Location: Starlight Supper Club

I am pounding on the drums (I quickly made myself a pair of sticks, using SL’s creation tools). Suddenly, in the vast and empty room, I catch a flash of movement out of the corner of the screen. Had my dime-a-dance friend returned?

No. And from the look of her, this avatar is not a newbie. I’ve dreaded meeting one of these SL pros, the experienced players with wads of Lindens and an avatar coded to the nines.

“Hello,“ I type as a1950s-Vegas-style woman sits down beside me to play the congas.

“Iggy,“ I say. “HoJo,“ she answers.

Whew. A nice person! As chat about small matters such as the club’s nice design, I realize I’ve met someone who can type in real words, using good vocabulary. No “u” or “4” or pointless flirting. We just chat about why we like SL and why I write and teach about it.

Then a plea comes in by IM. It’s the Linden-hungry avatar I scared away.

“Where are u?“ So I teleport her. Her clothing has gotten skimpier since the diner. A mark of a real newbie, I’m told, is to show too much skin in really stock-looking clothing.

After the hellos, I type, “My friend is looking for a place to dance for money.“

“Well, I run a club,“ HoJo answers. “for adults.“

The poor dime-a-dance avatar vanishes a second and final time. Suddenly, I’m a virtual procurer. . .

“Oh, well,“ Hojo types. I swear I see a pixilated smile. Well, lackadaddy. Despite my attempts to avoid it, I’ve found the racy side some claim to be the focus of SL.

“HoJo, we need to talk. Maybe you can explain something.“ To be continued. . .

We’ll get Kim in-world soon; she’s an experienced RPGer.  And I’m hoping that like other columnists in-world, I can dispel the notion that SL is just for sex, partly by featuring HoJo Kilda as our guest expert on the topic (and as a responsible club-owner).

Next thing you know, we’ll be starting an advice column on Blogspot with Q&A for avatars. . .“Savage Love” for SL?

HoJo, you are right about my omitting the ‘doo you had at that time. Mea Culpa. I was so intimidated by an obviously experienced resident who wrote well that I didn’t take a close-up shot!

But you’ve proven to be adept at switching fashions around at will. . .I expect that the beehive will be on your head again soon.

*giggles* A lot of fun how you present your meanderings around the metaverse. Yeah Kim, you get your share of creepies (I certainly do) but it ain’t all that bad. Just a place where people let their fantasies run a bit wilder then usual.

By the way, Iggy, you didn’t mention my ridiculous Baltimore Beehive. I was going for my Pijnk Flamingos look.

I am really enjoying following your adventures in SL. I’m absolutely swamped in Real Life right now, but once school’s out, I will visit SL—a little summer vacation, as it were! It sounds like your series provides an interesting counterpoint to the reviewers who pass it off as a haven for pedophiles or cybersex soliciters.

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