This is the seventh in a series of largely demographic interviews that are conducted with established residents, to find out more about them and their involvement with Second Life, and to contrast the differences between their views and experiences and those of the newer residents. The questions may be tailored slightly for each interview; responses may be edited for purposes of clarity.

I see Dustbin regularly at my office hours in Hallasan. I originally met him on what I think was his first day in Second Life. "I am a Second Life Mentor," he says, "I have been since I was about 90 days old I think. It has been a great experience. I have met people that are great artists just starting out in SL, it is incredible watching them progress quickly to making new and unique things."

I might complain a lot about the copycat articles people write to introduce SL to an ignorant audience, but I'm always ready to praise articles that do the job well. Case in point: Murray Whyte of the Toronto Star provides an excellent intro/state-of-the-world piece, which both mentions important events in SL's history as well as a positive, fitting final quote from no less than Urizenus Sklar himself.

One thought this article engendered in me, however, is the idea that just as it's impossible to escape commercialism in RL without radically modifying your life (which is certainly your right), it's going to prove equally so in SL before too long. The answer, therefore, is synthesis, rather than antithesis. Accept it. Embrace it. These things only affect you as much as you'll let them. While I'm dancing the night away at my favorite clubs, the fact that IBM owns several islands has no effect on my happiness. When I'm watching a game of Building Shelter, it really doesn't matter that Adidas is hawking its wares somewhere in the world. When I spend far too much time talking with random strangers, I just don't care that Pontiac wants us all to buy its cars.

Even if I did, would I really want that to be the reason I left SL? I was forced out by people with more money than me? Be like water, my friends, as Bruce Lee would say. Or, if you prefer, Be like the Internet: Route around it. Don't define your Second Life by avoidance of what you hate. Make it an example of what you love.

Mera Pixel, host of Building Shelter and a close personal friend of mine (though she'll deny it vehemently if pressed), has created a studio to display some of her wonderful portraiture. I should mention here that her photographs are mostly of her own avatar, and that her studio was created mostly to display her work for her own purposes, not to be advertising for any sort of professional photography work.

Her studio is a fine example of what galleries should be: well-lit, clean lines, interesting use of walking space to encourage wandering. If you like what you see, perhaps you can convince her to start up a photography business -- she does good work!

(Thanks, Mera!)

I knew I'd missed something. I thought I'd covered all the games the Shelter has to offer, but I completely missed Building Shelter, Mera Pixel's contribution to the education/delinquency of residents from all quarters. Education because it's a game that requires building an object based on a theme that Mera announces at the start of each round of the game. Delinquency because it's all too easy to sit in the stands and watch others hard at work, while you make snarky comments.

This game is a great way to learn about building in a fun, communal manner. The best way to learn anything is by doing, so you'll want to just dive right in to the fun and get your game on. Unfortunately for me, being a wolfie means that I can't handle delicate prims very well. No opposable thumbs, don't'cha know. I now know the true meaning of 'You break it, you bought it'.

Building Shelter runs Sundays at 4:30 PM, with your host Dolmere Talamasca, and on Thursdays at 4 PM with Mera Pixel.