Treasure Ballinger

Awwww *kiss* :matte-motes-bashful-cute-2: I tend to take people at face value. Yes, even in SL! lol I refer to, and call people by the gender they present as, because that is obviously what they want. I'm not in their RL, so there's no real point to me guessing what the 'truth' may be. I've mentored many young black girls in RL, I saw this as kinda the same. If it's not, it's not, I enjoyed sharing my ideas, anyway. . It was nice to see and chat with you too Storm, I should stop by the forums more often. Take care, all. Treas

Well, admittedly that part was odd, the reference to child avatars. I just ignored it and responded to the part I had an affinity for. I didn't see her post as racist because I can feel where she's coming from IN A WAY. She's young, mentioned being in school, etc, and I have a different perspective on it while looking at the same thing she's looking at. When my kid was young, I used to say, we lived in parallel universes. We could look at the same huge mess in his room, I'd be on the rant, he'd look at it and say 'WHAT?'. He just didn't see it the same as I did. This is kinda like that. I realize, that, when I think of African American, in SL, I am not thinking of clubs, hip hop or hangout places. I am thinking of the wondrous content creators, the skin makers that make us so gloriously beautiful, the hair that is realistic, thick, ethnically beautiful. I'm thinking of the African American Museum (see it in my Picks, inworld, to visit). I'm thinking of the ethnic clothing makers that make our dashikis and headgear, I'm thinking of the Africa sim, of the Detroit, and Harlem lands in SL. ...there's lots to the African American experience besides clubbing and hip hop. So, I look on this young sister of mine, kindly, and will hope that her experience grows out of places to party, and expands to embrace everything that encompasses 'being black in America'.

I feel the same about trying to be a white female avatar but am not going to lose sleep over it. You shouldn't either it's just a comfort zone thing!, not a racist thing.

I KNOW Stormie. I wish I could explain in a way to help u understand the phenomenon on a visceral level, as I do. But I don't know how.

Hiya Madelaine, LTNS indeed. I am hoping your post isn't true, for the most part; I'd hate to see us thinking something like, 'I can't be white in RL but I can in SL'. That's a self esteem issue that I hope we're past. I really don't think it's all that deep. Statistics show. (yes I can pony them up if you make me) that whites are numero uno on the welfare rolls, followed by blacks and hispanics. USA stats, can't speak for other places, could be different in other countries. Simple internet search will show you. I think we have just as much ability to acquire a computer as anyone else. Mostly, it's a mindset. My daughter went to college at Xavier, in New Orleans, a black, Catholic college. Having been around mostly blacks all her life, that is her comfort zone, and she continued with that in college. She went to law school at George Washington. Whole new world out there, and for awhile, she was very uncomfortable, as she learned to live, and deal with, people other than blacks. Background makes a huge difference in one's preferences. I can hang out with anybody. I am educated and eloquent. I can also speak ebonics along with anyone else, and what I call 'corner talk'. It's a choice, not a necessity. It's a comfort zone thing, a letting down of your hair, it feels like, 'whew, I'm home'. In the business world, you won't see that in me. It's saved for special social times when I"m with my like-minded. I think really, that is all this OP meant.

*Laughs* Being black myself in both RL and SL, I knew exactly what you meant. You want your comfort zone, your peeps. I'm kind of a loner so don't really 'hang out' much, but when I do I tend to hang out with members of my different groups, and don't know who is really black in RL and who isn't. Well sometimes you 'just know'. This is hard to explain, you probably know what I mean. . If you want to IM me inworld, I can give you some LM's but they aren't really hangouts, more like 'venues' FUBU so to speak.

Being deaf I'd say I already own that device in RL, at least the Mute Button part of it.......:smileyvery-happy:

Glad the responses are positive. Gentle enjoyed making her part of it, and learned a lot of the German language in the process. When she was preparing for it, we were at a conference in Arizona in RL. It was almost time to go to bed, and she said, ok, Treasure, now I am going to practice my German on you. I said ok! I finally fell asleep with her practicing. It was very important to her to show a way that people, including disabled people, use virtual worlds, how important it can be. So many think it's just dress up dolly....... Watching the finished product made me cry, too. . It really is 'Logging into Life'........

It's item #4 under Community Standards.

I log in on my Pocket Metaverse Pro app for iPAD and I am told that I am at home, on my sim. I read notecards, clear IMs chat. And that's it. Oh, look at inventory too. I could TP but why? I can't see anything. I could be naked, wouldnt know So when I login on that thing it's strictly bizness just to get stuff cleared out.

Hi Forum Friends, been awhile since I Posted. I wanted to tell you about the conference Virtual Ability is hosting this weekend. Please do check out the calendar of presentations, and come by if any interest you. Take care....I hope the links work, if they don't, this text is posted at http://virtualability.org also. Thanks! Treasure Virtual World Conference about Real World Rights Virtual Ability, Inc. announces the International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference (IDRAC2011) to be held Saturday and Sunday, July 23/24, in Second Life®. In 2006, the United Nations held a Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The text of the Convention was adopted by the UN General Assembly, and now has over 100 signatory states, including the US and the European Union. Legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is becoming common around the world. However, the June 2011 World Health Organization study, the World Report on Disability, found significant barriers to equal access for persons with disabilities still exist. This international conference will begin to explore legal protections around the world for persons with disabilities. Featured panels of persons from around the world will discuss local legislation that supports the rights of persons with disabilities. Panelists come from Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK. Featured presenters include Scott Gill, Simon Walsh, Sister Abeyante, and Roberta Walker Kilkenny. Gill is Executive Director of Access 2 independence, a Center for Independent Living in Iowa, US; he will talk about the independence movement. Walsh is head of his own consulting firm in the UK; he will compare the US ADA legislation with the UK’s DDA. Abeyante is a Salvatorian Sister; she will discuss advocacy for disability (civil and human) rights. Kilkenny is a college instructor; she will present about the significance of the UN Convention. Presentations by the National Service Inclusion Project and the Job Accommodation Network will highlight disability services available in the US. Other sessions will feature peer support, comedy, and dance, both as part of the affirmation celebration. Presentations will take place in Sojourner Auditorium on Virtual Ability Island within Second Life®: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/54/170/23. The full schedule of confirmed presenters is posted inworld, and at http://virtualability.org/IDRAC2011.aspx. Alice Krueger, president of Virtual Ability, Inc., stated: “It is a great pleasure to host so many wonderful speakers. Our audience will gain information about the extent of the issues facing people with disabilities, and the potentials for solutions to barriers.”

I go to Freebie Beach sometimes, or an info hub, or my own group, Virtual Ability's orientation course and give lindens out when it moves me to do so. Or if I see someone longing for something they can't afford, and I can I'll drop the lindens on them. But it's my dime my time. I'd never want it to be a set day. Treasure

Hiya Drax; see incoming IM from Eme; we're trying to help...... Treasure

Those kinds of rules don't exist on Mainland. Most estates have rules like that but usually not 1000 meters mor like above 350or so. If you are on mainland open "About Land" and click "Covenant". That will tell you all you need to know. There isn't one!

Be sure to visit the VIrtual Ability, Inc owned sim, Health Info Island. It's connected to our New Resident Orientation sim, and has a "Path of Support" with information on most of the support and health related groups and places, in Second Life. New information added as necessary, but it's already huge. If Health and Wellness is your interest, be sure to check it out. Contact Eme Capalini for your support group or health information to be added. Treasure (Hi Forumites, long time no see!) :smileyhappy:

My bear wouldn't rez; no clue why, I was on my own land at the time. But I knew what it was about , and, I thank you very much, anyway! Probably just an SL glitch and I will definitely try again.

Not sure. I don't do FB and other social media. I have a FB page because they forced me to get one, in order to belong to a couple of groups there. It's tied down as tight as I can tie it with zero friends. (YAY!) Friendships in virtual, to me feel closer and more intimate than real. It's easier to open up. That's probably not a good thing. For me it's like that though.

I have something in common with most of my friends. There's one very dear person in RL who I adore, who is at odds with me in every possible way. I am black, Christian, democrat; she's Jewish (but a non-believer by choice) Repub. I'm tall she's short, she cusses like a sailor, (native New Yorker, she says she can't help it it's in her blood). I never swear. She's an avid social media type, FaceBook, Twitter, Former SL but it got too rich for her blood, all that stuff. I don't do FB or Twitter. We've both tried to figure out why we're friends. We don't agree on a thing, but I love her to death and would miss her so much if she wasn't in my life. So for me the answer to this question is no; although it's probably more usual to be somewhat similar.

I like it very much, the key being the ability to opt in, or not. And yes I'd pay extra for it. SIgh. lol. I would though.

Hi, I don't really have anything to add to what Venus said, she's right, AND SL has been a little wonky for past couple days for me, in the Friends list department, so maybe it is indeed a glitch. And, BTW, I ***Love*** the typo in your post title, it's awesome!! LOL! (Honestly, it seems that way sometimes!!!)

Both; more inworld but definitely my beloved forum buddies that I found here, and then friended inworld. Having attended SLCC in 2009, I met some in RL there, and some others of us have taken it to RL when we met when they were visiting the city I live in. My 'forum friends' are more to me than 'forum friends', I just happened to meet them here, first.

OMG I'm *SUCH* an outsider.......(it's ok, no worries, I'm good like that!) The thought of belonging to such a club horrifies me, lol, too much of a loner........(not that i was invited, hahahaha)

Prokofy Neva wrote: I do wish I could have "contacts" like a business card and "friends" who are really true friends. The lists are out of control. I look down the list sometimes and note the ones that have my build perms. Those are true friends. *NODS* I have 2 of those! lol

I agree with you too. I have a question to ask, about an email I got that purports to be from SL. I can't figure out where to ask the question and to be quite honest I'm kind of afraid to ask it, you no longer know what is offending or pissing off the mods. The email i got is from noreply@qemailserver.com. It refers to a survey being at secondlife.qualtrics.com. It asks me to take a survey to 'get to know me better'. It says there's a big prize of Lindens. It sends a link to a survey which I have not opened. After a few days passed, I got a 'reminder' to take the survey. Is this legit? I guess if this post is deleted I"ll know it's not ok to ask the question.

My friends list is pretty large; very few are actually friends; SL business related stuff, disability related contacts. Outside of the scrolling (lol) it doesn't bother me much, as I know who the friends are, and who are 'others'. I'm that way in RL too, something that carried over into SL. My RL husband has a best friend, that they've been best friends since age 3. People tend to pass through my life, although there are one or two that have been there a long time; still, not that long. The thing is, I'm ok with this, as I'm rather an isolationist anyway.....I don't need to be entertained, at all, I'm good, alone. Someone on the old forums, I forget who, had a tag for awhile, that I loved. It read: **Log On. Open Communication Box. You have no friends online. EXCELLENT! ** LOL, I always liked that,