I want to thank everyone who shared their thoughts on this ongoing blog. I applaud stepping forward. I encourage you all to do so again. It is so important for the MVW readers to see as many points of view as possible.

Miss Canada, Natalia Corvale

 
Natalia: I’m just a regular down to earth woman. I love to laugh, extremely creative and enjoy SL immensely. I’ve been in SL for over two years now and I can honestly tell you that I’ve never experienced anything else like it online. The human aspect of it never ceases to amaze me. The bonds that are formed here are just as real and tangible as any in real life. The beauty and creativity inspired by this virtual world often times leaves me awestruck. Everyone from artists and musicians, to the disabled or even the average Joe can come here and let their imagination soar. Anything and everything is possible here.
Kate: How do you express your creativity in SL?
Natalia: With my avatar, of course. I’m also a SL photographer. I’m a bit of a PS (photoshop) geek. I can spend hours in it with photographs. I also love to shoot raw SL. I love to explore for really beautiful and creative builds or sims.
Kate: Do you have flickr? I think people would like to see.
Natalia: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35499182@N08/4050431409/
Kate: Which would you say are your favorite flickr pictures?
Natalia: “Stone Cold”. I also like “No Fear”. “Still Yours” embodies me.
Kate: You gave your photos titles! What was the inspiration for “Stone Cold”?
Natalia: Actually…on that one, I took it in my home. It was a quick snapshot and it wasn’t until later that I dug it out and began to play around with it.. I guess that’s why I love it so much, because it was a spontaneous creative burst.
Kate: Tell me about “Still Yours”
Natalia: “Still Yours” is also raw SL. I was riding my bike in one of my favorite sims and stopped on a cliff. I played with my sky editor until I got a nice sunset. I love that shot, it reminds me of home. I grew up in California and spent alot of my time on the beach. I used to love to ride my motorcycle down the road along the beach. I love the smell of the salt water and sea air. When I took the shot, it brought it all back.
Kate: Zomg! A bike like the one in the picture?
Natalia: LOL, my boyfriend and I had a Nighthawk 650. We used to ride it everywhere. It wasn’t huge…but a decent size. At first I was scared to get on it, but after I did, lol, they’re fun! You could hardly get me off that thing.
Kate: Which leads in nicely to “No Fear”…
Natalia: Basically calm in the face of a storm. Like a rock, so calm, cool and collected even though all hell is breaking loose just behind me.
Kate: SL is always changing, RL is always more important. Sighs… it’s hard to stay calm.
Natalia: I have a really good friend in England that I met here about a month ago. They lost their job due to cutbacks and were really scared about how they were going to make ends meet. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen them online. So yeah, that can be hard. When someone you’re used to seeing here and talking with here on a day to day basis isn’t there anymore… you’ve formed this bond, so you miss them.
Kate: yes
Natalia: We all do it, talk about evertything, the weather….kids…families…jobs….movies….the fun stuff…and the heartbreaking things that happen in RL. We become connected, we’re human, how can we not?
Kate: One day you are telling someone about your life, the next day they become a part of your life.
Natalia: Exactly
Kate: Natalia, I don’t have any clue how much of this is gonna make it online… I mean, we were talking, but now we are talking…
Natalia: Don’t sweat it… use what ya can… the rest will just be our little secret, lol.
Kate: You really have a strength and a warm heart and wisdom… this should not be a secret!
Natalia: Well thanks, that’s a really nice compliment

The next Miss Virtual World event will be the first Press Presentation on November 7th. The Grand Finals for the Miss Virtual World will be held at the Patch Thibaud Auditorium on December 19, Saturday. See you there!

Kate Stockholm is a senior staff writer for Best of Second Life Magazine and a Miss Virtual World Organization executive. She was last year’s Miss Sweden and winner of Miss Congeniality.