Kuro Neko – Marsha’s Second Life Interviews

Kuro Neko: Tell me how your freebie paradise venture began.
Sarah Nerd: There were a lot of freebie places when I was a newb, but I always wanted one that had better stuff, and more organized. So when I had a club I started a freebie area in the corner, and eventually moved it to its own lot.
Kuro Neko: Is it as popular now as it was back then, or more so?
Sarah Nerd: More popular now. When I started getting into estates and enlarged it , it caught on more.
Kuro Neko: The first time I heard about you was when I got a weiner machine. Do you still make stuff like that?
Sarah Nerd: *laughs* When its really late and I get really bored, I make totally usless stuff now and then.
Kuro Neko: I do remember getting fat off weiners back in 2006.
Sarah Nerd: Awesome.
Kuro Neko: When you began Second Life, did you ever think you’d be so successful?
Sarah Nerd: No, first 6 months or so I paid a lot to play, just loved it so much. Started dealing land to help support a club I had.
Kuro Neko: Was it much cheaper back in 2005?
Sarah Nerd: Nah. tier has been the same since I started. Island prices went up though.
Kuro Neko: Uh huh. Crazy prices now. For the average user.
Sarah Nerd: But they were raised before I bought my first estate sim.
Kuro Neko: Is the land business your true calling now?
Sarah Nerd: Yeah I love it to death. Been doing it awhile, so I feel weird in slow periods.
Kuro Neko: To be honest, you are very reasonable.
Sarah Nerd: Thank you.
Kuro Neko: The land market is a bit bad at the moment, for selling. something like 6 or 7 L per sqm (Marsha’s note: at time of interview!)
Sarah Nerd: LL [Linden Labs] has been flooding the market all week with new mainland sims to get the price down. Usually they flood, it drops down, and when they stop it goes up a little and levels out.
Kuro Neko: When you get quiet periods where land prices are low and no one is selling, do you go off and make weiner machines?
Sarah Nerd: Yeah.
Kuro Neko: Cool.
Sarah Nerd: I hang out with my friends or build a little.
Kuro Neko: Yes you gotta make time for your social life as well.
Kuro Neko: This next question you do not need to answer, but I’ll ask it anyway.
Kuro Neko: Does your avatar reflect your RL self at all? (inlcuding the “nerd” part?)
Sarah Nerd: Nah, I’m a fat girl in Ohio. I have had purple hair before, but my avatar is more like what I wished I looked like than what I acually look like.
Kuro Neko: I have always thought your av looks kind of cute. I like your Nifty Fifty [Sarah's discount affiliate store] sign pic.
Sarah Nerd: Thank you.
Kuro Neko: Do you still think SL is a lot of fun or do you kind of think of it more as an income?
Sarah Nerd: Yeah, it’s fun, but sometimes the business part makes it a little stressful. But I love this game and I love the people. I’m so attached to so many of my friends.
Kuro Neko: I enjoy it, I enjoy meeting people I admire. I always get nervous of meeting people in the game, because I think they will look down on me since I am technically a nobody.
Sarah Nerd: I know what you mean, I feel like that a lot. I think people just know my name here now because I’ve been here so damn long *laughs*
Kuro Neko: So, you have a lot of stuff going on in SL, what with the land, your affiliate programs and stores, how do you keep up?
Sarah Nerd: Bella Wilberg [Sarah's partner] helps me a lot. Theres rarley a day I dont log onto SL.
Kuro Neko: *thinks* What about 16 June 2006, you were not online then.
Sarah Nerd: I dont even remeber the 16th of June 2006.
Kuro Neko: I wasn’t around then anyway, so I guess I can’t prove that rumour.
Kuro Neko: If you could sum yourself up in one word, what would it be?
Sarah Nerd: Thats a tough one.. independent?
Kuro Neko: Are you asking me?
Sarah Nerd: *laughs*
Kuro Neko: I was going to suggest ‘Purple’.
Sarah Nerd: Yeah, that’s totally me. Thats how most people think of me. Purple.
Kuro Neko: I’ve never known anyone so devoted to one color.
Sarah Nerd: I used to see this old lady all over town in real life who was always covered in pink. I’d see her at flea markets and stuff.
Kuro Neko: What was her name?
Sarah Nerd: Didnt know her but it was easy to remember her because she always had big pink hats and all pink clothing all the time.
Kuro Neko: She sounds very cute. So, I hear you like Nine Inch Nails.
Sarah Nerd: Love Trent Reznor. Have since I was a teenager. Got to go to 6 shows last summer, was in heaven *laughs*
Kuro Neko: Yeah, but you’re getting old now.
Sarah Nerd: Yeah I am =) But I’ll never be to old for Nails shows…

Me with Sarah Nerd on the steps in my skybox.