What SL Has Made Me Learn

Berry's question this week is about the things you learned because of Second Life, either professionally or personally.

* Passwords :D  -- 

Well right before I went to see what today's idea was Google wanted me to log in again. It had been many months of course and now we have ONE password for everything. Unfortunately there was a security breach (looks like eleven months ago) and I changed my long time password. Happily I had the revised version in the new PASSWORD CARD FILE.

I have so many more passwords now than I did when I entered Second Life and most have to do with blogging or photos or sharing photos etc etc. You get the idea.

* Inventory Systems -- 

You can't have a large inventory and blog without a good inventory system; at least I can't imagine how one could. While I used to keep my inventory at around 15,000 purposefully; now with business items and LEA7 that is pretty much impossible. So I usually hover around 45,000.

I have a lot of things I can discard now -- like texture clothes that won't work on my ILOVEITSOMUCH Maitreya Mesh body. So I could get that number down. But honestly I am so very busy with all the things I really need to do, I imagine that won't happen.

Maybe in a year I'll just delete all my texture garments. I haven't left my "Come on Chic Show Me Some Skin" mesh body since I purchased it. Unlike Berry I find it is fast and easy to adapt to most things and seldom do I find a new outfit or even an old that doesn't work.

* BLENDER (yes in caps)

Blender was a hard one for me. I think it was three years ago now that I gave myself a month of "I will positively stick with this and get it" time. I spent about 40 hours a week for a month and was just barely proficient, but over the years I have continued to learn and now, most times, I can make what I need without redoing.

House, kitchen and everything but the fireplace (legal download) I made in OpenSim

I have even been making Blender Tips and Tricks and putting them on my Google+ Page.  These aren't tutorials, they are thoughts that I have while building and defining my workflow. You can watch the kitchen and dining (not shown in this photo) be born from basic cubes.

*Relationships 

Recently, despite my intent not to, I fell into a virtual relationship. It was difficult and messy and indeed we never know the people behind the keyboard. But, being a smart gal I knew that and being honest with myself I figured it would be worth it. And it was. So no regrets.

But to that end I posted a note on a group yesterday. The GALS got it, and of course it was mostly for me and truly not for any men out there. I am guessing the gals got that too.

So for all of us that have been there a time or two in real or virtual lands, I am pasting it here:

An Open Letter to the Men In My Life

There has been a lot of heartfelt bravery on the group of late. Knowing who is behind the keyboard let's us communicate better in our virtual world. To that end, I am adding my prose to the bits and pieces. Since all but one man (and who knows maybe even him) reads this forum, it pretty well covers the bases.

So to all those who have come before in any world and to those that might follow, here is my open letter.

I can't always be what you need me to be. I can try. I can even want to change, but in the end I will always revert to the woman behind the keyboard.

She is a strong, smart, talented and trustworthy gal. She believes in equality, fairness and keeping secrets, so yours are safe along with others that have been packed away. She believes in relationships that work for both parties, not just one -- and hurting a partner  in the background is not part of her scenario.

She can be flirty and funny, bold and brazen - but she can also shatter, so be careful with her heart.

All these things and more I have learned. I wouldn't have missed a minute of it.