Based on a suggestion from a reader, I am going to try out popular online sites and give my feedback on it. First up is SecondLife.  This is a program that sort of runs an alternate reality.  Today is my first day in the program and I am sort of lost. On the downside I did start up my account at 12 am… so the cast of characters running around in there wasn’t very desirable for my goal.  My goal is to network and maybe build business contacts through it.  I researched that this is one direction that companies across the globe are taking. Mind you its not the new facebook or twitter, actually its not new at all, but it is an online outlet where business is taking place.  On my first time in there I designed my avatar (who is far skinner than I am), walked around a bit, and talked to a guy in Dublin about starting a business.  I am not using SecondLife to socialize but to see what opportunities it can offer me in the realm of freelance and owning a small business.   The cast of characters that I ran into at 2 in the morning was quite interesting.  I ran into a tiger-woman, a couple vampires, and some verbally handicapped miscreants.  I will try this program for a few days, but I am not expecting much.  Although, MIT, IBM, and Notre Dame are all on there, if I can find them.  I will try and research this a bit more and fill you in on whats going on.

I have been chastised for not updating my blog as much as I would like others to update theirs. But, my lovely readers (all two of you) I have nothing interesting to talk about in comparison to my sisters. It is a mighty shadow they cast.

My older sister is in the Peace Corps. She is stationed in Burkina Faso, Africa. (The link to her blog is on the right side of this page under Links.) She is dealing with a life without running water, modern conveniences, and no toilet… just a hole in the ground. Hilarity ensues.

My younger sister is in China. She is teaching English to college students in Tianjin, China. (The link to her blog is also on the right.) She is dealing with Chinese logic, naive college students that act like they are 12 years old, and the ever present China Belly. Hilarity also ensues.

The perfect start.

I am living at home with my awesome parents in America. I run my own freelance company from my bedroom in Pennsylvania. (This is my blog, no need to look for a link to it.) I am dealing with living at home again, cooking delicious desserts for my parents, and helping my parents with whatever project they have up their sleeves that day. Hilarity doesn’t ensue. Where the highlight of my week was the acquisition of a new headband. The only thing that is even different about my life is my relationship with my boyfriend (long distance, different religions, and different cultures) … and I refuse to turn my blog into a ‘dear diary’ about my personal life. I am not saying I won’t talk about it, but its not what I will focus on.

I am an adult living at home with my parents. In the past I would have judged someone harshly for the same situation I am now in. Wait, I do judge myself harshly. (Note to self: I must learn to stop doing that.) In an economy that is in the dumps, Graphic Designers don’t really get hired into companies. These companies bid their Graphic Design projects out to the lowest bidder or freelance group. So my office is now my bedroom, my desk is a dinner tray and my cushy chair is my bed. Don’t misunderstand me I like this… my sheets are awesome. I am currently trying to find a full time job with benefits. OOOOH, I have dreams about having medical benefits again. Dreams where I (dressed in the perfect outfit from head to toe) and my future insurance provider will skip arm and arm down a yellow brick road towards a Dentist’s office. And once we have achieved dental perfection… I float towards the Doctor’s office where every concern is taken care of by a knowledgeable physician with perfect teeth and shoes. Ahh, when I have these dreams I wake up with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.
The good news is that I am one step closer to reaching this dream… I have the perfect headband for my prefect outfit. Now all I need is the rest.