January 15, 2008
12:43 pm
LOL! Yeah, you read it right. Linden Labs is looking for almost anyone who has some skills in Second Life. If you got skills and you want to be known inside and outside our virtual universe, Second Life, then read on.
“Those who are unknown will have the chance to be known!”
Calling all builders, businesspeople and budding fashionistas. Attention you educators, entertainers, environmentalists and evangelists. And let’s not forget the artists and architects; the philanthropists and politicians; the sculptors, singers and just general shining stars of Second Life. You’ve got great stories and we want’ em.
As you know, publicizing the great work of our Residents is one of our favorite pastimes at Linden Lab. We get a staggering number of requests from media to share new and innovative uses of Second Life for education, entertainment, art, culture, business and fill-in-the-blank. So, as a general reminder, we’re always on the lookout for great builds, innovative designs, the weird, the wacky and the wonderful uses of Second Life.
If you’re amenable to / interested in speaking with press about what you’re doing in Second Life please let us know. We’ll have our people contact your people and we’ll take it from there. We get the most requests for education, business and entertainment stories so are particularly interested in those, but look forward to hearing from everyone. Who knows, maybe your story is the story…
To submit your information for possible press inclusion, please send an email to Linden Lab’s public relations agency Lewis PR at ResidentStories@lewispr.com with the following information:
(*Note: We must, must, must have real-world names and contact info, so please consider that mandatory. As far as the rest, the more info you can provide the better / more usable you’re overall story will be. However, we appreciate you taking the time to contact us, so please just provide as much info as you can and / or feel comfortable with. We’ll be in touch with any further questions we might have.)
Real-world name:
Contact info:
Avatar name:
SLurl (if applicable):
What are you doing in Second Life?
How long have you been in Second Life?
How did you find out about Second Life?
What were your original goals when you became a part of Second Life? Have they changed?
Was there anything in-world that surprised you, something that you may not have expected?
What do you hope to achieve in-world?
What is your motivation?
How many Residents frequent your island/business? Daily? Monthly?
How do you measure your success in-world? Is it by money or another means?
What are some of your favorite places in-world?
What do you think makes Second Life interesting?
What are the pros and cons of doing business in Second Life?
What do you see in the future for Second Life?
I guess Linden Labs is going to try and hype Second Life once again just like what they did last year. Hey, if it will bring in more residents then why not. The more the merrier (and the laggier). Ha ha ha! It may also make your dream of becoming a Second Life Celebrity a reality (or virtuality). LOL!
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Tags: announcements, avatar, builders, Business, celebrity, educators, entertainers, environmentalists, evangelists, famous, fashionistas, media, residents, Second Life, singers
By 
Kabalyero 449 views
January 16th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Some of my Charltina’s Angels have said I just had to share part of my story so that maybe someone that is new and searching in Second life realize their is more to the rest of us than first meets the eye. Perhaps my story will bless someone that is going through trying to find their niche in second life or real life.
*********
” Survive to Celebrate in 2008″
My Mantra My Celebration from Tears to a Testimony, my name in Second Life is Charltina Christensen.
Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.~ Albert Einstein
When I came to Second Life on December 21, 2005; I was in the middle of the greatest storm of my life. I had just had a stroke and doctors didn’t think I would live. I went from a hospital to one of the worse nursing facilities in my state and later I was sent to an assistant living facility.
There is an interesting word in life called perspective. Perspective is what I will discuss and use as my sewing quilt to share my story in Second Life and my bridge from real life trials to real life victories.
‘per·spec·tive (pr-spktv)
n.
1.
a. A view or vista.
b. A mental view or outlook: “It is useful occasionally to look at the past to gain a perspective on the present” Fabian Linden.
2. The appearance of objects in depth as perceived by normal binocular vision.
3.
a. The relationship of aspects of a subject to each other and to a whole: a perspective of history; a need to view the problem in the proper perspective.
b. Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view: the perspective of the displaced homemaker.
c. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance: tried to keep my perspective throughout the crisis.
4. The technique of representing three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-dimensional surface.
adj.
Of, relating to, seen, or represented in perspective.
[Middle English, science of optics (influenced by French perspective, perspective), from Medieval Latin perspectva (ars), feminine of perspectvus, optical, from perspectus, past participle of perspicere, to inspect : per-, per- + specere, to look; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]
How doctors’ viewed my situation as unfortunate and the social system in place in my part of the world in its own uniqueness helped birth something that directly influenced my approach to second-life and life in general.
In real life my parents are educators and scientists and my heroes. For when I had my stroke I was a divorced, single mother that had survived battered wife syndrome, raising three beautiful children alone. I learned quickly how bad things can happen to good people.
I have always been self driven, with the fiber of strong thread that comes from parents that instilled morale values at a young age. I am from a Christian upbringing. In real life I am an Ordained and Licensed Pastor in the AME Church.
I founded in the basement of that caretaker’s assistant living home that I resided in: ” The Foundation for Women with disabilities with Children “(a non profit organzation).
I hope to help other physically challenged mothers in crisis to stay connected to their children.
Did you know there is no assistant living presently that allows children to remain with their birth mothers if their single mother becomes chronically or terminally ill? What if the connection could be re-enforced through a Second Life network between the Assistant living facility (or Nursing Home), and the child or teenager’s home or school computer. For no one can replace a mother’s love or the will for their child or children to succeed.
For when doctors gave up on me, when Social progams failed Me, when the Church put me on Supernumery, sabbatical status and seemed to forget me; then The Lord did take me up and planted me in the most unlikely place. ~ Second Life.
It was cold in December in the basement of a caregiver where the only connection I had to the outside world was my computer. I lay on pristine white cold sheets in a hospital bed with railings on each side lifted like prison cage or an open coffin. There dangling from a chain was the trapeze the one they said I would never need, as they didn’t think I would live to see 2006 ( It was December 2005 a few days before Christmas.
I opened my computer program and downloaded Second Life. It was a few days before Christmas and I knew few if any would come to see me.
(People rarely want to visit the sick or chronically, or terminal ill for to them it is life desinegrating, decaying~ they avoid it like the plague).
There is an interesting place people travel when they are facing death in their minds, hearts or spirits.
I could tell you about it but you would get too caught up in the stillness and hopelessness of the journey and lose perspective on the real focus of the story. So I will bypass it and just say if you ever face death keep looking up.
There is a point where you almost wonder could this be happening. You go to universities and study. You go to all aspects of life trying to educate yourself to be the best person you can be to be able to touch others in a meaningful way; and then life happens.
On that cold December I had just gotten the news that the doctor thought that on top of surviving the stroke my chronic illness of system lupus and other diseases had me deteriorating at a far faster pace than an able-bodied person. I had also noticed my vision had changed. They later found last year that I have a frontal lobe tumor of the brain but at the time they simply said they believed I was going blind. The frontal lobe tumor is benign so far and I do not give it much thought as same God thats been keeping me hasn’t ever changed His address. I am so visually impaired, I belong to Maryland Library of the blind and when doctors gave me the lovely news that I was losing so much vision, I remembered the words of Dr. Martin Luther King and Albert Einstein and made an active choice to try and strengthen my one good eye by teaching myself graphic arts. My Mantra before this year I discovered on that chilly night in 2005 (really abit before then, (he said this to me when I was tired to a degree few could begin to comprehend): My dear Jewish friend that is my friend to this day, said : ” Get to living or Get to Dying”.
Every day I choose Life. I chose it from the Hospital to the Nursing Home. I chose it from the Nursing Home to the Assistant living facility. I chose it from the Assistant living facility to the homeless shelter when the state found my assistant living to be out of compliance with the state. I chose it from the homeless shelter to the wheelchair accessible apartment I presently live in on my own with care giver’s coming daily to help my quality of life as I help businesses and artists’ dreams come true in Second life.
(Even to type this I use a special screen on my computer monitor.
My view, my vista on life to others seemed dim. I lay in a hospital bed in the basement of someone’s home where I could not see for five years snow, rain sleet or the sun. I was bedridden and wheelchair bound living in a facility that was not wheelchair acessible.
And I chose to come to a place called Second Life when 1st Life counted me out.
My background before coming to Second life was in Computer Engineering and Marketing Management.
In Second Life I am Queen of Gentle Breeze. I design sims and network with other businesses and artisians. In My Kingdom we call Gentle Kingdoms Come; I help people around the world from Austria, to the Netherlands to the United States to India to look at life and business in a global yet humanitarian way. I have even preached sermons in Second life on Sundays on Gentle Breeze.
My team of loyal, royal Kingdom staff are my eyes My network of loyal Charltina’s Angels within my blessing circle are often the arms that embrace me when life has dealt me blows few would survive to celebrate.
I have an inner circle of friends that stretches globally. I call them Charltina’s Angels. They are My blessing Circle. I pray for them daily to be successful in business and in life, but my driving force is to be a blessing in some way to each of them.
My approach to 2nd Life is very much like my real life story press to survive and celebrate.
I love designing places of wonder for people to relax to embrace friendships and soar in the moment.
I think it interesting the second definition of perspective because ironically it also includes a Linden. ” A mental view or outlook: “It is useful occasionally to look at the past to gain a perspective on the present”~ Fabian Linden.
When I look at the bleakness of my past; I can celebrate with the Lindens for being on the cutting edge of the future network perspective endeavors that cross barriors and world phobias to global opportunites for future successes.
Second life is ideal as a tool of teaching children and young adults and humanity in general to think outside the box.
For if a blind(visually impaired), wheelchair bound person like myself can press past the odds of a basement experience; and survive to tell about it then surely anyone can.
My aspiration is to own several sims with the focus being 5 fold. I want to have some educational sims that teach on the ability to press past environmemtal disadvantages and allow artistic expression. I want to have an artisians’/ Builders school where builders in second life around the world can come and share their life art and their stories with other residences to encourage them. I want to encourage others in the medical field to give Second Life a closer look for alternatives to improving life for patients with disabilities. I want to be an advocate for ethical business practices in Second Life and help mentor others to their dreams.
( I think its why I often dream of becoming a Medical Sociologist. I also am a huge advocate for natural enviroments and healing.)
So interwoven in many of the fantasy designs I do is always hope, faith and love.
Many didn’t know until this year the real upward battles. I have had or my daily challenges; they just see the beauty of what I do and how I have helped many of them be very successful in business both in second life and real life.
I am a life Cheerleader and some of the advice I have given to my blessing circle has brought them a Second life well beyond boundaries of our imaginations. For when I came to second life I was near death. Now even suffering things that press me to face death daily I am celebrating every moment and touching people that need to celebrate Life.
I have succesfully designed sims for Beastfire Kingdom and Gentle Breeze. I Own Gentle Breeze and rent homes and shops to artists and other new builders with vision.
The appearance of objects in depth as perceived by normal binocular vision. I have no doubt God has given me new vision that far exceeds doctors and diagnosises. Here in Second Life I teach, I help businesses network with each other and moreso the one word I teach isn’t the bottom line.
For success isn’t always measured in monetary wealth; however I guarentee if you live using this word you will be successful and you will soar in the moment. The word is simply “relationship”.
‘The relationship of aspects of a subject to each other and to a whole: a perspective of history; a need to view the problem in the proper perspective.’
Over the many years of being part of Second life; relationships forged in a place few would dare travel have become the springboard of our Gentle Kingdoms Come success stories.
I am hopeful that churches, youth groups, senior nursing homes and hospital facilities and educators will hear part of my story and take the plunge in joining us here in Second Life where hope can become more than one woman’s suvival story but a celebration for victory for us all in a world that has more death moments then any of us care to dwell to long upon.
What if that inner city or under priveledge child could channel their energy in second life to think outside the box of their gang infested neighborhood. What if they could hear the sounds of a wolf and remember life is to be celebrated.
What if they could see a visually challenged wheelchair bound Fantasy Queen dancing through life with the virtual waltz of business savvy and ethical living. What if Our what ifs.. became Second Life realities?
One example of Gentle Breeze and how I have been used to touch lives in a moment is a medical real life doctor had one night come from the emergency room where he lost his medical Mentor. He turned on his laptop and came to second life in dispair and just by God’s will he saw a place called Gentle Breeze.
I was busy designing, but paused saying “Greetings welcome to Gentle Breeze”. The visiting real life doctor didn’t at first share his story but having a background in pastorial counciling; moreso I had a degree in hard knocks of life. I was concerned by some of his very outward signs that told me mentally and spiritually that night he was in deep trouble. I, for some reason wouldn’t leave him alone. I think God wouldn’t let Me. He shared how he wanted to take his life because his Medical mentor had lost his fight with cancer and had died from a frontal lobe brain tumor and he couldn’t save him. As I said its all about ” perspective”.
I shared part of my story…the doctor could at first not believe the irony or destined moment paused for him in Gentle Breeze. I told the oncology doctor from clear on the other side of the world how he couldn’t give up and that if I could choose life every day, so could he. I called another Second life friend that is also in real life a Pastor like I am an ordained Minister and we formed a circle and prayed for the doctor.
I accept everyone has different faiths. beliefs but I believe for that moment like in many aspects of life we each had a part in helping the other. Who would have thought a virtual program could bring three together from three different parts of the world? and moreso the gift of humanity and belief in life was restored?
In second life many sim owners lovingly call Me ” The Visionary” because I see things in different ways. I am a marketing consultant in Second life that has helped numerous businesses soar. I have designed sims for other kingdoms and been a business consultant to help new sim owners have success stories .
One friend that was at the end of his journey one day I gave an idea and today he manages 14-16 sims.
Sometimes, I smile at the joy of crawling literally and figuratively rolling myself up to reach for that trapeze over my hospital bed the very first time. I figured if I could no longer walk or see as other people; I certainly must be about to soar and fly in Second Life with the New Vison God gave me.
And it does not yet appear what I shall be in Second Life or in real life because now I have perspective that far exceeds doctors and diagnosises.
I have hope and I pass it every day to everyone I meet. For is it really irony the latest computer program by Microsoft that we all dread and hope is called Vista or that a Man named Linden would be the founder of Second Life. Could it truly be about perspective and a Vision few dare to dream for when they dreamed new realities unfolded. We can cheer surviving to Celebrate in 2008.
I am Charltina Christensen.
Queen of Gentle Breeze
Sim Designer/Business Lady
Friend to many.
My story is simply that and the people around me every day help me fight to live and press to survive to celebrate. They say I am an Angel. I know better. They are My Second Life Charltina’s Angels and every day above ground is a really great day to celebrate perspective and possibilities.