Dave Gets a Life

by Dave

After hanging out at Otium for a couple of months and visiting lots of sims, I began to get attention from others on a more frequent basis.  The attention was very tolerant at first - like when I  crashed inadvertently into a center-stage performer at Guthrie’s and he asked everyone present to forgive me as I was “just a noob”.  But I was still smarting from a public message at my favorite dance club questioning the cleanliness and odor of my clothes - which, of course, I hadn't changed in two months.  I guess it was finally decided that someone should fill me in on how things were done in SL.

                                                               Before

It wasn't really surprising that most of these self-appointed advisors were women.  The consensus among them was that I had walked, ran, and flown my unsightly, jerky stick figure around the sims long enough, and it was time for a change.  This was generally accomplished by a brief introduction, a short tour of favorite sims, then being drug off to shop for shapes, skins, hair, (I’d already nixed vampirism, so teeth weren't an issue), and, of course, clothing.

My first (and most useful) advisor told me I needed to get an AO - in a tone of voice resembling “get a life”.  I was directed to a place where I could get a simple one practically free, so I could see the difference.  Soo . . . I wound up shopping around and spending Lindens (too many, I’m told) on a decent AO.

Next day the same advisor came around to visit.  Seeing that I was making steps in the right direction, she took me in tow to a number of other shopping venues.  I picked up a bunch of stuff on her recommendation, then she had to go.  Later that day, another woman came along and helped me with unpacking.  I was a little concerned when I was whisked off to some sort of nude beach for swingers, then taken to a secluded area there.  She assured me that it was just a place where we could do rezzing without being disturbed.

Well, we sure went through the paces that night.  I learned so much that my head began to hurt and I got really sleepy and complained that it was my bedtime.  She refused to let me go until the job was done, after which she had urgent appointments of her own.

The next day I was again visited by my original mentor, who was glad to see I had unpacked everything (I didn't bother to mention how).  This time I was in for another, longer session.  By the time she was done she had tweaked my shape from head to toe, discarded a score of skins until she found one to her liking, and dressed me in jeans and a plaid lumberjack shirt - which she paid for herself.  I had to admit that I looked considerably more presentable.  The dark-haired lumberjack dude with the well-trimmed beard that I had become was both good-looking and likable.  I sorta liked him myself, though he wasn't really ‘me’ - oh well, I thought, it was a start.

                                                         After

At this point I was feeling uncomfortably indebted to the woman who had taken me through most of this transformation.  I had learned how to shop by now, so I did a careful search on SL Marketplace, found some jewelry I hoped she would like, and sent it to her as a gift.  Man, was I pleased when she told me she loved it!  The downside was that she was in the midst of packing for a long trip and wouldn't be back online for quite some time.  Nonetheless, I felt like I had graduated to a whole new state of SL existence - though I knew I still had a long way to go.

This little story is dedicated to all the kind and thoughtful SL members who regularly help noobs like me through those first difficult months.  Thanks! :)

Dave's Piano Lessons

By Dave (photos by Ellie Rogue)

Feeling weary after another day’s explorations on SL, I teleported  back to Otium and visited the hilltop bar.  One of the most relaxing things for me is to play the piano out on the patio.  I've always struggled with the piano in real life, but there I could watch myself play effortlessly.

I had only been playing a few minutes when someone stopped beside the piano to watch me.  I cammed around and saw an attractive young blonde woman, barefoot in a captivating off-the-shoulder dress.  Checking her profile, I saw that she had a few years on SL, compared to my 45 days at the time - way out of my league.  I just kept on playing.

Imagine my surprise when she hopped up on the piano and sat there as I was playing, exposing a well-turned pair of legs, one bare foot dangling just above the keyboard.

Pretty soon I received an IM from her:

“hi. :)”

“you’re very good on the piano!”

At this point SL was getting more interesting by the minute!  It felt great to receive a compliment from a pretty woman, who cares if we both knew it was unwarranted.  I responded:

“Oh, it’s quite easy, really :)”

“Want to play . . .?”

There was a brief pause, then I got a reply:

“okeh”

I arose quickly from the piano stool to let her take over.  To my surprise, she immediately disappeared!  In the midst of my disappointment another message popped up in her IM box - this one was a teleport offer.  I clicked on it without thinking.

Next thing I knew I was rezzing inside a home.  The room resolved itself into a bedroom.  The blonde woman was perched on the bed, her clothes rapidly disappearing.  Another IM message arrived from her:

“get on.”

Whoa, I thought, I’m in way over my head here!  Not wanting to make a fool of myself, I replied:

“Hey, I’m just a newbie . . . I don’t know anything about this part of SL.”

The response was swift:

“that’s okey . . . I’ll show you how it works.  don’t worry, i’m really a man :).”

Well, I must have stabbed at that Otium “teleport” button on my Favorites menu 2 or 3 times before I finally hit it to get out of there.

Safely back on the hilltop patio, I settled into a rocking chair and looked out over the islands, thinking about what had just happened to me.  By this time I could see the humor in my recent encounter - but I decided that the next time I asked someone if they wanted to play, I would not forget to add ‘the piano’ - and I vowed to remember that things aren’t always what they seem.

Hanging out at Otium - Serena Long Cay

Hanging out at Otium - Serena Long Cay

by Dave

Like most newcomers, my first few days on SL were a mixture of bewilderment, wonder, and fascination.  Somehow I wound up at Otium - perhaps because it was listed among the “newcomer friendly” sims. The picture on the teleport icon looked nice.

The island beaches, the sounds of surf, and the chatter of seagulls were a welcome experience to someone who didn't really know which way was up.  So I hung out for awhile - learning how to navigate, playing on the swings, and  watching the pretty women pass.  I even managed to get up to the hilltop bar – on the third try.  First time I sailed off a cliff and landed in the bushes.  Second time I somehow got stuck under the stairs and couldn't get out - until someone came along and suggested I teleport back to the original landing pad and start all over.  Brilliant idea, that.  Better than my next idea, which was flying up.  I finally managed to land in a heap on the roof of the bar.   I picked myself up, gratefully noting that my avatar was not so easily damaged.  Feeling braver at this point, I simply walked off the roof and tumbled onto the front porch.  Not my most graceful entrance, but I figured it was a start.

I began exploring the nearly endless variety of the other sims, scrounging for information and advice along the way and trying to learn how to keep from running into objects - and other avatars, most of whom didn't seem to want to talk to me.

Strolling across the sands of Otium one day I ran into something new:  A large, colorful button on the ground that said “Free Chute”.  Figuring I had nothing to lose, I clicked on it.  Next thing I knew I was high above the sim, perched precariously on a small grey rock.  I turned around and saw a black runway with green arrows pointing off the rock. Thankfully, I also saw a glowing white triangle announcing, “Left click me for a free parachute!”.  Now, my RL self had always wanted to try skydiving, or at least hang-gliding.  Unfortunately, I also have an abject fear of heights.  I figured this was my big chance, so I suited up and followed the green arrows.  Suddenly I was spreadeagled in free fall, the z-axis meter on my location ticking away madly . . .

Finally a blue sky came into view.  I wheeled around in free fall and saw the islands coming up at me, somewhat faster than I would have liked.  Just then my chute popped open.  I steered back in toward the “Free Chute” button on the ground and managed to land pretty close to the spot where I’d left.  My first skydiving experience!  Of course, I had to do it again . . .

Photos by Ellie Rogue