Happy 21st Birthday Second Life🤘🤘🤘

and I will be walking the bday grounds at 9am on this beautiful June 23rd, 2024!

I looked up “serendipity” on Wikipedia, just in case I was wrong but in fact the definition reads as per screenshot below:

And that’s what Second Life (to me at least) has in common with my other big love (not counting wife, son, dog), which is of course literature: the fact that both activities/offerings are essentially a form of unplanned fortunate discovery.

reading is an ART? Tell me more !!!!

The journey into the unknown is happening everytime I open a new book or log into SL!

not fake news: sometimes i log into SL without a plan & spend time “unproductively” with my friend Shyla 🤗

Why? In the case of (the type of) books (I prefer) it is because a (fellow) curious mind has reflected (in a not exclusively joyous process) on the BIG questions of life, death, art (and sometimes taxes), and tried to incorporate his/her/their findings into a narrative which is (hopefully) populated with rich and fascinating and multi-layered characters.

proof that in my RL shelf there are books OTHER than multiple copies of “Infinite Jest” ….

In the case of SL? Well: SAME ANSWER except it is of course a visual medium first where these curious minds have expressed themselves and as opposed to the (exquisite) solitary engagement with a book, here in SL you can choose to wander alone or with someone else. And that someone else may be a friend or a stranger.

What is meta? Reading a book about SL in SL

Also, unlike reading a book, you can write your story (and that of the stranger friend) in real time, and you can do that without someone constantly (you, the stranger, the friend, the algorithm!!!) nudging/convincing/forcing you into one or the other direction without your consent.

historic Drax,at BAVC, producing the “Always in Season” project in 2010, trying to nudge the slightly annoyed Asri Falcone into moving in with him on his sprawling mainland estate, unamed SL developers trying to ignore the embarassing scene ….

Ok, before you, dear reader, start rolling your eyes thinking “thx Drax, for explaining INTERACTION BETWEEN HUMAN BEINGS sans extrinsic incentives” I shall SHUT UP and invite you to tag along at 9am for a “random” walkabout the SL21B fairgrounds 👇👇👇

I will have a Discord group for voice communication as we walk so in case you want to chime in with your “takes” on SL’s longevity, the nature of creativity, virtual living, literature, Frank Zappa and other things that are of interest: looking forward to seeing/hearing you!

In closing: if you have not seen my movie celebrating last year’s 20th anniversary - MADE IN SECOND LIFE: THE MOVIE - do NOT admit it or I will be triggered.

Just watch it, leave a nice comment with YOUR story and share it with a friend? Because I made this film for YOU (and that stranger and that friend and his mom too!)

In closing, part2: if you are up for a REALLY OLD video, one I made about SL4B back in 2007, please do enjoy this TIMEWARP and forgive my lack of Machinima skills (don’t email me pointing out these flaws, please, or else I will be triggered … again … oh it is soooo easy, those buttons are so lose, don’t push them …)

See you in-world!