Rambling Reflections...

I wondered the last couple of days what my horoscope has said. I haven't taken the time to look, and don't always believe what they say, but they can be an interesting reflection of what life is at times.

I reconnected yesterday with an organization that first brought me to Second Life. An educational technology organization I had once been immersed in. It was nice yesterday to be involved from the sidelines - not one of the conference organizers but rather just an exhibitor and a presenter. With all the changes at work that have happened this past year, it was great to flex our muscles again and show people we are still around and headed in even better directions than before. Some of those who wished we would have slinked away are also represented in this organization - so it was surprisingly nice to see a little squirming on their parts.

AzTEA, an ISTE affiliate

I was affirmed to see that free things still make people happier than anything. Free chocolate, free Sesame Street characters, even free magnetic clips. Free pen anyone? Free doesn't always have to mean something of no value :)

At my session, I had a friend and colleague from a school district who has recently found me on Second Life - or I have found her - ask why I didn't have Second Life on my del.icio.us account. (I was showing educators how to create del.icio.us accounts and then collect resources for their classrooms from PBS.) But anyway, up until now really, Second Life was something I discussed as fun, and entertaining, and even full of educational resources, but I never really publicly in RL shared my interest in it with those who weren't close to me. Probably because those who are close to me think I'm NUTS! And still refer to all my SL friends as imaginary :) (Thank you SL friends for sticking with me anyway - heehee!)

Some of the conversation turned to SL. A leading educator consultant has purchased 4 SIMs and will begin construction on underwater classrooms and other things for working with educators in this you-can-be-and-do-anything online world. We joked about how I had gotten her going on updating her hair. I KNOW I have created a shopping monster with sending her off for new hair. She bought some do called Carol. I thought I might have that hair. I only have about 20 in my toppling 15K inventory.

I spoke with another colleague who had come on to SL only briefly to check out the Relay for Life events Blissie and I hosted last week. She had been horrified she didn't have anything to wear and worse yet didn't have anything other than newb hair and skin. Blissie came to the rescue with prim hair that was transferrable (Yea!!) and I shared my skin and shape with her. She ended up looking like a combination of Blissie and I. Someone at the time commented that she was officially our "love child." LOL! I shared that with her yesterday when I saw her. She thought it was hilarious but still admitted she couldn't bring herself to log in until she knew she could update her avitar. She is like that in RL too. She is a classy dresser and takes great pride in her hair too - with a do that takes a team of experts to make it just so. (I think she would laugh and agree).

I invited them to come to my first ever hostess event last night at Savoy but they continued to affirm they were going to be drinking in RL, not hanging out on SL. Ok. I would enjoy that too, but logically, my RL doesn't allow for that much these days. So, for now, I'll stick to my Saturday nights on SL as the norm when babysitters are still required and bank accounts need to be left untapped. Plus - I got to wear a fancy formal gown and an amazing diamond neckless? Would I have done that last night in RL? Doubtful :) No proms to chaperone or weddings to crash.