Sad news.....provokes serious question.....

I just received a notice today from a group I have belonged to almost since I begun SL. It was my absolute fave place to just go and chill out....it was an October themed sim.....and that's all I'll say. I hadn't got to know the owner well.....but it seemed to me he was quite devoted to his sim......hosted fantastic theme parties and started a RP group that I wish i got involved in. But...alas....my fiancee has somewhat of an issue with SL and out of respect for him...and for my RL....I curb my time in world.

Anyway....the noticed stated that the owner was closing the sim due to harsh words spoken to him by some of his friends/partners. I don't know who....and that isn't even the point......he has a chronic illness that limits his time in-world....and a family to attend to IRL. In my opinion....it's phenominal that he even continued with things....and demonstrates a labor of love. He was so hurt by what was said.....and that people were demanding more time from him in-world.......and also that noone contributed to the financial end...yet apparently still felt entitled to make demands and bla bla bla....

This really really struck a chord in me. I truly don't understand how anyone feels they have the right to make demands on anyone else's time in SL when all of us have lives outside of SL......and probably already make sacrifices just to maintain any kind of life in SL at all. I know for many it's an escape....for others it's an alternative due to physical limitations........but still......we're people at PC's and laptops.....our phones ring....our kids need us....our spouses need us....dogs need to be fed and let out.....work needs to be done....bills need to be paid.....and you get the idea.

So I'm asking a really honest and serious question......what makes a person feel at ALL justified in making demands any another person in the context of SL? Why do [some] people become so childish and so insensitive to others real lives. It bothers me that something like this can happen......and to someone who has put their heart and soul into creating a haven in SL for 'anyone' to enjoy. How is it that we can become so foolish.....just because we are dealing in pixels?

There are pushy/demanding/selfish/insensitive people in both RL and SL. Their mommas didn't raise them right, that's all... can't be helped.

I hope your friend doesn't come to see all of SL as a bad experience because of the bad actions of a few.

you could have made the post a lot shorter by just simply asking...

why do some folks feel they can make demands on others in SL...

as said in the other post, it happen in SL and RL

the only way to know why, is to ask those who do it.

(I wish I knew... but I don't)

I feel that if you have a sim and your group has 1500 members that enjoy what you have developed - that these people could contribute $54Linden (.20 cents a month) to the tier of the island.

We hate to see our favorite places disappear so I believe in paying for my membership. There is a Membership machine on SLX http://www.xstreetsl.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=1095102. And it reminds you to pay your dues.

But also about people expecting your time in SL: When someone commits some time to a SL project or activity I do believe that they are responsible to follow through.


.

One fine day, Green Dot was born into the big, fascinating world.

It was a beautiful, amazing place. Young Green Dot went here and there, discovering each new, exquisite part of the world with delight. Fascinating places, things... always a new distraction!

One day, Green Dot found a place in the world so remarkable, so delightful, so happy... Green Dot decided to call it Home.

The enthusiasm was infectious. Green Dot was loved, and had found a place to be.

What's more, there were others just like Green Dot who felt the same. It was a great time!

After a while, though, Green Dot began to explore out and about, beyond Home. Home was best, but home lacked one little detail. Home no longer had that shiniest of properties, New.

And New was so delightful! Anything that was New was always growing, changing, surrounded by love and enthusiasm! Home was Home, but why be Home if you could experience New?

All was fine, except... Home was feeling a little lonely. Where was the love? Home couldn't constantly be New, though it tried and tried.

Green Dot was sympathetic, but honest. "Home, you just aren't New. If you want to have the warmth of my presence, you'll have to change constantly! For the fact of the world is, that New is the shiniest of all, and there is always more New every day! This is simply the truth of the world."

Home wasn't having it. True, it was nice to have Green Dot around, in fact, without Green Dot, there was very little reason to exist any more. But this was impossible! One can't be New forever! No amount of magic would ever do it.

Finally, Home lashed out at Green Dot. And in so doing, Green Dot left Home forever, in search of a New Home. For there always was another New Home.

* * * * *

Days went by. Weeks. Months. Old Home was long gone, and mostly forgotten... having quickly faded to pixel dust long ago.

Green Dot saw a great deal of the world, many wonders and many places.

After a few years, Green Dot was yet again in a New place. "Oh, this is nice, except the grass isn't really quite so green..." Green Dot thought. "And everyone here seems to have stars in their eyes... it's an okay place, but as far as New goes, it's just... Ordinary New."

But that wasn't the opinion of everyone else. This was the bestest place ever! Perhaps Green Dot was just grumpy, and old, yes, that was it! Sighing, Green Dot moved on as before, a bit world-weary. Green Dot started to appear a bit jaded.

One day, Green Dot came across an old, old friend, Yellow Dot. "I haven't seen you in ages!" It had been a long time. They shared memories, tales of the intervening years, and eventually... spoke of Home.

"Maybe we just had stars in our eyes too." said Yellow Dot. "Perhaps we did." said Green Dot. "But that doesn't make it any less valid."

Yellow Dot became quite sad. "Is there any going Home again?"

"I suppose not." Green Dot suddenly understood, now. For Home was always inside the heart, and no number of pixels or prims could ever bring it back. Even if it were recreated *precisely*... as was totally possible in this world, it would only be a replica, a memento.

"Don't despair!" said Yellow Dot. "There is only one thing more wonderful than going Home, and we can do it still."

"What's that?" wondered Green Dot. "I would do it immediately if I could."

* * * * *

And thus, Yellow Dot and Green Dot started their own Home, throwing the doors open wide. It was nothing like their old Home, but the distraction of creating it took away the sadness for a while... and best of all... it was New.

Other young Dots came from far and wide, stars in their eyes, delighting in the wonder of it.

For Yellow Dot and Green Dot had become talented, experienced and wise in their travels, and knew exactly what other Dots liked.

And when the new young Dots began to wander afar, or become unruly and demanding, Yellow Dot and Green Dot were philosophic.

"Young Dots, you may return to this place as you please, we shall not change or ever be unwelcoming." they said.

"But you will never be able to come Home again once you cross that threshold, no matter how hard you try."

Something evil in me wants to fully quote the previous post.

LMAO Alvaro....

Ok ok.....Desmond that was a most wonderful little tale, thank you!! You guys are right...obviously...people can be selfish in any context....I certainly get that.

I guess my own thoughts are the same.....but it still was a shock, finding out this guy had felt so badgered he quit. he did say in his note that he was quitting SL for good....and hey....if he's that sick and he can't keep it going, then so be it....noone is 'entitled' to expect it of him.

I would so love to be able to afford an entire island......I have all the plans in my head already......and if I could do it....i wouldn't expect anyone else to contribute. If I had the $$$ to throw at it......then it would be on me to maintain it. (and change it when ever I felt the shininess had grown dull lol) Maybe this guy's mistake was trying to do it all himself....believing he could. So be it.

Funny tho.....the people I have connected the most with in SL are folks like myself who are busy IRL and take SL with a healthy grain of salt.....no big expectations from others....but plenty of warmth and sincerity when we do run into each other.

That story was so perfect desmond.....SL does seem to be a world full of shiny new.....a constantly evolving galaxy of prims.....and that's what i love about it. I'm an explorer at heart.

oh my Desmond.. that was epic...
sad..
poignant
even a little ironic..







when is season II coming out?

*applauds Desmond*

I think the semi-anonymity of SL brings out the unintentional bad side of many of us in the same way that we have road rage and can say -- or yell -- things while protected behind safety glass we would never say in public.

The computer screen becomes like the safety glass of an automobile and it is too easy to forget the people on the other end are not all the same faceless mass.

Do we not make similar demands of the Lindens in these forums for instance?

Dude that was iconic. Seriously.
I wish I could put that in my signature.

Fantastic tale Desmond.

QFT

Well put Weston....I do agree. I try like hell to maintain my integrity in-world.....and I guess what bums me out the most about the above situation....is that I didn't get more involved with the sim (I wanted to) because RL takes priority and I wouldn't promise what I can't deliver. Not in SL.....not IRL. But I'm also a realist...I know dam well that my attitude is not exactly the norm in SL.

The semi annonimity of the internet coupled with the lack of privacy in SL can make for uneasy situations, that's for sure.

Outstanding piece of writing, Desmond. Thank you!

When they turn Desmond's story into a major Hollywood motion picture, who do you see playing the Green Dot?



Colin Farrell, BABY!

ahh these many years ago now, almost 5, that's like 21 years in real life right??
SL was such a different place, people helping people, get started, finding neat things, green dots exploring and learning..then came bling...

Sorry but at times i find SL full of spoiled brats, worried about only themselves and their good times, and to hell with the ones paying for it for them.

I hope your friend remembers theres alot of great wonderful green dots left in SL that truly appreciate all he does, and what time he can devote to being online..and stays. Maybe someday, the selfish blingy dots will move along and we will have nirvana once again

I was just there.... the sim has been wiped clean, and is up for sale. I can't even express how sad that makes me... it was a unique and beautiful place, I'm sorry to see it gone.

One of my fav places celebrated its second rezzday the other weekend .. that's like a century in SL right? So many places go. Nice places, great places that have hosted great times. Some places with seemingly no visual means of revenue earning, how do they pay the tier?!?

Desmonds story is brill. I was Green Dot. I filled my picks and maxed on groups and still wandered high and low, never knowing what I'd be doing next. New was a drug. Time was never enough.

I've just had a lot more time on my hands so I logged in, enthralled, excited. Maybe I've maxed out, mebbe too much time but New has lost its lustre. Green dots make it better, no matter where, New or Old, green dots bring up the shiny again.

But in this virtual word where we're safe behind our screens, it is easy to forget it's the same wide spectrum of other people out there, even as green dots, with their equally wide spectrum of character, good and bad.

It's too easy to think when you login, "I'm entering Utopia"

Sorry cinda, the clock isn't going to get turned back.

Pep (And nostalgia ain't whet it used to be either . . . )

If you havn't already, tell him you liked his sim and appreciated his work.

It happens all the time. Not just your favorite sim, Milla. Many wonderful places have gone away due to Drama and/or lack of support. The SS Galaxy. Privateer Space. My own little greek village at Lebettu. Ray Figtree's place. The club where I had my first job.

Tale pictures, people. Sooner than you think, they and your memories will be the only thing you have of some of the wonders you enjoy so much today.

And, while you have them, show your support. Tip performers and donation jars and boxes generously.

(We really need to find a way to get away from the cultural mindset that says everything in SL should be free. It's possible to charge admission to places, but almost no one does...because then nobody would come).

I have never understood that and I don't think the Lindens understand that either. If the place is really nice people would pay, $L1, or 5 or even more. I did an experiment when I had my little 512. It was setup as a nice relaxing and pretty garden in an otherwise dreary sim. I put up a sensor to detect who was in the area and then charged $L1 admission. A decent amount of visitors to the area did pay the admission and a few came back multiple times. Admittedly this was during the time where everyone had payment info on file and 500 weekly stipends(or more).

There used to be a drum circle and elven garden for years in SL and the owner ended up shutting it down when LL took away dwell. We never did understand why he didn't at least try to charge admission. My friends and I would have gladly payed.

Aww... glad everyone liked the tale



Why, it is in progress already...



I've not followed up on the simmering, unspoken romantic tension between Green Dot and Yellow Dot.

Nor Yellow Dot's little Zyngo habit, or the incident regarding the mysterious, suave, seemingly wealthy Gold Dot, a regular visitor to their otherwise happy area.

I leave that story to be completed by all of you, if not here in writing, then with your own experience...