Where to now?

At the start of the class I felt more than prepared to discuss the subject of virtual worlds. Now that the course is over I am not so certain. Perpetually discovering how much I still need to learn, my intention is to continue logging on to SL to gain a better understanding of the environment. Despite the similarity with chat rooms, IMs, FB, and other forms of mediatized communication it has aspects that I have not seen in any other medium. More performative than any of these forms, the sharing of cyberspace via an intentional avatar body creates a virtual environment that is part RL, part acting, and part technology. Yes – I am obsessed with the gaps between these areas – despite Tamar’s objections that I will forget about them the more familiar I become with SL - I am not convinced I want to forget about them. Once this space becomes naturalized, in which the constructed is seen as transparent – as happens with things like language, gender, and culture – then SL and RL blur into one zone. I need to keep in mind that there are both similarities and differences between the two. The next step is to review the observations here and shape them into something – what – I have no idea. In the meantime – it is nice to have Glitch back and I guess I’ll just keep on dancing.