In case you haven't noticed, I've added some links to the side of the blog. Really cool stuff. Please pay particular note to Second Life, an amazing virtual world into which our "real world" is being integrated. You can go there and get an avatar (a person, really, who represents you in any manner you choose, right down to the length of your eyelashes, the pointiness of your ears and the sag of your breasts) for free and wander the world of Second Life aimlessly indefinitely, meeting people and seeing the thousands of islands folks have created. Second Life is being used to conduct business, online education and sociopolitical events, among other functions. In fact, anything you can do here, you can do there, "in world" as they say. Even have sex! (And even deviant sex at that!) In fact, you can do more there than here in some cases. You can fly from island to island, or you can simply walk in between on the ocean floor. You can teleport, too. Every person you see is another person somewhere in our "real world" who is logged in and in the same place, at the same time that you are. It's extremely fascinating and SO much fun!

Once you decide you want to start buying clothes and building things, you'll need money. The Linden dollar trades against standard currencies, and I've heard is doing better than the dollar!

You will be hearing a LOT about Second Life in coming months and years. It's a phenomenon that is getting worldwide attention and participation. Get your avatar now and see what all the fuss is about.

And while you're at it, check out Radio Lab, and click into Season One archives and listen to the show on "emergence," which is very much what Second Life is all about.

It's a brave new world. Wanna come out and play???

Love,
Sophie