To my friends

I am posting this in off topic in hopes that my friends read it and know I am speaking from my heart. Its been a long road we have had together, the fun, the builds. Seeing the world change and grow its been so much fun. I see LL pushing for ppl making money more than pushing for creativity these days. I see them defending and fighting for those that make and spend the most money. I however do not see them looking out for those who create the most amazing builds. Starxx your word is beyone anything I could of imagined and you my friend do not get the recognition you have so much deserved. You have my heartfelt gratitude for sharing a part of your spirt with me. Khamon, Sulu, omg how you have grown into wonderful artists I am so proud to know you. I have seen other close friends sell out before my eyes with detalied explinations that I just cannot comprehend. My faith in LL is gone, and sadly when I realized that my fun too was gone I made the decision to leave. I have tried in the past to take a break and it made things ok for a while but we keep going back to this same dance. What did I do to deserve being openly called a bitch for my belief that sl is a creative enviroment first? Nothing, but I just cannot take being talked to this way. Especialy at this time in my rl. With that said I am blessed to have known you and will remember your kindness and hope you remember me well. If it were not for the creative ppl in sl, then sl would not be what it is today. I am sorry these wonderfully creative ppl are continued to be taken for granted.

I cannot continue to hope that things will change, I cannot continue to speak out for those who dont have the guts to speak for themselves. I disagree with the path LL has taken and I do not see a postive outcome. I see greed and its ugly.

Catherine

Cat, it's evident you've made som REAL friendships here. I think that should outweigh anything else, but that's just my opinion.

As far as being called a bitch, you can let it eat you up or you can rise above.

I noticed you said "...we keep going back to this same dance." You played a very big part in that with your threads. I know this 'money" thing drives you nuts, and sometimes I too am not that thrilled with it, but then I look at all the friends I have made, some of which became RL friends, my builds, other's wonderful builds, scripts, anims, skins, etc., etc., and I remember the SL slogan; "Your world, your imagination". It really is what you make out of it. For some it's a game, a chatroom, for others a developmental tool, and yet others a way to make some spare change, for some it's a source of heartache and frustration, just like the WWW.

I see your threads about money and it does come back to the "same old song and dance". I have to wonder why you do it to yourself? I do not mean that in an accusatory fashion. I simply hate to see you wind yourself up when you could be in world creating, inspiring, and sharing. I know you long for the earlier days of SL, I do as well at times, but then I remember, nothing stays gold forever. It's like after that first six months is over when you fell in love with someone. If you can then realize and accept that it's never going to be that way again, and be ok with that, you can move forward and grow together. If you keep holding on to the idyllic dreamscape, you will be constantly disappointed.

All that said, I will not be happy to see you go and good luck to you and yours. Happy Holidays.

Cat, I don't really know you but you are an amazing person. I love reading your heartfelt posts and your passionate rhetoric. Maybe you should just take a break from the forums. It is easy for sl and the forums to cross and cause you to forget how wonderful SL actually is due to the extreme opinions of those who post and sometimes think little of others feelings when they do. You are not a bitch, you are opinionated. Many of us love that even if we disagree. Regardless of whether or not you leave SL never consider that a bad thing. It is the thing that make you wonderful.

I want to thank you for your passion, courage and your ability to call a spade a spade regardless of the backlash. It is never easy to fight the good fight. But please don't lose that fire within you. Don't let those who call names instead of discussing problems in a logical manner make you feel less than what you are which is pretty damned spectacular. Best of luck to you Miss Cotton and happy holidays.

When people call me a bitch (and they do) it usually means I'm on the right track. It's almost like they are cheering me on.

have no fear mummys here....im sittin on catherine so she CANT leave muah ha ha ha

:: waits patiently for the 'see you in 2 weeks' post.

Cat, I just want to echo everything Nolan said. You're talented and fun and definitely an asset to the community. It makes me sad that you feel how others choose to lead their second lives somehow makes it impossible for you to lead yours how you want. I'm not sure I truly understand that. I don't in any way mean to minimize the validity of how you feel. I just wish you were happy and having fun instead. *hugs*

Cat sweetie,

Chip and Nolan have the right of it. There'll always be naysayers everywhere. I agree that LL are not developing SL as some of us would like, but you can't change it form the outside.

Artillo said he'd wait for the 'see you in 2 weeks' post. Well... I really hope you do reconsider.

You may cause drama sometimes, or at least prolong other people's drama, but you have passion. You have more love for SL than I've seen in a hundred other players. If this is the end, You WILL be missed.

Don't leave us now, when we need you the most...

Sio.

"A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."

"If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any farther than my own backyard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with."

fen-

I thought this was the farewell my friends post reposted. Seems to be a bit different.

Wolf can only be cried so many times before credibility is lost. It apears to be a constant cycle of posting about the evils of making RL money in SL -> People disagree and post negatively towards you -> I'm out of here! posts -> Sympathy "Please don't go!" friend posts -> Few months later repeat. Wash, rinse, repeat cycle.

It is just getting old is all. Seems once you start your rants about money issues you start posting negative comments in everyone else's threads about your money views regardless of being on topic or not. It sometimes is a disrepectful negative comment or gesture. That may be why people view things the way they do.

I think the only relistic/reasonable thing for me to do now is just to walk away from the forums entirely. I cannot take the hate and greed that is generated within the pages. My dear dear compasionate loving friends have showed me that all is not lost in SL. I know in my heart that only 10% of the population is represented in the forums. Therefor I for the sake of my own heart, my own sanity I wont be posting to general or the land and economy forums anymore. I need to find the joy in SL again for myself, and if that means pushing all the baddies and their agendas away so be it. At this point in my life everything got to me today and my bubble burst. There will be some that stand back and ritcule that or laugh at it or kick me while I am down. To be honest those are not the types of ppl that I have ever associated with to begin with and well the hell with them. I had a realy good cry today and now I will go escape the greed and the ugliness that some would love to turn my world into. I cannot nor will I subject myself anymore to what someone elses agenda for sl is. I will find my own happiness and share it with those in sl I care about.

Cat

Catherine, back when the L$ price started dropping, I too hated the stupidity of people speculating on land and L$ and such who were now whining.

Ever since they created the Land/Economy forum though, I've EASILY avoided A) Hate B) Whine C) Money talk.

You just need to learn to pick and choose the threads you go into. It's not hard.

Catherine,

Hugs.

Selador

Cat,

Nolan's posting is worth reading several times, I think.

You take care of yourself,
Selador

Is this #3 or 4?

Cat, I don't know you, but it sounds like you are saying "Screw the forums and their drama. I'm going to have fun being creative in Second Life!". I hope so. I know I've gotten sick of the drama in the forums but love many things about being in world. Best wishes.

I've found that it's actually typically easy to get along with people on the forums, and when you don't, its extraordinarily easy to just ignore it.

Lance,

<<Is this #3 or 4?>>

What, vulnerable women forced out of second life by bullies? I didn't think it was that many. I know Candie Apple was, and now it looks as though Catherine has been.

I think that those who criticise her for apparently leaving and returning again, should take a hard look at themselves. Firstly to establish whether or not they were part of the bullying went on. And secondly to ask themselves how long they would have been able to withstand the constant unpleasant harassment and personal attacks.

I think both Candie and Catherine (and Anshe, come to that - oh, and Ulrika) have shown tremendous fortitude in the face of unremitting, unpleasant and downright vicious behaviour from some of the people here.

I think many of those people should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

I have adimired Catherine for having the convictions of her belifes and the guts to stick by them in the face of over whelming odds. While many of us and myself included sit on the side lines and play it safe. Never daring to touch that reply key for fear of losing face or looking bad. Not Caherine she hitches up her skirts and wades right into it. People like her have always been my heros. All through history it's been people like her to go against the prevailing tide of social norm to ignite the spark of disussion and the ideas of change.
Love people like her, hate them, think they are "Kooks" We need more people like this in both the real and make believe life. It gives me great saddness to see her go.
Catherine never give up fighting for what you feel is right.

In the words of the worlds greatest philospher Anon "Don't let the bastards get you down"

I wish you peace and sucess in all you do.

Rox

I sent Cat an apology for my involvement in some of these 'difficult' threads.

Cat, I love the things that you stand for - and what you create. I have regretted the juxtaposition of those in these forums that get 'bashed'. I take up sides and thats a difficult edge.

I do remember another time when you felt pushed out by these forums - I knew you less then and still your strength came through. I missed you when you left - and was happy to see you return.

It may not mean much - but if enough of us get together to support you in an emotionally comforting way - then maybe you will reconsider. Don't leave. Just stay away from these forums. They are like Roadhouses. If you aren't prepared for it, well, then, it can just be a terrible time. Basically though, the roughness of the crowd isn't meant to be caste in stone - or to really hurt people.

Folks wake up the next day and probably regret some of what happened the night before or, God forbid, have to chew their arm off at the elbow to sneak out of the bed of who they chose to lie down with that night!

Whatever you decide, take care this holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in SL!

Ursa - The multiple personality

Bravo Selador. You hit the nail on the head! And I completely agree with ya Roxie. Seems in SL forums the wheel that squeeks gets mauled by rabid chipmunks.

Luv ya, Cat.