Well, we might as well get this started...

a word from Dio's typist...

I guess I am on my way to being less of a cyber-luddite after all. I actually put my real self on Facebook recently (and no I ain't about to direct you to that, just because I'm trying to maintain some separation between the different worlds that Dio and "her typist" inhabit). And yes, I have signed up for that Twitter idiocy, though I haven't brought myself to actually use it yet. And hell, I have been wandering around in Second Life for over four years now.

And by the way, I just got Dio a new skin that looks a little less pale--it was probably originally made for goth-type purposes. Anyhow, I finally broke down and got her a more detailed skin, with a healthy outdoorsy glow, which seemed appropriate for a character whose backstory and present in-world lifestyle involves a good deal of outdoors activity.

Actually, I was always kind of afraid to change how she looked. She had that same skin since 2006 or so, and, well, shit, I suppose I was worried that altering her look might somehow change the persona. But being as Dio has taken on such a life of her own, I don't think anything I might do is going to make much difference in how she acts, talks, or what she might do to offend "civilized folks."

So anyway, yeah, another big step..starting a blog for Dio.

One of the reasons I'm doing this is because she has been character in a number of really good stories and rp sessions--mostly in the sim known as Deadwood 1876--and I am going to re-post some of those pieces here, over time. The Deadwood community forum is a great place, and I love posting there, but those old stories have kind of gotten buried. I just want to give them a little fresh air, let them run around in the sunshine for a few minutes, and see if anyone else might enjoy reading them. Not that I actually expect anyone to read this turkey, but hey...you never know.

I hope to hear from some of you who share my interest in the possibilities that Second Life offers for historical recreation...for having fun learning, exploring, and playing with stories from our collective past. Second Life is many things--and yes, for so many folks it is a festival of virtual consumption and unbridled lust--a pixelated vale of tears with drama queens, attention whores, self indulgent narcissists, cyber pin-heads (literally and figuratively), and some really, really creepy motherfuckers. And that's fine (other than the creepy bits). There is a place in our lives for recreational drama and everyone needs to get attention some time.

But there is also so much potential to really experiment and play with the realities we choose to inhabit....to engage one another, to connect, to learn and share and create. For those of us who love history and who have found this to be a way to tell stories--to be a part of storytelling in a very direct, improv theater sort of way...it's so much more than sex and shopping. Though yes, some of us find those elements of it worming their happily wicked way into the mix no matter what..but then we're just human after all.

So if you happen to pick up this bottle floating in the cascade of ideas and information and lies and wishful thinking that pours into your lap from your computer screen, I hope you enjoy reading the note inside.

~~~