The Lochwoods and RHO
by Burbie52, HSM team writer
It all started so simply:
Standing in the Central Plaza with a few friends, watching people being harassed by trolls, Mr. and Mrs. Lochwood decided to start something to distract people away from their bad behavior. So they started a game of tag.
That’s right — tag. Like you used to play when you were a child.
At first, there were only a few who joined in; each time they did this, however, it grew. Pretty soon, they had to get more organized, as they were getting quite a few friend requests and their lists were filling up quick. So they decided to begin a club with nothing but fun and parties in mind. And RHO was born.
RHO stands for Recreational Home Organization. It is a large group of people dedicated to making Home a better and more fun place to be. Many have stumbled onto one of their parties by chance and wondered what it was all about; who are these people, and why do they seem to be having such a great time dancing in the middle of the mall?
They are quite a large group now. They have five clubhouses — six if you count the one for sub-leaders — and they might have another one soon. Unlike many clubs, they don’t have regular club meetings; instead, they just have parties, and these parties are very successful.
I was privileged to interview Mr. and Mrs. Lochwood, and this is what they had to say.
HomeStation Magazine: How long have you been in Home?
Lochwoods: It will be two years in March.
HSM: What first brought you to Home?
Lochwoods: Curiosity, like most people. Bought a PS3, found the Home icon on the XMB and the rest is history.
HSM: I’ve heard that you are agoraphobic, Mr. Lochwood; is this true?
Mr. Lochwood: Yes, I haven’t left my home for almost twelve years. Home is my social life, and in many ways has been very good for me by allowing me to express things I can’t in the real world.
HSM: How long have you and Mrs. Lochwood been married?
Mr. Lochwood: We have been happily married for fourteen years and we have nine wonderful children.
HSM: Nine children? Wow, just being parents must be a full-time job. What are are their age ranges?
The Lochwoods: From eight to twenty-eight, six boys and three girls.
HSM: When did you start RHO?
Lochwoods: In June of 2009. Of course, we never thought it would grow as it has since then.
HSM: How do you think Home is doing, developmentally?
Lochwoods: Better in the last six to eight months. I believe they are going to go out of beta and are doing much better now.
HSM: What would you like to see change or improve in Home?
Lochwoods: The ability to change clothes anywhere, including in another peoples’ personal apartments, would be nice. Also, a better ability to block or eliminate trolls.
HSM: You distribute PSN cards out at some of your parties; when did this start?
Lochwoods: It began at our first Halloween bash in 2009; it was a prize for best costume. We have continued the practice because it draws people and the community loves it. We have found that though some may come just hoping to win the cards, most don’t care now — they are just there to have a good time. Everyone has a chance to win, as I just have them send me a private response and pick a random number as the winner, like a radio station contest.
HSM: How many people are in RHO now?
Lochwoods: Right now we have approximately 150 members and five clubhouses: RHO, DELTA, TAU, PHETA and PHI, and also ALPHA for subleaders. We might be adding GAMMA soon if needed.
HSM: What do you think of having some sort of welcome center in Home?
Lochwoods: Not sure if that would work; I would be worried about gangs, fams and so forth hanging out there to recruit newer people who have no idea what they would be getting into. I think having a PDA with info on it during the tutorial would be a better solution.
HSM: What do you see as the future of RHO? Is there anything new on the horizon?
Lochwoods: The future of RHO is as bright and exciting as its beginnings and its life so far. We do have some events and parties coming up soon, but I can’t divulge any of the details at this time.
I personally have been to several of the Lochwood parties, and I have always enjoyed their company and the fun involved. They are two wonderful people who have chosen to make Home a better place by investing their time and energy into this so-called “imaginary” world that we all occupy. The team of people who work with them have all chosen the same path, and I say thanks to all of them for their efforts.
I’d like to thank both of the Lochwoods for giving me their time for this interview. They are very busy people in Home and in real life, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to speak with them. I hope that they and RHO prosper and grow as much as Home does.
March 25th, 2011 by Burbie52 | 4 comments
Burbie52 is a 62 year-old published author and founder of the Grey Gamers group within Home. Born and raised in Michigan, she has lived there her entire life, with the exception of a twelve-year residency on the Big Island of Hawaii. She enjoys reading and writing, as well as video games, especially RPG's. She has one son in his twenties.
Thank you, Burbie. I had heard mention of RHO here, but knew nothing about them. I am glad that there are positive groups on home like RHO. I love hearing about them. Keep up the good work.
Just love your interviews here at HSM. Lots of things I didn’t know about the Lochwoods. They do a lot to promote home and they should be applauded for it.
WOOT Lochwoods!
GO TEAM RHO!!! Love The parties!!! I try to attend every party they have! They are one of the single most fun things to do on Home.