Second Life Sisters ....
Many blogs wax long on relationships in Second Life. Friendships. Lovers. Marriages. But rarely do we see posting about siblings. I'm not referring to brothers and sisters brought in from real life; but, sibling relationships established in world. Now, I personally don't know of any brother/brother relationships between men - men are just buddies, I suppose. But sister/sister relationships are often formed between women in Second Life. The lives of women revolve around our relationships and feelings. But try talking relationships and feelings with a man and watch his eyes glaze over, be he boyfriend, husband, or significant other. However, a woman will listen generously and with understanding and compassion. We have an innate ability to assess the genuineness and trajectory of relationships of others, but curiously not always our own, and we will offer needed encouragement, comfort, and support. That is why close girl/girl friendships are very special and important. And we have a tendency to bond with our close female friends. 'We are like sisters,' is how we describe these close friendships. And in Second Life, we have the opportunity to begin anew, and we can and do formalize these sisterly friendships into family relationships, making them a special reality in our virtual lives.
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My Lovely Sister, Wynter.
My Sister, Wynter. I had though myself as unique, outside of the asian community in Second Life, in the artistry of my avatar. Diana, the creator of my avatar, has a distinctive style and a portrait painter's touch in creating a lovely and very classic asian look in an avatar that no one in Second Life could easily emulate. So imagine my shock when I walked into Open Latte and ran into a near reflection of myself. This was like going to a party and seeing another woman wearing the same fashionable dress you have on, only worse. The stranger's name was Sade, and her looks and appealing personality were drawing considerable attention in the coffeehouse. I found myself pouting at this attention as I do display at times an unfortunate princess complex. Naturally, I was curious and shot this creature an IM. Yes, Sade acquired her avatar at one of Diana's shops, but didn't know Diana personally. She is also asian-american like myself. And Sade was sharp and witty. Her banter with the other chatters in Open Latte was delightful. Rather than pouting, I now surprisingly found myself smiling.
Wynter began as Sade
"Your cousin was here." ... "Cousin? What cousin? Who?" ... "Sade." People instinctively thought that we were related. Open Latte wasn't the only place where our paths intersected. Sade likes to role play, and I ran into her a number of times at a college role playing sim. Familarity and common asian backgrounds made for friendly encounters. Moreover, we both enjoyed teasing silly boys at the college and frustrating their hormones. And if people thought we were related, we played along. I also introduced Sade to Diana. They became friends, as I knew they would, and Diana's place became another point of frequent contact with Sade.
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When Sade asked me to be her SL sister, sweet emotion swept over me. I was deeply moved and immediately felt very sisterly, as if she had always been my sister. I have embraced this relationship and taken it to my heart. And my affection for my sister grows and grows. She is a bright light in my second life.
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The Flamenco Sisters in Al Andalus.
My sister is not one to stand still and at times has the urge to recreate herself. She has evolved from Sade to Wynter. Wynter is tall, very asian, and a striking beauty. Her avatar is her own creation and reflects a fine sense of aesthetics and commendable ethnic pride. My sister is daring and adventurous, far more so than I am. And she has expanded my range of interests and experiences in Second Life from explored sims, to live music, and to new acquaintances. Although I think that our adventure at the Wild Coast Nudist Resort was pushing the limit. Of course we have our own independent second lives. But, as sisters, we are always there for each other. And whenever we say our goodnights, she departs with words of endearment and love, leaving me with feelings of sisterly affection and contentment from knowing that some things are just right.
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Sisters on the Prowl
She gets kooky sometimes
Sisterly Affection
Isn't she marvelous?
My Sister, Dawson
My sister Dawson and me measuring up
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'Things are quiet right now.' ... 'That's because I'm not there.' My newest SL sister is a firecracker. Things get kinetic when Dawson is around. Daws is my older sister, chinese, and lives in the Netherlands.
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My Sisters .
This posting with its topic on Second Life sibling relationships has gotten quite a bit of notice. It was picked out and written about by the widely read New World Notes and linked by Metaverse Journal - Australia's virtual world news service. Comments at New World Notes confirm that SL siblings are very common and are an important part of the Second Life experience for many players. The article in the New World Notes can be seen at
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你好
ReplyDeleteI'll be back soon sis... just give me one more week and I'll be " sistering" on you again