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While the goal of this project stems from a continuing attempt in non-textual story telling, this explanation should begin with a side note story. Between the ages of thirteen and seventeen I found myself heavily involved in an online community, a role playing MOO. While I'll avoid details, it was an engrossing and visceral experience. As thouroughly encompased my daily life was with this world, I rarely involved myself in any related introspection. It moved far too fast to think about what I was doing in any analytical, logical way. So now, years later, I have an unescapable urge to re-enter the virtual world, but in a much more structured way. With this in mind, I've created two sets of four four lab rats to experiment with. These are the four children of the Tavara family, and four dopelgangers of myself. My intention is to insert them into as many virtual worlds as I find available, and examine the results in a scientific manner. While there is a serious element of tongue in cheek in each of them, I've also attempted to make them close enough to that I can portray them accurately, to sympathize with them. As much as I wonder how other people will react to them, I'm curious to record how I will react to the project. With any luck, I'll not only come to be in some way attached to the people my avatars come across, but also the fakes themselves. One thing that I'll remember though is that the interaction will not be between the real and the fake, but between avatars and the like. That's at least four layers from start to finish, but probably many more.

The Tavaras are an Austin family living in Westlake with two boys and two girls. Mr. Tavara dominates the family. He holds stringent Southern Baptist Christian views, and also swings very strongly to the reactionary side of politics. His views are expected to be shared by the rest of the family, especially after he drinks his after work/dinner beers. He also takes a strong interest in what each of his children plan to do with their lives, with different levels of succes. His wife is a push over who has worked very hard to convince herself that she's happy. It's nothing a couple of perscriptions won't smooth over, leaving her smile as glossy as the ocean at night. That leaves their children:

Angie is the most rebelious of the Tavara kids, having left home after years of fighting with her father and ignoring her mother. She now lives as a part time artist on the West Coast.

Jacob,the first son, gets the most pressure from his father. He's just moved to NY to start "working his way up the corporate ladder" but is more concerned with clubs and confusion over his sexuality

Jacob can be found as Jacob Tavara (jacobtavara@hotmail.com) on friendster.com and as jacobtavara on nerve.com personals

James is still trapped in the house while going to college, a fact that isn't helping his already issues with an intense anger problem. Of all the kids, he's the most like his father.

Violet, the youngest and most bitter, can't stand the members of her family she still live with, greatly envying her sister. She fights constantly with her brother and hides on the family computer.

Violet can be found as Violet Tavara (tavarafamily@hotmail.com) on friendster.com

An endlessly broken hearted writer, who in the tradition of the great American novelists is rapidly becoming a burned out alcoholic. He has read just about everything he can get his hands on, with little results in the way of inspiration or improvement in technique. He can gab about litera though, and combine knowledge with sorror just enough to get laid. He is, of course, a waiter.

Zach Brown can be found under Zach (drunkbrownzach@hotmail.com) on friendster.com and as brownzachblues on nerve.com personals

The coolest kid he knows, this Zach consumes the latest and greatest of mod, emo, cool kid culture in large quantaties. There had better not be a band you've heard about that he hasn't. Otherwise all the other things that have gotten pushed out of his brain for music trivia would be wasted. Educated enough to cite thoughtful justifications for his decadent weekends (and Wednesdays and Thursdays).

Zach Black can be found under Zach (coolzachblack@hotmail.com) on friendster.com and as coolzachblack on nerve.com personals

A fine example of how knowing your a geek doesn't mean you can't reek of confidence and talk lots of shit. An extremely devoted Star Wars fan, this Zach loves nothing more than talking down to Trekers. He is currently in the gooey stage of being just married, but that doesn't mean he can't have a late night online session from time to time when the wife's in bed.

Zach Grey can be found under Zach (zachgrey@hotmail.com) and on nerve.com personals

A mover and shaker in his own mine, this guy loves money even more than looking at himself in the mirror. He believes its the one girl in a hundred that says yes that counts, maybe because it takes that many trys with his slicked back hair and crass sense of humor. Loves his car and his momma. One of these days the bullshit he makes up about how good his job is might work.

Zach Green can be found under Zach (greenzach@hotmail.com) and on auschron.com personals