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Sunday, October 18, 2015

Strangest Things Going On in Second Life Part 2- LilyLaceWing Reporting…


 Homeless in Second Life (where you don’t…need…a home…)

Let’s begin with Homeless hangouts. These are place where homelessness is literally a title you can choose to have. I checked out a few of them, and for sure, they look like what you’d expect from a homeless hangout. Giant trash can fires and gritty old mattresses discarded haphazardly against concrete half walls.
 I assume people who roleplay being homeless want to experience it virtually, and if that’s the case, then I somewhat get what is being done. I think of the irony that people who are role playing being homeless while sitting in a house, or at the very least, an apartment with internet. My thoughts are, the reality of being homeless is devastating, and yet it is a rich environment in which to role play? It is confusing but that is just my own opinion.  This would have to be a case of  ‘to each their own”.
I cannot fathom the idea to be homeless. I’m not saying it’s wrong to role play in such an environment because I’m not in the business of judging folks for how they play Second Life, but I must admit to a complete lack of understanding about this particular role playing game.
 What is the attraction, honestly? Using what little I know of homelessness, I’d imagine you spend your days scraping for money and food, trying to secure shelter, or perhaps substances that make the pain of homelessness less intense while trying not to get murdered or raped.  Let’s face it. This is desirable?  I’m sure the homeless in the real world wouldn’t find it amusing at all. Here are some places I found that cater to Homeless Role play.
Hobo Railroad Infohub
Hobo Haven at Virtual Railway Consortium (VRC) Headquarters



Yoga, Tai Chi, and Acupuncture?
Ladies and gentlemen! Bring your mats, your water, your incense, and get in touch with your inner…uhm…avatar!! Second Life offers many a venue for Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, and Acupuncture. These are great places for those of us who’d like to learn more about Yoga, and the other disciplines mentioned above, there’s just one issue here.
Yoga is a discipline meant to connect your soul to the universe through sacred movement. When your avatar does yoga, does it connect it’s Prahna (life force energies, like Chi or Qi,) to the complex and divine designs of the Metaverse, rather than the RL universe?
Is there a Metaverse consciousness that avatars doing yoga can tap into to seek out their peace, or their wisdoms? Wouldn’t that be rad? As for the acupuncture aspect, this one’s a big “Why?” to me as well, since you most definitely need an actually body to benefit from acupunctures therapeutic applications. Tai Chi, again, you can learn a lot about it by visiting these sims, and I can see how one might benefit from watching their avatars do Tai Chi if they physically cannot.
 Engaging in Tai Chi can assist in meditation, so I can see why you could benefit from it through your avatar. The Kundalini Awakening Center really cracks me up, because you absolutely need a physical body to benefit from Kundalini Awakenings. (Google Kundalini Awakening and you’ll see what I mean! It literally REQUIRES you to have a body, I promise!)  If you are curious about how it is done in Second Life here is a link.

Hot Springs Buddha Center Yoga and thai chi

Kundalini Awakening Information center



Drug Dens?
Now this one I get, but I revel in the strangeness. If so desired, one can role play being a crack addict, or junkie of any kind, at The Crack Den. I’m sure you can also role play a cop, a prostitute, or any other type of urban low-life you desire!
There’s also a rad opium den, if sedative drugs are more up your avatars alley! This place offers a free opium pipe at the door, and comfy ‘racks’ (cots) to lay on while your avatar indulges in some of China’s Finest.
 I attempted to infiltrate the Crack Den, but being so new, no one spoke to me  so sadly, I can only comment on what I’ve seen thus far. Everything looks appropriately dirty, dingy, and haphazard, with rusted out cars on fire, tagged buildings, and greasy little alleys in which all kinds of nefarious business goes down.
 For pure scenery, I prefer Octagium’s Opium Den, a beautiful open aired room filled with firelight and beautiful tapestries hung on the Romanesque walls. I’ve visited the place a few times, and so far, I’ve always been the only one there. Pity, I’d love to listen in on the types of conversations that would happen in an opium den or crack house, all from the safety of my own living room!

Crack Den
Octagium’s Opium Den


Second Life is full of strange yet interesting places that mimic the real world. If you are looking for something a little off the beaten path, I am sure you will find it.

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