Some of you who "know" me also know that I live in Ohio. That's more by accident than design because when I left the UK and followed the old advice, "Go West, Young Man," I didn't go west enough. Ideally I would be somewhere in SoCal, between Orange County and San Diego, but instead I am buried in snow somewhere outside Cleveland. C'est la vie, as those continental chappies say.
You might think that lots of snow would keep me in the house with extra time to spend basking in the virtual sunshine (four times a day) of Second Life, but that hasn't happened. Instead, I've been trying out this thing called "Real Life" and spending time in other sims. Using a rather quaint form of TP called "an airplane," I've been able to explore some new areas such as "San Francisco" and "Houston," along with another sim called "Orlando," which even has theme parks! Whoa!
Fortunately I think I have three weeks without travel so I may be able to pull together some copy for SLentrepreneur Magazine, The Metaverse Tribune, and even The Alphaville Herald. Who knows? I certainly need the money as my tier fees are due and my PayPal account is low.
So those of you who occasionally stop by here to see if I am not dead should check back in a week to see if I have had some flashes of inspiration. I may even get back to sending out a few tweets.
Showing posts with label SLentrepreneur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SLentrepreneur. Show all posts
Mar 1, 2010
Sep 12, 2009
Lack of posts due to vicissitudes of real life
For almost two years I have been fairly active in the Second Life(R) virtual world, writing for different magazines, working with MBC and Life On Line, and keeping a blog or two. But in June 2009, something happened that caused my to put my Second Life existence on hold: my wife was diagnosed with renal cancer following a routine colonoscopy. This sort of reality tends to realign one's perspective on the virtual world.
I told a small number of my closest SL friends about this and their support was encouraging. All of them offered their best wishes and prayers, which puts paid to the notion that virtual friends can't be "real" friends.
Three months on and the real world is now settling down to some normality. Following the removal of an entire kidney and renal gland, my wife now shows no other evidence of cancerous cells and treatment, as such, is over. No chemo and no radiation because the cancer has been removed. She now sports a battle scar of 11 inches in length and aims to be back at work in a few weeks.
Once she's back, I will have some time to slide back into some level of virtual existence, starting with articles for SLentrepreneur, Prim Perfect, and perhaps the Metaverse Tribune. Steve Cropper has been great letting me maintain my news slot on Life On Line, and if time permits, I'd love to go back to the occasional "second fiddle" part on MBC News with Dousa Dragonash.
I'll be trying to add to the blog, but my focus will initially be on the media stuff. I also have a real life blog to maintain - and a job!
Thanks for hanging on in there, dear reader.
I told a small number of my closest SL friends about this and their support was encouraging. All of them offered their best wishes and prayers, which puts paid to the notion that virtual friends can't be "real" friends.
Three months on and the real world is now settling down to some normality. Following the removal of an entire kidney and renal gland, my wife now shows no other evidence of cancerous cells and treatment, as such, is over. No chemo and no radiation because the cancer has been removed. She now sports a battle scar of 11 inches in length and aims to be back at work in a few weeks.
Once she's back, I will have some time to slide back into some level of virtual existence, starting with articles for SLentrepreneur, Prim Perfect, and perhaps the Metaverse Tribune. Steve Cropper has been great letting me maintain my news slot on Life On Line, and if time permits, I'd love to go back to the occasional "second fiddle" part on MBC News with Dousa Dragonash.
I'll be trying to add to the blog, but my focus will initially be on the media stuff. I also have a real life blog to maintain - and a job!
Thanks for hanging on in there, dear reader.
Apr 24, 2009
SL on SL Slowdown
The real world economy is causing problems and challenges for many people. And this is true for the man behind Sigmund Leominster too. But not in a bad way. Although I chose to keep my RL and SL separate, in the real world, my international company has been going through some significant growth over the past two years and it continues to do so. And without revealing too much about "me," my role is at a senior level and I have to ensure that all the employees are fully tasked and able to do the jobs needed.
So, what with hiring new people, shipping large quantities of products, and having to travel around to continue expansion, poor Siggy has been in SL much less of late. This, of course, doesn't necessarily mean he's idle. As news anchor for Life On Line and a co-presenter on MBC's news, Sigs has four shows per month to cover. And writing for SLentrepreneur, Prim Perfect, and The Alphaville Herald still keeps crusts on the table.
Where sacrifices have been made are in the blogging arena. SL on SL comments have slowed down, as have SL on VL. However, that's not really a problem.
I also have a blog in real life - which gets many more readers than SL on SL - so that also takes up time. It all comes down to numbers really. We all have to divvy up our time to make best use of our scarce resources. Second Life is fun and being part of it is a great escape at times. But, as my friend Mony Markova keeps reminding me, it is, after all, not "real" or "important" in the grand scheme of things.
So don't think that fewer posts in SL on SL means I have gone away. No, I'm just shuffling the deck a little.
So, what with hiring new people, shipping large quantities of products, and having to travel around to continue expansion, poor Siggy has been in SL much less of late. This, of course, doesn't necessarily mean he's idle. As news anchor for Life On Line and a co-presenter on MBC's news, Sigs has four shows per month to cover. And writing for SLentrepreneur, Prim Perfect, and The Alphaville Herald still keeps crusts on the table.
Where sacrifices have been made are in the blogging arena. SL on SL comments have slowed down, as have SL on VL. However, that's not really a problem.
I also have a blog in real life - which gets many more readers than SL on SL - so that also takes up time. It all comes down to numbers really. We all have to divvy up our time to make best use of our scarce resources. Second Life is fun and being part of it is a great escape at times. But, as my friend Mony Markova keeps reminding me, it is, after all, not "real" or "important" in the grand scheme of things.
So don't think that fewer posts in SL on SL means I have gone away. No, I'm just shuffling the deck a little.
Apr 4, 2009
What's In A List? Well, Me Now!
A few weeks back, Second Life resident ArminasX Saiman published a list of blogs in his own Second Effects blog. The original list contained some errors and dead sites so, to his credit, he took on the Herculean task of trying to produce a rank-ordered listing . The criteria for a "live blog" are that;
* There must be at least one post within the last three months (dated within 2009)
* There must be visible Second Life content
* It must be a blog (and not a forum, flickr group, static website, ning community, etc.)
* It must not be closed or on hiatus
Aided and abetted by a team comprising of Amber Decuir, Thickbrick Sleaford, Peter Stindberg, Haley Salomon, Moggs Oceanlane, Quaintly Tuquiri, Radar Masukami, and Andrew M, Armin ended up with a huge list of blogs, which, it's safe to say, could not possibly be read in totality by any one person.
The semi-good news is that I have a scattered presence. The Alphaville Herald comes in at #14, SLentrepreneur Magazine has the #51 slot, and this very blog ranks 82nd. I could perhaps claim a hit with the #40 slot, Prim Perfect, but having only written one article for them so far, that might be pushing it a little.
SL on VL doesn't get a mention but then the "visible Second Life content" is not as high - it is designed to comment on all virtual worlds so mentions of SL can be sporadic.
All in all, this is not a bad showing. My aim has always been to freelance across a range of publications rather than focus my efforts on just one.
Now, what I really need is a venue where I can write some fashion stuff as the return of FreeLife Magazine appears to be somewhat delayed: In fact, I have not heard from the editors for weeks! I wonder what is happening?
* There must be at least one post within the last three months (dated within 2009)
* There must be visible Second Life content
* It must be a blog (and not a forum, flickr group, static website, ning community, etc.)
* It must not be closed or on hiatus
Aided and abetted by a team comprising of Amber Decuir, Thickbrick Sleaford, Peter Stindberg, Haley Salomon, Moggs Oceanlane, Quaintly Tuquiri, Radar Masukami, and Andrew M, Armin ended up with a huge list of blogs, which, it's safe to say, could not possibly be read in totality by any one person.
The semi-good news is that I have a scattered presence. The Alphaville Herald comes in at #14, SLentrepreneur Magazine has the #51 slot, and this very blog ranks 82nd. I could perhaps claim a hit with the #40 slot, Prim Perfect, but having only written one article for them so far, that might be pushing it a little.
SL on VL doesn't get a mention but then the "visible Second Life content" is not as high - it is designed to comment on all virtual worlds so mentions of SL can be sporadic.
All in all, this is not a bad showing. My aim has always been to freelance across a range of publications rather than focus my efforts on just one.
Now, what I really need is a venue where I can write some fashion stuff as the return of FreeLife Magazine appears to be somewhat delayed: In fact, I have not heard from the editors for weeks! I wonder what is happening?
Mar 22, 2009
Another SL Newspaper Folds
It looks like the Second Life News Network (SLNN) is officially dead. In December, I tried to contact the editor of SLNN, Garrett Bakalava, to find out why there had been no changes to the site since October 2008. By January, I still had no answers and couldn't get any reply from Bakalava.
Today I checked in on the site to find that it had been suspended.
SLNN joins a number of recently closed press outlets in Second Life, although this should NOT be seen as evidence for some sort of general decline of Second Life living. Running a newspaper or magazine in Second Life is labor intensive and requires lots of time. The real surprise is not that so many ventures fail but that so many succeed! In my recent interview with Professor of Journalism, Larry Mullen, he says that “There are a number of virtual magazines in SL – they come and go – but there are many new projects always starting.”
The comings-and-goings of SL-based media is part of the process of the evolving nature of 21st-century journalism. Says Mullen, "What has changed is that news and opinion have come down from the Ivory Tower. Now the average citizen can put his or her opinion out there for 100s or 1000s to see. All you need is access – and anyone can have access. Just head down to your local public library and log in."
Today I checked in on the site to find that it had been suspended.
SLNN joins a number of recently closed press outlets in Second Life, although this should NOT be seen as evidence for some sort of general decline of Second Life living. Running a newspaper or magazine in Second Life is labor intensive and requires lots of time. The real surprise is not that so many ventures fail but that so many succeed! In my recent interview with Professor of Journalism, Larry Mullen, he says that “There are a number of virtual magazines in SL – they come and go – but there are many new projects always starting.” The comings-and-goings of SL-based media is part of the process of the evolving nature of 21st-century journalism. Says Mullen, "What has changed is that news and opinion have come down from the Ivory Tower. Now the average citizen can put his or her opinion out there for 100s or 1000s to see. All you need is access – and anyone can have access. Just head down to your local public library and log in."
Feb 21, 2009
More on the Media in Second Life
A recent article by Mark Glaser for the online magazine MediaShift (part of the PBS site) looks at the demise of Reuters, CNN, and Wired in Second Life. And despite the about-face reactions of the ex-staffers who left the SL bureaus, Glaser paints a positive picture of reportage about Second Life.
Glaser also comments of the nature of business within Second Life.
"One thing that has survived the hype is the virtual economy of Second Life and other online worlds and gaming environments, where people sell virtual goods with game-based money that can be converted to real money. BusinessWeek's Robert Hof believes that's a story that has staying power.
"'The notion of virtual economies is already becoming a solid business model for many game companies, and even social networks like Facebook -- by some accounts up to $2 billion in revenues -- so that seems like a trend that has some legs, and it's one you can credit Second Life with proving as much as anyone,' Hof said. 'And of course, the idea of user-generated content is huge today on a number of fronts, though Second Life is just one example of that.'"
Lawrence Mullen, a journalism professor at the University of Nevava, Las Vegas, is quoted as saying "There are a number of virtual magazines in SL - they come and go - but there are many new projects always starting. And maybe it's good that the large media corporations aren't getting into SL - thus giving others a chance to redefine what journalism is or should be."
This notion of SL journalism being redefined in SL is interesting. Interesting enough for me to have already buzzed of an email to Mullen to do an interview for SLentrepreneur.
It's a great article; I wished I'd written it ;)
Glaser also comments of the nature of business within Second Life.
"One thing that has survived the hype is the virtual economy of Second Life and other online worlds and gaming environments, where people sell virtual goods with game-based money that can be converted to real money. BusinessWeek's Robert Hof believes that's a story that has staying power.
"'The notion of virtual economies is already becoming a solid business model for many game companies, and even social networks like Facebook -- by some accounts up to $2 billion in revenues -- so that seems like a trend that has some legs, and it's one you can credit Second Life with proving as much as anyone,' Hof said. 'And of course, the idea of user-generated content is huge today on a number of fronts, though Second Life is just one example of that.'"
Lawrence Mullen, a journalism professor at the University of Nevava, Las Vegas, is quoted as saying "There are a number of virtual magazines in SL - they come and go - but there are many new projects always starting. And maybe it's good that the large media corporations aren't getting into SL - thus giving others a chance to redefine what journalism is or should be."
This notion of SL journalism being redefined in SL is interesting. Interesting enough for me to have already buzzed of an email to Mullen to do an interview for SLentrepreneur.
It's a great article; I wished I'd written it ;)
Dec 30, 2008
2008 SLentre Award on Blip TV
Thanks to the hard work of Robustus Hax of Metaverse TV, the SLenterpreneur of the Year Award show is now available via Blip TV. Those of you who missed the ceremony and who are curious about my voice, now's your chance to see and hear it.
The whole thing is just around 15 minutes long, which includes a track by the Rolling Stones at the end. So grab yourself a cup of tea, sit back, and watch a slice of SLife.
The whole thing is just around 15 minutes long, which includes a track by the Rolling Stones at the end. So grab yourself a cup of tea, sit back, and watch a slice of SLife.
Dec 23, 2008
SLentrepreneur's Mutual Admiration Society: Works For Me ;)
The latest edition of SLentrepreneur has the article, Second Life Style: Best and Worst from the 2008 SLentrepreneur of the Year Award Ceremony. Reporter and photographer Miss Bond - whose name I love because I almost signed on to Second Life as Jjames Bond - has made an old man happy by pandering to my shameless ego. To quote:
"It wasn’t just the women of SL that pulled out all the fashion stops. Several of the male contenders looked quite sharp as well. Top of the list was the Master of Ceremonies and SLENTRE.COM managing editor, Sigimund Leominster."
I'll allow the mistake in my name because she was very generous in her comments!
"The dark tux and deep red tie offset his very realistic bright blue eyes and clean cut ‘boy next door’ skin. The tux, skin and sexy British accent made Siggy this reporter’s pick for ‘Best Male Avatar 2009′."
Miss Bond is now top of my "Favorite People in Second Life" list.
Some other guys apparently looked OK too but this is my blog and I'm not going to talk up the competition ;) Robustus Hax and PrinterBrian Dowd can look elsewhere for free promotion - although I can't fault Brian for shopping at Redgrave, especially since I've recommended them on a number of occasions in the past.
Check out the article; there's other stuff about other people but they're not me ;)
"It wasn’t just the women of SL that pulled out all the fashion stops. Several of the male contenders looked quite sharp as well. Top of the list was the Master of Ceremonies and SLENTRE.COM managing editor, Sigimund Leominster."
I'll allow the mistake in my name because she was very generous in her comments!
"The dark tux and deep red tie offset his very realistic bright blue eyes and clean cut ‘boy next door’ skin. The tux, skin and sexy British accent made Siggy this reporter’s pick for ‘Best Male Avatar 2009′."
Miss Bond is now top of my "Favorite People in Second Life" list.
Some other guys apparently looked OK too but this is my blog and I'm not going to talk up the competition ;) Robustus Hax and PrinterBrian Dowd can look elsewhere for free promotion - although I can't fault Brian for shopping at Redgrave, especially since I've recommended them on a number of occasions in the past.
Check out the article; there's other stuff about other people but they're not me ;)
Dec 20, 2008
SLentrepreneur of the Year Award Show Ends
...and the winner is... Mimi Juneau!
Yes, after year of interviewing Second Life entrepreneurs and writing articles, the grand climax came today as Mimi Juneau was voted the 2008 SLentrepreneur of the Year. The second runner up was Saffia Widdershins and third was Rusch Raymaker.
Truth is, all the entrepreneurs deserve awards because they represent something good about the Second Life environment. I know that I can be annoyingly cynical about life, real or second, but I still cling to the fragile hope that good things can happen. As pundits and poseurs pontificate about the impending decease of Second Life, some folks actually get their fingers out from their asses and try to create something of value.
Here are some excerpts from my script that summarize my thoughts.
"When we first talked about the idea of an award for entrepreneurs, I had only one contribution that helped us focus on what we wanted to do. It's a quote that comes from Mark Twain and I’d like to simply read it to you:
'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.'
And that is really how we see the entrepreneurial spirit. It’s not about being the richest, the biggest, the most powerful, or the most successful. It’s about people who are prepared to dream, explore their potential, and discover new things about themselves.
Every one of you who has been nominated has caught the trade winds and set sail. And even if you’ve been battered in storms, scrape a few rocks, or lost pieces of cargo, you have done more than many many other people, who chose to stay at the quayside and watch others set sail."
This is no bull. I really believe that doing something is always better than doing nothing. Armchair quarterbacks, back-seat drivers, keyboard pundits, are all ten-a-penny and it takes no effort to complain and criticize. But it takes effort to create, build, do, and persevere. That's surely worth celebrating.
If any one of these entrepreneurs were to go belly up, that would be tragic, but it wouldn't be a failure. Every one of them has tried to make a mark and to me, that's all you can do in an existential world that has no meaning. Make the meaning.
Do something!
Dec 18, 2008
More SL on TV?
Well, as I hurtle headlong toward the New Year, the opportunities for increasing my media presence appear to be landing on my virtual desk - which is, I have to say, a very nice desk and one that I bought way back when I lived in a single-room rental.
I have an offer from MBC to host a new show with the working title @SLentrepreneur, which would be a joint venture between MBC and SLentrepreneur Magazine. Add that to the twice weekly news report AND another TV show in January (Life on Line), I may just about be maxed out in my second life. Here's my potential 2009 work list:
New Editor: SLentrepreneur Magazine
Men's Style Commentator: FreeLife Magazine
News Reporter: MBC TV
Host: MBC's @SLentrepreneur
News Reporter: Life on Line
Freelancer: Second Life Herald
Freelancer: Castle Keep Magazine
Add in the blogs SL on SL, SL on RL, and SL on VL, and you get an idea of why I have to sit down over Christmas and do some planning. Trouble is, I love this stuff and it is fun. Of course, it leaves little time for other Real Life things such as movies, books, family, friends, and all that jazz.
Or does it?
I have an offer from MBC to host a new show with the working title @SLentrepreneur, which would be a joint venture between MBC and SLentrepreneur Magazine. Add that to the twice weekly news report AND another TV show in January (Life on Line), I may just about be maxed out in my second life. Here's my potential 2009 work list:
New Editor: SLentrepreneur Magazine
Men's Style Commentator: FreeLife Magazine
News Reporter: MBC TV
Host: MBC's @SLentrepreneur
News Reporter: Life on Line
Freelancer: Second Life Herald
Freelancer: Castle Keep Magazine
Add in the blogs SL on SL, SL on RL, and SL on VL, and you get an idea of why I have to sit down over Christmas and do some planning. Trouble is, I love this stuff and it is fun. Of course, it leaves little time for other Real Life things such as movies, books, family, friends, and all that jazz.
Or does it?
Oct 26, 2008
Second Life Herald's 5th Anniversary
The 5th anniversary party for the Second Life Herald started at 2:00 SLT and by 2:40 SLT had to be moved to a different sim. At that stage, I was still in Real Life working on some editing for a local periodical but I was monitoring my Gmail chat and there was a message from Pixeleen Mistral alerting folks to the shift to the Woodbury sim.
By the time I got there, the place was full of names I recognized and people I didn't. It struck me that I have been writing pieces for the Herald since January 2008 and have never actually met anyone. And I'm not sure I still have. The place was a blooming, buzzing confusion with folks tossing web addresses for hastily created YouTube videos at me. By the time all the folks had rezzed for me, the Sim crashed. Kaput.
It took me a few minutes to log back in, choosing "My Last Location" as the entry point. Tragically, the location was still down because I ended up in my house. So I sat back, started chatting to Alice, and waited for some information from the group.
A message arrived that folks were moving to a new location - the party had become a progressive. Someone sent me a TP and I found myself underwater below the Temple of Iris! A few folks began appearing, including Pixeleen, who turned out to be shorter than I expected. We bantered for about 15 minutes about nothing much. Trivia at its finest.
Pix had to leave to make dinner. Somehow it seemed so ordinary and banal. And once she had left, the others dropped one by one back to wherever they normally hung out in Second Life. Or Real Life - I don't know.
And it's the not-knowing that I find so fascinating. I feel like I belong to a group that is made up of individuals, and that they is very little "groupiness" to it. I might also speculate that this is, in part, because of the nature of the Herald. One of the things that gives it the flavor of antagonism that it has is the fact that it isn't a "hobby publication" where a bunch of friends get together and play at being journalist. No, it is actually a focal point for a bunch of individuals who may well not even like each other, let alone know each other and hang out.
This is also a strength of the Herald. It can be sacred at times and then profane. It can focus on trivia and then substance. It can be praised and ridiculed in the same article. It can be scatological and then erudite. It swings from left to right, forwards and backwards, offending and delighting at the same time.
Five years and still going. All in all, that's not bad for a Second Life publication (although it admittedly started in the Sims environment). It's fun to be part of it. It remains one of the two publications in SL that I prefer to spend my time on, the other being SLentrepreneur.
My time in SL lately has been less. Real life has some priorities but that doesn't mean I'm about to leave. What I'm doing is the same as Mony - developing a balance. Her balance is tipped much more toward the Real Life end of the scale, and that's what she needs! Mine is too, but I still spend a few hours per week in-world.
I have two new Herald investigations to work on, I have completed an article for FreeLife, and I have two others to chase for SLentrepreneur. Toss in the odd piece for the Metaverse Tribune - which is struggling a little at the moment to remain topical since Runeswan Ceawlin left - and that should fill my plate.
By the time I got there, the place was full of names I recognized and people I didn't. It struck me that I have been writing pieces for the Herald since January 2008 and have never actually met anyone. And I'm not sure I still have. The place was a blooming, buzzing confusion with folks tossing web addresses for hastily created YouTube videos at me. By the time all the folks had rezzed for me, the Sim crashed. Kaput.
It took me a few minutes to log back in, choosing "My Last Location" as the entry point. Tragically, the location was still down because I ended up in my house. So I sat back, started chatting to Alice, and waited for some information from the group.
A message arrived that folks were moving to a new location - the party had become a progressive. Someone sent me a TP and I found myself underwater below the Temple of Iris! A few folks began appearing, including Pixeleen, who turned out to be shorter than I expected. We bantered for about 15 minutes about nothing much. Trivia at its finest.
Pix had to leave to make dinner. Somehow it seemed so ordinary and banal. And once she had left, the others dropped one by one back to wherever they normally hung out in Second Life. Or Real Life - I don't know.
And it's the not-knowing that I find so fascinating. I feel like I belong to a group that is made up of individuals, and that they is very little "groupiness" to it. I might also speculate that this is, in part, because of the nature of the Herald. One of the things that gives it the flavor of antagonism that it has is the fact that it isn't a "hobby publication" where a bunch of friends get together and play at being journalist. No, it is actually a focal point for a bunch of individuals who may well not even like each other, let alone know each other and hang out.
This is also a strength of the Herald. It can be sacred at times and then profane. It can focus on trivia and then substance. It can be praised and ridiculed in the same article. It can be scatological and then erudite. It swings from left to right, forwards and backwards, offending and delighting at the same time.
Five years and still going. All in all, that's not bad for a Second Life publication (although it admittedly started in the Sims environment). It's fun to be part of it. It remains one of the two publications in SL that I prefer to spend my time on, the other being SLentrepreneur.
My time in SL lately has been less. Real life has some priorities but that doesn't mean I'm about to leave. What I'm doing is the same as Mony - developing a balance. Her balance is tipped much more toward the Real Life end of the scale, and that's what she needs! Mine is too, but I still spend a few hours per week in-world.
I have two new Herald investigations to work on, I have completed an article for FreeLife, and I have two others to chase for SLentrepreneur. Toss in the odd piece for the Metaverse Tribune - which is struggling a little at the moment to remain topical since Runeswan Ceawlin left - and that should fill my plate.
Oct 7, 2008
New Articles Published - And An Interview With a Vampire
Although the number of postings to this blog has declined of late, that doesn't mean I've been slacking off. I admit I missed two fashion events this weekend, which represents a loss of income, but I did write two new articles, one of which has already been published.
I met with a trades unionist from the UK, Johninnit Ni, who was preparing for an in-world event to parallel the real world World Day for Decent Work, organized by the international trades unions. The write up can be found at the Second Life Herald along with some lack-luster responses. It seems that the previous article on a fake war in Second Life drew nine comments, an article on Gor had 64, Gina Glimmer's "Post 6 Grrl" debut had 14, but real world political activity got four. That's 4 - one more than three and a tad less than five. Seem like political activism in Second Life has a long way to go before anyone takes any notice.
Also out last week was a profile of Saffia Widdershins, owner of Prim Perfect magazine and presenter of SLCN's Meta Makover show. This is another entry for the SLentrepreneur Magazine search for the Entrepreneur of the Year.
After the interview with Johninnit, I went to Tammy's Jazz Bar to talk to their robot waiter, Mario. He's the product of Maged Wise, a scripter who has combined lifelike avatars with an artificial intelligence program to create interactive robotars. I talked to him last week and there's an article coming up in the Metaverse Tribune.
While sitting at the bar, I was approached by Jolee Indigo, a pale and attractive vampire who simultaneously said "Hello" and asked for permission to drink my blood. I declined the blood offering because I'm just not the sort of guy who lets a woman suck his blood without at least being taken out for dinner ;)
So Jolee sat and chatted, and it turns out she is not quite the evil, soul-stealing, blood-draining succubus that she first appeared. She's a mom from Florida who "vamps it up" on occasion and who used to be a Game Master in a Second Life combat game. But that's another story. Seems to me that Jolee may have an interesting tale to tell and I'll reserve the full "Interview with a Vampire" for a later date
I met with a trades unionist from the UK, Johninnit Ni, who was preparing for an in-world event to parallel the real world World Day for Decent Work, organized by the international trades unions. The write up can be found at the Second Life Herald along with some lack-luster responses. It seems that the previous article on a fake war in Second Life drew nine comments, an article on Gor had 64, Gina Glimmer's "Post 6 Grrl" debut had 14, but real world political activity got four. That's 4 - one more than three and a tad less than five. Seem like political activism in Second Life has a long way to go before anyone takes any notice.
Also out last week was a profile of Saffia Widdershins, owner of Prim Perfect magazine and presenter of SLCN's Meta Makover show. This is another entry for the SLentrepreneur Magazine search for the Entrepreneur of the Year.
After the interview with Johninnit, I went to Tammy's Jazz Bar to talk to their robot waiter, Mario. He's the product of Maged Wise, a scripter who has combined lifelike avatars with an artificial intelligence program to create interactive robotars. I talked to him last week and there's an article coming up in the Metaverse Tribune.
While sitting at the bar, I was approached by Jolee Indigo, a pale and attractive vampire who simultaneously said "Hello" and asked for permission to drink my blood. I declined the blood offering because I'm just not the sort of guy who lets a woman suck his blood without at least being taken out for dinner ;)
So Jolee sat and chatted, and it turns out she is not quite the evil, soul-stealing, blood-draining succubus that she first appeared. She's a mom from Florida who "vamps it up" on occasion and who used to be a Game Master in a Second Life combat game. But that's another story. Seems to me that Jolee may have an interesting tale to tell and I'll reserve the full "Interview with a Vampire" for a later date
Sep 11, 2008
The 4C's of 3D's: How to Succeed in Virtual Worlds
My latest article for SLentrepreneur is an Op-ed piece on what I consider to be the four over-arching features that are needed for a virtual world to succeed. Hopefully this will generate some discussion. In truth, the article is like a book waiting to be written because each element could easily be expanded upon. So check out The 4C's of 3D's: How to Succeed in Virtual Worlds at the SLentrepreneur site.
Oh, and the four C's? Construction, Commerce, Constitution, and Communication. Go read more ;)
Oh, and the four C's? Construction, Commerce, Constitution, and Communication. Go read more ;)
Sep 5, 2008
Even More Sig...
And the beat goes on...
The latest edition of SLentrepreneur magazine has a profile of AVENUE Models' owner, Rusch Raymaker, that includes a fabulous (can I use that word without sounding too "fashionista"?) picture of her. Rusch works extremely hard and seems to spend more time in SL than RL - I could be wrong ;)
Meanwhile, over at Castle Keep magazine, their third edition - the September 2008 one - is out and includes a profile of the Koinup social network, with a mention of the Ning network also.
Next up, I think, will be a rather long article in SLentrepreneur probably entitled The 4C's of 3D's: How To Succeed With Virtual Worlds. It's an Op-Ed piece that sets out the four key features needed to create and sustain a virtual environment. There's lots more to say on the subject - in fact, I think there's a book in there somewhere - and I hope to be writing more in the future about each of the four elements in more detail. Keep checking back here.
As a taster of what's to come along these lines, check out an article by Prokofy Neva called The Six Economies of Second Life, and do check the comments to see my take on this.
And for those who are vaguely interested in personalities, Mony and I spent some time together last night, checking out some clothing and sitting at the old Balloon Tour platform in Ambleside. Whatever we "are," she's always going to be special to me and I'm just happy for any time we snatch together. Still.
The latest edition of SLentrepreneur magazine has a profile of AVENUE Models' owner, Rusch Raymaker, that includes a fabulous (can I use that word without sounding too "fashionista"?) picture of her. Rusch works extremely hard and seems to spend more time in SL than RL - I could be wrong ;)
Meanwhile, over at Castle Keep magazine, their third edition - the September 2008 one - is out and includes a profile of the Koinup social network, with a mention of the Ning network also.
Next up, I think, will be a rather long article in SLentrepreneur probably entitled The 4C's of 3D's: How To Succeed With Virtual Worlds. It's an Op-Ed piece that sets out the four key features needed to create and sustain a virtual environment. There's lots more to say on the subject - in fact, I think there's a book in there somewhere - and I hope to be writing more in the future about each of the four elements in more detail. Keep checking back here.
As a taster of what's to come along these lines, check out an article by Prokofy Neva called The Six Economies of Second Life, and do check the comments to see my take on this.
And for those who are vaguely interested in personalities, Mony and I spent some time together last night, checking out some clothing and sitting at the old Balloon Tour platform in Ambleside. Whatever we "are," she's always going to be special to me and I'm just happy for any time we snatch together. Still.
Sep 1, 2008
Hello Herald Readers!
It just struck me that all my posts to the Second Life Herald include a simple click to get here. Folks who do this may be surprised to find that this blog is not a series of political rants, economic treatises, anti-Linden rhetoric, or pungent attacks on the mores and morals of Second Life individuals or groups.
In fact, I like to think of this blog as "the softer side of Sig." Normally I am a skeptically cynical, misanthropic curmudgeonly atheist who loves to wallow in the sheer pointlessly of life and does his very best to keep suicide at bay. After all, if life has no meaning, you either make it up yourself or throw yourself off a cliff and be done with the whole sorry affair.
However, in my less miserable moments, I like to project an image of caring and sharing; of laughter and gaiety; of wit and charm; of gentlemanly demeanor and comradely affability. In short, I want people to love me.
Here's pic from photo-whiz Seikatsu Koba that she did for me some months back. It's my "sensitive" image - Sig deep in thought and musing on some significant life event. It's maybe a tinge narcissistic too.
So, dear Herald reader, the Sig you see here is a different Sig than the one you read in the tabloids. It's a different Sig from the one you will read in SLentrepreneur, or FreeLife magazine, or anywhere else that I ply my trade. The Sig in this blog is closer to the real-life puppeteer who pulls Sig's strings.
But even "he" is different ;)
In fact, I like to think of this blog as "the softer side of Sig." Normally I am a skeptically cynical, misanthropic curmudgeonly atheist who loves to wallow in the sheer pointlessly of life and does his very best to keep suicide at bay. After all, if life has no meaning, you either make it up yourself or throw yourself off a cliff and be done with the whole sorry affair.
However, in my less miserable moments, I like to project an image of caring and sharing; of laughter and gaiety; of wit and charm; of gentlemanly demeanor and comradely affability. In short, I want people to love me.
Here's pic from photo-whiz Seikatsu Koba that she did for me some months back. It's my "sensitive" image - Sig deep in thought and musing on some significant life event. It's maybe a tinge narcissistic too.
So, dear Herald reader, the Sig you see here is a different Sig than the one you read in the tabloids. It's a different Sig from the one you will read in SLentrepreneur, or FreeLife magazine, or anywhere else that I ply my trade. The Sig in this blog is closer to the real-life puppeteer who pulls Sig's strings.
But even "he" is different ;)
Aug 20, 2008
It's a Sig Fest... Another Article
Either I have no life or am on a roll. Today's Second Life Herald has my latest offering, I'm a Barbie(R) Girl, in a Barbie World..., a story of my first experience in Mattel's Barbie Girl(TM) virtual world. The one thing is has in common with the Second Life environment and Google's Lively(TM) is that is also has the same method of logging out - the crash!
Anyhow, check out the dirt on America's plastic role model. Also keep an eye of for the September issue of Castle Keep magazine where I have an article coming up on social networks.
I'm also working on two more articles for FreeLife magazine and a biggie for Slentrepreneur, which restarts publishing in September after a summer hiatus.
Anyhow, check out the dirt on America's plastic role model. Also keep an eye of for the September issue of Castle Keep magazine where I have an article coming up on social networks.
I'm also working on two more articles for FreeLife magazine and a biggie for Slentrepreneur, which restarts publishing in September after a summer hiatus.
Mar 26, 2008
Hitting the Triple Play
There's a saying that everything comes in threes and today is a great example. In an ego-massaging twist of fate, today sees the simultaneous release of three articles in the SL sphere. The first in the the always-scandalous-never-boring Second Life Herald. The piece is called "Vanity The First Deadly SL Sin" and is the first (hopefully) of a seven-part set that looks the Seven Deadly Sins and how to break them in Second Life.
The second is a look at the opening of a new sim in Chelsea, London and published in issue 14 of FreeLife Magazine. There you'll find a replica of Westminster's famous Big Ben clock tower and have the opportunity to ride a flying double-decker open-top bus. The sim is next door to Knightsbridge, a great shopping and entertainment area.
The third is in the more business-orientated SLentrepreneur and is a comment on Linden Lab's latest press release on controlling their trademarks and copyrights. Are LL moving towards an IPO later this year? It seems so and that's one of the points I make in the article.
You'll find that they are all fundamentally different types and styles of article. But that's the point of being a freelancer! I can switch from the trivially tongue-in-cheek tabloid style of The Herald to the much more analytical and formal style of SLentrepreneur. It's too early to be pigeon-holed.
Keep an eye open for the next Deadly Sin in the Herald, another clothing review in issue 15 of FreeLife, and lots of analysis and commentary in SLentrepreneur. Oh, and I want to get at least one in the SL Enquirer, who I have avoided so far not because they are not good but because they don't pay quite as well ;)
Mercenary, moi?
The second is a look at the opening of a new sim in Chelsea, London and published in issue 14 of FreeLife Magazine. There you'll find a replica of Westminster's famous Big Ben clock tower and have the opportunity to ride a flying double-decker open-top bus. The sim is next door to Knightsbridge, a great shopping and entertainment area.
The third is in the more business-orientated SLentrepreneur and is a comment on Linden Lab's latest press release on controlling their trademarks and copyrights. Are LL moving towards an IPO later this year? It seems so and that's one of the points I make in the article.
You'll find that they are all fundamentally different types and styles of article. But that's the point of being a freelancer! I can switch from the trivially tongue-in-cheek tabloid style of The Herald to the much more analytical and formal style of SLentrepreneur. It's too early to be pigeon-holed.
Keep an eye open for the next Deadly Sin in the Herald, another clothing review in issue 15 of FreeLife, and lots of analysis and commentary in SLentrepreneur. Oh, and I want to get at least one in the SL Enquirer, who I have avoided so far not because they are not good but because they don't pay quite as well ;)
Mercenary, moi?
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