Saturday 18 August 2007

Withdrawal Symptoms

I always claimed not to be addicted to SL the same way I am addicted to Pepsi Max or prepacked ham and cheese sandwiches from Tesco, and I guess I was partially right.

I haven't been in SL for almost exactly a week now. A whole week away. Its a big step down from the 8+ hours I spent every day on there before my trip. I feel like I have broken through a wall. I don't crave SL anymore, I don't *need* it. I realised what I do need is the friendship and human element which has been provided for me by my real life this past week. When I journey back up to Edinburgh on monday night, that human element is going to have been mostly removed from my RL. I live alone at the moment, my friends have moved out of the city to go back home for their vacation or they are busy working their butts off. I have one or two people to speak to, face to face, in my RL.

Which is why I needed that friendship in SL. It was addictive, so easy and satisfying. I could give and receive so much love so easily in SL, and mean it too, every word. I guess the week in London has shown me that RL can't be replaced. I return from my trip with my view of SL slightly changed - perhaps - a realisation that SL isn't the answer to some of my questions.

Although saying that, I have been getting the shakes recently, and for whole hours, all I can think of is SL, the people I love there and how much I miss them. Clearly, SL is a huge, huge part of me. It has affected my RL in both negative and positive ways, too many to mention. I could never remove myself from this place, not for any reason.

Every day I spend in SL I learn more about myself and the world - and learning rules, thats why I study physics :)

So although I have been away, got out of my SL 'routine' and found myself not too concerned with going back to SL itself, I realised the most important thing, the thing I really need SL for is the friends and love, and I can't wait to get back in world on tuesday for a 16-hour session :) You guys had better freakin be there! *LOL*

Damn I could sure go for a sandwich and some pepsi right now...

Esmie xXx

6 comments:

Osayo said...

We can't wait for you to get back:-)

/me goes and fixes Es a sandwich.

Unknown said...

I was just talking about SL today with my friend. I'm almost scared to join! If it is as addicting as Pepsi Max, I am in trouble.

Have you watched the U.S. commercials for Pepsi Max? They are great. WakeUpPeople.com if you haven't!

Unknown said...

can't wait for you to get back, esmie

*hugs*

Esmiel said...

Well SL is only addictive if you fight through the multitude of technical bugs and don't give up on it. Even then its only worth staying with it if you forge deep, long lasting relationships with the people you meet there.

Luckily I have, and it was easy to do. See you soon boys :)

jackta101 said...

Erm?? 16 hours.. thats against the rules you agreed to.

You promised, under no excuses, 8 hours a day. And... especially... you have been cheating!

So I am not chuffed!

Esmiel said...

Eeeek!