The dawning of a new era: COM Fun CLUB

For about ten days now, I have been obsessing over something called the COM Fun CLUB. Keep in mind, though... I only have a superficial understanding of what is going on there, and I'm sure that there are scores of inside jokes and details that are completely lost on me because I don't speak Japanese.

Nevertheless, I delight in what I do know, and I am extremely grateful to the lovely Yuyu Flores for introducing me, and to my new Japanese friends and gracious hosts who took the time to clue me in: NOW2000 Jewell, Maruru Mayo, and of course, Giorno Brando.

Let's get you started here. It all begins at the entrance of COM Collection 2008 (teleport directly from here).



The COM is a cute little green bird. You can get your own for $20L, and it is full perm.



You can also pick up a free test tube to later exhibit your COM after you have customized it, although I don't know if your bird would be accepted at COM Collection 2008.



Here is a mug shot of my first mods to my own COM. It's meh, and mini meh!



I met with NOW2000 Jewell, who owns the sim the COM Collection sits on. She was in the company of Maruru Mayo...


Maruru Mayo and NOW2000 Jewell... hula COMs

...and Giorno Brando, who also happens to make the best sushi in Second Life, as far as I can tell.


Giorno Brando - island COM

NOW2000 used a translator, which delayed the conversation a bit, but not uncomfortably. Sure would be nice to have an equivalent translator for English to Japanese...

How did this get started?

NOW2000 Jewell: Originally, the companion showed the work each other. It made it to the form like the exhibition because it was good at work. The person named Giorno Brando made (the first) COM.

The companions all have companies?

NOW2000 Jewell: It is not a character of the enterprise. Customizing inadvertently started recently.

How many people make COM?

NOW2000 Jewell: Now, the confirmed number is about 30.

Do you have more (COM)? Or do you wear the same ones every time?


NOW2000 became very pink and rosy

Maruru Mayo: 3.....4 brothers? lol

NOW2000 Jewell: lol. Other companions become the one that has been exhibited.

And yes! The periphery of the Collection area features dozens of very fine and unique COM, all standing in their test tubes.


Golden COM By Giorno Brando


COM photographer (and videographer, too!) by Miyaoka Hitchcock


COM nurse by Kisskiss Zemlja who also makes the incredible un-real avatar

I was invited to fly up to the COM coop... and that's when I learned how to dance!



NOW2000 gave me some special maracas for tinies, and then came further instructions:

NOW2000 Jewell: ^^ say action!

Suddenly my avatar was shaking the maracas and dancing with my friends.

NOW2000 Jewell: Say stop

Bettina: stop

Our avatars came to a grinding halt.

NOW2000 Jewell: say manbo!

Bettina :D manbo?

NOW2000 Jewell: manbo!

Bettina: manbo!

Oh, we were really hitting it to a hot Latin tune, and shaking those maracas, all together!

Maruru Mayo: Yay, you can do it. :D

NOW2000 Jewell: When he or she hears the command, the person who has the maraca begins to dance all together.

I filmed a few sequences during this gathering but, lamentably, I made several errors. I even went back the next day with Madcow Cosmos, Ellen Boyd, and Rand Lanzius, but the audio was still messed up, so you will just have to go and experience this yourselves.


Ellen, me, Rand, and Madcow whooping it up

There's an awful lot going on at COM Fun CLUB, and it appears to be changing every day. There is one aspect to all this that I find a bit disturbing... it appears that they eat their own...



You are cannibals? You eat COM also? :D

Maruru Mayo: Lol
Giorno Brando: ！
NOW2000 Jewell: It is coming to want to eat, dear.

I see you are cooking your COM.

Maruru Mayo: Yes, it super joke, lol > eat COM.
Giorno Brando: (I ate curry... very delicious).
NOW2000 Jewell: It is delicious.

Hahahaha

Giorno Brando: I'm not dinner! XD
Maruru Mayo: COM = Bird = fried? Boiled? Baked? lol
NOW2000 Jewell: hehehe
Giorno Brando: I'm only a parrot.



After such a pleasant time, I took my leave of the COM Fun Club and my new friends, and pondered... could this be the dawning of a whole new era in my Second Life? And then I let out a little chirpy sigh...