The Alphaville Herald

Tenshi Morigi — Post 6 Grrrl

by Alphaville Herald on 29/10/08 at 11:42 pm

[Tenchi Morigi's photo shoot took place under beautiful cherry trees on her Givenchi sim. As we are both in the same timezone, it was a nice experience to meet at a time when only 20,000 residents were online. Things rezzed within seconds, there was no lag at all. It was photographer's heaven. Tenchi is one of those chameleons who change within seconds from latex geisha to Harajuku glow girl and as many other Post 6ers before, she was well-prepared and had sent me a notecard with some pictures of outfits and locations so our photo shoot was probably the shortest I ever had. One day later we met in her beautiful garden for an interview. As a non-native speaker she rather wanted to answer questions than preparing her own text. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Tenchi Morigi, this week's wonderful Post 6 Grrrl. - Bunny Brickworks]

Tenchi : Welcome back to Givenchi, Bunny.
Bunny: Thank you very much Tenchi. This is a beautiful place.
Tenchi : Thank you. I am slowly starting in getting better at this *grins mischievously*. When I see pictures of the first places I have assembled … ehw

Bunny laughs. How long have you had this place here?
Tenchi : In the way you see it now … two weeks maybe. I just tore everything down in one of my creative frenzies and started all over again.
Tenchi :fills two cups of Roibush tea and puts some grinded vanilla in it.

Bunny: Thank you for the tea, it’s delicious. This place looks as if it was worth the efforts
Tenchi :: Yes it does. It’s so nicely different from the “usual” SL that one finds quite often. I only wish more would be genuinely me *laughs* having two left hands and ten thumbs doesn’t help.

Bunny laughs. It is very peaceful. Why did you choose an Asian theme?
Tenchi : Even though the answer may sound strange … I love cherry blossoms. And the Asian theme goes best with it. I love to assemble different cultural influences like the New York jazz bar in my house, or the hamam. My basement looks like a Victorian palace.

Bunny: What cultural influence does the helicopter behind me come from?
Tenchi coughs. My addiction for 80ies TV series.

Bunny: Ok, good answer! Do you actually use it?
Tenchi : Of course. Not as often as I would like since the lag usually kills all the fun. But I am not that bad when the Viewer is stable. I love to take it to the New England sims and just fly across the complex

Bunny: New England? Nice. Are those your favorites in SL?
Tenchi : Yes. They count over a hundred sims now – great for such trips by boat or helicopter.

Bunny nods. Though using vehicles is mostly a pain in SL … How do you spend your online time? Besides using vehicles or torturing land …
Tenchi smiles at the word “torturing”

Tenchi : Well, my two main occupations here are acting as Security in the KLE all girls club and mentoring students from the university of Richmond. I do blog about SL, which also consumes quite some time. And I try to get to know all the different cultures and subcultures around the grid. Getting to know all this is such an amazing chance. I like that a lot.
Bunny nods. What does that mentoring job involve?
Tenchi : A professor from the university of RIchmond who teaches English holds parts of his classes in SL. I am belonging to a group of senior residents helping the students to get acquainted with SL, which ranges from using the client, altering your avatar (my favorite *LOL*) to understanding the social system of the grid. SL obviously really scares some people not embracing the idea.

Bunny: Please explain that …
Tenchi : Well I guess everyone has read ones share of negative press about SL. A common point of view of those students is that people using SL regularly must be sexual deviants and social failures. Going against that opinions can be hard but when some are seeing this place they start understanding

Bunny: I see. In a way you’re trying to correct SL’s general image …
Tenchi : Well, I am surely not the Maid of Orleans *giggles* I just point out what the possibilities can be … except for that picture that is coined by the media … and sad but true at least partly deserved. Apart from that, my personal blog would be more then counterproductive to such a crusade *grins*

Bunny: Now I am curious. What do you blog about?
Tenchi takes a portfolio folder from under the table smiles and throws it to the sea. The blog’s name is ‘absolutely amazing second life discoveries’. My friend Cynthia and I blog funny, strange and weird stuff that we find around the grid. So to say we are an anti-shopping blog even though I know that people actually buy those “recommendations”. It all started when we found an epilator on SLEX and we thought …. “damn who needs that crap?” And started looking and found a lot more that just makes you laugh or shake your head

Bunny: Like pregnancy tests or toilet paper?
Tenchi takes a sip from her cup. Exactly!

Bunny: What would you estimate, how much time do you spend a week on SL?
Tenchi : Difficult to tell. There are weeks when I constantly hang around here but then it happens that I do not log in for three weeks. Taking a break can be quite helpful at times when you have grid overkill again. I would say about 2-4 hours a day in general.

Bunny: That’s a very healthy amount of online time. Why did you join SL? What were your expectations?
Tenchi: I started when a German online magazine started a series about SL. It started out the usual “wow look at all the sex here” way but then continued like “but look there is more”. That woke my curiosity and so I made my account. And so I set out to see what’s behind all the media hype, which was around SL in early 2007.

Bunny nods. Yes, that was the time when there was an almost uncontrollable increase of population. What made you stay?
Tenchi : The “look there is more” part *laughs*. Even though I am still partnered with a person that I met on my first days on the grid, which is the real reason. I wouldn’t spend so much time here if it weren’t for the social network I have established here.

Bunny: So you think ‘real’ feelings exist in a virtual world? Real friendships?
Tenchi: Yes to both. Absolutely. At the beginning I wanted to draw that line that everyone does but I quickly noticed that doesn’t work. Apart from that, what makes the difference of here or there? OK, I cannot meet the people as easily as my friend around the corner. But what constitutes a friendship? I would say a common interest, a basis. And that can exist here as well and it’s just as rare. Since that common basis has to be more then pressing that button.

Bunny nods. That’s true. As a mentor, do you give your students some good advice for their SL?
Tenchi: I try to. Some use them some don’t. My first days in SL have been quite frustrating since I left orientation early and learned everything on my own. And with the sheer size of SL this can really make you simply uninstall it. I try to be there and help them get around that … or keep them out of trouble *grins*

Bunny: Which is not so easy, I guess *smirks* If you could give a newbie only one good advice what would that be?
Tenchi: I think the best advice would be that SL is not a game. It’s the biggest mistake one can make thinking that way. See SL as an extension of your First Life and see the processes to learn using it just like that and everything will be fine.

Bunny nods. I always thought SL should be an ‘extension’ not a ‘replacement of your first life. If you treat it this way, you can be happy in both. Have you made any bad experience?
Tenchi: Well, who hasn’t? The probably worst one was when I was approached by a guy who immediately switched to IM and asked where I was from. When I answered from Germany he went away saying that he is from Italy and doesn’t like Germans because they are so cold. I felt like I was struck by a train.

Bunny: I can imagine. People thinking in stereotypes are disgusting.
Tenchi: Yep. especially since here on the grid one could at least try getting past them.

Bunny: Is there anything about SL that really drives you mad? I don’t mean the technical part like lag or asset server problems, but the human side.
Tenchi: Can you spell drama? I have no clue why so many people have to live their SL like a crappy daily soap. I have seen quite some friendships end because of it and that’s always sad. People tend to forget the other avatars are not NPC figures or some like to forget it and run wild under the cloak of anonymity. That’s the worst thing in my eyes.

Bunny: Yes, being anonymous brings out the worst in humans. Have you got any ambitions, any aspirations for your further second life?
Tenchi: Well, after failing at SL economy I want to continue working with Iggy from University of Richmond since it is very rewarding and nice to connect to new people I would never have a chance to meet in RL. And I would like to build a decent looking structure that is done of more then one plywood cube *grins*.

Bunny laughs. That’s quite a venture. Would you like to mention or thank anyone?
Tenchi: In first place I would like to thank you for letting me join the line and Yasha finally getting a chance to see me nude *laughs* and Give who is the reason that I am still here.

Bunny: It was a great pleasure for me. Any famous last words?
Tenchi: I am not a philosopher but treating the people on the grid like you want to be treated by them in return is never wrong

Bunny: I guess that’s the perfect statement for a peaceful SL. Thank you very much for your time and hospitality.
Tenchi: My pleasure, but now excuse me please. It looks there is a dragon peeing in my pool!