Clare's Corner

No need to feel guilty

2009-10-03T05:33:00.001-07:00

I have FINISHED!

For the last 3 years I have been working on an Open University course. My SL time has sometimes been made to feel like a guilty sin. It's really nice to come online and not have that little voice in your head saying...'oh you really should write that essay or read that chapter!'

I am even thinking about maybe 'doing' something in SL. I have a few ideas going on in my head, which is always a bit dangerous!

xx

Air's giggles

2009-09-21T13:59:00.001-07:00

He knows his place...
Originally uploaded by Clare Loring

He makes me smile most of the time, but sometimes he makes me laugh so much my sides hurt. This is a rare moment where I captured it!
Ty for making me laugh and smile!
Oh and I hope you are using washing powder for colours just to keep our SL in technicolour. xx

Getting presents...

2009-08-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

I've had a few presents in my time in SL. It's amazing when you get one and you don't really expect it. Last night I got a nice surprise and well just wanted to say thanks! hehe So thanks! xx

If you want to know what it is...it's not rude, it's not funny, it's just niiiiiice.

Plurk...

2009-08-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Prad being Prad decided to make me join plurk to avoid having to tell me a looooong story about his encounter with a hockey stick and an iron bar.

I have been dipping into this social network for a couple of days, and my reaction to it...I am frustrated! It feels like everyone knows who everyone else is and I am just reacting to things that people I know well are saying, oh sorry 'plurking'. However, maybe annoying a few people with my random sarcastic comments.

I am going to stick with it and see how it goes. At the moment though, it's a bit odd!

From the outside looking in...

2009-08-14T14:18:00.001-07:00

From the outside looking in...
Originally uploaded by Clare Loring

A couple of definitions...
Companionship: enjoyment of being with someone.
Companion: a person you spend a lot of time with either because you are friends or because you are travelling together.

Putting these two definitions together, I have a companion who is called Air, and we are a bit more than friends, and we travel SL together. Oh yeah...and I enjoy being with him!

I don't do soppy too often in SL or in RL. I am usually a to the point kind of person, but I need to tell the world how happy I am. A few people know I have been a bit lost in SL for a while. Or maybe you didn't really know, because I was sorting it out on my own.

Out of nowhere this amazing man showed up. Well he didn't really show up, I've known him a while, and what started out as a man who I whizzed around SL trying to find in our own games of hide and seek, seemed to develop into so much more.

I've seen people jump into relationships so quickly in SL, getting married after a week of knowing each other and then divorced and then again and again and again. To me that strikes as not really caring about the person, but just liking the box ticked and the link to another profile. Hey has anyone thought about that as a networking system...a huge tree like thing linking loads of profiles. Now there is an idea! Anyway...back to the reason of the blog...Mr Riverview.

I have loads of friends in SL and I share different things with each of them. I have never found it comfortable to share everything with just one person...who I trust without queston, but when a relationship just develops from a slight toe dip to see if it's a good idea, and into something that is right for everyone, it makes it easier to trust someone with more. Having the same values and expectations helps too. Sharing the whole of SL is made easier when you have the same understandings about what is and isn't possible.

So peeps of SL...I have a companion, his name is Air and I'm fantastically happy.

x

Clare's Corner

2009-08-04T13:53:00.001-07:00

I love my land, and I thought I would have a bit of a change!

I have an amazing tree house and for one reason or another never really spent any time there. So, I decided to have it as the main feature on my land. It's up but the nifty rezz box is still there in case I change where I want to put it.

I did take a picture of the last house I had there....just because I loved it there!

x

The ups and downs of buying a sofa!

2009-08-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

Sofas... Easy task to buy one! Or so they would like you to believe!

The Task: To purchase a modern, cool sofa with a sprinkling of poses for single and two person use.

The Reality: Some are ridiculously expensive...
Some make my Gran's taste in furniture seem cutting edge...
Some should be renamed, 'kinky bed of the year' (What exactly is 'hogging' btw?!)

BUT one was found in a cool place called Off-Brand Furniture. I have to say it takes effort to impress me in SL, and this is certainly a place to check out. I love the fact it's not all sex sex sex... I know there is a market for such things in SL, but sometimes it's a bit too much!

Their Xstreet link

x

Quality not quantity

2009-07-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Quality rather than quantity is better!
Spending every waking moment with friends in SL is actually a bad thing...but spending the odd moment when you happen to be online at the same time, is a much more satisfying. My RL is a bit demanding at the moment and this week only seem to get to log on for a few minutes when I have a moment. However, I have had an amazing SL week. Deciding to do some more 'adult' things (if you can be 'adult' like in SL) but not things that you are all thinking!

Short post today... just to say I am still alive.

I might have something more to say about this later too! hehe

x

Choices in SL

2009-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

We all have choices, and in SL it's no different. I'm not talking about decisions about clothes or hair...I mean the decisions about how to behave in general and in certain situations. I make decisions, sometimes talking to others and asking what they would do if they were in the same position. Or even just mulling it over for a bit and then making my mind up alone.

Choices can change or adapt your SL, and some of them have a bigger impact than you ever imagined, not just to yourself but others here too. Some decisions people make have a huge effect as to how you view them, or what you think about what kind of person they are. Some decisions can include:

Who and what to include in your profile...lots of people have told me when someone is upset that they don't appear in their profiles, or that someone is upset about being taken out.
Muting...a massive possible blog post!
Answering IMs that you know are going to lead to even more questions!
Buy or not to buy L$ or just work and make a living in SL
When to tp away!
Who to share your SL with.
When to stick your nose into other people's relationships.
What to keep quiet about...I say everything as a rule!
When to give someone a second chance and leave the past where it belongs.

Now, I am the first to admit that I have made some very bad decisions in SL. Details don't really matter but I know which ones have been stupid, random or not fully thought through. However, some people have also made choice in SL that have hurt me. But, hopefully I can see beyond that and make a choice to maybe let them into my SL a bit again and remember all the good parts of them being there in the first place.

SL Memories

2009-07-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had a rare afternoon with nothing going on...so I thought I would sort out my mountain of photos. I have to say it took hours to sort through them all. But I now have nice neat little folders. Some bigger than others and one huge one. I tried as hard as I could to not create a 'stuff' folder...but hey nothing can be perfect.

The folder that made me smile and giggle, is named 'memories'. It's full of cool memories of people who I have come to think of as really good friends. Some aren't around much now and some are around in my SL much more now.

So well I thought I would share some of the pictures that made me laugh, awwww and some that made me shed a mini tear....*gasps*

Now these 7 pictures have quite significant meanings for me. They give me loads of different feelings. One makes me content, one makes me very proud, one thankful, 2 make me giggle lots, and one to the point of tears. Everyone talks about the human behind the avatar...I never really knew what it meant, and just passed it off as some kind of silly SL jargon that people came up with to make SL seem more important than what it was. But I might be changing my view point a bit now.

My plan is to actually put my pictures up, so watch this space...but considering it took me about 18 months to sort them out in my inventory, don't hold your breath!

dancing in SL...

2009-07-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

So there is a certain etiquette to dancing in SL. Well there seems to be one, and everyone seems to have a different view about it.

It's a limited view but here goes on some opinions I have heard:

Slow dances means you're having cyber sex in IM

3 times rule...dancing with the same person 3 times means a deeper SL relationship

Dancing means you're a floozy!

If someone has a chim on their bum....feel free to slap it!

If you are dancing in a club/bar/dance place thing...you have to all dance near each other preferably in a line.

If you're asking someone to dance...you have to make an effort to communicate to them first rather than standing on a couples pose ball and waiting!

When you are about to dance with someone, you have to leave them there a tiny bit too long just to enjoy their noob dancing for a moment!

If someone asks me to dance, I generally will and don't really think about it. But recently I have started to think about it more. I usually only now dance with the same few people. More than that, no one really asks me to dance anymore. I think I must smell.

Also, I think if you dance with the same person people assume you will never dance with anyone else. I like dancing with particular people because they know the score about dancing! It is dancing, no more no less.

Most of the pictures I have in SL are of dancing, and some of them look slightly 'romantic'. But I do have a few of Air and I in C2P deciding how to have an illegal rave without BL and Prad finding out.

The perfect cuppa...

2009-06-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

How to make the perfect cuppa...

You must use 'Yorkshire tea'
Water has to be at the correct temperature, not too cold, not too hot, and that takes perfect timing!

Slow brewing, no rushing in with ya spoon and mixing to see if it's ready.

Strong, leave it that little bit too long just to get that extra bit of flavour!
Add sugar, it'll keep you awake for those late nights...
Add milk, for that added extra, it changes the whole taste but is so worth it!

Choices you have to make to keep your cuppa experience a bit more special...

Biscuits: dunked and eaten dry...

Mug or poash cup with saucer!

Do you have a cuppa every hour, or wait for the special moment and share it with someone?
Do you make a pot, or just use a teabag?

Some might say the perfect cuppa can be related to people too... no comment! hehe

Boundaries...

2009-06-20T01:34:00.000-07:00

When you talk to the same person for a few months, you get to know what they're like. However, what happens when you try to push the boundaries with that person to see if there really is substance to your relationship?
Do both people in the relationship want the same boundaries to be pushed?
Do you have a tug o' war to see where the new boundaries would lie?
Do you just abandon all boundaries until you find a happy medium?
And more importantly, should you consciously do this?
Or is that putting too much pressure on creating something that didn't really need fixing because both people are awesome?

I had a very bizarre conversation with a friend, and I never ever ever imagined we would ever have the kind of conversation we had.

This blog entry might not mean anything to anyone...but I need to write it, so you kinda have to put up with it for a bit.

Boundaries are very important to me because it keeps people safe, names moi. Being wreck less has it's appeal but I still have a very firm and defined line. I seem to have broken quite a few of the ones I had when I first started SL... SL friends are on my facebook, have my personal email, and even one my home address. Things change, which is part of life, and I think SL is no different. BUT jumping over them and not thinking about the consequences is quite a difficult thing to do.

x

RL dreams about SL people!

2009-06-17T03:10:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share with you all a dream I had last night.

Let me set the scene...kids in classroom, me teacher, little girl falls ill, ring doctor, group of doctors turn up and start taking 'samples' of the environment. IN walks someone I met on SL... he's a doctor, and is dealing with the situation. Doesn't seem to know who I am, but then as he's leaving says, "So we need to have that dance!"

So, ok, I know what he looks like, and have talked a bit about RL and stuff, but it was just plain odd! I've never really had dreams about people in SL, not even SL dreams about being inworld. I don't really have that many dreams and I went through a stage as a teenager where I took some strong medication and didn't have dreams for about 2 years.

*Goes off to sleep again* x

Wandering partner....

2009-06-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

It seems the routine of meeting up with Air, has changed. We seem to be getting online on a Friday evening and having a wander about.

Our first stop was Chakryn. I have never been before and it has always been one of those places to visit, but never really got around to actually going. I was glad we did pop along. At one point we came to a hole....a pretty deep hole, so we decided to jump down. We found ourselves in water, with some cool funky plants. All in all a cool place to visit. I might even return to take a few more pictures!

x

The donut

2009-06-14T01:24:00.000-07:00

So however you spell it....it's the same thing. On Friday I went exploring with Air, and we ended up sitting in a donut! So I thought I would buy one for my house....and went in search of them.

This wasn't an easy task because last night SL was being particularly lagtastic! I couldn't actually walk or type...and yeah yeah, me not being able to type, well is a disaster. So after arriving I lasted about 10 mins! A relog, and I was done! So I got up this morning and thought...ooo first thing to do, go and get the donut. This is one of the reasons I love SL sometimes, some of the phrases you come out with actually make no sense at all!

So here is me sat in said donut...it's also on my flickr page too... Lookey

Oh and the donut is from Akeyo... cool shop!

Different strokes for different folks!

2009-06-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

Today I met a cool guy. He seemed to drop from the sky, and wanted to show me his house and what he was into in SL. Now, I have never really met anyone who has slaves. To meet someone who actually speaks openly about it all, is refreshing. I have never really asked questions or known people who are into having slaves or being masters. However, I might ask a few more questions.

Just to make a clear point...I am NOT going to be someones slave! I am too errrrrm oooo how shall I put it, selfish and independent! And I might have people up in arms with that comment and haven't got the idea at all. However, by the look of the place I have just looked around, it's about control. I am not a control freak at all, however, I don't really see myself letting someone controlling me, even if it is in a pixelated form. Also it seems to be all about sex, and well that's not really my thing either.

I am however, interested in finding out exactly why people partake in such an activity. So watch this space for what I find out.

My move to Sims3

2009-06-13T06:32:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read the best blog in SL you should.

Metaversally speaking is Prad Prathivivivivi's blog aka my SL dad. Now, when I think of Prad...I usually giggle about something he has done recently, or the past things that have happened. He has this amazing ability to turn up and say...'How's you?' at the moment when I really need someone to ask that particular question. He jokes that it's because he knows ALL...and I actually think that sometimes it's true.

Now, he recently blogged about our family move to Sims3. Have a look... I laughed so much, that my RL came to see what was going on. He also read it, and said, wow he has your personality spot on.

I thought I would share it with you lot too!

To build or not to build...

2009-06-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

...that is the question!

I have the land,
I have the want to build my own house,
I have the vague basic skills to maybe put a few prims together,
but I have a greater urge to just go and buy a pre-fab.

So, that is what I am doing!

I have an idea about what I want, but I am quite flexible with what I will to buy. I like quirky buildings in SL, with a bit of personality. I think that's why I could never build my own house. I am not very creative in terms of visualising something in my head. I can see problems and how to solve them, but when I have to create something without any ideas I just fall flat on my face. Well in artistic terms!

Any ideas of where to purchase such a house...all recommendations welcome!

x

Shock

2009-06-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Mr Mertel for being you!
The cool, thoughtful, amazing SL friend that you are!

He has a way of making me feel like the most important person in SL. And he is probably the most important person in SL to me. I sometimes think it's not worth it, then he pulls it out of the bag! I am thankful for everyone in my SL, but some just make it a good deal!

LAND!

2009-06-06T05:29:00.000-07:00

So I said to myself that this weekend would be the weekend, to get SL stuff sorted. RL has calmed down a bit and I would have chance to sit down and sort 'stuff'. So with that in mind I set out upon the search for the perfect land.

I had an idea of what I wanted, yes I had another list:

Private...
Not too busy...
Nice feel about the place...
Square...
Something to get my teeth stuck into but not to daunting.
An ok price...I had a budget to stick to!

So eventually...after lots of searching, reading and picking, I landed in a square, private, ocean facing on two sides plot of land. I had a quick look about, and Air quickly logged on, (while eating his poached eggs) to so it was nice to get another opinion too, so cheers m'dear. I was going to wait until tonight to make the big 'purchase' but I thought....nah it's right, I liked it, there was actually nothing wrong with it!

So I am now the proud owner of some land again. Later, the house that Clare built, will go up again, and I have some ideas about how I want to improve it! I have plans, and can't wait to get started.

*sighs* it's quite nice to be in a bit more of a positive mood.
If you fancy coming and having a guided tour...feel free, and I'll send ya a tp!

Keeping quiet...

2009-06-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

I think people know by now, I have a very strict policy of not discussing what people say to me. This includes the tiny things they tell me. I just listen, comment and that's it.

If I know something about someone I just don't say anything. If that person then talks about it to others, or post information about it in other places, that if fine, their choice! BUT I will not tell you what has happened, or even point you to their blog. I just don't do it! It has nothing to do with keeping information about someone to have power over a situation. It's about, I just won't say anything. I wouldn't want people knowing about stuff I had spoken about in private with someone else.

I have witnessed lots of occasions in SL where people should just, to quote a good friend, STFU with things that have no concern to them. Maybe they think they can help, but I honestly think, most of the time it makes it worse. Asking an opinion about a situation, giving your opinion about it, yeah is usually helpful, but discussing it with other people or commenting to others, is just plain wrong.

Some people call this 'drama' and well yeah I understand it, haven't really been involved in it too much, because the people I associate with usually have a 'no drama' policy. Come on we're in SL, so let's leave the 'drama' of RL in RL and not bring it with us. This didn't start out as a rant about drama, and sorry if it seems it has turned into one.

Recently someone got annoyed that I didn't tell them something about a friend, and thinks I should have pointed them to the friend's blog. Put simply, I won't do it. Most people I know who have blogs, put in their profiles that they have a blog. Find it and read it.

Also, from RL experiences, I have found that people just ask more and more questions when they hear a juicy tit bit about something. I have enough of it in RL, and well basically I won't participate in SL forms of it.

It sounds a bit like I don't want people to confide in me. I don't necessarily want you to, but if you want to, it's fine. I'll listen and have a random opinion about it. But to people who want me to discuss others....aint gonna happen peeps!

Routines in SL...

2009-05-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

The Cher and Carm Show takes place on Monday and Thursdays, in a little place called the U'Bar. Games and cool music, with a nice bit of banter too. I usually have a catch up with my good matey Air too, to have a dance. This is the only thing I have kept up to, with regards to my routines in SL. No more taking TPs unless I want to move from where I am or IMs asking if I wanted to go to an event.

I am trying to mix it up a bit at the moment in SL. Recently, lots of things have changed for me in SL. I am trying to get everything straight in my head again, and it seems to be working.
I helped to set up the U'Bar blog, and I am actually quite proud of it. I am thinking about getting some land again, so things are looking a bit more normal again.

It seemed like I was being pulled from pillar to post and then when I needed to talk about stuff, no one really asked if I was ok. Maybe that was because I didn't actually say...'Helllooooooo I need someone to talk to about stuff!' Also, the person who I had talked about all that stuff with was what I needed to talk about! Oh SL is so complicated sometimes! There was one lady who asked me...and she was going through some stuff in SL too, so to her mwah...and glad it's all sorted out.

I felt like I was in a lonely place and wasn't really sure where my place in SL was, and everything had changed within a matter of hours. I had never been aware of this being the case personally, even though I have been here for over a year.

It's funny how you get into your set ways in SL, just as RL. My daily routine goes like this....

Log on and check offline IMs and notices....when I say check notices, I mean click,click,click,click them away so I can see my contact list. (I know you all do the same!)
Reply to any offline IMs
Think what mood I am in....a few questions go through my head, What time is it? Am I meant to be anywhere? Who is online? Can I annoy Prad yet? Do I need to shop?
Do what I want!

Number 4 used to be....Find out what someone (this could be anyone really) is doing and go and join them. But now I am quite enjoying doing what I want to do, rather than doing what I think I am expected to do.

I am still up for joining people in places, but if I don't take you up on the offer....then well, it's Clare SL time, and forgive me for not coming. The hermit life is quite nice really, and I am enjoying getting back to the reasons why I find SL enjoyable....the exploring and finding the cool little reasons why SL is fantastical!

Who is Clare Loring?

2009-05-24T04:05:00.000-07:00

My place in SL, seems to have changed dramatically in the last few weeks and months. Feeling a bit lost and not really knowing what to do. I thought instead of letting it annoy and frustrate me I would give myself a bit of a facelift and move on!
Not quite sure about what the blog is going to evolve into, but at the moment, it's going to a SL diary of what I get up to, what I have seen or heard, what picture I might have taken, or what stuff I have bought.

So what have I done since I joined SL?

1. Found a family...
2. Got a few nicknames....
3. Made a few amazing friends...
4. Actually paid money to be in SL...
5. Built a house....
6. Lived in a tree house...
7. Had my heart squeezed...
8. Cried with laughter...
9. Cried with frustration...
10. Been in a tizz...
11. Snogged....
12. Danced...
13. Not said something that was on my mind...
14. Told someone what I actually think of them...
15. Known big secrets and not told a soul...
16. Said no to SL sex...
17. Said yes to seeing what my feelings were...
18. Added SL friends to face book...
19. Considered meeting some SL friends...
20. Been partnered...
21. Posed naked...

I think that will keep you going for a while...

Clare xx