One thing Second Life has taught me is that Real Life has a way of getting in the way. Which is why I am doing Strawberry Singh’s Monday Meme on Thursday. Actually, I almost skipped it entirely because my answers were so similar to Berry’s. But since I had a photo and wasn’t sure what to write about it, I’m just sticking it in this post and pretending I meant to use this image 😉

Here are the simple instructions for this meme:

I think I have forgotten more than I am posting here, but these are four things I know I can share.

Meme instructions: Share things that you have learned because of your involvement in Second Life, either personally or professionally. Don’t forget to leave a link to your post in the comments (of this post) so others can come by and read your answers as well!

Photo post-processing. I have loved taking photos in Second Life since I first started, but it took me a while to graduate from snapshots to post-processed photos. I began with PicMonkey when my efforts with GIMP failed, then finally moved on to Photoshop. Like Berry, I am self-taught. I still use PicMonkey a lot after I have done the major edits in Photoshop, simply because I love some of the effects that I can create with just the click of a button. I am proud to say that my PicMonkey tutorials on this blog are still among the highest-viewed posts I have, even getting hits this week.

DJing. After several years working as a host in various clubs in Second Life, I took the plunge, installed SAM and learned to DJ. I don’t do it any longer in clubs, but I am proud that I learned something that seemed to be too formidable to me for so long. I had fun doing it, but since I’m one of those people who can’t remember song titles or artists, the time commitment was too great for me to continue on a regular basis. It’s not very efficient when it takes longer to put a set together than it does to run it in the club 😦

Letting go. Through Second Life, I have come to accept impermanence. Whether it is a favourite sim, store, or a relationship, nothing seems to last. I have learned to mourn briefly, then move on.

Blood ain’t thicker than water. I never considered myself one to have a family in a virtual world. But I am blessed with wonderful parents and amazing siblings. I feel a closer bond with (most of) my sisters than I ever had with my blood relations. I have used Darkward as my family display name for over two years now, and I have no intention of ever changing that. Though I don’t see most of them very often, I love them all dearly.

I’m going to leave it here. But toss me a bone, though, and this old Second Life dog might remember how to fetch 😉

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:

Dress: =Zenith=Bohemian tie a knot long skirt (Milk) by Miffyhoi Rosca (available at Uber Feb. 25 – Mar. 23 2015)
Hair: TRUTH HAIR Delphine Gingers by Truth Hawks (available at Uber Feb. 25 – Mar. 23 2015)
Necklace & Earrings: EarthStones Precious Moments Locket & Earrings – Mother oF Pearl by Abraxxa Anatine
Hair: [Entwined] Anna by Vivienmarli (Gift at Shiny Shabby)
Skin: Glam Affair – Alice skin – Asia 02 C by aida Ewing (Available at Kustom9 Feb. 15 – Mar. 13)
Body, Hands & Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V1.0 by Onyx LeShelle
Eyes: IKON Promise Eyes – Maldives by Ikon Innovia
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

Pose: Diesel Works by Rogan Diesel (old group gift, no longer available)

Photo taken using the LumiPro HUD by Stefan Buscaylet

Photo taken at Purple Crayons