What's In A Name?

I am Bock McMillan and Bock is I. We are the same person in almost every aspect of our joint personality.

Psychologically, intellectually and emotionally Bock and I are one and the same. We have the same communication skills - or lack thereof, we share the same knowledge and have the same professional or personal skills. Our self-confidence, personal qualities and interests are the same.

The only aspects where we are different is in parts of our physical appearances, in which world we manifest ourselves to others and some superficial activities like dancing, flying and teleporting.

Bock is taller and somewhat better looking than myself, he is only seen by others in the virtual world of SecondLife (and sometimes elsewhere). I am shorter and do not look as stunning as Bock and I am only perceived by others in first life, what some call real life.

Nonetheless I am always myself in both worlds and Bock is always with me in both worlds too.

I was Bock before I came to SecondLife, the only thing that was added when I joined SecondLife was the surname and I chose it with great care. I will remain Bock even if SecondLife - God forbid - should one day cease to exist.

The word "bock" in Swedish can mean many things. Google translates it to the following words in English; Buck, goat, trestle, stud, duck, tick, cross, billy-goat, fault and howler. The word holds even more meanings, although they are rarer.

Swedes - or most other speakers of a Germanic language - who first see it and do not know me often at first interpret it in the meaning "horny man".

I will not lie, the double entendre did not escape me when I once chose it, but the name was originally derived from the Swedish word "Stenbock" which is the Swedish form of the astrological sign of Capricorn.(No, I do not believe in it!)

It always infuriates me to see SecondLife called "a game", because it was never ever that for me. If it had been just a game I would not have stayed on as long as I have, I get easily bored with games and game playing. I do respect if other use it in that way for their war-games, vampire-games or role plays, but those scenes never held any attraction for me.

To me SecondLife is my +1 existence. I am there for the other real people and the community, the players can go play with themselves or others like them.