And the Year Turns

I turn SEVENTEEN today I am feeling chatty.  

2024 hasn't been the best for  lot of folks. Corporeal life or virtual and sometimes both have not been kind. Some of this was expected (well for me anyway) and some very much a surprise. There were a few high points and I am clinging to those as we move into a new year. 

I have a few long time creator friends on my oh so tiny (really REALLY tiny) friends list. Some are second tier creators like me and some are the best crafters on the grid.  And the word from them is that this last year has been dismal.   

There are plenty of things we can point to.  Aging populus with hefty inventories that really don't NEED anything, the overabundance of events which are being filled by less talented creators (good for the new folk, not so much for the shoppers) and the ever-present increasing number of weekend sales.  I said when this trend started that it was a doomsday scenario and it is. 

Add to that wars, recessions, tariffs, political unrest --- and it is, well depressing.  

Some of my creator friends are eating ramen noodles in order to pay tier, others are having meltdowns (their words not mine) and still others are burned out from trying and slipping backwards each month.  Quite a few well-respected creators are thinking of or  planning to retire . One is in "I am out of here tomorrow" mode. This is not good in any sense. 

If you are a creator reading this and it all sound familiar -- you are NOT alone.  And it is NOT about talent as the best creator that "I" know is not making close to a living wage --  more like pennies per hour.  

   

What can we do?  Well first, recognize that this is happening and second think about how SL would be without some of our top creators.  Personally I don't want to see that happen.  

Last year at this time I downsized from a half sim to a 2048 plot later adding a couple of 1024 lots to serve as both blogging backdrops and demo pads.   I had previously quit events;  if I didn't profit by 10K linden when participating it wasn't worth it to me.  And this year?  Aside from some major RL downers it was good. I made more virtual profit this year than the year before. 

DOWNSIZING IS NOT A DIRTY WORD!!!!

We only have so much time on this planet so think about how you want to spend yours. Creating things YOU want for your own pleasure and maybe selling them to folks who appreciate your work  or keep on the hamster wheel of non-profitable events and impressive but not paying for themselves plots?

I have already made changes so MY resolution for the year is not to shop the weekend sales. I do it rarely but not at all is better.  We need to think further down the timeline and the consequences of our actions.   At least that is my opinion.

There are some other bits of news that serendipity brought together this week and I will report info when it it becomes more concrete. 

In the meantime celebrate with family, friends and loved ones and hold good thoughts that 2025 will be a bright and shiny year.