Will Ross here. Welcome to The Traveling Avatar’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a Better Second Life. On this show we discuss tips and tricks for the game Second Life, created by Linden Labs.

This week’s episode: Tying the Virtual Knot: Partnerships and Second Life

Hey guys, first off, apologies for my voice and tardiness.  Had a nasty sinus infection, so I’m riding the 10-day amoxicillin train.  So if I get a little nasally, just pretend I’m that annoying "D & D kid" who asked you to the prom.  For some of you ladies, I probably was.  

I had one of those weeks in Second Life where everything seemed to be about partnering.  I’ve got an online sister getting married, another friend breaking up, and a third friend who, when I told her I was writing a show on partnering, suggested I make it three words long: “Don’t do it.”  So what is partnering, exactly?

Partnering is Linden Labs’ attempt to implement a catch all solution for a close personal relationship between two avatars, so it defies simple description. When you become someone’s partner your name shows up in the “Partner” box on their profile, and it’s typically expected that no one else gets access to your virtual goodies. Some people see it as a marriage and go as far as having a full ceremony with virtual wedding planners, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and photographers. Others use it for more casual girlfriend or boyfriend type relationships, or even business partnerships. And the Goreans use it for whomever they’re locking in the cellar this week.

Now, assuming you’re not looking to take my friend’s three-word advice, the first thing to know about partnering is that it has to be done from the website, not from inside the game. To attempt a partnership, just go to the game website at www.secondlife.com and log in. In the left hand menu find “Partners” under the subheading “My Second Life” and bring up the partnership page. From there just enter the name of your victim, err, beloved, and then enter a short message like, “You could probably do better, but I’m hoping you don’t know that,” or “Please, please, before the crippling loneliness leaves me an empty husk of a man sitting alone at the bar drinking cheap beer mixed with my own tears.”  Then click “Send Proposal” and await your success or bitter bitter defeat.

Getting partnered will cost you a whopping ten Lindens. Divorce, much as in first life, is more expensive, but twenty-five Lindens is a small price to pay for your sanity. Now, in the circles I’ve run in, a wedding isn’t always necessary, but you should at least spring for a ring. Ricx’s Fine Jewelry (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nepessing/59/98/125) is a good jewelry store with very reasonable prices on scripted jewelry and even a vault with limited edition items so your sweetie will never have to meet someone with the same engagement ring. Search for r-i-c-x or grab the SLurl on the website.   

Now, as I said on the last show, I’ve got three brand new copies of the book The Unofficial Tourist’s Guide to Second Life by Paul Carr and Graham Pond to give away. It’s a neat little Second Life version of those tourist handbooks they make on every major city; you know, the ones that tell you what to see, what to avoid, and where to eat without introducing new microscopic friends to you lower intestines.  

We’re having a photo contest to determine the winners of the books, and since I was sick you’ve still got a week left to send in those snapshots!  I’m accepting snapshots either by e-mail, at secondlife@qdnow.com or you can send the snapshots in game to the character “Craig Jua” (C R A I G J U A.)  I’ll be giving away a book for the funniest, coolest, and strangest picture.  Feel free to enter as many photos as you like, but you can only win one book.  Oh, and try to label the pictures with your Avatar’s full name so I know where they came from.  As the pictures start to roll in you’ll be able to see them on a special Flickr Page at www.flickr.com/photos/travelingavatar.  So, go out and take some cool pics!

That’s it for this episode!  Stop by the website atQuickAndDirtyTips.com to check out my Twitter Page if you want to see what I’m up to on any given day! Send your feedback or question to secondlife@quickanddirtytips.com, and the comment line is 206-888-6975, that’s 206-888-mysl.  The Traveling Avatar’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a Better Second Life is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network, so be sure to check out other great shows like Grammar Girl, Mr. Manners, and Legal Lad, at QuickAndDirtyTips.com.  

So until next time, remember, cool fiancés buy their husbands -to-be kung fu huds and ninja swords instead of rings.