Every time this story comes up, I get a few accusations of trying to make up some crazy story — and with good reason, in this latest incarnation. And THAT’S what’s really annoying.

Catherine’s story, the part I take away about it at least, was more about how we can be something completely new and different in Second Life, regardless of our real life circumstances. I had long assumed that the story was a bit exaggerated, and that Catherine had probably (hopefully) improved her situation in real life.

So…I guess I can understand why hearing the same no-longer-accurate story over and over could get irritating, especially when people think it is current news. But its also understandable why Hamlet would bring it up: It really is a good story, and is tremendeously illustrative of one of the reasons some people find Second Life so compelling. The ability to be so much different and possibly better than you are in real life– a second chance, so to speak.

I think its a good story to tell– if Hamlet can find a way of prefacing it so that its clear that Catherine is doing well now, thank you very much.

But being homeless doesn’t mean being dirty or hair unstyled or not being online. It’d be near impossible to keep a computer — but libraries, stores, lots of places have computers you can use. Couch surfers are homeless as well, but they’ve managed to ingratiate themselves to a place to sleep.

Such is pretty common in the US; and it’s a difficult, and usually long process to get out of it.

This is, of course, from first-hand knowledge :P