Lanai's Diary: IT'S PAST MID SUMMER... Do you know were the first half went?

 

If you are anything like me I complain when it's too hot and complain again when it's cold. I live in the Northeast of the country; New Jersey to be specific so I experience four seasons. Unlike Florida that lives in constant summer or the states way up north that are a bit colder, I’m not sure where I really fit in. All I know is Summer usually starts to fade out right after my birthday (July 13th). If my mother had me 6 days prior I’d be a 7-7-77 luck baby but really if you google the day it was nothing short of disastrous. Aside from the biggest fire in federal prison history or the total Blackout in New York City, I’d think any baby born on that day or the following week would have seemed like the antichrist arrived.

All jokes aside… Where the fuuuuuu….dge did summer go? I still haven't gotten past this tacky ass uneven farmers tan that seems to exist on the skin visible from my driver’s side window.

Summers aren't what they were when I was a kid. All I do is work and by the time I get out, I’m chasing the sun home in hopes I can get a little porch time with a glass of wine and a quick fix dinner.

 Looking back at the past month, I have to say, not much went on except for a couple of weekend getaways where I went to Atlantic City to donate to Casinos, stuff my face with boardwalk eats and do a little people watching on a famous boardwalk sitting on a bench next to a guy that was chain smoking and feeding the freakin’ seagulls.

 I was sitting with my date when all of a sudden a big splatter of what appeared to be yogurt landed right in his lap and the sound of an angry Ohhh WTF!!!!  I couldn't help but laugh my ass off and hand him my used napkin. My appetite for the giant pretzel I was holding completely went away.

  After yanking his arm to move along the boardwalk to get him away from telling the seagull feeder off… we went back into the casino where I decided to slap a $10 dollar bill in a computer generated Roulette table. Ready to say bye to my donations, I scanned the board and put chips down, starting with the outside “black”. I figured it’s a 50/50 chance so why not. 

Either way I had a bottle of Ciroc waiting for me in my hotel room at Ceasar’s palace. OMG, I Hit! Feeling lucky I started playing the inside numbers. I chose a number and stacked  chips on “13” and the remaining chips around it. OMG I hit!. Figuring this is the part where I hit the cash out button and walk away while I was ahead. 

Hell I turned 10 bucks into about $250 in a matter of 10 minutes. My date was salty but impressed. Off to the hotel room we went and well…. That Ciroc ain’t nothin to mess with lol…. I sure felt it the next day!

The following weekend was my Birthday weekend. I took off on that Friday so I can really enjoy a little time away from working and adulting. I decided to hit the Poconos!  I’m a city girl but there I was in the mountains. Copped me a sweet townhouse Air BnB right next to Camelback Resort. Prior to the trip I created a detailed itinerary booklet complete with pictures of each of the excursions we had tickets for. When we arrived Thursday evening after work and a 2 hour drive, I hit up the local Walmart for a little weekend grocery shopping knowing dang well I wasn’t going to cook. Grabbed my luggage from my car ( I totally packed for 2 weeks) and settled in. Rummaged through my beach bag and pulled out a pouch of edibles; “Rainbow Download” to be exact and yea a couple of those and some Ciroc… Holy Christmas in July! I was lit up like a Christmas tree. FFS they sure don't sell those potent treats in Pennsylvania. Jersey dispensaries are something different. SMH

Anyway, not much else happened that night… smirks. 

Friday was chill… I kinda remember it… We went to Mount Airy Casino. I thought I would get lucky playing roulette there too but I was wrong. There were two tables. I was looking at the number boards to determine which one I might have a better chance with so I walked over and watched. I turned to my date and said next ball will land on “12”. I didn’t place any bets and WTF… it totally landed on that number!  I sat down and dropped $15 on a game and  lost it in one round. I was done. I’m not the gambling addict type. I’ll donate up to about $20 bucks and be done. Decided to stop by Guy Fieri’s restaurant to eat and out of curiosity googled if the place was haunted and sure enough…. I read something about the main dining area reporting the most haunted activity. My punk ass date wasn’t too thrilled and wanted to get out of there.

So Saturday… decided to Zipline. We purchased tickets online and off we went flying down a 4000 ft double barrel. My date leaped first and was halfway down when I jumped off the platform. I tried grabbing the handles for stability but I felt like I was hanging so I let go and gripped the harness. WTF! It had me turning backwards and I ended up missing the view down and just staring back up at the mountain as I was screaming bloody murder. I couldn’t catch my footing so I kinda bounced back up the mountain and the zipline spotters had to scurry to get me. One and done.

When I landed at the bottom all I heard was OOOHHHH my nuts!  I guess his harness was strapped a little too tight on those berries.  After that experience we hopped on a shuttle bus to the parking lot and left to check out The haunted Candle Shoppe.  Yup, they got ghost monkeys. Before it became a candle Shop, it was home to a deranged doctor that experimented on monkeys in the basement. People reported hearing little phantom monkey feet running across the floor and stuff like that so why not poke my curious nose around to see if something would scare the bejesus out of me. I didn’t see or hear anything strange so off we went stopping by a couple of crystal shops on route back to the Air BnB and the day was over.

Saturday morning was CamelBeach; the next excursion on my Bday itinerary. I highly recommend purchasing VIP seating near the wave pool. I sat sipping a Pina Coloda and people watched. I have to say BBLs are pretty popular. You can tell who got botched in the Dominican republic and who actually researched their plastic surgeon… just saying.

Sunday was check out day and my birthday weekend was over. I headed to visit some family about an hour away while my date headed back to Jersey. I spent the better part of Monday Thrift shopping and spending time with family before I headed back home. Not that y'all readers care what I do aside from managing this newspaper, though I’d share my bits of Summer before it's over.

 I have to say even weekend getaways doing random things with others can be fun. I totally recommend it. Stay cool and get to the end of Summer adventures while you can!

Feel free to share your summer adventures in the comment box below. I know I’m not the only one who has stories 

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LANAI'S DIARY- What's poppin Ya'll

 

It’s Lanai Jarrico that washed up virtual world reporting that just doesn’t go away to some and to others.. OMG she’s alive!

After a long day of being that Boss B*tch in RL. I needed to unwind and do what I love best; writing. 

Warning though, if I start telling you about my day, you'll either be inspired or need a stiff drink, or both, buckle up.

It’s been a while. I haven't been in Second Life much as I navigate real life. I had to take a break from that madness and come back to a place where I can truly unwind and do something creative.

  If I can only get the foil seal off this bottle of Ciroc. WTF grrrrrrrrrr.

Got it! Anyway, as I sit here thinking I’d do a little writing and just let the thoughts spill out my head while sipping. 

Let’s talk about life for a minute. If you are a young buck this might give you insight to help encourage personal growth and for yall old heads like me. (90’s teens) we are at the point in our lives where most of us are becoming empty nesters while we watch our babies conquer the world with the skills we put in place for them. It’s a bittersweet stage of life where you are left wondering who you are as a person and what’s next.

Well, just like most folks in this age bracket, we are working. Handling our business and hopefully making self care and happiness a goal. Don’t feel selfish or like you are abandoning your now adult kids. It’s about doing you and finding what makes you happy so that you can spread the same energy to others. It’s not easy, but prioritizing your responsibilities and goals and making shit happen for you is a win. Remember like the old saying goes… You can’t make anyone happy, if you aren’t happy. Take care of you and the rest will fall into place.

As I sit here sipping away and feeling the buzz, I must say finding time for self care is wonderful if you handle your business and at the end of a productive day, you take that time for yourself, do whatever makes you happy. Whether it be logging into Second life to let that carefree spirit lose or doing something you love for a little YOU time.

Your YOU time is important. We need it in our lives to grow and catch up with ourselves.

I love Second Life. I’ve been logging in for the past two decades. I was very heavily involved in the beginning. It was like crack and I was hopelessly addicted to the SIMS Online. I spent hours immersing myself into a virtual community that gave me access to a variety of friends.  Meeting people on a global scale broadened my worldly perspective and helped me grow as a person in many ways.  I initially got involved with virtual worlds when my brother came home from college and told me about the online version of The SIMS Online. Everyone knew I was a fan and had all the expansion pack CD’s to prove it.

At first, it was just like a chatroom with shit to do. Greening up was the only responsibility we had and the rest was meet and greets. At the time, I spent my time building up what is now known as The SL Enquirer and randomly chatting with people, many of which have become lifelong friends. I had my ups and downs just like many in a virtual world community but one thing I know for sure. It is not a game. Real people are involved and many are just like you! Some log in for entertainment and others come in recognizing the power of this platform and go into business.

I recognized early on that wherever there is a community of people, there’s bound to be some kinda drama. Just like real life, hater be hatin’ and Karens be out here causes a problem that creates a ripple effect through the community. I found it interesting and would open up SLE for people to communicate with each other by promoting their clubs and services as well as adding some spice with Virtual Mafia Family drama.At the time,it was their way of communication and people seemed to get a kick out of it. We all know drama can be interesting and some peeps like to bust out their popcorn and spectate. Drama is all good when it aint your own…so readership grew.

19 years later, SLE is still spreading news across the grid and doing its thing. It was a journey for sure but totally worth the ride. To all my true friends that have been with me along for the ride, thank you for being one of the many that helped make me who I am today. Your advice, insights, comic relief and genuine unconditional love has been a driving force in allowing me to continue doing what I love.

Anyway, as this liquor is continuously hitting me I will proceed rambling until I make no sense. 

The point of this random ramble was just to say Hi, Hope all is well and you are happy doing what you love. If I’m around don’t hesitate to message me and ask what's poppin’. I love chatting and being a part of our unique virtual world community. 

OMG, word for word from my brain… I totally forgot what the topic is or what to type next.

This Vodka is really smacking me now.  I began sippin’ and writing I lost track of how many shots I took. It's 25 minutes later and I’m beginning to feel like my head is leaning sideways and I’m thinking …. maybe I should have taken a shower first because now I'm going to be holding one hand on the shower wall and try to soap up as fast as I can with the room spinning. 

Shit.. maybe drinking and writing isn't a good thing. It’s probably time to tap out. I gotta work in the morning and since I’m not really a drinker, I guess I will find out if I have a hangover when I wake up.

Have a great day or night wherever you are in the world.  I will write more diary entries soon.

XOXO

Lanai Jarrico

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Lanai’s Diary: My confession

Every once in a while I like to ramble on about anything that comes to mind. I’ve been told I do automatic writing, other times that I’m a terrible writer or that I’m even an Enigma. It all confuses me because I can’t see myself as other people see me, so I will pull a hoodie over my head and just keep writing. I’m not sure if I’m any of those things all I know is I like to write and just spill my thoughts out as if I’m talking to a friend or even just a diary that I allow you to peek in.

Some of the things I say are relatable and other times I’m sure it leaves readers scratching their heads like WTF did she say…  

My passion for writing stems from being a kid that never really felt heard, my brain was always spinning with thoughts and ideas but it was always hard to express myself verbally. I spent a lot of time alone.  I wrote in a diary. I still have it. It’s pink with a little padlock.  It’s in a box in my basement with other things I collected since I was emancipated at 17.  I’m afraid to read it because it's filled with a lot of painful things that I’m not ready to be reminded of.

 I spent most of my childhood playing alone in my bedroom closet with my barbie dolls. My grandmother who raised me had passed away a week before my 13th Bday and I had to live with an alcoholic mother while my father was in rehab. It wasn’t the best environment for a kid that was trying to process a devastating loss on my own.

Creating storylines was my escape. I reenacted my emotions or whatever was going on in my life at the time. I played with barbies until I was in 6th grade.. I know.. embarrassing… I got made fun of by mean girls I thought were my friends because I wasn’t into boys and gossip and all the drama that goes on with tweens at that age.

When 7th grade came around and I began to blossom, all those mean girls’ boyfriends were hitting on me which made those same girls hate me even more. I got bullied so badly that I couldn't get close to other girls.  By 9th grade, I was hanging out with seniors, they were like my big brothers and they protected me. All those types of girls wanted to suddenly be my friend just to have access to the guys in my crew. Good times and a lot of fun memories. I was respected and never caught a bad reputation. Skip ahead to my 10 year high school reunion, most of the bullies looked like life kicked their asses as they dragged around their significant others like big ol trophies of settling. Approaching me and acting like they were excited to see me and complimenting me on how I hadn't aged.

Fast forward another decade and I started the SL Enquirer. It was an odd full circle in a virtual sense. I was drawn to the virtual world because it was like playing barbies all over again but this time an adult version with others. I came out of my shell was confident and started writing about my experiences, sharing my stories and this time when I looked up, I wasn’t in my bedroom closet alone, I had readers staring back at me who actually paid attention to whatever it was I had to say.  It’s an interesting type of reality that no one in my real world would ever understand just how vital and important Second Life and SLE is to me.

Those of us who have spent years in Second Life are looked at as if we shut the real world out but in reality what we are doing is expanding our connections on a global scale and not being trapped in a bubble of the city or state or  country we live in. I have learned so much here, not just about different cultures and people I have met but a lot about myself. I would have never gotten a BS in communication and technology had I not created SLE. It inspired me because one person I encountered  many moons ago told me I was uneducated and my newspaper would never last. Cheers to her, I have a big fat student loan debt but now I can proudly say I am educated but I’d still clown the shit out of her in a spoof SLE police report and act all ghetto and uneducated because, well… I think I earned that right.

Anyway, in a nutshell, I’ve learned to find the humor in things and accept myself as I am.  I’m  not being what everyone else expects me to be. I am who I am and I’m grateful for the lifelong friends I’ve made in both RL and Second Life who get me and treat me how I deserve to be treated. 

I’m now a Livery Supervisor in one of the top hospitals in New Jersey and maaan does it test me. I feel like a glorified babysitter at times having to deal with the knuckleheads. I’ve learned leadership comes with consequences. I’m not the most liked by those who were terminated because of their own actions and I have to deal with the gossiping and bad mouthing that goes on behind my back and the smiles they show me to my face. The best part about it is being told that if I'm not liked in my position, I must be doing something right because I’m not letting them get away with shit. I’m that Boss Bitch.

 Again, I have to thank SLE for that. Being a virtual CEO gave me the confidence I need to handle such a position. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Even a Boss bitch will cry and turn into the little girl with all the insecurities and pain she suffered but she gets up every day and continues to push forward. It’s hard being a woman navigating through life and figuring about who she is. It's never ending because once we stop trying to achieve then we limit ourselves and become stuck. I don't want to be one of those people who looks back at life saying what if… I want to look back at my life and say holy shit, did I do that?

This diary entry really has no real purpose but I do hope it inspires anyone regardless of what stage in life you are, life is yours to live how you want on your own terms and anyone who tries to distract you from doing what makes you happy, needs to be taught how to treat you. At some point, those who caused you harm or pain will eventually realize what they have done and will be humbled by your presence.

Lanai Jarrico

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Lanai’s Diary: 18 years in Second Life is shameless AF but worth it

Hey y'all, it’s Lanai. That random media ghost floating behind the scenes in Second life. In my current situation I’m just  kickin back on a Wednesday night in New Jersey. Today is officially the first day of Summer and my ass is in the house staring out the window watching clouds move across the sky with light rain. What a great sign! (rolls eyes) but at the end of the day I truly can say I busted my ass.errr…brain today and deserve a little SL time…I came home, showered and found no alcohol on my wine shelf and no more pre-rolled mini blunts left in my tin from the local dispensary.( It’s 100% recreational here so don’t judge me)  I’m no alkie pothead but I like that mellow buzz after a long day of work.I earned that shit and almost want to run into the kitchen now and make Raman noodle. I got the munchies… I haven't eaten dinner yet but I might grab something quick,  slap it in the microwave while writing. 

Cop a squat and chill with me as I ramble on. I don’t mind. I’ve been behind the scenes long enough to feel comfortable enough to write as if I'm speaking directly to my friends.

I’ve been exploring the grid and writing about Second Life for 18 years now. Many of you, including myself, have raised babies into young adults during that time. When I reflect back on the beginning of my virtual world media journey, I think wow…..I’ve experienced more of the world through virtual lenses and meeting people from around the world on a more personal level than traveling around the real world.

 I still haven't gotten my passport yet but I'm unsure if I am missing out on anything superspectacular abroad or even in Canada.  I've been to Hawaii,  a few beautiful Caribbean islands, The Gulf of Mexico, the dirty jersey shore and all up and down the east coast.

 Last year, I spent my birthday in the heart of Savannah, Georgia at a hotel. Chillaxin’ on the rooftop,  laid out in a poolside round bed cabana while sippin’ berry Ciroc. I felt the only buzz and had a great time just watching people. It kinda felt like what I was in Second Life.   I don’t do clubbin’ in RL.  I’m too grown and tired of the BS that goes along with it. But in SL I will twerk circles around you with my collection of dance moves all while holding a wine glass without spilling a single drop. 

 Shopping…ehhh. In SL I blow through Lindens on shopping sprees…..sooo not true, I like swag bags, freebies and stuff from designers. In RL,  I browse Amazon for whatever I need and take my returns to Kohl’s.. I’m not a Gucci and Prada type of person. However, I've been known to clean up nicely for special occasions both in SL and real life. That reminds me… I need to get my “sparkles” covered but that Ulta bill in real life hurts my feelings.

I’m originally from Pennsylvania. In the past year I moved to Naples, Florida, a couple of months later, I moved back to Pa…. a couple months after that…landed a job in New Jersey and well ... .packed it back up and kept it movin’. I’m not a fugitive or anything simple like that. I’m either in a mid-life crisis or I am gaining my independence and living life by my terms.

I’m settling in and starting a whole new life. It’s crazy, scary, exciting and sometimes even sad because I don’t really have any family nearby. The one thing I can say is I faced my fears and it's empowering. There’s a lot going on in my real world. I’ve been busy working and settling. 

If you feel stuck in a life where you feel like you need change, do it. With determination comes strength and with strength comes willpower. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and you will become unstoppable. I have to thank my dearest friends for being there for me when I needed them the most and for having more faith in me than I had in myself. The sky isn’t the limit, there’s a whole universe out there. I just feel lucky enough to be in it with you.

There’s no real point to this long ass ramble, I just wanted to say hi, it’s been a while.

Lanai Jarrico

CEO, The SL Enquirer

 

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR- MAY 1, 2023

 

As I sit here in New Jersey contemplating what I should do with a whole new life. I must say it has been one crazy year. So many life changes all at once. OMG WTF

This letter is random as hell but necessary, I haven’t had the chance to sit down and write in a long time so I just want to ramble in a throwback Cinco De Mayo outfit while holding maracas.

 No wonder us Second Lifers would rather be in world than deal with all the madness in the real world. I completely get it. I prefer Second Life over real human contact but since relocating to a whole new state I have been very focused on my new job and quite frankly it has me hostage. Being a supervisor to a transportation department in a hospital keeps me busy and on my toes. So far I've dodged 2 tornados,  witnessed 3 car fires in the parking lt….. Well 4, I saw a car burst into flames at a local Walmart,  two women in full on labor right near the entrance to my office, a snake in the lobby and countless profanity riddled arguments in the valet area…Even Bean Boozled my boss.  I can go on and on with all the excitement . It kinda feels like second life and GTA mixed into one. Depending on who you ask…

Since covid is starting to  phase out in most places, we all find ourselves starting to go out and explore life in the real world again. I apologize for ghosting you all for nearly 4 months only peeking in when I had some time but I’m around and often  check emails.

 To those of you who know me well, thank you for not unfriending me.  For those of you who like sending D*c Pixs, thank you for relieving me of the horror. Being single doesn’t mean I’m desperate. I spent the best $39.99 plus shipping and handling on a Rose..No Shame… I am goOooOOOOoood. 

Anyway, On May 9th The SL Enquirer will be turning 18 years old along with this ageless avie of mine. . I feel like I raised a child into adulthood!  It's insane how time flies but the journey and experiences have been absolutely amazing. I cannot express enough how grateful I am when anyone reads SLE. If it wasn’t for all of you, we would not exist.

 I’m not trying to sell shit, I just want to reconnect with you all,,  check out some new places and meet new friends.   

I wish you all well and look forward to seeing you around the grid. 

-Lanai Jarrico

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Lanai's Diary: Entry 4,958- 2020 Can Go F%$@ itself! Do something for your country and Wear a @&%$# mask!

 

This isn't a politically motivated statement nor is it feeding into the overwhelming news of this pandemic and how it is affecting not only our communities but the world as a whole. If there is one thing that needs to be said it is COMPLACENCY NEEDS TO STOP! Whether you believe it is “just a flu” or the news is "overcooking" the situation and only reporting the worst case scenarios, there is in fact a global pandemic happening right now and people need to take a moment and realize the only way we can try to get this virus under control is to abide by the precautions put into place by our governments and community leaders. Like Tyrone would say....F*ck all that “I can’t breath” shit about wearing masks or the entitled Karens and Davids who feel it is their right not to wear a mask. F *ck You too!

They need to STFU just like I overheard my now ex boss say about me right before the lockdowns when I made it clear in the office that Covid was a serious thing coming and I was worried. 3 days later we were on lockdown for a month and a half. I live in Pennsylvania and the area I am in just reported a 3,000 covid case spike. The highest since the start of the pandemic.

Here we are over 8 months later and people are still catching covid and or dying in record numbers all over the country and the world. As of today,  there are a million cases in Texas alone!

 Hundreds of thousands sick or dead and yet people are still being complacent. Wearing masks under their noses, standing at bus stops with no regard for the person next to them who is trying to protect themselves and their families. Others walking around convinced  this is a hoax. Still having gatherings and acting like they are immune.  Of course, people want to get back to living their lives but realize one thing. This is the new normal and will continue to be if we continue on this path of not taking this more seriously.

It is time to wake up and realize we will not fight this pandemic half assed and EVERYONE needs to put an effort into protecting themselves and their families as well as the people they come in contact with if they even give a rats ass about anybody else. 

The sooner we can put down the political, entitled and ignorant bullshit and use common sense the sooner we can begin to get back to the things we once loved. I’m sitting here writing this worried because at work, two people tested positive and are out with symptoms and I JUST TESTED POSITIVE! The past couple of days I had a fever, headaches and sweats.  Should I be worried?  All I’m thinking about is my family. Since I was exposed, did I expose them? Could this get bad? I don’t know what to think. All I know is sh*t just got real. At what point do we all realize we are ALL vulnerable and will be for a very long time if we don’t get our sh*t together.

-Lanai

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Lanai’s Diary: How would you have handled a Bull in a china shop situation?

The craziest thing happened yesterday and I wanted to share it in hope I can get some insight  from SLE fans on what could have been done differently or how you would have handled a situation like this.

In the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic many are staying home and limiting themselves to the people they come in contact with. It is becoming the norm for many people, especially those who work outside of the home. At the end of a long day, people just want to come home, shower, have dinner and relax to repeat the cycle the next day,

So, it is Monday evening. I just finished up dinner with the family and settled on the back deck to just chill and soak up the tail end of summer. I look through the sliding glass door to see a complete stranger waddling her way through my foyer, kitchen and to the back door like a bull in a china shop where she opens it and drunkenly asks where Marie was. Stumped by this display of a stranger's sloppy drunk debacle. My husband got up from his seats asking who she was.  I followed behind as he ushered her back out the front door. Mind you she was not wearing a mask, nor was she coherent enough to realize she just walked into the wrong house.  She reached for her car keys and attempted to get in her car which was in our driveway about 6 inches from the garage door. You can see she clearly hit a curb as her front passenger side tire was low on air.

The girl looked in her early to mid 20’s. My husband told her if she tried to drive off he was calling the cops. That was enough to make her sober up for a second and plead for him not to do that. He asked her to call someone to come pick her up.

By this time, I was on the front porch with my two adult kids who looked completely bewildered at this drunk woman swaying in the driveway. About 10 minutes passed by the time she was able to make out the numbers in her phone and call…. Her mother. I could hear her mother's voices freaking out but could not make out what she was saying. The woman then tried to hand the cellphone to my hubs who was holding his hand out telling her to keep her distance and put it on speaker phone.  He went on to provide our address to the woman on the other end.

Within 15 minutes an SUV pulls up at the edge of the driveway and a man walks out. It must have been her father who seemed to know exactly what to do as if this wasn't the first time he has bailed her out of a situation like this. Her mother was very thankful to us for making sure she did not get back in her car and revealed this was not the first time this happened. Apparently her daughter wrecked her previous car and has no memory of it.

The girl's father got in the car with his daughter. You can hear him scolding her through the closed window as he pulled out the driveway. Her mother got back in her SUV and followed them off. We watched until they disappeared around the curve of the road.

We all went inside to disinfect wherever she might have touched and feeling like WTF just happened.

After thinking about it, I wondered if we made the right decision. Hubs didn't want to call the cops because he felt this young person needed help from her parents and knew that being arrested for trespassing on top of fines and a possible DUI would not be the best solutions.

 I have no tolerance for drunk drivers or alcoholics. Period. They destroy lives and play the victim when their whole lives fall apart. They put the people who love them thru hell.  Some families and friends had enough of the bullshit and gave up on trying to help them. 

My husband handled it like a father who just wanted to make sure the girl was safe and left it in the parents hands to get the girl some help.

Me on the other hand wanted to call the police and get the ball rolling on giving this girl a wake up call.  Sometimes people need to hit rock bottom with no choice but to rise up and do something about their lives.

In my mind, this is a person who could do this again and  potentially kill someone being on the road in that state. This is someone who has no regard for herself or others. Not to mention coming into my home during a pandemic without a mask. Should I worry that this careless person could have been exposed out there and brought it into my safe place? I don’t feel any remorse for a person that has threatened my sense of safety.

How would you have handled the situation? Share your comments below.

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Lanai's Diary: Entry 6/21/20- The buffoonery that is in SL Business work ethic is just ridiculous

Dear Diary, 

It has been a while since I’ve cracked open my diary and unloaded my thoughts about Second Life.  Sometimes I’m like… wow SL is still really awesome after all these years and other times I scratch my head at the buffoonery and think WTF….just WTF.

I’m talking about work ethics. Not morale ethics because we all know there are some questionable things going on in Second Life. I’m not a judge and jury but I would say a lot of activities are acceptable by the culture. I’ll leave that up to you to decide what is moral or borderline squint worthy.

One of the most important components needed to support Second Life’s economy is Business. To be successful you must build trust with the community. Have a great business and marketing plan put together and to top it off a disciplined work ethic.

I don’t have to be captain Obvious to tell you that.

Business is business no matter how you look at it. It doesn’t matter if it is in a virtual world manned by pixel CEO and employees. When a product or service is exchanged for currency. A business transaction has occurred. At that point, accountability and professionalism become a thing if you want to keep “earning” business.

Those are not the only things business owners need to succeed. Customer Service is the cherry on top for the best businesses and practices in the virtual world.

I’ve traveled the grid and have met many business owners through the years. The very first creator I encountered was in my noob days. There I was barefoot exploring and minding my own business when I stumbled upon an affordable shoe store.  I tried to put on some blocky heels. One ended up strategically placed up my backside. Thank goodness avies don’t feel pain I would have been hurtin!

 Anyway,  I was all bent out of shape literally and messaged the creator all frantic and accused them of playing a sick joke. 

I didn’t know any better and was paranoid of griefers.  It turns out the business owner wasn’t a griefer and assisted me in removing the footwear from where it did not belong. I was grateful for the help and it gave me a better understanding and newfound respect for virtual world business and how it is just like real business.

Customer service has been on a downward spiral with the introduction of bots greeters and automatic information givers that have taken the place of an actual Avie at the business location. Many are left standing around with questions or needing support and they are forced to leave an offline message or drop a notecard for help on something that could take 5 minutes but has now extended to 2 days with a follow up pending. It all becomes so frustrating.

Bad Customer Service 

Recently I was at a popular skins store helping someone try to figure out how they could get rid of the infamous “Dirt neck” situation that occurs when purchasing a mesh head and body with tones that do not match perfectly. For those who are familiar with mesh, skins help with the problem in some cases.

 Upon landing at this packed skin store, there was no customer service to be found. In desperation asking anyone who would offer some help and being led in all kinds of wrong directions. Something as simple as purchasing a skin or blender or whatever it was needed to solve the problem became a week long quest in search of alternative remedies to just fix the problem and still no response from the skin creator or other representative of the brand. That ish gotta stop. At this point just collecting lindens from avies but not really helping them is just not right.  Get it together or I’m taking names on  brands that have poor customer service.

Friend List Conference- Event Shoutouts.

Ok now this right here has got to be the most annoying feature to have when used as a group notice.  So imagine having 1626 friends and about a third of them insist on friend list conferences to spam events or carry on whole conversations. This can really light up your IMs like a christmas tree causing you to nearly have a seizure.

I try my best to just close it out since I don’t really want to unfriend them. At one point I even created a PSA to cut and paste in the conferences to promote SLE. That tactic didn’t work so I tried to make myself invisible. Sighs. I’m lost for ideas on how to go about this in the most professional way I can. If you happen to be a friend , please don’t include me in friend list conference spamming. Thank you.

If you come across this with groups you are in , you can easily solve the problem by opting out of receiving group notices.

Arrogance

In business, it is best to remember where you came from if you have any ounce of humbleness remaining once you hit “the big time”. If there is  one thing that gets under my skins it is those SL business owners who act like they don’t sit in the same infamous David statue “The Thinker” position whilst using a bathroom.

 A Positive attitude is always a good thing so leave the big head at the door, or you might get stuck in the door frame. Like a well known swinger beach club owner with a sandal wedged up his (BLEEP) sideways…. I won’t go there but he knows who he is. Or that makeover service provided who goes rogue buying the wrong stuff with their client’s lindens and somehow blames the patron for an unsatisfactory job done.

I think I let out what I needed to say on this topic for now. If you have suggestions or comments about business ethics please feel free to comment in the box below and please use your avie name, anonymous seems so stupid when the comment is nasty.

Lanai Jarrico

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My Reflection of a Second Life and How we are all Part of the Ripple Effect – Lanai Jarrico Reporting…

The beauty of Second Life may not be understood by people who are not immersed in the culture and get to know others in this virtual community. It is a combination of personalities, cultures and experiences that only the people who spend time in Second Life understand. To some it is just a game. To many others it is a journey of self discovery. Second Life helps people have a voice, go beyond physical limitations and disabilities, share their skills, talents and even make profound connections with people they would have never met in their city, state or even country.  Having the ability to communicate with people from all over the world has fascinated me from the very beginning and I am still amazed by the people I meet today.
  I don’t consider myself an expert in Second Life. I am an elder and with that institutes wisdom. I still bump into walls and struggle hanging pictures on the wall but I do understand the community and how it works. My observation of people and their actions has inspired the majority of my writing. I wonder if my experiences would make a best seller one day.

We each have a story to tell as we branch off into our own interests and journeys.  For me Second Life has been a part of my life for nearly a decade. It grew from an idea I had sharing my experiences as a newbie with my circle of friends in The SIMS Online. I never thought that documenting what was happening around me would go viral and turn into one of the top news sources in Second Life.

The SL Enquirer is a true testament to just how special this virtual world is that I would dedicate years of my life to provide a platform for not only my writers but a bridge of communication between the residents who share the many things that happen here. The positive growth in my personal life has been doing what I love and earning a Bachelor’s degree in Communication & Technology in the process. I have Second Life to thank for inspiring and helping me achieving that goal.

 My journey has not been easy but my achievements have been worth working hard for. I understand the power of media and the role it plays in the lives of others.  At times the pressure of it can be stressful and overwhelming being pulled in different directions and being spread thin. Pleasing people while upsetting others is a hurdle I must get passed often. Sometimes I feel like I am holding a scale and struggling to keep it balanced.

 I had to accept I cannot please everyone and at times I would be faced with difficult people and situations.  In order to survive the demands of my position I had to trust and surround myself with my closest friends for protection and guidance.

 All media sources in Second Life (Not just SLE) play a very important role in the community. Being a leader takes strength and courage. I respect other sources in SL that do what I do. I am sure they can relate to the struggles I face.  We are the record keepers documenting SL history and should be respected for how significant our job really is. I’ve been told I was insignificant before, even a useless individual. Those things can be hurtful to anyone but I know what I do is not useless or insignificant.

Virtual world media in all genres (blogs, in- world magazines, Machinima and radio) provide a window for the real world where anyone with access to the internet can read about us, listen to or watch pieces of our culture.  Fans of our work get to know more about the people that make up Second Life. That is why it is important to remember there is a human being behind ever avatar and our actions will define who we are as individuals. 

None of us are perfect but if we are capable of managing in a virtual world despite the drama and issues we are presented with, we are competent to make choices that do not disrupt other people’s virtual experience. 

 I speak for us all when I say WE are all connected like pieces to a puzzle.  No matter what we contribute to the community our individual actions create a ripple on the grid that can affect others in a positive or negative way. Those emotions may include excitement, happiness, love, lust sadness, angry, confusion and betrayal. Each of these emotions can linger with us even after we log out and into our real world. Sometimes lines get blurred leaving us to deal with new type of emotions not yet fully understood by the psych experts.  In Second Life we all live inside our own heads and meet others from the inside out; most of the time through text communication.  

 Sometimes things get misinterpreted or lost in translation when facial expressions, hand gestures and voice tones are absent. Yet, we have adapted, erased the global lines and barriers that keep us all apart and we have grown as a virtual culture. 

 Together we will continue to exist as long as we all strive for one common goal; survival as a community and not as insolents who cannot handle our own freedom of expression.
   
As we approach Spring, the season of renewal, let's bring with us a brighter perspective on the world, strive for personal improvements and celebrate life. 


-Lanai Jarrico

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