Friday, September 14, 2012

Little Get Aways


Standing on Siracuse in the Northsky Channel (SLurl), I fiddle with Windlight settings and snap dozens of pictures for no particular reason. A few hours ago a general sense of dread crept upon me. Perhaps the news of an Arab Winter beginning in the Middle East is getting to me ... many unreasonable people reacting poorly to the ill-concieved actions of just a handful of other unreasonable people can tear down the hard work of so many others and possibly bring the world to the brink of another major conflict. Perhaps I'm simply entering the down stage of a unending manic-depressive cycle and I'm out of ice cream.

Whatever the case may be, it is keeping me from truly enjoying one of the many little treasures that dot the Second Life landscape, the simple build in the middle of nowhere. Siracuse is typical ... just a tiny island with some basic foliage in an otherwise empty region. A channel marker is bobs near by to keep boaters safe and to provide some atmosphere. All-in-all, an LDPW Mole probably spent 20 minutes creating here before popping off through one of their magic burrows to found a new little retreat. Such a short time for something that can mean so much.

Amazing what can be done in less than half an hour. The film that sparked the current Mideast crisis can be viewed in under 15 minutes but like the small island in the Northsky Channel, it will have a lasting impact. The little island can be seen as a waste of resources as it is really the only feature of the region or it can be seen as a creation of beauty and promise. The film can be a force of destruction or an opportunity for people to converse and learn and grow.

Now I need to get my sense of dread to listen to reason.

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