This morning, I received one of the few emails that doesn’t immediately make me wonder what subscription I’ve accidentally renewed. It was a friendly congratulations from Linden Lab, wishing me a happy 19th Rez Day.

As if I needed reminding.

Not that I had forgotten, of course. I absolutely knew. I was merely pretending to be surprised because it feels more dignified than admitting I’ve had the date mentally circled for weeks. “Oh? Nineteen years already? Goodness, how time flies.” Meanwhile, I’ve probably mentioned it to at least three people, my dog, and my calendar.

So yes. Today marks nineteen years since I first clicked that mysterious “Create Account” button and wandered into a virtual world without the faintest clue what I was doing.

Some things, remarkably, haven’t changed.

A Birthday During Peak Summer Exodus

Unfortunately, my Rez Day has landed on a perfectly ordinary Tuesday in the middle of summer. If you’ve read my recent blog about how summer quietly steals everyone’s friends in Second Life, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Everyone is apparently outside touching grass, sitting on beaches, travelling, or otherwise behaving like functional human beings while my friends list resembles the guest list for an abandoned village.

There won’t be a giant party. No surprise fireworks. No hundred avatars dancing around a giant birthday cake.

Realistically, I might open a cold Dr Pepper Zero. Perhaps I’ll even put it in a fancy glass. I’m not completely wild.

Last Year I Became an Adult

Last year felt significant because eighteen years somehow sounded official. My avatar had finally reached adulthood, at least by Second Life standards, and I celebrated with a rather long look back at everything this strange world has meant to me over the years.

Reading it back now, I realise I wouldn’t change much of what I wrote. The people, the adventures, the photography, blogging, Fantasy Faire, Dutchie, exploring bizarre regions, getting hopelessly distracted by shiny things… it’s all still true.

If you’re curious, or simply enjoy reading someone becoming unexpectedly sentimental, you can still find that blog. Thankfully, it has aged better than my inventory.

A Senior Resident

At nineteen years, I suppose I officially qualify as one of the senior residents.

Does that come with benefits? Is there a discounted Premium membership? A comfortable armchair at welcome areas? Do new residents automatically offer me a seat when I arrive somewhere?

Can I start every conversation with, “Back in my day…” before launching into a completely unnecessary story about camping, prim hair, or how we once considered fifteen frames per second perfectly acceptable?

Actually… don’t answer that. I’ve already started doing it.

Here’s to Another Year

So there won’t be a huge celebration today. There probably won’t even be a party hat.

Just me, a Dr Pepper Zero, a few photographs, perhaps a wander around somewhere beautiful, and the quiet appreciation that nineteen years is actually quite an incredible amount of time to spend in one virtual world.

Not bad for what was originally supposed to be “just something I’ll try for a weekend.”

Happy Rez Day to me.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a fizzy drink to open. It’s a special occasion, after all.