[Donald]

Tabitha Tidesong

She's More than a Sociable Climber!

Perhaps you've seen her on a rooftop, looking down from above. Or perhaps you've seen her artwork, in a gallery some where. You may even have seen her, as part of a team, coming to rescue you from a lonely outpost. Then again, perhaps you've never seen her at all- just perhaps, you've never even heard of her. Whatever the case, pause now for a moment and get to know this week's Wednesday's Who's Who:

In spending time with Tidesong (for that is her preferred designation), the first thing you are likely to discover is her passion for climbing, and for getting into tight places. It wasn't always so. Over time she began hearing reports of people climbing on buildings. She also saw screenshots which were obviously taken from above. Occasionally see would spot people jumping around in high places. How did they get there, she wondered. So she set her mind to discovering the secret.

Her first challenge was the roof on the bar at Fort Troy. She soon found that it was a simple matter of jumping up to a railing, and from the railing then onto the roof. The trick was in the precision of the jump, since the railing was so thin. She has recently discovered other places to jump on, after climbing onto a nearby roof and leaping across.


Climbing tends to end up as a social activity, because now and then others become equally curious and decide to try it for themselves. In short order there might come to be many people up where ever Tidesong happens to be. Oftentimes, dancing breaks out, and some lively conversation ensues as well. "It's very entertaining.", is how she describes it. And sociable, it would seem.

Indirectly related to climbing is the occasional entrapment that results as a climbing attempt goes awry. Many is the time, when leaping from one surface to another, she has fallen into 'dead spaces' or places between the walls. It did not take her long to figure out that simply pressing the 'T' key was a sure but boring ticket out. After an interminable 60 second wait, she finds herself back at the nearest revival terminal- and ready for more! Whilst waiting, she enjoys examining the building from the inside. It gives one cause to wonder whether, along with her myriad other talents, she might just have a bit of the engineering-spirit in her as well.

The Early Days
She started life in the Entropia Universe in the days before there were Guides stationed about. How did she find Entropia? Well, according to her, she never did. She only gradually became aware of Entropia. She remembers coming across the EU website on a her computer once, but that was not the first she'd heard of it. Her earliest memories escape her; it was rather like a gentle awakening to it's existance. Also, prior to her arrival in our fair land, she had no previous experience with virtual, 3D environments. That made getting started a bit difficult.

She could not understand why people seemed to be running about, with no apparent purpose. She was equally uncertain how to go about running herself, should she so desire.

"I was totally new to 3D game controls! After a frustrating re-read of the tutorials here, I was still so clueless, because much of it just did not click in my head. Fortunately for me, there was a very nice person on the forum who answered my questions patiently."

A friend in need is a friend indeed! And fortunately for all, Tidesong received the help she needed and decided to stick around.

The rescued becomes a rescuer!
She found herself involved with the CRT, the Calypso Rescue Team, at a time when she was in sore need of their services. On an occasion when she and a friend were meandering around without purpose or destination, they became trapped in a lonely outpost. While hoping for a rescue, she and her companion passed the time watching with amusement as were mobs were being killed at the nearby turret. When they weren't enjoying that, they were trying repeatedly to escape, and all the while ending up in the outpost. Once a friendly chap came by and tried to help, but they all just wound up dead!

Then the lads from CRT showed up and they enjoyed a nice escort out of that dangerous situation. Being new to Entropia, and having a fairly empty friends list, she decided to add the entire team. This inevitably led up to quite a bit of chatting. Over time, as she became more adept at Teleporter Runs, and escaping outposts, she realized that rescuing others was something of an advocation. The die had been cast!

To quote her, "The simplest form of a rescue just involves knowing the right path to take the rescuee. One of the earliest rescues I did involved swimming a group of people up from the western Fort Troy outpost to Port Atlantis. Picking a wrong path can be disastrous to say the least. Often when bringing a few people with you, you have to remember that a much wider range of mobs can be aggroed than if you were alone.

Some rescues are like a big team hunt and I just have fun trying to help shoot all the mobs in the way."

In-Universe Art Sales
Tabitha Tidesong is her full name, and she has the distinction of being among the first in the universe- if not the very first, to publically display and sell original artwork.

"I was waiting for the ingame art scene to arrive because of my previous experiences online with art. It is one of the few things easily shared online with others. The moment it was announced, I got straight to painting some pieces. A few friends were very encouraging and helped me by loaning me peds as well as shop space. The first piece arrived in a flurry of anticipation and nerves. I posted about it on this forum, and the next time I logged in it was sold! It was one heart beating exciting moment.

I thought, 'Wow! Maybe I can have what I wanted here after all....'"

In the long run, it turned out too good to be true. Since then there has been a small amount of interest, but no further sales. Although many other talented artists have posted huge advertisements, and organized viewings with some degree of success, at the present time she feels she cannot justify the expense. Although encouraged, she still considers her artwork a hobby. With all that being said, she wouldn't mind a bit if anyone did purchase the 3 pieces that are on display at Omegaton West. Why not go by and give them a look?

Does she recommend the Art sales route to others? Absolutely! Anyone with a passion for art, and a spare bit of PED to cover the attendant costs, might just make a go of it. Although it would help if you had a patron... Most definately.

Ice-Skating/Dress-making
Among her passions and accomplishments in the physical realm is Ice-skating and Dress-making. Ice-skating consumes most of her time and she finds it quite enjoyable. Living in a very hot, tropical climate (Ms. Tidesong lives in Singapore), the chilly air of the rink is a welcome change. Also, she has won a number of competitions. What appeals to her most?

"I enjoy the innate beauty and precision that comes with it... it gives me an adrenaline rush and lets me have fun..."

Along with the skating came the sewing. She wanted skating dresses but found them to be rather costly. So, since already having an interest in sewing, along with others crafts, she was prompted to make her own. It was yet another avenue for artistic expression.

"I was into wearing extremely minimalistic clothing on the streets, but realized that I could do with a little extra frill and glitter on the ice, which allowed me to explore much more sewing than I dared to try before." And thank goodness for that! No one wants their daughter wearing minimalistic clothing!

She continues, "I am still very much an amateur in both arenas (skating and sewing), but I would love it if they could benefit or bring joy to someone in the future. I am continually working hard on improving my skills so that they would do more good than harm! One thing I have realized through my creative pursuits is that as much as I enjoy the precision and other technical aspects of what I do, it is seeing them come to life in other people that complete the picture. It is something that can only be truely enjoyed as a community together."

To sum it up...
When asked if there was anything she'd like to say to the citizens of Entropia as a whole, and to new-comers in particular, she responded thus:

"I would like to thank every person in Entropia that has contributed to my experience so far. Thank you for all the good times, the bad times and for all the stories. To the newcomers I would say, that there are many paths in Entropia, that you may follow. Information is the key, to help you decide which way to go. And friends will always make a wonderful experience complete. While it is true that there are many guides here, on the Entropia Forum, and in-universe, the best guide is yourself. Learn from your own experience, and never be afraid to try."

Well said, young Miss. That is good advice for one and all.