Most recently, I told my friends that I was 'boycotting' commercialism
in SL.  That I was not going to spend a single Linden for the next 7 days.
I told them that I wanted to see if I, a shopaholic, could possibly survive
in SL amidst the bling bling, the bright displays, and the constant group
alerts of newly released products. This was my challenge to myself. To
see if I could endure 7 long, hard days without spending a single Linden.
Yes, even Dollarbies were out of the question.  I had to survive a week
in SL using only what already rest in my inventory and what I could gather
at Treasure Hunts, from Group Gifts, and Freebie Warehouses.

I guess to most SL residents, this does not seem like a challenge at all, but
rather just another day in most resident's lives.  But for me, spending 7 days
walking around and not being able to buy what makes my heart sing, well
it was one of the greatest challenges I have ever faced in SL.  Along with
the challenge I have made to myself to learn how to build something in SL
other than a cube by the closing of this year - but that is another blog in the
making.

I spent most of my first day chasing my friends around from sale to sale,
making mental notes of all the things I WOULD buy if I were not on my
own personal challenge.  Then an hour later, I tried to remember that mental
list of items I had wished to buy, and I couldn't remember a single item. Sure,
it could be an attestment to my poor memory, LOL, but I'd rather like to
think it is because truly I did not need those things as much as I thought I did.

My second day, at the very mention of a sale, I started to break out into
sweats. My heart was literally beating faster than it had all day. I thought I
was going to have a melt down. Is it possible that I was suffering from
shopping withdrawal?

Just when I thought I was going to cave in, one of my friends sent me info
on this group called, "Lucky Kitty".  I looked into it and was giddy to find a
group that sent out regular notices on the treasure hunts and freebies taking
place all over SL. Wow, you mean, there might actually be hope for me yet?
So I joined the group, and started my adventure into the world of living free
and clear.

After 4 treasure hunts and 3 in-store freebies, I found myself with a whole
new wardrobe. Sure, I had to do some searching, I spent a good 2 hours,
but check this out, everything I had collected - shoes, clothes, accessories,
gestures, animations, HUDs, were all FREE. Every day was like Christmas!
As the days went by, and I continued my personal challenge of surviving
the week without spending a single Linden, I came to a bold discovery!

It truly is possible and immensely fun to NOT spend Lindens in SL.  In fact,
I have come to appreciate more the hard work that Designers and Builders
put into their creations. I have also come to appreciate the unselfish acts
these same Designers and Builders do when they give their creations away
as Freebies or Dollarbies.  Because not everyone in SL has a huge bankroll
to invest, yet everyone should experience pleasures in the virtual community
whether or not they spend Lindens. 

From this self challenge, I learned that although I am a shopaholic, I can just
as easily assuage my yearnings for quality items through Freebie and Dollarbie
items. That the pleasure in shopping is not necessarily in the spending of the
Lindens, but in the treasures we find along the journey.  Living is not so much
about what we possess, but rather how we use those things to benefit others.
Just like the farting crab hat I found during one of my treasure hunts, you can't
put a price tag on happiness and laughter. And hopefully, by the end of this
year I will be able to create some nifty and useful things in-world. Yes, of
course, I will be setting these creations out as Freebies, maybe I will have a
treasure hunt even! So that others can experience the same fun and fulfillment
of enjoying SL without having to spend a single Linden.

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