Echo Chronicles: Klenting the Night Away
by SealWyf, HSM team writer
It’s 10 PM in East Coast North America: prime gaming hours across the continent. About half my Friend List is online, and I’m on Home. I’ve tweaked my avatar, played a minigame, and chatted with friends.
I’m rearranging an apartment when the Blue Voice of God slides in: General Kozfear invites. I check the Navigator. She’s in the Mall, wearing Echochrome. So are others.
It’s a Homeling gathering.
I leave my LittleBigPlanet Hedge Maze in a jumble, suit up, and teleport into a crowd of ghosts. On closer inspection, it’s a circle. I take my place in it, and ask “Are we dancing or attentioning?”
“We need more bubbles,” someone remarks. And so I know we are dancing, and this is a Klent Circle.
It’s a typical gathering — a fiction, really, a collage and compilation of nights I’ve spent in my eight months as a Homeling.
The Homelings klent a duck, the symbol of Mother
The Klent Circle is an archetypical Homeling activity, along with standing in formations and gliding around Central Plaza in slow-mo Dramatic Walks. A proper Klenting (a term coined by Homeling Elder Supernumerate) requires three things: a circle, bubble machines, and dance. Specifically the Rave Dance, because it mimics scrubbing. For that is what we are doing. “Klent” is a form of the verb “to clean”, and a Klent Circle is a human-cleaning station.
The appeal of klenting is two-fold. For the Homeling participants, it’s an enjoyable and calming activity. There is something deeply comforting about watching your avatar dance onscreen, especially in a space with good music. The swirl of bubbles is hypnotic. It’s amusing to see how many bubble machines we can deploy.
Dancing among the bubbles
The other benefit of klenting is its effect on the surrounding human population. They are drawn to it, like moths are drawn to porch lights. And, instinctively, they crowd into the center of the circle and dance among the bubbles. They are wickedly pleased with themselves — they think they are disrupting our activity.
But, here’s the fun part, the secret I was probably not supposed to reveal to the general population: that’s exactly what we wanted! We want humans to dance in the bubbles and heckle us, because then we can engage them in conversation. And some of these conversations inevitably turn into recruitments, and new Assimilations.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the Klent Circle is one of our most effective Newling generators.
But you have to open a lot of oysters to find a pearl, and you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince. Most of them are simply… frogs. And most of the hecklers who dance in our bubbles are simply bored kids who think it’s fun to taunt the weird bald guys wearing white plastic.
Fortunately, we’ve heard it all before. And we have standard answers.
Our first heckler has arrived. He has spiked blue hair, and is wearing default baggy pants and a wife-beater shirt. He’s doing the Running Man in our faces.
“WTF?” he opines.
“Homelings!” we answer. “We are Homelings!”
“HOMELINGS! HOMELINGS! HOMELINGS! HOMELINGS!” explains one of our more assertive members, on the theory that repetition will get through where grammar and proper punctuation have failed.
“wut the **** r homligs?”
We explain, in overlapping text bubbles and levels of reality: a social club in Home, a Collective of like-minded individuals, a group of beings from Fluidic Space. Our heckler loses interest, but others are drifting in. Each of them brings his own collection of insults. Nerds, weirdos, skinheads, coneheads. “Doctor Evil”. Anonymous strings of asterisks.
And “cancer patients.”
That one disturbs me a lot. I’m a cancer survivor myself. Many of my friends are cancer survivors. Others have battled cancer and lost. I try to use these exchanges to spread a little enlightenment, and sometimes I get through.
The Kecak Chant of Bali
But often I just let it go, and settle into the calming rhythm of the klent. It’s a trance experience, like the music of Tiesto, or the Balinese Kecak Chant. It takes us out of ourselves, and bonds us to each other. It is an essential part of Homeling culture.
“Are you some kind of cult?”
The questioner is standing outside our circle, resisting the pull of the bubbles. He is wearing good black jeans and a leather jacket. His face has been crafted with some care, and I suspect it is a self-portrait. He has a keyboard, and he knows how to use it.
And so his question deserves a serious answer, especially since it jolted me out of a mental state that borders on the devotional. We are not a cult, I explain, because we have no shared religious agenda.
And he seems to accept this. But I wonder if my reply has been entirely honest. There is more to being a cult than simply being religious — if that were true, then Episcopalians would be a cult. I grew up Episcopalian, and I can assure you it’s not the case.
No, there is something more involved, something that includes a closed, secretive outlook and fanatical devotion to a leader. The Branch Davidians were a cult. So was the Peoples Temple under Jim Jones. Look where it got them.
The return of Mother, March 2, 2011
Despite the mutterings we hear from skeptical avatars, the Homeling Collective is not about to drink any Kool-Aid. Our repect for our leaders (with the possible exception of the semi-mythical Mother) is simply that — respect. And not a whole lot of it, sometimes. We’re not a large enough group that our leaders can keep their distance.
So what does one call an organization with a distinctive dress code, eccentric speech conventions, and a close-knit clannishness, bordering on secrecy, if not a cult?
I would submit that the Homelings have already supplied the proper term: we are a Collective. The word has resonances of group identity and communal living, as well as an implication of basic underlying equality.
That’s not an illusion. Yes, we have Generals. But this is Home. They can’t exactly call in the troops. Most enforcement of Homeling standards is voluntary and consensual, supplemented by a fair amount of peer pressure.
I talk with the avatar in the leather jacket as I dance, explaining a bit more about the Collective and how we function. I offer to friend him, mention that I still have some space left in my MotherShip. I’m starting to think recruitment.
He’s not sure — he’s not a joiner, likes his avatar, doesn’t want to lose his hair. I point him to the Homelings wiki, and suggest he get in touch if he changes his mind. We are winding up the conversation when I notice a disturbance on the other side of the circle.
A new group of avatars has arrived, attired in hallucinatory fantasy — wings and armor and animal heads and lots of skin. They are attracting a great deal of attention. When I read the names above their heads, I know why. These are ex-Homelings, beings who departed during what I have privately named the Great Extinction, in the early months of 2010. To fairly recent Homelings such as myself, they are nearly legend.
You see, I’ve heard the stories.
The Oort Cloud, the possible source of comets
Once the initial excitement of joining the Collective has worn off, you start to hear them: gossip, scraps of rumors, events remembered or passed along in the Home equivalent of oral tradition. You see the names above the avatars in old videos, names you now only see outside, looking in.
And you come to realize that the orderly little solar system of the Homeling Collective is surrounded by a large and messy Oort Cloud of beings who were once Homeling, but have left for various reasons.
Most simply drifted away. They were too young, too bored, or had other priorities. They don’t bother us.
But there are the others, those we name the Fallen — those who left in anger, with spectacular explosions. They are our unlaid ghosts, our vengeful revenants. And, like revenants, they return to haunt us.
Sometimes avoidance is the better part of valor. Koz proposes a relocation, and we teleport to Irem Beach. There, we reassemble on an open patch of sand, beside the gentle sea. I set out my bubble machine, then check the clock. It’s past midnight in my time zone — time for even a Homeling Commander to think of bed.
But I don’t feel like leaving. The encounter with the Fallen has left me shaken, reminded me of other issues. For we are currently in the midst of a Minor Extinction, an exodus of high-ranked Homelings who have suddenly, for reasons I can neither understand nor adequately explain, simply… had enough.
Friends
The most recent one to leave was my best friend in the Collective, and indeed on Home. We joined at the same time, became Commanders together, and served on each others’ MotherShips. Together, we produced the Homeling Art Shows and the Newling Parties. We were a team, a force for good and glory.
And then one day, he’d simply… had enough.
His departure felt like a body-blow, shook my own convictions and left me with deeply divided loyalties. On one side, there’s the group I love, even when I look at it askance and criticize it, a group for which I feel the same intense and ambivalent emotions one has for family members.
On the other side, there’s my friend. My best friend, still. He’s moved on, laid aside the bitterness. He’s founded another group in Home. And I’m helping him do it, with hard work and enthusiasm. But I’m still a Homeling Commander.
I know this is not a balance I can sustain forever.
There are moral choices here, a conflict of interest that cannot be resolved by simply, like the horse Boxer in Animal Farm, vowing to “work harder.” Having a friend among the Fallen has forced me to acknowledge his experiences, to see “the man behind the curtain” of the Homeling role-play more clearly than perhaps is comfortable.
Homeling officers
And what I see disturbs me, for it implies it’s all about my personal vanity, the ego-boost of being a Commander. Which means being able to attend Command Central meetings, owning a MotherShip, training Subcommanders, and getting away with teasing the Generals in the Fluidic Space chatroom. I love being a Homeling officer. I don’t want to give it up.
Even though I’m starting to suspect I should, for the sake of the Collective.
Because it’s not just my energy that’s divided. It’s my will, my loyalty. I owe them better.
I’m still brooding on these matters when a friend arrives at Irem Beach. He’s one of my Newlings, actually. And a prime example of someone I would never have met outside of Home.
Not just because he’s in a different part of the country. He’s a mixed-race kid from a poor, abusive family. At age fifteen, still in high school, he is helping his girlfriend raise their infant daughter. He’s also one of the brightest, sweetist, genuinely good human beings I have the privilege to know.
We dance among the bubbles, facing the azure sea. “So how are you?” I ask, braced for a sad answer.
“Could be better. But okay.”
No worse than I had expected. “How’s the baby?”
His avatar seems to light up, transfigured with pure paternal joy.
“She’s wonderful. She’s just so… amazing!”
I like him. A lot. And he likes me. I’m his Commander, an adult he can talk to, if only through a keyboard, in this odd world of Home. He sends me notes, drops by in Home to see me. Being in this social group, this Collective, has given me the chance to touch his life. And, just possibly, to make a difference.
My Newling leaves to go to bed. He has school the next morning. And I remember I have work. I say my farewells and log off Home, then set the console to fold proteins while I sleep.
I’m still troubled as I prepare for bed, still wrestling with divided loyalties. But the encounter with my Newling has reminded me what’s important.
In Home, as in life, we need to make a difference.
There are many ways to do it. I can do it with the new group, the one I’m helping build. But I can also do it with the Homelings. I can be loyal to all my friends, in and outside the circle, the Homeling and the Fallen. Without betrayal. Without reservations.
I can do this. I can keep this balance for another day.
It’s not just about working harder. Boxer tried that, and look where it got him. What it’s about, is loving harder. “All you need is love,” John Lennon said. He was right. Understanding the depth of that simple statement has taken me a lifetime.
I can do this. Step by step, one day at a time. I can make it work.
I don’t know what next week will bring. But, tonight, I am still Commander SealWyf.
And I will return to Home tomorrow to dance among the bubbles, bonding with my friends as we klent the night away.
March 12th, 2011 by SealWyf | 56 comments
SealWyf is a museum database programmer by day, and an officer in the Homeling Collective by night. She has been active in online communities since before the Internet, and in console gaming since the PS1. In games, she prefers the beautiful and quirky, and anything with a strong storyline. She is utterly addicted to PlayStation Home.
Divided loyalties,something i’m quite familiar with on home.Ever since i joined my 1st group on home this has been a problem.Whenever possible i stay out of any arguements or disagreements between friends,it’s their business not mine,but in a group that isn’t always possible.Especially when your in a leadership position in that group,tough decision’s will have to be made at times.It’s one of the things no1 thinks of in their quest for advancement but always comes up,there may come a day when you will have to decide which is more important to you the group or the friend/s you are losing along the way.Idk how your group works but this is often made harder in some groups when the decision comes down from the top to erase a friend from your list.I don’t envy your position 1 bit,home is supposed to be fun but there’s nothing funny about losing friends.
Thanks for that, Cthulu. People who say, “But this isn’t REAL!” just don’t get it. The emotions are real, and that’s what matters.
So far, I have not been forced to make any really hard choices. But I’m aware that may change as the new group grows. But… we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Or we may find a way to ignore the bridge, with its associated trolls, and just play together happily in the water.
(Mixed metaphors are a SealWyf specialty.)
Being on of these “fallen” homelings, I’ve come to understand the stress it can put on friendships. When I finally made the decision to leave the collective (a decision which took many months for me to come to), a lot of my friends didn’t understand. They felt hurt, betrayed, just baffled as to why one of the most dedicated fluidic beings no longer wished to be a part of their group. While the reasons I left are my own (and soon to be published elsewhere), at the time I was still very angry. I starting fighting with people I was very close to, all because they needed a reason, needed closure. All the while I wasn’t wanting any of it. I just wanted some me time. Having now come to peace with things, I can once again be friendly with many of the homelings.Sure there are still those I refuse to speak to, even mute on sight, but those who I don’t feel wronged by, I see no point in being stand-offish with. Heck I’ll even readily give advice on Homeling matters, or defend them against an angry troll or two.lol.
In the end, we all have to learn things our own way. For some, that takes making a big move, even digitally, when things start to get bad. Some can just let things go, move on. Some can’t. So the important thing becomes not whether your in a group or not, but who your friends are, whether they be bald, furry, frosty, or fam. Friends, good friends, are hard to come by.So you need to not let things like how they dress, or what their rank is in what group, effect that. That’s your buddy, and nothing sohuld ever change that.
I appreciate your input, Tenchu. We haven’t always seen eye-to-eye (in fact, sometimes it was more like eye-to-knee) but there was always respect on both sides. Your insights into groups, their changing nature, and the dynamics of being inside or outside, are very valuable. I think we are cautiously edging toward a something like a friendship. And I’m delighted we can be colleagues at HomeStation.
yes Seal i agree, we haven’t always agreed, but respect has always been there. That is the most important thing to me. If you didn’t agree, you told me, you stated your case, never tried to offend. While I know I’m a very frank person, and my bluntness seemed to offend some, you always seemed to understand. To this day, your still one of my favorite Homelings, and one of my favorite co-workers
Speaking as an outsider who has known of the Homelings pretty much since my first day in Home, and who knows of at least a couple of friends who joined the Collective in the autumn of last year, I have to admit that the concept and its origins fascinate me.
The de-facto uniform is one of those interesting anomalies that while has been in Home for, well, ever, it seems, it’s not one that Sony itself really put into the spotlight and encouraged it’s Home users to obtain, like the hamster outfit, for example. (Which probably has to do with its free nature, but to continue before I ramble…) And yet, it’s seen quite frequently and has this very organized sub-community built upon its existence.
For a user -- like Mother -- to have taken such an object (Echochrome Suit) and see in it more than its original purpose (game reward) makes me think of our early ancestors who saw a stick or a stone on the ground, and saw in it a tool. How unspeakably awesome is that, to see the continuation of that evolutionary drive. You could also argue this is also the drive behind the glitchers, but that’s another theory for another time.
I really, truly loved reading this, Seal. The clear mental and emotional anguish you personally express at trying to be everything to everyone, and the ultimate Zen conclusion you arrive at is one I can thoroughly relate to. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you, Terra_Cide. I agree that the deep inventiveness of the Collective, the “what can I do with this?” impulse behind the Homeling uniform, is one thing that makes the group so attractive.
I am grateful that the readers (and my editor) have responded well to what became a very personal piece. I started writing it before the current crises; when they hit, I realized that the piece would either have to be scrapped, or be transmogrified into a personal memoir. I didn’t want to throw out what I already had, so stitched the personal stuff on, making a sort of Frankenstein’s Monster of an essay. Thank you for your kind comments.
Well, as an aunt of mine says, “when life gives you scraps, make a quilt.”
And as a result, I have a gorgeous, Snoopy-themed quilt for my son.
It’s time like these when language fails us. There is no right or wrong. There is only what is between. Follow your head or follow your heart and usually you will think the other would have been better. This is where science and religion fail us, leaving only philosophers whose best line breaks down to “Told you so!”
The only thing we can do is pick our way and don’t look back.
This is a great article about the shared experience we all have even though none of us were there. Take heart in that we all are there with you and there are no right or wrong answers. Just between answers.
I utterly agree, deuce_for2. One thing I have learned in 60 years of existence is that human relationships are rarely as simple as they are presented in the advice columns. Learning to see the real possibilities and dynamics of any given situation is a lifelong effort.
That said, emotions often resemble chemical reactions, with a preferred final stable state. You can keep them in an unstable state if you constantly pump in energy, but the moment you stop doing that, they slump into their simplest configuration. That is why remaining friends with ex-lovers is usually a hopeless task. But that is another story, or several of them, and probably not appropriate for HomeStation except as useful analogies.
“To thy own self be true”. I don’t mean be selfish but don’t ever give up anything that means so much to you. Turn it around, if you were the one that turned in your holographic key to your mother ship’s transport, would you want or ask your friend that still enjoys it to pack their bags, put on some hair and give up something they still enjoy? I’m sure your friend isn’t asking that of you. I liken it to being a child from a broken home (which sadly, many of us are). You don’t have to chose which you love more, your mom or your dad. No, its not easy to hear them speak badly of each other. There can be pain. But like you said… you just have to love harder. Enjoy everything that you can. And if the day comes that you HAVE to make a chose, then do it with your head held high knowing that it is not because you didn’t try or more importantly, that you didn’t love enough. Homelings, if I understand it correctly, are about respect, not just for each other, but for yourself. Because you are a Homeling doesn’t make you less of a friend to anyone, if anything it makes you more of a friend to many. Your Newling,you have touched someone that reached out.Would anyone ever have the right to ask you to give that up? The only thing that can ever make that call is your own heart… and it will always make the right call for you. It is not easy and I know my words can’t take away the weight that you bare. But until the burden out weighs joy, carry on.
Mad respect! And my heart, shoulder and ears are always open for you my new friend!
Thank you, Olivia. I am deeply honored to add you to my Friend List. And your words carry weight and authority. Thank you for the affirmation. I hope we will have many more long, deep conversations on Home, with or without a circle of curious default-shirted young males.
Sadly many times when ppl leave a fam they try to take as many ppl with them as they can in order to start a new fam,why they don’t put in the work to get new members is beyond my comprehension.Instead they destroy friendship’s and just generally cause trouble wherever they go.That’s what happened in the 1st group i was in and the person that started the chaos continued and still continues to be a menace to the home community to this day.A simple refusal to be third banana in his two-bit organization set in motion events too long and painful to relate here.Be very careful Seal,if one of the departed is as sneaking as that guy was 1st they will ask you to join,if you refuse then they will start spreading lies and rumors then magically messages with your name on them will appear and contain whatever the rumors accused you of.Of course it will be from the sneak who made an account that at 1st glance looks like yours,a capital I looks like a lower case L on the ps3 messaging system.I have no knowledge of your particular situation but i do know how shady characters operate from past experience,just something to be aware of.I am not accusing anyone in your situation of being shady but these are the times when ppl’s true colors show and if any of them were ever going to betray you it will be in times like these.I just don’t want to see the same thing that happened to me happen to you,it can get very ugly.
Whe people start acting evil you cannot win. Let them keep raining and you be the parade.
Those that sink to that level are just that… sunk
There are reasons why I registered SeaIWyf (with the capital I) some months ago.
But thanks for the heads-up.
*wipes tear from cheek*
First off, just want to say, “LOVE THIS ARTICLE!” (obviously)
Although it is saddening, the friends lost due to discrepancies, perspectives, or attitudes within the Homeling Collective, and it is likely that the majority of these lost friends will be gone for good with lingering double-sided sours, and even though many of these lost “Fallen” friends did go out with a bang… it does tend to strengthen the core of the Collective. Damaging efforts are fruitless at best.
As far as what the impact might be on the stoopid hooman pilot of the Nosdrugis avatar goes? Well… have been Homeling a loooong time. It can be quite exhausting -- and morally taxing. It tests one’s resolve, and causes one to reflect on their own personal perspective and ideals.
Made a decision long ago. Homelings is personally the single most important thing in the realm of Home. Have made many a sacrifice, both in Home and stoopid real life, to help nurture the Collective’s growth. Homeling health and welfare as a whole is always job one. Well… job two, since job one is really to have fun.
Why some beings feel they must try to destroy something which they claimed to have loved, or why they feel the need to “cause a ruckus” on their way out, or even why some feel they must leave Homelings in order to create or be a part of a new group, are beyond the comprehensionings that go on inside of this *taps nosnoggin with index finger* silly brain.
Am thinks for some it is for personal gain and glory, for Homelings -- the Collective, tends to overshadow most personal efforts, since contributions made as Homelings are supposed to be for the good and glory of the Collective. For many, this is simply too much. They wish to be in the spotlight as an individual to all of Home, not just to their fellow Homelings. THAT is not enough. And they can see no alternative. To seek fame among the Home community under the guise of “for the community” is a veritable death sentence.
Have seen more than a few groups that have attempted to emulate the Collective’s ideals fall hard. For it is not always enough to have ideas, effort, experience, and/or past glories as key elements. There must be a mutual respect. Respect begins at the beginning. Something created from something other than what it claims cannot build upon it without concern of the foundation crumbling.
For your new group, Seal, Imagine!, can see it having great success, since it has the fuel of great minds such as yourself, DarthGranny, and some others to propel it. At this time the members list seems heavily laden with Homelings and/or ex-homelings. It is a pity that some were shut out from the fun beginnings for whatever reason. Am hopes the fun it radiates in its infancy continues on for you, but more even, that your ability to balance the funs in your Home life do not become a burden. It is ok to not put 110% into every Home interest.
Only Homelings truly know what it is to be Homeling. Only Homelings feel the feelings spurred by a good klenting… or assimilating Newlings… or watching a video of a glorious Homeling happening. Yes, outsiders may marvel and even enjoy bearing witness to these glories, but “experiencing” them as a Homeling… almost defies description.
Homelings has enabled many to come in contact with beings they would never have known existed. To build strong friendships and trust. To see points of view previously unknown. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to basically give a royal “Up Yours” to claimed friends.
To love harder. That is indeed the answer. While being a Homeling General is often a thankless and emotionally draining position, the relationships formed along the way -- retained or lost -- make it a labor of love, and well worth every moment.
Homelings does not make us. Suppose clarity comes when the right question is asked -- the question that we are not likely to ask ourselves. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjrdSt9brFE
I am proud to be a member of Homelings -- and Imagine! —-and also Grey Gamers —--and a staff writer for HSM and for PSHomeGazette ——-and a pic contributor to Ladies’ Fashion Runway in the HomeForum —————and a party crasher at any other group party I can find. It is completely possible to have it all. It just takes a sense of humor and the ability to accept whatever comes along without letting it to you. Home is about having FUN, folks. Lots of fun -- and any bacon you might find. I would be miserable to lose any of these groups and activities. Thank heavens none of them are foolish enough to impose a restriction to membership that it must be exclusive.
* very deep bow *
You’ve given me a lot to think about, General. Thank you.
For me, the highest goals in life are building relationships, and creation — making things happen. Personal fame — well, it’s a trip when some total stranger comes up to me in Home and says, “Hey, I love your stuff in HomeStation!” But even there, the recognition is for my work, and not for me, if that makes sense.
What we’re trying to do with Imagine! is to build an umbrella organization that provides logistical support and a critical mass of creative minds, and then encourage people to play with the tools that Home has given us. Which is, in a way, exactly what I was and am doing in the Collective, but with a more limited population. Thanks to Lab and me, Homelings now know how to produce art shows, poetry readings, Newling Parties, and streaming audio. With a little more work, I think we could pull off a Comedy Club that would not be a total embarrassment. The Arts Committee has come up with a hilarious set of Homeling Horoscopes, which only need some illustrations before they appear in HomeStation Magazine. (looks pointedly at Homeling illustrators)
The reward, from a personal perspective, is that in encouraging other to create, I also hone my own skills. Because of Imagine!, I’m learning how to manage websites and make videos, and my Photoshop skills are getting a rapid refresher course. Lab is threatening to teach me music-mixing. It’s a mad scramble, but it’s fun.
I’m also having to think deeply about the philosophy and mechanics of group creation: rules and ranks, member recognizability, and the whole clubhouse vs. website debate that you and I have had on occasion. The Imagine! founders have deliberately set off on a very different path than the Collective: no uniforms, no named ranks, and no requirement of clubhouse membership. Membership is determined by website membership; we strongly encourage our members to join the website, if only to get onto the mailing list for the weekly newsletter.
Our rule-set at present is absurdly simple: age 18 or older, respect the Sony TOS, and “Don’t be a jerk.” At some point, we may have to rethink our philosophy. Named ranks may become necessary, and “Don’t be a jerk” may be a little too subjective to enforce, when push comes to shove. But that is for the future.
I certainly understand that sometimes things get so painful that people need to cut all ties and run away. And that “leaving with a bang” may be the simplest way to ensure that it’s not easy to return. I’ve done that with a few personal relationships, and I’ve always been ashamed of using that exit strategy.
Perhaps the real difference is that I’ve had a few extra decades to mull over the consequences, and I’m also at the age where personal mortality is starting to be a consideration. We humans need to be gentle with one another, because we are fragile beings with a limited time to share on this planet. Every day I am thankful that I have time left, and such good friends to share it with.
Thank you for being one of them.
* bows *
Not all of us felt that love you speak of Nos. I in fact was told by one, that I was “tollerated for the good of the collective for all that i contributed”
Now I don’t know about the others, and cannot speak on their behalf, but “tollerating for the good of the whole” is not friendship, it’s a relationship of usage. While people are entitled to their opinions of each other, allowing people to think you are friends with them, all the while truthfully looking on them as a tool, is not only wrong, it’s appaling.
This is why this fallen has left homelings. not to turn my back on my true friends, they are still in the same spot on my friends list that they’ve always been. but those that love the growth and fame of the collective more than those who are part of it. THAT is the only thing wrong with what is a very epic, and amazing group of people, whom I still look on very affectionately. But I cannot just know how some feel about me and just continue on like nothing is wrong. I gave no royal “up yours” to anyone. I was the one told that.
While i love Homelings and would have loved to continue doing everything I did for their combined glory, I could not, would not, give respect to those who looked on myself and others as nothing but tools. We aren’t tools, we’re people, and I for one only ever asked for that single recognition.
OK, I think I am going to get flamed for this, but, I feel like what is going on in the comments section following this article is a personal situation that is still unresolved. It’s like overhearing your parents (or other people you really care about) discussing something you really didn’t want to know. Can we lay this to rest now? It’s time to make peace. You are all excellent people and I value each of you as a friend. My day is not complete if I haven’t heard from Sealwyf, Nos, DJTenchu and others in Home. Let’s all start from that base and rebuild.
just tired of hearing about it granny. This happened 3 months ago.You’d think homelings would have new things to talk about by now
Sorry, Tenchu, but… what? Do not recall your name being mentioned.
Apologies, Granny, but have to add…
Am unaware of any “tolerating” of individuals for the good of the whole. Trimming the fat for the good of the whole, definitely. You were not in either category, to this Homeling’s knowledge, Tenchu. Were there issues? Yes. Were we working toward resolving them? Thought we were *shrugs*. It is unfortunate that some do not get along with others. That’s the way it will always be. We can’t like everyone. Setting aside personal gripes for the good of the whole should always take precedence. There is a fine line. Some walk it constantly. Some try to step around it. Some choose to be on one side, some on the other. Some refuse to acknowledge that line at all. Some use it to their own twisted benefit. It is also unfortunate that some individuals will stop at nothing to get their way, including throwing their friends under buses.
Tenchu, am glad that some are gone. Am sad about others. But it’s all about personal choice. Some choose to go about things in a manner that offends, and there are others who will fuel that manner, knowing fully well what direction a situation is likely to take in fueling it. Those types usually work their way to being on the outside by choice. Some have to have that choice made for them. Most of the time though, it is a voluntary choice -- a great fiery exploding ball of voluntary choice.
Have personally not faked friendship with anyone. That said, there are some who make friendship harder than others. Some live to create drama. Some create drama unintentionally. Fact is -- there would be no drama without the instigating and fueling of it.
In no way was Tenchu singled out in the previous Nos reply. Simply a generalization of observations.
never mentioned nos in my reply either. Have always thought that the collective as a whole is a good, joyous thing. I have decided to write up my story as I have grown tired of half baked notions and justifications of why myself and others have chosen to leave. I promise now as i have before; there won’t be any mudslinging, just the truthful accounts of what my time as a homeling was, and still is. I will change names so as no one feels singled out (as i know that was one of the primary problems to begin with).
all n all have no problems with Nos or seal or 99% of the lings. as i have said and always will say. most of them are like family. sadly there are a few (not so many anymore) who took joy in drama and making people feel unwanted. while i agree you can’t get along with everyone, no one should be allowed to single others out to make them feel uncomfotable. when i was the guilty party in that, no one had a problem pointing it out, but should one of the brass do it, what then? accuse others of lying when by my count now 12 commanders,2 generals, and who knows how many others have pointed in the same direction. acceptance of the obvious seems to be neccesary by now.
at this point i’m putting my half of the arguement to bed. I will tell my story, and then wash my hands of this whole sad affair. i hope you check it out and see how i REALLY feel about things.
Seal and everyone else: i openly apologize for my part in putting this out on here. but it’s aggrivating when people don’t know the facts.
so sorry again, and i will put this to bed now.
Looking forward to that read
Am also looking forward to that read.
I was going to keep quiet, I don’t feel this is the right place for this, but I don’t know where is.
“Am unaware of any “tolerating” of individuals for the good of the whole.”
This quote I find interesting. I find it interesting, because every homeling that has left, has stated this is so, lab included.
I don’t want to get into a mudsling match either.
I left the way I did because it was painful to do so. Eight months lab was a homeling. A very devoted one. But lab didn’t like what lab was becoming, and had to ‘break free’.
If I could go back to that day in CP where I was on the bench, and phats approached me, I’d do the exact same thing. I met alot of wonderful people. Learned alot about stuffs, and myself. Yes. I would do it all over again.
As for comments made about pulling from a group left to make a new group, I purposely deleted all on my friend’s list to avoid that. If it happens, I had nothing to do with it.
That’s my 2 loonies worth.
Nuts.
Would like to reiterate the following:
1. HomeStation Magazine is a pro-Homeling publication. The Collective, from my personal observation, is filled with some remarkably talented people, several of whom I consider personal friends.
2. All HSM team members — Homeling, Fallen, hirsute or otherwise — are equally valued, regardless of past history. HSM is its own entity.
3. I personally hope that differences which lay unresolved beneath the surface can at least find some closure. Real life is too short as it is to spend our virtual lives in unnecessary anguish.
4. Nos, we *so* need you on a podcast.
5. This is an outstanding article by Seal.
6. Nachos.
Just to be perfectly clear:
Have nothing against Tenchu. Considered friend.
Have nothing against Imagine!. Wish the group well.
1. Nos is a pro-HSM Homeling.
2. Cannot speak for all Homelings, past or present.
3. Agreed.
4. Ok.
5. That + beer(s)
1. HSM is sorta overrun by Homelings and ex-Homelings at the moment. I think this says a lot about the sheer concentration of creative talent in the Collective. Either that, or the snapshots from the HSM Holiday Party were a lot more revealing than we realized.
2. Multiple hats are useful, with or without underlying fur.
3. Agreed and seconded.
4. Dooo eeet!
5. Thank you!
6. And chocolate.
Hmm… seemed to have skipped #5 and made #6 #5, so…
5 that was 6 that should have been 5. YES.
Unable to stop thinking about nachos now.
*drools*
Thanks a lot
1.Agreed, homelings as a whole rock.
2.HSM PWNS ALL
3. There is a reason people used to settle things with duels.
4. Bring forth the epic Nosvoice
5. Seal is always amazing
6. Mt. Dew and cookies
Ahhhh yes duels,i think home would benefit with a dueling area.Provided both parties agreed and the results were binding many fueds currently at work in home would be taken care of relatively quick and painlessly.I can think of a couple ppl i’d love to draw swords with,then maybe after we could have a beer and discuss the future instead of the past.Look forward to reading your article DJ,i’m sure your decision to leave wasn’t easy.
Well, there is the Slap-Happy Sam space. That’s sort of a duel.
True but can be easily”fixed”by having friends get involved.I was thinking of a more 1on1 game.
True enough. I don’t suppose chess and Reversi count.
I’m sure they do with some ppl,but the ppl i have in mind wouldn’t go near either one.Too damaging to their”tough guy”image i guess.Personally i like chess and would agree to that as a medium for grievence resolution,but like i said both parties would have to be willing and there is nothing binding in a game of chess.Sadly they have already proven their promises mean nothing so their personal pledges aren’t worth much.In disagreements between ppl who have some sense of honor this might be alright but not everyone has that.
I know. I was being ironic. And the more I think about it, the more I agree that a dueling space would be utter, monetizable win. The results of duels could be announced on leaderboards for all to see, and the winner could get a virtual item to advertise his pwnage. Best of all, it would pull the testosterone-poisoned out of Central Plaza and into their very own virtual battleground, where they won’t be bothering us.
Lol,now you are starting to see the potential,but this doesn’t have to be limited to just the testosterone laden.The manner of conflict resolution is really wide open,you could have a debate judged by a panel of say eleven totally random disinterested ppl yet charge a small fee for ppl to watch.To be totally fair the panel would have to be sealed away from crowd influence but i’m sure that’s all workable.Most ppl at large fam fights are just there to watch anyways,so why not make money off this?This is just one way to make money,of course there are the”physical” events that could be used,boxing,fencing,even auto racing.Pretty much any game,pseudo-courtroom,or combination of the two could be used with sony collecting fees from the principles and the spectators alike.And yes i realize you were being ironic and because idk what i’m doing with this computer, *smiley face* back at you,lol.
Ya’ll realize I was talking about like 2 guys, 2 pistols, walk,turn round, and shoot…right?? Like to the death?
Although, if there was a game where the loser recieved the ban hammer? I know a few people I’d challenge >=)
Have you ever read Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery”, Tenchu?
Games with permanent consequences would be an interesting concept. I wonder how many people would participate?
It the Cable TV Series Caprica games are played in virtual reality with a ‘holloband’. There is one game, “New Cap City”, if you die, you can never play again, your avatar is permanently erased.
This would be an interesting concept. A game that when you die, you can no longer play. A good social experiment.
imagine how careful everyone would be in the begining.lol
Sorta like real life?
Just wait until you get to the age of 72 and wake up each morning amazed that you have one more day to play with. Facing your own mortality means not taking death so lightly anymore. You will also be amazed how accepting you become of the irritations that others can bring to the table. It becomes “Live -- and let live”.
Trust me i understand mortality, having come very very close to dying on more than one occasion.That doesn’t change my opinion that sometimes an arguement needs finality, and sometimes that can only be reached via extremes. Not saying that I would delight in murdering someone (though there are some who would love to push that.lol), just that somethings can’t be “forgive and forget” having tasted betrayal a lot in life, sometimes that philosophy cannot be applied while maintaining your sanity and peace of mind. Thus, even painball would do it for me.lol
In 99 cases out of 100 I’d probably agree with that,but there is always that 1 in a 100 case to deal with.Sometimes some1 will do something that if you do nothing will only encourage others to try to copy them.In a group setting this is even more so,word always travels fast in groups and if the betrayal/s were committed for advancement purposes you can be sure others will take notice of the results so if the betrayal/s seem successful more will surely follow.”Live-and let live” is a good rule of thumb but like almost any rule i can think of,there are exceptions.
Yeah!!!!! I’m a Homeling now!!!!
Littlepeddler. Some ppl I see as newlings and think… “Hmmmmm time will tell” others I see and think “Now that one will be a GREAT Homeling”. Your the latter of the two. Enjoy the collective! And thanks for helping with the “mall blob”. I had a blast!
Mickey I had a great time as well. Many will find out about me that any when I apply myself I am a most productive person. Where I feel there is a need for something I apply myself wholeheartedly. I am chairman of an online club I started in Nov. 2008 and today it is the worlds largest online site for the education and content with over 215 paid memberships. ( That;s just a small pat on my back)
I just need to learn right now what the Homelings value to me actually really is. I need to learn how I can benefit them. What I can bring to the table so to speak.
I need to learn how I can become of service to them.
They all seem like wonderful beings and so far so good. But never think I am sitting back and my mind is not turning as how I offer myself to the Homelings.
Once I fully educated…….watch out. Because this little peddler will be spreading the glory. So yes Time Will Tell.
I’m looking forward to meeting you, littlepeddler. *bows*
As to the value of the Homelings — you get out of the group what you bring to it. It sounds like you are bringing a lot to the table. Welcome!
It’s also true that the Collective gives a lot back to its members, if they are prepared to receive it. When, because of the events described in this post, I was was debating whether I should leave Homelings, I shared my thoughts with a number of real-life and online friends. The reactions of two of them really hit home.
One was a friend I originally met on Home, who has since become a real-life friend, regularly driving several hundred miles so we can spend time together. His reaction: “But you’ve grown so much since joining that group! I’ve seen it.” I should mention that he’s not a member of the Collective. He’s judging my real-life self, not my Homeling persona.
The other is a real-life friend, one of my closest, who is an avid PS3 gamer but rarely on Home. We work at the same museum, meet up several times a week for lunch, and about once a month we drive up to Atlantic City for a weekend of casino gambling. We’ve known each other almost 20 years now, and have shared some very hard times. And, when I told him I was thinking of leaving the Collective, his immediate reaction was, “But they’ve given you so much!”
Those statements, both of them, set me back. If my real-life, non-Homeling friends could see how much the Collective had changed me, how could I deny it? And so I made my resolution to balance Homelings and Imagine! as best I could, even if it meant some tense relationships and some very late nights on Home. I have not regretted my decision.
umm hi this is totally off the subject.. i just want to say how much i love the homelings.. i been on home for almost three years now.. and i can say outta all the krews the homelings is like jedis to me..i love them their the most respectiful group of home neighbors ever..one main reason.. they dont judge on clothing..lol thank u homelings love all yall..
Erica!
Am recalling meeting you in the mall one fine day. Do you remember that? Was funny. Your PSN ID just kinda jumped out at Nos and attention just kind of got all tangled up in it.
Thanks for the kind words
Sweetest words this Homeling has heard in a long time! Thank you Erica!!
If you ever decide you would like to join us, Erica, you know where to find us.
::bows::