Hazy Memories from Style Street
by Alphaville Herald on 30/11/10 at 12:23 pm
by Justine Babii
Part the First: Or, How I Name-Drop Myself Back into Second Life
The other day I was revisiting Second Life for the first time in ages, and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with Carol Pixelmaid, the vivacious spouse of your own Photographer-in-Residence, Timothy Morpork. We were talking about the gorgeous Callie Cline and I was explaining that somewhere there is a picture of Callie and I that looks as if it might be something out of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. If you’ve seen her “in person”, you know that Callie is a very tall avatar, and if you know me, then you know that my avatar is very petite. As I recall, the picture looked like it had been an effort to get us both into the frame.
I went to look for the picture but I couldn’t find it. Here’s a vintage one of me instead.
Don’t you just love old pictures?
This was taken at Artilleri, which looks just the same today, if only prim hair aged as well as good sims!
Here’s another one of me just so I can get my brag on. I was never aiming to be covergirl material, but it happened!
That picture with Callie I mentioned was taken, I think, probably some time in 2007 or possibly 2008. I couldn’t remember whether I’d taken the picture or if Callie had. I vaguely remembered it being on her blog, but the details were fuzzy at best. Around that time in 1st Life I finished up my degree and headed to the “real world” and Second Life went from obsession to "meh, mebbe later" as I was soon overwhelmed by a job.
That is not to say that during my “lost years” I didn’t check in from time to time. I kept up with the blogs and logged in and bought new hair, but nothing like the old days. I was sad to see some of the blogs I’d worked for go out of business, but happy to know that SL was chugging along in case I felt like getting virtual. Increasingly over the past few weeks I’ve availed myself of its digital charms-logging in more and staying longer, and frankly, enjoying Second Life.
And then there was that damned picture of me and Callie Cline. I went looking for it. I looked on the computer I was on at the time, but it hadn’t been around then and no old files had made it over. I checked an older computer and no luck there either, but I did find a treasure trove of other SL pictures that hijacked the better part of an afternoon, which is what this article is about.
Part the Second: Or, The Part Where She Tells You About Saving Your Pictures.
Save your pictures. Take some snaps once in a while. I wish I had saved more, it was like a wonderful trip down digital lane to look at some of those old pictures I had taken in Second Life just a couple of years ago. It is our world’s history, it is your personal history, be sure and try to let a few of the snaps survive.
I was very fortunate in my Second Life. Cursed with the inability to say no and a willingness to write, I became a busy bee from the moment I got here- working for Second Style, SLNN, The Herald, Sexy Second, SLebration and probably a couple others I’ve since forgotten. As a member of the press I had access to some of SL’s most awesome moments in 2007 and 2008, and I thought I might haul out some of those pictures out, I hope they bring back some memories of “the old days” for you.
50 Cent in SL at Pontiac Garage
Lu Sisters and Models Paper Couture
Moo Money Squirts Milk on NBCs SL has Talent
NBA in SL
Kalel Venkman Fielding Questions at the SLCC
Simulcast of the Budweiser Lingerie Pageant
Part the Third: The Conclusion, and Where She Tells You About Sharing Your Pictures.
As I was a blogger, I took a lot of pictures back in the day, and over the next couple of weeks I’ll be digging through old folders on various scattered disks and thumb drives and a very slow old laptop trying to find them all, with the ultimate goal of assembling them together into a place where I can probably lose them all at once more effectively. I do plan some redundancy in my redundancy of course, and I’ll throw the ones that won’t embarrass anyone into the cloud that is the interwebs.
Should this article get a warm reception, and should I find some more noteworthy pics, perhaps I’ll do this again. (I know I have some great bikini pics of Tizzers somewhere!) But first, and I’m not a flickr-ite at all so I made need help moderating this- I’ve created a Flickr Group for YOUR vintage SL shots.
It sounds crazy to think of 2003 as ancient history, but it is, and with the speed at which technology is improving, everything right up to this very sentence I’m typing could be seen as historical, so if you’re a flickr-er already, share some pictures with this group http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlifehistoricalarchive and if you’re not but have some great old pics- get yourself a free flickr account and share them!
Senban Babii
Nov 30th, 2010
I have to admit, I started reading this article purely because of the writer. Justine was the person I contacted a verrrry long time ago about Post 6 and then it all got forgotten and I ended up getting scooped up during Timothy’s reign instead. In fact I think Justine is even still on my friends list from all that time ago, maybe 2007?
Once I started reading it I have to admit though that I couldn’t figure out where it was going. But now that I see, I think it’s an excellent idea and should throw up quite a few memories. I’m not sure what I have but I’ll see about putting some up on my Flickr page and linking them.
James Freud
Nov 30th, 2010
@Senban Babii
I’m glad you could stick it out….I tuned out after “get my brag on”.
Darien Caldwell
Nov 30th, 2010
I agree about saving pictures. Unfortunately the pictures shown here are more a list of great failures of the medium. SL isn’t about pulling some RL person or business into SL. It’s about creating something memorable and dare I say important in a virtual world.
Budweiser Lingerie Party is neither memorable nor important. At least you were honest about ‘name dropping’ though.
marilyn murphy
Nov 30th, 2010
i am going to hype something here that is germaine i think. players magazine was the first in game magazine. its first publication was in december of 03. it has 14 issues going from 03 to 06. it has articles and pictures that indicate the changing avatar styles and what were important subjects at the time of publication. anyone interested in the history of sl, might give it a read. it can only be found in game.
Pappy Enoch
Nov 30th, 2010
Hoo whee. You mean I done missed the knotty underwear show? I recollect how back then them real-life rascals from lots of rotten companies what makes crap products figgered they could make some fast bucks in a fake world.
Well at least they knowed where to reach wif beer and panties: down in the gutter where rascals like me kin be found have us a lie-down.
Fannie Carter
Nov 30th, 2010
Welcome back to SL Justine! We missed you and hope this means you’ll stay!!
hobo kelly
Dec 1st, 2010
somewhat related video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ctfQAoV-c
IntLibber
Dec 1st, 2010
Um, that Kalel pic wasn’t anything to do with SLCC, which happened in August-September of 2007 in Chicago and I was in Chitown, not inworld. That pic is of one of Kalel’s little influence peddling I R SRS ANTIGRIEFER, LISTEN TO ME lectures he gave around SL to various sim owners who have been griefed by his group’s PN alts.
I remember that particular meeting, actually, cause I met Masakazu there.
Justine Babii
Dec 1st, 2010
@Senban
I’m so sorry we didn’t get your picture done back in the day, Timothy is a million times better at Post 6 than I was though so it worked out for you! I’ve enjoyed your comments over the years and hope to meet you someday soon!
@Marilyn
Not only is that germane, it’s one of the inspirations of my article! I actually took my friends to the Players Shack to show them the old pictures you have there, and I recommend it to anyone interested in SL history.
@Darien
I totally agree with you that the best part of SL are the people and the awesome things they make. I chose these pictures because I had them handy and thought they would be of a broader interest than the others I happened to find.
@Pappy
I love your articles and if I had known you in 2007 I would have brought you to the lingerie pageant.
@Intlibber
Never doubt the reporter. SLCC had an in-world counterpart that year at Zatzai Asturias’ Artificial Isle. Kalel’s talk was about sim security, you’re correct, but it was also part of the in-world SLCC.
@Fannie!
Thank you! I think I’m back!
Senban Babii
Dec 1st, 2010
@Justine
I’m sure we’ll bump into each other sooner or later. Us Babiis have to look after each other, we’re a rare breed these days 8P
IntLibber
Dec 2nd, 2010
Justine,
Look at the picture. It shows ME sitting in the audience there. I can say for a fact I did not log into SL during SLCC that year. So that photo could not have happened during SLCC. Thats what they call in the funny papers “photographic evidence”.
Tizzers Foxchase
Dec 2nd, 2010
http://alphavilleherald.com/2007/06/superman-takes.html
The image was posted on June 30th, 2007. SLCC 2007 in Chicago took place on August 24-26th. Little bit of a time gap, however Zatzai had been setting up the sim in preparation for the in-world component weeks before the actual convention. Might explain the confusion.
Indeed
Dec 2nd, 2010
From that very article:
“For a fan of the comments, one of the events at Second Convention two weeks ago….”
Looks like everyone is right…..there were multiple conventions going on in 2007, but I file this all under “who gives a sh*t”