Second Life (SL) is an identity factory. Is your avatar human? Or not? The same age, gender, height, weight, ethnicity, religion, political party, and sexual identity as your fleshvatar? Or different? If different, are you exploring facets of yourself that Physical Life (PL) doesn’t have room for you to explore? Fantasy options that you wouldn’t pursue in PL? A day, or a year, “playing” an alternate life path? Or deep undercurrents of persona that maybe you do want to express in PL, but find it safer to experiment with in SL first?
I’ve known that. What I didn’t know is that The Internet, as experienced by “Googling Yourself” is also an identity factory. A list of search results is also a list of “other lives”. Of alternate identities. Of paths not taken. Of lives you might have lived.
Before this week, before January 2023, I somehow never googled myself! Well, now I have. On Tuesday I learned that I’m a best selling author! Yesterday I learned that I’m a Russian pop star! And today I’ve learned that I’m also a Canadian tattoo artist!
Kate Nova, Tattoo Artist
You can check out my work on Instagram:
You can also read some of my musings on art & life on Medium:
Kate Nova, tattoo samples
Here are a few samples of my tattoo work. Drop by my IG to see lots more!
Garrith & Dublin
Retired latex model. Flirt, tease & friend without benefits. Say “Hello!” I won’t bite! (not even if you want me to) Over the years so many “SL Killers” have come & gone: Cloud Party, Blue Mars, InWorldz, Sansar, HiFidelity, and more. Mostly gone now. Zuckerberg’s “Metaverse” is in trouble. Meanwhile, SL keeps pressing on. Even so, don’t take it for granted. SL could die, or changes to SL, or changes in your life, could cause this beautiful dream to end. Even if the dream does continue, beloved characters might exit the stage. Savor every moment.