The countdown continues! One day remains. All that’s left is the evening gown competition and the Grand Finale performance. This is my final blog entry. I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know and share this year’s event with you all. And I’d like to think, in turn, the blog enjoyed being decorated with the stories of these lovely ladies. All deserve to win, yet there can only be one. I do not envy the task of the judges. The MISS VIRTUAL WORLD 2010 pageant Grand Finale will be held at the Patch Thibaud Auditorium on December 19, Saturday 11AM SLT. There is nothing else like this in Second Life. See you there! Happy Holidays!

 Miss Ireland, dancer Dallagio

dancer: You do not have to be a top model or even a model to be in this competition, even those who are not one of these can become a finalist. There truly is more to this competition than just walking a runway; it’s about style, about taste, about personality, about learning, having the ability to style and showcase designers’ works. Because of my work here in SL, I have a great deal of experience working with many individuals, providing assistance on many levels. I very often take people who are very unhappy and/or frustrated and help them to become frustrated no longer and become quite happy and relieved. I think my skills working with people, and my patience, have served me well in this MVW pageant. I have to rely on my personality to bring humor and other devices into the conversation to de-escalate the situation. I also am quite good at multi-tasking, which helps tremendously. I have yet to go down a runway without quite a few IMs going at the same time.

Kate: The bings!!!
dancer: When I sign on to a very long “barrrrrrrrrrrringggg” tone it can be overwhelming at times *laughs* It does happen quite often, and I just keep them all going so everyone feels they get my complete attention.

Kate: You referred to it but maybe you could say a little more about what you do in SL when you are not a MVW finalist?
dancer: I work with Stiletto Moody as the Customer Service Rep, I do PR, Marketing, Legal, Design Input, and much more for the company. When I have free time, I spend it with some very close friends as well. I’m here in SL pretty much every day, as my job is a real job for a real company. I also help others who need assistance starting out with how to do marketing or PR work, or whom have questions about legal proceedings such as DMCAs. I also shop : )).
Kate: Interesting… your sole means of support is an SL job? Other than the LL guys, I would think that is very rare.
dancer: I’m not sure how many people work for real companies in SL, but when I noticed this Stiletto Moody person and saw what they were starting up, I had an idea that their idea went well with my ideas for the future of the internet, so I joined up on the spot and have been with the company from the beginning. I love shoes in RL, they are one of my passions, so it was easy to transfer that to SL. My professional skills also involve intense customer skills, so that went very well with part of what I do for SM. I love working with people on a one-to-one basis, and helping them learn new skills is a joy.
Kate: I would think it would be very challenging to establish trust in a virtual commerce environment.
dancer: We interact through voice and are fully transparent about who we are and what our backgrounds are in RL, to help to establish that trust. Because it’s a real job, this trust is crucial, as is the communication. I’ve always got my phone, Skype, SL, and numerous email and document programs going at once. I also think the trust issue is something one can be intuitive about initially, whether or not one is about to get involved with someone who is a good person or not, at least it has been for me.
Kate: Yes well, I imagine that would be the other challenge of virtual commerce; the sun is always shining on some part of the world.
dancer: Yes, the hours can get a bit mixed up, since we are all on different time zones.
Kate: It’s not exactly your average 9-5 job
dancer: No, it’s definitely not an average job nor one with easy hours.  I’m always a cell call or text away, and have worked many all nighters when the situation called for it. But also there is inherently some flexibility involved, since I work from home and can set some of my hours. It’s a bit of the best of all worlds for me : ). I have time to fit in most everything I need and take on more. That multi-tasking ability is absolutely crucial.
Kate: And this is sort of an equity investment, in other words, you see the Second Life version of the internet as being a viable means for future e-commerce?
dancer: I see the Second Life model as being a forerunner for the future of e-commerce, not the end product.
Kate: Right. Making real money will have to eventually involve real product.
dancer: There will be many platforms evolving over the coming years, and Second Life is the best of the best right now of these. I have quite a vision for the future of virtual world and shopping as well as other uses. What’s so great about the MVW pageant is that it is also looking to the future and constantly adjusting and improving. Representing designs in Second Life really is a crucial step to having real life designs on a virtual platform. So my presence in the MVW pageant is really a melding of all of those skills.
Kate: As MVW evolves to that broader, more international appeal, do you feel anything could be changed or modified to make the contest more inclusive?
dancer: I really think that the MVW Organization is cognizant of these issues and is evolving to reflect the international usage of Second Life. The very fact that a non-model is a finalist shows that the Organization recognizes that changes are coming and that if you work hard and develop your skills, you can do whatever you really want to here. It truly is more than just a beauty pageant; it’s a total person contest.
Kate: What I mean is… being an informed participant… with both your virtual business and fashion background and also being a finalist… do you have any specific suggestions?
dancer: I think the Organization really should continue to grow as I’ve witnessed it grow; to aspire to showcase top designers, photographers, builders, and other content creators, as well as reflect good judgment in the selection of participants at every level.  Everyone I’ve worked with, or whose work I’ve had the pleasure of utilizing, has been so very helpful, understanding, and patient.  These qualities all point to an Organization that is poised to truly take on the (Virtual) world. There are amazing real life architects doing sets, light designers doing lighting; it’s really a professional team that has been brought together. Kay Fairey has been so amazing in her direction and guidance as well.
Kate: The rehearsals for the finale are happening daily… that means the grand finale is right around the corner… are you ready? How are you feeling?
dancer: I’m nearly ready, and I’m feeling very excited and much honored still to be a part of all of this.  I never dreamed that I’d be selected as a Finalist, so it’s truly such a great experience…and yes, I’ve got some butterflies, just as I have had before going onstage for a ballet performance!
Kate: You have RL dance experience?
dancer: Yes, I have traditional Russian Vagonova ballet training and have performed with a Ballet Company and I have also done musical theatre on the side, and yes, hence the name.  When I joined SL, I had no idea what the term implied here, which has led to a few interesting discussions!
Kate: ha
dancer: Life is a dance, and most things can be seen as dance allegories, whether it’s a production involving many, as a corps, or a discussion between two, like a pas de deux. I think all of my background training has brought me to a place where grace, hard work and discipline, fashion skills, and work ethic all find a happy place. They say dance is a universal language : ).
Kate: Is there anything you wished to talk about in this interview that we haven’t touched upon yet?
dancer: I really would just like to say to all of those involved that I have loved every moment of this, and every person that I’ve met from it. I would love to add that we have such talented designers in Second Life, and I thank each and every one of them for allowing us to showcase their designs. And thank you so very much for your time, Kate; I really appreciate it. Your work on the website truly is a labor of love. You really make a person feel very at ease and comfortable!
Kate: awwww TY!!!! I’m glad you felt relaxed. When people are nervous or frightened the interview comes off sounding fake. So I try really hard to set people at ease. One last question… any advice for next year’s MVW participants?
dancer: I wish to say to future aspiring Finalists to just be who you are. If you stay true to who you are as a real life person, and keep to those values, then you can go as far as you wish. Being you,  not changing, is my best advice. It’s what I have done, and I have made it this far on that, and I’m not planning to stop. I set high goals for myself, and I reach them. Life is about risks and putting you out there; go for it!

Kate Stockholm is a featured columnist for Best of Second Life Magazine, a retired SL Mentor and a Miss Virtual World Organization executive. She was last year’s Miss Sweden and winner of Miss Congeniality.