If you don't like to see what people look like in RL, DO NOT allow your eyes below this line.
I read about Kristi Mauerer's challenge of making an AV that is close to your RL self. This feels like I'm cheating since all I did was try to recreate the portrait - lol. So.... find a gown with spaghetti straps, attempt (and fail) to find a red necklace, take off my glasses, find pink roses that wouldn't' stay in the picture with me, and slide down my sand bank several times trying to stand still in front of the gray rock face.
wheew! for something so simple, it took a lot of time!! lol
I decided before I ever logged on that I wanted to see myself having fun. So I created my AV in my image. I tweaked my height to my FL 5'8". I stood in front of the full length mirror and made proportional measurements - this proportion of my height is head, legs, arms etc. And I thought I did a pretty good job.
As my first six months rolled along I received three comments that caused me to go back to the sliders. "Your stomach does not stick out past your breasts" husband. "You need a boob job, they don't' sag that much" lady who introduced me to SL, "your tummy isn't that round" good friend.
I went in spurts of looking for the right glasses. I don't wear them for photos "light reflects off of them" mom. I IM'd a lady who was wearing almost perfect ones in her profile pic and she surprised me by gifting me with them!! designer!
I had given up on finding the right eyes and was happily wearing Miriel's. Christmas came and my SL bf gifted me with the eyes he created for me! My eyes! Hazel with gold bursts around the pupil.
What has been next to impossible is hair styles. I've seen all the styles I wore when I had long hair. I wear it at least 3 different ways now and the only one even close looks like mine on a humid day when I'm not working!
Here's the comparison pic taken earlier this year!

Cen told us about her first few days in Second Life, and threw out a challenge that we do the same.
This is a picture of me about 3 months after I logged on with the only skin I wear and my favorite hair at the time. For the only early picture I can find, look here. ugh
I had an unusual introduction to SL. The person that told my husband and I about SL had heard about it on NPR (National Public Radio). He created an AV the next weekend and went through orientation out into the wide wide world. He found a club he enjoyed within days and within a few weeks became management there. He settled in quickly and beautifully.
My computer was five years old and humming right along with no problems. It had been upgraded and handled my favorite game Diablo II - Lord of Destruction just fine. But it wouldn't handle SL, so I looked over his shoulder and saw the bright shiny world and was fascinated. To learn more about SL, I did a search on the internet and started reading blogs!
The timing for my entry into the world was event based. He learned Simone was having a yard sale - clothing, shoes, hair - at reasonable prices! Just the opportunity he wanted me to have getting started.
Even though he was right by my side talking me through it, my visit to orientation island was frustrating. I didn't find parts of it all that clear, I did do some action that is required and came close to giving up for the night before the Linden gods finally acknowledged that I had completed it and let me move past that spot. I had never heard of lag.
I passed out into an info hub and thought "what a LOT of space, for so few things".
The next day he gave me an incredible amount of lindens and turned me loose on the sale! And told me to shop until I had a wardrobe that could carry me. I am both a careful shopper and an impulsive shopper. I look over everything in one particular category thoughtfully considering it and make what I feel are wise decisions. Then I'll throw in a few "I like that one too, why not??" items. I spent three days shopping that sale occasionally hearing "haven't you bought everything yet?" from my husband. Note that careful isn't fast!
I then spent days just trying to move without slamming into walls, flying over cliffs, landing on people or into embarrassing situations by my own actions. LoD is a point and click game. You click on where you want to be and you automatically walk or run there. I had no experience moving myself with arrow keys and had a terrible time doing so.
He took me to buy my smile. I was uncomfortable being seen in public with the original skin and without a decent walk. My friend recommended a ZHAO. So I took the lindens I had left and the LM's from my husband and spent more time carefully shopping. This time for walks and sits and stands to load into the ZHAO (with help). I was incredulous that my AV didn't come equipped with a decent walk!!!
I was totally adrift in the world.

I finally made it back in to ETD to pick up the last hair style I wanted and just happened to be wearing Kesseret Steeplechases' promptitude gift she passed out to her KessKreations group yesterday. The shirt says "I poop rainbows" on the front "and fart kittycats" on the back.
This is an promptitude fun present based on SLsecret week #13 on Shopping Cart Disco - see graphic at bottom of page.
Dress - Cover Girl (no longer available)
Gown - Nicky Ree "June" check out the wonderful detail
There has been discussion lately about how we ladies come across to others. We make personal choices for skin, hair, apparel and accessories that reflect who we are, or who we want to be, or just do it for that moment of impulsive fun.
This weekend I attended a dance my good friend Emy choreographs at Linri's Palace. I wore the black dress above; it shows off my legs and shoulders and has a nice flippy skirt. I knew most of the people there; we talked about all kinds of things. No one said a word about my dress.
Then Jenn, another girlfriend, asked me to come to a club where she is a host and said latex was appropriate for the theme that evening. I told her that I don't own any latex, but I would double check my closet. I remembered this Nicky Ree gown called "June". I knew at the time I purchased it, that it has a highly synthetic glossy look about it, but I so loved the floral applique that I took a chance on the gown. I rarely wear it, and when I do I wear a fuller skirt that doesn't emphasis the latex appearance so much. However for this event, I chose the skirt that molds to my body. At the dance one of the ladies commented on how much she loved the gown.
Afterwords I went dancing with a friend. I didn't change first. He made two separate comments "Hi there!! NICE DRESS!!!" And then a couple of minutes later "That really is one stunning dress" I believe it was way it drapes, rather than the latex that really appealed. We are mostly IM friends, but when I see him in world I don't recall any comments on my clothing and he certainly hasn't displayed that level of enthusiasm before. Yes, it is an absolutely stunning gown.
That's it; no analysis or condemnation of clothing choices anyone might make; just a personal experience. It does occur to me if you want to step up a relationship one notch, you might try splurging on a new gown.