Disabilities, and How SL Helps People blend in with Society, Lilly Lacewing Reporting.

Disabilities, and Second Life, a match made in accessible heaven!

Second Life doesn’t just blur the lines of discrimination when it comes to the disabled, it can completely eliminate the lines altogether. I know this from firsthand experience, which is why I chose to do this long ‘overdue’ assignment.

In RL, I suffer from a rare, genetic connective tissue disorder, which to sum things up (otherwise this would BE the article,) it results in joints that don’t like to stay in place, pain, muscle spasms, and a host of myriad secondary systemic disorders. As a result, there are a lot of things I cannot do anymore in Real Life, but in Second Life? The possibilities are endless! I can ride horses again, climb hills and mountains, ‘walk’ through beautiful and serene landscapes without having to worry about my left hip staying in the socket.

That being said, I’ve experienced people run for the hills when they approach me and strike up conversation, but you’ll be happy to know that those are the exceptions, not the rule. Most people are happy to talk to me, sick or not, because in SL what does it really matter? The beauty of the anonymity of places like Second Life afford those who get stared at in RL grocery stores, to go hiking with their best friends in a totally immersive way. Want to FEEL like you’re actually doing that hike? Go into first person view, and BAM! You’re there, hiking up the side of a pyramid!

I took to the ‘streets’ in SL to see how others with disabilities have fared here in Second Life, and was lucky enough to come in contact with Brenda Brodie, a lady who finds joy in Second Life while dealing with Parkinson’s Disease in Real Life. She is heavily involved with Fran Seranade who, with her daughter Barbie Alchemi, created Creations Park*, to support Team Fox and raise awareness for Parkinson’s.  Here’s what she had to say.

Brenda: I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 30 years ago, at age 37.  I do very well considering the amount of time I have lived with PD.   I live alone, drive a car, locally only.  I cook, clean, etc. It takes me maybe 2 or 3 times longer than others to accomplish a chore, but I get it done and get it done right. (smiling)  Of course, there are days when I cannot do much but I concentrate on the good days. I am told that I do as well as I do because I have a positive attitude and follow my doctor's recommendations for medication schedule.  I also believe that the support from family and my acceptance of whatever comes to me in life helps me.  I started writing poetry after being diagnosed with PD.  Below you will find a sample which is from the heart.

I am member of the SL Creations for Parkinson's Support Group which was started by Barbie Alchemi. We meet every Friday, in SL, to discuss how we are dealing with the disease, our day to day living, emotional support, learning what is going on in research, etc. I hope to find a Speech Recognition program that is compatible with SL.  The one that came with my laptop does not work in SL.  With that in mind, there is a group called Virtual Ability that helps people with all disabilities. I am also a member of the SL Parkinson's support group.  It is comprised with a group of compassionate, caring and loving people.(*See below article for more information about their upcoming events to benefit Team Fox in Second Life!) 

 Brenda used to be a big fan of dancing, and riding her bike through the beauty of nature. When her body took that away from her, Second Life gave it back. She says she’s not personally experienced any actual discrimination, though people who didn’t know her have thought she was ‘drunk, because of all the typos and the slowness’ with which she types.

 At 87, she hasn’t let Parkinson’s win, and continues to fight it tooth and nail with happiness, positivity, and the help of her medications. I’m honored to have been able to meet Brenda, and to have her speak with me about Second Life, and how it can really be a benefit to those of us users who are disabled. People can’t discriminate against something they don’t even know is there, and I’ve found in SL, even when you tell them it’s there, most people don’t change. Only once have I personally experienced anyone walking away, and honestly, I’m glad for it. It was the type of person who hits on you when you have “I love my husband!!” smeared all over my profile, so it was no great loss. All in all, Second Life is a fantastic place for those with disabilities, for the freedom, socialization, and exploration it offers, not to mention all the artistic possibilities. I say, dive in! You won’t be disappointed!!

Creations Park

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Creations%20Park/87/78/2500

Poem by Brenda:

I WALKED ALONE THRU THE YEARS

IN A PLACE CALLED SECOND LIFE

A PLACE WHERE I MADE LOTS OF FRIENDS

YET I HAVE ALWAYS FELT ALONE

THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET OVER THE YEARS

ARE WONDERFUL INDEED

BUT I SOMETIMES FEEL SEPARATED FROM ALL OF THEM

BECAUSE THEY FIND IT HARD TO UNDERSTAND MY NEED

YOU SEE I HAVE PARKINSON'S

AND NEED TO FEEL SAFE FROM THIS DISEASE

AND NOW I HAVE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE…

..

***SEE OUR BOG CALENDAR FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS***  https://creationspark.wordpress.com

NOTE: The Festival area on Creations Park will be left up for you enjoyment through December 31st.

♥ ♥ ♥Here at CREATIONS PARK everything we do comes from the love in our hearts. This event is about people sharing their talents to create something positive in our world   ｡◕‿◕｡VIDEO Please be sure to watch our award winning video about the benefits of SL for our 88 "years young" RL Mom who has Parkinson's. This will touch your heart! Ebbe Linden (CEO of Linden Labs) has called this the most important video ever made about Second Life! 

The Drax File: World Makers- Episode 13 Creations for Parkinson's  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyiiWxNguGo&feature=youtu.be

Our RL family felt a desire to give meaning and purpose to the hours we spent in-world. Our 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 88 years young, she is active in Second Life and is thrilled to see herself running, and dancing again. Those of us in Second Life can have fun while knowing we are making a difference in the real world. 

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 so that all donations are given to research.

BE SURE TO VISIT ALL 6 UNIQUELY BEAUTIFUL LEVELS on CREATIONS PARK

ღღღ Loving Hugs from our Creations Family

Barbie Alchemi - Founder of Creations for Parkinson's

Fran Seranade - Our loving RL Mom

AlmostThere Inventor - RL brother

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ZegMusic: AMFORTE Clarity Interview

AMFORTE Clarity is well-known on the grid for her original music and soulful voice. Despite her hectic schedule, Virtual Music Magazine managed to track her down for an interview. If you are interested in seeing her live yourself, daily gig postings and press information are available at www.amforte.com. You can also like her on Facebook.

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Art and SLife - Lacy Muircastle reporting....

The art community within Second Life is as diverse as its real world counterparts.  Is art an embellishment or ornament of life though?  

I read that “psychological investigations have revealed that art is the supreme centre of biological and social individual processes in society, that it is a method for finding an equilibrium between man and his world, in the most critical and important stages of his life.”  This view therefore completely refutes the approach that states that art is purely an ornament. Art is at the leading edge of the consciousness of any community. The possibilities of the future, for art as well as for life, are inscrutable and unpredictable and that holds very true for Second Life as much as it does for real life.

Meet Luke N Fortacos, a gallery owner and artist in SL.  He hails from Northern California and lives relatively close to Linden Labs.  His curiosity was piqued as to what they did some three years ago.  At the time he was playing another online 3D game with a friend who had started playing Second Life and who in turn introduced him to SL.  His initial foray into our virtual world did not gel with him.

Then in RL he hurt his back and was laid up for over a month.  With time to kill he decided to try again.  A couple of ladies helped him with the look of his avatar and he began taking classes at Builders brewery and Caledon Oxbridge.

He spent some time building a house and some other bit and pieces, but he desperately wanted to combine mesh with prims, which led to Blender and Blender Classes.  He said “I could not understand what is was, but everyone spoke of it "like Photoshop"."

Luke also took photography classes at Caledon Oxbridge and with Kajia Chrome, at Blue Nile. He tried to get around the Photo shop expense with freebies like IPiccy, Pixelator and Gimp.  He says they helped but to get where he wanted to be he had to subscribe to the Adobe Creative Cloud.  He said “its been terrific.....$10 per month, includes a file management program called Bridge that might be worth the $10 alone.”

I went on to ask him why he wanted to own galleries in SL.  He said “I started my first gallery at Xaara to get feedback on my art - what I was doing. It is still my main objective. Artists in SL, where I opened my 2nd gallery, I wanted to do the same thing with different kind of art. Xaara is a BDSM sim with several galleries representing a wide variety of artists.   The owners of the sim wanted the art to keep to the theme.  Artists in SL also represents many artists, some of which also do Adult, but I wanted to do like many others and explore portraits and SL Life pictures.”

He added that the galleries aren't going to make him rich, but they can be self-sustaining.   He enjoys owning them as a means to obtain feedback and from the people he meets.

Luke has a Gallery at SSC Coffeehouse, where he displays his own and work by other artists from Xaara. The Coffeehouse is also at a "Lifestyle" type resort and he has brought over Elbereth Exonar, HisOne Desire and Carley Noonan to display their art too. He plans to expand the gallery throughout the coffee house, he said “it’s going to be a very exciting art venue when it is finished.”

His mission is for the SL art community and those that support it to get to know his brand ‘L Fortacos’ as a place to get art for your SL Home or Club.   He said “I believe as art improves, and it is really good these days, more customers will buy more SL art for their homes or Clubs.   Rather than using RL imports, which is cheating and more than likely a copyright violation.  For instance, part of the draw of a place like Fogbound are the pictures of patrons taken by Serendipity Dyrssen.  I would like to see other clubs at SL Artwork showcasing unique styles of art.  Art that showcases all that SL has to offer.”

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GRAND OPENING OF THE NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015 WINDLIGHT ART GALLERY EXHIBITION

DATE:  NOVEMBER 15, 2015

LOCATION: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Froien/172/111/23

The November and December 2015 Exhibition at The Windlight Art Gallery will open on November 15, 2015. A formal reception will be held from 4pm to 6pm slt and will feature live performer Donn Devore.

The November and December 2015 exhibition features the November and December Windlight Art Fellows: Kaijah Chrome, Bamboo Barnes, Honey Bender, Valium Lavendar, Dean Yao, Benivinudo Moskalev, Twotone Rhiano, Van Caerndow, Dawnbeam Dreamscape, and Inara Pey. The Windight Artist in Residence, Wicca Merlin, and past Windlight Art Fellows SaoiriseHeart Resident and Ilyra Chardin are also showing in this new exhibition.

IAbout the Windlight Artist Fellowship Program:
The Artist Fellowship program will provide free gallery space to both new and established artists for a period of 30 days. This program is open to both new and established artists in Second Life. The goal of the program is to provide promotional and artistic resources to artists in Second Life.

About Windlight Magazine:
Windlight Magazine is a publication about the art and photography world of Second Life. The goal of Windlight Magazine is to support artists, photographers, galleries, and related events. John nee Johannes1977 Resident is the Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief of Windlight Magazine and Gallery. The magazine is published on a monthly basis.

For More Information:

www.windlightmagazine.com

http://windlightmagazine.com/fellowship-program/

https://www.facebook.com/windlightmagazine

https://plus.google.com/+Windlightmagazine/posts

http://windlightmagazine.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/windlightmag

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The Multiple Layers of Ilyra Chardin- Dean Lawson Reporting…

Ilyra Chardin is a real life and Second Life artist. In Second Life she expresses herself as a photographer and builder in the virtual world. Ilyra also donates art for sale or auctions to benefit charities and her art work has been featured in the Builders Brewery Relay for Life Art Auction and is currently on sale to benefit Parkinson’s at the Creations for Parkinsons Art Gallery.  Ilyra is currently accepting clients and commissions but was able to put aside her busy schedule to answer some questions.

Dean : How did you first get involved with SL photography?

Ilyra : Like any new resident, I learned to point and click using the built-in snapshot feature within a week or two of joining SL.  Back then I used to shoot in the same way that I shot in RL.  I dabbled with building in SL within my first year as a resident, and as I got better with it, I started making a few of my own textures.  When I began to sell my work, I took the product pictures, but I had a strict rule for myself.  No enhancements to the product images.  I really wanted the consumer to see what they were going to be buying.  Hence I often heard, this item looks so much better than the pic.

About a year ago, I joined an online community and people were posting photographic art.  I was intrigued.  In RL, I had worked with acrylics, decoupage, and collage to enhance furniture or to make a mixed media decorative accent piece.  I started experimenting with mixed media digital art.

Dean : Your landscape snapshots are very impressive. In the snapshot titled “Rendezvous” a large moon rises out from the water and in the snapshot titled “Once Upon a Dream” billowing clouds surround a ruined castle. Did you find these backgrounds in Second Life or were these superimposed using post processing? If these snapshots are a result of post effects, could you discuss your process?

Ilyra : Thank you so much.  You chose two that are among my favorites.  The older of the two that you asked about, Once Upon a Dream, was taken in March of 2015.  Using Windlight, I got a great shot of the castle and I loved how the water looked, but I hated the sky.   I began by removing the sky, which left the castle and this great water that you can no longer see.  I made the sky and thought that it really needed clouds, so I made them along the horizon.  I altered the dragon and added him.  Then I felt that the sky needed cirrus clouds – the misty clouds behind and above the cumulus clouds on the horizon.  The cirrus clouds were airbrushed in.  At this point, well, the water needed a mist so that the castle would appear to rise out of the mist with the dragon ascending above the castle.  The mist over the water is multi layered and airbrushed.  The last part of the process was multi-step, I altered the color and texture, trying to give the piece a dreamlike quality.

The second piece, Rendezvous, was taken in July of 2015.  Sometimes when I’m shooting, my shot is a canvas - I plan all of the alterations that I want to do while I am photographing at the location.  There was a lot that was done to the original raw shot.  The sky is hand painted.  The original sky in the shot was mostly dark grey.  I added the full moon behind the plants and I added more plants.  I painted the center owl’s eyes to bring them out more and added a second owl, matching the color and eyes to the first one.  I added the dragonfly in front of the moon and a bird flying up in the sky.  I added in tiny blue fireflies and then I finished the piece off with a canvas texture and a border.

Dean : You seem to specialize in rural landscapes. Do you have any favorite SL sims for photography? If so, which sims do you think are the best for landscape photography?

Ilyra : I generally look for SIMs that are uncluttered so that there is enough room surrounding the subject to frame the shot.  I look for interesting trees and landscaping.  There are new SIMs or SIM redesigns that open quite frequently, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting subject matter.  SIMs that I visited multiple times to produce new pieces include: Flux Sur Mer, The Trace, Matoluta Sanctuary, Junk, Frisland, and Checkmate.  I also build my own sets, particularly for special events.  Animal Farm and The Veldt are examples of this.

Dean : Some snapshots such as “Alpha”, “The Lakehouse” and “Solitude” look as if a texturing filter has been used. Do you use filters to create a “canvass” effect to create a more artistic impression or are filters used to conceal imperfections in the digital images?

Ilyra : That’s an interesting question.  Alpha was a multi layered piece and all of the effects were designed to enhance the image.  If there are imperfections in any original image, I correct those by hand. I fix trees all the time in my work, because sometimes SL Trees show a paper-like edge.  I fix shadows so that there isn’t a gap between the object and the shadow that it is casting.  So, no, I don’t use textures to hide imperfections. 

Solitude was a very early digital art piece.  I am very proud of the concept and composition, but I can see mistakes that I made.  I continually strive to improve and hope that I never stop learning.  The Lakehouse, was experimentation with a different technique.  While I really like the composition, if I were working on that piece today, it would look very different. 

More examples of Ilyra's work can be found at the following links.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ilyra_chardin/

http://ilyrachardin.deviantart.com/

Art in the Park: Crystal Gardens Estates (165,220,22)

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Our Thoughts and Prayers Go Out to Paris

 

Image borrowed from Gee (geejann.blackadder)

It is with great sadness to hear about the attacks in Paris and on humanity that occurred yesterday. Our hearts at SLE are with all who are suffering right now. Terrorism is a crime not just on that country but on all of us who carry fear inflicted upon us by evil. We can only find peace in our lives and the strength to carry on living with hope for a better future. 

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AVIATION IN SL: GO FLYING IN SL – Camury Reporting

In Second Life, we can find a variety of places related to flying where the visitor can enjoy the skies of this digital environment and have some fun. Some regions in-world can provide that complete experience of flying in a way you will feel like you are a real pilot.

There are more than 5000 aircraft models available. You can choose between: airplanes, helicopters, hovercraft lighter than air, and even rockets and spaceships. You can buy them in stores around the world. Each one works differently and has unique devices so you should take a little time to read the instruction manual. Those notes are usually in the same file as the vehicle and are written by the creator himself.     

                                                   

If you are a beginner, the first step is to get a cheap aircraft to get some experience. After you are familiar with its controls, then you can invest in something more complex and have big adventures in the SL skies.

You don’t need too much money to start this new dream. At the marketplace there are more than 500 aircraft and the prices range from 0 to 10 lindens. Some of them are really fun for your first adventure.

You will find out with your aircraft that crossing the skies can be a little hard. That’s normal and it’s not the vehicle’s fault, but maybe the slow rendering of some regions.

Those first adventures can get you excited, and they may convince you to invest something a little more advanced. There are some full-functioning mesh models, with modeling optimized for the Second Life systems and advanced scripting. Those advanced ones are not that heavy in terms of prims, which means a smooth border crossing and little problematic lag. These models cost from 3000 to 5000 L.

Aircraft in Marketplace:

url:https://marketplace.secondlife.com/products/search?search%5Bcategory_id%5D=95&search%5Bmaturity%5D=General&search%5Bpage%5D=1&search%5Bper_page%5D=12

I found Mr. Gabriel at the Hollywood airport; he is an experienced commander of an air taxi company in SL. Here is what he suggests:

Camury: Gabriel, I see that Mr. Gabriel is a Vulture Air Captain.

Gabriel  (menino.clip):  Yes, I am a commander.

Camury: What is Vulture Air?

Gabriel (menino.clip):  It's an airline; we do flights, cargo, and passengers (GridEX).

Camury:  Why did you decide to become a pilot?

Gabriel (menino.clip):  I’m a commercial airplane single and multiengine and helicopter pilot in real life, so this is what i enjoy doing in Second Life as well.

Camury:  What does it take to be a good SL pilot?

Gabriel (menino.clip): Well, just look both ways before crossing a runway and be patient with other traffic in the airport. it doesn't take much.

Camury:  Do you have any advice for beginners?

Gabriel (menino.clip): Just learn the basic airport signs. Flying in Second Life is really easy so if you're aware of what's going on around you; it shouldn’t be too complicated.

Camury: What may be complicated?

Gabriel (menino.clip): Well, getting around big airports without getting anyone mad at you. If you don't have any experience, I guess that's the hardest part because once you're in the air everything is fine.

Camury: In your opinion, which LMs are the best for flying?

Gabriel (menino.clip): I enjoy flying around Hollywood airport and second Norway as well as Seychelles airport is also a good option.

Camury: Mr. Gabriel, is there anything else you think is important for our readers?

Gabriel (menino.clip): just enjoy what you're doing. If you love aviation, you're going to search for information and you're going to learn how to fly. Don't wait for people to teach you; go after what you want to accomplish. If you really learn how to fly and want to join a group of people who are experts in what they do, then show up here in Vulture Air for an evaluation flight.

Camury: Thank you, Mr. Gabriel

Please, take a look at the flying-related lands. There are some cool activities for you to experience.

Hollywood airport

Slurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Santa%20Catalina/212/88/24

Second Norway airport

Slurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Norge/128/128/28

Seychelles  airport

SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/GrandAnse%20Mahe%20Isle/137/179/29

I think flying is one of the best experiences that we can have as a human. So, do your own! Take your plane and fly through the clouds in the beautiful blue sky in SL.

Additional Information:

Translated from Portuguese into English

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Advice from an SL Expert About Business Ethics in Second Life.

What makes a business successful in SL?

Just like in real life, a business in SL is successful because of customer relations. Although a customer is not always right as the cliché goes, in order to retain business the customer must always feel that they have been treated fairly and reasonably.

If customer service is so important, then why are there many businesses and business owners in SL who seem to have an axe to grind and offer poor customer service in addition to their inferior products?

In the past decade, The SL Enquirer weathered many storms and stood tall above the top-ranking media sources which have come and gone through the years. There is a reason it has survived. SLE continues to thrive in a virtual world so beaten down by those who forgot to appreciate the creative freedom of such a place, as well as respect and treat others the way they would like to be treated.

Despite the assumptions and negative comments from some people who seem to think they know what Lanai Jarrico does behind the scenes with The SL Enquirer, one fact remains constant. Her dedication to SLE has overcome many obstacles, people with hidden agendas, and ignorant assumptions for 10 years. The best part is the positive reviews vastly outweighs the negative.

SLE has been through the bustling heyday and the “SL Great Depression.” Lanai has experience and knows the seasonal patterns, cultural psychology, and hazards that need to be avoided in Second Life. Most importantly, she has met  and befriended many SL Legends who paved the way for those here today.  Equipped with SL knowledge and experiences, she is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to advice about Second Life and best business practices.

First, It has never been about money, nor is it about fame for Lanai or Team SLE. Dedication and perseverance comes from a passion. Without passion and hard work, ideas and creativity fail. These same principles can be applied to any business in Second Life that wants to succeed.  Sure, making lindens is important to sustain a business and a comfortable SL lifestyle. If planned properly, it can still be achieved.

I hate to break it to stubborn business owners, but the Era of the SL Millionaires has passed.  SL wealth seekers have saturated the business market so badly that it diluted the linden pot of gold into gold-plated sludge.

It has become increasingly difficult to even generate enough income to cover tiers and break even without having to dig into your pocket to cover the difference. Trying to be greedy will only cause issues, so be careful how you tip the business scale and who you try to get over on while attempting to make a profit. It is NOT like real-world business. The time spent in Second Life overly outweighs hourly wages. High expectation will result in disappointment if you think otherwise.

If it’s about the money, Lanai wishes you luck!  The unpredictable nature of Second Life makes it almost impossible to generate a sustainable income you can trust for stability. Unless you have beginning capital, a great real job to fall back on, time to invest in SL, and a true business plan in place, thinking you can live off Second Life is virtual insanity.  It may work for those lucky ones who tapped a market with great demand, ones who understand the culture and have that burning passion to succeed. With that said, more power to them,  Let’s move on.

There have been times Lanai was ready to put down her pen and accept defeat. It isn’t defeat in the sense of  being pummeled by competition.  It was a small instance where she failed to believe in herself. It is her true friends that remind her how important media is for the community. Those moments bring strength and courage to go on. The self doubt storms passed  through the years and her determination grew.  This part is about building up a support system, being part of a community, and making friends you can trust.

The energy to continue was and still is much greater than herself. It is about sharing something special with an entire community. Documenting Second Life as it developed over time, Lanai has been the keeper of records and shared stories about the culture and people who make up this vast virtual world longer than any other source in SL today.

It is a beautiful thing to be part of and that is why The SL Enquirer exists.  Take this bit of advice and make it part of your goals. The ability to make and keep friends will help you achieve your goals much more easily than trying to plow your way through Second Life with a nasty attitude and boasting without the proof to back it up.

To stand uniquely separate from others is to not see others as competition or think you are above anyone. To Lanai, she has none and prefers to lay low and work with people who want to work with her.

People with similar ideas in the SL Media world are seen like a media community.It is important to support each other rather than try to destroy each other.  It never really mattered to Lanai what others were or still are doing as long as they are doing something to contribute to the community and not causing her any grief.

What matters is what she is doing for SLE and building alliances with other sources. Right there is the key to keeping the peace and ensuring success. The Second Life grid is saturated with businesses that are very similar. Business owners can’t go around being nasty to each other or trying to sabotage their “competition.” It is a waste of time because they should be spending worrying about their own business, bringing new ideas to the virtual table, and providing better customer service.

Customer Service is a big deal that many business owners seem to be overlooking these days. A word of advice, STOP GIVING CUSTOMERS ARE HARD TIME! Do not avoid their inquiries, do not blame them for your poor business practices and most certainly do not make them jump through hoops for a refund of 1000L or less (approximately $4.33 USD) or a copy of the product. It isn’t like you have a RL warehouse, supplies and materials to cover.

Ask yourself if the bickering is worth a bad review from someone who liked your product enough to buy it in the first place?  As long as you have a transaction history, properly investigated their complaint or the product is no transfer, there shouldn't be a problem doing a redelivery followed by a thank you for your continued service. Be the bigger person. End of story.

Another great Idea is getting involved in expos to showcase  products and services alongside others in the same industry. Maybe even be part of a charity.

This bit of advice takes me back to being much bigger than yourself, forming alliances, and giving back to the community.

This article isn’t about The SL Enquirer or Lanai jarrico; it is merely an example that whatever you set your mind to in SL can be achieved if you take the time to familiarize yourself with the community and truly follow your passion. It is your choice whether you take advice from a business which has shown an enormous amount of contribution to Second Life and still here and doing well. It wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Lanai has observed many people and how they operate. She has developed many friendships and cut off just as many fake people. She has the key to success.  It is clear and she knows exactly how to protect what she has worked so hard to obtain.

Up until this point was an example that anything you set your mind to can work in a virtual world. You will find that things do not come easy. Whatever it is you want out of Second Life, you have to believe it is possible but you also have to work for it.

Also,  remember behind every avatar is a person--not just any random person you probably will never meet in real life, but someone who you may need someday for help, or a person who you learn from or may need your help.  We, as a virtual community, need to be responsible for creating a peaceful environment in which everyone feels appreciated and a part of something.

The attitudes on the grid have become alarming and noticeable enough that it was time to virtual sit down business owners for an intervention.

My last bit of advice but the most important. Develop your profile positively. It is a reflection of you and how you conduct yourself in Second life. This also goes for employees. Having questionable content in your profile can act as a deterrent for potential customers.

If you wish to be perceived as an honorable business owner in Second life. or a good person for that matter, remove the negativity.  For example, if you are a business owner and your profile says something along the lines of this extreme fabricated example- DO NOT CONTACT ME OR SEND ME FRIEND INVITES BECAUSE I AM JUST TOO BIG HEADED AND BUSY TO WASTE MY TIME WITH YOU,(followed by half naked photos of your avatar), then you probably should rethink being a business owner.

In a nutshell, being a professional includes a passionate, friendly and engaging attitude, attention to detail, helpful profile, presentable appearance and high standards of customer service. Otherwise a business owner cannot expect to be successful in Second life.

-LJ

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Lastat Productions Offers Affordable and Effective Solutions for Businesses in Second Life

Since 2009, Lastat Productions has been providing you, the customer, with affordable, efficient, and easy to use gadgets that aid you in your Second Life. Our products are designed around usability and productivity, while eliminating unnecessary lag and lengthy set-up procedures.

Lastat Productions is here to assist you in promoting your business so it may grow and flourish, stopping at nothing to provide the best customer service and experience while using our products.

We also provide a free support group upon purchasing an item. This closed support group consists of over 1000 active members for peer to peer assistance when a CSR or myself is unavailable.

www.lastatproductions.com 

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