Grid's Out for Summer (and very OOC)

Even though I have finally been contacted by a few Caledonians who want to actually do combat rp (and have got their weapons, ready to go)....to add these two to the likes of Dia and Elle, Vid and Ras, whom I know would at least try it, I find myself with less time than ever for second life. Or maybe I am making that choice, at least for the time being.

Torvic Pass, the Gorean sim I joined (and I was going to do a whole post on that) is struggling, and like many small rp sims, needs avatar bodies on the ground to recruit, etc. Likewise in Imrath Tir, though they have a much longer established role play community (and wonderful folks in both sims). Even with all these opportunities to do what I like to do best in sl: combat...and even with my new computer, which allows me to pursue tourneys, etc., I simply find the activities of summer pulling me away.

Sailing, for one. And lots of housework and projects around the house as we adjust to my wife having finishing grad school and now, for the first time, working full time and even more than. As a teacher, I have summers "off," but don't let that fool you :) I am teaching summer class but every day presents projects and housework and errands to run...some days I feel like Samantha on Bewitched (except she was so much hotter) welcome home honey, here is your martini, dinner is ready, what can I get you?

As my reader/friends can sense, a tough role for someone used to being in control in the classroom and also used to being a vision-builder on my campus (and that is swinging into high gear again...this year will be very dynamic, too much so). My son will, in theory anyway, go to college in two years and I treasure (generally) time with him. The weather is great. I can officially skipper larger sailboats on the Bay, and I live in an area with lots of pretty things to see and do. Somehow, second life, though I have real friends there, is simply paling in comparison.

There was a time I was quite hooked (and that time may come again, chuckles). If I had free time, I fired up sl and went in world. It was reading Snowcrash, again, this spring that a line stood out to me, Juanita's line: (and I paraphrase from memory only). Though she helped develop the metaverse in the novel, this book being to sl what Verne is to the rocket ship or submarine, she spends as little time there as she can because it decreases intimacy between people. Now, I know there are lots of strong relationships built and thriving in sl. I have a few myself. But I don't know...something about that line stuck.

Maybe when the snow is falling, the weather sucking, and I am home alone again I will find myself pulled back in. Heck, maybe next week I'll find myself pulled back in. But I have so little time, have so few friendships there I actually consider vital (could count on one hand, I think)....sl does not always bring out the best in people as we zone into the grid hum....I am just not around much of late, and this is my apology to my close friends and the very large circle of others I consider friends.

My commitments remain whether I am there or not, whether I sell TS or not (and considering it). Sera is my Ward; Kalia my Sister, and I remain a knight of the RR: the Duchess walks under my protection at all times; only a suicidal fool would test that pledge (and ask any who know me well). I would still come and fight, if need arose, for Aragon or Harald or even, so long since I've seen him, Milamber of Roma. Vid and Hotspur remain genuine friends, and above all, Torvold/Brutis, my own sl mentor, a Brother of Salt and Steel. I believe I would come to his aid in rl if asked, not to mention sl. There is no Man like him I know in all of second life; the truest of hearts.

There are others I miss, of course: Dia, and my dear first friend (and complete sweetie) Lilikoi; also Era, Mav Szondi, Elle, others I know I forget. But you know, now that my back injury is mostly better, I'm like...why not do real martial arts again? Why not exercise more than my fingers (hours in front of the computer has not been great for my actual body). As much beauty, creativity, depth of feeling as sl holds, when I was into it, I was into it! Perhaps I can continue as I have of late, striking a balance between rl and sl, and only spending a little time in the grid itself. But again, summer weather, summer projects, my rl family (and the work that takes is enormous) my rl house (ditto) and my other hobbies (reading, writing, sailing, hiking, drinking, eating, getting into the woods or to the coast...about covers it) have suffered under the sl spell.

I am keeping my meter up for now though! Would not want to bother Desmond. I never got my place fully decorated, never threw my housewarming party....perhaps I should work on that. And I am sorry there was not a second tourney for life. There were so many other successful events, and I had a medical issue this month, not serious, but which has me on daily Vitamin V (diazapem) for painful (but passing) muscle contractions...I think I forgot to bring it up with Ras again. Well, it was a very, very successful rfl, and when and if I get my butt back into Caledon rp a tourney and weapons work (and piratey stuff) is top of my list. But hey, no need to wait for me! Everything you need is at hand, brothers and sisters.

So, this is not like Brett Favre's farewell in March....this is Tele saying he is not around much these weeks and probably will not be in world much during the summer. Some, but not much. And that he intends to cut back hours in the grid. Leave completely? Or rather, take a true and complete break? I am considering it, actually, but not at that point yet.

Well, sincere love to all. I have some amazing memories and grew very much as a person. But dammit, the closet doors and baseboards need paint! And I have yet to finish the 20th OBrian novel, let alone N.T. Wright's massive tome I am someplace in the middle of. Plus, started Golden Compass...well, started a lot I have to finish; teaching the first half of the English survey next fall for the first time...tons to read!

God's peace. See you all again, I am sure :)

Tele