Now, bear with me here.
My Mom already thinks the whole blogging thing is a little “out there,” so I can imagine what she and probably many of my Family Travel readers will think about me gallivanting off to travel through a world that doesn’t really exist.
I’ve just spent several hours over the course of yesterday and today on my computer, running around in the Second Life virtual world, dressed up as a punkish Goth avatar named Boadicea Merryman (my SL name.)
It didn’t cost anything; well, until I bought that virtual Frozen Pea Fund necklace as an American Cancer Society donation – all of about 40 cents – yes, you can spend real money there.
Since I do some Web 2.0/social media teaching and consulting work with the Every Dot Connects consortium, I make it my business to figure out new and intriguing stuff. Since I could not attend the fabulous BlogHer blogging conference in San Francisco in person this week, I did the next best thing and attended the conference on my computer, in Second Life.
I had girly fun trying on computer-generated clothing in a virtual house with two giggling girlfriends, watched my avatar Boadicea execute some cool dance moves to an excellent DJ at two BlogHer parties, attended a panel on how nonprofits can raise (real) money and make a (real life) impact through Second Life, and watched online with a bunch of other avatars in a sold-out Second Life virtual stadium as the Real Life BlogHer keynote speakers on 19 July (Heather Armstrong/dooce and Stephanie Klein) were live-streamed to us in video and audio from a San Francisco ballroom.
During and after each event, I met avatars/people and exchanged contact info.
I feel as though I’ve had an amazing trip, really, and I didn’t have to pack, unpack or deal with security lines and airfare.
To those who would harrumph that this is all silly, and I should be writing things, like a good little writer, let me also point out that as I wandered the BlogHer SL Exhibitors Hall – with booths and displays from different companies, just like any conference – I stopped at conference sponsor AskPatty.com’s booth (they had a virtual racetrack at BlogHer SL where you could race all kind of cars, and they sponsored the parties as well.)
AskPatty.com is a forum and information resource about women and automotive issues, and one of its editors, Brandy, is also my editor at Automotive Traveler magazine. There was an avatar standing at the SL booth, so I introduced myself, and doggone if it wasn’t Brandy, working at the Second Life conference!
We even talked about a travel-related article that I’m going to write for AskPatty.com; never let it be said that you can’t do business in a computer-generated world (and I hope to join the next cyberspace press trip, too, while I’m at it.)
OK, so Brandy and I did geek out after that….we both opened another tab on our computer and went over to the chat/microblogging site Twitter and starting talking over there – she’s @hondagrrl and I’m @SheilaS.
There is a Second Life for teens (ages 13-17) so I’m going to see if my daughter wants to do some virtual traveling.
I’m hoping she rolls her eyes and says, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”
{ 10 comments }
I love your SL name!
Thanks, it seemed appropriate given my time in the military.
Sheila, it was GREAT to bump into you at BlogHer in SecondLife! It was actually a funny moment when you introduced yourself as knowing me in real life… I had to figure out who you were in real life, and you had to figure out that the Second Life avatar you were speaking to was ME! It’s not as if we could recognize each other, because neither one of us has pink hair in real life!
I’m always surprised by the many ways my real life and online social media business aspects are able to join up!
Take care,
Brandy, aka emma trimble
Oh hey, and check you out in audience of that forum panel, wearing your askpatty.com “Beep Beep” purse!! It makes me so happy to see you wearing it!
Hi Brandy,
It was great to “see” you, too.
I still need to take my remote-controlled car out of the purse and play with it (but I beeped the purse several times on the dance floor at the after party.)
Yesterday I went shopping at the casbah in virtual Morocco, then teleported to virtual Dublin at sunset, where I arrived to the strains of a hauntingly beautiful Celtic melody. The Blarney Stone and Fibber McGee’s there feature live music weekly. Second Life is a great way for popular travel destinations to show their best features to a global audience.
Hi Connie,
Thanks for stopping by – I’d heard of the Morocco place but not Dublin – sounds like I have more travel places to check out in Second Life. Appreciate your insights….
By the way, readers, Connie is Reece Llewellyn in Second Life (she’s the green-haired one in the photo in the post) and my colleague at Every Dot Connects. Say hello if you see Reece in Second Life! She’ll help you teleport to the interesting places.
Arg! I can barely keep track of you in real life, much less in a second one! But I must admit it sounds like fun.
This is the first time I’ve read about a second life conference. It sure does seem you got a lot of it despite not really being there. And to think, you didn’t have to race to the airport, go through security, wait to be delayed in the airport and on the tarmack, battle traffic, worry about the family, hang out in a hotel and the rest. Seems like this is a great way to be there without actually being there, not to mention saving $ and carbon emissions. Way cool!
@Hi Nori Ann – You know me, easily bored, so of course I’d decide to check out other worlds.
@Hi Nancy – I was surprised at how “transported” I actually felt, especially once I got mike’d up and could hear the panelists and keynoters speak. I learned that real life DJs are often hired to choose and play the music mixes at the SL dance parties, so again, you CAN make real money in a virtual world.
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