How To: Be a Convincing Female Avatar in SL

True story. Back when I was a high school senior there was a freshman who was trés uncool (his status a result of his overbearing mother). He wanted very much to be a part of the “in” crowd, but tried way too hard. In an attempt to be accepted by his peer group he cut out magazine photos of a leggy blonde and taped them on to his locker door. I remember walking past his locker one morning on the way to English class as he was prattling on to some other freshies about how sexy and bangable this chick was – his fragile attempt to secure himself a little slice of acceptance. When he opened the door to reveal the sexually charged vixen within, the hall erupted into laughter. As I passed through the doors to the stairwell someone boisterously exclaimed, “Dude, that’s RuPaul!”. His futile climb to “cool” was over faster than you could lisp sashay-shante. Had his mother allowed him to watch entertainment television he would never have suffered such a raw humiliation.

Sometimes we all need a little bit of worldly guidance that would make our mother’s ears burn. And today’s tidbit is being dished out to all those who inhabit SL in true RuPaul spirit – the real world men who explore SL as female avatars. You are SL’s biggest cliché, not to mention the fact that the gender swap is a hot button topic.

My research led me to a resident who was formerly involved in the strip club industry whose work history allows her much insight into the issue. We shall call her the DL3 (Dude Looks Like a Lady) Guru. Her experience revealed that RL-men-turned-SL-women tend to overcompensate for their corporeal maledom. Heed her words. If you’re planning to convincingly assimilate into the estrogen-producing masses you need to be aware of all the ways in which you stick out like a sore Adam’s apple. You don’t possess the panache of virtual fashionista CronoCloud Creegan — and it’s telling. Don’t kid yourselves. You’re not blending and you need help. Thankfully for you some female friends have suggested in-world shopping venues to help you out.

Interview: Getting Tactile with Alan Wijaya of Corduroy

Flickr has become quite the social networking tool for shutterbugging residents. Sign up and show off your in-world photography paired with your Photoshop skills. Users capture a wide array of subjects – everything from day-to-day life, model/photographer portfolios, designer fashion releases, in-world events … some even show off their questionable “assets” thanks to the Second Life Porn group (I’ll save you the effort of googling it). It was through this wonderful medium that I came to meet the lovely Miss Puma Jie and a man whom she calls “Hobo”, a man named Alan Wijaya. Their peculiar brand of SLove becomes quite apparent upon first meeting them. She teases and endearingly chides him while he giggles and occasionally gives her a little verbal jab, then she becomes the giggler. The cycle repeats again and again during the course of a day until he has to go to work or she has to sleep. It’s a thing of beauty.

Even more astounding is watching them work as a business couple, building up Alan’s brainchild, Corduroy, an eclectic furniture boutique showcasing his creations. The fledgling store – a fruit of both their tireless efforts – has a selection of modern and old fashioned lighting, hanging bead screens, comfy houndstooth chairs and includes some of Puma’s original artwork. Alan has recently taken to designing clothing. Leggings are the dish du jour with more helpings of fashiony goodness on the way. Puma? She is total PR. She moves and shakes, tap dances, networks, coordinates shop space, photographs some of the vendor ads, sets up vendors and maintains the store blog. It’s complete balance. Like that crane move in the Karate Kid.

Remembering 09/11/01

Where were you on September 11, 2001 and how did it change your life?

Readers, please feel free to share your own recollections in commenting.

Aden Christensen
I remember telling my girlfriend at the time, how scared it made me feel. I did not want to be drafted and sent to fight in Afghanistan. It’s not that I was afraid to go, I am just not the army type. I worked as a photojournalist for my college paper. I never saw the towers fall until the next day. I was coordinating the newroom and scrambling a team to NYC. We were told not to bother going to Pennsylvania (an hour or so away) because there was nothing left of the plane. Then they shut down the airways.

I am from the Cleveland area, so a lot of the activity passed over us shortly before 9-11 happened. Two years later, I left the U.S. to help a media NGO set up the first newspapers, magazines and photoagency in Kabul. I lived there for a year and taught Afghans how to show the world Afghanistan through their eyes (ainaphoto.org). My students (all Afghan) have been published in the NY Times, Washington Post, USA TODAY, AP, AFP, all over the world. I am very proud of them.

So, I didn’t want to go and fight, but I still went. Instead of shooting with bullets I shot with my digital camera and in a way changed a part of the world. Even if it was a small part.

Interview: The Three Faces of Paulie

What would you call a world-class wiseass, burgeoning content creator and an unwilling member of the Second Life® gay community? Well, I call him Paulie Tamale. He’s probably been called worse. In fact, I’m certain he has been. We met back in February of this year after I had been sucked into the world of the Kindly High School roleplay sim. The antics of himself and his cohorts made it difficult to pull away. Since then I’ve come to accept that a personality such as his can’t be explained. It must be experienced first hand. And once you’ve met him, you’ll never be the same. Kinda like being a budding prepubescent boy living with Michael Jackson.

P-Dizzle is a male in SL making female products and stirring up a shitstorm along the way. The turmoil is not related to his content, it’s simply a byproduct of his personality. His shapes are ideal for skinny bitches with severe body image issues and his unusual hairstyles are quite simply fierce, unabashed couture. Hopefully sometime this year Paulie’s group of friends will successfully break his spirit and force him into opening his store, Coif, which is a co-initiative of himself and love.love.love designer Roberta Beauchamp.

I found it very hard to keep a straight face during this interview which took place on a residential beach. Much of the insanity has been edited out for your own wellbeing – like Paulie starting an impromptu dance party mid-interview, wandering away to grief a French-speaking resident who landed not far from us or chasing after someone riding their horse along the shore like he was a Great Dane after a ‘67 Buick.

Overheard: Hasslin’ the Hoff

[21:06] Paulie Tamale: TP me
[21:07] Catero Revolution: wait, i have to prepare you for my appearance
[21:07] Catero Revolution: i’m dressed as david hasslehoff
[21:07] Paulie Tamale: I’m precumming