Happy New Year!!!

Goodbye aughts, hello oats...

~ Oatmeal ~

The dour grain
Food of poverty
Feed for the dray
Gray in my bowl
Old and cold

Boiling water
Steamy kitchen
Hot coffee
Hills and vales of porridge
In my bowl
Rivulets of cream
And a handful of raisins

Puffed fat and creamy
Lovely in my bowl
Sticking to my ribs
Can be supper too
In another world

Congee gruel
Crispy fried scallions
Sweet or salty soy
Kanji, ganji, bubur
Okayu, juk, lugao
Barley, quinoa, rice
Sesame, chili, tiger sauce

Golden oat grains
Big, round, delicately brown
Crisp crumbled bacon
Sun in my bowl
Amazing rich and full

~ Gudrun Gausman


That was an original poem by ME. :=)

So, the "aughts" are over and it's a New Year once again. What exactly are we going to do to improve ourselves? Well, we don't want it to be too hard, and we don't want to give up being [n]aught[y] (even though the aughts are over). Hmmmm...

Oatmeal (1) may help reduce high blood pressure, (2) may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, (3) contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and is a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates and iron, and (4) may actually reduce the risk for certain cancers.

We all know about adding fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and sweeteners to oatmeal, but other things can make it very different indeed. It's not just for breakfast any more. So for the new year, eat more oatmeal! (And No, I don't work for the Quaker Oats Company.)


GOLDEN OATS MEDLEY (instead of rice, noodles or other grains) ~ The Quaker Oats Wholegrain Cookbook

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats, uncooked
1 egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped green pepper*
3/4 cup chicken or beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine uncooked oats and beaten egg in medium sized bowl; mix until oats are thoroughly coated. Saute green pepper in butter in a large skillet. Add the oat mixture to the green pepper mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 1 to 3 minutes, or until the oats are dry, separate, and lightly browned. Add the broth and salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates.

*Try some fried onion along with the green pepper.

VARIATIONS using the basic “Golden Oats Medley” recipe above...

GOLDEN OATS ORIENTAL: Substitute 3/4 cup water and 2 Tblsp soy sauce for broth. GOLDEN OATS PILAF: Substitute 3/4 cup mushroom slices and 2 Tblsp chopped green onion or chives for green pepper. GOLDEN OATS FLORENTIN: Substitute 1 cup chopped spinach or broccoli for green pepper. GOLDEN OATS ROMA: Substitute 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini and 1 garlic clove, minced for green pepper. GOLDEN OATS LORRAINE: Add 2 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled. GOLDEN OATS PROVENCAL: Add 1 medium sized tomato, chopped. GOLDEN OATS WITH HERBS: ADD 2 Tblsp parsley flakes, 1/2 tsp oregano leaves, 1/2 tsp basil leaves.


MARK BITTMAN'S OATMEAL WITH SCALLIONS AND SOY SAUCE

Ingredients (Serves one)

1 cup rolled oats (steel cut recommended)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon scallions for stirring, 1 teaspoon for garnish
A couple shakes of sea salt

1. Combine water, salt, and oats in a medium saucepan and turn the heat too high. When the water boils, turn to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the water is just about absorbed (about 5 minutes).

2. Turn off heat, stirring in 1 tablespoon of scallions and soy sauce while the pot cools down. Sprinkle that last teaspoon of scallions on top for extra crunch.

Note: You can also do this in the microwave. Some will call this sacrilegious, and sure, maybe the texture is compromised a tad, but if you're in an office or getting anxious thinking about a pot, it's fine. Just cook the oats, water and scallions for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, and add soy sauce and extra scallion garnish after.


A description of "congee" is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congee

I made you cookie... but I eated it.

Cookies CAN buy you love. Not the kind that cools in the warmth of the sun, but the kind that lasts at least as long as there are cookies on the plate. It has always been clear that if you give someone a cookie, you have fed them, but that if you give them a really good cookie recipe, you have given them not only a gift that provides sustenance, but also the means to obtain undying love. But this is true ONLY if they prepare them correctly and don't eat them all themselves...

Here are TWO recipes for really good cookies. Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!

Date Nut Pinwheels

Filling:

1 1/4 cups (8 oz) chopped dates
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Dough:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour (plus extra for rolling surface)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon clove (optional)
wax paper or parchment


Prepare dough:

Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, and optional clove.

Cream butter gradually adding brown sugar. Add 1 unbeaten egg and the vanilla, creaming well.

Blend in the sifted dry ingredients.

Chill the dough for about an hour. (You can divide the dough in half, put it in plastic wrap or bags, and flatten it somewhat as this is what you're going to do anyway.)


Prepare date filling:

Combine pitted chopped dates, sugar, and water in saucepan. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Cool thoroughly. Add chopped walnuts.


Roll, cut, and bake:

Roll out half the dough on a floured surface to a 10"x18" rectangle, trimming ragged edges. Spread with half the filling. Roll as for jelly roll starting with the 10" side. Wrap with wax paper or parchment. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Chill at least 2 hours.

Cut into 1/4" slices (turning the roll as you cut so as not to flatten it on one side), and place onto lightly greased baking sheets at least 1 inch apart.

Bake in moderately hot preheated oven (400ºF) 8-10 minutes. (These burn easily, so watch them closely.)

Makes two to three dozen cookies.


Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus approx 1/3 cup additional for coating)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1-2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. (Don't burn the bottoms.) Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.

Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Makes about three dozen cookies.

Girl on Ice

Michele, ma belle, je t'adore.

For any of you who are interested in my short new erotic fantasy, it is here:

http://dreamaware.blogspot.com/

Also, the blog containing this fantasy links a "how-to" site on "lucid dreaming" (or dreams you know you're having). This site promises that its techniques will allow you to control your dreams and will make your dreams what you want when you want. LOL.

Boeuf Bourguignon

As the days turn cooler, comfort foods such as stew come to mind. What better than this, the grandest of all stews?

There are hundreds if not thousands of recipes for boeuf bourguignon, but, strangely, all of them are more or less identical. My recipe will be presented two ways. (Reasons: [1] My son hates mushrooms, the poor misguided child, and [2] some ppl like their beautifully sauteed mushrooms straight up.) The essential ingredients for boeuf bourguignon are, of course, bacon, beef, onions, and two (2) bottles of good red wine (one for the stew, the other for drinking). Additionally, I find that a Manhattan (shaken, not stirred) serves to keep me out of the wine until the food is well under way. In my Manhattan (a drink invented by Lady Randolph Churchill, Winston's mother, in case you’re of the opinion a whiskey drink is not ladylike), I place two Collins maraschino cherries with stems. Now, in this blog, Gudrun does not normally endorse any company, product, or institution, but just this once I'm going to make an exception. Collins cherries (found primarily in liquor stores) are much larger, plumper, and tastier than supermarket maraschinos. But you have to buy the big bottle... the ones in the little bottles are (or seem to be) smaller. It also helps if you marinate them in brandy. But I digress...


Technique #1 - Everything in the Pot

2.5 lbs beef - well marbled rump or chuck (rule of thumb - 1/2 lb per person)
1/2 in thick slice bacon
12-14 v small onions
salt & pepper
2 tblsp flour
good red wine (something you would enjoy drinking)
pinch thyme
bay leaf
4 sprigs parsely
small clove garlic
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, whole (if small), sliced, or quartered
1 tblsp tomato paste

Cut the meat into 1-1.5 inch cubes. Cut the bacon into small strips or cubes ("lardons"). Lightly brown the bacon in your nicest, heaviest stew pot, then remove and reserve the bits. Brown the onions in the fat, then reserve them with the bacon.

In the same pot, brown the meat thoroughly, tossing with salt and pepper, and letting the juices in the bottom of the pot get very dark. Add the onions and bacon, sprinkle with flour, and brown slightly. Add wine to barely cover the meat, and add the thyme, bay leaf, chopped parsley, and crushed garlic. (I use fresh parsley and garlic, not the stuff in jars.) Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Clean and prepare the mushrooms. (Okay, I do buy fresh sliced mushrooms!) Add the mushrooms and tomato paste, simmering another half hour or so, and correct the seasonings if necessary.

Serve with a salad and crusty French bread and butter (for sopping up the gravy).


Technique #2 - Mushroom Lovers/Haters

Same list of ingredients. Cook the stew as above, but don't put in the mushrooms. Separate preparation preserves the delicate mushroom flavor for the aficionado, and segregates the mushrooms for those who don’t like them.

2 tblsp butter
1 tblsp oil
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, whole (if small), sliced, or quartered
Optional: 1-2 tblsp minced shallots

Clean and prepare the mushrooms. The mushrooms must be DRY and the skillet un-crowded.

Heat the butter and oil over high heat. As the butter foam subsides add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat. This should take 4-5 minutes. Toss the shallots with the mushrooms if desired and sauté 2 minutes. Season to taste.


Wine: The obvious choice to cook boeuf bourguignon and accompany it would be a French Burgundy. While these have the reputation of being quite expensive, excellent bottles of “village” wine can be found in the $15-20 range. And red Burgundies are Pinot Noir (except for Beaujolais), so there are plenty of reasonably priced domestic examples of this variety (as well as Gamay) to choose from. But any full-bodied, young red will do. The dish would be great made with a Rhone, Bordeaux, Rioja, Chianti, domestic cabernet, or whatever. (~N.B. - See vintage chart in February 13th blog, "It Was a Very Good Year...")

The Paradox of the Collar

"I have all these darned collars cuz I thought they were really kewl jewelry..."
Gudrun in "Fashion Denuded"

Like so many people, I was unaware that a Gorean lifestyle existed until I joined a community which included an on-line expression of that existence, in this case Second Life.

Gor is the imaginary world described in John Norman's "Chronicles of Gor," a twenty-seven novel science fantasy series filled with exotic images, philosophy, and erotica. The early books of the series are viewed as being plot-driven. Later books, though maintaining numerous threads of plots and sub-plots from the others, became more philosophical, sexual, and action-oriented. (I confess to having read none of them. I am not Gorean nor do I aspire to be Gorean. I am mainly interested in the Goreans of Second Life - whose behavior may or may not bear any resemblance to that of characters in the books - and how they role-play within Second Life. All information contained herein was gathered as an "observer," from secondary materials, or from reports by individuals within Second Life Gor.)

In the novels, the human inhabitants of Gor are transplants from earth, brought there by the extraterrestrial insectoid rulers of Gor, the Priest-Kings. These humans roughly reflect various groups from earth's Mediterranean Classical period and include Romans, Greeks, Native Americans, and Vikings. Remember that the Goreans are technologically advanced space travelers. Though Gor is technologically advanced and humans are permitted to engage in advanced applications of architecture and medicine, human transportation and weaponry is frozen in the periods the humans represent. This restriction on technology is to protect the Priest-Kings themselves and the other various indigenous and transplanted Goreans from the violence for which humans are known. Hence, the "space-opera" cum swords and spears.

Gor is highly detailed in terms of flora and fauna, and has a wide array of fantastical creatures, making Second Life an ideal venue for its visual realization.

Gor has a complex array of customs, and the lifestyle that results is very controversial. Many disapprove of it, but this is probably because of an undue emphasis on the master/slave relationship. The books are not strictly sexual. They focus on detailing Gorean society at large. This contrasts with the focus that you see in some of the follower communities that concentrates on the master/slave relationship. In many cases it seems it is the key element and perhaps its only purpose. (This may be especially understandable in Second Life, though, given the predilection for hanky panky, the penchant for going beyond the constraints of real life, and the easy means of implementation :-). Anyway, it's Norman's own fault:

"Strong men simply need women. This will never be understood by weak men. A strong man needs a woman at his feet, who is truly his. Anything else is less than his fulfillment. When a man has once eaten the meat of the gods he will never again chew on the straw of fools." ---Explorers of Gor - 12

Hmmm, that's a mouthful (er... sorry).

"Freedom permits a woman to live without a man. Slavery makes a woman need a man’s touch... Slavery, of course, is the surest path by means of which a woman can discover her femininity. The paradox of the collar is the freedom which a woman experiences in at last finding herself, and becoming herself." --- Magicians of Gor, page 160

We can view the quotes above as the main aspect of the Gorean belief system: Men dominate women to satisfy their own needs - be it a piece of poon or a piece of Bosk (not a pear, btw) - and women like it and find it a revelation. If a woman does not, she is weak and foolish. All women are inferior to men and can only be happy being owned by men. (This is, of course, an idea we've only recently gotten away from in modern western civilization.)

The three fundaments of Gorean culture are:

1. The home stone,
2. the caste system, and
3. the natural order.

Gor

"Gor" is, in fact, Gorean for "home stone," and this underscores the importance of the proprietary concept. So what is this home stone? According to the books, back in the day, "each hut was originally built around a flat stone which was placed in the center of the circular dwelling. It was carved with the family sign and was called the Home Stone. It was, so to speak, a symbol of sovereignty, or territory, and each peasant, in his own hut, was a sovereign... Later... Home Stones were used for villages, and later still for cities. The Home Stone of a village was always placed in the market; in a city, on the top of the highest tower. The Home Stone came naturally, in time, to acquire a mystique, and something of the same hot, sweet emotions as our native peoples of Earth feel toward their flags became invested in it." ---Tarnsman of Gor, 2:26-27

Caste

Gorean society is divided into castes, each profession or occupation belonging to one. All Goreans belong to castes except for three groups: slaves, outlaws, and the Priest-Kings. However, this caste system is not inflexible. There are opportunities for altering caste, though men seldom avail themselves of these because one's caste becomes internalized and a source of great pride.

There are five high castes. In order of importance they are:

The Initiates (white) are the spiritual guardians. They represent the Priest-Kings, and their skills relate to ritual, mythology and superstition. (The religious conditioning of the men of Gor, based on superstition though it might be, is, however, as powerful as a set of chains.)

The Scribes (blue) are the scholars, writers, and historians.

Third is the caste of the builders (yellow). Architecture and building are very advanced on Gor, and for centuries the builders have been producing magical amenities for Gorean life (such as eternal light bulbs).

Physicians (green) also practice what is on Gor a very technologically advanced discipline, older people being rare because of youth serums invented centuries earlier. (No need for Viagra among THIS male population, and it's a good thing since DOING THAT seems a main preoccupation.)

Finally we have the Warriors (scarlet red, so as to render the blood less shocking, lol).

Aside from the high castes there are many different lower castes, all with their own colors. Though it's not required for caste members to wear their colors in everyday life, most do it because they are proud of them, either wearing clothes consisting only of the caste colors or clothes where those colors are dominant. The colors of the lower castes can actually be more interesting:

Merchant...Color Gold & White
Slaver...Color Blue & Yellow
Pot Makers...Color Brown/Green
Saddle Makers...Color Tan (leather)
Metal Workers...Color Steel Gray
Players...Color Red and Yellow Checks
Lighter of Lanterns...Color Striped Green White & Red
Tarn Keepers...Color Gray & Green
Wood Carriers...Color Brown & Black
Charcoal Makers...Color Black & Gray
Singers...Color Aqua & Red
Assassin...Color Black
Thieves...Black, three-pronged tattoo on right cheek (dunno why they get a caste - guess they're not outlaws)
Peasant...Color Brown

The Natural Order

This brings us to the last pillar, the natural order, in which males have the predisposition to be dominant while women have the predisposition to be submissive.

A few words on slavery:

Slavery is quite common in Gor. Most slaves are female, a single female slave being a kajira, the plural being kajirae. There are also male slaves on Gor, but they are less common, mainly for economic reasons - normally they are not really worth anything at all.

One male slave is called a kajirus, kajiri plural. "Any woman, properly mastered, makes an excellent slave." --- MAGICIANS OF GOR, Pg. 143 "...a captured female is almost invariably collared; a captured male is almost invariably put to the sword." --- Assassin of Gor, Pg. 51

So, Men are usually killed rather than enslaved. This is partly because most Gorean men would rather die than be made slaves, so the simple subjugation of a Gorean man is often quite difficult. Men simply do not hold the same value as women do on the slave market for the effort needed to subdue them usually outweighs their monetary worth.

From what I can determine, there is a much higher ratio of slaves in Second Life than exists in the books. I think that many young girls in Second Life think it will mean just being cherished, having sex a lot with someone you like, and getting lots of kewl outfits. In Second Life, this last on its own could account for a margin of popularity.

In reality though, a slave is a thing. It doesn't even have a name if the master decides against it. It's something that is there to be used as seen fit, that can be treated many ways, including violently, without any fear of consequences at all. However, this Gorean slavery is very much more service-oriented and basically supports the "natural order," not BDSM. This is not to say you won't find a variety of torture devices scattered about Gor.

Though it may be consensual behavior among adults, slavery will always carry a stigma. It degrades even as virtual role-play, and portrays the violation of basic human rights. That having been said, a lot of people seem to enjoy playing the role.

The Sims

Many Gorean sims are observer friendly. The status of an observer is somewhat that of a ghost, meaning you are wearing a tag depicting you as an "OOC entity" (OOC means out of character) or "observer," and are ignored. You are free to wander around, but an observer is not part of the role play. I have visited the City of Tharna, Port Kar, Port Kos, Herlit, Hellenos, Briarhaven, and the Gorean Woodlands. Each city sports markedly different architecture, and a feature of each is the hospital or infirmary prominently located at or near the center of town. This reinforces the importance of architecture and medicine as important fields of Gorean endeavor.

I also visited the villages of Midgaard and Iskander Pass. While standing around on the Midgaard dock wondering where to go, I witnessed one of the raids which are so common in Gor. A band of outlaws suddenly rezzed one by one in the foggy moonlight and then headed for town. An alarm was sounded. A pitched battle ensued in which the local militia, under Captain Hamlet Hellershanks, was able to keep the raiders from breaching the village gates. The battle was interesting… not a mass melee, but numerous one-on-one actions in the forest. And, of course, some unfortunates were taken prisoner.

Some piccies of places visited are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slgurl/

Interviews

I was fortunate to be able to interview some residents of Second Life Gor. Alyndaw Yootz is a Mamba, a member of the Mamba People, a group representing a Gorean jungle tribe that is reputedly cannibalistic. Anjel Goodnight was forced by circumstance to become a Panther to survive as a child and is now Combat Commander of a mercenary group. Araya Tebaldi is a slave, happily submitting to and being dominated by her male Master. Finally, Gertjan Koenkamp is Ubar of Briarhaven Gardens and Tavernmaster of Tarnburg. Here are some of their views on aspects of the Gorean lifestyle.

How did you discover Gor? How did you discover Gor in Second Life?

Alyndaw: Well, Gor is something I read about a while ago. I once read one of the books and I have to say I wasn't all that impressed. In SL though I came across it while searching for something else and as I'm always ready to explore new things thought I'd at least take a look. As it happens I decided to make it my main activity in SL at least for the time being.

Anjel: From a book at a friend’s house, "Warriors of Gor"... from a woman I met while in SL working a club on the main land.

Araya: I was on IRC and knew of Gor there but never got into it. When I came to Second Life it was the first place I came to.

Gertjan: I was in SL for maybe a month or three. I had seen people dress a bit Middle Age, but had no idea what it really was, until I met a girl in a club... She was wearing silks and I was wondering what it was… Gor… So I start asking questions. She turned out to have no master, so she made me her master. Me… I didn’t know a thing about it, but I learned even though my English was very, very poor.

What led you to the role you play?

Alyndaw: I've been to a few different Gorean lands and the ones I like most so far are Shaba and Woodlands - they are pleasant places to live and not too much of the Slaving. I'm a woman who likes her freedom and the company of others who do too. Sex plays a part for me but not the whole story so to find a role which has adventure, commitment, and other fantasy play ;-) is great. Let's say it's the company of like-minded women and the opportunity to interact in a pretty intensive way.

Anjel: Timbra, the woman I met in SL was into Gorean role play. She had a library on Gor so I did some more reading and she provided me with some much needed insight on female based characters in Gor.

Araya: It is an extension of who I am.

Gertjan: Well that’s easy to answer... it helps my English very well. Before I was on SL, I couldn’t write any, so I can say, yes, an excellent way to learn English.

Recognizing that Gor in SL is generally an RP within an RP, what is your Gorean back-story (i.e., what shaped your Gorean character and resulted in her being what she is)? - Not asked of all respondents.

Anjel: My back story is quite intriguing as I wanted to keep my human heritage: my mother was human my father an Initiate or guardian of the temples of the Priest Kings. I have a twin sister and we started our lives in Gor as Panthers when we became separated from our parents in a raid. We were later re united with our mother who was an established female mercenary, and at that time we became mercenaries and now we are well established: my twin sister the High Commander of a Merc group and I Combat Commander of the same group. Our mother is also a High Commander of a different Merc group. My Gor mother and my twin sister were invited to the Hall of Warriors, and they did sit at the table with the highest of the Red caste in Gor which is a huge step for Gorean females. We never saw our father again it is said he turned back to face the raiders so we could escape and was killed.

How do you yourself fit into the overall organization of Gorean society? - Not asked of all respondents.

Anjel: My character is a bit of a rebel: our enemies love to hate me whereas our allies for the most part welcome my bow. As Mercenaries we do not go out on traditional Gorean raids or even much hunting save for our own serveries. We instead wait for calls to aid those we have contracts with. This includes Gorean cities and several Gorean outlaw groups. Gor is a harsh place for a female warrior.

Is it safe to say there is a range of Gorean RP communities in SL, some that strictly adhere to the books while others are only loosely based?

Alyndaw: Very true but that's what makes it fun - there is room for everyone to find their niche - and societies evolve and become something different over time. I'm pretty new so I can't say with any certainty, but what I've seen tells me that there is something for everyone who is looking for an adventurous and alternative 'lifestyle.'

Anjel: There are no Gorean communities that adhere to the books. There are Gorean communities that call themselves By the Book (BTB), but they are only sticking to certain phrases in the books. Sad thing is a lot of John Norman’s writings were presumptions, and I dare say he uses "it is presumed" far too much. But as for your question, yes there is a very wide range of communities in SL.

Araya: Absolutely. Not only that but they do not interact well together, one believing they are better than the other. Personally I have my preferences, but feel there is room for everyone here in SL.

Gertjan: Well BTB ( by the books) or whatever... it’s just like how you want it to be... It’s like the Bible... Everybody has his own version. Some call it Disney… Some call it the real Gor… But is there really a Gor in SL? ...Don’t think so… We play with real people with real feelings. That makes it different.

What percentage of Gor RP in SL closely follows the books? Any guess?

Alyndaw: Not a clue, sorry as it's so long and I only read the one book.

Anjel: I have not been on a Gor sim where the RP follows the books. I think this question is a bit vague. I mean one phrase in a book would be deciphered 10,000 different ways by 10,001 different humans. I have been in Gor communities in SL that closely follow several phrases in the books and in fact base their rules and laws on those phrases, but I'm thinking in an RP environment one would think it would evolve, not rotate around one phrase in a book. My guess would be .00001%.

Araya: It is difficult to really know but no city is completely by the books. That would be impossible as the books do not detail every single aspect. The books leave lots of room for interpretation.

Gertjan: Not much I guess...maybe 5 %. For most it’s just a shooting game… or to have free sex.

There are a lot of very serious role-players in SL. Can you comment on what makes women slaves? Freewomen? Panther girls? – Asked of women.

Alyndaw: I would say it's the need to experience a different world - one which you can't (or don't) in RL. A lot of SL is pretty similar to RL and why would someone want that? It would be an interesting question as to why people want to be in SL - a lot of reasons I suspect but maybe with one underlying one - a safe way to try out a different role. I found a place with the Mambas in Shaba but I could probably have ended up in similar tribes elsewhere.

Anjel: Female slaves (kajirae) are either born into slavery or are submitted... A freewoman (FW) is a very precarious character - she must know her place and must keep herself fully covered including face veil in some communities, and must never act submissive in front of a male or she would be collared...Panther (Huntress) - all panthers according to the writings are either runaway slaves or runaway freewomen who ran to keep from being collared. They turned to the forests for hiding and are said to be amongst the best bows in the books which holds true in the SL community.

Araya: I suppose it is all about the person behind the avatar. Some stick with what they know and some stretch themselves. I have seen women play men and do very well at it. Perhaps even better than a man would!

There are a lot of very serious role-players in SL. Can you comment on what makes people choose specific roles? – Asked of men.

Gertjan: If you like fighting you will choose to be a warrior. In my case I don’t like to fight so I choose a more peaceful role as a Tavern master in Tarnburg or as the Ubar of a school. But some are really good actors… they can play any role. But for me as a non-English it’s hard.

How do these women playing vastly different roles relate to each other? - Asked of women.

Alyndaw: Sometimes surprisingly well. There can be a lot of affection there and trust is important even within the “safe” environment of SL. I've met a few people outside of Gor who seem to have been somewhat traumatized by experiences they've had in SL.

Anjel: In the books Panthers despised all freewomen and slaves I suppose because of their past or possibly just the direction John Norman took with the Panther, as for freewomen and kajirae same thing. What happens in the Gor SL community holds pretty true with the books a lot of freewomen and kajirae are at odds with each other basically over men, lol.

Araya: They are all women and Gor is a man's world. A freewoman can quickly be enslaved if she is not careful in her actions. Panther girls are typically run away slaves or freewomen escaping impending slavery or an unwanted companionship.

Why do freewomen have female slaves? – Asked of women.

Alyndaw: I don't, and I think the Panthers, Taluna, and Mamba like me have slaves much less often than those city or townsfolk - you will have to ask the owners why.

Anjel: Mostly for status I would think to show they own something. A freewoman with a kajirae would not have to do much including service her man; if she was in a mood she would get her slave to warm his bed.

Araya: Free women would have slaves to do the cooking, cleaning, sewing and such. They would also help her to dress and look after the children.

Why do men choose to have slaves? Would most rather have freewomen? - Asked of women.

Alyndaw: Whhoo - Again not a question for me really but if I were speculating I'd say it was something to do with needing to be in control and being satisfied by someone else wanting to please them. I don't mix with those people really.

Anjel: Again a lot is a status thing if a warrior has a long chain of slaves he is looked on highly...most men in Gor would rather submit a freewoman, use her and move on. In the ceremony when a freewoman goes into a free companionship with a man she has a certain amount of time to decide whether she wishes to be a freewoman or submit also all her belonging's become his. There is a contract that is signed in Gor.

Araya: Free women were valued on Gor. They were the ones allowed to have a man's baby and have it follow in its father's footsteps. A slave gives birth to a slave. Only a freewoman can give birth to a man's heir. A freewoman too was subject to her Companion's rule and he would discipline her if she got out of line.

If you could have only one, would you prefer a freewoman or a slave? - Asked of men.

Gertjan: Doesn’t really matter... both are fine… A freewoman is a bit easier to play with. To have a slave, you need to keep her busy with chores, etc., a lot more work than a freewoman. Compared to a slave a freewoman can be a bit dull play.

What is your attitude toward Gorean slavery? How do you feel toward the slaves? – Asked of men.

Gertjan: It touches my ego a bit when a woman wants to be my slave. I see it as their "game," but I am glad we don’t have it in RL, although if I look at some Middle Eastern cultures... hmmm. But I would never have one in RL. A woman is equal to me, and I will take care of her as she will take care of me. But if she like to be one, I have no problems with it, but I think it will make me feel a bit guilty... I don’t like it if it’s coming one way... So have to make her happy too.

Why would a woman become a slave? - Asked of men.

Gertjan: Well that was something I was wondering about too. Why does a woman want to be a slave? The freewoman movement has made the woman free...but here I see they want to have a master that controls them. They tell me they need that. They want someone to have control over them. They want to take care of a man in every way they can. I still don’t fully understand that. But I am a man… I doubt if there is a man that really understands woman. (~N.B. – Part of Gertjan’s job is headmaster of a school for slaves.)

Can you comment on relations between men and women in general and whether the Gorean lifestyle is fulfilling or mere fantasy?

Alyndaw: Hmm - there is so much variety - is it really meaningful to generalize? Some men want genuine equality and some hate the idea - fear it even. Gor is very unequal although there is a large contingent of strong women in SL Gor.

Anjel: I myself have managed to stay away from any Gorean relationship although at one time there was an arranged FC between me and a warrior but it did not go well.

Araya: The relations between man and woman vary. A Master and his slave will relate very differently than a free man and his Companion or even a free man and a Panther. A freewoman could not compete easily with a slave for the attentions of a free man for fear of acting as a slave would and landing her in a collar. It is a fine line. Panthers kept to themselves and stayed out of the way of men unless trading, lest they be caught and enslaved by the free man. For me it is very fulfilling. With that said the books ARE fiction and the Gorean lifestyle is NOT possible in real life.

Gertjan: That’s difficult to answer… I am single in RL, so I can’t really answer that question. I am not fully Gor in SL - I do other thing besides that too, and have some normal relations outside Gor as well sometimes. And she doesn’t need to be a slave. I can be perfectly happy with a normal woman too.

Realizing that for some, Gorean life is a reality while for others it's just an RP, what are your own opinions of Gor's mores, ethics, beliefs?

Alyndaw: Not me in real life although I would like some of the more risqué aspects to bleed into my own life. I have a strict moral code which is as non-judgmental as I can be - I believe that we should do nothing which hurts another but otherwise there should be good sense. Gor is nothing like that and there is enough violence and coercion for me to not want it to become real.

Anjel: Though North America is a free country no government on this continent would sanction a Gorean lifestyle. It would be seen as a cult or like nudism - lots do it but it is a private personal thing. I myself would never be part of a "real" Gorean lifestyle.

Araya: Gor's morals, ethics and beliefs are not terribly different than those of our society with one exception. They have honor and value honesty and truth. They value life and nature. The DIFFERENCE, being that men RULE.... They are the natural leaders.

Gertjan: Like I said before, for me it’s a way to learn and improve my English. I enjoy the ways of Gor but not all of them. That’s more my personal character. I don’t like to hit women – that’s not me. I can’t in RL, nor can I do that in Gor. They have to ask for it, to be whipped… even then it’s hard for me to do. In Gor man has honor, but to be honest, not many have honor in SL Gor... too much of a game for most.

What's your typical Gorean day like?

Alyndaw: Wander around a bit, chat a bit; role-play more seriously when I have a good chunk of time online. I would probably do more if I had the time.

Anjel: Most days I look for RP in nearby communities (sims) and wait for calls to aid. When these calls come I am usually the first one on the boat and the first one engaged in battle and yes very often the first one down. I live Gor in SL and spend upwards of 50 plus hours a week in SL Gor on my computer, which isn’t an easy balance when I have a 40 hour a week job.

Araya: Here in SL the typical day would be chores, such as cleaning, and cooking, giving tours, and generally speaking serving the Free. This would include bathing, dancing, or entertaining as well as delivering messages, going to market. Chores might include milking the bosks, making cheese, tending the gardens or stocking the kitchens. Of course, there is also the dancing, paga serving, and serving in the furs (i.e., serving sexually in bed). (~N.B. – When I met Araya, she was in silks. She was quick to point out that this was because of a dance contest she had been in, and that normal slave work attire would be a plain kamisk.)

Gertjan: Well what’s typical in Gor for me... Well, I travel a bit between the city of Tarnburg and the Briarhaven School... As a tavern master I keep an eye on the tavern...making trade to get the best drinks or food...trading furs...a bit of a merchant to. Most of the time it’s a bit of talking and trying to keep the City slaves busy so they don’t get bored. But as Ubar, I just keep an eye on business...make sure that the girls (the teachers) do their work, and help with teaching myself, of course. (However, an Ubar, well normally he takes over the admin of a city when there is trouble like a war...He is capable of doing every job of a high class warrior, scribe, etc.) I rarely travel to other cities, not really interested in that. I am fine where I am and have enough to keep me busy most of the time. And if there is nothing, I will be outside Gor doing my business (I own Sims and a shop, am a builder to). So I am a bit of everything …grins. Well wishes from Gertjan Koenkamp, Ubar of Briarhaven Gardens and Tavernmaster of Tarnburg.

YAY!! MYSTERY SOLVED!!!

This is truly worth a few blog lines. It has been bothering me for a loooooooooooooooooooooooooong time...

We all know that commas and periods ALWAYS go inside quotation marks, right? But this is strictly an American convention. The British don't do it this way. They place their commas and periods logically rather than conventionally depending on whether the punctuation belongs to the quotation or the sentence containing it. So why do we Americans have this convention? Are we not able to make logical decisions? Are we simply too lazy to do so?

As with many such differences, the American rule follows an older British standard. Before the advent of mechanical type, the order of quotation marks with periods and commas was not given much consideration. The printing press required that the easily damaged smallest pieces of type for the comma and period be protected behind the more robust quotation marks. The typesetter’s rule was standard in early 19th century Britain, and the U.S. style still adheres to this older tradition both in everyday use and in non-technical formal writing. The grammatical rule was advocated by the extremely influential book The King’s English (1906), by Fowler and Fowler.

* “Carefree,” in general, means “free from care or anxiety.” (American style)
* “Carefree”, in general, means “free from care or anxiety”. (British style)

Today, most areas of publication conform to one of the two standards above.

The American English quote-mark-last rule is often not applied if the presence of the punctuation mark inside the quotation marks will lead to ambiguity, for example when describing keyboard input:

In the File name text field, type “HelloWorldApp.java”, including the quotation marks. [14]
Enter the domain name as “www.wikipedia.org”, the name as “Wikipedia”, and click “OK”.
The domain name starts with “www.wikipedia.”. This is followed by “org” or “com”.

Thank you, Wapedia (http://wapedia.mobi/en/Quotation_mark#2.)

Yummedy Summer Dinner Salads

Well, you should know I have legitimate excuses for not posting in such a long time, but I'm not making any. Just be thankful I'm (somewhat) back to share with you these delightful summer repasts.

GUDRUN'S SPECIAL BLACK BEAN AND ROAST BEEF SALAD*

1 lb. deli roast beef, thin sliced and done to your liking

Dressing:
3/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
salt & pepper
pinch oregano
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
*reserve a little dressing, or make some extra for drizzling

Beans:
2 c. black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
jar of chopped pimiento
minced parsley

Mix the dressing and let flavors blend at room temperature. Add more salt, pepper, and oregano as needed. Add bean mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Roll slices of beef and arrange with beans on a bed of Boston (or similar) lettuce. Garnish with sliced red onion, avocado and roasted red peppers. Serve with fine quality sandwich rolls.

*adjust all ingredient quantities to your needs and taste


STEAK SALAD "NAGY"

Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. chopped dill pickle
2 1/2 tbsp minced onion
1 1/2 tbsp German/Austrian wine
1 tbsp chopped spinach
1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp worcestershire
1 raw egg yolk (pasteurized, of course**)

Meat:
1 lb. beef tenderloin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp MSG (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Greens, etc.:
Watercress, curly or Belgian endive, pitted black olives, cantaloupe or avocado.

Cut meat into 1 inch cubes. Shake meat with spice mixture, and quickly brown to the desired degree of doneness. Let cool 1 or 2 minutes. Serve over greens garished with cantaloupe or avocado and olives with dressing on the side.

**Davidson's pasteurized shell eggs are available in most states - http://www.safeeggs.com/

Michele's Favorite Wine Is Groovy...

…Grüner Veltliner, to be exact, made from a variety of grape widely grown in Austria and the Czech Republic, but almost nowhere else. No longer strictly the province of cork-dorks, Gru-Vee has become increasingly popular. And it's very food friendly, standing up well against Chardonnay, and going especially well with spring cookery - things like asparagus and ham, YAY!!!

Zippy and refreshing, groon-er FELT-leen-er (as it is properly pronounced) is the perfect wine for the coming spring and summer. (Sometimes it's a little sprightly when first opened as the result of a bit of carbon dioxide added during bottling to maintain freshness.)

Grüner means green in German, and the wine is called this not because the grapes are green (which they are), but because in the opinion of many the wine is best drunk young. Indeed, in Austria it is the tradition to drink it as young as possible. Nevertheless, while much of it is intended to be drunk young, some of it is capable of improving with long, long aging.

A Gru-Vee typically has a perfumed nose, with hints of grapefruit or other citrus and, most notably, freshly ground white pepper, its most distinguishing characteristic. The plains of Austria produce a more citrus-y flavor with spicy notes of pepper, while the steep vineyards along the Danube produce pure, minerally wines intended for laying down. Some are vaguely sweet, others as dry as stone. Some Gru-Vees can be (but typically aren't) up to 14 percent alcohol :=)

Of course, we have to get past the 1985 antifreeze scandal - certain Austrian wines imported into the U.S. were found to be (lightly) contaminated with diethylene glycol. (LOL, I guess it was cheaper than sugar.) Fortunately, the aftermath of this scandal produced some of the most stringent wine laws in the world. The bottles topped with red-and-white-striped seals assure us of complete purity.

Many are of the opinion that Gru-Vee has suffered in popularity from the problem German wines have always had, labels littered with long German words that no one understands. Hmmm, let's go looking for a Nigl Kremser Freiheit Kremstal or, better yet, a Weingut Brundimayer Kamptaler Terassen Gruner Veltliner. Fortunately, top producers are busily redesigning their labels with minimal text and maximum visual impact.

Sampling wines from different vineyards side by side can be very interesting. This is especially true for those with some age that have become more expressive of their terroir. The great Austrian Grüner Veltliner vineyards are:

Wachau (fruity crowd pleasers)
Loibenberg
Ried Schütt
Kellerberg
Achleiten
Steinriegl
Hochrain (Wösendorf)
Honivogl

Kremstal
Senftenberger Piri

Kamptal (spicy and challenging)
Käferberg
Ried Lamm
Spiegel
Zöbinger Heiligenstein

On the whole, it tastes like nothing else, and it is easier to drink and better with food than most inexpensive Chardonnays. I usually don't worry too much about food pairings, I simply open a bottle and enjoy, but some thoughts are:

Asparagus
Artichoke
Prosciutto
Green salad vinaigrette
Pad Thai
Fondue
Fish
Shellfish
Rouladen
Fresh Polska kielbasa
Wiener schnitzel

Lucid Dreams

Well, I decided to try my hand at erotic writing. Many advise against using your real name and true incidents in writing erotica, but somehow those cautions don't seem particularly relevant to Second Life where many of the more rigid social conventions really don't hold sway. However, since this blog has always basically been PG-13, I didn't want to publish here, so I created yet another blog. Initially I linked the new blog from this one, but a wise and knowing friend pointed out that, in spite of the content warning, it could still catch some ppl unawares. This led me to unlink it.

For any of you who are interested in my short erotic tale, it is here:

http://dreamaware.blogspot.com/

As for the blog title, "Lucid Dreams" (or dreams you know you're having)... I personally have never had any problem daydreaming. For those of you who do (that is, those of you who want to daydream more, but don't know how), my blog links a "how-to" site on lucid dreaming. This blog promises that its techniques will allow you to control your dreams and make your dreams what you want when you want. LOL.

It Was A Very Good Year...

Weather has a huge impact on wine. Severe weather can damage vines, and the temperature and the sun in a given region impact the flavor and character of grapes. Though winemakers may have the technical means to compensate for inferior years, no tweaked wine can surpass a well-made wine from superior raw materials. This is why vintage charts remain important in spite of technology and the improvements in mass-produced wine.

The information in Gudrun's Simplified Vintage Chart is gleaned from a number of sources (for, as I said in my previous post, I can't drink 35 bottles of wine a day). It includes only those vintages that you are still likely to find in the stores you might visit. It also includes vintages from areas not often included in charts (such as Austria where Michele's favorite wine comes from, a wine that is full-bodied and flavorful, not at all resembling the German wines that have simlar names). Unfortunately, I can't find current charts on lesser known North American vintages: those from the Great lakes region - Michigan, Ohio, and the Niagara Falls area - and from the Finger Lakes area, the Hudson Valley, and Long Island in New York.* Wine is now produced in all 50 states, and most ppl don't realize that, prior to 1850, the nation's leading wine-producing state was... Ohio, LOL.

Most vintage charts also provide an indication of when to "hold" a wine vs. when to drink it. Assisted by Mother Nature's effect on the way the grapes happened to grow, I have simplified this decison as well, at least for the time being and until there are new vintages to be considered. In general, for the years in this chart, you should hold your Bordeaux, Burgundies, and Rhones, and drink everything else (though of course you can drink the others too if you want to and have absolutely no self-control).

Incidentally, the blending of young wine with a selection of older reserve wines is the bais of most Champagne making. Only about 10 percent of Champagne is vintage dated, and this typically indicates an exceptional wine. This might be an example that producers in other regions could perhaps follow. A good bottle of Champagne in a specific style can always be had. Also, Champagne tends to keep for a very long time.

*NB ~ Anthony J. Hawkins did a comprehensive chart of North American wine (and the world), but it ended in 2002 and I haven't yet found an up-to-date chart for these regions :=( If anyone has one, please share it with me.

Wine - A Beginning

Wine Aroma Wheel

Okay, here we go, and this won’t be the end of it. I have been drinking Meukow Cognac watered with Crispin hard apple cider, and, OMG, boy (or boi), is it good!

France has the lowest death rate from heart disease in the industrialized western world, despite the French habits of smoking, eating fatty foods and shunning exercise. Only Japan, with its low-fat diet of fish and rice, has a lower rate. Is this because of wine consumption, or is it merely portion control? Who knows... In any case, I can’t drink 35 bottles of wine a day, which is the equivalent of what the mice drank in the well-known longevity experiment.

One notable observation is that post mortem studies show that dead alcoholics have relatively "clean" arteries. Of course, for this group, the dangers of alcohol abuse greatly outweigh any benefit from alcohol. We’re not gonna go there, LOL. :=P

But wine is a very good thing, something that humans have imbibed for thousands of years. Wine is a mild natural tranquilizer, serving to reduce anxiety and tension. As part of a normal diet, wine provides the body with energy, with substances that aid digestion, and with small amounts of minerals and vitamins. It can also stimulate the appetite. In addition, wine serves to restore nutritional balance, relieve tension, sedate and act as a mild euphoric agent to the convalescent and especially the aged. (Gawd...)

Some wines taste better, but a lot of ppl have trouble describing wine. For your benefit, and as my first installment on wine, I present the following, gleaned from the University of California at Davis Wine Aroma Wheel (and the Ashland Vineyards site). The wheel itself is a little hard to decipher, hence this representation, but with a little practice you will soon be coming up with even more better descriptive terminology than what is offered up here. :=)

General	Specific	More Specific
Fruity	Citrus	Grapefruit
		Lemon
	Berry	Blackberry
		Raspberry
		Strawberry
		Black Currant (Cassis)
	Tree Fruit	Cherry
		Apricot
		Peach
		Apple
	Tropical Fruit	Pineapple
		Melon
		Banana
	Dried Fruit	Strawberry Jam
		Raisin
		Prune
		Fig
	Other	Artificial Fruit
		Methyl Anthranilate
Spicy	Spicy	Licorice/Anise
		Black Pepper
		Cloves
Floral	Floral	Geranium
		Violet
		Rose
		Orange Blossom
Micro-
biological	Yeasty	Leesy
		Baker's Yeast
	Lactic	Yogurt
		Sweaty
		Sauerkraut
	Other	Mousy
		Horsey
Sherry	Oxidized	Oxidized
Pungent	Cool	Menthol
	Hot	Alcohol
Chemical	Pungent	Sulfur Dioxide
		Ethanol
		Acetic Acid
		Ethyl Acetate
	Sulfur	Wet Wool, Wet Dog
		Sulfur Dioxide
		Burnt Match
		Cabbage
		Skunk
		Garlic
		Natural Gas, Mercaptain
		Hydrogen Sulfide
		Rubbery
	Petroleum	Diesel
		Kerosene
		Plastic
		Tar
Earthy	Moldy	Moldy Cork
		Moldy
	Earthy	Mushroom
		Dusty
Woody	Burned	Smoky
		Burnt Toast
		Coffee
	Phenolic	Medicinal
		Phenolic
		Bacon
	Resinous	Oak
		Cedar
		Vanilla
Caramel	Caramel	Honey
		Butterscotch
		Diacetyl (Butter)
		Soy Sauce
		Chocolate
		Molasses
Nutty	Nutty	Walnut
		Hazelnut
		Almond
Herbaceous or
Vegetative	Fresh	Cut Green Grass
		Bell Pepper
		Eucalyptus
		Mint
		Canned/Cooked Green Beans
		Asparagus
		Green Olive
		Black Olive
		Artichoke
	Dried	Hay/Straw
		Tea
		Tobacco

If you would like to purchase your own copy of the Wine Aroma Wheel, please visit the UC-Davis Bookstore to purchase a copy for $5 plus shipping & handling.

Musings on Play in a Parallel Universe

Immersion in a make-believe world is a means of escaping our responsibilities and concerns, as an antidote to the everyday work and worry of our advanced society.

The propensity to absorb oneself in make-believe originates in childhood, when a simple prop could make one a princess, a movie star, a soldier, a hero or a villain. As adults we immersed ourselves in music, books, storytelling, movies, television, or structured games, and each of these pursuits probably required progressively less imagination. But once upon a time, radio listeners had their imaginations piqued by some fundamental sound effects created by plungers, tom-toms, rain boxes, canvas, silk, tin cans, rubber balloons, pillows, cellophane, and bottles. Then movies and television presented us with complete pictures of stories, at first amateurish, but later technically sophisticated. Now, in the computer age, the “tools” of immersion have become powerful and complex, simultaneously requiring both less and more imagination to create a truly immersive experience.

Computer games have given us the ability not only to imagine, but to participate in an alternate reality and to actually influence it. But some of these alternate realities no longer fit the definition of game. They can’t be won or lost and have no end state. But they are fun and addictive. They are truly virtual worlds in which we can actually live an alternate life.

Early computer gamers indulged their fantasies in text based games while mastering clearly defined environments. But technology advanced, reality caught up with fiction, and people became truly able to “jack in” to a virtual world in a sensual and even affective way. An electronic image can give you an actual presence in a virtual reality that is not truly physical, but is certainly relational and definitely emotional.

Classification schema of game-players abound: One set of classifications might be the achiever, the explorer, the socializer, or the killer. Another might be the role-player, the storyteller, the power-gamer, or the war-gamer. All immerse themselves, but to different degrees and in different ways. How does this relate to Second Life, a “game” in which others as well as one’s own self have a presence?

One type of Second Life “resident” uses SL mainly for extension of his or her real life or RL. These individuals cannot or do not want to differentiate SL from RL - they want to extend their RL into SL. This player mixes SL and RL freely, meeting fellow players for lunch in the real world, possibly engaging in business transactions with them, or dating. There is not much imagination at work or role-playing going on. This can become serious business vs. simple fun and enjoyment.

The extensionist has no real “second life.” This can make her just a little threatening to the virtual worlds of others, because she tends to bring RL needs and arguments to it, and tries to enforce RL customs and rules, sometimes diminishing the freedom of others and inhibiting herself as she does so.

A second type of resident is the immersive role-player. For this person, SL and RL are separate – different lives with different rules. This is the basic intention of role-playing games, but it is antithetical to the extensionist idea of what a virtual world could or should be. This can be dangerous to the role-player’s very virtual existence. The extensionist does not always understand or accept the kind of separation the real role-player requires, and, if the role-player’s persona is not sufficiently outrageous and unbelievable, can label it deception and fraud.

To deal with these realities, the role-player may hybridize. The hybrid player may seem to be an extensionist, but actually is not. This player has a pseudo-life that may closely resemble that player’s real life, differing only in some minor or perhaps some pivotal way. There is no desire or willingness to merge SL with RL. But there is danger here as well, and that is that there is always the possibility of emotional damage to other players whose own imaginations rely upon the truth of the way others represent themselves.

This brings us to Gudrun’s non-mutually exclusive Second Life Paradigm of Existence in a Virtual World:

Parenthetic markings are intended to differentiate players of differing motivation. All of this, of course, is intended to be confusing. :=P

La raison for participation in SL is some element of personal fulfillment in one or more of these categories. This grows out of the simple desire for an enjoyable experience and the individual pursuit of goals and desires while opposing external interference.

At no time in real life does one person reveal the totality of their personality to another. This is not deception: each one of us knows that there is much going on within us that is not being revealed. One can only express their true desires and feelings to the extent they are compatible with what others are willing to accept. Otherwise, discourse becomes discord, isolation, or worse.

In any life, most of us do not always tell people what we really think of them. Conversely, we may not want to hear from them what they really think of us. We might guess at their true feelings, but really do not care about them except to the extent they affect our relationships. Most everyone participates in this kind of politeness and deference.

In living our second lives, we must keep a firm grip on the fact that the social self that others present to us is not the whole of their personality. As in real life, we mature, and the reactions of others as we present ourselves to them affects our feelings toward ourselves and our self conception. Of course, we also dynamically mold an image of ourselves for others. In our interactions we "take the role of the other" to evaluate the way we come across in any given situation, and we adjust our behaviors (and perhaps more importantly, the amount of information we divulge about ourselves) accordingly. And we must keep in mind players’ differing reasons for participating in a virtual world.

Much of the fun of a virtual world is the illusion. When all illusion is worn away, are you left with something that feels almost like a job? It’s probably a bad thing when playing a game makes the player feel annoyed and obligated. Is that what we’re here for, LOL?

Inauguration Day

“Soon after George W. Bush came to office, eight years ago, he told a confidant that ‘There's no Nobel Peace Prize to be had’ in Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy. He turned his attention instead to places farther east in the Middle East, with mostly horrific results. But, as Obama told his listeners at AIPAC last June, there remains the Talmudic imperative of tikkan olam, ‘the obligation to repair the world.’ In four years, or eight, he may well have won no Nobel medal, made no final repair. But the obligation of constant engagement is deep; the cost of negligence is paid in blood. And, what is more, history has proved that the seemingly impossible can be achieved: the Irish and the English have all but resolved a conflict that began in the days of Oliver Cromwell, and on January 20th an African American President will cross the color line and move into the White House, a house that slaves helped build.”

David Remnick, in the New Yorker