I have been in SecondLife a long time…well not as long as some, but many I have met consider joining in 2007 and being a regular member of that virtual world a long time.  I have logged in daily without fail for the last several years.  I have made my fair share of avatars, enjoying the naming and personalization process.  I currently play two avatars…one that was created as a junk account when I was just learning SL and that I have re-purposed as my “All things Meeroo Alt.”  And the one I consider my new “main.”  She is actually the 5th avatar I created, but the one that stuck.  She became my main because of the people I met on her.  I no longer felt the need to continue to reinvent myself.  I had found the people I enjoy most in SL and have played my main for nearly 3 years now.  I miss my original avi sometimes, but she was connected to my real life job and I wanted anonymity in SL…the ability to explore what I will without judgement or comment from others.

So here I am in SL the avi known as Melanie Ryzyder and as Silly Avro to the Meeroo community.  I enjoy every moment of my time in SL because I do things enjoy with people I enjoy.  It is a welcome escape from real life.  Do I have things I am running from in RL?  A terrible life?  Not in the slightest.  I learned early to balance the time spent in SL and while it was lopsided in the beginning, it is well balanced now.  I know RL comes first, and for me it does.  We all have our hobbies, things we enjoy.  For me it is SL.  I have been in SL long enough to understand the odd looks I get when SL is mentioned in public, so I don’t mention it.  I don’t need to.  I don’t need anyone’s consent to enjoy what I enjoy.  One of my life’s mottos is “To Each Their Own.”  I apply that to others as well as myself.  No judgements.  Live your life and avoid doing harm to others.