For this installment of ‘Meet the Truthies’, we asked our last interviewee Gwen to conduct the interview. She sat down with fellow Truthie Katiroth (better known as Kati) to find out a bit more about her. Hope you enjoy!
Gwen: Hi, Kati! I’m so happy you can take the time to talk with me today. I’ve got some questions for you!
You’ve been in Second Life a long time! Do you remember your first day? What are your favourite comparisons to make between SL then and SL now, and if there was one thing you could change about SL to make it better, what would that be?
Kati: My first day, I remember being very overwhelmed. But absolutely intrigued! In 2006, while the game was still very ugly, there were so many possibilities! I miiiight or might not have almost immediately found a rather off-color sim and giggled my head off. Though to be fair, I was still a very sheltered 21 year old at the time and I thought I was being very sneaky. (I wasn’t.) I also remember finding newbie clothing boxes, thanks to some very nice people and I thought I was the hottest habanero in the bunch with my system hair and badly textured lingerie.
Really, the changes in graphics is the big thing that I compare. Back in the day, it just wasn’t even close to as pretty as it is now. Granted, that’s mostly due to the changes in computer hardware, but things like windlights and sculpties and then mesh seriously changed the entire landscape of the platform and the difference is incredible.
And as far as changes go? The biggest change I want to see is not in the platform itself, but in the people who play. I know we can’t “all get along” but a little more politeness and understanding would go a very long way.
Gwen: I was overwhelmed my first day, too. And I don’t think I’d stay in Second Life at all if it weren’t so darned pretty! As someone with a vibrant Second Life, I’m completely convinced that you have a vibrant Real Life as well. Is there anything you’d feel comfortable sharing about your life outside the grid with us?
Kati: Oh, absolutely! And it does actually go back to my SL life. Back in April of 2007, there was this nerdy guy I met in an RP sim. His character was named “X” if that says anything! We became friends and better friends and then super good friends. And then in April of 2011, we got married. A small ceremony out on my parents farm with mostly just family and a few close friends. It’s hard to believe we’ve been married this long, especially considering it was a chance encounter between our two RP characters that started everything.
Otherwise, outside of SL, I do a lot of art, writing, and crafting. One of the jobs I work is at a locally-owned craft store, and I’m learning how to spin my own yarn from alpaca fiber! I know that might not sound that exciting, but it’s really neat learning an ancient and mostly forgotten skill.
Gwen: Wow, what a great story! I love to hear about how people find what they need when they’re not even looking. And I love to knit, but spinning always eluded me, and it’s something I admire when I see other people doing it.
So, do you prefer real or virtual pets, or neither, or both, and why? It’s OK to give names and species. I’d personally be OK with photos, but I’m not sure if we have space for that in the Truth VIP blog!
Kati: Definitely prefer real pets, if only because virtual pets take up too many prims that I could use for other things. I have three cats in the real world– Reno, Katana, and Steve. Reno’s an elderly 20 pound ball of white fluff, Katana is a very needy calico that sleeps next to me every night and gets jealous if you pet any of the other kitties, and Steve is my husband’s cat who thinks she’s a dog.
I do have a few virtual cats too, mostly because one of my main RP characters (Why yes, RP is the main thing I do here on SL..) is a crazy cat lady.
Gwen: Ha! I love my kitty cats as well. I have four at the moment, and that’s only because one of my stepdaughters installed a microchip-triggered cat flap in my house so I wouldn’t become that crazy cat lady….so tell me, books, Films, Television, Comics — what’s your media of choice, and why? And if there’s anything you want to recommend, I’d love to add to my list!
Kati: A little bit of everything, and a little bit of nothing of all! While I was a voracious reader when I was younger, I don’t seem to have the time anymore to sit down with a good book, same with movies and TV shows. My watch list is way too big to even think about catching up. But I do recommend Brooklyn 99. Also, as far as comics go, you can’t go wrong with a little old school Dark Horse Star Wars comics, or Neil Gaiman’s Sandman!
Gwen: I go through periods where I read obsessively, and yes- Sandman is always on the shelf in case it needs a re-read. But, getting back to what brought us together in the first place, can you tell us a little bit about your experience with the Truth VIP group– what’s it been like for you?
Kati: Overall, very positive! It’s full of genuinely nice people, and the niceness doesn’t feel fake. People in there have really lifted me up when I’ve been down, sometimes without even knowing it. Sometimes I wish I could drop a random curse word in chat here or there, but if that’s my biggest problem with the group, I’d say it’s a pretty da…darn good one!
It’s wonderful to have a truly positive and uplifting group with like minded people.
Gwen: Honestly, I feel the same way. I feel like we’re a big room full of friends most of the time. It’s funny how really enjoying a product can bring so many people together. Speaking of that, do you remember your first experience with Truth Hair?
Kati: I don’t remember my first experience, because it feels like Truth Hair has always been part of my second life. I really only had one hair designer before him that I regularly bought from– most of my accessories for the first year or two were freebies with the very occasional purchase. Broke college student, you know? But as soon as Truth hair started to come out, that was it. I fell in love.
Gwen: Yeah, I can’t remember either- it just gets woven into the fabric. But– now it’s time to ‘fess up– are you a fatpacker, or do you buy just “your” colour?
Kati: Frankly, depends on my finances! I don’t have a single color that’s mine, though I wear brown-black, platinum blonde, and purple the most. So thankfully when things are a little tight the selection pack is perfect! However, I do prefer to buy fatpacks whenever I can.
Gwen: This was my favourite question Ellen asked me, so now I ask it of you: if you could be Truth for a day or a week– what kind of style would you create?
Kati: There are two in particular I would make. One would be a messy bedhead, for those mornings when you want your SL self to look like your RL self before coffee! And the other one would be something more of a short punk-type style, with an undercut and some gentle spiking.
Gwen: Oh, I like both of those ideas. We will have to start making sure Truth sees all these! Thanks again for taking the time to speak with me; it’s always fun to learn more about my fellow Truthies!
Truth VIP 