Hello everyone,

Welcome to another edition of "At Home With". Today I am am spending some quality time with one of the beautiful couples that call Costa Rica Sims their Second Life home. Amadeus Arctor and Fredy Lynagh have been together for some time now as Costa Rica Sims residents and as a couple.

Hello  guys and welcome to "At Home With". Thank you for allowing me to spend some time with you. I would like to open our interview by asking, how long have you both been on Second Life? And what kept your interest to stay on?

Amadeus: By coincidence we both joined about the same time in Autumn 1997. In SL you get to experience other people’s visions as well as express your own and it’s always changing; meeting people from just about anywhere on the globe and making friends; these are all part of the fascination of SL.

How long ago did you both meet and do you remember what you first thought about each?

Fredy: We met a couple of months after first coming to SL. It was a very funny first meeting. I’m German and had very little English, Ama had no German. Somehow we managed to communicate and enjoy each other’s company. Now my English has improved and Ama can speak a little German.

How long after meeting you guys started dating?

Fredy: A few months went by before we starting dating.

Prior to this relationship did you guys dated anyone before and if so for how long?

Amadeus: No, in fact we were not looking for relationships in the early days. Fredy had lost someone suddenly and unexpectedly in RL and I had found myself taking care of someone who had suddenly been diagnosed with cancer, who I also lost 6 months after coming to SL. SL provided a temporary relief from real world troubles at that time, but relationships were not the first thing on our minds.

What do you both see as the biggest challenges for Second Life relationships?

Fredy:  Perhaps it’s different expectation. So I think it is important that two people agree some rules at the start.

How do you compare a RL relationship to one on SL?

Amadeus:  For some they are worlds apart; for others, like us, they may be very similar emotionally.

How difficult is it to balance the emotions between a Second Life relationship versus a Real Life one?

Amadeus:  In our case our relationship has become more than just a SL one. We are based in different countries, which complicates things sometimes, but we are in constant contact outside SL.

Do the same rules apply in SL with a partner when it comes to cheating even though some may have a RL partner that doesn’t know he/she is involved in a Second Life relationship?

Fredy: A complicated question, but as far as SL is concerned, if rules were agreed at the outset then they should be honoured.  In our case, neither of us would dream of cheating on the other.

As a couple and as individuals what are your favorite things to do in Second Life?

Fredy: More often than not we will be chatting together or with friends, but we also like to search out interesting place to see in SL, or just work together developing our land.

Do you have any words of wisdom for those starting a Second Life relationship on how to make it last?

Amadeus:  Hmm, I’m not sure we can claim to be very wise. I’ll pick up on what Fredy said earlier. If possible, try to agree those ground rules early on and there will be less chance of disappointment later.

Let's move on and talk about your beautiful home here in Costa Rica Sims. Just by looking around I can see is massive piece of land. How long have you owned this property?

Fredy: Not so long, perhaps 6 or 7 weeks. Before, we had a smaller plot on the Costa Rica mainland for about 18 months, but we had done all we could to that land, so we thought it was time for something different.

What made you decide to go with this architectural style and landscape?

Amadeus: We had a nice house and garden before, which was rather formally laid out. So this time we wanted a complete change of style. As you can see, we now have an island and we decided to go to the opposite extreme. So it’s now a jungle theme with an open style tropical house. We both love plants and beautiful untamed settings, so that is what we are trying to create here. There is still a lot to do, but we’ve made a start. 

Do you have any favorite home builders and furniture designers?

Amadeus: I admire so many talented designers in SL, it seems a little unfair to single out just a few names. But here goes. Pre’ Fabulous and Double O Studio make beautifully detailed, but entirely different buildings, and currently rank high on our list of fine home builders.  Sadly, some old favourites amongst the home builders are no longer here in SL.  Naiman Broome (Las Islas) is a favourite for all his designs, whether buildings, furniture, plants or natural objects and effects. As far as homes go we like the freedom to alter what we buy, so if a house cannot be modified it is not for us.  Melino has some beautiful exotic furniture which we like very much, as we do furniture from The Loft and Mission Home Store when we want a period look. Unfortunately, detail in furniture can come with a high prim count, but, the pieces are often miniature works of art and can be difficult to resist.

A few questions about calling Costa Rica Sims your Second Life home. How long have you been part of the Costa Rica Sims family?

Fredy: I think we arrived in the summer 2009

How did you find Costa Rica Sims? Did one of you reside here before the other?

Fredy: We had a home on another large estate for a long time, but it closed down and we had to move. We had seen Costa Rica Sims a few times and were very impressed, so it was a natural choice.

If anyone ask either of you why you love residing in Costa Rica Sims, how would you reply?

Amadeus:  First and foremost it’s beautiful and provides a tremendous amount of lovely communal land for residents to enjoy. Add to that the fact that it is exceptionally well run and has a thriving community and you have a winner.

What is your favorite activity in Costa Rica Sims and is there anything you would like to see added?

Amadeus: At the moment I can’t think of any new activity I would like to see added. Costa Rica has so much already. We find it fascinating to wander around and see how others have developed their land. And, of course, steal a few ideas from here and there. Costa Rica Sims is always evolving, so there are always plenty of new things to see. In recent months, there have been a large number of small islands added to the Estate and they are quite stunning to sail or fly around.

Thank you both for your valued time and do either of you have any closing comments?

Amadeus & Fredy: We've always liked reading your At Home With column Brendan, so we are delighted to have been asked to take part.

Until next month, I’m Brendan Macarthur, Costa Rica Sims Reporter