Last year I realized that, more than anything, I’m an adventurer. I’d been exploring and stumbling into adventures and misadventures for years, but I never realized that being a woman adventurer was part of my virtual identity.
An Adventure Group
Shortly after my great realization I created a loosely organized group called “Yordie’s Excellent Adventures” and I asked a handful of girlfriends to join and become “Adventurers”. Our group went on several expeditions including a sea cruise, scuba diving expeditions, horseback exploring and even telling stories around a campfire. In many ways we were experimenting and we learned that preparation and organization is very important. We learned that communications requires that everyone use group voice chat. And we learned that when you take a large group “on the road”, it can become very disorganized.
Focusing On A Focus
This year, despite all the difficulties I’ve experienced re-engaging in Second Life, I want to continue exploring and adventuring; in fact, I want to make this the focus of my second life. Also, I want to open my doors to people who wish to go on expeditions in search of adventure but don’t know how. So, a couple of days ago I rented a storefront on Marblehead in SL New England. Luckily, the store is right next to one of my favorite places in SLNE, the Sail Loft bar. *smiles*
The storefront, center/left, is the new home of
Yordie’s Excellent Adventures,
and it stands right next to Sail Loft bar.
An Adventure Travel Guide
Think of my new store as something like a travel agency where the travel agent will be the tour guide. I want my store to create a sense of action and exploit, and I’ve begun furnishing my store with that theme in mind. There’s a lot left to do; I don’t even have a sign on the store yet. Nonetheless, Leanna came to take a look at my progress last night and we talked about where this crazy idea is taking us.
Leanna & Yordie at Yordie’s Excellent Aventures store
on Marblehead in Second Life New England
Leanna’s Tough Questions
As always, Leanna had some great questions and ideas. She asked, what kind of adventures would I offer? I said, I don’t know yet. She asked, will you have scuba expeditions? I said, yeah, that’s a good idea. She asked if I had an overall plan I would be expressing? And I confessed that all I have is a bunch of ideas swirling around in my head. heh
Somewhere In My Mind
I have a basic concept of the services I’m going to offer. I know there are many types of adventures I won’t be able to offer, such as science fiction or Gorean. Also, some of my favorite expeditions revolve around exploring, boating, flying and hiking — all of which are subject to technical issues like lag & sim crossings. The thing is though, somewhere in my mind I have a picture of how this little business will evolve.
I like sitting here at this tabletop with my notebooks and thoughts;
it’s very conducive to dreaming up expeditions, escapades, exploits, even romance.
Being Yordie Sands 
Great Idea!! This is totally “Yordi” Get your horse this weekend? 🙂
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Thanks Mera… The more I think about it, the more I like the idea too. It’s gonna be a lot of work to do it right. I’ll try to catch you online next time i’m there. I’m having some trouble tp’ing though; still trying to figure out why.
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Wow, great idea. I’ve never heard of anything like this in SL before. Think it’s a great away to help people engage more in SL an discover more cool places and people. Get really immersed in a lot of the creativity we miss. Good luck and I hope to visit the adventure/ travel agency (and bar next door!) soon. Raza
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Thanks Raza… I haven’t heard of anything like it yet either. However, I know there are some adventurers out there on The Grid. I’m still feeling my way through this thing but it is something that ties so many of my favorite activities together: exploring, adventure, photography, blogging, meeting new people and maybe some of my more exotic interests. I’ll post the Landmark soon. TC
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Best of luck Yordie! I vote for a riding adventure on a beautiful beach somewhere – Mexico used to have a great site with all their wonderful Aztec/Toltec ruins and a great beach…sigh I miss it so…
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Hiya Romie! Yeah, there’s a lot of great sites taht have come and gone. So this business will require some “actual work” (heh) to provide a service. Hope to see you soon. Hugs & love
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great post.
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How exciting, Yordie! I’m happy to see you trying out this idea—and especially happy to see you setting up a base in SL New England! I know I missed all of your previous group adventures/activities and I might even miss all the others too (timing is everything), but I am still very happy to encourage you on this wonderful endeavour. I know that planning for, promoting, and actually DOING events can take considerable effort and time, so if I may suggest some ideas to you inworld later I’ll be happy to chat more about them (or pass you a note card with my ideas in it if you prefer). I’ll plan to boat by your new shop next weekend if I can make it!
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I don’t think you’ve really missed any events, Dahlia. With the exception of Sea Cruise 2012, most events have been small. I want to get some scuba diving going soon.
There’s a diving area we hadn’t found before and I’m thinking it might be fun to do some dives with small groups. I think I’ll be going easy on all the planning and promoting of events. I think the doing is where the adventures will unfurl or not. hehe
I’m gonna try to put some time into being at the store several hours a week. So please drop by when I get setup.
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Looking forward in seeing how all those ideas swirling in your head comes together. Love the lil shop! Grabs my survival kit….ready for the adventure!
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Yes, grab your survival kit and let’s head next door for a vodka martini!
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So, if I’m reading this right, basically, we’re NEVER going to find you at the Travel Agency, but we can probably dig you up at the bar next door?
Oooh, love your sketchbooks! I’m totally inspired!
I think what you’re saying is that your “rp” is not “RP”! 🙂 Hence no scifi, gor, etc. Rather that your rp is “virtual outdoors”. Gor may technically be outdoors (never tried it) but it doesn’t seem like that’s the essence of it, vs Hiking, Boating, Flying, it seems like these all fit in “outdoors” or “active lifestyle”.
In conclusion:
If you’re interested in a virtually active lifestyle, or want to explore the splendor of the great virtual outdoors, go to the bar next door to the travel agency, and see if you can wake up Yordie!
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Hi Van… I’ll let you analyze what I’m doing because I’m just too close to it to understand it. But I like the idea of “virtual outdoors” but my heart in more into “virtual adventure” or something like that. Oh, just between you and me, I’m gonna have a very special adventure for guys only. hehe. I’m gonna call it something like, romantic adventure (and this might be the hook into my gfe thing). 🙂
And yes, when I’m not bent over my journals, I’ll be bent over a virtual watermellon vodka martini at the bar. hehe. That bar has a whole ambiance and when you get a few drinkers in there, it’s an adventure in itself. 😉
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oh, yes to ADVENTURER, you’ve totally staked out that territory / claim!
I didn’t mean “virtual outdoors” to replace that, I just meant that when you talked about different things that would and would not be included, it seemed like you were in the equivalent of an RL “outdoors” kind of space… Outdoor Adventures… Virtual Outdoor Adventures…
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Virtual outdoors is totally the nature of these adventures. Although… I did mention that “romantic” adventure too. But then, that could be outdoors.
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Nice idea. Next time I’m in Second Life I’ll drop by and take a look. :))
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HI Nomad… I think I’ll have about a half dozen package trips worked out in the coming week. One I expect to be a big hit will be scuba dives. I’m also gonna try to spend some regular hours in the store, so peeps can drop by and engage. Hope to see you. 🙂
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