029: Alex Thaub sits on my deck

I was out dancing this afternoon, after a hard day at the office -- yeah, on a Saturday. So I ran into a chap at daPier, which is a fun place to go dancing and listen to DJ Mikedacook Dinzeo (except he is taking a month or so off, I gather, so next weekend will be a good, good party on his way out I'm sure!). The gentleman in question was Alex Thaub, and what with one thing and another -- okay, I offered him a spare penis, it's a long story -- he kindly agreed to come and sit on my deck and do an interview.  Here it is!

(And, may I add -- I'm really trying hard to make the recording process work; this one has no mistakes and I apologize for bobbling things in the past.)

[19:13] Rusty Redfield: <click> Okay, we're good.

[19:13] ALEX (alex.thaub): ready

[19:13] Rusty Redfield: I'm here with Alex Thaub -- we've just met so I don't know how this interview will go!

[19:14] Rusty Redfield: Alex has been in SL six years plus -- looking for some good insights here

[19:14] Rusty Redfield: okay! First question

[19:15] ALEX (alex.thaub): yes

[19:15] Rusty Redfield: 1. Why do you stay in Second Life?  What keeps you here?

[19:16] ALEX (alex.thaub): Good question.  I guess I enjoy a few true friends that I have met here and known since my early days that keeps me coming back to catch up with them from time to time.

[19:16] Rusty Redfield: as you were saying before we started -- you take breaks from SL

[19:16] ALEX (alex.thaub): yes I do from time to time

[19:16] ALEX (alex.thaub): I find them necessary to rethink some things

[19:17] Rusty Redfield: can you tell me how that works? what triggers a break? and how does it help you stay in the long term?

[19:17] Rusty Redfield: (I like to try to appeal to newbies ... for whom taking a break might be a new idea)

[19:18] ALEX (alex.thaub): well, not a big fan of drama which seems to follow me around some times so when the drama gets to me I just leave. At first it wasn't easy doing so but as time went on it got better and really helped me handle some situations

[19:18] Rusty Redfield: aha! yes, not a big fan of drama here either.

[19:19] ALEX (alex.thaub): as I always say, there is always going ot be a good looking avatar around the corner but it's the rl person that makes the difference

[19:19] Rusty Redfield: I hear you

[19:19] Rusty Redfield: <fist bump> <LOL>

[19:19] ALEX (alex.thaub): lol

[19:20] Rusty Redfield: okay, well, that segues really well into question #2:

[19:20] Rusty Redfield: 2. What are the qualities that attract you to people in Second Life?

[19:20] ALEX (alex.thaub): Honesty, good conversations, a good sense of humor and a real plus is someone that's not in a rush to jump in the sack

[19:20] ALEX (alex.thaub): :)

[19:20] ALEX (alex.thaub): that's a big turn off for me

[19:21] Rusty Redfield: my readers know I encourage people to date here -- I think it is useful

[19:21] ALEX (alex.thaub): I agree wit hthat

[19:21] Rusty Redfield: and fun, and appropriate, and ... more interesting than jumping in the sack

[19:22] ALEX (alex.thaub): you know there are some here that meet you and right away they want you to be their partner or bf the day that meet you.  I tend to run from those lol

[19:22] Rusty Redfield: not that there's anything wrong with jumping in the sack LOL

[19:22] ALEX (alex.thaub): well, no but I prefer to know the person better if that's going to happen

[19:22] Rusty Redfield: oh yeah -- well, as you and I were saying before I turned on the recorder, there are a lot of fucked-up people in SL it seems

[19:23] ALEX (alex.thaub): sad but true, I've met quite a few mixed up individuals in these  6 years

[19:23] Rusty Redfield: but I find that having a nice av and sexy clothes doesn't necessarily mean you know what to DO with a nice av and sexy clothes

[19:23] ALEX (alex.thaub): exactly how I see it

[19:23] ALEX (alex.thaub): you're right

[19:23] ALEX (alex.thaub): takes much more than good looks

[19:24] Rusty Redfield: we have come to the part of the interview where you get to do any self-promotion you want LOL

[19:24] ALEX (alex.thaub): LOL

[19:24] Rusty Redfield: 3. What are you working on, as a form of artistic expression or in order to earn money, or both?

[19:24] Rusty Redfield: I encourage people to blow their own horn, so go for it

[19:25] ALEX (alex.thaub): hmm let me think about this for a minute lol

[19:25] Rusty Redfield: LOL well, if it helps, some people say that working on their av is a form of artistic expression

[19:25] ALEX (alex.thaub): I've never been one to toot my own horn as it usually toots on it's own :)

[19:26] ALEX (alex.thaub): well, I guess it can be but I've looked the same as you see me here for many years. have had the same hair and a few other parts since my newbie days

[19:26] Rusty Redfield: then ... niiiiiiiiice

[19:26] Rusty Redfield: <wink>

[19:27] ALEX (alex.thaub): thank you thank you.   I guess without any work on my part I promote myself when someone meets me I usually get many compliments either for my av's look or my personality

[19:27] Rusty Redfield: but not to worry.  I meet people who come here to work and I meet people who come here to create and I meet people who come here to have fun.  It's all good.  And, yes, your AV is hot, but you seem like a nice guy running it

[19:28] Rusty Redfield: so before I embarrass you I will move on question 4 LOL

[19:28] ALEX (alex.thaub): I try to be no different as I am in rl. So many here try to be something different than in rl. I treat it as an extension but always finding the proper balance between both worlds

[19:28] ALEX (alex.thaub): lol ok

[19:29] Rusty Redfield: you know, he says, stalling on the segue LOL, something that ALWAYS comes up is people saying, "The only real thing here is emotions".  Is that part of what you meant?

[19:29] ALEX (alex.thaub): oh emotions are very real here of course

[19:30] ALEX (alex.thaub): and they can be very real with the right person

[19:30] Rusty Redfield: I;'ve definitely found that.

[19:31] Rusty Redfield: 4. If you could give advice to your earlier self in the first month that you spent in Second Life, what would you say?

[19:31] ALEX (alex.thaub): you either click with someone here or you don't as in real life

[19:31] ALEX (alex.thaub): lol first thing that came to mind is stay away from sl

[19:31] ALEX (alex.thaub): :)

[19:31] Rusty Redfield: HAH!

[19:31] Rusty Redfield: I know, right?

[19:31] ALEX (alex.thaub): honestly sometimes I wish I had never joined

[19:31] Rusty Redfield: or "You will meet a tall dark handsome asshole"

[19:32] ALEX (alex.thaub): I meet one of those weekly

[19:32] ALEX (alex.thaub): even have an asshole list in my inventory

[19:32] ALEX (alex.thaub): lol

[19:32] Rusty Redfield: hah! Well, that's advice to newbies -- start an asshole list

[19:32] ALEX (alex.thaub): true and don't rush into things

[19:32] ALEX (alex.thaub): get to know people before you get to srious

[19:32] ALEX (alex.thaub): serious

[19:32] Rusty Redfield: yeah.

[19:33] Rusty Redfield: because if someone is trying to pressure you into relating to them in a certain way, there is usually a bad reason.

[19:33] ALEX (alex.thaub): and beware as a newbie of those that can take advantage of you for being new

[19:33] ALEX (alex.thaub): true

[19:33] ALEX (alex.thaub): I agree

[19:34] Rusty Redfield: for me my advice would be "don't spend so much money on crap" but honestly, I think your advice is better LOL

[19:34] Rusty Redfield: okay, almost done, I estimated 20 minutes, right?

[19:35] Rusty Redfield: I need to be respectful of your time

[19:35] Rusty Redfield: 5. What do you like most about the way that your avatar looks?

[19:35] ALEX (alex.thaub): well, when I started sl I did spend lots of money because the freebie clothes were really bad but now they have nice free clothes and things so no need to spend money right off

[19:36] ALEX (alex.thaub): as far as my looks I've always wanted to look natural. some here over due it and look like cartoons

[19:36] ALEX (alex.thaub): in my opnion of course

[19:36] ALEX (alex.thaub): ;)

[19:36] Rusty Redfield: LOL

[19:36] ALEX (alex.thaub): like those pumped up mesh av's

[19:36] Rusty Redfield: hey, I have a l'Uomo body somewhere LOL

[19:36] ALEX (alex.thaub): there you go that's what I had in mind

[19:37] Rusty Redfield: it's fun for getting attention, but ...

[19:37] Rusty Redfield: I don't need a lot of attention any more.

[19:37] ALEX (alex.thaub): I have one as well but it looked stupid so I never spent any money on it and it has no clothes

[19:37] ALEX (alex.thaub): lol

[19:37] Rusty Redfield: mmmmmmmmm  <coughs> I mean, oh, really?

[19:37] Rusty Redfield: <belly laugh>

[19:37] ALEX (alex.thaub): coughs..yes really

[19:37] ALEX (alex.thaub): hahaha

[19:37] ALEX (alex.thaub): I always attract attention

[19:38] ALEX (alex.thaub): it's a curse

[19:38] Rusty Redfield: that's the Chinese curse, right? "May you live in interesting times"

[19:38] ALEX (alex.thaub): have had a record 10 Im's going all at once

[19:38] ALEX (alex.thaub): well I wish the damn thing would curse someone else lol

[19:38] Rusty Redfield: heh heh

[19:38] ALEX (alex.thaub): ;)

[19:39] ALEX (alex.thaub): even if I wear a bag over my head it makes no difference

[19:39] Rusty Redfield: well Alex -- thank you for agreeing to do an interview on such short notice ... you're brave!

[19:39] Rusty Redfield: do you have anything you want to say to newbies, or any SL philosophy you want to share?

[19:39] ALEX (alex.thaub): oh it was my pleasure Rusty I enjoyed this

[19:39] ALEX (alex.thaub): as I said don't take things or people to seriously.  Give people time and you'll know who's being true to you and who isn't

[19:40] Rusty Redfield: I agree.  I mean, we've all had the occasional 18-minute relationship, but -- for long-term enjoyment, think for the long term

[19:41] ALEX (alex.thaub): yes, I mean long term. if you meet someone and 10 minutes later they say I love you will you be my bf RUN

[19:41] ALEX (alex.thaub): ;)

[19:41] Rusty Redfield: o yeah

[19:41] Rusty Redfield: because the next line after "will you be my bf" is going to be even MORE psycho LOL

[19:41] Rusty Redfield: "You don't treat me right!"

[19:41] ALEX (alex.thaub): or the famous line what are you looking for

[19:41] ALEX (alex.thaub): you know what my answer is?

[19:42] ALEX (alex.thaub): my keys I lost them last night have you seen them

[19:42] ALEX (alex.thaub): ;()

[19:42] Rusty Redfield: LOL

[19:42] ALEX (alex.thaub): that's how I handle that

[19:42] ALEX (alex.thaub): grins

[19:42] Rusty Redfield: half the guys I meet, if you lost your keys it was probably up their ass

[19:42] ALEX (alex.thaub): well I lost my in the sand hahaha

[19:42] Rusty Redfield: like the old joke, "If you can find my car keys, we'll DRIVE out"

[19:42] ALEX (alex.thaub): LOL exactly

[19:43] Rusty Redfield: well -- thanks Alex -- I'm going to shut the recorder off, with your permission

[19:43] ALEX (alex.thaub): my pleasure Rusty I enjoyed this

[19:43] Rusty Redfield: good! <click>

A fun guy with a good sense of humour! See you soon, Alex.