Motivation Monday – Getting Started with Second Life

/ May 30, 2011

I keep hearing about this thing called “Second Life“.  I must admit, I did look at it a few months ago and thought it was some weird role-playing game and didn’t think I would be much interested in it.  But it seems to keep coming up in blog and twitter conversations. There are credible genealogists using it, even the APG has an official chapter located in Second Life, so I thought I would investigate it again.

Yesterday I created an account and an avatar (SnymarMenzyl).  I did the getting started tour to learn how to move around, but that’s about it.  My intention was to attend some of the genealogy gatherings offered in Second Life and I thought I would experiment with it some this week.

When I woke up this morning and checked my Google Reader, I found this blog post from DearMYRTLE: Inferential Genealogy Study Group in Second Life. What perfect timing!

This will be a study group using the Inferential Genealogy course by Tom Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS  that is available free at FamilySearch.  The group will meet 5 times during the course.  I think this is just an outstanding idea!  The first meeting is Tuesday, May 31, 2011.
I have already watched the introduction to the course and it sounds like it will be a very good. We were instructed to not get ahead in the course, so I haven’t watched any more than that. There will be 3 case studies we will work through.  I think the addition of a virtual study/discussion group will certainly add value.

Since I am new to Second Life and need a little practice moving around and chatting, I am going to attend a “Meet and Greet” hosted by Genie Weezles (aka Tami Glatz) tonight in Second Life.  She hosts these every Monday to introduce people new to genealogy or Second Life.  I hope this will give me enough practice before attending the Study Group tomorrow night. 

If you are interested in joining Second Life, DearMYRTLE has a getting started guide located here.
She will also be hosting a webinar on Wednesday, June 8, entitled:
DearMYRTLE’s :Get a Second Life ™” Workshop. I found this listing at the Geneawebinars website.

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