It slipped right by me a couple days ago. I guess I was so wound-up in “Tomb Raider” that I forgot, but on February 14, 2008, this Being Yordie Sands blog began. In those days I was in that phase where I was compelled to define what Second Life is and I wanted to document my journey.
I had a plan to write a post every day, regardless of how I felt or whether or not I had anything to say. Now, six years later, I can look back at how this blog has evolved and I’m surprised at how many different stages I’ve been through.
For those who don’t know, this blog began as a Google Blogger blog and was imported to WordPress about a year ago. The Blogger blog had been surprisingly successful, with 100,000 views and at one point in time a Google search of “Yordie Sands” returned over 50 pages of links (20 links per page). I just checked today’s search count and it returned only seven pages, a substantial decline. The truth is, I just haven’t been in SL much in the past year, and don’t have much to blog or social network about, and the Google result is probably better than I could expect or deserve. Nonetheless, I was proud of the degree of coverage I once enjoyed.
On Saturday I took about an hour and visited Second Life.
That’s me in SL Kyoto, an Edo era region that has been around for years.
Yesterday I logged into Second Life and sought some inspiration, something to reignite my interest, something to lead me to open a new chapter in my second life. I checked out the Destination Guide and wandered over to an interesting looking Japanese region, and that got me wondering if the BAKUMATSU regions, home of Edo Kyoto, were still open. Surprisingly, it was and I spent some time wandering around. I saw a residence open for rental and for a moment I considered putting my money down; unfortunately, the region is Japanese language and I realize my brand of Anglo-Japanese adventure just wouldn’t work there.
Btw, April is my rez day and Yordie Sands will be seven in Second Life years. I’m hoping to find some motivation and write an account of my virtual life. It may also be a good time to reflect on what I’ve learned and what my future my hold.
Being Yordie Sands 
Woot woots! We’ve never met, but your blog was one of the first SL blogs I encountered. It’s been an inspiration and it helped me start my own lil sailing blog, so thanx for that. About the bleeding over from SL to RL: Yes, it happens. People connect with their hearts regardless of whichever world they’re in.
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Thanks for the kind words, Nood. Maybe our second lives let us be free to be something a little more than we are in our usual real lives? Now that I’m aware of it, I recognize that bleed-through often. Kindest regards… Yordie
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Happy Anniversary to an SL Blogging Pioneer 🙂 Lots of hugs your way Yordie. 🙂
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Thanks Becky… hard to believe six years have passed. Hugs & luv to you too Becky 🙂
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wow, there you go – I think it’s similar for my avatar as well. Happy rez day!! I’m sure there’s a story there and you can write it!
as you know I already wrote my second life tale!! And it was quite thought provoking and an experience for me!
I also can’t get the same enthusiasm back but I do pop in from time to time, I was at Bryn Oh’s Immersiva the last time- disturbing but quite unique and brilliant even!! I still enjoy that kind of creativity there! But as for social life and role play- been there done that and hit a dead end! But let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water!! I still look for a reason to believe!! 😀
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I think you are right about writing a story. The only thing is, I feel that I’ve already written it. Not sure that makes sense. In fact, I feel like I’ve worn-out my story. I’m still mulling things though. I tend to do that a lot. heh. Hugs and luv… me
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many happy returns!
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Thank you Moco… hugs, Yordie
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One a day… not so easy, is it? 😉
-ls/cm
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Hi Laurence… you are so right, keeping a daily journal, day-in, day-out, year after year, is not easy at all. It’s a good discipline but, as you know, you never know when you’re gonna get hurled off your bicycle. *giggles* If I ever felt that Linden Lab was going to be a caring god over our virtual world, I might be able to find some inspiration to continue forward… but to quote Mr Crap, “It is what it is.” Great to hear from you, and hugs and luv… Yordie 🙂
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Nice to see you here Yordie. I have been in SL about the same length of time and I’m interested in how this experience affects people RL. It has been a positive experience for me and I think has changed me RL in some ways – mostly by broadening my perspective…I’d be interested to know how others feel about that. That and the ever present question: Does it make us more free to be who we really are or do we mostly just just hide here? And, do you tell people you are involved in SL or is this a guilty pleasure? And what are the consequences of either?;)
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Hi Romie… I’m so glad you checked in. I agree with you about how SL can affect your real life. I’ve had some amazing experiences in this regard and perhaps the most amazing to me occurred on my trip across the USA. I wrote about that one in irez.me, “The Hitcher”. In what now seems an almost surreal incident in my real life, I found Yordie “bleeding into” my the real me. In many ways, that was a turning point in my life, across a broad path. And I agree with you, I believe the experiences we have in SL does make us more free. Hugs and luv to you… Yordie 🙂
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interesting point Romie. Not sure if I felt it was completely positive but it was interesting. You might be interested to read some of my story on it too.
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Happy anniversary Yordie. Don’t worry about the numbers or not visiting/blogging every day – just do what you enjoy 🙂
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Hi Brian… I think I’m at that point where I can enjoy, but the competitive part of my spirit would like to drive those numbers back up. hehe. Thanks for you kind words. 😉
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Happy Anniversary Yordie!
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It’s amazing, Van. I’m glad I did all the blogging, it fascinates me to look back over the adventures and misadventures. Luv you 🙂
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Congrats!
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thank you 🙂
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