A weekly compendium of Second Life’s ups and downs, with Lark, the SL Girl Next Door spouting opinions about everybody’s business. Send in your questions now. Here we go!
Dear Lark –
My bestie is great, I love her to death. One problem; she always copies me and my look. Generally I don’t mind, but this is Halloween and I don’t want her cloning the mummy costume I looked so hard for. How can I stop her? Signed – Mirror Image
Dear Mirror –
Ah, the ancient curse of the Copycat Bestie—she’s sweet, she’s stylish, and she’s suspiciously into everything you wear. Normally it’s flattering. But on Halloween? That’s sacred ground. You didn’t spend hours wrapping yourself in gauze and glory just to be twinned like a toilet paper roll. Remember: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… until it steals your thunder. This Halloween, protect your papyrus-powered pizzazz. Casually mention you’re going as something wildly different—say, a sexy traffic cone. Let her chase that decoy while you glide into the party wrapped in undead elegance.
Dear Lark –
I just went through a bad breakup in SL, and yeah, I made some mistakes. But now my ex is slagging me off to everyone, and that includes in local at the club. I’ve got my eye on my next honey, and I don’t want her scared off. What to do? Signed – Eye on the Prize
Dear Eye –
First off: mistakes? We all make ’em. But your ex is out here doing Ophelia’s lament in public, and that’s gotta stop before your new crush thinks she’s wandered into The Real Housewives of Second Life. Try responding to all drama with the emotional range of a houseplant. “Oh wow, still talking about me? That’s sweet.” Let your chill be so icy it freezes the gossip mid-type. And mute, block, or TP away from this drama tornado. You’re not a sponge for her bitterness—you’re a sunrise of possibility.
Dear Lark – I love Second Life! I’ve got 3 women panting after me, and none of them know anything about the others. I feel invincible! How can I keep this going? Signed – Juggler of Hearts
Dear Juggler –
Feeling invincible? Enjoy it while it lasts, because this is less “James Bond” and more “Scooby-Doo chase scene waiting to happen.” Each lady gets her own lore? One thinks you’re a vampire DJ, another believes you’re a retired space pirate, and the third? She’s convinced you run a virtual bakery. Keep your narratives tight or risk a crossover episode. Let’s be real: SL may be a sandbox, but hearts are still involved. So if things start feeling less fun and more like a soap opera with lag, maybe it’s time to pick one lucky lady and give her your undivided pixels.
Dear Lark – I’ve been on SL for 6 years. My wife said that was 6 years too much. so we got divorced. Now I won’t be online for a while because she got my computer in the settlement. How can I get back online? Signed – PC-less
Dear Less –
Six years on SL? That’s not a hobby—that’s a lifestyle. And now your ex has claimed your portal to pixel paradise in the divorce? Brutal. She didn’t just take the toaster—she took your teleportation device! So tell your friends you’ve gone full Gandalf and are “traveling through the shadow realm” until your new machine arrives. Bonus points if you reappear with a new look and a dramatic backstory.
Dear Lark – I’m fairly new to SL and I got scammed by a vampire and lost my soul. Who should I watch out for? Signed – Once Bitten
Dear Bitten –
Getting scammed by a vampire? That’s a peak SL initiation. Most of us just give in to the grifter who needs $L250 until Monday. If a vampire offers you eternal love and a timeshare in Transylvania, run. If they offer a teleport to a “secret club,” or a magical HUD that turns you into a dragon AND they want payment up front, they’ll vanish faster than a bat at sunrise. Check their profiles.
If its emptier than a vampire’s reflection and their rez date is yesterday, you might be dealing with a scammer. So join some groups, make friends, and ask around. SL veterans can spot a shady bloodsucker from a sim away.
Join us again next Friday as Lark continues to tell you what to do. Cheers, y’all!
