Your "Life-Changing" places or experiences in SL

This is for those of you who feel that SL has affected your life beyond being just a diversion or entertainment - for better or for worse. Is there a particular build in SL you have visited that affected your perception of the real world afterward? In what ways has SL pushed social boundaries in your RL? Any other ways in which the line between SL and RL has been blurred for you... and do you feel that has been a good thing or a bad thing, or some of both?

Many spots and builds in SL are pure artistry. And like any good art, speak to the viewer on a myriad of levels.

The sculptures in La Reve come to mind. One in particular there cuts to the core of how I view the SL experience.

But, for me, any life changing hasn't been because of a sim, or a build. It's the people. It's using a 3d world to forge social bonds between people who have never met in RL, and might never meet.

I couldn't have said it better Jer

Some places ARE magic- the one statue at La Reve touched me as deeply, too. But as it has been said so often- with out the people, it is just pretty pixel pictures.

One of the builds I visit regularly is the Devandrashika temple
secondlife://app/teleport/Anglia/75/28/21/
I have not always felt comfortable at Hindi temples I have visited, so having one in SL that I can attend helps. As always, time in reflection at temple, whether in RL or SL, is a perception-affecting experience.

That sounds intriguing Ghosty- I will make a point of looking it up. I have been connecting some SL "Zen like" experiences lately into my RL - these are very definitely changing my RL also in that in moments of stress I can just "be there" again and calm returns.

well for me it is meeting everyone from around the world and getting a better look at the world through them..
Since i was 10 i was pretty much raised in a small town..we moved down from chicago to southern part of Tennessee..right in the heart of the bible belt..i think i had enough chicago in me to keep me from the brain washing that was about to come lol

i'm 22 now soon to be 23 in April
Anyways it was pretty sheltered to reality in a lot of ways..i'm Apache also i had people around me always preaching about the end of times and conspiracy theories non stop..when one didn't happen another would take it's place in a never ending change of the chain link to the second coming..
then i had my family all Apache telling me to keep it real and just remember it was not long ago these bad things happened to your family....

SL gives me a chance to hear the rest of the world and put some reality in my life and hear the other side of the worlds versions..
a lot of pieces of a lot of puzzles get placed when you get both sides..

i soak it up like a sponge too..i've met so many people from around the world and cannot get enough..
after being raised in years of bullshit i can smell it a mile away too lol

so i am defiantly gonna say the thing that has the biggest impact on me in a positive way is the people i have met while i have been here and all those other sides to the stories that have been told..

Ahh, you might like the Zen Retreat
secondlife://app/teleport/Rieul/201/245/75/

Thanks I will look at it.

Oh of course! I didn't mean to imply that you should only limit your answers to "builds." Anything about SL that has changed the way you perceive the real world, including stories about people you met or maybe interacting with some people in SL helped you learn to be less shy in RL... or maybe you fell in love with someone in SL and it messed up your RL relationship even though you didn't intend it to... ANY sort of stories like that, I would love to hear!

That's a really interesting post, Ceka. Thank you for it.

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My life changed when I came across Colette in this forum. It wasn't love at first post but I was madly in love with her very soon afterwards. When she's not posting I feel low, miserable and irritable. I can't sleep so good and I spend my nights tossing and turning (especially the first whilst thinking of Colette). If she left the forum completely, I'd leave SL and the forum for good, and probably take to my bed for some considerable time - until the effect of her in my innermost being fades away, if it ever does. Each day I wake and hope to see her name here. When there is nothing new from her, I read through her old posts, savouring each and every one of them and pretending that she's writing them here and now. Oh, I could go on and on about her wonders, but it's becoming a bit painful so I'd better stop.

OK... tell the truth now.... what class is this for ?

Second Life has been a wondeful experience for me, socially and creatively. What effect on RL? I suppose it has taken up time that I might have spent doing other things. Also, because I find it socially and creatively fulfiling, I might have become a little less social and creative in RL!

LOL... yeah, I realized it probably sounds like I'm doing a homework assignment. Actually, it is "research" of a sort, but not for a class. I'm a musician and I'm writing a song about SL, and where the line between RL and SL begins and ends. So I thought hearing some other folks' stories might get me inspired.

Here's a story of my own: when I'm doing an SL build, and I start looking through way too many textures, when I get back into the real world I start noticing the details in a whole other way. The "textures" of buildings, walkways, fields, etc. seem to suddenly really stand out. It's like being on acid, but without the acid. It's pretty cool really.

I also feel like (on the less pleasant side) sometimes having the ability to create a "world to order" lowers my tolerance for the unexpected and the mundane in the real world. In SL I can ignore or ban people I don't want to deal with, and I don't have to weed the garden or do the dishes. It can be very tempting to spend more time in the virtual world rather than being confronted with reality. But at the same time, doing things in SL has often *inspired* me to do things in RL I wouldn't have done otherwise. So it's a double edged sword!

SL has definitely changed my life in so many ways...especially for a guy who has never known what to do with his life. SL has given him focus.

But the one place that will always be special is a small non-descript gazebo at Inspire Beach where I very nervously told my g/f my feelings and she responded in kind. That little gazebo will always be special to us. Now, we're getting married in RL in two weeks.

Good luck with your project Leyah-

Personally, SL has expanded my world-view immensely. Having met people with such varied cultures it cannot help but broaden your horizons- and your vocab too!

It has also led me down some immensely rewarding self exploratory paths and has allowed me to express parts of my self I had previously kept hidden even from my self. Then of course there is the whole rewarding aspect of building and creating and the satisfaction of mastering bit by bit things that were unattainable before. All in all, a hell of a ride.

In that case, forget everything I said about Colette - it was humour and nothing could be further from the truth.

That is so awesome! Congrats! Are you gonna have an SL wedding as well?

Hahaha yeah, I picked up on your sarcasm there, no worries.

Eshi Otawara's "It kills artist" installation:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eshiotawara/2685576846/in/set-72157606367085584/

I'm in that picture somewhere. It was a very powerful piece of interactive art. I wouldn't call it life-changing, but it was certainly moving.

I came for the place, I stayed for the people.

I've met so many people here who have changed or enriched my life. Here are just a few of them...

Chris Norse, for reminding me of what it means to be a responsible individual, and showing me how one should stand up for what one believes.

Trout Recreant, for laughter and friendship

Aebleskiver Thibideau, for reminding me that people can be on opposite sides and still be good people.

Maureen Boccaccio, for RL/SL friendship

Mikha Markova, for teaching me that love transcends all barriers.

Love Hastings, for nonjudgmental insights.

ConductorX Nieuport, for showing what it means to be a true gentleman and steadfast friend.

Jezabell Barbosa, Amythest Morigi, and Kenchan Juran, for trusting me with money.

kelley Griffith, for letting me teach controversial subjects at her school and for support and friendship.

Desmond Shang, businessman, role model, friend.

Oryx, and Littleme, and Damien and Jerboa and Soji and Marianne and Ann and Lexxi and Macphisto and Pep and Gabrielle and Vampaerus and Amaranthim and Elora and Claire and 3Ring and Rhaorth and Cristalle and Crazod and Allegria and Eveline and Boddhisatva and Madhu and Qie and Talarus and many, many other regulars here on the forums and in world...and always the irreplaceable, irreverent, unquenchable Brenda Connolly.

Thank you all for making my Second Life so full of love, laughter, and adventure.

definitely the people (good and bad)


but most of all, my husband, we first met in SL
then met in RL

then partnered in SL

then married in RL

been with him ever since and soon to reach our 2 anniversary

Awww.. /me is having a fuzzy/huggy moment
rha- your experience alone is so awesome. Though I know there are several like that- it's is just such a cool thing.

I would add 'Daros' here, but he didn't change my life in SL; he changed it long before either of us rezzed in SL

easiet questiond for me to answer : ))

i met my soul mate here, in 2007.

now we live together in rl and fell deeper in love every day.

it doesn't get any better than that.

lizzie