AmandaKeen

For those of us who live with brain injuries or other disabilities that impact our ability to speak clearly or appear “normal”, Second Life is a rare chance to interact with people *without* the stress of being perceived as abnormal, deformed or mentally less-capable by people who hear slurred speech. SL can be a little slice of sanity and a chance to “mainstream” that RL denies to some. My partner knows all about my limitations following a stroke and somehow loves me anyway. People I meet casually in SL and will not interact with outside of friendship have no *need* or special *entitlement* to know. Its really nice to be mistaken for someone “who doesn’t need a little help” So not everyone - who pretends to be what they aren’t - is out to maliciously deceive or take advantage of others.

Actually, in my case I was meeting people in 80’s specific groups 🙂 I suffer from the suspicion that very few Gen-Z gravitate to SL and that the majority of “younger” avatars have typists who are a little further along in life (like me).

I had the best luck looking into groups related to stuff I find humorous.....or age-specific groups where we all "got" each other's humor

Talk to people...... really “talk” as opposed to thinking up a cool line. Initiate conversation, be friendly, repeat.

What Aethelwine said 🙂

Humans need no reason to get angry, so offer them a consolation sandwich and move on 🙂 `I tell MYSELF this on a regular basis......

Y’know, even the most terminally optimistic of us can have days when *STUFF* can (unintentionally) drag us down. It can almost tempt you to retreat back to your “SL Sleazy Stage” for some mindlessness, but then you remember how long that stuff takes to wash off ...... So my activity is that I’m Sitting here reminding myself that I’m a grownup ........ and I’m supposed to make grownup choices... #adultingsucks

Amaranthe - Digital World

I consistently LOVE talking to my SL friends from Australia 🙂 I keep hoping that their cultural awesomeness will rub off on me 😉

Well, I once spoke to someone who seemed “metaphorically” like they might be from Another Planet....does that count? They MUST have been from an alien planet; what they were suggesting was anatomically impossible ........

Lyn, I think the rise in SL’s rep as Sex Life probably drew in more sex tourists than you were used to before; coupled with a decline in “Sex Tourist Destinations” which leaves those folks wandering aimlessly in search of sexxorz. The traditional Club Scene in SL is really not good for meeting people if you want to find a serious relationship. Clubs are largely full of people playing the role (as they perceive it via popular media) of “young people in a club” and that does not usually include much emotional context I have met more interesting people through groups that were not “club” or ‘party” oriented. I like geeky people who have something to talk about; so I have found fun folks everywhere from writer’s groups to a pawky one devoted to the “worship” of that Internet Legend; the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I know another friend who had success by placing a line in their profile stating; “I’m an introvert, TALK TO ME - I need someone to conspire with”

I understand, my emotional response is one legacy of a very determined and technically proficient stalker who decided to make a royal pain of himself. Mainly my resentment is directed at the Platform owner; who was singularly helpless.

Personally, I have wondered why LL sanctions scanners in its official marketplace.

Unfortunately, its very easy to see who’s on and who’s not. The SL marketplace sells any number of Avatar Scanners that can deny privacy to anyone whose avatar system name you add to its list.

(1) Many people come to a wide-open virtual world holding tightly to the prejudices of RL (2) Learn to ignore #1 and have fun anyway 🙂