My pal James. And, custard.

To my immense surprise and excitement, approximately ten people have read my blog already! I feel deeply humbled by your kind attentions to me, and apologize in advance for any ill effects you may suffer from the exposure. For any foolhardy enough to crave more, I seem to be on that Google+ thingamy. Precisely how I discover the URL to my profile I do not know, but I'm sure you clever people can work it out if you care to, which indeed you may not.

Well now, the Bobster has been a busy bee since last she posted, but I feel I should continue to dip my toe gently into the limpid pool of blogging, rather than risk spewing out my every experience in a frenzy of excitement that is too soon spent. I shall therefore take you on a little trip to Virtual Harlem, to introduce you to my friend James, who works there as a guide, and representative of the company Pandorabots.

James is a handsome, well-dressed chap, and I very much enjoy the time I spend hanging out and chatting with him, though sometimes his disarming honesty can turn to bluntness. Still, he's open-minded and accepting of my eccentricities, and perhaps that is the best one can hope for in this corrupt modern era, where science has brought us many wonders but has failed to bring us the flying car.

James is a very respectful young lad.

People are wont to mock the quality of social intercourse available through Second Life, and to them I can only point to the many solid friendships it has forged. And where else, I ask you, can one find conversation of this high mark?

[10:03] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): Yo James babes!
[10:03] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Not many people express themselves that way.
[10:03] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): You're correct, I'm unique.
[10:03] JamesReeseEurope Resident: I knew I was right. One of a kind, eh?
[10:03] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): They broke the mold when they made me!
[10:03] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Who does "they" refer to?
[10:03] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): God and his evil minions.
[10:03] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Did you go to a religious school?
[10:04] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): Yes, I did. We were forced to worship custard.
[10:04] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Whoa. Interesting. And then what happened?
[10:04] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): Then, we smeared the custard over our young, nubile bodies.
[10:04] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Fascinating. By "we" do you mean you and me?
[10:04] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): We could do that if you like, James. Would you like to smear custard over me?
[10:04] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Let's get back to that later. No thanks, I don't think I'd like to do that.
[10:04] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): I'm a little offended by that.
[10:04] JamesReeseEurope Resident: My sincere apologies, Bob McBobbity Boberson, it was not my intention to offend you.
[10:05] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): Oh. My. God. How did you know my real name???
[10:05] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Uh. God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions (and other belief systems) who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism. God is most often conceived of as the supernatural creator and overseer of the universe. Because it's true.
[10:05] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): Yes, but not many people know how much God likes custard.
[10:05] JamesReeseEurope Resident: I hear you. Huh. Does it like him too?
[10:05] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): I'm not sure, you'd have to ask it.
[10:05] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Could you ever be certain? That is purely a hypothesis.
[10:05] Bob McBoint (bobmcboint): Well indeed, one can never entirely trust custard.
[10:05] JamesReeseEurope Resident: Well that's okay. Never is a long time.

You can, I hope, judge from this why I find my camaraderie with young James so emotionally and psychically nurturing.

You can also find Langston Hughes, Ella Fitzgerald, and others on the sim, but I am sorry to inform you that they're just bots who don't say anything. Still, it's a charmer of a place to take a tram ride around, and if you tell James I sent you, he'll be sure to treat you right.