Other than work, I’d not gone out for days. I stayed in my little hole glued to my computer screen. If I got hungry, I’d simply order takeout. If I got lonely, I’d call an old friend or log on to one of the many places where I could anonymously chat with others. My favorite was New Life, once a very popular 3D virtual world where people would go, create a different persona for themselves, and connect with others that had similar interests. In a way it was a cross between Second Life and World of Warcraft, since it also allowed you to go on quests with your friends.
In its heyday, New Life was expansive. You could visit a museum, dance at a club (which I found more tolerable than in real life), or even find a haunted village that someone meticulously created. Now, they weren’t as lavish as
