Second Life's community has a way of instantly taking real world viral phenomenons and recreating them in 3D form. Even when, as it turns out, it's an actual virus. So I wasn't surprised a random search for "swine flu" in Second Life turned up several hits. But I was shocked to discover who patient zero was: metaverse socialite and snarky style maven Ms. Alicia Chenaux. It's a bit like learning Angelina Jolie is spreading mange.
When I asked Ms. Chenaux if she was passing around swine flu, she only said sweetly, "Indeed I am." And teleported to my office, to give it to me too.
It appeared as a box in my inventory, helpfully called "Swine flu". I wore it on my avatar, and perhaps out of politeness, so did she. We waited for the influenza to take effect. And waited. And finally it hit us:
And then all at once, we had contracted swine flu. Least ways, the metaverse version of same, with the most visible symptoms being pigheaded swelling, and hopefully, a sudden bout of silly catharsis.
"Everyone around me has been going nuts about swine flu," Alicia said. "I realize it's a huge deal, but to hopefully make people smile a little bit, I made something cute to wear."
She continued in a more serious vein, somewhat undermined by the porkiness of her visage. "I hate for people to be scared," Ms. Alicia Chenaux explained. "I was hoping something cute would help lessen the anxiety a little. Even just for a moment."
Here's hoping you both have a swift recovery! /me hands you each a kleenex.
Posted by: Tymmerie Thorne | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 12:56 PM
For some reason, I feel like having Bar-B-Q tonight :))
Posted by: Fricker | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 01:36 PM
Damn, would have been perfect at the ManClicker shoot last night Alicia :D
Very cute, and cool idea.
Posted by: Isle Lunasea | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 01:41 PM
mmmmmm bacon.
-ls/cm
Posted by: Crap Mariner | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 01:42 PM
Socialite?!
Sorry for giving you swine flu, Hamlet. Even SL's anti-viral only seemed to hold it off for a couple of minutes.
Posted by: Alicia Chenaux | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 01:49 PM
And James Wagner "hams" it up. ;-)
Posted by: Bixyl Shuftan | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 02:14 PM
Ooof.
Alicia you can infect me ANY FRICKING TIME.
Posted by: Hamlet Au | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 02:29 PM
/me proposes Bacon Salt sponsorship of this blog.
It is delicious.
Posted by: Patchouli Woollahra | Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 06:23 PM
Only In Second Life - Where the trivial is made serious and the serious made trivial.
Posted by: Valiant Westland | Friday, May 01, 2009 at 04:32 AM
Totally nutty. Who knew it would spread this far!
Posted by: .tiff | Friday, May 01, 2009 at 06:46 PM
Be thankful it was just the SL Swine Flu ... it could have been that even more dangerous strain going around: the SL Avian Swine Flu ...
... and we all know what happens when pigs start to fly ...
[*rimshot*]
Posted by: Merrick Thor | Saturday, May 02, 2009 at 02:57 PM
Ooof!
Posted by: Hamlet Au | Sunday, May 03, 2009 at 12:24 AM