Who was your first benefactor? (Thank you for helping me as a newbie!)

[Harper Beresford]

Madelaine McMasters reminded me from her post that we all have a fairy godmother or godfather in SL who made us the avatars we are today, who rescued us from newbie life. I would like to acknowledge those who helped me:

1. Oboe somethingorother showed me how to work the Lucky Chairs through PopFuzz so I could get swag to add to my Free Dove items. I still have a rainbow dress that I got in a LC that wins me every ugliest dress contest I attend.

2. Ireland Barrymore, probably disgusted by my bling and freebies, gave me my first 500L and took me shopping at Artilleri. Thank you, Ireland, person the longest on my friends list.

3. A woman whose name escaped me took me and gave me 1000L to buy my first Gala skin. Gosh, I wish I remember her name....That was way too generous!

4. Dirk Talamasca introduced me to Raven Pennyfeather. Raven changed my SLife and my real life by allowing me to work for her at RFyre and by being a dear friend.

5. Heather Rau took me shopping, taught me about my shape, encouraged me to buy boy hair, and generally tolerated newbie me for a long time.

[JeanneAnne]

I had the absolutely best luck in having met, on my very first day in SL, my wonderful friends Dream Decosta and Kallisti Enoch. They have been nothing but cordial, generous, helpful and loving towards me and I appreciate them SOOOooooo much that I can never thank them enough for all they've done for me. thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU my dear sisters Dream & Kalli!!!

This past weekend I met a 1st day newbie in a blues club. I befriended her & helped her to touch the dance annie ball & told her about Freebie Galaxy & other stuff. But I couldn't help but feel that I'd had all the luck, not her. My very first day I met Dream & Kalli and her first day she only met me.

Jeanne

[Ceera Murakami]

A furry named "Yiffy Yaffle" walked right up to me when I first landed in the sandbox of "The Forest" sim, and immediately helped me to locate the store in the sim where I could get a furry avatar, told me where the local free stuff depot was, and most importantly, told me where in the sim was the parcel that a dear friend of mine considered her home, enabling me to become a decent-looking furry and high-tail it for my friend's parcel, so I could meet up with her in SL for the first time.

And I am indebted of course to Mariko Saito, who was the friend I came here to join, and who taught me much about SL.

And also to one dear male fur, who shall remain nameless, who showed me how pose balls were used. (And who inadvertantly showed me how not to use them as well. Some of the results had me laughing, instead of feeling 'frisky'.)

[Apple Pumpkins]

Hehe although I'm still quite new myself I would like to have a massive shout out to Tant Ellisson, Kode Ellisson, Kylene, Kysersozee Mynx and Estatica. They rescued me from newbie life and have put up with my many stupid questions over the months. They taught me everything and anything I wanted to know about SL. They took me around stores to kit my avatar out, showed me how to build, tips of the trade, and so much more.

I can't quite remember the name of the Sim but it was a place with chairs, and you would sit in a chair if the letter your name begun with came up, and you would get free clothes. I think I got some Delerium clothes and Quicksilver. It was very amusing! You're all so generous and I love you all!

[Faithless Babii]

On my third day in SL back in Jan 2007, I met Tracey Sassoon of ALady, she gave me a pile of shapes shed made and also took me to a hunt for hair (Taunt, I think it was called) Being new and not realising a thing..I deleted the shapes after trying them...DOH. I've worn her shapes ever since though ! (she even made some for me so I could retain my facial features through pregnancy)

Reg Simca, my neighbour on my first piece of land 2007- he patiently showed me how to build my first home and then built me a home to live in.

A guy who shall remain nameless , who in my first week gave me 3000L to buy clothes & manicures and hair (I think it was from Brit) and my first ever Curio skin aww !

Ive tried to repay their kindness over the last 4 years and help where I can.

 

 

[Peggy Paperdoll]

Day one I met my best friend in SL.  It was her 3rd day and we both were wondering around Ahern all dazed and confused.  We hit if off immediately and together got into a lot of trouble.  We got adventurous and wound up at some Info Hub that had bushes where we would change our clothes (thinking we were hidden).  A couple weeks of that and I decided to go premium and she did the same a week or so later.  I got my First Land and we learned how to put a prefab house on it and had a real place to change clothes.  She never did buy land but lived on my land ever since...........we had fun decorating it (all the while remaining within the 117 prim limit).  She still has a platform 1000 meters below mine.  I probably would have left SL if it weren't for her adventurousness.  BTW, we found out that we lived less than 7 miles from each in RL..........we are also best RL friends.

 

Then there was a club owner named Trix Zuma.  It was a raunchy club that had dance poles on it.  I thought I had a job..........I later learned it was camping.  I could earn 3 lindens every 10 minutes.  I thought I was so rich when I added it to my weekly premium stipend.  I could buy some of that fancy new prim hair.  He was nice to Gina and I (Gina's my best SL friend I met on day one) because we were just about the only ones who actually interacted with his "customers"........he could come in about once every two weeks and put up a money ball and everyone would randomly get anywhere from $L1 to $L100.......it was the lottery for us.  Plus I met some really nice people there who put up with my newbie skin until I could afford a good one.  Taugh me how to do gestures and where to go for quality dances (Sine Wave).  It was the beginning of my brief foray into the stripping business.

 

And probably one of the most helpful of all the people who got me going in SL.........Sara Nerd.  She found Gina and I one day at Ahern and gave us a landmark to her new club.  At the time I thought Sara was one of the most experienced builders in SL.............I mean she had a club that she build herself.  That's where I went to have fun.  Someone was always playing a joke on someone.  The music was great and everyone was more than geneous with their time and knowledge for all us newbies.  I remember Sara telling us that she was going to own a sim someday (and I remember thinking "yeah, right").  She did...........and much much more.  She became one of the most honest land barons in SL.  She helped everyone along the the path to her success in SL...........and she formed the basis for how I try to treat every newbie I run into.  Generous with much more than her lindens.......it's time and patience that are much more valuable to new people.

[Tamara Artis]

On my first few days, when I was wandering around a freebie place all alone and "buying" everything, I met a vampire, Connel Couturier. He took me to Sophistishapes and bought me my first shape, then to Laq for my first skin. Then he introduced me to his friend, polly Barrineaux  who gave me nice clothes and hairs. They gave me home and explained everything, also explained that I can't make my own money because I'm too young, so he was giving me lindens to go shopping.

Second guy I met, was some master, Eimages Oxigen, who explained me what the collar is and never to accept it. Also about slaves and rp. But he wasn't my master, just wanted to help.

And the first lady who hired me to be a model in her shop, I think her name was Diane Writer but I'm not sure cause she nicely told me she is going to defriend me because I was sending massive tps when I started to work in one club lol

 

[JeanneAnne]

---

Tamara Artis wrote:

Second guy I met, was some master, Eimages Oxigen, who explained me what the collar is and never to accept it. Also about slaves and rp. But he wasn't my master, just wanted to help.

---

LoL Tamara, this reminds me of something that happened like my 1st or 2nd week in SL.

I was somewhere, minding my own business, and this guy comes up to me & says, "I'm going to collar you, girl!"

And I'm like, "You are?"

He says, "Yes. Follow me." So we TP to this place that sold all this slave stuff. "Pick a collar," he says.

I'm like, "Shouldn't you pick it for me"?

"Oh... Yeah!" he says, and I think 'What kind of master is this?'

So he choses a collar, pays for it & puts it on me & locks it. Then he starts explaining to me what all I have to do to activate it. He says that he will do if for me if I give him access to my account. I think about this then tell him, "Know what? Cya.." and TPed home. He starts bombarding me w/ IMs, of course, until I get tired, log off & go to bed.

Next day I get an IM from a woman asking me who I am & how come her husband gave me access to their land. I say that I didn't even know that I had access to their land. Then it dawns on me & I tell her that her husband must be the guy I stole the slave collar from. I proceed to tell her the story & she thinks it's funny. We had a good time chatting, largely about what a doof her husband is! She says that they actually are looking for a slave girl & I tell her that I wouldn't mind RPing their slave girl some Saturday afternoon but that no way am I going to activate that collar. She understands & we part company friends.

That evening I go dancing w/ my friends out over the water. I'm still wearing that collar, they notice it & it's like "OMG! You've been collared!"

I say "Naw, not really. I stole this collar." Then I explain what happened & everyone laughs about it.

"That's one way to get free jewelry," I'm told. I still have that collar in my inv & wear it sometimes, kinduv as a trophy. I don't believe in stealing, mind you, but in this case, I felt like that doofy Dom guy needed to be taught a lesson! :matte-motes-big-grin-evil:

EDIT: Btw Tamara, you don't happen to be related to Berry Artis, do you?

[Tamara Artis]

hahaha thats a great story JeanneAnne! And he definatelly deserved it lol

And about that Artis guy, I'm not aware of any relations but what I've experienced so far in SL wouldn't be surprised if we actually are related!

he looks cute btw

[Lyra Blackthorne]

Alerie Darkes of the old Diversity Hair store: She gave noobs a free set of hair...and back then almost nothing good was free.  I tried to lift the hair up a bit to fit my avatar and it ended 10 feet from my body and I could not figure out how to get it back.  Alerie too pity on me, gave me another free hair and helped me learn to position it

Dawna Zeno, I can't remember the name of her shop but she had a little camping area in front of it where I would sit with other nooblets to earn lindens...I was saving for a good skin.  Dawna would sit with us and answer our SL questions which helped me learn to navigate the world.  But, mostly it was her enthusiasm for SL, her joyful energy that probably kept me in SL long enough to find my way in the world

Persia Christensen, my business partner and longest SL friend.  Persia came to SL a bit before me and I was a fan of the tats she was selling.  One day she made a shape to sell and gave it to me as a gift...that one shape changed both our worlds.  I ended up joining her business and that is what has kept me in SL since 06

[Nimil Blackflag]

a wonderful woman named minx who passed away in rl at the end of 06, gave me my first job as a dancer and dj at her club when i was a noobie. she was very kind to me and i thought of her as a mother figure.

a jerk who will remain nameless inspired me to take photography in sl seriously, pretty much the only thing i can fondly remember from him.

 

[JeanneAnne]

---

Tamara Artis wrote:

hahaha thats a great story JeanneAnne! And he definatelly deserved it lol

And about that Artis guy, I'm not aware of any relations but what I've experienced so far in SL wouldn't be surprised if we actually are related!

he looks cute btw

---

Berry is my SL bf, or was. I haven't talked to him in awhile. He's sweet but we live in way different timezones and speak different languages. He's also kinduv possessive. I guess we're through so if you want to date him, feel free! ..so far as I'm concerned.

[Melita Magic]

Prokofy Neva because this person owned Ross, which was my home location for a long time. 

Miaterzia Parx, who also  used to rez there, and was friendly and chatty, and made the place feel more homey. Talked to me about her free translator that she made. We sometimes helped noobs together later on.

The people in the park group, for being the first go to people who were always sane.

Same with some from the forums and forum cartel group.

A guy from a roleplay sim who gave me a role as Duchess and my first non hub home location. I'm sad to say I can't remember his name offhand.  When the Zindra changes came about and he decided to go age-verified only, I left, and that marked the beginning of being a land owner for me.

From there I tried to help others instead. Qie Niangao for being the first key person to help me do that!

[Jenni Lefevre]

Lynda, my RL aunt.  She told me about SL and once I decided to give it a try she gave me some L$s and took me shopping to get me set up with all the basics I needed to get passed my noob stage.    She gave me a place to call home, and still does, and kept an eye on me while I learned the ropes.  

She's done the same for others, both friends of ours who have joined SL over the years and complete strangers she's encountered in her SL travels.  And she's encouraged all of us to do the same whenever we could.

I know I'm more than a little biased since she RL family, but she's always been the type of person to help out others where she can.  So whether it's  in SL or RL I think she sets a pretty nice example of the way we should try to treat one another.

 

[Void Singer]

MunchFlower Zaius, not only helped outfit my newbness, but also gave me tips on skin creation.

Carricre Wind, for space and commissioning of several of my earliest scripting jommercial jobs and products

Firiel McGann, for being and endless source of ideas and cuteness.

many others whom shall remain unnamed (for their own privacy) whose friendship, moral support and caring kept me coming back.

[kattatonia Wickentower]

Quite Oh: A wonderful volunteer at NCI Kuula taught me how to cam and how to manipulate prims and she took me shopping for my first AO. She also gave me such helpful hints as always walk a few steps upon landing after a tp so that people won't land on your head.

 

[Jumpman Lane]

Lady Dawson was like the Emperor to my Darth Vader! she tawt meh how to use the force and turned me over to The Dark Side! 

 

She taught me style, grace, wit, history, tactics, strategy, poise, diction, & how to shoot pix when windlight was in beta! 

[Jumpman Lane]

by the by im startin a noob army like them vampies in twilight:eclipse! I will not rest until all the people named Resident are clones of me! 

[Tari Landar]

I first joined SL ages ago, but didn't like it. I returned(on multiple different avs) over the years, but still didn't like it, lol. I aquired a lot of junk that way and over the years have passed it from one av to the next. (my very first accounts are all long gone now).

But once I decided to come here for good, transitioning with friends from another game, those are the friends who actually helped me navigate the world at first and find hair/skin/clothes places. Before that I had only wandered the grid, really. I wore only newb stuff, changed my clothes on the roof of a castle no one used and pretty much just wandered aimlessly. I won't name them because I'm not so sure they want that, but they know who they are, and they know how thankful I am for their kindness and support. One of those friends is the person who taught me how to build. He wasn't very nice about it, his approach was rash and sometimes really unkind. But once you get to know him, you understand why, lol. It's just how he is (and despite what he wants people to think, he's not a total jerk, he's an amazing friend to those who need him, even though I haven't talked to him since 09-ish, I still remember the good times, even if he claims there never were any )

There is a much larger crowd of people that I like to thank just as much though. It's because of them that Sl is fun, even when it's not fun. The people who allow me to help them. The people who buy my stuff, even when it's not all that great-I'm always learning. The people who ask for help, ask me questions, make me think, and allow me to assist them. They give me far more than most others could. I thoroughly enjoy helping other people-and if I can't help them, I find them help. It's really one of my favorite things to do in sl, to be honest. That's not to say I take every newbie I find out and outfit them with the latest and greatest. But I really do enjoy passing on lms, products, freebies, advice, tales only experience can give me, and such.

When we first came to sl(I say we because it was a really large crowd of us that came here from a game elsewhere on the net), a lot of the people had never been here before. I had, but not with much luck and certainly not for more than a week or two at a time, lol. We'd meet together on a specific land and we had all sorts of adventures. There was a smaller crowd of us, we tended to be more "misfits" than anything else, lol. It became apparent that some of the things others were interested in, we were not(which is awesome, of course). We banded together, a lot, lol. We brought in a bunch more people from this other game. As people trickled in, we'd gather together and go on field trips. Those were some of the best times ever. We visited sims that have long since gone away We went to haunted houses, amusement parks, zoos, the eiffel tower, africa, sims full of ruins, boardwalks, arcades, clothing/hair/skin/junk stores. You name it, we probably went there. We had a blast. We're darn lucky we never got kicked out of places, we weren't always the best behaved people(not that we caused trouble per se, just a little unruly, lol). Maybe people saw our rez dates and took pity on us thinking we were newbs, lol. We'd have great fun right there on the land(owned by the station I dj'd for at the time, and most of the people we hung out with were dj's there too). Dance parties, events, at one time there was a club. We learned all sorts of skills together. Late nights, grid wide hunts of all sorts, many of us joined RFL in SL together and really had a blast with most of that too...the list is really endless. Quite a few of us grew closer and closer, we knew/know rl names, addresses. We sent christmas cards, talk in other areas outside of sl, etc.. Basically, we became family. A family by choice, not by blood, but family nonetheless.

Times were simpler then. Most of us have since parted ways, or we only speak periodically, but(at least for me) most of the friendships remain as tight as they ever were, despite the distance and lack of time spent together. We've mostly all moved on to our own little corners of the world. But I think fondly, quite often, on the times we had. There were good, bad, and downright ugly, but I wouldn't change any of them for all the linden on the grid.

[Peewee Musytari]

Cha Chama - He is only 10 days older than me, but had just built his first sim to do rentals on & one of his tenants had made him t-shirts with his logo & given me one because I had no clothes. Cha came by and saw me in the t-shirt & gave me 100L for advertising for him, I thought I was rich!! lol

He went on to build a magnificent kindom of about 10 sims, they were all beautiful. Sadly now gone like so many in SL, but if you are still around 5 years later Cha, I never forgot you & *waves*

PS. I still have the t-shirt too lol ..That was made by Bell Clellon, who is still on my friends list.

[Deltango Vale]

I am deeply indebted to several people who not only helped me at the beginning, but enabled me to appreciate the depth and grandeur of Second Life.

First, of course, is Ceera Murakami, who not only tolerated my gross nativity as I flitted about her home, but kindly afforded me the opportunity to get my bearings in Second Life. Her generosity and gentility - and peerless fashion sense - set the standard for me in terms of social etiquette.

Epignosis Thunders, another kind and generous soul, taught me the land business early on. I blush remembering the million questions I asked him almost daily - all of which he answered patiently. He was a good neighbor and friend for many years before RL blessed him with a new career and a family.

JR Unknown was my guiding light in business. Seldom have I met a businessman of greater honesty and integrity. Those were early days when I was limited to US$250 maximum purchases. Based on his sterling reputation, I sent him several thousand US dollars via PayPal to purchase land. He was good as his word, enabling me to buy a home in SL that would have otherwise slipped away.

Stillpink Sandgrain taught me humility. Never have I met such a remarkable woman - full of life, always cheerful - regardless of the terrible difficulties in her RL. During her final year, suffering the tortures of cancer, not once did she complain. She kept joy in her heart up to the last second. She set an example to me, which I try to emulate as best I can, but I always fall short. Yet, whenever I become an idiot, I see her Tiny avatar doing somersaults, laughing and playing, which shames me deeply. For that reason, she will sit on my shoulder for the rest of my life, forever remembered, forever respected.

Zane Legion was my long-suffering business partner. If ever there was a man who withstood my petulant mood swings, it was him. We eventually went our separate ways (we are still good friends), but he taught me much of the technology I needed to survive as a liberal arts major in a high-tech world.

I have a special place in my heart for Avi Arrow. For many years, I was hostile toward her, but the fault was mine alone. I eventually faced up to my foolishness and apologized sincerely for my behavior. We did not speak much after that, but, a year later, on Christmas Day, she sent me a most wonderful gift of her own design. I was alone that day, online, but completely alone in both worlds. Her gift, out of the blue - a gift of kindness and reconciliation - is one I will always cherish.

There are so many people who helped me in Second Life that I fear boring everyone with a long list. I will say with sincerity that Second Life is indeed a second life, a second chance - a place of growth and revitalization. I thank everyone, past and present, who joined me on that journey.

[Six Igaly]

No benefactors here. I spended my first months on a beanbag at Dusty's (how well payed it was) collecting my first L$ and after that doubled it by playing roulette at 007 (just before gambling was banned). All i needed (and need) to knowI looked (look) up in: help, wiki, fora, blogs, joining groups and eardrop the chats, internet, google, and by talking with people.

I think if there are benefactors in my SL, it are all those creative, intelligent, humerous people i've met, they made and make me want to stay. Also all assholes and retards are my benefactors, they also made and make me want to stay.

Both keeps me inspired

[Cid Jacobs]

Albert Fool - He taught me a lot about scripting, but he ended up leaving Second Life a month later.

Frank Vogel - Watching him build a motorcycle in Morris my first day inspired me to actually stay with Second Life.

Jillian Callahan - She taught me a sense of community here that made me stay longer than most people do.

[Nuuna Nitely]

Nope not all have fairy godmother or godfather in SL. Some of us learned everything by themselves.:matte-motes-smitten:

[cherry Ravinelli]

My rl friend who got me on SL - Biffo Ironclad (although his interest are not mine :-))

A complete stranger, I forgot her name, who befriended me and helped me get shape and skin and gifted me L$ and free hairfiles and spend time with me and showed me around.

The people in my clan (I also am a vampire) Immortal Kinship. Its like family.

More recently people in fashion I met, like Mimmi Boa.