got in trouble at clubs for doing so, warned not to do it again and banned when he did so anyway. He was also asking me for money for other things, and I began having less and less patience with him.

Then my friend with emotional problems contacted me, frustrated. She told me she had given Frank over two hundred dollars with his promise he would pay it back in a few days, but he didn't. Infuriated that he had taken advantage of a woman's troubled condition, I kept at him to get him to repay her the money. He was upset at me for doing so, saying he would soon pay the money he "borrowed." Others found out and were doing the same. Finally one day he angrily told me he was sending her the money, leaving me with a bitter message accusing me of being unfair and selfish. My friend would confirm the story. But I would never see this account of Frank's again. Either he had deleted it soon after, or someone's AR report had gotten him banned from SL.

Since then, I've heard of a few other stories. One was of one generous soul who ended up giving one friend hundreds of dollars before real-life financial difficulties forced him to stop, and the "friend" continued to beg despite being told hard times had befallen the giver. I'd also heard about someone else who when times were good would spend his money on fancy things like computer equipment, but when times were bad he had little savings and would beg friends for cash so he wouldn't have to pawn his toys for a fraction of what he paid for. And when times were good again, instead of saving for another rainy day, he went back to spending this money on fancy toys. He was caught in a vicious cycle that ensured he'd continue be short on money much of his life.

How should one handle a borrower? If you don't know them and you don't have a lot of Lindens, the answer is pretty obvious. If you've come to know them for a while and you think they're being sincere, it gets trickier. You may need to tell them that you will give them one good-sized amount of Lindens, to keep as long as they need it, but there will be no more until they pay it all back. How you handle it is up to you, and will likely depend on how much money you have to spend in real life. If you're making a lot of money in real life with few expenses, you can afford to be a little more generous. But if you're looking for work, and/or have a wife and kids to worry about, then you're not going to have much to spare. And if they keep asking you for cash again and again, there may come a day in which you need to block them to keep your peace of mind, as well as those around you who may notice something is bothering you.

And for any borrowers reading this, I ask you to take a long hard look at your situation. Yes, life sucks and we need to treat ourselves once in a while. But we need to do what we can to prepare for inevitable rainy days ahead, which will come. And our friends who seem better off may not seem as prosperous as they appear, and even if they are will not be happy to be repeatedly asked for cash to help you out, especially if they think you've done little to prepare for trouble. Continuing to ask those around you to support you is a sure way to end up with few friends, perhaps none at all.

And if you're a scammer, someone whose attitude is "A fool and his money are soon parted, and I'm going to fleece those sentimental fools for all they're worth," then I hope one day karma catches up to you, with interest, at loan shark rates.

Just my two Lindens on the issue. Have a great Second Life.

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Interview With Mattie Carlton of the RFL Sunbeamers

 
By Penny Shuftan

I had an opportunity to sit down with one of the Sunbeamer Relay team, Mattie Carlton (MattDCarlton Resident), for an interview about hir being in the Relay for Life in Second Life.

The first question was how long she had been in Relay for Life in real life. "Well, basically since I was old enough to walk," replied Mattie, "My grandma was big into (it), as it meant a lot to her, and when I was old enough I was going with her to the big 24hrs, even if just for a couple of hours to start. As I got older I started going door to door for donations and staying all night there with her. I took a break for a few years when she got sick again and had to stop going. It wasn't till a year after she died, I started to get involved again. The about another year after that I met Bix and you (Penny) that introduced me to the one on here, that I somehow never knew about. And I thank you both for that!"

I smiled and said, "You're welcome." before continuing on with the interview.  I was wondering if Mattie would continue her work in the Relay for Life. "I plan to as long as I am able," said Mattie, "I have ideas and hope some help out this season."

The next question would be what is Mattie's favorite part of the Relay for Life.  "Hmm that is a tough one. Let me think," Mattie said, "I think or me it is the camaraderie, the way we help each other despite being on different teams, and having a playful rivalry. That kind of one team mind set that helps all of us come together to raise the amounts that we do each year. Then the icing on the cake for me is seeing that final total.  Seeing all those epic builds for relay weekend is pretty epic too."

The next couple of questions came to being about her grandmother.  It would be about Mattie's grandmother being Mattie's inspiration.  "Yes, I would say she was my biggest inspiration for RFL," replied Mattie, "Especially when I was younger, she was the reason I went. As I got older and met more people I found more and more reason to help with Relay, but she was that initial spark that started the flame I suppose." 

I was wondering if Mattie's grandmother still inspires Mattie. "Very much so," she said, "A lot of the parties and little things she would do with her team still make me giggle or smile to this day, and I remember the smile I would see on her face during relay weekend at the one here in town. I hope to try and keep that spirit alive."

The interview changed to Mattie's writing. "Yes I have been off and on (on it)," said Mattie, "I suffer from CPTSD and Depression with anxiety. I am also autistic. The writing was and is an outlet for some of this. However I have a lot of self-motivation issues, and so sometimes I go months in between working on a story." 

 I was wondering if her grandmother inspires Mattie to be a writer. "Hmm, I would say to some degree, yes," said Mattie, "She did some writing and such as well, but she was a very creative person. She wrote poems, essays, stories, made her own blouses, my costumes as a kid, painted her home, decorated, etc. She even did skits for her Relay team. She had a big imagination as well. She was also a good cook."

I asked her if she's going to keep writing, and this is her response. "I plan to yes. I at the very least would like to finish one short story collection and get it published. I already have the cover art," Mattie said with a smile.

The next question was what is her best work, and Mattie replied,"That is a tough call. Some have really liked the story about my odd convention dream. Others like The Holiday Gift story. Then there was the one about my dysphoria and becoming my true self or fursona, via surgeries and experimental procedures.  That last one is called, 'Recoded.' "

As the interview drew to an end, I asked Mattie what her real life hobbies would be.  "Well, Some of my real-life hobbies, include photography, storm chasing (when able), going to various car shows and motor sports events," Mattie replied, "I am a furry on Second Life and in real life, (so) I go to a lot of conventions, and often Ren-fairs in my fursuit and hope to make a few people smile. As for here in world, I DJ from time to time, and mostly just hang out or visit with friends. I also like to spend time on VR Chat with a few friends to play games or fly planes. I used to fly a bit in real life, but my uncle moved away and I have not been able to as much as I used to.  I also like to make TikToks at times."

When the interview ended, I told Mattie that she had inspired me to start thinking more about joining Sunbeamers.  With a good feeling, I did check and guess what? I already am a member of Sunbeamers, and it was all Mattie's inspiring me to join the awesome Relay for Life group.  I thanked Mattie for inspiring me to be a part of them.

Here you have it, an interview with Sunbeamer Mattie Carlton.  To this very day, she continues to sing (she's a really good singer), as well as write, and continues to be a part of the Sunbeamers and Sunweavers group.  I don't know about you, but in my opinion, what Mattie had done so far with the Relay for Life is just that ... very amazing!
 
Penny Shuftan

Interview With JolieElle Parfort

By Kayly Iali

JolieElle Parfort is a mixed media artist who combines photos that she has taken in Second Life with graphic digital tools to create dreamlike images. She has been featured in many exhibits throughout Second Life.I had the pleasure to interview Jolie about her art training and her art experiences in this virtual world.

How did you get started as an artist?

JolieElle:I have been an artist all my life. Since my earliest memories I drew and got lost in the things I was drawing.Like my fantasies. When art lessons were available,I took them -I grew as an Air Force brat so with moving it was nothing consistent. But I loved any kind of art we did in school.

Is your family known for being artistic? Did you get a lot of encouragement from your parents?

JolieElle Parfort: They were very encouraging. My mother had a great aesthetic sense and did some beautiful window design for a while.  My father loved art but he did not feel proficient in doing art so he learned about it as much as he could.We had a beautiful art series from Time Life books with pull-out full-size prints of major paintings with explanations.

So,did you go to art school?

JolieElle Parfort: When I was 12, my dad retired to a small Florida town,that had a small art school on the main street.  It was a private studio but the artist, Elliott McMurrough,opened it up for art lessons which became very popular. I became involved when Elliot tasked me to model for his portrait classes. I was often at the studio not only for modeling but because Elliott had a daughter my age. Later I took art classes in high school but nothing ever clicked for me, there was no actual teaching - only challenges.

At 18, I went to Florida State and majored in art there and it was the same thing - I was given assignments that made no sense and it was only confusing. So during summer break I went back to Elliot's school to model and saw that his teaching methods made perfect sense-the knowledge and philosophies he passed on as he taught. I stayed and studied at Elliott’s studio known as the School of Art.

Jolie found that Elliott’s School of Art laid the foundation for her art. Following she explains the philosophy and the lineage that the classes were based on.

JolieElle Parfort: It began with "The Ten American Painters”(also known as The Ten) .... Theywere an artists' group formed in 1898 to exhibit their work as a unified group. Artists John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, and Childe Hassam were the driving forces behind the organization. Dissatisfied with the conservatism of the American art establishment, the three artists recruited seven others from Boston, New York City, and elsewhere on the East Coast, with the intention of creating an exhibition society that valued their view of originality, imagination, and exhibition..." (source Google). These artists were heavily influenced by French Impressionist and many went overseas to study.

A couple of these artists started art schools in the States. Child Hassam started the School of Art in Province town Massachusetts. Charles Hawthorne in 1899 founded The Cape Cod School of Art in also in Provincetown. Hawthorne trained his eyes to see and paint color as Monet had, and devised methods of teaching these principles to his students.

So,one of Charles Hawthorne’s students was Henry Henscheand Henry Hensche in turn taught Elliott Murrough. And then Elliott taught me. My education is a direct line through the decades from the first impressionists.

So, what are some of their principles?

We were taught to paint by learning to see shape and color for what it is, not what we think it is. High color starts to startle your eye when you see this way.We worked from life whether it is still life we set up and still life set up outside in full sun to fully see colors.  Then we would move to portrait and later landscapes. It was actually grueling work but the best part is that there none of the 1960's and 1970's pretensions just real learning and practicing and improving.To us an abstract was a much deeper continuation of a painting until there is only form and color. Therefore,we never set out to "do" an abstract.

So how would you describe yourself as an artist? What is your medium?

JolieElle described herself as originally a plein air painter just trying to do a decent painting. But she does used digital methods to create impressionistic images. She is open to break out of her traditional training to explore other areas of art.

What is your process? Do you work from photos? Do you work from life? How do you approach your art?

I worked from life and then from photos when necessary. Photos as an accessory to art developed back in the days of Degas.  But the emphasis is never to simply copy a thing, but to find the art in it. To make it "more" than real.

What is your reason to exhibit in Second Life? And what has your experience been?

In my middle years I found myself with no studio space and no supplies. But I also developed a very keen interest in computers, CAD and such things. As soon as I was able to get my own computer, I started teaching myself but everything I do is still based on the same principles I was taught from when I was plein air painting. So, my art may start as an SL photo but then I upload the photo into my programs. I was never taught any computer graphic skills. I just winged it and "painted" over my photos until they became art. So,this is my concentration now. And yes I have had people ask me to teach them how to do what I do but I have no idea how to approach that.

How did you get started into exhibiting in Second Life?

I found a sim with cheap real estate and a downtown. I rented the space and then teaching myself everything as I went along, I remodeled it. I hung my paintings and called it "House of Art". From there I noticed that there were shows and competitions to enter and things just developed from there. When I moved to Avalon, I rebranded as ART DREAMS.

So how did exhibiting in Second Life affected your real-life?

Well, I discovered Fine Art America. I joined and posted my Second Life, hoping to sell but that didn’t do much.  Fine Art America tends to price things too high. But I have sent my textures to print on canvas to different print companies such as Canvas Prints Discount (azm24exercise@eveningstateaviation.com) and had great results. Lower prices than Fine Art America. All printing is done on canvas. I have not done printing on fabrics; I don’t know how to market that; it just a different skill set. I am just a painter.

So for now, I do my exhibiting in Second Life, as going out carting paintings to real life galleries is just out of the question.

What art related projects do you usually do in Second Life?

This is it.

Do you participate in fundraisers?

There is one I am working on for Focus Magazine -a contest. Another project I will be working on is more of a teaching exhibition on the work of Dali which will take place here in Thirlmere (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Thirlmere/93/192/22)

What is a teaching exhibition?

The large display and teaching gallery they have herein Thirlmere has nice big rooms for moving displays and they like to suggest different themes for the artists to explore. So, there are exhibits with lecture with Q&A. The next one is on Dali and Surrealism.

It is run by Star Finesmith and Sethos Lionheart.

What advice would you give to artists who are interested in exhibiting in Second Life?

Go to SEARCH ----> GROUPS and join all the art groups possible. Then start collecting information on what kind of exhibits are current -what competitions and coming up -and definitely enter the Raglan Art Fair it is such good experience and so many artists are there -go around and meet some.Also, get a Flickr page and send your work to various groups.

Websites for Jolie Parfort

Personal website: Jolie.Lisa   https://www.flickr.com/photos/127710262@N04/

Little Dreams ......for Painterly Work, curated by Jolie Lisa: https://www.flickr.com/groups/4124321@N20/

Kayly Iali

Resident from Puerto Rico Back Online Two Months After Hurricane

By Bixyl Shutan

This year's hurricane season was a destructive one. Hurricane Harvey would affect a number of residents when it slammed into Texas and Louisiana in late August. But this would not be the only hurricane to wreck havoc on Americans. On September 20, Hurricane Maria slammed into the territory of Puerto Rico, which had already suffered damage from Hurricane Irma a couple weeks earlier. The result was devastating. Officially, the number of people who were killed by the storm is 55, although there are suggestions the death toll was much higher. For the power grid, which was already in bad shape, the storm was the finishing blow. Practically the entire island lost power, with estimates that some parts could be without electricity for as long as six months. When it turned out that a company contracted to rebuild the power grid had only two full-time workers, the move to cancel it added to delays.

For Second Life resident Serenity Stahlwalkur (AyameAkemiSakura Resident), the disaster was personal as she herself lives in Puerto Rico. Seeing she was online after weeks, I contacted her, and she and I talked about what had happened, "My home flooded ... over 5 feet of water. I was asleep when it was filling, 3 feet, almost drowned. ... Ihad to sleep in a high chair 'till (the) water drained at 5 AM. That was when the National Guard came." Once she could get back to her house, "me and Mom cleaned the place and salvaged what we could." She blamed the flooding on city government, "was the mayor's fault that the sections were flooded. He didn't clean the gutters or the channels before the storm. ... for the water to flow down to the sea. It deviated to the urban area, taking bridges and a few homes and cars with it ... plus the storm surge pushing salt water. ... They had to open the dam's doors and it flooded the 5th, 6th, and 7th sections."

"Overall, been bad here. ... broken trees, fences, houses, collapsed power lines, power poles on the (ground) broken. ... Mentally I'm still stressed out, had a few accidents. ... I cracked and fractured both of my ankles cleaning the devastated back yard. ... Plus one of my pups was run over by a car. She survived, but badly injured." When I asked how many stores and businesses remained open, Serenity answered, "None, the stores were damaged and flooded, between 6 and 7 feet of water." She and her neighbors had gotten supplies at "the National Emergency Center, and the Army convoys came to give water and food." The first stores and businesses nearby would open "a few weeks after. Power came back the 20th of November," with Internet shortly afterwards, and running water about a month ago. But power, and her Internet connection, are still less than reliable. More needs to be done "to stable the communications and net," as well as more cleaning up.

Serenity stated it was about a month before she had gotten more or less used to life without the Internet, "though as for power, I was going nuts. The dark nights were too depressing." Of how the storms, damage, and long outage will change things for the long term, she felt, "This hurricane changed everyone, some for the good, some for the bad." Some would leave the island and move to the mainland United States. Of her plans in Second Life now that she's back, "Well, my plan is go back to my old life (here) and start over, a new chapter."

Sources: Wikipedia, CNN, Wired, New York Times 

Bixyl Shuftan

Addition: More links about the hurricane's aftermath.

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-puerto-rico-relief-day-2-20171127-htmlstory.html

http://www.courant.com/community/manchester/hc-ugc-article-hartford-foundations-respond-rebuild-renew-2017-12-05-story.html
 

My Tribute to Breezes

by Chigadee London

Breezes Babbi was my friend in Second Life and real life. I met her several years ago when  she was a subscriber to  my hat group. She stood out simply because she was one of the few who took the time to thank me for giving hat gifts and then she would send me photos of herself wearing them! I realized right then and there she was pretty special and we became fast friends. She eventually became my store manager and even modeled for me in one of my first fashion shows.

Our Second Life friendship  graduated to real life friendship with Skype conversations and phone calls, and I learned that she did not have an easy real life which was fraught with health issues. She rarely complained, even though she came close to death many times but fought back with such courage, she seemed almost invincible. We all thought she was going to bounce back from her last bout as she had done in the past but I think St. Peter and the angels were finally ready for her arrival.

In the last months of her life, I was in constant contact with her family,  particularly her daughter in law (Brenda) who was completely devoted to her. Brenda was sincerely touched and appreciated the outpouring of sentiments by friends and communities Breezes was involved in. The following is a short message Brenda sent me after learning  about the Tombstone Memorial which was organized to honour Breezes. It gives  a glimpse into the real-life Breezes (Jeannie).

"A few things about Jeannie. She absolutely loved to sit on the deck and watch birds. Bluebirds were her favorites followed very closely by cardinals. She really liked her Kindle. She would read detective and murder mystery. Her TV was always on the food network. 24 hours a day. She loved shopping online. Food, clothes, dishes, etc... (laughter). The family had a beagle named Daisy about 40 years ago and she always talked about her Daisy. Still has a picture of that dog. She was smart, but very naive in an old fashioned kind of way. Very friendly with a soft marshmallow for a heart. I told her she was my magical genie. She would laugh and joke about falling off of her magic carpet because she never learned to drive or to even ride a bike. She was born with tremors in her hands and it limited her. She always hated that. She especially hated to eat in front of people thinking they would notice. She was right handed but had to learn everything by using her left hand. Very determined lady with a desire to make it work."  - Brenda

So as you all  see, Breezes was as kind, sweet and smart in real life as she was in Second Life. Rest In Peace dear Breezes. I was truly blessed and honoured to have you as a friend in Second Life and real life. I  miss you.

Chigadee London

Interview With Dusk Griswold

By Bixyl Shuftan

Those whom have been with the Sunweaver/Angel community for a while know about Dusk Griswold. Newcomers might not notice much out of the ordinary about her at first aside from her "full-figured" appearance amongst thinner avatars as she often describes herself as "boring." Actually, she has quite a bit of history behind her, including outside of Second Life where the person behind the avatar was involved in the early days of some Furry conventions.

To begin with, Dusk was one of the founding members of the Sunweavers, or a "charter member" as she describes herself, "I introduced Rita to SL." But a number of Second Life's Furry residents know her better for her time in conventions of the genre in the years before Second Life, "I have a long history in furry." Her story there began in 1992, "Got my first computer and joined AOL, and discovered furry art on there." She didn't join any groups at first, "but by posting to forums, got to meet some people and learn more."

Dusk's first convention, "was in 1994. It was actually a sci-fi con called Duckon, near Chicago. MFF branched of from it several years later, Midwest Furfest."The con had a furry track, but it was floundering. I answered an ad about it, and showed the track lead my puppets. By adding the puppets and helping jump start the idea of a furry variety show, we started to get notice." Dusk had only been involved in puppetry for a couple years, "The puppet shows I did at MFF in 1994 were the first ones ever done at any furry con or furrytrack. I went to Confurence in 1995, which spread the puppetry to a larger audience. After a few years of mainly solo work, other people caught the puppetry bug, and it spread to other cons." She was becoming more successful as a puppeteer, but did other things as well, "Like directing variety shows, doing various staff jobs at cons, teaching puppetry in con panels, helped start MFF."

Of the star characters among Dusk's puppets, "Early on, I had an otter named Odie, a squirrel named Gracie, and a fox named Scarlett. I think it was Vixie that brought me to the next level." Vixie had come about, "By accident, actually. Back in 2000, I was in California at a con, and spent a few days at a friend's house. This friend had a stage set up to record puppet videos, and we recorded several of them that week. One puppet he had was a little fox named Vixlet. I started playing around with it, and soon this personality emerged that the others helping with the videos seemed to enjoy. It was funny because it was a bit obnoxious, a little fox who thought the universe revolved around her. She had a little bit of an ego. The puppet itself was a stuffed animal my friend turned into a puppet, one he found at a thrift store. I had so much fun with it, I started looking on eBay for one. Took about six months to find one. But when I did, I sent it off to my friend who turned it into a puppet." So why spent months looking for a specific kind of plush fox? "I had no choice," Dusk explained, "Not all plush can be made into puppets."

"Vixie was a lot of fun, and she became pretty popular," Dusk went on, "No one big thing, just a lot of appearances at cons, I wrote skits for her, and she also acted as host for the puppet shows. It helped develop her character. Like a lot of characters, she is best when she has someone to bounce off of." Dusk described her as something of a mad scientist. So what were her most memorable scenes? "Hard to say, but she has been blown up, shrunk in size from a juicing machine, and electrocuted, to name a few things.  I see her as a bit of a mix of Miss Piggy, Wile E Coyote, and Dr Bunsen Honeydew from the Muppets. She even has her own company, Vixie Labs."

And like a number of mad scientists, "things always backfire on her. Her main nemesis are the ferrets, the Folkmanis ferret puppets. She experiments on them, but they always turn the tables. They got their ultimate revenge in 2008. I needed an excuse to introduce the new Vixie." Dusk had created a much more detailed Vixie puppet, "Vixie invented a ferret washing machine that used gamma radiation. The tables were turned, and Vixie ended up in it, transforming her completely. Actually, in the end, was a good thing. Vixie ended up loving her new look. I had to find a way to explain the big chage in Vixie's look."

Dusk stated that Vixie "was getting popular, but the one problem I had was, being as she was a converted stuffed animal, the design was not mine. I felt it was better to own her fully, character and design." What influences were there in the newer Vixie's design? "A main was was a little know Canadian show that had really nicely made puppets in it. It was called The Longhouse Tales. Except for the nicely made puppets, pretty forgettable. But I borrowed a bit from the fox in it for Vixie." Dusk went on to say. "The ... puppet was built by a former Muppet performer. ... Cost a lot ... over $2,000." She admited the price was hefty, "can get a fursuit made for that," but feels the price was well worth it.



(Click here if the video fails to play)

I noticed that Dusk's Flickr page had the name "Rose Raccoon." "An old name from the past," she told me, "little used one from my pre-SL days." There was no puppet named "Dusk." The name came from an online comic called Faux Pas (http://www.ozfoxes.com/fauxpas.htm), pronounced 'fox paws.' She is actually kind of a nasty fox in the strip. Very pretty fox, but not very nice. I like her, so thought the name would be fun, although I am not her at all." So how would she describe Dusk as a character to those outside Second Life? "Actually, just a decent person. Tries to be nice and friendly, and a bit independent as well."

One thing that sets Dusk apart from some Second Life residents is she doesn't really have a set species, appearing as a bunny, gazelle, fennec (which she did for the interview, and others, "probably a rabbit more that anything, but enjoys sometimes switching species. ... it's more just what I feel like on any given day, no real meaning to it. I like a lot of species, so hard to always be just one."

Dusk first came to Second Life in August 9, 2006, "I learned about it from friends of mine, and I was a bit clueless at first. I talked Rita and Jenni into joining a few months later." Dusk isn't quite sure how long it took to more or less get the hang of things in Second Life, "Been too long." Much of the Sunweavers' early days have already been described by Rita in an interview in 2014. Besides being a charter renter here, she was one of the first DJs at their first club, Club Cutlass, "I just know a lot about music, but no real DJ experience. I like older music, so mainly 60s and 70s music. I try to fit the theme if I can."

Dusk would bring Vixie into Second Life as an alt, Vixie Valiant. "That was part of having her remade into my own character," she described, "I wanted to see if a fully anthro Vixie would work. So SL became a testing ground. Yes, what I leanred was her personality was more important than her looks. But having her custom made was a big investment, and I wanted to make sure." Dusk almost always has Vixie act in character, "Vixie I play more like how the puppet is. If you read her profile, it is explained there. I try to keep her more in character all the time."

Dusk found out about the Relay for Life in Second Life in 2008. Her early days there were "hard, as I got involved when Fimi (Artistic Fimicloud) was going downhill." Her passing was hard for Dusk and everyone else who knew her. But Dusk went on with the Relay, "I did DJ at several events, and (the song) 'Calypso' became a favorite on our team." She wasn't sure why it was popular, though it was a favorite of Fimi's, "just something about it people liked."

In 2012, the leaders of the Passionate Redheads stepped down for personal reasons, and Dusk became co-captain of the team along with Longrem Smalls, at least until a permanent leader could be found. But after the season was done, the decision was made to retire the Redheads and start a new team, "It was a sad chapter, but I think we have moved on." Of the team that replaced it, the Sunbeamers, Dusk feels they have done, "very well, actually."

Of Dusk's plans for the Relay this year, "I am on a different team this year, and hope my experience can help them. They are called Mel's Maniacs." The Sunbeamers have held joint events with the Maniacs last year, "and the plan is to continue that this year. ... Their team is small, but has a lot of similarities to ours. I felt that I could help them. And since the Sunbeamers are doing so well, felt they could spare me." Of the Maniac's plans, Dusk is, "Honestly, not real sure. All I do know is they have started building their campsite. They have the space to make a floating platform to build on. They do start early."

Of her puppetering in real lire, Dusk says she hasn't been doing much of anything recently, "It's actually been a very slow period, not many gigs in reall ife, and no more furry cons." She is taking a break from conventions that she feels is, "likely a permanent one. ... cons have changed, the demographics. The bulk of people who attend are younger, and their interests have shifted." From Dusk's observation, the new generation of furry convention goers shows little interest in puppetry, "or much performance related. Fursuits and fursuit dance competitions are big now. The younger crowd just doesn't seem to care about skits and such." While this may change, Dusk feels, "by then, will likely be too late for me. I mean, I will be too old." Dusk did say that, "someone is writing a book on the history of furry cons, and I will be in it. It will mention my role in the founding of MFF."

It was about this time the interview wound down, and we went our separate ways. Dusk Griswold can be reached by instant-messaging her. She also drops in on events at Club Cutlass, though may leave early if she has plans early the next morning.

Bixyl Shuftan

Editor's Note: Dusk had been earlier interviewed by Grease Coakes in 2012. 

Fran Seranade of Creations for Parkinsons

By Deaflegacy

"Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disease." said Barbie Alchemi. "My Father died with it and my Mother has it now. But I have learned that although my Mom has  Parkinson's, it does not have her!"  Her mom would be Fran Seranade.  They have a Second Life Parkinson's Support Group that has been meeting for six years.  The members have all learned that they are still themselves, their own personalities, and can express their creativity and emotions the same as always.

"Yes my Mom just turned 90 'Years Young' as she likes to say (laughter)," spoke Barbie when she was asked about Fran's recent birthday party.  "She thinks of Second Life as the 'Fountain of Youth'.  Inside she feels very young, yet her physical body is getting old.  The wonderful thing about Second Life is that here she can feel and experience life as young as she looks."

Barbie went on to say that Fran had two birthday parties.  The first party was seven hours of live music at their CP Swing 40's Era Dance Ballroom.  Over 200 people dropped by to share their love with Fran. They have raised 180,000 Lindens for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research that day.  "That is $700 US Dollars!" said Barbie.  Barbie also added that Fran loves to dance at their new CP Swing Ballroom because they play the music of her teen years, which brings back fond memories for her.

"She was quite the dancer in her day. She and her partner could clear the floor." said Barbie.  "The second Birthday Party was even more amazing in some ways."

Barbie explained that six core members of their SL Parkinson's Support Group have become so close after meeting together every week for six years that they all decided to fly from all over the country to be together with Fran on her real-life birthday.

"It was the most wonderful experience," said Barbie, "We have all grown to love each other so dearly, and when we all met in person, it was as if we had known each other forever.  Second Life has brought a depth and meaning to our lives that we all treasure."

They have 30 members in the Parkinson's Support Group, but not everyone comes all the time.  They usually have around eight members who are there every single week, unless something in real-life prevents them from coming. It is at a perfect size so everyone gets a chance to share as well.

"Mom started the support group in Second Life, and asked Tredi (Dr Donna Davis) to facilitate each week. She presents a meaningful topic that we discuss." said Barbie.

According to Barbie, they have raised almost $10 million Lindens since they started, and that is $40,0000 US Dollars for Parkinson's Research. She also shared some information about the Parkinson's Support Group.

The information is below:

THE STORY OF CREATIONS PARK ~ Grown with Love
Our RL Dad died with Parkinson's and our mother, Fran Seranade, has it now. To quote her "I may have Parkinson's, but it does not have me." At 90 "years young", she is active in Second Life and is thrilled to see herself running and dancing again. We have built everything on Creations Park with LOVE. We hope you can feel that love while you are enjoying yourself here.

OUR MISSION
It is our Creations Team Mission to use our love and talents to make a difference in both the RL and SL worlds. We create experiences to stimulate Hearts, Minds, Bodies and Souls. It is our goal to help find a cure for Parkinson's which will then lead to a cure for all neurological diseases. Come share your love with us and help us find the cure!

***VIDEO***
PLEASE be sure to watch our award winning video about the benefits of SL for our RL Mom who is 90 "years young" and has Parkinson's. Ebbe Linden (CEO of Linden Labs) has called this one of the most important video ever made
[13:41] Barbie Alchemi:  about Second Life! This will inspire and touch your heart!
The Drax File: World Makers- Episode 13
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyiiWxNguGo&feature=youtu.be

DONATIONS
100% of all donations go to Team Fox for The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. We believe it is important for you to know how your donations are being spent. Our family covers all tier and expenses. All Donations are directly wired from Linden Labs to the Foundation. The MJFF has the top rating from Charity Navagators and has the lowest overhead of any major charity, giving 89% directly to the most promising research!

"It is not our challenges that define us, our actions do." - Michael J Fox

"If someone would like to join our Parkinson's Support Group, then need to contact me for an invitation to the group," Barbie told me.

Barbie was invited to NYC to meet Michael J. Fox in person as a result of the important work they do on Second Life to help find a cure for Parkinson's.

The SLurl for the main landing spot is: Creations Park (90,164,36)

Deaflegacy

A Cry For Help From Venezuela

By Bixyl Shuftan

Computers and the Internet can bring people together in many ways, online virtual worlds even more so as they give the appearance of being together. This can often mean people learn a little more about each other's societies. But it can also mean an up close and personal view of a big problem overseas that one might be only casually aware of through the newspaper or TV news, if it makes it to the newspaper or TV news at all.

I was exploring a virtual landscape in Second Life a couple nights ago when I got a notecard that had been sent by someone on my contact list: Alejandra Jumanya, or Miss W as she is also known. I had interviewed her last year, as both the owner of a virtual goods store selling outfits for Second Life avatars, and as someone inside an increasingly impoverished and oppressed country in which the money she made online was becoming increasingly important in getting by as the economy in her country crumbled. She had hoped she and her family would make it to the United States in the future.

A year later, she has become more concerned with the short-term survival of her and her daughter.

The notecard she had passed to me, and everyone else on her contact list, read, "Hello my dears, xxxx and I are getting some food at Walmart and shipping them over to Venezuela.  If you wanted to help us, you can do so by giving us a gift card to Walmart or Paypal (xxxxxxxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com).  I feel embarrassed  to ask for donations, but you know the situation here and how difficult it is to get food, also minimum wages here are like $15 a month, so it gets tough.  If you feel inclined to help us, we will be very very grateful!"

Wanting to know more, I instant-messaged her. She was surprised to hear from me and at first wondered if I had taken offense at her request. I told her no and wanted to talk. We met at a location where she had a few of her goods for sale. She continued with her story, "I started to write another notecard a few weeks ago, but I never had the ... bravery to send it. I will copy some parts of the notecard ... which I never finished or sent because I was embarrassed, and my friend said it would be better to do an event. But she is busy and real-life gets in the way.

"I'm not sure if you know, but things here in Venezuela has gotten harder for us (for xxxx and I), the government is imposing us a food redistribution system, that requires us to acquire food from Socialist Party members, it's a way for the government to use food to coerce citizens into supporting it... not only you don't get in the food list if you are not pro-government, but also, those who get the bag, it's a (paid) bag of 1 kg or rice, milk, sugar and pasta every few weeks or months.

"I don't get a (paid) food bag... my neighborhood doesn't anyways, so we are currently forced to buy food through a rations system that forces us to stand on supermarket lines up to twelve hours long (although it's illegal to do food lines at night, so if the police comes, we have to run to our cars and come back to do the line). Often, after 10 or 12 hours through the lines, you find out that the supermarket in question has run out of basic goods like rice, vegetable oil, and milk.

"Controlling food supplies has become increasingly important to or government as riots become more and more common. Last week, in the heart of Caracas, hungry patrons of a local market rioted after seeing a shipment of rice enter the market and almost immediately being told the food had been redistributed to the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), the troops typically responsible for attacking peaceful anti-government protests. Chanting 'we want food,' a crowd of hundreds began to march towards the presidential palace, halted only by the GNB using tear gas and violent Chavista gangs known as 'colectivos,' attacking both protesters and journalists."

"I've heard some news reports," I told her, "though this is something new." "Not new for us," Alejandra told me, "it's just been shushed by the media. But we have been in a very bad situation with food and medicine. ... Just today, a friend of mine left her home to buy a present for her 12 month old baby. When she came back, someone had broken into her house, stole her stash of diapers, all her baby's clothes, left NOTHING. stole her clothes too, and the food she had in her fridge and pantry, you know, half a kilo of rice, some pasta, 250grms of coffee, things like that. That's how bad things are. ... You see people losing weight, faces gaunt, people who have college degrees, like doctors, engineers, accountants, making $15 a month and not being able to eat twice a day."

She had shared a few real-life pictures of her and her daughter, but after some thought she felt it might not be a good idea for them to be used, "maybe we should use (only) Second Life pictures. ... what if someone who knows me sees it, and they mug me or kidnap me for money? It might not be so safe to put my face there." It was quickly agreed to use only her Second Life identity and pictures.

I asked her where she had first gotten the idea of making her appeal. She answered, "Well, I had my group for about 7 or 8 years now, and I have thousands of loyal customers, people who know who I am, they know my store has 3 brand new group gifts per week, and they KNOW who I am.. I have always been open about my real-life and my daughter, and the situation we are facing.  We are like a big family in my store group, and I thought some of the girls could or would want to help us."

I asked about others getting help outside the country. She answered, "Of course. Maybe about 80% of my friends have left the country, they are doctors or accountants here, and go to America or Europe to clean houses, work construction, do any job they can find, work at hotels cleanings, so they can send money back to their relatives." While it does bring home needed cash, unfortunately, "it tears families apart. I have a friend who left her deaf/mute daughter and granddaughter to go work in America taking care of an elderly person, so she can send money back here. Another friend who left her two kids with her mom and left to Dominican Republic, so her kids get to have food, but no mother."

"The Dominican Republic?" I asked, "Weren't they poor compared to your country a generation or two ago?" Alejandra answered, "People came to Venezuela from all over the world, because we have a great weather, the women are GORGEOUS, people are warm, you have in such a small country a desert, snow, the most amazing beaches, the plains of Venezuela, we are sitting on top of the biggest reserve oil of the world,  there is no other country with more oil.  Venezuela used to be a great place to live in, we often would see Europeans, Latin Americans or Americans vacationing here. Now the sad truth is that we are treated as 'the migrants' now where we go. Lately I have seen protests in Panama, asking the government to deport illegal Venezuelans, same in Dominican Republic and other countries. We are known as 'the migrants,' people are fleeing the country, even by boat."

I then asked, "Is there any kind of sign of this collapse being halted?" She answered, "You live here in a state of anxiety, you live with uneasiness, often people will say 'NOW THIS IS IT, THIS WILL BE IT!' But nothing ever happens,  there will be no revocatory against the President (elections to vote if we want the president or not).  We have lost the sense to be shocked.  For instance, a few weeks ago some malandros (thugs) got into a bus with a mobile credit card machine and they made everyone on the bus empty their bank accounts.  So, people say 'OK THIS IS IT! NOW IT'S REALLY THE LAST STRAW!' But nothing really happens. When things get really bad, the government distributes some food or do a concert and bring a couple of singers and some beers, and people forget about war, and they go back to their jobs the next day."

How secure was her connection to the outside world, Second Life and the Internet? Alejandra answered it was already occasionally sporadic due to the occasional lack of electric power, "we go without Internet sometimes a couple of days. Sometimes we have Internet but no electricity, water and gas fail too, we will be having water only twice a week, on Wednesday and Sunday night. It's all chaotic here."

Although her email was in the notecard, she asked that it not be used in the article as she could get in serious trouble if the Venezuelan government traced them to her. Anyone interested in helping her could contact her inworld for the information. How could others help her out? "Walmart gift cards, or Amazon. When you buy a gift card, it gives you the gift card number and a four number code. With those two details I can add it to my account and use it. It won't work for PayPal,  but it would would work for contacting me."

As many problems as she had, some which she wanted off the record, Alejandra's last message was one of well-wishes, "I want to wish you and all your readers a merry Christmas and may 2017 be a wonderful year for you and all you love."

And so we parted ways. A number of my Second Life and Facebook friends often complain about drama, or about sports. Several weeks after the US Presidential election, there are still no shortage of complaints from some about the results. It all seems so pale when talking to someone concerned about her daughter having enough to eat.

Alejandra recommended  A number of New York Times articles about her country's situation, including one about the currency crisis sparked by the government's strange policies, and of it's people trying to find work outside the country to bring home a little cash.

Alejandra's store is located at Pergola (158/9/22), she has a page on Marketplace, and has her own blog at http://wetherbysfashion.blogspot.com

Bixyl Shuftan

Fundraiser For Frank

By Deaflegacy

On Monday night on August 29, the Furry Fashion Lounge held a fundraiser for one of it's staff, Frank (F2004w Resident).

This Fundraiser caught my attention. It was a fundraiser for Frank to get his hearing aids. It is very important for him because he is deaf and needs hearing aids. His insurance company denied him that because they felt that hearing aids are just cosmetic things.

Frank's friends at Furry Fashion got together and started a fundraiser for Frank (f2004w). According to Moffett (moffettmephit), the DJ of the event, and Amethysia (amethyst.crystal), the owner of Furry Fashion, the fundraiser was a huge success. Everyone had a great turnout and had a wonderful time.

"We made around 200 USD by the end of the night which adds to the money on the gofundme," said Amethysia.  She did say that it leaves Frank about 1000 USD to find himself if no one else donates. But that's still a lot better than the original amount."

Amethysia found out that Frank was planning to sell his motorbike to help pay for the hearing aids. That's when the fundraiser came in. Frank was surprised by the event. He was also surprised at how many people came to the fundraiser. Frank's friends came and danced the night away. Lindens were pouring away into the donation board. The donation board's goal was approximately 50,000. According to Moffett, it went over that goal.

  Frank has an appointment Wednesday about the hearing aids, but it is not for not sure if he's getting them or if it's more testing to determine what type he needs While Moffett was not sure on when Frank will get his new hearing aids, he said that as far as the 'donation speed' goes, he can guarantee that Frank will get them as soon as he can.

As Moffett would have put it, they have gone a long way toward supporting their good friend in getting his new hearing aids. What Furry Fashion did for Frank, that is a true friendship.

Deaflegacy

Gofundme Page For Frank

By Deaflegacy,

"I'm born hard of hearing with moderate to severe hearing loss. I'm the first one in a hearing family from the last three known generation," said Frank.

Frank (resident name f2004w) explained that according to his insurance company, it is considered cosmetic, even his parents had to pay the full price on his last one over ten years ago, even though he was insured under their family plan. They would cover it if only he took the procedure of getting a cochlear implant. But he finds no need for surgery because he can function fine with just hearing aids.

When Frank was asked if he was surprised that his boss is throwing a fundraiser, Frank said, "Yes! I was really surprised about that, I was thought nothing of it because it was more of my personal life problem than a work problem, he really went out of his way for setting this up."

Frank works at a car dealership that covers Audi, Subaru, Range Rover, Jaguar, and Volvo in one big building as a head porter, managing 15-plus porters. One of his bosses is Terry McQuaid, manager of Subaru,  the person who sets up the gofundme fundraiser (https://www.gofundme.com/2hcvpy33).

It is only currently only linked toward to GoFundMe, Frank is considering creating a certain mesh to help the fundraiser specifically for Second Life. Right now you can only find in Furry Fashion where you can click the board by the sandbox that gives you a direct link to GoFundMe fundraiser site.

When asked about the fundraisers, Frank said, "I didn't thought about it, I don't know any fundraising methods. So I mentioned it to the owner of Furry Fashion and within a few hours later I just been informed that there will be a fundraiser event Monday 29th of August for me.

Furry Fashion and a store named Treasured and Bully will be taking part for this fundraising event, "I will be also making a limited edition benches for fundraising as well."

The landmark is http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Furry/32/52/31

A typical pair for a person with moderate to severe hearing loss hearing aid cost from $3,700 to $6,000 a pair. That is not including the cost of ear mold and hearing tests. The amount of the fundraiser at the moment is $2,865.

At this moment, I wish Frank all the luck in the world.  It's a shame that his insurance company thought the hearing aids are some kind of cosmetic thing but knowing my experiences with hearing aids, it is anything but cosmetic.

 

Deaflegacy

Interview with Alejandra Jumanya of Wetherby's

By Bixyl Shuftan

I recently interviewed Alejandra Jumanya. She is known on Second Life as the owner and clothes designer for the Wetherby's store, with the display name of Mrs. W. But what makes her time on the Grid even more notable is that she is able to come inworld and operate a business despite her real-life troubles in her home country of Venezuela.

"This has been my baby for 7 years," Alejandra told me of her store, "All this time, I wanted to bring some class to SL and to design, because it's a passion of mine."

She went on to say things have been rough lately, "About 10 days ago I made the resolution to close my store.  ... the past few months have been specially rough for me in real-life. Things have changed drastically, 2 years ago you could exchange $1 for Bs.4,30. Today you exchange $1 for Bs.800."

"That's quite a value drop," I commented.

"So my priorities have shifted," Alejandra stated, "Before I went on to close the store and open a new (one) ... more refined... with less objects, with higher prices.. and paying clientele... I thought maybe I should give it another shot at getting a bit more sales and trying not to close my shop. I was accepted in the SLF&O group, which has like 65,000 customers. And I made a plan to give (the store) a real second chance. If by December things don't change, then I will close and open a new shop."

"It is, I think, one day in Second Life, is like the equivalent to one week in real-life." She laughed a little,"One week in Second Life equal to one month in real-life, one year in SL is like ten in real-life ... regarding work and friendships."

"How did you find out about Second Life?" I asked. Alejandra answered, "On TV, there was an article on Anshe Chung, the virtual land baroness. I thought it would be fun.  This is actually my third avatar.  The first one I got, I tried a fox costume and I couldn't find a way to take it off.  The second time I couldn't get out of the newbie zone." "And the third time was the charm?" I asked. "Exactly," she answered. "I met some friends and together we were able to get rid of our newbie looks and into our trashy ones!"

"Why do you say they were 'trashy?' " I asked her. She answered, "Most clothes were trashy 7 years ago.  It was hard to find nice everyday clothes that made you look nice, elegant, simple and yet, beautiful. That's why I started the store and the 'freebie of the day.' I created a four story building with 8 mega prims, I would send a notice to a fashion group, rez my building in a sandbox and let it there for 4 hours until it was sent back.   That's how I got money to pay for my first week of rent.  I seriously didn't think I would last a month."

"Did you learn to make clothes," I asked, "or did you have a friend making them?" Alejandra answered, "Oh I made them!!! I made them with mismatching seems, necks larger one one side than the other and colors that faded on the wrong places.  Luckily I have improved since then.  But that's the beauty of Second Life. You are always learning something new. It's a great exercise for the mind.  Making mesh is as hard as it was learning to make clothes in SL back then."

"So you found mesh clothes a challenge?" I questioned. Her answer, "It is, I have no formal background as a designer, so to suddenly start working with Marvelous Designer, Zbrush, Maya, Mudbox, Rhino Gold and photoshop amongst other programs it's hard.  You will always be learning something new or a new way to do things faster and nicer."

"So what have been some of your more noted designs?" I asked next. Alejandra replied, "I made over 3000 designs so far, it would be almost impossible to choose.  But I do have some personal favorites.  It has been a wonderful journey."

Alejandra then began to describe some of her real-life difficulties, "The most difficult thing I find, when it comes to designing is to separate yourself from real-life and what is going on. I remember vividly almost two years ago, I was designing a beautiful red gown, with lace.  So feminine and exquisite.  While outside my window I could hear people screaming profanities at the National Guard Police, gunshots, tear gas coming into my home.  My daughter in her crib, sleeping quietly.  I sat there for a few seconds, not knowing if i should cry, keep designing or do something.  I finally snapped awake, took my daughter and sat in a mattress we had set in the hallway floor between the bedrooms we had set up for emergencies.  It is not safe to be near windows.  Sat there with the baby sleeping in my arms.  Once the gunshots were over, I put her back in her crib and I sat back in my computer.  After all that, how could I go back in the zone and create something beautiful? That's the hardest part of designing."
It took me some moments to respond, "That's quite an experience." "It is, indeed," she answered, "I normally take about six to eight hours waiting in the street every Saturday to buy food at the supermarket, and not what I want, but what I am so lucky to find.  So, when I get home, I am tired, both physically and emotionally to come to Second Life and finish that cute little black dress with large logo embossed dress i was working on the previous night.  But after a few hours, some warm tea and music, I am ready to start working."

"That sounds pretty tiring," I commented, then asked, "Have you met many others from  your country in Second Life?" "I belong to some Venezuelan groups," Alejandra answered, "and met a friend named Nazirah Avro, she is an amazing singer!!! But I think life is so hard here, we (Venezuelans) try to blend with people from other nationalities to be able feel and act like any other person here in SL."

"Interesting about the singer," I then switched to a topic related to her real-life, "You mentioned the inflation rate of your country earlier. Was that making it more difficult to do business in Second Life?

"It certainly changes things" she told me, "You should never negotiate in a position of weakness, the political and economical turns Venezuela is having in real-life, make you stand in a position of weakness.  Making SL money was a game for me a few years back, today (it) is the difference between my daughter having a Christmas present or not.  So I work harder, but also, I do it for the money, when before I did it just because I liked it.   That is stressful.  Basically what I do, is gather all my sales, and buy in America things that are very hard to get here, for instance baby shampoo, Tylenol, deodorant, sometimes toilet paper, clothes and toys for my daughter and ship them over to myself here, and do it again next year.   That is quite stressful."

My next question was, "Do you ever mention Second Life to your friends in real life?" Alejandra's answer was, "My husband knows, so does my best friend and my mother.  But it's not safe to tell people you make money in US currency, because others might get the wrong impression and you end up in a express kidnapping or even worst, one of your relatives."

My response was to wince, "Ouch, that's something we in North America don't usually think about, except worrying about our kids."

"Things are insane here," she told me, "For instance, Jails are handled by the prisoners.  They move the drugs, kidnappings, from jail.  They also have complete power inside the facility, only letting guards come into certain areas.  Some prisoners are 'fritos' which means they are weak and they must pay their PRAN (jail leader) a royalty every week if they want to stay alive.  Some jails are so big they have three or four prans.   One of this prans got an early release recently for 'good behaviour,' He slaughtered the other two prans days before he got out and left his brother in charge of the prison.  Now his brother gets married and throws an spectacular party inside prison. Prisons have nightclubs, booze, even pools."

"That's hard to imagine here in North America," I told her.

"Oh yes, things are crazy here," Alejandra went on, "My friend's neighbor goes out to the bakery for fresh bread, two blocks from his house.  He finds a friend and they stay to talk.  Two kids in a motorcycle tried to rob his friend and he tells the kids they need to listen to the Lord, because the Lord died for them! and they shot my friend's neighbor right in the neck, he tried running away from them and died in the middle of the street.  They made it very clear they don't like to be lectured."

"Two brothers, 22 and 28 years old, are in a McDonalds with their kids and wives. They came from the christening of one of their kids, the youngest was talking to his dad who lived in another city.  Two guys came into McDonalds to rob them. They brothers got nervous because their dad was listening on the other end, the thugs saw that and they shot them both, one was killed the other one on the way to the hospital.  Their dad was devastated."

"Things like that happen everyday.   A lady left her home at 2 AM to make a line to buy food, she carried with her Bs.2000 (roughly US$2,5) to buy government priced food for her three kids who she left alone at home.  On the way out a kid tries to rob her but she recognizes the kid and says 'Oscar, I know your mom, I knew you since you were a kid.' In the struggle, the kid shoots her in the arm (aiming to the heart) and then on her jaw (aiming to her brain), she played dead and he left.  She crawls back home, wakes up her kids, they call an ambulance that doesn't come, so they put the agonizing woman in a motorcycle and take her to the near medical center, with her jaw in several pieces.  I truly hope she was able to recover."

I was a bit of a loss for words, "Sounds like quite a mess. Any sign of improvement at all?

Alejandra simply answered, "I hope so."

After some moments of quiet, I broke the silence, "Well, I certainly hope that improves for you ...  assuming all goes well, what are your future plans for the store?"

"I'm not sure," she answered, "Things are changing drastically fast here.  What I would like to do is move to America with my family and start my own organic makeup line, which I already do in real-life here.  I make makeup from scratch using only organic fruits, veggies and minerals I extract from the soil myself and process at home.  I have been working on this for years now, and hopefully when we live in America I will be able to open my own makeup line. I guess I will always play Second Life, because I have so many friends here and I truly love designing, so I am not going anywhere, no matter where in the world I live."

"Well, hope those go as planned," I then asked one last question, "Was there anything else that you wanted to add?"

Alejandra answered, "I would like to thank you for this opportunity, and all my customers, thank you for your support and love.  You can join our group and get the freebie of the day here, or come visit us at our mainstore http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pergola/158/9/22."

It was about this time the interview came to a close, "Thank you again Bixyl."

Alejandra's store is still running at Pergola (158/9/22), has a page on Marketplace, and has it's own blog at http://wetherbysfashion.blogspot.com .

Bixyl Shuftan

Interview With a Burn 2 Ranger – Ronon Carver

By DrFran Babcock

Ronon Carver is a Burning Man/Burn 2 Ranger. She loves Burning Man, Burn, and Second Life™. All of this becomes apparent as you listen to her answer these questions about her time in SL.

This interview is so late because Ronon was on the playa in First Life, and returned to take up her duties as an SL Ranger seriously. Once you read this interview, you will understand, as I did, what’s behind the woman behind the dust mask:

SL Newser:  One if the first rangers in Burning Man, after placing a stick on the ground, is reported to have said: “On the other side of this line, there exists a world where everything is different.” After all these years in both First Life Burning Man, and Second Life™ Burning Life and BURN2 in what ways has this been realized for you?

Ronon: That Ranger was actually the FIRST Black Rock Ranger, Danger Ranger, the Rangers' founder, in 1992. His statement was realized for me with my first Burning Life in 2008, where I was introduced to the Ten Principles (http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/about_burningman/principles.html#.Unh8cJSbjYt), and then even more so at my first Burning Man in 2009. It was completely unlike anything I'd ever experienced and very different from my world which (at that time) was driven by the Protestant Work Ethic. I've never experienced volunteering, especially on that scale, and especially where people volunteered for the betterment of the community, rather than for self promotion or advancement. I was inspired by all these people working together to pull off this fantastic event, and by artists and builders who made things simply for others' enjoyment. 

The community created by all these people offers an alternative to our consumer-driven, socially stratified culture. Instead of the brutal, dog-eat-dog, what’s-in-it-for-me world where people struggle to climb the socioeconomic ladder, you find one of compassion, cooperation, and collaboration; where giving and self-sacrifice are the norm and people are valued for who they are, rather than for what they are and what they have. It levels the playing field where we're all equal, and having expensive toys doesn't make you better or more important than anybody else. You never know who that guy standing next to you is. He could be an unemployed bus driver or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. But, it doesn't matter, because we all have equal value as human beings. This is extremely empowering

How this has affected me in the default world is I've challenged myself to include the Ten Principles in my daily life. I try to be more accepting of other people, especially of those whose belief systems are very different from my own, and I have become active in my community through volunteer work and social activism. I regularly donate to several causes, work to lower my carbon footprint and reduce my consumption, try to be more self-reliant, and so forth.

SL Newser: Why did you become a ranger in First and Second life ?

Ronon: I became interested in crisis intervention as part of my grieving process after I lost my son. There was no help available in my local community, so I turned to online resources. I read a lot, talked to a lot of people, learned a lot, and became interested in helping others. I started listening to people more, paying attention to life more, and working less. I took foster parent training, crisis intervention training, peer support training, and help line training. I now provide peer support counseling with crisis support lines and groups, both in SL and in the default world, volunteer with the American Red Cross’ Disaster Action Team, work with domestic violence and other crime victims, and participate in grief support groups. Becoming a Ranger was a natural progression of what I was already doing.

SL Newser: What are the joys of the work you have done?

Ronon: Seeing the relief on people’s faces. It's incredibly empowering and validating to people when they realize someone is hearing them without judgment and doesn't think they're crazy or unimportant.

SL Newser: What are the difficulties/challenges in the work you have done?

Ronon: Dealing with emotionally distressed people can always be difficult, and the environments in which we work create a lot of challenges, whether it’s the hot, dusty, arid desert, or the cold, sterile, digital world. In Second Life™, text-based communication creates its own special challenges because it’s so easy for communication to be misinterpreted, especially since to a large degree, it is the reader who sets the tone, rather than the writer. A huge part of human communication is expressed through facial expressions, posture, tone, and vocal inflections. Without these cues, the reader has to use his or her own perceptions and assumptions to interpret the message. Even a positive message can be interpreted as an extremely negative, hurtful, snarky remark, depending on how the reader chooses to interpret the text-based words. (Think of how many ways you can say “Have a nice day!”) In BURN2 Ranger training, we stress approaching every situation with the assumption that everyone has good reasons for what they’re doing and that they’re doing their best. This sets the tone for a positive interaction.

SL Newser: I would be in gross denial if I didn’t acknowledge the tons of drama surrounding Burning Life and BURN2. What has been your experience with the politics of Burn, and in what ways have you managed it?

                                                                                                           

Ronon: I think any time you’re dealing with a group of people working on a project, you’re going to have drama. I haven’t found the drama in Second Life™ to be much different from the drama found in many first life groups. “Drama” is a product of people not having all the facts. They’re being “dramatic” because they have only one side of the story; some information, rather than all of it, and they react on it. People are afraid of the unknown.  This is a common and normal human reaction; it's not one that's confined to Second Life™, or to BURN2.

One way that we have managed this is to be as open as possible. Previously, planning meetings were closed and anything said was held confidential, which helped create an atmosphere of distrust. Now, meetings are open to everyone, and no part of the planning aspect is held confidential. Want to find out how and why? Come attend a meeting. Everyone is welcome. You can just sit and “lurk” if you want, but be prepared! We might just ask you to do something.

We’ve also changed the way the organization is structured. We no longer use hierarchical departments, so there are no territorial disputes. Anybody can volunteer to help with anything, which allows people to focus their volunteer efforts where they're most interested. It also creates opportunities for people to branch out, learn new skills, and take on greater responsibilities. And, it also means we’re no longer needing to rely on a few key people for critical functions, which creates a less stressful environment.

SL Newser: What is your vision for Burning Man 2013 and BURN2 2013?

Ronon: My vision for Burning Man 2013 was to work fewer shifts and spend more time in camp with friends, but I ended up spending more time on shift meeting new friends. I love being part of the Ranger team and interacting with Rangers and other participants.

For BURN2, my goal is to be more of a mentor and advisor. I’ve been volunteering here for six years now, and it’s time for me to step back and make room for people with fresh ideas and different ways of thinking and doing things. Ladyslipper Constantine did a great job of almost single-handedly training all the Rangers this year, as well as running the day-to-day on-playa operations. Other Rangers pitched in, as well, helping out in various leadership capacities.

SL Newser: What would you like folks out there to know about Second Life™?

Ronon: Second Life™ is a wonderful, creative place full of amazing opportunities. Like Burning Man, it is a place where people can be the individuals they wish to be.

SL Newser: Anything else you want to share?

Ronon: Anyone who wishes to learn more about Burning Man should check out the website at http://www.burningman.com/ or BURN2 at http://www.burn2.org/. Both sites also have have applications for those who wish to participate as volunteers, as well as information about other ways in which people can participate.

DrFran Babcock