"Hey! I've got 1 Trade Request and 1 New Private Message!"

If you play Gaia Online, the thought bubble next to your avatar probably greets you like that too. Opened on February 18, 2003, this forum-based website now boasts of over 11 million users. Members are represented by avatars, which are fully customizable with items that you can buy with real money (converted to Gaia Cash) or Gaia Gold, the main form of currency.

I found out about this site around 2004 from a couple friends of mine. Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to try out this new game. Back then, there weren't as many features as there are today. However, I could keep in touch with my friends outside of school and make lots of new friends. It became sort of a hang-out place after school.

Even after many of the people I knew eventually left, I still log on and check out the latest news. Do I devote too much time to a virtual community of pixels? Yes. I won't deny that. But just because it's a game doesn't mean that it's a complete waste of time.

One of the first things I learned from Gaia Online was how to write basic html and css. Since I could update my profile with images and text, I looked up some codes and threw it on. It wasn't very good at first, but I tweaked it here and there until it looked pretty. It seems a bit trivial now, but that's when I learned to appreciate how much work goes behind a well-designed website and caught an interest in web-designing.

Eventually, I decided to make my own graphics to put on the profile so it would look nicer. As a result, I started experimenting with images on Microsoft Paint and later, Adobe Photoshop. Since I already had an interest in art, it wasn't a very big jump to work with a digital medium. The only problem was that I didn't know any of the functions of the numerous symbols on Photoshop.

Once I figured those out, I made several graphics to put up on my profile. After making sure that everything looked alright, I forgot about the entire thing. At least, until one user sent me a message asking me to make some pictures for her. The requirements weren't too rigid, so I consented.

Looking for inspiration, I wandered into the Minishops forum. There, many users had set up shop, offering to sell their artwork for gold. Wares ranged from pixel sushi to gorgeous computer graphics. If anyone could set up a thread to take commissions, then why couldn't I?

That was a couple years ago. Two shops later, I am now the owner of a fairly successful virtual business creating graphics for others. The pay isn't a lot, especially since inflation boosted up the prices of certain items. But hey, I work for myself in a job that I like.

If only the real world is like Gaia Online, then I would be extremely happy. Even though lots of people say that spending time playing on the Internet is bad for you, I would disagree. There's lots to be garnered from observing and participating in a virtual community, like discovering what your interests and passions.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm considering majoring in business or computer related fields?