Speaker 1:
0:00
Is there a special like experience that you would say really helped you, really help shape you into the person you are today?
Speaker 2:
0:08
I was diagnosed with cancer back in 2021. So there were people in here that that surrounded me and talked to me and got my mind off of things, you know, as I was going through tests and this and that and the other, I could get on here in the evening and just be myself.
Speaker 1:
0:26
Welcome to the New Horizons podcast. I'm Brian Curie.
Speaker 3:
0:30
And I'm Shauna Curie, also known as Mr and Mrs Killer Bee, in virtual reality. So this podcast is recorded live from the metaverse at the Killer Bee Studios where real life stories and experiences are shared in a way only the metaverse can offer.
Speaker 1:
0:44
With that, let's go ahead and dive into today's episode. Hey everybody, Welcome to the Killer Bee Studios. It's good to see everybody. I don't even know how to use this confetti can anymore. I'm hurting myself here. You see this.
Speaker 3:
0:57
As long as you're not hurting me, look at this. I know it's amazing.
Speaker 1:
1:03
It's been such a long time, mrs Killer Bee, we've been on such a long break.
Speaker 3:
1:07
Long, long break. Yep, it's so exciting to see everybody.
Speaker 1:
1:10
And we're super excited to be back and to see every one of you and tonight for the brand new show, the special series that we're doing. Do you remember what it's called, Mrs Killer Bee?
Speaker 3:
1:21
Beyond the Avatar, obviously, what'd? You say Behind the Avatar.
Speaker 1:
1:26
Behind the Avatar. Behind the Avatar.
Speaker 3:
1:27
yeah, I did say it wrong the first time I was like oh yeah, I 100% have this. And then I was like oh yeah, I said it wrong.
Speaker 1:
1:36
Whoops, and we decided to add a new special series for a limited time that we're going to add, called Behind the Avatar, to allow a spot for us all to come together and get to know the person actually behind the avatars, the people that a lot of you have come to love, and the beautiful thing is that each one of you have a story that we would love to hear. All right, I think I got everything. There is anything I missed there, mrs killer?
Speaker 3:
1:59
I don't think so sounds good all right, cool, awesome.
Speaker 1:
2:03
Well, are you guys ready for us to bring out our guests? Are you guys ready for our guests to join us? All right, so let's rain her with confetti and let's go ahead and hit that guest music yada. And let's bring dear out to the killer bee studio stage. If she knows, how have you ever been here before?
Speaker 5:
2:20
come on yeah, there you go. I have been here before I don't think.
Speaker 1:
2:30
You're usually on that side. They're usually on this side, right yes, this is definitely different.
Speaker 2:
2:36
I was just telling somebody. I was like, man, I'm I'm kind of nervous, like usually I'm over there. I mean, yeah, I'm like, wow, you're in control yes, right, that's right, you're in control yes, yeah, yes, she doesn't know the questions we're gonna ask usually so for those
Speaker 1:
2:54
of you that are new deaner hosts a show on here called creator spotlight. It was just last night and you guys, it was packed in here, so great turnout and she interviews creators all from horizon, worlds and builders, and, and last night you had uh, you had louie louie on here. Yeah, it was an awesome, awesome time, and the great thing about hers is, if you didn't make it, you'll be able to watch a replay on youtube. So, uh, you can just follow us on instagram and we put post links on there, but uh, so yeah, so you're used to interviewing people and now you're being interviewed.
Speaker 4:
3:27
Yes.
Speaker 1:
3:29
You know, I don't think a lot of people know this, diener, I'm going to go and start here. I remember, I believe, that you're the first person that interviewed me on Horizon World.
Speaker 2:
3:43
Oh my gosh, yes, yes, wow. That takes me back like way back. So I had this idea Actually it was. I know I talk about MetaCreators sometimes it's Joe Brancic, shoelace and I and they had this idea that I should do interviews and stuff. They were like you'd be great at that. So we made this world called Whimsical and there is actually a little studio in the back through one of the. If you go to Whimsical and go through the pink, there's like a little pink house.
Speaker 4:
4:25
Takes you to dish.
Speaker 2:
4:26
Dish and eats with dinner is what it was called dinner. Yeah, yes, yes, and I actually interviewed. I don't know if bernice is still here, but I also interviewed bernice there as well. I don't know if she's still here, but yeah, I totally forgot about that. That's that's how I started getting involved in, and it was crazy because I would like record the person talking and then I would go back and record myself, and then I would put them together.
Speaker 1:
4:55
It was it was crazy Cause it was like a one person show, but that's what I did. She would literally grab her camera out like this, and she'd run over here and then she's like okay, go, and then she'd record, and then she'd run back over here and then she'd record herself and she'd run back over here.
Speaker 2:
5:12
Yeah, it was crazy, but it worked. I mean yeah.
Speaker 1:
5:15
It did.
Speaker 2:
5:16
That's amazing Some of those are still on YouTube, guys Diner VR they're still on YouTube.
Speaker 3:
5:21
Yeah, really I want to go see that. I didn't even know about that. It's like three years ago.
Speaker 1:
5:27
I'm going to take you to the world, Mrs Killer, because if I remember right, Diener, in the studio I was like is that a little tiny door? Isn't there like a little tiny door in there?
Speaker 2:
5:38
It's the first world that I ever had in here and it's like a cross between Dr Seuss and Alice in Wonderland. So Joe Brancic actually mastermind came up with that idea of having like this little tiny house with this little tiny door and they're all over the wall in there.
Speaker 3:
6:00
Yeah.
Speaker 5:
6:02
So I want to see that.
Speaker 2:
6:03
Check it out.
Speaker 1:
6:03
Yeah, you'll have to check it out and if I remember right, like in the middle outside there's like a big bunny, right is that?
Speaker 2:
6:11
am I remembering right bunny?
Speaker 1:
6:13
yes, so there's a secret way to figure out how to get up there.
Speaker 2:
6:17
Yes, yes, and I. I had actually been in the hospital and I had surgery and we were in the middle of making this world. And I came back from the hospital and when I went into the world and build mode, I saw this big bunny from Joe Brancic and it said get well soon, buddy. And so he made me that rabbit that's in whimsical as like a get well, get well gift yeah that is sweet. It is front and center in that world right now.
Speaker 3:
6:53
Yeah, that's so sweet, I did not know that.
Speaker 1:
6:55
I did not know that.
Speaker 3:
6:56
I can't believe you've never taken me there. I mean bunnies and pink houses and Alice in Wonderland, inspired like that world was made for me. It's very colorful. Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2:
7:04
Yeah, world was made for me. It's very colorful. Yeah, it was. Yeah, that was my vision. I kind of told him what I was looking for and then we all just you know put our brains together and came up with it.
Speaker 1:
7:14
That's super cool, mrs Kilbrey. I didn't know that that would mean so much. Maybe the new studio, the next studio, will all be big bunnies and little doors and stuff for you.
Speaker 3:
7:21
Wonderful. It's got to be like little teacups and little vials and all sorts of fun things like that that's great.
Speaker 1:
7:29
Well, that, yeah, I didn't even think about it until just now. I was like, oh my gosh, like I remember that that time. Yeah, that was a flashback.
Speaker 2:
7:38
I have not thought of that in years. Yeah, Wow.
Speaker 2:
8:01
Well, deena, I would love to. I would love to ask you. You know I was like, oh, I should get one of those. It was during the pandemic, you know, it was late 2020 and I decided to get one, and so I did not know anything about a social app. I knew nothing about anything like this. I was thinking Beat Saber, I was thinking games, I was thinking that kind of stuff, and I thought it would give me something to do. I was working from home for two years during the pandemic, so I thought that would be cool, and so I ended up hitting something on the main menu and it took me into the social app. It was before venues, but it was venues before venues. Remember that?
Speaker 2:
8:49
Yeah, anyway, some person, some guy came up and said something to me Now I know I tell you guys, I am a total introvert. So this guy came up and started talking to me. I shut that thing down so fast, you wouldn't believe. And I went and told my friend. I said, oh my gosh, someone talked to me in there. I am never going in there. I don't know how I got there, but I'm never going in there again, like I was just no way. And so then, as the day went on, I started thinking about it and I was a little curious. For some reason I started getting curious and for all I know I think it might've been God, like saying hey, you need to get back in there because there's so many great things happening in here because I kind of tiptoed back in and but this time I was, I was prepared, right, I was locked and loaded ready to talk to somebody.
Speaker 2:
9:52
Like I prepared myself for this. So when somebody talked to me, I talked back and we actually had a conversation. I was like this is crazy.
Speaker 2:
10:04
So I ended up, you know, talking for a little while and then I didn't think it was so bad. And then somebody said, hey, have you heard of this thing called horizon worlds? And I'm like no, and he's like you should go over there. It's kind of like this, but it's it's more like worlds. And he explained it. So then I came over here and I was just by myself and kind of wandering around and met Joe Brancic and met Shoelace and met Hitchbow.
Speaker 2:
10:38
I've known Hitchbow longer than anybody in this whole place. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, and that's just how it all started.
Speaker 1:
10:48
So I would love to know from the audience how many of you, the first time you stepped in here, you're like whoa, what the heck? Throw some confetti if you felt like a little awkward and you felt like oh good.
Speaker 1:
10:58
So you're not alone in here. Dude, you're not alone, there's many of us here. That was like that. You know, I started up, mrs Killer Bee, when I first came in here. I like to get to know people, but I stayed quiet and kind of like hovered around people for a while, just soaking in, like what is this? What's really going on here, you know? So it's good to see that you're not alone. We actually have some people on the mic that's going to come up and share some stuff. So let's, let's, let's pause for just a second. And, yana, can you bring up the Q&A mic and let's have Yvonne come on up first. Welcome, yvonne.
Speaker 2:
11:35
Hello, I actually just have a comment. I actually met Diener over two years ago right here in Killer Bee Studios. Was it really this?
Speaker 4:
11:47
is where you guys met it wasn't this studio, it wasn't this
Speaker 5:
11:52
studio.
Speaker 2:
11:54
I don't know which version it was. There was a fire pit right outside the front there right out these doors.
Speaker 1:
12:00
Oh, that was version two, I think Right in the middle. Version two yeah, wow.
Speaker 4:
12:04
Yeah, so that's where.
Speaker 5:
12:05
I actually met Deer. That's incredible. That's beautiful, I love that, so I just wanted to share that and you know what I know.
Speaker 2:
12:14
I met Sills at Killer Bee Studios as well. Yeah, oh my gosh, uh-huh.
Speaker 1:
12:19
Bringing people together.
Speaker 2:
12:21
here we had a Thanksgiving thing and her and her brother showed up out of the blue.
Speaker 4:
12:28
That is so cool.
Speaker 2:
12:29
And now Sills and I. Just she's in Alabama, I'm in Michigan.
Speaker 3:
12:38
We both went to Indiana in November and hung out for a long weekend, and had a blast.
Speaker 5:
12:41
Yeah, that's awesome. I saw those pictures. That was so cool. Yeah, super fun. Love that it was it.
Speaker 2:
12:46
It's so weird when you become like, when you become close to people in here and the relationships are formed and and and you become you know, this bond is formed in here, as it is in real life, like the second we saw each other. It was like we had just stepped out of here and stepped into real life and just kept going Like it wasn't, like it was no different, was it? It was identical, yeah.
Speaker 1:
13:13
I know we've met a couple of people in here and I I do want to encourage, like, if there's any kids in here, make sure you don't meet anybody in real life from here, cause we don't really know the people. But you know, if you're parents and stuff like that, make sure you're always sharing that stuff with them. But as adults, yeah, we've got to know each other over the years and have built trust and friendships that we're able to connect and I love hearing that. I love it. I know we've got to meet Meta Mikey and his family in person and I think you guys have even got like a big arc encounter plan where the whole group, a lot of people from the groups- yeah, and so yeah, our church board, yeah, our church board is meeting up in April.
Speaker 1:
13:48
Yeah, that is cool, yada, if you want to bring it back up. The Q and a Mike, I've got two more people I'm going to bring up.
Speaker 3:
14:01
I have let's go ahead and bring up Air Mama. Air Mama, come on up to the mic. We'd love to hear what you have to share, and thanks for joining us tonight at the Killer Bee Studios.
Speaker 4:
14:05
Yeah, thanks for being here. So, believe it or not, it has been well over two years. I met the Killer Bee family and even you, diener, and to touch on sorry, my apologies, excuse me, Don't worry so to touch on, you do form real relationships in here. Yeah, and I've gotten close to each and every one of you and and other people. I mean, like there's people in this, in this crowd, that I've gotten close to and it's, I tell my husband, I said it's remarkable, but I'm like you do form real relationships in here and real friendships. And yeah, and it's just, I'm just honored to say that I'm so glad that I've met you guys and even some of the people back here.
Speaker 3:
15:11
We're so glad to have met you we feel the same way Amarla.
Speaker 1:
15:16
We love that you're here and we love it, and I think I've met your husband before in here too. Yes, air Daddy, yep, that's right.
Speaker 4:
15:25
Yep, Air Daddy, You'll get used to it. You know it takes a while.
Speaker 3:
15:28
Connected.
Speaker 1:
15:28
Yeah, exactly, air Mama, air Daddy.
Speaker 3:
15:31
Yep exactly.
Speaker 1:
15:32
Yeah, you know, air Mama. Thank you, air Mama.
Speaker 3:
15:34
Brian was in here, I think, for two years before I ever came in.
Speaker 3:
15:38
So you know, sometimes it just takes some time to understand you know, like you already know, what it's like to make these relationships and friends and see how powerful it is. And that's how it was for Brian. You know he was making these relationships and then I was like, oh, I get it, I want to be in there too. So you know, oh, I get it, I want to be in there too. So you know, sometimes it just takes time. It's harder for some people than others and you know, because I had never been into video games or anything like that, like it was really hard for me to get used to the headset. Even now it's not super easy for me. But yeah, so I believe he'll be in here with you more often, you know, in the future. I believe that oh yeah.
Speaker 1:
16:22
Awesome. Thank you, mama, thank you for sharing Absolutely All right. So let's go ahead and bring up Iris, and then after that we'll go ahead and move on to the next question for you, Dina Iris, thank you for joining us. I love the unicorn shirt Did you make that one Is that custom made by Iris.
Speaker 5:
16:40
It is custom made. So three years ago, last month. So Dina is one of the first people I knew as well. I know what you're going to say. No, I didn't know her from church. I didn't know her from MetaCreators and I didn't know her from church. I didn't know her from Metacreators and I didn't know her from Killer Bee Studios. We just bumped into each other in a world that I was checking out.
Speaker 2:
17:05
Yes, I was on lunch break. I remember she was one of the first people that I and we didn't really stay in touch after that like much I would see her around. Well, you mentioned.
Speaker 5:
17:16
World Hops, and I started doing that with you as soon as I learned about that right.
Speaker 2:
17:20
Yes, yes, but yeah, we totally bumped into each other. I was on my lunch break and we were in. This happened to be in the same world and that was very early on. Yeah, and then iris is one of my closest friends in here. Yeah, it's like Tanya's or Tanya's condo in Ottawa.
Speaker 5:
17:38
Yeah, so we were there and we checked out the Tron stuff in the basement. That was pretty cool. I totally remember that we talked about it a long time ago.
Speaker 1:
17:48
It was Tanya's condo.
Speaker 5:
17:50
you said Tanya's condo, Not the name of it, but that's what it is, yeah.
Speaker 1:
17:58
I'm going to say no T, not the name of it, but that's what it is. Yeah, no, tanya, you guys just randomly going through some strangers. And you guys ran into each other.
Speaker 2:
18:02
We randomly.
Speaker 5:
18:06
So so I think I was one of your early, early world hoppers.
Speaker 4:
18:11
I think for a long time, that's for a long time.
Speaker 5:
18:13
That's all I did with you, so yeah, right. And then I started meeting all the other people that you knew in your well, and that's because I started meeting other people too, you know, because it was just me when I met you.
Speaker 2:
18:25
It was just me. I was in here by myself, like yeah. So we all kind of just gravitated and found new people and our squad you invited.
Speaker 5:
18:35
You invited me to Enigma, yeah, so I came over to Enigma.
Speaker 2:
18:39
Yeah, oh my gosh, that was so many memories, thanks.
Speaker 4:
18:42
Iris, that's incredible. This was your life.
Speaker 5:
18:44
It was yours.
Speaker 2:
18:45
It was yeah.
Speaker 3:
18:46
This is your life, david.
Speaker 1:
18:47
All right, yara, you go ahead and take the mic down. We're going to go ahead and move to the next question. If you later on, if you guys have a question or thought, make sure you click the kiosk. You know, this is what I think is funny. Anybody that's listening to the audio podcast of this is probably thinking wait a minute, this doesn't sound normal that you two met walking through tanya's condo and you guys and you guys are saying that's like I was like one of the first world hoppers in real life that would be called burglars. You know, you're not supposed to be going through people's houses and meeting people that way.
Speaker 2:
19:20
That's what we do in here.
Speaker 1:
19:22
That's what we do in here.
Speaker 2:
19:24
And, honestly, everything is open and public if we're allowed to. It would be like everybody's houses in real life being unlocked and you weren't stealing anything, so you weren't being a burglar, Right?
Speaker 3:
19:35
you can't.
Speaker 2:
19:36
You can't steal anything.
Speaker 3:
19:37
It's impossible.
Speaker 2:
19:38
You can't take it with you.
Speaker 1:
19:40
That's hilarious, okay, so I'm going to move to the next question. Yada, before I move, did you have a question? Because I see the blue lights on? Are you good, or did you have something you wanted to say? Okay, so, guys, first some confetti for Yada. She's one of our new producers and she's learning as she goes and she's doing an amazing job. So, thank you so much, yada. Yada, if you just put your hand underneath the mic, there you go. Now. It's good you did it. See, everybody else is like what blue light you guys can't see it, only we can see it.
Speaker 3:
20:11
So if the producer is telling us wrap it up. She can send us signs, that is invisible to everybody else.
Speaker 1:
20:13
Exactly question, Dina. I have for you Good job. Do you think, Dina? Would you think that your avatar truly reflects who you are in real life, and how are they different if they're not?
Speaker 2:
20:28
Oh my gosh. Well, I don't. My avatar is like an 18-year-old avatar and not like a 54-year-old avatar.
Speaker 3:
20:37
Oh no, it's not not.
Speaker 2:
20:40
I think your avatar looks a lot like you. Um it. I mean if, if you look at pictures, there are similarities, yeah, for sure. I mean I'm I. I tried to get my avatar as close to my real life picture as I could. Yeah, but yeah, I, I, I and I try to. I mean, when I came in here, I, I did not try to be somebody that I wasn't like. And I know some people come in here and they try to be something else, which is fine. That's, everybody has the right to do that. Um, but kind of with me, what you see and what you hear is what you get, but kind of with me what you see and what you hear is what you get.
Speaker 3:
21:18
I have an add-on to that question Do you feel like you dress your avatar similar to how you dress in real life or do you like, do a different style?
Speaker 2:
21:26
Yeah, oh my gosh, If I had enough money to buy all this stuff, absolutely I mean my skirts would not be this short. I will tell you that Be a little more modest than some of the clothes they give us here, but yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:
22:05
That's awesome.
Speaker 2:
22:06
A lot of the stuff that I made, like this sweater right here. I would wear this you made that sweater. Yeah, that's so cool.
Speaker 1:
22:16
Good job, thank you that's cool, okay, so so, and you said that you know you mentioned just a little bit ago that you're an introvert would you say you're less of an introvert in her and behind the avatar than you are in real life? Like what would you say?
Speaker 2:
22:32
about not necessarily, um, I, as I have met people in here one-on-one and talk to them, and then somebody else will come into the group. I I'm usually good with that person because it's an extension of this other person. If you were to put me in a room right now with a bunch of people I didn't know, I would be the biggest wallflower in the corner that you wouldn't even know I was there. Yeah, so that's how it happens. So, yeah, I'm totally, totally introverted.
Speaker 1:
23:08
That's great. That's great. I think that I know. I think you're right there. Like you know, some people come in here and they want to be different than they are in real life and, like you said, like everybody has their, their choice to do that, and I was always, I'm always, curious, like the person that I'm talking to is this the way they would be like in real life, or would they be different? So, uh, so thanks for sharing that with us, deaner, did you have another follow-up question, mrs Killer Bee?
Speaker 3:
23:32
Not this time.
Speaker 1:
23:33
I think she asked you about the clothes. Because I asked her. I was like Mrs Killer Bee, where is your B-shirt? Because you know this is our. I have designed stage clothes for us and she showed up wearing a sweater. I'm like where's your B-shirt? She's like this feels more like me in real life. Yeah, this is the way. This is something I would wear, and I'm like not everybody else is wearing b-shirts well, this is.
Speaker 3:
23:56
This is what happened. So listen, don't hate me everybody. I know it's cold in the north, I understand, but it's also chilly in florida. And I looked, I looked in the mirror. I'm'm sorry, yvonne. I'm sorry, I'm glad you're muted. No, I'm just kidding. I looked in the mirror at my avatar and it was a short sleeve shirt and I was like, oh, I need a sweater today. So I just changed.
Speaker 2:
24:24
Yeah. Yeah, I'm in Michigan, so I've been wearing sweaters for a while. Yeah.
Speaker 3:
24:29
Yeah, so that's why I'm sorry, babe, if you would have given me a Killer Bee shirt that was a sweater I'd be set for these cold weather days.
Speaker 1:
24:38
I know that if I can't do it, Hitchbo has got a whole collection, so I'm sure he'll loan you a Killer.
Speaker 5:
24:43
Bee sweater.
Speaker 4:
24:44
Thank you, that would be amazing.
Speaker 1:
24:46
He comes in all the time with different ones. Dean, I would love to know when you take off the headset, when you take off the headset, what are some of your favorite passions, your hobbies or skills that you enjoy outside of the metaverse world?
Speaker 2:
25:01
Oh gosh. Well, you should have asked me that question before I got into the metaverse.
Speaker 1:
25:07
Now you do nothing.
Speaker 2:
25:08
Now it's this, now it's this. But well, if I'm not in here, I'm working. I have a full-time job. I work in breaking engineering. I've been there at my company for over 35 years.
Speaker 2:
25:27
And so that takes up, you know, a lot of my daytime. And then you know I'm scheduling stuff. I'm working for our church. You know scheduling. You know Bible studies, building Bible study worlds Yvonne and I piggyback with each other building immersive Bible study worlds for the church. And you know sending out the text to people and doing the social media marketing type stuff for the church, getting it out there. So, yeah, that's. That's a lot of of what I do, and when I'm not, I'm, you know, probably talking in our group chat with all the people in here that are our friends.
Speaker 1:
26:09
I know you guys do like a lot of game nights and stuff like that, so what did you do Like what did you do before you got the headset? Then Well, before some of the things you love doing.
Speaker 2:
26:19
Yeah, before COVID hit, I was busy, like every night. I was doing things for my on the ground church. I was working in a WANA with the kids. I was doing Bible studies in my real church on the ground church. Yeah, I was. I was leading. I was actually leading cardio drumming. I don't know if any of, but any of you know what cardio drumming is.
Speaker 5:
26:42
But if you don't just.
Speaker 2:
26:43
Google it. So you've never heard of cardio drumming.
Speaker 5:
26:47
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:
26:48
You're. You're just going to have to Google it.
Speaker 1:
26:51
Like, wear like a drum, like like at the March band and run.
Speaker 2:
26:54
It's a yoga ball and one of those big buckets and drumsticks, and so I started that at my, at my church, so we, we would do it to Christian, christian pop music, so yeah. So I was, I was busy, like as soon as I get home from work, I would go do stuff with the church group, and it was just so busy and then March 16th happened, 2020. And everything, just like you know, I didn't go to work for two years. I worked from home for two years, you know, and all the extracurricular things I was doing in the evening got, you know, completely smashed, so yeah, and then I got, I got this, so yeah, and it took me. It took me a good eight months. It took me a good eight months to kind of, in addition to finding, like right away, um, brancic and Shoe and Hitch, um, it took me about eight months to find kind of my, my crew in here, and that's when I found the church.
Speaker 2:
28:02
So, and that's where I met you, actually, you know, and it's Living Hope VR Church and and here is our and that's where I met Mikey, who's our pastor, and you, and that's, yeah, it's just like the crew has just grown over time. The church has grown and yeah, it's just now. This is. This is what I do now. It's it's crazy. Yeah, I still go to my on the ground church, but you know, church in here is just as important yeah, I love you.
Speaker 1:
28:43
Call it the on the ground church.
Speaker 2:
28:45
Yeah, I have two, that's cool, my on the ground church and my or some. Some people call it brick and mortar churchesmortar churches Because when you're in here. You kind of distinguish between the two.
Speaker 1:
28:55
Sure, yeah, yeah, definitely. It's been cool to both, I'll go ahead and miscarry.
Speaker 3:
29:01
I was just going to say do your friends at your on-the-ground church do they understand what you're doing here? Do they think it's just kind of a wacky thing that you do?
Speaker 2:
29:14
Yeah, they'll probably hear this and some somehow some way. But no, I think most of them do not. Most of them do not and some of them do, some of them absolutely do, because they they know who I am and they've listened to me and they've heard me talk about it and they know exactly what it is. Other people are confused because they haven't experienced it or haven't seen it, so they don't know about it. Right, and haven't seen it, so they don't know about it right. And a lot of times when people don't know about something, they kind of just shoo it away and say it's either bad or they they just don't want to get involved or whatever right.
Speaker 2:
29:44
So yeah um, and that's, that's okay, um, but I think that that us in here, you know, we are constantly trying to show the outside who we are and what we do in here, because it is so important, I think the things that we're doing in here? We're not just in here playing games all the time. That's not what we're doing. That's not what we're doing we're, you know our, our, our crew is, you know, spreading, spreading the gospel and, and, and you know, doing Bible studies and wanting to welcome people into our group.
Speaker 1:
30:20
Yeah, that's what we're doing, I love that that's one of the reasons why we wanted to do this special series behind the avatar, because I think it's important, you know and even now with more kids coming in is to realize like they're real people behind these avatars and real people with incredible stories. But we also go through hard times too and we're struggling with things too, and I think that's what's great about being there for each other and really finding a place that you can go and, you know, trust people and build those relationships and to lean on and lock arms and do life together, even here in virtual reality. I know we've met a lot of people that has been able to help each other because of relationships, and so that's an important reason why I thought we should definitely do Behind the Avatar. That's one of the things that we've learned is some of the best ways. Like people, they become open, open like I want to try it. It's getting them in a headset like it changes everything, like they're like whoa what?
Speaker 1:
31:19
is this. That's what it took for me. I mean, I poked fun at this stuff for a long time until I put on the headset and I was like whoa, wait a minute, you got to look more into this. Would you mind sharing know, is, is there a special like experience that you would say really helped you, really helped shape you into the person you are today, and what would that be?
Speaker 2:
31:41
Oh, wow, there's, there's obviously there's been a lot Um, but yeah, there's been a lot Um. But I would say, um and some of you have heard this story, those that are close to me have that I was diagnosed with cancer back in 2021. And it was it, you know, completely unexpected. I am, I'm in remission now, I'm fine, but that was one of those times in my life that, um, that shaped me in so many ways. In so many ways I had friends in here that were there during that time. Actually, it was 2021. Wow, yeah, it was 2021.
Speaker 2:
32:29
Because it was right after I got my headset, because I remember I was telling Hitchbo about it and Hitchbo was one of those people that was there to listen to me and and he was, was around right during when I had surgery and that whole bunny thing came along, yeah, so there were people in here that that surrounded me and talked to me and got my mind off of things, you know, as I was going through tests and this and that and the other, I could get on here in the evening and just be myself, um, and then just just my my faith in God during that time.
Speaker 2:
33:07
That I think that is the biggest thing that shaped me during that time, because I remember I didn't know if I was going to be alive in a few months, like I did not know, and I had to look at, look at my Savior and say, god, if this is my time to go I mean, if this is my time, then it's my time like, like there is nothing I can do about this.
Speaker 2:
33:29
But I put my complete and utter faith in him and said, if you have more for me in this earth, then I'm going to be around, but if you don't, I get it Like he made me, and when it's time for me to go I'm going to go. And that was just. That was one of those those times that molded me in such a way that that that he, basically he. I guess I needed to be around for a little bit longer and shortly and Hitch and I used to run around, like looking at churches, remember. We would run around and find churches but we never knew which ones were happening or going on. And then, all of a sudden, the church started up in August of that year.
Speaker 5:
34:17
And that's when.
Speaker 2:
34:18
I found all of you guys. So it was just a crazy, crazy time, but such, a such a blessing. I will tell you, it was a blessing for that to happen, because it's times like that, when you're going through something that you don't know, you don't know what's going to happen, but when you have faith in God and know that he's got you, no matter what, like those, those are faith building moments and faith building times and I'm I'm just, I'm very thankful that I, that I went through that, because of how I came out on the other side Just trusting, trusting God, trusting him more. That's powerful.
Speaker 2:
35:03
That was one of those times, yeah.
Speaker 1:
35:06
Thanks for sharing those times. Yeah, oh, thanks for sharing dinner, would you? When you went through, when you went through that, what was the biggest change for you? Like I mean so not knowing you before then and you know, not until, not until later would you? Did it like ignite a fire for you to say, okay, I have less time here, like what do you want me doing, god or what? What did it shift anything? Or were you already serving a lot at your local church?
Speaker 2:
35:41
Yeah, yeah, I was already serving. I was already serving a lot. I've I've been a Christian since I was eight years old, so I can't even remember a time when God wasn't a big part of my life, can't even remember a time when God wasn't a big part of my life. But, yes, I was already serving, I was already doing things. I was. I actually started a blog ministry at my church and I was blogging every week and and we're putting, we were putting it out on the website, and so I was, I was doing, I was already doing a lot of things.
Speaker 2:
36:05
So I didn't't, I didn't really know what god had for me. You know what I mean. I didn't know, um, I just knew that there was still a reason why I'm I, why I was. I was still here and now I'm, you know, involved in, you know, living hope here and I I think that that is one of the I do. I honestly believe that's one of the reasons that God still has me here, like I adore this church that we have in here, and, yeah, it is, it's amazing, it's amazing.
Speaker 1:
36:39
I love it. I love it that you can even look at that. You know it's not being diagnosed with cancer and we've I know we've lost friends and family to cancer and there's nothing for anybody that's going through that. It's not easy at all and I can wrap my mind around it, but we know a lot of people have lost loved ones to cancer. And for you to be able to look at it and see, see that time also as a blessing, as bringing you, connecting you with people in a new environment that maybe you didn't, you didn't have before, you know, not this new, this new path. So I I love that you can look at that and use this story to to give him the glory for, even though it was like, this is not, nobody wants to hear that, uh, but he'll look back and say it was a blessing, right. Thank you for sharing that, yeah yeah, it was.
Speaker 2:
37:32
It was almost like as soon as I got the news I only told the positive people in my life you know, because you've got the negative nelly's out there. Oh no, I'm so sorry. I did not want any of that I was like okay, you prayer warriors. I need you guys to pray. The sky is not falling, god has this under control. Let's just pray and let's get through this Like that and that's, and that's what I did.
Speaker 5:
37:57
Wow, that's a powerful lesson right in itself.
Speaker 3:
38:00
Really, you know, don't allow the negative talk, and and you know who's going to bring that, so that's really that's exactly yeah. That's a really smart thing you did.
Speaker 1:
38:11
That's beautiful, all right. So I'm gonna ask you one more question as we get ready to wrap up. Okay, so this one's. I don't know if you might be like, oh, this is easy, but I don't know. We've been talking a lot Like we just got back from a marriage conference and obviously there's a lot of talk about, you know, impact and legacy, stuff like that. So I want to ask you what, like what impact or legacy would you want or hope to pass on to someone in virtual reality through your avatar?
Speaker 2:
38:43
Oh, wow, well, that would be my love for for Jesus. Like I would want people to say hey, she was fun to um, you know, throw some fun worlds out on Facebook, but she had a fire for Jesus, like she was a. Jesus girl, um, and I also want people to know that, like us, jesus girls and guys, we can still have fun yeah.
Speaker 5:
39:11
We still do fun stuff.
Speaker 2:
39:13
We are not we are not fuddy duddies. We are not Um. We like to have fun just as much as the next guy. We just may do it with a little cleaner language. Maybe, I don't know. Most of the time, not always.
Speaker 1:
39:27
The guy with her meta Mikey, the meta Mikey, the pastor over there.
Speaker 2:
39:30
He will take on anybody at Super Rumble he has no problem shooting you and putting you away. Yes, he will. So will you?
Speaker 1:
39:42
I'm a friendly bee.
Speaker 2:
39:44
I'm a friendly bee. No, you are not, I will not play Super Rumble with him or Mikey Won't?
Speaker 1:
39:51
do it.
Speaker 2:
39:51
Wise.
Speaker 3:
39:52
Very wise. If you enjoyed this episode don't forget to follow this podcast and leave us a review.
