Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A weighty revelation.

I have lost almost 50 pounds and have about 50 more to go I am afraid to tell my SL lover about my weight loss for fear he will think I am fat in RL and lose interest in me in Second life..what should I do? I am proud of my weight loss but afraid to share

Thank you for your question, my dear increasinggly healthy friend. Congratulations on your successful weight loss thus far and may you continue toward your goal. You are rightfully proud of your achievement in this endeavor. If I knew who you were I would give you a great big tiger hug and a hearty huzzah! the next time we meet on the grid.

Now, to your concerns, revealing anything such as height, weight or even eye color to ones SL lover is a risky proposition. Often, however, with risk comes reward. Were I your lover it would make no never mind to me, but I suppose for some men it would. In my experience the close relationships we make in SL tend to be founded on more than mere appearances. Sure, one may be at first attracted to the appearance of someone's avatar; but, in a sea of idealized beautiful people such superficiality rarely leads to anything meaningful.

What shoud you do? I am hardly one to tell anyone what they should or should not do. However, I maintain that open and free communication is the foundation of meanigful relationships. This is a significant event in your life. Sharing this with the one closest to you is an opportunity for the two of you to build on the intimacy you already have. Either he will rejoice with you, or he won't. I suspect the former; but, should your fears be realized, then perhaps he simply was not the right person for you at this time after all.

Ask a tiger.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

He has a female alt.

I am heartbroken...I discovered a few days ago the my Second Life partner has an a female alt..he is a male in rl and SL at least so a I thought. I found out that he has been having sex with other femles with his female alt...I am disgusted,but love him.

My dear friend, it can indeed be disconcerting to discover unexpected things about somenone close to us. What is it about this revelation that disgusts you, though? Is it the gender swapping? If so, I assure you that it is not uncommon for people to have avatars of the opposite gender from their 1st Life selves. One of the fascinating things about the metaverse is that it allows us to explore these aspects of self.

If your discomfort stems from the idea that he is enjoying sex with other women, then that is potentially a sign of a more serious issue. In either case I would advise you to talk to him about your concerns. Communication is critical to maintaining loving healthy relationships. You said you still love him, and that is a good thing. Tell him you do. May the Builder bless you both.

Ask a tiger.

Chili!

Quick there is a chili cook off coming up and I need a good recipe for my company team..got any ideas?

Yumm, chili! One of the USA's great contributions to world cuisine.

First, I do not recommend making chili out of ones co-workers. However, there are many other acceptable alternatives. Here's a simple one

- 1lb ground beef (In this tiger's opinion vegetarian chili does NOT count as real chili.)
- garlic powder, onion powder, chili seasoning
- 4 cans of spiced chili beans
- 3 cans diced or stewed tomatoes (various flavors are available)

1. Brown the meat with garlic powder, onion power and chili seasoning.
2. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker/crock pot.
3. Add beans and tomatoes and stir the mess together.
4. Cook in the crock pot for four to six hours.
5. Serve with grated cheese, chopped onion and french bread.

More inventive recipies are available here: Famous Chili Recipies

Ask a tiger.

Why a tiger?

Why a tiger? Why not an antelope or a lizard?

Why not a tiger? Tigers are cool, regal, powerful, sometimes cuddly. Antelope are food. Lizards are not very cuddly. Really, for me it is simply a matter of personal preferance. I have always admired the great cats. For whatever reason tigers appeal to me more than the others.

Ask a tiger.

Fantasies of another

When making love to my boyfriend I have fantasies about my Second Life boyfriend, even though I have never seen my SL boyfriend in RL I have a good idea of what he looks like. Is this wrong?

Thank you for your question, my friend. I am pleased to inform you that fantasizing about others while engaged in intimacies is not uncommon. Experts in sexuality even claim it is all part of having a healthy libido. So, in that respect, no, your fantasies are neither bad nor wrong.

I am generally of the opinion that whatever enhances your enjoyment of the experience, and that of the other party's, is a Good Thing(tm). On the other hand, if you find that thoughts of your virtual lover are distracting you from enjoying the attentions of the man you are with in the physical, then this may be a sign of other issues in the relationship. Furthermore, if you are distracted, and he is an attentive lover, he will sense it.

Ask a tiger.

Frisky kitties!

Since you are a feline and a furry, How can I keep my two 3 and a half month old kittens from tearing around the house and knocking over vases? They just don't listen to me!

Oh those scampering kitties! One doesn't need to be a tiger to know that cats simply do NOT listen unless they feel like it. For kittens this goes double as they are also full of the boundless energy of youth. One cannot discipline a cat in the same manner one would a dog, either. One method of discouragement that does work to some degree is judicious use of a sqray bottle. Unlike tigers, housecats don't like water very much and a little squirt may disrupt their game of chase. I also advise either locking away your breakables or at least moving them to relatively inaccessible places. One must "cat proof" their house in much the same way one "kid proofs" it, as least for a while. Soon enough they will settle down to the sedate aloofness that is proper to all good cats.

Ask a tiger.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Get a job.

I have been struggling to figure out how to make money in Second Life..where can I get a job?

My dear impoverished friend, finding employment and/or making money in SL is not all that different from the ways one does so in 1st Life. There are basically two paths to follow; one of which is considerably more difficult but potentially more rewarding than the other.

As the official Guide to Jobs in Second Life (from the SL Wiki) points out, ones first stop on the less difficult path should be the Classifieds section of the SL forums. I will add that there is also a Classifieds tab in the Search window. I find it amusing that, after all the to-do about adult content on the grid, the very first potential job listed in the official job guide is still Dancer. Even more that within the descriptive paragraph it also points out that this often leads to the stripper/escort option. Regardless, the fact remains that the most readily available paid position in SL is club dancer. Indeed the vast majority of job postings are for dancers and other club related positions. Even if that is not what you want to do with your SL time, I still recommend looking through the classifieds. There are many non-club type jobs listed also. Beyond the classifieds, I would recommend deciding just what sort of activity you want to do, and use Search to find potential employers in that field. If you want to be a photographer, for instance, Search for other photographers. You might get lucky and one of them might actually be looking for someone to help out.

The more difficult path is to create your own “job”. This may be either product or service related. Either one creates something (clothing, gadgets, vehicles, homes, etc) and tries to sell it, or one provides a needed service (teacher, event coordinator, advertising consultant, property manager, etc.)

Ask a tiger.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Who Made Your Avatar?

I'm a part-time furry...I was wondering who made your avatar and where you get your clothes. I've got a tiger, a sabre tooth cat and a fox.

Thank you for your question, my sometimes furry friend. OK, here's the breakdown:
-The basic look (skin, head, ears, tail) is the AnthroXtacy White Tiger v2. I decided to forego the digigrade legs and oversized paws because (1) trousers fit better on standard legs, (2) there are other things I'd rather attach to the hand attachment points.
-To this I added a set of horns from RM Patchwork for an exotic devil-cat look.
-The shape is a freebie I picked up long ago as is the hair.

I get my clothes from all over, mostly in the Steamlands though. Some of the designers in my clothing folder are Mako Magellan, Terry Lightfoot (To-a-T), Nix Sands (XCENTRICITY), blakOpal Galicia, Lumina Elvehjem (Luminous Designs), Reghan Straaf (Hatpins), Paul Lapointe (Lapointe and Bastchild), hyasynth Tiramisu (silentsparrow) and Destany Laval (UnZipped).

Ask a tiger.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

He's driving me crazy!

My boyfriend slurps his food, his soup, smacks his gum and makes weird snorting noises..I love him, he's a terrific guy but this is driving me crazy..what can I do?

What to do, indeed! Firstly, good for you for having progressed thus far in your relationship that the little things like these are what comes up. I would venture a guess that you no longer ignore morning breath either. This is good and healthy. It is a sign that most of the rough corners have been worn away and now only these little imperfections are causing friction.

Fortunately, my dear friend, there may be a solution for you. And now I apologize to all the men out there. I am going to reveal one of the secrets of the fraternity. Believe it or not, in small things like this men, and tigers, are trainable. I know this for a fact. One merely needs patience and persistence.

As any mother of boys, or wife of many years, can tell you, the proper application of either guilt or displeasure can work wonders. So, the first thing is, do not keep your annoyance to yourself. However, do not go overboard either. Whenever he slurps, smacks or snorts simply give him "the look". You may have to add an exasperated, "Must you?" now and then also. Eventually, he will get the hint and, if he is as terrific as you say he is, will adjust his behaviour accordingly.

Ask a tiger.

Is it love?

Dear Onyx,How do you know when you're really in love, instead of just really, really having a crush on a person? Is there a way to tell?


Ahh, Love. That "many splendored thing" of which the poets wax so eloquent. The ever elusive and yet oh so powerful driving force of our lives. What a wonderfully timely question, my friend.


I am not often given to quoting scriptures; but, in this case there is, in this tiger's opinion, no more eloquent expression of the qualities of love than that given by St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians.


"4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails." - 1Cor 13:4-8 NIV

So, my friend, one thing you might ask yourself is whether what you feel matches up with these qualities. A woman who is very dear to me once summed it up rather succinctly. Being "in love" is a feeling, Loving is a decision. On the first look that may sound rather cold, but think about it. Feelings wax and wane, but it takes determination and resolve to want to be with someone through all of life's ups and downs.


Here is one thought experiment that might help you. Take a moment and think about all the things that turn you on about the object of your affections. Now, take them away. Can you say that you still love what is left? If he or she were disfigured, incapable of speaking those sweet nothings that make you melt, had no money or even simply held a wildly opposing political view would you still want to be with them, care for them, give your whole self to them? If your answer is yes, then, my fortunate friend, you may really love them.

Ask a tiger.

When Fantasy Meets Reality - long answer

My second life lover and I have quite a dilemma .. even though we pledged that our relationship would just be SL and not first/real life an opportunity has come up for us to meet in rl. What if we are not as attracted to each other in rl as we are SL?


Yes, indeed! What you face, my friend, is the old Virtual to Actual crossover. Will the fantasy survive the reality? Before I answer let me first congratulate you on having found that special someone. It warms this old tiger’s heart to know that two souls have come together in such a wonderful life affirming way. Thus grows the measure of positive energy and light in the universe.


Let me also assure you that you are not alone in this predicament. I would venture that there may be thousands of couples faced with the same question, and not just in Second Life® either. In this era of more or less anonymous communication, via chat rooms, forums and virtual communities of many sorts, people often make strong connections between on-line personas. I have had one or two close relationships in SL myself and can speak to the validity of the emotions involved. Here is a link to a rather insightful commentary on the subject from Wired Magazine's Regina Lynn: Don't Dismiss Online Relationships as Fantasy


For the sake of this discussion I am going to assume that neither of you are married or otherwise encumbered in 1st Life as that opens up a whole different set of questions about whether you should even meet in the first place. Such questions are a separate issue and beyond the scope of the current topic.


Now, I must be totally honest with you, often meeting the physical person behind the digital persona does not turn out well. However, there are also many on-line relationships that continue just fine and even deepen. I don't have any numbers at my fingertips to give you for the likelyhood of one or the other; however, I would venture a guess that the former is more likely. The reason for this is simple. No matter how much we think we may know someone in SL, there is still a vast gulf between the parts of ourselves we project onto the virtual world and our true selves. People by and large do not partake in virtual communities as full reflections of themselves. Our public faces in SL are crafted to a much greater degree than they are in meatspace. Furthermore, there are many factors that go into physical attraction which are only imperfectly simulated in SL, if at all.


I'm not saying that all is lost. Far from it. But, one should take precautions and not set ones expectations too high. I will take a moment now to urge you to consider your own safety when meeting with your paramour. About.com has some good lists of tips for online dating and for taking the relationship from the digital to the analog. Here are a couple as a representation:

Part 3: Online to Offline - Taking the Leap


Online Dating Safety Tips


These lists have a few common elements. First, the meeting should be in a public place where there are other people nearby. Second, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. Third, arrive at the rendezvous using your own transportation. These few simple precautions can mean the difference between a mere disappointment and a tragedy.


OK, with the safety issue covered, what about the expectations. In this tiger's opinion perhaps the greatest single contributing factor in 1st Life crossover failure is surprise. There are things we can do to peel away some layers of the SL persona that will minimize this surprise factor. First, the two of you should have had voice communications by now, either via SL's Voice feature or some outside application like Skype. I like Skype because the sound quality is good and it is as convenient as a phone call without revealing ones actual phone number or even ones geographic location (another safety consideration). My Skype profile shows Caledon as my location. Verbal communication is important because there are many nuances to the spoken word that simply cannot be conveyed with even the most elaborate emote or gesture. To take this a step further, visual communication via web-cam will essentially eliminate most of the potential surprises. This is another good feature of Skype.


From the tone of your question, I would guess that you have not had video conversations. Initializing those can be every bit as chancy as meeting physically. I will suppose that you may have shared still pictures, however. What, then, to do if upon sitting down to lunch with this person you just don't gel as well as you had hoped? Well then, my friend, you have a choice to make. You can either continue the SL romance in the knowledge that it simply will not work out in 1st Life, or you can decide to discontinue even that. You must decide for yourself whether the mental, emotional, and sexual stimulation you share with the other person is worth preserving. If you think that it is, then there is no reason in the world for you not to continue the SL romance. If your perception of the other person is not seriously tarnished by meeting their actual selves, then by all means, carry on. You have lost nothing and have gained the serenity that comes from no longer wondering "what if". Just because the relationship is infeasible in meatspace does not mean it must end in metaspace.


On the other hand, if the fantasy bubble has irreparably burst for you, then at least you had a wonderful time while it lasted and are free of the uncertainty. I pray for the best for you, but want you to be aware of the risk and prepared to deal with the possibilities. May the Builder bless you, my friend.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

When fantasy meets reality

My second life lover and I have quite a dilemma .. even though we pledged that our relationship would just be SL and not first/real life an opportunity has come up for us to meet in rl. What if we are not as attracted to eachother in rl as we are SL?

Dear friend, I had a big long response to this all wirtten up, which I will probably post on my blogger site. Here is the short answer. Romance is a wonderful thing. Connecting with another person on that level is one of the best things either life can offer. I have made one or two such connections during my time in SL and cherish the memory of each one. The truth is that most SL relationships do not survive the initial 1st Life encounter, but many do.

Assuming you have taken all neccessary safety precautions (public place, separate transportation, tell someone where you will be), and assuming neither one of you are married or otherwuse encumbered then Builder bless you. I hope it works out. If that spark simply isn't there, then you have a choice to make. Your options at that point are to either continue the SL relationship, or not. You must decide if the mental, emotional, and sexual stimulation of your SL relationship is sufficient. If it is, then there is no reason for you not to continue it, and at least then you will no longer wonder "what if". Only you can know for yourself if the fantasy can survive the reality.

Ask a tiger.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Fiinding a Companion, redux

Oh Smart Tiger, I asked you the companion question. How hard does one NOT look? I haven't looked for years, but nobody has fallen into my lap yet. Only recently have I thought that it would be nice to have a companion and looked around some. Bad move?

My good friend, thank you for returning for another dip in the pool. I did not mean to imply that one should entirely forgo the search for companionship in order to find one. The Great Builder created us as social animals. We are meant to share our lives with one another. I applaud you for beginning what may be one of the greatest quests of your life. Merely “looking around some,” however, is but the first step.

What has worked for me will not necessarily work for others. However, if one seeks to find ones companion, then one must put themselves in a situation to be found. I think it may be unrealistic to expect ones life-mate to “fall into your lap”, but there is always that chance. There is an old saying often attributed to Mr. Benjamin Franklin, “God helps those who help themselves.” In essence what this means is that desired results often require positive directed action on our part. If you want to find a companion, then I suggest, as I did before, that you think about things you enjoy doing, discussing or learning about then find a group of like minded individuals in your area. Whether that group is a club, a church group or a civic or charitable organization get involved and active with other people.

What I intended by my “don't look so hard” advice was that, in this tiger's opinion, you should not join a club, take a class etc. for the sole purpose of “finding someone.” Rather, enjoy the experience for what it is and that positive enjoyment will shine through your spirit and attract others to your light.

Ask a tiger.

Good Manners

Is it too much to ask for manners and respect at initial meetings? I mean, why would someone be rude unless offense was given straight away?

Too much to ask? Certainly not. Good manners are more than merely quaint archaic social niceties. The Victorians placed great emphasis on good manners and for good reason. They are the way civilized people show respect for one another. A preocupation of many Victorians was their standing amongst their peers. The greatest compliemtn one could give another would be to say of them "there is a gentleman," or "there is a lady." At its base, a gentleman, or lady, is one who seeks at all times, in so far as they are able, to put those around him or her at their ease. Good manners are the tools by which one accomplishes this.

Ask a tiger.

Motivate Me

Dear Mr. Tiger, I can't seem to get motivated! Help!

Dear unmotivated friend,

I sympathize, empathize and apathize with your predicament. As is evident by my delay in answering this question, I, too, suffer from occasional bouts of low motivation, particularly at this time of year. Let's face it. Tigers are pretty lazy by nature. Given my druthers I would much rather spend the day laying about; but, a tiger has to eat. So, every once in a while I have to get up off my backside and chase down an antelope or zebra or some such. The problem is that it tends to motivate the antelope or zebra as well. Being chased by a tiger is pretty motivational. I could chase you around I suppose; although, that is not really practical over the long term.

Here's a bit of potential inspiration from Tony Robbins.
Why We Do What We Do

Now, I am no Tony Robbins; but, I do know a few things that motivate me. As I alluded to above, Hunger is a big motivator. Fear is another one. My biggest fear is being caveless. Thus, I strive to stay employed so that we can afford to have a dry warm cave. These are motivations from neccessity, though, and generally negative. I gather that this is not the sort of motivation you mean, however. Besides, doing things merely to avoid unpleasantness is no way to live.

What, then, of positive motivators? These are such things as a sense of accomplishment, pursuit of a passion or the discovery of a novelty. My personal favorite is novelty. I have had many rewarding experiences by simply trying something, or learning something new.

The sage Confucius once said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." The best way I know to get motivated is simply to make up ones mind to take that first step. True motivation comes from within. Even being chased by a tiger would last for only a short while. Tigers are not much for distance running. If you are having trouble getting up the energy to tackle a large project, for instance, I would suggest breaking it up into small manageable pieces. Start with one small piece. When that is complete you will have the positive result of having actually made progress. This will quite likely give you the neccessary energy to move on to the next task. As you progress in this manner you will build momentum and before you realize it the whole project is completed.

Ask a tiger.

What is Formspring?

What is formspring, anyway?

Hi Katy!

FormSpring, LLC is a privately held company located in Indianapolis, Indiana. They started business in 2006. They provide a service whereby business can develop web based forms and then analyze and manage the data collected. you can find out more a their website www.formspring.com.

The Formspring company created formspring.me, this site, as a free, easy to use service where people can ask and recieve anonymous questions which can then be shared with various social networks (tumblr, blogspot, twitter, facebook)

Ask a tiger.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Career Change

I want to start a new career at 52. Is that too old?

Too old? Hardly! Perish the thought! You still have at least another 15-20 years of productivity left in you. Besides, by now you are probably past many of the frivolities of youth and more able to focus on getting the job done. Young enough to enjoy it and old enough to know better, as the saying goes. Good for you. I wish you great success in your new endeavors.

Ask a tiger.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

A companion on the road.

Dear Knowledgeable Tiger. How can I find the companion who wants to find me and be with me? I really really want someone to care about my day and activities, and I want to care about theirs.

Thank you, dear friend, for your kind regard. I sympathize with your plight. While tigers are generally solitary, self sufficient sorts, this particular tiger finds life's journey so much more enjoyable when there is someone along to share the joys and ease the burdens.

How does one find such a companion? Ah, there's the rub. In my experience such encounters happen when one least expects them. The people I am, or have been, closest to came into my life when I was least concerned about finding someone.

My advice to you is to stop looking so hard. Simply find and do things you like doing, preferably things that put you in proximity to other people. You'll never find anyone locked up in a room by yourself. If you are enjoying your life then your positivity will attract others. Odds are you will "click" with at least one of those others.

Ask a tiger.

Digital hoarding

I caught this tv show the other night and I wonder if I am a hoarder..not the analog kind but a digital hoarder. I have thousands of pics and vids on Flickr, Facebook and Google. I save all my tweets. Scan all my receipts, paycheck stubs and doodles.

I saw some of that program also. The age of multiple hundreds of channels on television has resulted in an ever greater need for those channels to stand out. One way they do this by ferreting out extreme, or at least fringe, behaviors. What this produces is a whole series devoted to a relatively rare, though no less serious, mental/emotional disorder. As you have demonstrated, the power of this medium is that it gets us thinking, "Could that be me?"

Hoarding is a serious issue for many people. However, the behavior you describe does not, in this tiger's opinion, qualify. You are not hoarding, you are digitizing. One thing that has become a part of the digital culture is the mindset of "save and backup". I personally believe that scanning in receipts and such is Good(tm). I have even seen programs that aid in indexing and cataloging of such. Where it would be a problem is if the saving, storing, sorting and such became an obsessive activity that excluded other more productive uses of your time. If you feel it encroaching and can break away, then good for you, you will find your balance.

Ask a tiger.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Superpowers

If you could have any super/special power (even one we are not previously familiar with) what would it be and why?

Great question, Moggs. I love this one. I answered one similar earlier; but, let me see if I can be more creative this time. Being a tiger is pretty super already. I don't think I'd want one of the flashy powers like hyper-speed, telekinesis or laser eyes. That could potentially bring on more trouble than they are worth. I mean, really, who wants to have to deal with the whole secret identity thing?

So, I think one superpower I'd really like is something more subtle, like maybe the ability to affect probabilities, or in simpler terms to actually be able make my own luck.

Ask a tiger.

Furry faux pas (fox paws?)

Over the holidays I gave into this incredible urge to be a furry. I made a tail and taped it to my rear end and then I pranced around the house, made some ears and pounced on everything that moved. On New Years Eve I invited my friends over and invited them into a cuddle pile with me where we could all groom and sniff eachother...now they refuse to talk to me ..whatever will I do?

*facepaws* It looks like someone had a little too much Happy with their New Year. My dear, being "furry", or "neko" is so much more than simply slapping on a tail. It is a matter of attitude and/or a genuine appreciation of the inspiring literature. For a nice little synopsis of the growth of the neko subculture I refer you to the "Virtual Neko" blog's post on The History of Neko

Also, I suspect your friends would have looked askance at your invitation even without the tail. Now, I am the first to admit I love a good cuddle, but, one must consider time and place, as well as the company.

Your friends, if they are truly friends, may well come around after a while. Your antics may have made them uncomfortable and you will probably need to mend some fences there. Such is the cost of social faux pas (fox paws?).

Ask a tiger.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Steamcon

Will you be attending Steamcon this coming year?

I would absolutely love to attend Steamcon. I read many reports from those I know from SL who went and it seemed to be great fun. November is a long way off, though. We will have to see whether the budget can absorb such an expense by then. If anyone is willing to ease the burden of lodging, either by providing a couch or splitting a room, that will make the decision easier.

Ask a tiger.

cuddle

Do Tigers like to cuddle?

Yes, indeed. Tigers love to cuddle. To coin a phrase, it is one thing tigers do best.

Ask a tiger.

M'Lord or my love?

Someone I know who has sworn oaths binding loyalty and service to another seems to be running into a conflict between those solemn promises and a love relationship, especially because the liege doesn't seem to like the lover for whatever reasons. How might I advise her to ease the conflict?

An interesting predicament, my friend. The concept of sworn service and binding oaths is quaintlhy archaic to many, but deeply profound to others. I suspect your friend, like me, takes the giving of oaths quite seriously. Otherwise she would not consider her situation to be a conflict. However, last I checked oaths of fealty do not extend to affairs of the heart. Unless she specifically gave up her right to determine with whom she might associate then, in this tiger's opinion, Lord Huff-n-puff has no say in the matter.

She may value her liege's opinion and desire his approval, but such are not neccessarily prerequisites of service, or at least they should not be.

She may want to discuss the reason for His Lordship's apparent dislike of her betrothed, but in the end she will need to determine if her relationship in any way prevents her from serving her liege. I suspect it does not. If it does, or if Lord Huff-n-puff makes it a condition of her service, then, again only this tiger's opinion, she may need to either re-negotiate the terms of that service or reconsider it all together.

One final editorial comment. No employer/Master/liege worth serving would impose such restirctions on their employees/servants/serfs.

Ask a tiger.

We just don't get along, redux

Pertaining to the last question: Right now the cubs are younger - not in school full time. I currently have a small part time job. Daycare alone would cost more than the difference of what I make now and my earning potential (if I could even get that in today's job market!) at a full time job, that and my kids get the benefit of having mom around to raise them instead of strangers which is the reason I looked for creative ways to make money from home in the first place. :) My husband did lose a high paying job about 5 yrs ago and had to take a job making 1/3 of the money he used to. His ego hasn't really recovered. He doesn't like living the way we do, he longs for the good old days.

Thank you for this follow up. I apologize for any incorrect assumptions I may have made in my first reply. I am heartened by the emphasis you place on properly raising your cubs. That speaks well of you. I once again applaud you on having a successful SL business. If your SL income does indeed significantly contribute to your family's welfare, and it does not involve the less than family friendly occoupations, then from what you have now shared I can only surmise that your husband's dislike of SL stems from some deeper issues.

I sympathize with your situation. The analog person behind this digital persona was involuntarily unemployed for nearly a year at one time in his life. I can tell you such a thing is devastating to the fragile male ego.

The stress of having to provide for a family can be profound. Many men feel this pressure almost instinctually. It is part of our socialization.

I wish I had an easy solution to offer you, my friend. Separation is not something I would ask you to even consider. Completely giving up your SL activities is undesirable, especially if you are making "real" money with them. Getting your husband to appreciate that fact is more than I am capable of doing. At this point I can only suggest that you and your husband may benefit from the services of a professional.

Again, I say these things with only imperfect knowledge of your situation. If you want to discuss this further, I can be reached via e-mail or google chat. (onyx.plutonian [AT] gmail [DOT] com) I am willing to lend you my ear and offer what support I may.

Ask a tiger.

Quarternions

Hullo sir! How is the new year going for you so far? And can you possibly explain quaternions?

Hello, my freind. So far this new year has been rather exciting, especially this formspring thing.

Can I explain quarternions? I will give it a try. I suspect that you, like myself, have run into these little buggers as part of your experiences with scriptomancy in Second Life®. Quarternions are a mathematical construct used to describe the rotation of an object. As the name implies they consist of four terms which can be represented as w, x, y, and z. These terms are the co-efficients of the full representation which is actually the sum of a scalar quantity and vector and is shown thusly: w + xi + yj + zk

For a full mathematical explanation I direct you to either the Wicked Encyclopedia entry (Quarternion) or Wolfram Mathworld's Quarternion entry.

However, the least mind bending way I can think of them is that the four terms represent the speed, direction and angle of the rotation. As far as which term is which, I fiddled with them many months ago when attemptiong to build a sundial. I still don't think I have it right; so, I advise you conduct your own experiments. If you figure it out, let me know.

Ask a tiger.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Rawr

Rawr?

RRroowwll.

Ask a tiger.

Therapist?

Are You a Therapist?

No, I am not a therepist. I am simply your friendly neighborhood tiger. I have no particular training or expertise other than having survived long enough to have maybe learned a few things.

Ask a tiger.

No friend of mine ...

Some one unfriended me on plurk. Should I pursue the reason why, or leave it alone?

Thank you for your question, my friend. Here's an interesting thing. With the advent of all these social networking places in the aethersphere the term "friend" has lost some of its import, in one tiger's opinion. Still, true friendships are valuable.

I will assume that you know this person fairly well, otherwise you would not have noticed the de-friending. If that relationship is sufficiently valuable to you, then I think it may be worthwhile to ask about it. If you have connections with them via other services, i. e. twitter, SL, facebook, etc. and they have not dropped you from those contact points, then they may simply be paring down their social networking.

On the other hand, if this is merely one of the many people on your list with whom you have only a passing familiarity, then you have to judge for yourself how important it is to you to maintain that contact.

Ask a tiger.

One Wish

If you could wish ONE wish (no wishing for more wishes!) What would it be?

I answered a 3 wishes qustion earlier. So, of those three I'll take the first, slower antelope. that'll make them buggers easier to catch which will leave me with more time for the second thing and more energy for the third.

Ask a tiger.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Backlog

Here are the questions ans answers from my formspring stream before opening this blog. I have not altered the posts except for gross typos. In a few I added some additional comments, included in square brackets [ ] and italicized.

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My husband and I don't get along at all. I'm very laissez faire about life, in particular how I want to live my life. And he's very wants me to be different. I feel he's very controlling. He hates that I make money on SL instead of having a reg 9 - 5. I could make more at a 9 to 5 but I would be miserable. I can't leave because my kids are the most important thing to me. So should I fight against his wishes or just be who he thinks I should be until the kids are of age. Both ways I'm miserable.
Thank you for your question, my friend. I have had to ponder this one a bit. I am saddened to know of your struggle; but, hope I may at least give you some words of encouragement. Firstly, way to go on making money with SL. Many have tried and few are truly successful. You should be proud of that accomplishment. I hope it is enough that it actually helps to support your family. If it involves producing items that have a Victorian and/or Steampunk flair, I have a couple of storefronts available on Thistle Hill.

Now, your issue with your husband sounds deeper than his merely disapproving of your SL activities. I read somewhere once that the thing married couples argue most about is money matters. If your SL income is substantial, then good for you. His dislike for it, in that case, may stem from other issues that you should maybe take up with an professional counselor. If your family's financial situation is precarious, then it might be wise to at least take on a part time job that brings in a little more income.

As I have stated before, I am not a professional counselor, nor am I gifted with any particular wisdom. I have, however, been married for 17 years to a woman I have known for almost 25. In that time I have learned a few things. The first is that marriages often require sacrifices, compromises and most of all communication. If the welfare of your family, especially the cubs, requires that you sacrifice some of your SL time to meatspace employment, then maybe you should consider it.

This may not be exactly what you want to hear, but sometimes “laissez fair” is another term for “lazy and selfish”. I urge you to remember all the things that you love about your husband, the things that moved you to marry him in the first place, and then to have children with him. I suspect that these things are worth preserving, even if it means enduring a less than satisfactory job. I'm not saying you should entirely give up your SL activities, only that you should weigh the overall good of your family against the importance of doing only what you want to do.




I am female and last night my best (girl) friend kissed me ... well my toes curled and I thought my head would blow off...does this mean I am gay?
Hello, my friend. Thank you for your question. Firstly, Yoohoo! Good for you! Everyone needs a good old toe-curling kiss now and then. Secondly, gay or straight is not necessarily an either-or proposition.

Dr. Alfred Kinsey, in his famous study, showed that "Males do not represent two discrete populations, heterosexual and homosexual. The world is not to be divided into sheep and goats…The living world is a continuum in each and every one of its aspects." Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) Later studies by the Kinsey Institute and others proved the same for females.

So, just because your friend's kiss gave you a thrill (Yay!), that does not necessarily mean you are a lesbian. What it does indicate is that you probably fall somewhere to the right of zero on the Kinsey Scale where zero is "Exclusively Heterosexual" and six is "Exclusively Homosexual".

Also, your reaction, while probably a shock to you at the time, is perfectly natural and, in this tiger's humble opinion, definitely a Good Thing. Celebrate it. Be thankful you have a friend you can feel so close to and who can make you feel so good about yourself.




Are you really a savage beast, or are you just an overgrown pussycat with a better tailor?
I'm just your friendly neighborhood tiger, a thin veneer of civility over a wild animal nature. Although, a good tailor doesn't hurt either.




I asked my boyfriend the other night if he could see us spending the rest of our lives together and he just grunted. I really love him but I need some kind of sign he feels the same.
My friend, he gave you a sign. He grunted. For many of us guys that is as good as it gets. It was a positive acknowledgement of your question in an utterly efficient manner. For many guys that grunt is the same as saying, "Yes, dear, absolutely." A negative response would have been if he had gotten up and walked away.

You must also account for what else was going on at the time. Were the two of you watching TV at the time? Was it a dinner conversation? You see, guys, on many levels, still operate on the "hunter-gatherer" level. We can only focus on a limited number of things at a time. That focus is good for stalking deer, but not so good for conversation when watching TV.




If you had one superpower what would it be?
maximum ability in all my senses, that is, best possible sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Not necessarily "super" but the best naturally possible. That would be good for protecting the family as well as aiding in good old crime solving hero stuff.




What books do you like to read when you're in a foul mood, and need something to make you feel better?
I do not have any in particular. Reading in general tends to soothe this savage beast; so, just whichever one I happen to be in the middle of at the time. I do gravitate to the speculative fiction genres, though.




Here's one: Arwen or Eowyn?
Hmm difficult. I'll go with Eowyn, though. She was much more a woman of action than Arwen who mainly stayed in Rivendell pining for Aragorn.




Duck or Turkey? by QKingston
I haven't had duck in a long time, but I remember it being very good with mint sauce. Also, Thanksgiving wasn't that long ago; so, I am still pretty sated on the turkey front. Therefore, I will go with the duck this time.




Cucumber or EggPlant? by QKingston
cucumber.




[This is the one that started the "advice column" trend]
My wife and I have been happily married for about two years and she is currently in Europe for five weeks on business. I miss her dearly and have been surprised by how affected I am by her absence. Aside from that, I've also been struck by how little she's attempted to contact me. I know she has reliable Internet service, though phones are a problem. A few days ago, I sent her an important e-mail that she hadn't replied to, so I opened up her e-mail account to see if she had read it (she gave me her password but no permission to check her e-mail). When the page opened, there was an instant message chat history where she was telling one of her high school friends she was surprised how little she missed me (seriously) and that she wanted to stay there (jokingly). I don't know how to handle the news. Is it normal for someone to say that? I can't sleep because I miss her so much and now I must lie awake thinking about this chat. How can I talk to her about it while abroad? How about when she gets home? How do I cope until she gets back? Her lack of communication makes it clear she's not devastated but to see it so clearly written bothers me.

Quite a question there, my friend. My first instinct was to throw out some flippant response. My second was to delete the question. However, given the nature of these social networking sites, you are quite probably someone I know, at least in passing, via SL, twitter, plurk or elsewhere and therefore deserve a more serious answer. I should provide the following disclaimer, however. I am not in any way an expert on relationships, other than having been married myself now for 17 years, or a professional counselor.

First, yes it is natural for people to feel differing levels of separation anxiety, especially if this is the first time you've been apart this long since getting married. My guess is that one reason she may feel the separation less is because she is engaged in her business activities. Also, if she has never been to Europe before, she has the novelty of the experience on her mind also. Whereas you are left at home with no real change other than her absence.

Second, I don't know how you can talk to her about it, especially if she isn't answering emails. But, I do know that you definitely should. If you can get hold of her by phone or chat or whatever, then do so. Express your concern. She may not even realize how distraught you are and if she is as wonderful a woman as I think she might be, then she will understand.

When she gets home, make a special time of it. Wine and dine her, show her how much having her back home means to you. But, don't go overboard. Dinner, flowers, maybe a card and honest affection will be enough without putting you in the "needy" category. Above all, TALK TO HER. Like the Billy Joel song says, "Tell Her About It." One thing I have learned in 17 yrs of marriage, communication is vital. This should be an opportunity for both of you to celebrate the strength of your bond.

As for coping until then, all I can offer is a few suggestions. Asking a near total stranger is actually a good step, I guess. Don't hold it in and let it fester. I suggest maybe finding a buddy or two in meatspace to confide in too. You might want to write out your thoughts, just to have them in front of you. Then think about your woman. Is she really likely to toss aside all that you two have together because of some temporary novelty? Somehow I doubt it.

Finally, I offer this little bit of perspective. In another five or so years, you might even enjoy having the house to yourself when she goes on another business trip.




What is the meaning of life?
Ahh, so many possibilities, from the well worn literary reference to the slightly amusing to the absolute truth:

Literary reference: 42

somewhat humorous: To outlive your enemies

a little deep: Must there be a meaning?

and finally, the truth: I know but I'm not telling.




Why do you have horns on your head?
It is well known that cats are demons in disguise, some of us just show it more than others.




If you could have someone for dinner who would that be?
I tend to avoid eating sentients, unless they really piss me off.




What is the craziest dare you have ever gone through with?
No one dares a tiger. Tigers are usually the subject of some other fool's dare.




If someone handed you a magic lamp and granted you three wishes what would they be?
1. slower antelope
2. a nice long bath
3. refer to the question two below this one.




Do Tigers have scary dreams? If so what was your scariest dream?
Tigers ARE scary dreams. (Unless those dreams are about cuddly playtime, see the sex question.)




How many times a day, if at all, does a Tiger like to have sex?
As many times as he damn well pleases. Rrrawwrr. Any takers?




Do you have a pet? What sort of pet would a tiger have?
A tiger would have whatever the hell pet he wanted. I have several, 2 dogs, a cat and a guinea pig. [Those are from 1st Life, I do not discuss my SL pets.]




Is your refrigerator running? by VaughanNirvana
Nyah, it's pretty old and can only hobble along at this point.




Are you a furry in RL?
Only in attitude, and if you count the beard I've recently decided to let grow out. [Fur-thermore, I prefer the term anthormorph, or therian. I do not wear a fur suit in 1st Life. However, I do identify with the tiger as an archetype.]




Are these questions anonymous?
Yes, they are [if asked via the formspring link]




What would your dream job look like?
One can have a job dreaming? Sign me up!




Who would win in a fight: pirates or ninjas?
Ninjas definitely


Getting Started

I recently set up an acount with a neat little web service called formspring.me It simply allows people to ask questions of one another in an anonymous manner. I found this site via my friends on plurk. The first couple questions were innocent enough, but then they started getting more serious and it appears to be a developing trend. One of the features of formspring is the ability o synch with Blogger. So, I opened up this blog to display the questions and my answers. I hope this helps someone.