AVIE POLL-Should Marijuana be legalized? What are the pros and cons?

 

It’s 420 somewhere! This date is synonymous with pot smokin' ever since 1971 when a group of high school students began meeting near a statue on campus to spark up with friends and discuss where they might find an abandoned pot crop based on a treasure map made by the grower. They called themselves the Waldos. Today April 20th has become an international counterculture for smoking weed.

As more states around the country are easing restrictions on marijuana use for medicinal purposes as well as recreational. There are still those who see it as a gateway drug and a bad idea to allow it to be freely used. What do you think? Should Marijuana be legalized across the board and treated just like over the counter medication or even alcohol and cigarettes which actually cause more harm. Taxing it may actually help the economy and put us in a better place. What are the pros and cons of legalizing Marijuana?

Destiny: “I don't smoke regularly but I certainly have in the past.  Frankly, when I did smoke, I can't say that I realized any real benefits.  To be fair, I was young, so I had no medicinal need.  I may feel quite differently if I smoked presently.  Speaking as an American,  I don't think it hurts anything for it to be legalized.   I think that if it were government regulated and taxed like cigarettes and alcohol, we could, perhaps, help to pay off some of the multi-trillion dollar deficit our nation has accumulated.   If some experience medicinal benefit from it, that's FANTASTIC!  So, I think legalization has some real advantages but I don't think it should just be legalized for the hell of it.  And, I think that if it is legalized, it should be monitored closely to ensure that we aren't supporting the drug Cartel.  Rather, we are supporting American farmers who choose to grow Marijuana as an expansion crop.” 

Jenna: “It should definitely be legalized for medicinal purposes.  I used to work with cancer patients and Marinol was so helpful with their nausea and lack of appetite.  One of my concerns though is the people who get it for "medicinal" purposes but just really get it to get it.  But overall I think they should legalize.  What bothers me are the number of people imprisoned or with a felony record for use or possession of marijuana. Will they be exonerated, expunged?I used to smoke in my younger days. But now even if it is legalized,my employer has let it be known that it is still unacceptable and they do random drug testing (rarely).”

Dev: I would say yes to the first question. In some places it already is legalized. For me the biggest con is that it costs too much to start up the process of going to a doctor, Purchasing the card, then the prices at the dispensary.  I feel very strongly that the pros of medicinal/recreational marijuana is an aid for cancer patients regarding the pain and nausea they feel, it helps the nausea go away and decreases some of the pain...another pro is it even helps children who get seizures many studies are still being done on the long-term effects. My personal experience of medicinal and recreational usage of Marijuana has been both an aid in my anxiety, PTSD, and the joints in my hips and legs it relieves a bit of the pain. It also helps me to sleep a bit deeper than I would from not using it. I think it also would help my severe depression. I've heard that the indica type of marijuana relaxes and can put you to sleep...and the sativa helps to uplift you, make you feel like doing something creative, or...productive, which is a big + when you have severe depression. I do smoke it  but mostly at night along with my night medicines. However, I would really prefer being able to get edibles, more potent that way and it doesn't mess with your lungs. like a cigarette. I started smoking  when I was a teenager, I had severe cycle pains, I mean the pain and nausea, blackouts, white outs made me wish I didn't have a uterus. I had tried everything... From ibuprofen to painkillers/muscle relaxers... nothing eased up...Someone turned me on to smoking it, another woman but in her 20's specifically to help ease my pains. And it worked!!!! Since then most of the time, when accessible, I will smoke it, when in pain and as I said previously, to aid in sleep. 

I think if the person is a child...adult supervision is a must. It is not something you give to them to 'knock them out'. And I believe that the medicinal form for them would be drops or a pill that melts under the tongue. I believe the usage of Marijuana and Hemp is becoming more and more of an ingredient in balms and lotions to be able to physically put on your pain areas. I would recommend it to anyone.

Lucius: “Hell yeah legalize it everywhere! Pros: It feels good and if taxable it could help the economy and local communities. Cons: I’m too broke to buy it all the time and I think everyone who got busted for selling pot gets their police record erased.”

Kat: “I used Marijuana to lower my blood pressure especially the second value and it works very well cos as soon as I relax the second value goes down too ... usually it raises blood pressure but not in cases were stress is the factor than it lowers the value

It also works for me when I am in a depressive mood ... it can work uplifting and in any case relaxing so I would recommend it for a medical use beside recreation ... of course not for ppl below a certain age, maybe 21 or older.”

 

 

Becka: “When I was in my late teens early 20’s I suffered from severe depression and anxiety. Aside from being hospitalized I was put on multiple medications that didn’t seem to work. After about a year and a half of different medications. I decided to stop and smoke weed instead. I don’t recommend it because you can get severe headaches from stopping your medication cold turkey but for me, Marijuana helped wean me off of  the harmful medication and help keep me calm enough to function daily. I was able to stop the medication all together.  Marijuana improved my well being in a safer way. It also helped me eat, sleep and manage my menstrual cramps. I definitely think it should be legalized for its many benefits. I am in my 40’s now and have never had to use antidepressant or anxiety medication again. I still use it to this day and in the process of getting my Cannabis card!”

 

Dave: Well yes it should be legalized. I mean it comes from mother nature doesn’t it? If it does it can’t be bad for you. Mother nature wouldn’t do that to us.

Should Marijuana be legalized? What are the pros and cons? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

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AVIE POLL: IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE RAPED IN A VIRTUAL WORLD?

April is Rape Awareness Month. According to RAINN, the nation’s largest anti sexual violence organization shows that every 73 seconds an American is sexually assaulted. Statistics show 1 out of 6 American women have been victims of attempted rape or raped and 1 in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. These are staggering statistics. How can we help?

The Me Too Movement has been a resource since 2006 and really became mainstream in 2017 when many well known celebrities began to use their voice and support the movement on social media and speak out against sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Many women and men who have been victimized feel shame or embarrassment so they suffer in silence while others report their abusers with hope for justice and to help spare other victims. 

This is a serious topic that affects millions around the world. While Second Life is a virtual platform where people come and feel a sense of security from physical abuse,  some would say rape cannot happen in a virtual world because we have the ability to log off, teleport to safety, report harassment to Linden Labs, mute, boot and ban the sexual offender. 

With all these safety tools to combat an attempted rape in a virtual world, there are residents that still have been sexually exploited or victimized unwillingly. Some residents were on the fence about the topic because there are a couple of roleplay communities that engage in sexual assault and abuse as a kink. It is sad to say those fetishes may be stem from rl rape and abuse. I am not referring to those types of fetish venues. They use RLV Huds that give permission for avie control. 

In other instances in Second Life, attempted and virtual rapes have occurred in various communities by offenders who often get away with that behavior. For example, leaving your avie unattended while you go AFK. If you are seated in a chair that allows for couples and sex. Someone can easily sit on a poseball and begin manipulating the menu to do sex acts on the unsuspecting party only for the to return to being violated without permission. Another instance is during a sexual encounter the offender begins to roleplay an assault without consent. Is this a grey area because no real physical harm was done but what about the emotional effects it leaves behind? 

I asked avatars across the grid if they considered it virtual sexual assault even if it is done by emoting, poseballs or voicing actions of rape if consent was not given. Here are their opinions and stories. * names have been changed to protect their identities.

Justyn: "Yes, of course rape is possible! I mean, how else would I get laid in sl? But seriously, yes I believe it is possible and most likely happening to newbies and perhaps younger people due to their lack of understanding SL. Consent isn’t exactly needed for AFK fuckers, but I don’t think some know enough and are taken advantage of due to their naivety and therefore are truly not giving consent which equates to rape to me."

Jane: “YES! Rape and Assualt is possible in virtual worlds, although not as likely to happen as often as in RL. Statistics show that violence against women comes mostly at the hands of someone we know. So Assault is often as much a result or circumstance of emotional manipulation, as it could be a result or circumstance of physical strength overpowering another. In second life no one is really physically stronger, so this element is virtually removed.  However emotionally we possibly might not be that different than our RL selves.  So if we allow ourselves to succumb emotionally, against our will, then it's possible. I mean... lots of people are interested to know what the other is doing on the other end; e.g. "are you touching yourself?"  It's possible that we would feel obligated to do such things if the emotional attachment gets strong enough.  And it's possible we would do it even against our better judgement or free will; especially if we feel there is risk of losing what we are attached to, or if we are otherwise conditioned to think we are inadequate for some reason unless we complied.``

Taran: “So, my hubby and I first came into online gaming for the fantasies.. We wanted to play some out without actually bringing someone into our bedroom... We then came over to SL to live a more "Normal" Avi Life :) But even here we have tried a few things... 

In Second Life there is a Hud, Called SIN,,, It is a virtual Reality about that very thing. Being abducted and Raped.. But where you can turn it on and off and control when and HOW you are to be abducted..  . Lol, i didn't last long, because i WAS attacked on what was supposed to be my SAFE ZONE,, At my house with my daughters there. HE then attached something to me that made it very hard to move about. I was VERY lucky to have been brought on by a 14 year vet of the game and he knew how to get me fixed,, the next day i was taken made to get preg and was forced to accept a hud that would make me sick if i didn't receive the abductors cum every 12 hrs,, AGAIN my WONDERFUL friend to the rescue...  That was the end of that... 

See with this hud we have choices and even still we weren't REALLY safe... Unconsented  sex is RAPE. Under any form, and even on here, i have talked to women who have been made to feel like trash and told to go kill themselves because they are escorts, and to some of the men they are just trash,, ABUSE and Rape in SL can be and is very real.. I consented for two days  and had horrible experiences,  now consider how i would feel if i hadn't…”

Sarah: Yes, I would consider it virtual sexual assault in those instances if both parties were not in agreement before the scene begins. I have been in a situation where the conversation was not supposed to get physical but the other person forced themselves on me and I did not feel I could just leave because it happened at the club I worked at (adult) and as a member of staff sometimes it felt like there was implied consent even if we didn't consent. Following this particular incident, I was left feeling very violated.

Paul: “I would definitely consider it assault. It is called Consent. Men get really tricky. I've been harassed, and a known person tried to lure me. You should be able to trust somebody, but people have taken advantage. It's happened with me, and people I know. It is an assault if I did not want it or give consent. It's happened where people kissed me and I did not want it. You should be able to trust your friend on a pose, or sofa.

 

Emotes can be too much sometimes. It can make me or my SL partner feel uncomfortable. It also affects people RL too, RL partners wouldn't like it. It can be considered assault if they've been told to stop and not listened. And further action might need to be taken. Always take care in how you treat people in SL.”

Kelly: “While in a virtual world you have the ability to say no and log out at any time. I do believe there are predators out in this world that do and can manipulate a persons mind and heart to a point they feel trapped, confused and afterwards they feel violated much like a real life rape would be.  So YES, I feel it can happen in a virtual world. Those AFK and someone that does that too them as well can feel used and abused.  Has it ever happened to me in SL? Yes I was afk on some furniture at my home and someone came in and was having fun with my Avie.  I was angry at first and of course ejected and banned them etc.  But after I calmed down I did feel a sense of violation.”  

Johnny: “Well that is a slippery slope. While the moral side is, no matter virtual or not not getting consent is rape. But is it really happening to you or just your avie? While me personally believe nothing like this virtual or especially in real life should ever happen. There are some arguments against it happening in Virtual world. The person being raped male or female has the ability to shut down their computer thus ending it, or teleporting away. They are not held down or restrained. So in that essence it is not rape but still a violation against them. So to answer your question is it possible? Yes if you allow it and don’t use the means to get away.”

Stephen: “Actually. No.  I do not believe you can be “raped” in SL. This is a world of pixels.  That is it.  Yeah..we all read profiles that say  “Remember:  Behind every Avi is a REAL Person:...well….not always.  Check out any of the “F__K Me, I’m AFK!” sims.  Uhhmm..errrr….so I have heard anyway.  I have never really BEEN to those places...but I wander.  I know there are sims with RLVs and such things where you can initiate a fairly fanciful scene of forced sex, for those who are into that sort of thing…. Yeah..Online bullying can be a problem, especially on social media Web sites...but….come on, man...Rape? 

I have to say, I am kinda offended that someone would even try to apply a word like “RAPE” to what can happen to cartoon avis.  Rape is a tremendously horrible crime, that tears human flesh, crushes spirits, and scars people for life in the real. Just ask someone who has experienced that for real. It is one of the WORST crimes possible, and people who perpetrate such horrors in the RL on others should be castrated so they can NEVER again do that to another person.  Rape is one of the most terrifying things a person can experience  with lifelong consequences.  To even suggest that what happens to these cartoon avis is rape?  You’re kidding, right??  Well..that strikes me as  the highest form of disrespect you can show to someone and trivializes those who have been raped and sodomized in real life.  Ask anyone who has been raped for real.   Saying cartoons are raped?  Are you kidding me? 

The consensus for this Avie Poll is yes, rape is possible in a virtual world because victims felt a sense of violation. The argument could be that we as second life residents have the ability to log out if we feel threatened or unsafe. However, from the perspective of both males or females who are mentally abused and are scared, it might be hard for them to leave the situation or log out for fear of further threats or abuse by the perpetrator.  Maybe some should reevaluate the reason for logging into SL or avoid venues were there is adult content and sex. Even by taking those precautions, abusive situations can occur.

Some of the experiences shared by participants in SL  happened when they were AFK by a stranger while others were caught off guard by an encounter that did not end well.  Either way, we are taught No means No whether it is in real life or a virtual world.

 

Stephen’s comment was very strong and shared a point that needs to be seriously addressed.  A virtual sexual assault is NOT the same as a real sexual assault physically, but can cause emotional abuse and that is still considered trauma. 

If you feel threatened or in a situation in SL that is not comfortable for you, teleport away or just log off for a while and let the situation defuse. If you are unable to then msg someone and let them know what is going on. This is a situation that should not be taken lightly. 

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault or abuse, you are not alone, help is available. Please, do not hesitate to use the resources below. 

Resources:

https://www.rainn.org/

https://metoomvmt.org/

https://victimconnect.org/learn/types-of-crime/sexual-assault/ 

See More Avie Polls here: http://www.slenquirer.com/search/label/Avie%20Poll

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AVIE POLL: A YEAR LATER, WE HAVE A VACCINE. HOW HAS COVID IMPACTED YOUR LIFE?- Lanai Jarrico Reporting…

With the vaccine phase of the pandemic slowly getting underway around the world, it has been a tough year since lockdowns and travel restrictions began. Many have gotten covid or know someone who has and many others have lost friends and loved one. This is a test to everyone's faith in regaining some normalcy in uncharted territory now that the vaccine is here. Second Life has become a safe haven for many around the world who are in desperate need for social interaction without worrying about social distancing and being exposed. Normally, I ask questions related to Second Life, but this is a topic that affects us all as human beings. We are all in this together and any advice or even venting concerns will help others cope better knowing they are not alone in this. I set out to ask residents from all over the grid how covid has impacted their lives and how they are coping with a new normal.

How has covid impacted your life? Now that we have a vaccine, what do you see in a year from now?

Logan: “Before I caught Covid I was very healthy and active. I hit the gym 5 to 6 days a week and I was working. I'm getting my personal trainer certificate. Ever since I have been sick I have now developed severe fatigue shortness of breath and it caused me to develop a 90% blockage of my heart. I had been in the hospital where they had put 2 stents in my heart and I haven't been to the gym since I've been sick.”

Aggie: “How has covid impacted your life?There was a significant impact - working from home. This, with the UK Lockdown meant that I have only been in my normal workplace for 7 days in the past year. There was a sense of loneliness and frustration. My normal work practice was to have several different tasks on the go, hopping in between them. What I did not know was how much I needed the occasional 'interruption' caused by someone coming for a chat, needing help, or overhearing something in the office to cause each 'hop'. I wound up with a sort of serialized 'writers block' which was pretty depressing. Working from home also meant that there was a tendency to carry on - get something finished - rather than putting it down. The

go-to-work and then leave-work cues were broken. I also discovered how much I hate Zoom! Now that we have a vaccine, what do you see in a year from now? I think next year we will be vaccinating again, counteracting the new variants that will be circulating. Work for a significant number of people will have changed in nature, as they will have found working from home suits them. Some firms may take a bolder step and restructure so that working from home is more the norm, saving them the costs of office space. Many small businesses will be unable to recover as shopping over the web rather than coming to stores will take a notch up. There will be inquiries and lessons-learnt on the various governmental and institutional responses to the crisis, but the output of these will be cherry-picked and rendered quite useless.”

Sam: “Wow what a year Covid is something one really has to be very careful about, you see this past year and even now it is hard for me for one thing I live with a roommate how has stage four cancer so ya it been unreal not being able to go out to any place, you see I has to be careful if I was to come in or near anyone who has it and I not know they did and I come home I can bring it in to them and that all it would take she be gone as her body would not be able to deal with it at all so yeah this past year has been a pain not being able to do anything or go any place, and well even now that they are vaccine's I for one am not 100% sure on how  good it is and don't feel like taking a chance just yet on it , I sure you can understand why I say that  but I am sure it will help out. I will be so happy the day we all can go back to doing the things we all loved to do before this happened. Now do not get me wrong about the vaccines I am sure they are safe and will do as they say they will and yes I know I should get it just waiting a little to see, but I get it in time soon. To all that are dealing with this hang in there we are way better then we were back in 1918.” 

Ami: “I became stuck in Asia longer than 1 year expected and unable to travel till now.  My business was affected and am changing careers and countries. As soon as I have the vaccine, I will travel to another continent and buy a home and start a new business.  Excited.”

Ryla: “My life was affected a lot not only because I don't see my family too often but because my body was affected from that moment I was infected... now  the virus is gone but I still have consequences like weakness,headache,flush nose and this is from November...I don't know if the vaccine will immunize people but is something like a moral peace if you don't have a bad reactions.I wish you all will stay safe and hopeful of one day we will escape this pandemic.”

Becka: “Covid has affected my life since I got infected with Covid in November 2020 by a careless boss who believed it was just the flu. She was allowing clients into the office and openly telling them they didn't have to wear a mask. She was putting us all at risk and tried to voice my opinion and was met with office gossip saying i needed to “shut the F up”. I ended up contracting it along with 5 other office members because of my boss’s ignorance. I resigned the day I got my results and was quarantined isolated for 2 weeks battling fevers and chill, lack of energy, weakness, loss of taste and smell and mental drain. I went through insomnia for about a month after I got sick and still suffer from fatigue and anxiety months later. I barely leave my house and find myself almost having a panic attack if I do go to the store or even the post office. I still haven't gotten the vaccine but I check the website everyday to see if there is a slot available in my area. I’m hopeful once everyone has the vaccine, the fear of catching a severe case will be minimized. It’s hard to tell where we will be in a year from now if people don’t take it seriously or they get lazy about wearing masks properly and respect social distancing. Without everyone’s diligence and respect for Covid and safety, will we not see a light at the end of this pandemic for a long time”

Staci: “My friend Courtney, who posed as Ivanka in the Golfing With Trump article we did during the election, runs her father's lobster mart in real life. She works every day, 10-12 hour days. She has a girl who comes in for afternoons, but she has school during the day. The rest of her family is at sea from 4 AM til dusk. Courtney got the Rona in February, and it was illegal for her to remain open. Even if she could, she had no staff. She was telling me this one day, wondering "Where can I get someone with experience to run the store until I am better?" The answer was at the other end of the message. I worked at the Green Harbor Lobster Pound for a few summers as a kid. OK, "as a kid" means "about 30 years ago," but Courtney was in a jam and I don't live that far from her RL, so I offered my services. Shoot, I had even been vaccinated. Courtney, who had no options, accepted my offer immediately. Two days later, I was reporting for work at the lobster mart. Courtney's dad, who's name I never learned and who I referred to as "Captain" when I needed him, doesn't like yuppies, but he did appreciate that I showed up at 4 AM. He thought it was cute that I refused to step foot on the boats, a trait I shared with his wife, who he outlived. Once he approved of me, I was allowed to open his store. Selling seafood hasn't changed that much since the 1990s, and the Captain was pleased that I knew how to measure/package scallops, that I wasn't afraid of reaching in the tank and grabbing a lobster and so forth. The customers began to come in, and they are a funny lot. Courtney lives in the town that The Perfect Storm was based in, and the guy who directed it really did nail the locals. Courtney is well-loved in her community, and not a day passed where some elderly lady didn't show up with a crock pot full of kale soup with linguica, saying "Bring this up to Courtney, she's been looking thin lately, this will help her along." The locals were able to help me do my new job, seeing me hesitate in my work and saying "They keep the bags under the counter over there, dear" and so forth. I did a half dozen 12 hour days, teaming with the high school girl at night and closing at 7 PM. I refused monetary payment, instead taking a dozen lobsters home. I had a great time, and was pleased to help my friend. Coronavirus stories shouldn't contain "I had a great time," but here we are.”

Mist: I've worked full time from home for several years now. Frankly, the  biggest impact has been that I cannot go to interest-related "meets" or  to the movies, which I dearly love and miss. I do not venture from the  house often. I firmly believe that we've handled COVID-19 so badly that it will  become endemic, like the flu, and we will have to have annual  immunizations. I would love to be able to travel again, but suspect that  I will remain uncomfortable about it for the foreseeable future.”

Karen: “It is my right to not wear a mask because I am entitled to think it's just a flu. I’m calling the cops!”

There is no doubt that Covid has impacted everyone around the world in different ways. From those who have first hand experience contracting covid or suffered a loss due to it to those taking precautions hoping not to catch it while combating others who have absolutely no regard for others and their well being.   

Many feel isolated or have limited interactions with their family and friends. We all as a global community  and have been deprived of the daily life we once had. None of us are alone in the concerns and fears collectively shared as Covid continues to spread and change. While vaccinations are being carried out around the world there are still concerns about long term effects, how it will react to new variants and ultimately what will it take to regain some normalcy. Only time will tell if each and every one of us take it seriously enough to be part of the solution and not the problem.

Be safe and well.

HOW HAS COVID IMPACTED YOUR LIFE? Please share your comments below and be part of the Avie Poll.

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AVIE POLL: EMBARRASSING SL STORIES IN SL- Lanai Jarrico Reporting…

Everyone has been in a situation that has caused embarrassment and shame. In Second Life, even avatars can go through moments they wished never happened. There are three ways things can go after the incident. Either the embarrassed party avoids their peers, creates an ALT to start a new SLife or they face the shame, address it, laugh about it and move on. Some of the stories avatars shared are cringeworthy while others are pretty funny. Names have been changed to protect the identity of the embarrassed avie.

Vinny: “I don’t know if I should be sharing this story because it was so embarrassing but it was planned out so good I have to share it. Back in the day around 2008-2009 I used to be part of a roleplay mafia family. We spent our time hanging out with other families and sometimes wars between families started.  While warring,  I got an IM from a girl from the rival family. I was suspicious at first but was surprised that she was flirting with me. I thought she was being sincere so I flirted back. We talked and made jokes for an hour or so and then she invited me over to her place. When I showed up we were immediately in her bedroom and she started to emote undressing so I began doing the same. Right when we were both naked and about to have sex the wall dropped down and suddenly there was an audience of mafia family members sitting as if in a movie theater watching us on a stage. Everyone was laughing and I quickly realized the joke was on me. I was so embarrassed that I teleported out of there so fast. I ended up creating an Alt and never showed my face around mafia families again!”

Ryan: "Most embarrassing story. Ok well, I have one that a lot have seen but I rarely told anyone about. I was attending a business function for a company that I work for. Now, this function had a lot of other business people that owned Modeling agencies, fashion creators, builders alike. There was a raffle at the beginning event and everyone entered it. During the rest of the event with drinks and dancing, most of us forgot about the raffle. They broke for announcements and called my name as the winner. They asked me to come up on stage in front of everyone and accept my prize. It was a gold and diamond watch. They asked me to put it on so all can see. Well little did I know putting it on was a joke and I was automatically violated by an oversized Pokémon in my no-no place. The shock and laughter it had caused me to keep it on a bit longer than a normal person should. Once I composed myself I removed it but the whole party had a good laugh. Some of them to this day call me Pokey, yeah not so funny if you ask me."

Colleen: “OMG LMAO! Once I was sitting at the beach with a group of friends just chatting. I needed to go afk for a couple of  minutes and accidentally left my microphone on.  My rl boyfriend  decided he wanted some quick sex. Instead of logging off we ended up doing it right there in my room. I’m pretty vocal and I’m not ashamed of that but when it was all said and done, I realized the mic was on the whole time!!!  After washing up, I came back and my friends were still all sitting around. When I got back on mic, they all started laughing and I had several IMz trying to warn me but it was too late. That was so embarrassing.”

Karen: “I once joined a contest for best lingerie and I know I looked good. To my surprise but I didn’t win. Can you believe that? I think the contest board was rigged, I felt so embarrassed I called the cops!”

Stacey: “The most embarrassed thing in SL is the multiple relationships with multiple accounts...We are feeling insecure who is behind the avatar when we met someone 1st time until we verified and know better the person...happened to me to meet someone who liked me so much and me the same, but was an alter avatar and of course he was parteneriat with someone in his main account. I refused to be 2nd person in his life because i thought I deserve more than to be a umbrella of bad weather...another embarrassed thing is too many men want multiamorouse relationship they have many women around and call themselves Dominants but in fact are so pathetic weak persons who want only multisome sex.”

Mel : “12 Years ago seems so very long ago in Second Life yet the time has flown by quickly and the changes I have come across has helped me grow daily, with new experiences and adventures along the way. However none of the moments I have experienced can far succeed the embarrassing moment I experienced on my first day of Second Life. As many who have been here for years  may remember, coming into the welcome area, The grand news Island, standing there wondering, "What in the heck do I do next"? Finding my way around a bit and asking some questions after 30 minutes of trying to figure out where the chat section was and Yay I was on my merry way. General chat was my best friend for the first several hours. I had met great people and very helpful to say the least. Along the way of exploring this pixel body that once upon a time was the most exciting body to me, I met a gal  who had "well lets just say a very great sized chest" and of course I thought now that's an upgrade to this poor looking pixel I am walking around in. So I asked, where I could buy something like those? She gave a location and then said, however did you know you can have fun in here?   Of course a bit naive to what she truly meant I said of course, and that's what I am looking for is fun. She giggled in the chat box and said well then you will be needing some privates too. Privates? I thought to myself why would I need some privates and what is she getting at? She slipped me a LandMark and said click that. I got to this store and wow, "primed boobs and vaginas", I laughed but then felt like well maybe that's just something I should have, maybe my body doesn't have a vagina. Suddenly it occurred to me I had no clue what was needed to buy things and so back to general chat I found myself questioning and learning about Lindens and how to get them. Those boobs were a must. I got my Lindens and yay I had a box with boobs and a box with a vagina in it. Back to chat asking the same poor girl in my private box  how to unpack and get them on. After about 30 minutes of feeling gullible and standing in a sandbox I was giddy with boobs and a vagina. I found myself wandering around new places, flaunting what I had purchased above. I met a guy and we started chatting. He had been on SecondLife for a year, he said. I thought wow this is my lucky day, someone who knows what to do in here. My time was running short though as I had to leave for work soon and I asked him how we could speak later, he added me. I stayed for another ten minutes and was telling this man all about my new boobs, like he was really fascinated about hearing it just as much as I was to tell it. I also thought to myself how much I liked this guy and how he spoke, that was until he said, " perhaps you should consider  looking down for a moment" With no understanding how to use my camera, he did a quick teach, and by the time it zoomed downward I realized I had been peeing myself with my new Vagina and for God knows how long while there with him. I did my best to find that hud and when I did find it I hit the wrong button and before I knew it I had white droplets going down my leg too. All I could do in this moment with my poor embarrassed pixel was sit back in my chair and say I am so sorry. I left SecondLife for 6 months after that. 

Upon returning, he messaged me. His first question was, Did it take that long to fix your Vagina?  All I could do was laugh.”

Steve: “The most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me was when I first started playing SL I picked up on emoting from the very beginning. I started working at ladies only clubs as a stripper. Now working in a venue like this afforded me nicer things without spending real wife money. Now after working in this kind of environment for a few years you not only develop your own clientele base but you are so developed a report with some of the people who come to watch you.

I had been working at a particular club for several months and this one Avi we will call sue came in as she normally does. She had a habit of not speaking but some people in SL do not voice so it's no big deal. Well after spending about 10K she messages me about a private dance. i have no problems so i take her into the VIP lounge and proceed to give her a show. She tipped me 5k then asked if i would be interested in escorting for 50k. Now i have never done that before and the amount was too good to pass up i did however ask if she was a male in rl and she said no so i agreed. well we went to my place and we proceeded to get busy. when we were done i heard this big burly voice say thank you then she poofed, I haven't stripped since.”

Katrina: “The most recent embarrassing moment in Second Life happened while researching for my first article for the SL Enquirer.  I was clicking on beards to find out who the designers are that most guys are wearing and not paying any attention with the general chat room lol!  One particular designer was coming up all the time, then I get an IM from a friend, then a few minutes later another and then another.  So finally, I stopped working on the article and started reading these IM’s to find out I was actually tugging away on friends' beards like crazy in a club with a few of their partners getting a little upset with me!  OMG so I explained what I was actually doing in regular chat for all to read, then the room exploded in laughter, was I ever red in the face!”

Embarrassing moments happen to the best of us. How you handle the situations will determine your Second Life experience. If you experienced an embarrassing moment in SL, share your store in the comment box below.

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AVIE POLL: Is Second Life an extension of real life or just a game?- The SL Enquirer

Second Life has to be one of the most incredible virtual world platforms on the internet as well as an amazing social experiment. For over a decade and a half avatars from all over the world collectively created the environment and  community. Some would argue that it is best to keep Second Life separate from real life because it is just a game while others have a more emotional or professional connection to SL. They take it more seriously and would argue it is an extension of real life. Because Second life is a unique community of professionals mixed with role players and gamers, there is no right or wrong answer. It all depends what you do in Second Life.The SL Enquirer explored the grid to ask avies from all walks of Second Life, “Is this an extension of RL or just a game?”.

SLE: Is Second Life an extension of real life or just a game?

Sól: “Second Life is a thriving community and has moved into being a vital part of my life since the onset of the Covid pandemic. Here we interact with one another as pixelated avatars, but there is a real person driving the interactions. People come to Second Life, and cosplay, become fashion designers, and in some cases rockstars. For people unable to have families, they can come to SL and simulate that experience. For transgender people, there is a freedom to live the life they choose here as well. With so much appeal to so many people from different walks of life I could never say that SL is just a game. For me, SL is where my best friends are. This is a space I can be myself, where I can work on myself, where I give myself space to grow.”

Nuka: “When I first came to SL it was a foreign world, and while it took some time to master the basics, the vehicle it provided to enhance my life was amazing. After enjoying the club scene and many different social aspects of the online community, I delved into several different roleplay settings, indulging in the creative outlet of writing which is a long time passion of mine. More recently I have re-entered the social aspect of Second Life and enjoy the talents of a multitude of musicians across the globe. Across the whole of my experience in Second Life, all along the way I have made friends that I have cherished, and memories that are heartwarming with people I would never have otherwise met. Regardless of the use to which I put it, it's definitely an extension of real life with a very real and tangible connection with some pretty terrific people.” <3

 

Stacey: “Most things in life can be answered by examining the Batman mythos. People who hang around Batman, like the butler or the kid, would point out that Batman is 100% dedicated to crime fighting. His persona of Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, is the real mask. He cares nothing for that rich guy's life, which is just a tool that helps him be Batman. A psychologist might say that, no matter how much time he devotes to being Batman, the superhero act is just a tool which Bruce Wayne uses to solve his personal torment. You can turn that logic onto our Avie Poll. I'd go with the shrink's answer. No matter how much time you spend playing SL, even if you seal yourself in a sensory deprivation chamber and do nothing but play SL and eat Chinese delivery food until your heart fails, it is still just you making an animated version of your idealized self and doing things you can not do in RL. SL is a game that real people play. There can be real life results of SL activity- you might make enough Lindens to get rich RL, or you may meet your future husband on here, or you may take a girl avatar on the D Train to Sexytown and never know she was 14 until the detectives show up disguised as Chinese food delivery guys and kick in the door to your sensory deprivation chamber- in case you think the divide between SL and RL is impermeable. However, even if your avatar just walks around and looks at things, the same connection exists. I'd ask the reader to keep in mind that I would give the same answer to this question for any game, be it SL or Candyland or Pac-Man. Everything is real life.”

Mrs.Blue: “It depends on the person really but as for me it's an extension of rl to me when you refer sl as a game then you’re basically saying nothing matters meaning no feelings no connection no emotions like playing a video game example pacman, space invaders those are games. people that do play sl as a game its basically means nothing to them. I've been on sl for 8 yrs now going on 9. I've only been in 2 relationships and I made lots of close friends here . When there is a connection between the avis its the same as in rl how you make connections in rl. There are feelings and emotions, a special connection and bond. when people say it's just a game or they seperate sl from rl I will call their bluff. It is hard and impossible to separate both. When emotions and feelings get involved. I'm not saying it's safe to go meet someone you met on sl because it's not safe unless you do your research on someone and get background information. But there is a bond on sl with avis as in rl. I cried when my friends passed away. I worry when I don't hear from them. If my relationship doesn't work out I go through the same emotions I do in rl.. sl has also helped a lot of people who can't do rl stuff no more so it becomes a part of them. example you use to build houses in rl but you've gotten older or health reasons got in the way so u come on sl to continue to do what you love. or you worked in a retail store but can't do it no more because of health issues you come on sl to start your own business. So sl can be a part of your rl in many ways . sl has also been rl to those who are disabled in rl it gives them away to do things that they can't do in rl. Our avis represents us. Well at least in my case it does bring the rl me to sl i voice i control my avi as I control myself in rl. So is sl just a game to me that will be big NOOO. Is sl an extension of my rl? YES IT'S APART OF IT.``

 

Gemma: “My Best Friend in RL introduced Second Life Online games with me. She encouraged me  to play SL.  At first , I was hesitant because I never played any online games in my entire life. Since last year, 2020 is not a good year for all of us , I decided to try  it anyway, and now ,It's been six months and counting :) that I am playing Second Life. Second life games offer a lot to the players, from your avatar, places that you are visiting and a lot more. But,  what excites me most are meeting new people all over the world. At first, I thought Second Life is just really a  game to play. Something that can occupy you if you are not busy in RL. But as I go along, I find Second life as an extension of my real life.  Why ? Simply because , I spend Time, Efforts and Emotions in playing Second Life. Efforts, in making my Avi as beautiful as I want it to be. I believed that my Avi  is an extension of myself, from the Hair, dresses, shoes , and jewelry that I choose to wear while playing. Same in RL, you always find time to do things that will make you happy like Clubbing, Dancing, Beaches , meeting friends and  a lot more  and those things are also offered in Second lIfe. When it comes to emotions, I put half of my  RL heart in playing Second Life.  When you meet new people or gain new  friends in SL , you are investing feelings already towards them.  Like in RL, you can also feel different emotions in playing SL , you can be Happy or Sad , You can laugh and cry, You can be Good or Not, or You can feel Hurt or Betrayed,  by the people you choose to be with in this Game. So at the end of the Day, from the Time You Log in and TIme you Log out in Second Life , what is Important is your HEART.”

Jessie: “SL is a game, BUT it is not "JUST" a game. People seldom use the word "play" for being in SL. You could say it is social networking and therefore can be an extension of real life. However in SL you are free to create any avi - to be anyone, to do anything, even to be any species. It means different things to different people. Many people use SL as an extension of RL. And many use SL to experiment with roles that they would never try in real life. Some are very creative. SL is very immersive and the emotions are real. The friendships are real. And yes, people really do fall in love. Often there will be 30,000 people 'inWorld'. The content is all created by the users. In SL people cooperate to build SIMs and run events, rather than shooting each other!! For me it is all about friends and live music. We go to venues and chat while we watch the most amazing musicians from around the globe. There is a lot of 'audience participation' too!! I also like exploring the many wonderful SIMs. So yes, SL is a game but much more. And it can be an extension of real life. So, it is both.”

GreenEyedroyalty: “To me, SL is neither a game or an extension of my real life.  It is a Matrix-like alternate universe where one can find a new identity or jump into an experience they would never dream of trying in real life.  The lives, movements, creations may be synthetic but the feelings, friendships and meanings are real.  In other words, if your heart dies in SL, it dies in RL as well.”

Ninja: Personally, I'm a firm believer that SL is almost always an extension of real life...unless you're a bot or are participating in RP, there are real life people behind every avatar, each of whom deserve the same respect and treatment as you would give them in your normal life.  That being said, I do recognize that some people need to understand the important differences between SL and real life, such as the necessity of eating, sleeping, working, showering, etc.....as well as the importance of maintaining some level of anonymity with a person you just met in a virtual environment.

Karen:  “I pay my monthly premium and am entitled to do what I want in SL. You are violating my right to be an avatar.   I’m calling the cops!”

 Is Second Life just a game or an extension of your real life? The consensus is SL is more than just a game. However, there are no right or wrong answers to this question. It all depends on the individual purpose for immersing in this virtual world. Join the poll and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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