The auction for the parcel in 'my' sim, yesterday, was more exciting than I intended it to be.
While debating whether or not to buy the expensive ~2000m next door (the L$22/m^2 waterfront one), I decided that if I was able to win the auction for the inland parcel for a good price---since that parcel, alone, would bump me up to the next tier level---I'd go ahead with the more land/more tier.
It took me quite a while to think through all the numbers and to decide; I watched a lot of earlier auctions, spent time with the inworld Search land-sales list, and drew up some alternate plans.
By the time I came back to the computer, having decided to make a bid, it was twenty minutes before the auction was to take place. And.....I couldn't re-establish Internet access. AAIIIIEEEEE!!!!!!!!
I tried a bunch of things; finally getting access back after shutting down the computer entirely, then powering up again.
By this time, it was FIVE minutes before the auction---and I still had to log in twice. (Maybe there's some way around this that's known to the auction-experienced. But I had to log into my Account, then log in a second time to make a bid.)
What with some loads that seemed glacial (but probably weren't, really) and some fumbling from nervousness, I finally registered my bid ONE minute before the auction was to close.
There had been two bids---one, at least, made a couple of days earlier. The second had been there a few hours, I think.
So this VERY last minute bid must have looked like a Tactic to those people. It wasn't really....it was just an Internet access problem.
Anyway, I did win the auction. I doubt that of the....what, always 38?.....properties up for bid, this one would have been of much interest to people not already in the sim. It's one parcel away from a Linden Road, true---but who knows how meaningful that will ever be? (As far as I can see, now, the main advantage is that the Road is handy for trying out the free vehicles I seem to keep acquiring.....)
So that is the saga. I hope I didn't seriously inconvenience the other bidders, but I guess if the parcel had been vitally important to them, they would have been certain to have a high bid on record. One would think.
(Back to terraforming!)
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
More for Lindens!
Here I've missed my Midnight deadline for blogging--so even though I'm blogging once each period-between-sleeps (otherwise known as a 'day'), it looks like I missed one. A cardinal sin in Blogging!
Anyway.......I ended up giving the Lindens more money.
On coming back to my home sim after the end of SL5B, I'd noticed that a 1024 in my sim was up for auction. More earth-shatteringly, the neighbor to the east (with a Road-reduced parcel around 2000 square meters) had put his/her property up for sale.
Now, all the finagling with the owner of that split-1616 (presumably a 2048 with the Road taking up the missing square meters) was in aid of staying at the $40 tier. Heck, even moving up from $25 to $40 had taken a lot of soul-searching.
But here was this nice parcel---a bit overpriced, at around L$22/m^2, even if it does have 32m of waterfront.
And if someone ELSE wanting to start a Club took it, my peaceful life would be even less possible....(there are already two Impressario-Hopefuls onthe sim).
Of course the only way to ensure against that is to buy a full sim. But since being on at least some water---real water, not plywood---is clearly important enough to me that I'll give up many Real World expenditures to get it----and furthermore, since paying out US$2000+ would NOT be smart at this time----then, spending another US$250 to get to beach parcel, plus some other cheaper ones to make the tier sensible, was something I could talk myself into.
I get the "US$2000" figure from that fact that in several full-sim auctions I watched last month the waterfront sims were going for US$1800 or more---and of course you are hit with the additional $195 tier fee, no matter how quickly you carve up and sell bits of the sim. I suppose if the Lindens bring so many new sims online that waterfront ones end up selling for US$200, I'll feel I've been foolish. But on the other hand, even if that does happen, I'll have had all the enjoyment of my little 14,000m, NOW.
(If you're going to pay a certain level of tier, it makes more sense to have property just shy of the point at which you'd jump to the next tier. This is assuming a long-term tenure in Second Life, of course, so that the cost of buying the land is amortized over that period. Might as well get that prim-capacity, since that's essentially what we're paying for when we pay tier.)
Anyway....lots of rationalizing, here. But I WILL enjoy the new land--I do love the terraforming!
Anyway.......I ended up giving the Lindens more money.
On coming back to my home sim after the end of SL5B, I'd noticed that a 1024 in my sim was up for auction. More earth-shatteringly, the neighbor to the east (with a Road-reduced parcel around 2000 square meters) had put his/her property up for sale.
Now, all the finagling with the owner of that split-1616 (presumably a 2048 with the Road taking up the missing square meters) was in aid of staying at the $40 tier. Heck, even moving up from $25 to $40 had taken a lot of soul-searching.
But here was this nice parcel---a bit overpriced, at around L$22/m^2, even if it does have 32m of waterfront.
And if someone ELSE wanting to start a Club took it, my peaceful life would be even less possible....(there are already two Impressario-Hopefuls onthe sim).
Of course the only way to ensure against that is to buy a full sim. But since being on at least some water---real water, not plywood---is clearly important enough to me that I'll give up many Real World expenditures to get it----and furthermore, since paying out US$2000+ would NOT be smart at this time----then, spending another US$250 to get to beach parcel, plus some other cheaper ones to make the tier sensible, was something I could talk myself into.
I get the "US$2000" figure from that fact that in several full-sim auctions I watched last month the waterfront sims were going for US$1800 or more---and of course you are hit with the additional $195 tier fee, no matter how quickly you carve up and sell bits of the sim. I suppose if the Lindens bring so many new sims online that waterfront ones end up selling for US$200, I'll feel I've been foolish. But on the other hand, even if that does happen, I'll have had all the enjoyment of my little 14,000m, NOW.
(If you're going to pay a certain level of tier, it makes more sense to have property just shy of the point at which you'd jump to the next tier. This is assuming a long-term tenure in Second Life, of course, so that the cost of buying the land is amortized over that period. Might as well get that prim-capacity, since that's essentially what we're paying for when we pay tier.)
Anyway....lots of rationalizing, here. But I WILL enjoy the new land--I do love the terraforming!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Fun With Freebies
I've been enjoying unpacking stuff I acquired at SL5B....talking donuts and 'books' and interestingly-scripted stuff, as well as the predictable T-shirts and such.
I got some vehicles I'm anxious to try out, even though my previous attempts to drive vehicles have run afoul of the Red Ban-Lined properties in the sim.....when I inadvertently touch on these parcels, I lose the vehicle, freeze, etc. Generally the vehicle appears in my Lost folder (of my Inventory) eventually. Kind of a bore, really.
A piece of land adjoining mine came up for sale---at a price about 5.5 times the current rate for Mainland (prices about L$4 per square meter). Pretty high. I may not go for it, though I'm thinking about it. It would keep Red Ban Lines from appearing..... (!)
I got some vehicles I'm anxious to try out, even though my previous attempts to drive vehicles have run afoul of the Red Ban-Lined properties in the sim.....when I inadvertently touch on these parcels, I lose the vehicle, freeze, etc. Generally the vehicle appears in my Lost folder (of my Inventory) eventually. Kind of a bore, really.
A piece of land adjoining mine came up for sale---at a price about 5.5 times the current rate for Mainland (prices about L$4 per square meter). Pretty high. I may not go for it, though I'm thinking about it. It would keep Red Ban Lines from appearing..... (!)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
eight hundred seventy
...That's how much stuff I picked up in SL5B. About.
When I logged in last night, I had 6,867 items; I'm not sure of the exact number I had when I stepped on SL5B sims for the first time, but "870" seems about right.
I made 10 nice storage prims for the stuff, last night--the "Egyption pillar", with a texture from a Snapshot I took of my favorite place of all I saw in SL5B: the Grafix Writer 'building'.
I discovered this place only the day before the end of the exhibit. I felt genuine grief over this, as, if I'd known about it earlier, I'd certainly have visited every day. Many of the 30+ Snapshots that I paid L$10 apiece to download, were taken there.
On my list of tasks: to find out if there's a more permanent installation by that artist (or group of artists?) inworld. Interestingly, this installation was one of the very few in SL5B for which there was no Notecard Dispensor, or any information, really.
Not that I'm faulting people for wanting to generate business for themselves, or (if one wanted to be generous) for wanting to inform visitors of their main Second Life places of business.
But I'd say the lack of commercial pressure fits amazingly well with the degree of artistry in that installation.
Anyway..........all I accomplished in my 90 minutes last night, other than making 10 varied pillars based on the texture (and of course I can't sell them, or use the texture in any commercial way---and if the artist(s) wanted the pillars destroyed, of course I would comply....but for now, I'm enjoying the reminder they represent)...where was I? Oh yes: all I accomplished other than to make the pillars and offload 95 of the new items into them, was to make three 'canvases' for three of my SL5B Snapshots. Then something weird happened to either my Internet connection, or Second Life, and my blank canvases turned "You cannot Modify this", and I had trouble even moving them. The Lag Meter had red dots, so I logged off.
I do hope that the sailing will be smooth when I return tonight; I have a lot to get done!
When I logged in last night, I had 6,867 items; I'm not sure of the exact number I had when I stepped on SL5B sims for the first time, but "870" seems about right.
I made 10 nice storage prims for the stuff, last night--the "Egyption pillar", with a texture from a Snapshot I took of my favorite place of all I saw in SL5B: the Grafix Writer 'building'.
I discovered this place only the day before the end of the exhibit. I felt genuine grief over this, as, if I'd known about it earlier, I'd certainly have visited every day. Many of the 30+ Snapshots that I paid L$10 apiece to download, were taken there.
On my list of tasks: to find out if there's a more permanent installation by that artist (or group of artists?) inworld. Interestingly, this installation was one of the very few in SL5B for which there was no Notecard Dispensor, or any information, really.
Not that I'm faulting people for wanting to generate business for themselves, or (if one wanted to be generous) for wanting to inform visitors of their main Second Life places of business.
But I'd say the lack of commercial pressure fits amazingly well with the degree of artistry in that installation.
Anyway..........all I accomplished in my 90 minutes last night, other than making 10 varied pillars based on the texture (and of course I can't sell them, or use the texture in any commercial way---and if the artist(s) wanted the pillars destroyed, of course I would comply....but for now, I'm enjoying the reminder they represent)...where was I? Oh yes: all I accomplished other than to make the pillars and offload 95 of the new items into them, was to make three 'canvases' for three of my SL5B Snapshots. Then something weird happened to either my Internet connection, or Second Life, and my blank canvases turned "You cannot Modify this", and I had trouble even moving them. The Lag Meter had red dots, so I logged off.
I do hope that the sailing will be smooth when I return tonight; I have a lot to get done!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Back Again, with Heavy Inventory
Actually, I don't know how heavy it is. I haven't looked at it in days.
I'd made sure to get it below 6,000 items (barely) before first going into the SL5B sims. In my first days in them, I thought I'd offload stuff each night. But it soon became clear that I was going to want a lot more time in the sims than I could get, what with my 60-to-90 minutes per day limitation. And taking a solid 15 to 20 out of that, each night, to offload stuff didn't make sense to me.
(Similarly, I chose not to blog the last few nights. I wanted the time inworld.)
So I'm wondering what I'll find in that Inventory, when I log on in a few minutes.
My guess: at least 7,000 (we'll see!)
Most of it is notecards---I wanted information, but didn't want to stop to read it. I figured as I read over the cards, later, I'd remember the places I'd gotten them. If I don't, that would be a sign that the installations weren't that memorable!
I'll be aided by the 30 or so snapshots I took (again, a rough estimate). I plan to make a little photo gallery on my land.
I had been 'sleeping' on the SL5B sims, for the past 8 days or so...Quitting while there. I kind of wondered what would happen if I remained there right up until midnight, Linden time.....but I was nervous of creating glitches for myself, so I teleported Home before that point (and went to bed, as that's 3am, my time). I will read around to see if anyone talks about that....
One thing that interested me was being able to see the Orientation and Help Islands from the SL5B easternmost sims, on the World Map. It wasn't possible to look at them closely (I guess, roughly 1-inch-square overviews of each sim-sized one was as close as a person could get). It was fascinating, though, to see how the programs shunt people to one until it's considered full.
(As I may have mentioned, I never did get to a "real" Help Island---just to the Public Help Island, later. If I do end up paying the ten bucks to make an alt account, I will enjoy the Orientation and Help all the more, for having seen the aerial view of the sims.)
Well, I could blather on longer, but I'm anxious to get Home and start unpacking all my free stuff! I'll just say: the experience was wonderful for me. I would imagine the experience was different for people who get to spend longer in Second Life each session---maybe they tired of the SL5B sims and spelled themselves by going home. I admit to missing Building stuff TERRIBLY (something I'm looking forward to, tonight, at least as much as the unpacking of the free stuff.) But overall, the 10-days (for me) experience was mind-expanding. And that's never bad.
I'd made sure to get it below 6,000 items (barely) before first going into the SL5B sims. In my first days in them, I thought I'd offload stuff each night. But it soon became clear that I was going to want a lot more time in the sims than I could get, what with my 60-to-90 minutes per day limitation. And taking a solid 15 to 20 out of that, each night, to offload stuff didn't make sense to me.
(Similarly, I chose not to blog the last few nights. I wanted the time inworld.)
So I'm wondering what I'll find in that Inventory, when I log on in a few minutes.
My guess: at least 7,000 (we'll see!)
Most of it is notecards---I wanted information, but didn't want to stop to read it. I figured as I read over the cards, later, I'd remember the places I'd gotten them. If I don't, that would be a sign that the installations weren't that memorable!
I'll be aided by the 30 or so snapshots I took (again, a rough estimate). I plan to make a little photo gallery on my land.
I had been 'sleeping' on the SL5B sims, for the past 8 days or so...Quitting while there. I kind of wondered what would happen if I remained there right up until midnight, Linden time.....but I was nervous of creating glitches for myself, so I teleported Home before that point (and went to bed, as that's 3am, my time). I will read around to see if anyone talks about that....
One thing that interested me was being able to see the Orientation and Help Islands from the SL5B easternmost sims, on the World Map. It wasn't possible to look at them closely (I guess, roughly 1-inch-square overviews of each sim-sized one was as close as a person could get). It was fascinating, though, to see how the programs shunt people to one until it's considered full.
(As I may have mentioned, I never did get to a "real" Help Island---just to the Public Help Island, later. If I do end up paying the ten bucks to make an alt account, I will enjoy the Orientation and Help all the more, for having seen the aerial view of the sims.)
Well, I could blather on longer, but I'm anxious to get Home and start unpacking all my free stuff! I'll just say: the experience was wonderful for me. I would imagine the experience was different for people who get to spend longer in Second Life each session---maybe they tired of the SL5B sims and spelled themselves by going home. I admit to missing Building stuff TERRIBLY (something I'm looking forward to, tonight, at least as much as the unpacking of the free stuff.) But overall, the 10-days (for me) experience was mind-expanding. And that's never bad.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
I Haven't Been Home in Three Days!
Home in Second Life, that is.
I feel a certain urgency to see as much as I can in the SL5B sims. And since, most days of the week, I have only an hour, or an hour and a half, in which I can enjoy SL----I've been Quitting while on one of the sims. (I usually try to find what looks like it might be a quiet corner...and not right in the middle of what might be a venue for Events.)
So this will probably be true tonight, as well. Though I'm curious to see what might have changed at 'home' during my absence. When you buy in a newer sim, you never know what the heck might show up!
One thing that I'm not at peace about: the question of ignoring people. I would never ignore someone who spoke to me. (Or more properly: who Local Chatted to me. I still haven't taken the time to activate the Voice modality; I figure I probably have to buy and install a microphone in order to take advantage of that, and I haven't gotten around to it. Though, from some of my reading on the SL site, it's recommended to activate Voice even if you don't have a mic, because then you can listen to speeches and such.)
Anyway, I wouldn't ignore someone who contacted me. BUT......and many will have had this experience on the 20 SL5B sims.....at some hours (when I tend to be on, for instance), they are pretty sparsely populated. So when someone's avatar is within a few meters, you sort of feel that they should be acknowledged in some way.
But here's my deal: I'm not really the Go Up To Strangers And Start Conversations type of person at any time. I HAVE done it, I CAN do it, but it's not my natural bent.
And on these SL5B sims.....I'm very conscious that the whole thing will cease to exist in a few days. (4, at this point, I think.)
So I'm more oriented toward seeing as much as I can than toward getting to know people.
So I don't approach these avatars.
I'm probably fairly safe in assuming that they've reasoned things out in a similar fashion, and and so are NOT offended that I don't speak to them.
Or so I've decided to believe.
Still, it can feel as though I'm being kind of rude, and I regret that.
Oh, well!
I feel a certain urgency to see as much as I can in the SL5B sims. And since, most days of the week, I have only an hour, or an hour and a half, in which I can enjoy SL----I've been Quitting while on one of the sims. (I usually try to find what looks like it might be a quiet corner...and not right in the middle of what might be a venue for Events.)
So this will probably be true tonight, as well. Though I'm curious to see what might have changed at 'home' during my absence. When you buy in a newer sim, you never know what the heck might show up!
One thing that I'm not at peace about: the question of ignoring people. I would never ignore someone who spoke to me. (Or more properly: who Local Chatted to me. I still haven't taken the time to activate the Voice modality; I figure I probably have to buy and install a microphone in order to take advantage of that, and I haven't gotten around to it. Though, from some of my reading on the SL site, it's recommended to activate Voice even if you don't have a mic, because then you can listen to speeches and such.)
Anyway, I wouldn't ignore someone who contacted me. BUT......and many will have had this experience on the 20 SL5B sims.....at some hours (when I tend to be on, for instance), they are pretty sparsely populated. So when someone's avatar is within a few meters, you sort of feel that they should be acknowledged in some way.
But here's my deal: I'm not really the Go Up To Strangers And Start Conversations type of person at any time. I HAVE done it, I CAN do it, but it's not my natural bent.
And on these SL5B sims.....I'm very conscious that the whole thing will cease to exist in a few days. (4, at this point, I think.)
So I'm more oriented toward seeing as much as I can than toward getting to know people.
So I don't approach these avatars.
I'm probably fairly safe in assuming that they've reasoned things out in a similar fashion, and and so are NOT offended that I don't speak to them.
Or so I've decided to believe.
Still, it can feel as though I'm being kind of rude, and I regret that.
Oh, well!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Rush, Rush, Rush....
I now regret those days in which I used up my 60-90 minutes per day in trying to get my Inventory down below 6K---they lessened my chances for seeing more of the SL5B.
It's clear now that there is a lot of fairly routine stuff. People selling their somewhat routine goods. (Not that they don't have every right.) But there's also stuff I'd be glad to see and know about....I just may not get to it.
Oh well. I'll enjoy what I get to. And not worry that my Inventory is creeping above 6K a little more each night, as I collect notecards and landmarks and Free Gifts.....
It's clear now that there is a lot of fairly routine stuff. People selling their somewhat routine goods. (Not that they don't have every right.) But there's also stuff I'd be glad to see and know about....I just may not get to it.
Oh well. I'll enjoy what I get to. And not worry that my Inventory is creeping above 6K a little more each night, as I collect notecards and landmarks and Free Gifts.....
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