Reminiscing #3:New Friends

The first month in the clan was a period of adjustment. I went to some events. One that stands out is the camouflage theme dance. As a noob I didn't have anything camouflage. I then started a list and asked Rikk what all the themes were so I would have something to wear. Funny! I just wanted to fit in. He replied they had lots of Neko events so I sought those out. Tapping those boards daily I built up my wardrobe without spending a penny. Candi gave me a folder of dances so I could dance. I've thanked her for doing that many times in the months since but I don't think she knows how much it meant to me. Giving me the tools to fit in.

In the months of November and December a huge influx of new members began arriving. A very pale white haired man named Ethan, his girlfriend Missy, Heaven, Lola, an odd pair of twins Laini & Gaz, Jhoram, and Phayte among others. We would sit around the fire pit and chat. I was living on a sandbox and still had no money. The lands were my sanctuary now even if I didn't completely fit in. At least the people there chatted a bit and said hello. Some even were happy to see me when I logged in. I became known for my giant red hair. They could see me coming from across the sim!

I was still very shy but I loved going to the dance events. I would use the folder of dances and try different ones out. I would dance in the very corner of the area, not even on the dance floor because I was so terribly shy. One day I was trying out a sexy dance and Jhoram IM'd me. "Kinda sexy dance for such a shy person." He teased me. I was so embarrassed. But for some reason he set me at ease. He has this calming effect on people even though he dresses like a biker and looks like a roughneck. Slowly I came out of my shell. I won a new skin at Estyle and was feeling a little more confident in my look though it wasn't exactly what I wanted yet. Heaven, Lola and some of the other girls all loved those Neko MM boards and we would call upon each other to help tap them to lock them down. A sisterhood had formed.

One night at the fire pit there was a new member, Phayte. He and Jhoram were passing a bottle of booze back and forth. Phayte tripped and fell into my lap. (It was part of the animation to be stumbling drunk after that 3 sip). I teased he puked all over me and had to pay my dry cleaning bill. Jhoram was calling him brother and I wondered why I hadn't met this person before. Everyone loved him. And handsome! Oh was his avatar handsome! He was the life of the party but genuine and funny without being a ridiculous nuisance. I learned later that it was his second night on SL. He was and is that dynamic of a person. I felt drawn to him immediately with his charm and casual, fun manner. He would be a very important person in my SL life in the coming months though I didn't realize it at the time.


About this time I was being encouraged by several of the royals and the queen even IM'd me to take the royals classes. I didn't know what I possibly had to offer. I didn't think they needed help. Certainly not from me! Some of my friends were going to take them as well. I had been taking the regular classes and trying to learn as much as possible so I figured why not learn more even if I don't pass the test. It couldn't hurt. I had no ideas of grandeur. I thought with the title however, I could help more.  Rikk was a knight by that point and I wanted him to be proud of me. I also had the management skills from RL so maybe I could help in some small way. So I did it. And I tested. And I passed.