PheebyKatz

I'm going to have to pull a Berksey, apologies to anyone who isn't ready for it. If a mod thinks this is irrelevant to the topic, they can get rid of my whole post, but I have to say it here, because I'm seeing it here. We have such a community here, that I am glad I found it and I am glad that I've never left it. The sheer amount of helpful information people share with each other in these forums just staggers me. Seeing the experienced members help new people so wholeheartedly when others might say to themselves, "oh, THIS thread again" shows me repeatedly that if there's really a cultural elite on the internet filled with enlightened beings, they are most certainly here, mingling right in with everyone else, and not afraid to guide others unselfishly. I don't even play a guy, but I've been able to help people inworld with things like the OP asked about because people here share what they know and don't just say things like, "oh, we had a thread about this last year, pick something different to talk about". I love this place, and I love you guys. Thanks for being such awesome people. ^-^

I've got two already, so you'll have to catch up to me at the very least.

This is a very valid point. I'm starting to wonder just how much of people's problems come from a lack of empathy, like not even considering what it's like for the other person in whatever interaction they find to be annoying. I'm sure a lot of guys who aren't even trying to pick anyone up, but are just hoping for a good conversation, get tired of being treated like they're some predator on the make, just because people are influenced in the present by their past experiences, and seeing a "hi" out of nowhere presses their cringe button. I don't date, so I know how it is to get IMs from guys and instantly cringe because they might be trying to talk me into something I don't want. But I've also hurt very nice people's feelings before by responding poorly right out of the gate, without even looking to see their profile first. Imagine how foolish I felt the time I lashed out, only to discover it was a nice gay man who had questions about the sim I was on, and figured (correctly) that I was a longtimer there, and a good person to ask. His entire profile was full of stuff about how he wasn't looking for anything with the opposite sex, and I responded to him like he was creeping on me. I was really embarrassed by that one. It also reminded me I'm not the only person in the world who has feelings that should be respected. Maybe we can all simply allow ourselves to be a little less sensitive in bad ways, and a little more sensitive in good ways, seeing as we inhabit a space where if someone does turn out to be a creep, we never have to see them again (block button for the win), and they can't even do anything to us, anyway. Hey, guess what, everybody! It's safe to talk to people! Come to think of it, not even giving people a chance because they're not targeting you specifically but are just fishing for conversation is just as bad as assuming it's not worth your time to type more than "hi" because you'll probably be ignored anyway. It's both sides doing it, and for the same reason. Because others expect their feelings to be cared for from the word "go" but won't reciprocate that sentiment and set the same example for others. It's always "you go first!" like when we were six and a half years old. Like people who insist others must earn their respect, etc., but who act like jerks to everyone. I think we all are guilty of this, at least to some degree. It's called being self-centered. And it sucks.

Sounds a lot better than how I became one. I'm still trying to get that toxic waste out of my clothes.

Posted it before, but doing it again. What? I'm listening to it right now!

Old look, new eyes. I think I'll keep them. They're a pretty bright green, or would be if the sun ever shone where I live. XD

XD I had Jethro Tull on 8-track. As for the DP song, I was cranking it on attached media in Linden Realms, jumping all over and getting kicked by the bot for "flying" when I met Kona Linden. I think it amused him. That or he's just always that fun. XD

I see your Head East and raise you one Deep Purple. Perfect song for SL, too~!

I've always liked this one. Seeing him play it is pretty awesome, too. Not many people venture as far out of the box when it comes to developing guitar technique as he has. ^-^

I can vouch for the complete and utter truth of this. For over seven years, every time I mention something inworld about either the forum or the wiki, I get the same response. "What forum? Wait, there's a wiki?" Even from longtime residents! I don't understand how this is possible! When I first joined, I spent like my first whole month doing research on the forums and the wiki, wallowing in all this information and knowledge about everything in SL, and I still meet people who don't even know how to use the mini map, how to jump onto rooftops, or that they can come here and learn all kinds of stuff. It's not as disturbingly boggling to me anymore, but only because I'm so used to it now. People simply do not realize that SL, just like anything else on the internet, has a forum community and a knowledgebase.

I never knew they could do that, and I'm a group owner and admin. Learn something new every day around here~! Thanks!

A friend of mine told me that in china the over-50s folks have an ancient saying (not kidding, this is an actual ancient Chinese saying), and when I heard it I lol'd. It's even funnier when you consider they've been saying it for over a thousand years. "The young people are taking over." Imagine growing up hearing people say that, and then finding yourself saying it.

I'd be the one to watch. If I was likely to backslide, that is. In my time, I was so awful they didn't even allow people to make an Encyclopedia Dramatica page for me, because it would only have encouraged me. Back in the old PHPBB forum days (when it was the cutting edge, lol), I used to just sit and spend all day testing forums and the admin's security settings, and patches, etc., just to see how long it took me to completely wipe their database. I was also practically unbannable (you could make a million Gmail accounts without a phone number back then). In my spare time, I would cultivate negative reputation points on the few forums that could withstand my presence without collapsing. What can I say, I had lots of emotional issues, and little emotional maturity to balance it out. I was really stupid in how I went about trying to impress people with my supposed coolness and brains. I like to think that nobody is beyond redemption. I mean, if I can get better, maybe anyone can. All I had to do was spiral all the way to the bottom of the toilet, and realize what a fool I was for going there with such hubris. While on the subject of negative rep, I will mention that I'm really super glad there's no negative rep points system here. It just lends itself to assisting the very elements that forums should be trying to eliminate. Give people an official way to be negative, and they will, often completely unwarrantedly, too.

Age is just a number in here, SL makes you free. If anything, it's gratifying when someone thinks I'm the same age as them, and theyre 30+ years younger then me. Makes me feel like I'm still one of the cool kids (lol, I was never actually one of them). I've actually had people call me a liar when I told them I'm over 50 IRL. XD That said, definitely do not fall into the trap of thinking you have to stick to your own age range to find relatable people. When I was little I preferred to hang out with "old" people, because my own age group was kinda... meh. It was the 80s, so yeah. Now over half of my friends are younger than I am, and they don't even know I'm "old". Enjoy this wonderful freedom built into SL, and take advantage of it. You never know who might decide you're super awesome in SL, when in RL they might have assumed you'd have nothing in common due to the whole age thing. Or that you'd never want to talk to them because they're not in the same age range, or whatever. TL;DR: just put the derned mask back on and enjoy the party, the masquerade aspect is kinda almost the whole point. Social barriers like age and ethnicity, etc. are for meatspace. Welcome to freedom.

Most excellent. Dolls are awesome.

This has been a fave since I got the vinyl in the mail as a teenager. I sent him money and he sent me the album, plus a Them Or Us tour t-shirt (as an unasked-for bonus). He was working out of his home, and published all his own music, so it was kinda neat, knowing my record had actually been in his hands. Or Dweezil's hands, at least. I was so excited I sent them a thank-you letter.

Sometimes the same path leads to both, but the effects tend to be a little different. There's posting with nobody liking or responding to your posts, and then there's simply not being able to post anymore. XD Me, I just try to be nice. I hope it shows, and that they consider it whenever they're wondering what to do with me.

TRIGGERED.

Just hope to goodness she's not the one behind the avatar at the strip club. Cos you know, she just might be. If you hear her laughing in the next room the moment you get naked, it's a sure sign something is horribly wrong with your world now. Thanks internet!

I just throw toilets at them, they find it less inherently appealing than free cosmetics. Nobody likes feeling flushed in public.

Update After Much Fiddling Now I have a look fit for Innsmouth and Hallowe'en. Besides my usual scary self. And the monster avis. Fun fact: I can throw my Vanellope plushie and it explodes, scattering lollipop shrapnel and cotton candy smoke everywhere. XD Loads of fun when unsuspecting zombies show up. Ba-BOOM~!

The usual, nothing out of the ordinary.

Relative to my post count, I have huge rep. I have no idea how. I wouldn't worry too much about it, and just have fun. It's probably the best way to obtain and keep a good social credit score, anyway.

He's always paid back cigarettes, and I've never had to get anyone to mess him up in the shower. He's a stand-up guy, and does his own time. Not even in the same gangs as me, and I still got respect for him.