Click Me, Baby; Second Life Eden

Click Me (Skirting the tactility deficiency of standard desktop interfaces)
Click me. Oh, yeah. C’mon, baby. Just click me! Faster! Harder! Hover that beautiful mouse arrow all over my virtual body. Use your hand icon, too. Oh my god, now spin your mouse wheel back and forth, aiming it right toward me. And do it forcefully. Do it like you mean it. Do it! Oh my god, now click me again. Click again!

Now hover it! Just hover it! Oh, hover it!! Oooh, now right that click, baby. Right that click! Right it! Right it! Right it! Click it! Harder! Harder!! You wanna see me clicked on full screen, baby? Huh? You wanna see me get clicked all over a full screen? Select that full screen and click me! Just click me!

The preceding was a facetious jab at the shortcomings of widely diffused computer technology, and how it just doesn’t cut it for today’s consumer when it comes to wanting to nail an attractive avatar in cyberspace. Which brings me to my more specific comments:

Second Life Eden
For all of its emphasis on worldliness, eccentricity and knockout looks, Second Life can really present some uncertain territory when it comes to sex. This personal observation of mine was underscored when I found myself in an awkward situation the other night after roaming a user-created shopping mall looking for a new pair of stylish shoes for my avatar.

No luck on the shoes, but I did catch a considerable rap with an industrious male standing in his newly leased storefront property sipping a drink. He was clean-cut, nicely dressed, polite and handsome. Needless to say, him and I — err, I mean our avatars — got to talking about this and that, and soon enough I agreed to have a look around inside his nearby abode.

It was a pretty humble quarters, still in its infancy like his retail space, and so far had contained a sofa, a coffee table, a chair or two, and a beckoning king-size bed, which sat a mere few feet away from where our avatars were conversing.

The bed was what jumped out at me once I really digested the fact that I was experiencing one of my most intimate moments yet in this adult metaworld. Things grew even more discomforting as my virtual lust object demonstrated a privacy feature that he had built into his lair’s windows, namely that the glass becomes darkened to prevent any would-be peeping Toms from peering inside.

I was plagued with uncertainty about what to do next. A few more moments elapsed and the conversation stumbled, and before I knew it I was excusing myself so that I may continue my quest for pretty footwear. I typed out a message on my way out that I would like to come and visit his new store once it was completed. The two of us exchanged brief glances of regret as I made my way across the road to visit more stores.

This episode seems worthy of some analyzing. One relevant point to bear in mind is that many Second Life avatars are fashioned by their owners to exude luxuriant sexuality, many of them scantily or otherwise provocatively clad as they strut around their pseudo environment.

The digital personae also have the ability to disrobe entirely, exhibiting tight bodies and sensuous curves, albeit the vaginal area of the virtual female in SL does not go into any biological detail. It basically takes on the appearance of the groin of a naked Barbie doll, as many users are probably well aware. The fairer sex in SL, however, is indeed endowed with breasts that can be quite shapely and evocative, comparatively speaking.

As far as the male sexual organs, I personally have not yet ventured beneath the hood to assess their appearance, so to speak. I genuinely wonder if SL’s fabricated guys are actually equipped with penises and testicles. That remains to be seen, I imagine. Unless any of you boys are willing to share? (with taste)

At any rate, given the feigned physical attributes that Second Life avatars can be outfitted with, as well as the relaxed attitudes about sexuality that seem to prevail in this simulated environment, one has to wonder why there are not yet any options provided to users that would help them express their virtual feelings of desire for other consenting avatars, or even themselves. Options could include “make out” or “fornicate” or even “fellatio” or “masturbate,” perhaps. Or will the Eden continue?

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Ain't been around long, have ya?

Avatars in SL do not come standard with genitalia of any kind. The Great Linden did not see fit to equp us so.

Therefore, when we come to the time when we want to engage in sexual activity, we must make the pilgrimage to one of the many retail establishments which provides attachments of this nature, and ::ahem:: buy them.

And as far as options to "express their virtual feelings of desire," there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of animations for this purpose. Eden it ain't.

P2

You're a very funny writer. My attention was immediately caught. You should come to our Bedtime Story event at the Spa in Sylvina. Each person tells 3 lines of the story, progressing the plot. Chat me up sometime and i'll give you the skinny on options for optional equipment. (not that i sell or make any, but i've bought lots. heh)

Reminds me. I have never seen much of any male private parts on this game; that sort of thing being not really my thing here. But I was building one night, and this stranger came to see me. He was a Strip-O-Gram or something, said somebody sent him. OK, I said, and continued building. He was kind of a new player. So he starts dancing and gradually removes his clothing.

When he gets to the end of it, there he is, completely without equipment! And didn't even seem to see anything wrong with that picture, lol.

I thanked him and tipped him and finally managed to send him on his way.

coco

Stay tuned for a lot more. Second Life is now officially under my journalistic microscope.



Thanks! I may take you up on those offers.

Funny and interesting, too! If I had a guy avatar (especially if I were a stripper) I think I'd feel kind of incomplete walking around emasculated. But that's just me. I think it even sucks having a female avatar with no, well ... you know.

Awwww, Coco... bet you were disappointed.



P2

Hmm. Don't make us look bad, OK? Sexuality in SL is waaay overemphasized, IMHO. It's far from the only attraction to Second Life.

By the way, it might interest you to know that SL has its own full-fledged newspaper, which my wife and I run.

It's called The Metaverse Messenger. Feel free to check out our website at www.metaversemessenger.com. You'll find free downloads of all our issues there.

To find places where you can find private parts, sex anims, etc. do a "Find } Places" and search for "adult," or "genitals," or other similar terms.

P2

As you investigate SL, you'll find that gender politics and a sexuality dominated by them are well represented, if not dominant, as in RL. BDSM is a particularly vibrant caricature of RL relationships in SL. In general, SL offers any game you want to play, and if you're looking for someone equipped for an encounter, you've likely found a host of prospects, once 1.7 performance smooths out enough for proper insertion.

EDIT: You may want to wear an anti-push device for protection.

I was!

coco

I really enjoyed your post Cheri and Persaphone is right on when she says you are a good writer.

What I most enjoyed is that I could relate to your story and feelings yet you were able to put them into words that caused me to contemplate on my experience further and in a different way.

I am very new to sl and initially thought a bit about using sl to experiment with situations I normally would not partake in irl yet had moments over my rl life years fantisized about. I thought it would be easy, after all this (sl) isn't *really* me yet I, too, felt uncomfortable when presented, unexpectedly, with a situation that had the potential to play out as something I had pondered and fantisized about irl. Then I felt odd about feeling uncomfortable about it lol. I mean, it's not *real* yet it left me with real feelings like it was.

It was all very interesting and I find that I learn more about the *myself* of sl every day and more importantly, I like it. I really enjoy *things* that provoke thought and self reflection.

Thanks for your post. I look forward to reading more from you.

<----------- Would like the skinny on optional equipment too!!

A strip-o gram? oh my, I really really do have a lot to learn still. I just adore sl!! and I especially enjoy hearing of others experiences. I need to take a look at some more blogs I think. I particularly enjoy Torleys blog and it was really fun reading about her sl life experience from beginning to now and feel fortunate to stumble on her post linking her blog.

I have seen some very wonderful and creative female skins for sale, some complete with piercings of the.. ummm...c....uh genitals. I am considering purchasing but am being very choosy and shopping around so far have come to the conclusion that you get what you pay for when it comes to skins. I have seen some nice male skins as well but none with a penis so I wonder if that part of the male anatomy just isn't possible to create?

Personal experience has taught me that even though irl, I do not feel like an incomplete woman minus one of my breasts, I have thoroughly enjoyed having a set of nice boobies in sl. Another thought provoking experience for me and one of the aspects of sl that I have enjoyed the most thus far.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but for guys you rather want them to work

That implies attachments, which are generally visible when wearing clothes, thus that's why most guys initially appear neutered. They then either have to attach them from inventory, or make them visible, depending on the type

Fleabite's store in the sim of Sistiana sells "avatar bits" for male and female. Varieties of shapes, styles, hair color, etc. It is a great shop if you are looking for "tattoos" of what look like real gender bits. (though the male ones are actual attachments).

You can also do a search for "Skins" in find (be sure to have mature places box checked - as these have to show full nudity for you to know what you are buying). Almost all skins sold these days for females include the "bits". And some also have makeup and more! And Chip Midnight sells some great Skins (found in Freelon - Aqua - Midnight City), as does the Business "Second Skin Labs" in Koss.

As for the animations, I mostly know of poseballs being used, but I'm sure there are other animations (I haven't had av sex since way before animations came to be. haha ) But you might find some good places by viewing the Animations New Products section here in the forums: /198/1.html

Hope that helps some!

Helped me! . Thankies!

What is the name is Fleabites store??

wow, no one ever sends ME anything like that!!!

haha.. Ok. Fleabite has the great bits.. but I always forget she is in Shipley.. it is Friday who is in Sistiana. Both have great items like I described.

Fleabite's shop is called: "Fleabite in Shipley!" located: Shipley (154, 9)

Friday's shop is called: "Friday's" located: Sistiana (169, 169)

Well, though I don't participate in any SL relationship, I never felt quite right without having bits that match my rl bits.

I mean, as long as we have bits HINTED at when our AV is nude, we oughta have them full-out, right?

Well, I sure wasn't gonna spend money on something nobody would ever really see, but it bothered me nonetheless. Finally, to the rescue comes Verbena Pennyfeather, and crafts me some true-to-life top bits! I'll have to wait for the bottom bit till she gets back from Iraq, as that was proving a bit trickier.

coco

Mine's detachable

Thanks for the tips!



You serious? I admit my ignorance on this. Sounds like you may have even been joking. If not, what's an anti-push device?

Thanks, Lacey! I appreciate that.



Given all the social mores and moralistic codes that can dictate human behavior in RL, I think it's to be expected for many people to have that type of reaction when first venturing into unchartered territory in the online realm, specifically when it involves sex.

I personally think that the trick is to work through it until you can ultimately and responsibly abandon any guilt- or fear-driven feelings of trepidation you may have. I think this is one of the most beneficial aspects of virtual interaction -- the therapeutic aspect. And if the dividends could subsequently be applied in one's offline life as well, all the better!



That's freakin' awesome!