Remember my previous comment that I often have just enough knowledge to be dangerous? True again in the case of the avatar. Up until yesterday morning, the breadth of my experience came solely from Dwight Schrute of "The Office." His avatar, capable of flying over a virtual world, left me with the impression that avatars interested only computer nerds and science-fiction/fantasy afficianados...
After spending an hour or so in the wee hours of Saturday and Sunday morning playing around with the Yahoo avatars, I can begin to see their charm. Creating a cyber persona (or better yet alter-ego or doppelganger!) is kind of a fun way to spend a few minutes. However, as is the case with time, minutes often turn into hours, and that brings me to the problem of the avatar.
Those of you who know me can probably anticipate my problem : the vanity and appearance-consciousness that plagues me in real life follows me into cyberspace! I am the person who, despite my 41 years, wastes precious minutes each morning in search of the perfect outfit. How can I outfit my avatar when I can't even dress myself? What if there is no hairstyle just like mine? Will I still like that red bolero jacket at the end of the day? And cufs on pants: will they make my avatar's legs look too short? I could spend hours clicking through the different outfit options and screens and labels, trying to decide how I want to be represented.
In retrospect, although I will create the avatar for the completion of the task, I will probably delete it at some point. I hope my voice creates a better image than any pixelated graphic ever could.
After spending an hour or so in the wee hours of Saturday and Sunday morning playing around with the Yahoo avatars, I can begin to see their charm. Creating a cyber persona (or better yet alter-ego or doppelganger!) is kind of a fun way to spend a few minutes. However, as is the case with time, minutes often turn into hours, and that brings me to the problem of the avatar.
Those of you who know me can probably anticipate my problem : the vanity and appearance-consciousness that plagues me in real life follows me into cyberspace! I am the person who, despite my 41 years, wastes precious minutes each morning in search of the perfect outfit. How can I outfit my avatar when I can't even dress myself? What if there is no hairstyle just like mine? Will I still like that red bolero jacket at the end of the day? And cufs on pants: will they make my avatar's legs look too short? I could spend hours clicking through the different outfit options and screens and labels, trying to decide how I want to be represented.
In retrospect, although I will create the avatar for the completion of the task, I will probably delete it at some point. I hope my voice creates a better image than any pixelated graphic ever could.
3 comments:
I have decided to go on a diet, get a haircut and color, and find the exact same outfit as my avatar. Sick, huh.
Hmnnn... what would the "distorted body-image" psychologists have to say about that? Dr. Phil, are you there? I have issues with my avatar... :.)
I loved your profile! So catchy and took me back to that great book and how much I loved it when I read it!
Keep going, you are doing great!
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