Seeking True SL to RL Love Stories for Online Publication!

Hi! I'm collecting stories from people around the world who have met their Real Life loves on Second Life. These stories are for publication on a blog site called http://sl2rllove.blogspot.com/. I am collecting these to further the understanding of the similarities/differences between SL and RL love, and the stories can be about both successful and unsuccessful meetings.

It does not matter if you have perfect English, or are used to writing stories, the important part is the expression of the good, bad, and ugly parts of the meeting and transition from SL to RL with your love (even if it failed!).

An example of a story in two parts can be found here: http://sl2rllove.blogspot.com/2008/09/engineering-love-part-i-sl2rl-love.html
http://sl2rllove.blogspot.com/2008/09/engineering-love-part-ii-sl2rl-love.html

Stories should be about a page in length, and can be emailed to [email]SL2RLlove@gmail.com[/email].

Please be sure to include permission for me to publish your story on the blog and be aware that I will use your SL names online as you have them written in the text (...so please be sure your lover is also OK with the story, and using BOTH your first and last SL name if you choose to do so!)

I'd also ask that you include a RL photo of the two of you if possible.

Please email questions to me, Randoym Randt at [email]SL2RLlove@gmail.com[/email], or find me in world and drop me a notecard.

(Second Life 2 Real Life Love http://sl2rllove.blogspot.com/
Created by a couple who met on Second Life, then in Real Life (one going from the USA to AU), immediately got pregnant with a daughter due in October, and are now getting married. This blog provides links to numerous resources and studies on taking SL love to RL, as well as gives updates on SL2RLlove stories like ours. Yours Always ~Randoym Randt and Matchsticks McMahon~)

So, you're collecting love stories, huh? And pictures? You're taking it a step further then the usual clowns who come here asking the gullible to fill out their "surveys."

I bet you want all the juicy explicit details included.

Hiya Ricardo!

YUP, these stories should include any juicy details people are willing to provide for publication on a blog. While I want all types of stories, I'm looking in particular for stories where people left existing RL situations to be with their SL loves.

I'm doing this blog to encourage and help people, and it's not intended to be full on qualitative research as much as guidance and evidence for the many people who feel...well...embarrassed and confused about their very, very real SL-based feelings.

Turns out that the research I've found and posted to the blog shows (in small ways) that online relationships are actually quite similar to real life ones. http://sl2rllove.blogspot.com/

What I'd love to see now from a real quantitative scientist is just how hormones like oxytocin and serotonin are involved in these kinds of emo situations.

In the meantime, I'm just a story collector...

...heh. How much juice can a person fit into one page or less anyhow? )

/me blinks

'quite similar'...

Wow... there must be an attachment... perhaps its a hud?

You do realize that SL exists in RL, just like the people you're writing about?

Gaaaaaaa. There's no such thing as "SL love". Avatars don't feel a thing. Love is love.

Yeah right. What's in it for the people concerned?

For the cut and paste impaired ....
I perticularly liked this line:
Court records say Jernigan drove to the 52-year-old man's apartment Thursday with a stun gun, handcuffs and duct tape.

Sounds like an average Saturday night to me

OMG Ghosty- You are the only one that has ever tempted me into stealing for a siggy- I just don't have room and those I love know that I love them so I don't really need it- but truer words were never spoken- it is all the same- just a different location.

Ghosty nailed it. People are people, love is love...in SL as much as anywhere.

SL to RL stories run the whole spectrum, from happily-ever-after successes to dismal failures like the one quoted earlier in the thread.

To counter that failure, let me mention one of the more prominent successes: Garth and Pituca FairChang, owners of a private estate that extends to more than 70 sims. Their SL-to-RL romance happened before my time, so I won't go into details here...besides, it's well documented. A web search should give you some deets.

I met my RL on SL

suffice to say some folks know more details than others
however I would not be comfortable putting it on a blog in all the details for anyone to see

IF I ever wanted to do that, I would just write a book about the whole experience heh
(it has been suggested to me, from some of the folks who know more of the details, that I should write a book)

I posted a comment on the OP's blog, IF they really wanted my story they would have contacted me one would think

Check out the in-world group "Crossing Borders." There's dozens of members of that group who all have or are hoping to have SL to RL relationships. My SL partner crossed over into a RL relationship several months ago and I recently moved 2000 miles to be with him in RL.

Same as what's in it for me. Nothing but the glory of love, I suppose. WOO_HOO! I'm not making money or asking for money, not even a click thru. Doin' it because I can!

What people seem to be missing in the argument that "of course peole fall in love on SL...it's all just real people" is that when your RL family and friends find out you're making decisions in your life based on an online relationship they know nothing about and have no influence over, they get a bit...mmm...suspicious, worried, rightfully concerned, think you're nuts, try to talk you out of it, etc.

In my case, I sold all my stuff to finance my trip to the AU, and **I hadn't met him in RL**--nope, not even once--before I arrived (AND I ended up pregnant within about three days of arrival). Twas a bit shocking to my mom, to say the least (and yeah, I'm 39!).

IMO, don't underestimate the effects of SL2RL Love on those around you. Hence, the common embarassment and confusion people feel...particularly if they are, say, already married/partnered in RL...which many people that fall in love on SL are.

And on a p.s. note...there are very few SL2RL Love stories documented online...
And on another p.s. note...
http://sl2rllove.blogspot.com/2008/07/meeting-people-on-sl-that-read-about-us.html

Anyhow, thank you to anyone interested in writing.

WOW, thank you, great tip.

Any possibility you might be interested in writing up what happened to you??

Well YEAH (don't make me say DUH)! But there are HUGE HUUUGE differences also...for example, how do the "bonding hormones" get released when there is no RL eye contact, touch, etc, with the person which is what normally releases them in RL.

Imagine a child being asked to watch screen images of being held instead of actually being touched and cuddled by mum. We're programmed for RL warmth in a very real way. So even though we're in cartoonish AVs that often look nothing like us in RL, and can't show those small changes in body language that you can in RL...we still manage to get the oxytocin and serotonin flowin. Heh. How does this work?


Agreed 100%, just like RL, it's a crap shoot.


Thanks for this tip. I just looked for them and while I found a ton on their biz nothing on their love story yet. That's the thing, people don't write this stuff down which can HELP other people with what they are experiencing.

Just pictures and or Video.


for research purposes ..

Of course.

"There were no matches for Crossing Borders (0.009958 seconds)"

edit: NVM I finally got to it thru someone's profile.

Hi Colette (good to see you from SLU to here, I've been off SLU for a week or so!)

Well, if you check the blog it's actually just pics of their faces...heh...

But I'm not picky! LOOlololol

Hi,
My SL to RL partner and I started Crossing Borders, if you would like to talk to me about it, please IM me inworld. I am not sure who of our members would be willing to place their stories on your blog, but we may be able to give you an inworld forum in which to explain your request.

-Blu- (currently under a rock somewhere)

HI LULU!!!!

Hey Blu, I am in world atm and JUST IMed you. I'm online for just a short time more, if possible let's friend for the moment and I'll catch you next time we're both on. Thanks! sgRR

I am work currently and won't be online until later tonight, SL time. I will accept friending for now as a way to contact each other.

-Blu- (CALGON!!! Take me away!!!!)

Thanks! I have an appt myself in a bit, if I miss you today we'll try tomorrow. I'm on Sydney AU time, where are you in RL?

So. Cal. girl here.


-Blu- (Almost the end of the work day!!!!)

I think the OPs concept is good and with the right idea. Most "average Joe/Jane"s really take a critical eye to romances borne from computer to computer interaction (BBS', chat rooms, forums, SL etc.).

However, most of us (those who embrace technology) recognize that you can meet a romantic partner in SL, on a BBS, in the supermarket, at a party, at a bar, through the old pen friend system and more.

As Ghosty and the others said.

But I think having some sort of "proof of story" in a website format might be nice for the naysayers -- although they may still naysay.

And Bunny Boilers (Fatal Attraction reference) can be just easily found in the person you hook up with a bar, party or from the 'net. They are everywhere. Media just enjoys sensationalizing the uncommon and adding fuel to the fire of "OMG, da intarwebs be corruptin' and filled with teh evol".

Maybe your story is boring.