Ok so I had been thinking of a place to post some of my opinions regarding chat communities and figured why not start a blog.

Here is a brief background of my online chatting experience so you know I'm not new to this.

I started chatting around 97-98ish. Don't make remember exactly my brain doesn't function like that. -smart ass grinz- I was 21 years old and actually stumbled into a chat room using my work's computer. I was hooked right away. I could be anyone I wanted. I could shed my insecurities and let my inner personality fly, and oh boy did she ever. I actually flourished from chatting. It gave me confidence in all areas of my life. It also turned into another way to escape from the realities I didn't want to deal with. Ok, I am not going to get started on all that but as you will read my opinions on chat communities varies and I think after thirteen years (off and on) I've seen and experienced a lot.

That first chatroom was very similar to the yahoo chatrooms - I don't even remember the name of it now. I moved on to a realm called FantasyCastle and made that my new online home. Now here was a place I could use my imagination and become something completely different. I could be anything and anyone I wanted in a fantasy type of role play. It was like being in a book (my other favorite way to escape is to read) but with interaction of other writers. I could connect with people in my fantasy they could interact take part build new fantasies. See how easy it was to get completely wrapped up in this alternate world. I was meeting people from around the world and learning. It was a time of sexual awakening for me as well. To say I was a late bloomer was putting it mildly but here was a place I could safely explore my sexuality, and explore did I ever. -lil impish grinz- Trying things online gave me confidence to be more active in reality as well. During those early years I think people would say I was much more adventurous, however; I also got completely sucked into the online world and let things in reality slip. Used to argue with my roomates regarding taking the phone line to be online to loosing a job over my online time as well. There were definitely some positive and negative outcomes to my chatting.

From FantasyCastle I moved on to The Park where I chatted mostly in a BDSM room called the Hidden Chamber. Now in the early days that room was filled with people who actually had experience in the lifestyle in rt. They didn't take any bullshit from wannabe's. I learned a lot by just being there and not talking much. Shit, I was scared to say a word. Yes, anyone who knows me I know is finding that hard to believe, but I was. The nickname I used of fairmaiden seemed to fit me during that time. There were times when I wasn't online for awhile - no computer of my own - only using the library access.

I did actually meet a few people from chatting. Met a good friend who ended up being my roommate for little awhile and a few dates here and there.

When the Park closed seemed many of the chatters were moving to other venues and the groups split up a bit. Some went to the Pork and I ended up at a small little place called Ties That Bind. This was run by a couple and I enjoyed the small group atmosphere and this is where I really blossomed out in my personality and actually where things started to change regarding my views on online communities. This is where I ended up changing my nickname to maia and thus have been ever since.

Many things happened at TTB that changed me as a person and my opinions and I'm sure there will be times where I go into some of the stories. I'll try not to use names. - grinz - I said try, geez. TTB ended up closing which wasn't a big surprise at the time and I moved to chatropolis. I went from a small little community to a much bigger pond. If anyone has ever been to Chatro they know what I'm talking about its a smorgasbord of adult sex chat that ranges from crude attempts at cyber to gateways to performing on cam. -chuckles- Then there are people who just want a place to interact with others for multiple of reasons. I found some rooms that I enjoyed hanging out in where I could be my witty smart ass impish self. At this point in my online chatting life I had ditched all pretenses of being anything but myself. I think much had to do with growing up, and the trying to be something I wasn't just didn't appeal to me anymore.

Then it seemed the new chatting fad was this place called Second Life. Not only could you interact with others in just words and pictures in a 2D room but here was a 3D world that attempts to create more realistic feel. Wait stop a second. Don't we want to escape reality when we chat? - grinz - Why not do it in a way that pulls you in even more. The first time I downloaded second life and attempted to try it I was confused and it was overwhelming to say the least. I hate things to be difficult and if it is I just don't do them. (Yes there will more about that later in my postings I'm sure - laughs-)

A friend of mine who btw was pursuing me very heavily at the time in chatro and msn talked me into trying second life again. This time he would spend the lindens and time to create my avatar, (I chose my first name and he chose my last with a little input from me), bought me clothes, shape, skin, hair, AO. So when I first logged in I was ready to go and did not look like a noob though I did act like it only a few times -lol- I am a quick learner so didn't take me long to get use to things.

I'm closing in on being on second life a full year. Which brings the history lesson to present and thus this blog has began....