World Fair 2022

Sep 01, 2023

The Wheel of Time is not just the name of a terrible _mazon production, it is also the name of a very popular ride in Second Life. I strongly recommend you take friends to visit Zanarose  in Second Life, so you can see it for yourself. It is the most wonderful place I have yet seen. Please note. This post is clearly fictional. 

At Zanarose

The Wheel of Time

I am being careful to say that this location is in a specific region, in the likelihood that there is more than one “world fair” in Second  Life. This location is in a picturesque 16 acres. Plenty of fresh, green grass. Crystal clear water. And there is so much to do here. It reminds  me of descriptions of the original Coney Island, and other fair settings in the past.

In fact, there is so much to do here, I may need to return to capture  it all when there are not so many people jumping in front of the “camera” feature included in my Second Life viewer. So today I will cover the “Wheel of Time” attraction.

While waiting for my turn to go on the ride, I took a few images to  help readers acclimate to the experience I had. Following are a few  pictures I took of the waiting area: This Album is Graciously Hosted by Flickr

Finally it is my turn to experience life as a time lord. What unknown events await my discovery? What unexplored histories will I be granted  purview? I touch a sign conspicuously posted by the ramp, and out of  thin air a time machine appears before me. What a wonder this Second Life is. What technological breakthroughs are possible. It is as though the antique chair complete with levers and lighted indicators was constructed by nano robotic artificial intelligence!

I sit as instructed and select the ride on the pop up menu. Then I  press “M” on my keyboard to enter “mouse look”. This will enable me to  keep my view centered on the presentation.

Soon I am tenuously perched just beyond the reach of Jurassic creatures. Can these creatures see me? Am I the boogie man to them? Or a shadow person? Or do I appear like a butterfly? Please don’t step on me! 

Suddenly we surpass the era of aliens building their power plants across the planet, whirling through the time after, when human subjects are left to oversee the decaying remains of a galactic civilization’s communication array. The contest between Democrats and Republicans  apparently caused their entire race to self destruct. A terrible lesson for those of us who remain. Their creation; this planet of apes. 

I choose not to recognize the alligator boar on the cave wall painting, or the alligator person in the second slide above. Instead I contemplate that, what little remained of those ancient beings on this Earth, passed to the British monarchy sometime after the fall of Rome. Then they just tossed it back to rust at the bottom of some pond. Or did they? 

Is the shadow knight the same at the door to the wheel of time? Can travelers see one another, and remain cloaked to others trapped in their  portion of the metaverse? Don’t think about this sort of thing during your morning rituals. Your water bill will shoot through the roof!

While contemplating what I have seen and heard, I arrive in the modern era. My friends cannot hear me as I shout to them and wave. I’m so confused, she told me she had a dentist appointment, today.

I don’t know what they’re eating. I try to lean over the safety bar, but all I can see is dried cranberries, rice, and the delectable meat of a harmless vegetarian mammal. Just as suddenly as I entered Main Street, I am wooshed away to the next epoch of the human experience.

Before I realize it, I am observing [redacted billionaire’s name]’s  Mars project be a success. Though at first the three technocrat contenders had agreed to share the solar system and the recovered alien technology, one member of this trinity disappeared suddenly, leaving the remaining two to dual over the rights of both the Moon AND Mars. Below  you can clearly see who won. I had just enough film for two images, and I used one as I felt you should know the truth. Invest wisely, and don’t  snitch on me.

Just as suddenly as my adventure began, I see myself being propelled  into deep space toward another portal. What waited for me beyond this starhole thingie? In my terrible excitement, I snapped an image with my remaining film before tossing it away to bounce against Voyager 1. I cannot believe how silly I can be. What waits beyond  that door? What is your future? You’ll have to visit the Wheel of Time in Zanarose of Second Life to see for yourself. Bring a friend. Someone who runs slower than you.