raftwet jewell goes on and on

I often wonder why so many of us take the time and money to participate in virtual worlds like Second Life. In the last five years, I have been diligently learning how to build, how to sell, how to get land stats, how to manage groups, how to be a resident and how to cope in here. If anyone ever told me, before I created my avatar, how hard this place could be for anyone, I might have run away from this project completely.



So much has happened in here including friendships, love, broken relationships, bad business deals, and the rest of the shenanigans in here, that I can not believe that I am still here on this grid! It's been sometimes a rocky road and sometimes smooth sailing. But... it has never been boring. Well, until now.

I don't want to expand on that thought just yet, but all of you old avis on the grid probably know what I am talking about. The grid has become... ahem... rather sanitized. Kinda. Maybe it's just because I have been here soooo long that nothing surprises me anymore. I play in here and build. I explore places and write. I go and listen to so much virtual live music that my head spins. And, when I go clubbing, I am usually bumped to death, and it is rare to receive a hello anymore from even the hosts. (Gee, you would think I wasn't registering on the grid anymore...)



But, I am ready to tackle all the stuff that gets thrown at me. I will take breathers more frequently and sometimes I might not be on the grid at all. But, I do want everyone to know this... I love this place, Second Life, more than any of you will ever know. The wonder is still here no matter how sanitized it gets, the grid is alive with imagination and artful fantasy.

Now, here I go... about to start my fifth year in 2012... raftwet jewell signing off... but only until tomorrow.

raftwet jewell as a blonde!

RAFTWET Jewell in Second Life


raftwet jewell as a blonde!, originally uploaded by rafeejewell.


Last month, I turned 4 years old. I am not even sure if I was on the grid. The rezz day just slipped by without much notice as I was literally busy in real life that day. The rezz day was just another day except that another year had passed for me as a resident of Second Life. Four years... it just seems impossible that I have been here this long.

My regions are still here: WETLands and RiverLand, both dedicated to outdoor water sports such as surfing, rafting, paddling and swimming. The two regions are natural park-like settings created for the avatars to safely hang out with friends. There is a small outdoor ballroom on WETLands that usually have a few couples enjoying the peaceful serenity on the land.

Mainland is rarely visited much anymore as time is precious in world with other work such as THE A LIST! administrative tasks. The group seems to keep both of us incredibly busy every time we are on the grid. My other groups just run on auto pilot. They are mostly fun groups with little drama and seem almost silly compared to the seriousness of the networking group.

I am currently selling Archan which is a highly commercial area. I am putting Bisque up for sale this month as I no longer use the area anymore for anything but a little store and a small rafting area. (If you know anyone, tell them to contact me for sale or rentals on the mainland.)

I don't go clubbing as much as I used to do because of personal reasons. Gone are the days when I would spend most of my time on the grid at a club or venue. There are so many other things to do, and I find myself exploring and visiting different places in Second Life when I have time.

One of the things I love most is playing with the look of my avatar. Sometimes it's a new skin or shape, but mostly it's about make-up and hair... just like in real life! Being in real life California, makes me think of all the Southern California blondes on the beach. So "Rafee" gets a make-over frequently and becomes the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, West Coast girl that seems to scream "California!"

In real life... brunette, brown eyes, jeans and a t-shirt are more my style!






Photo and blog by raftwet jewell and posted in flickr and this blog in blogger.
All rights reserved

Raftwet Jewell in Virtual Metaverse
raftwet jewell in blogger
raftwet jewell in facebook
raftwet jewell in twitter
the a list! in second life

Conservancy of the American River

This is why I am here. This is why rafee is an avatar for outdoor recreation and the protection of water, streams, rivers, oceans and wetlands. Listen carefully and apply these concepts in your own backyard.



These are the champions who dedicate their lives for a singular cause to protect one river in their community. Protect the land, rivers and oceans in your community by volunteering your time and efforts. California American River is a jewel of a river that stretches from the high Sierra Nevada to the urban cities in the valley. The river gives us drinking water, agricultural water, power, recreation and beauty and is worth protecting for all.

My heartfelt thanks to this crew of volunteers, artists and filmmakers for a job well-done!
<3 rafee <3

second life mixing with real life

So hard to believe that I have been on the Second Life grid this long. I still remember 2007 when I arrived on the color sims near the a popular sandbox. Building and creating my waterfalls... trying to mimic the world I really live in with the rivers, streams and natural places near my home. I have learned a lot here in Second Life. I learned how to build and though I am still a rudimentary scripter, it's amazing that I can even do that now!

My two regions have been so fun create. Like others, the passion we put into our land is the vision inside our heads. Some builders create fantastic fantasy worlds while others like me try to copy Mother Nature. It has brought a profound appreciation to the real world that I experience.



I am lucky. I travel, I see beautiful places on this earth and I try to bring that experience into the virtual world here. Without any fanfare, my regions are now in Second Life's showcase. I am so proud to have been chosen to be on that list. Look for WETLands in the Parks and Nature category; we are at #4 now. Wow! And, as a co-owner of THE A LIST! my actual land is actually on LL's list!

I have taken thousands of pictures and they are uploaded to my avatar,  rafee's flickr and koinup. I created several RAFTWET Jewell youtube by myself and with my friend,  Aoshi. And, the blogs... gawd, do I ever stop blogging? LOL! But, I needed something more.

A very good friend was on the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch videography team that finally won the Emmy. After a few years of being nominated, this death-defying team won this year. So, I talked to my friend and asked him if he would film a whitewater sequence in real life and incorporate my avatar rafting on WETLands. He was intrigued by the idea and enjoyed visiting both my land and SL.

Enjoy the video and then come on over to WETLands and try the rafts... or just bring a date and hang out in a natural park-like setting and just chill. There's an outdoor ballroom next to the bay area, both romantic and casual at the same time. Have fun!