So, what's the big deal with Virtual Reality, anyway? Glad you asked! I am only too happy to tell you a little bit about it, gleaned from my own experiences with it over the past 6 years.

Where to start?!  A good place to begin is to ask, "What interests people the most?"  Health, wealth, joy, escape from pain - the list is endless, actually. Interests are as varied as can be, and for each person there are different choices. So, to begin with I will list a few of my own. Who knows? Perhaps you may see an item or two that reminds you of yourself, or someone you know. 

 September 2018 -  

 It all started at my local Senior Center: kids from a nearby college were going to do a six week course in Virtual Reality for us 'old folks.'  Intrigued, I signed up. And within the first 10 minutes, I was hooked. In some glorious, mind-boggling way I was transported into a world that at once made me laugh  and  become a teeny bit bewildered at the same time.  I will never forget my first game - an archery game. As I aimed and zapped the little gnome-like creatures who quickly hid from view behind all sorts of things - rocks, trees, doors, mushrooms, etc. - I was thrilled with each 'hit' I scored. Was this really me, I thought. Me...who was also at the time a wildlife rehab tech volunteer, I was happy to be shooting things?? YES...well, not exactly happy, but intensely focused and liking that a lot!  The little beings on the screen were not real live creatures after all, there was no blood, no tears, and as soon as one went down, another popped up, anyway. I was having fun doing something I never imagined in my life doing - and it was allowable, both legally and socially, which was the cherry on top! 

The college student volunteer, Darlene, then asked me if I liked to climb, or fly, swim, or simply walk. At first, I thought, "Seriously, girl..... do I look like I could really climb or fly??" At my current age at the time, I was lucky to be able to climb the center's stairs (a double flight) at least once a day. The elevator was much more my speed. So, with my medical issues, of course, I thought, "Why not? I'll never be able to climb a mountain, or deep-sea dive, or fly a plane, anyway - so might as well give it a go!"

And, I did - for the next hour I found myself  deep in the ocean nose-to-nose, almost, with an enormous blue whale;  next, in Nepal, climbing up Mt. Everest;  then, sailing on a blue, sparkling sea in the Caribbean; and best of all, soaring about 10 feet off the ground  somewhere in Switzerland in a wing suit. Hey....10 feet high is my limit, and it was a total kick!!

I hated to have to end our session when my hour was up but I knew other people were waiting for their turns, so reluctantly I gave up the headset to Darlene. When she asked me if I would be back the following week, I asked her, "Do you have other days and time slots? If so, I will sign up for all of them!" Obviously, I was a VR fan. I figured after swimming with a whale the size of a school bus, and then  plunging the what-cha-ma-call-it's in to a wall of ice to go straight up (and no suffering from frozen fingers and toes!), and then zipping along the ground 10 feet up with no one around to hamper my fun, YES, I was a definite inductee into the world of virtual reality.  

For the first time in a very long time, I had forgotten about the daily and relentless pain of Rheumatoid arthritis and osteonecrosis, and not being able to walk, talk, and breathe very well all at the same time...I was transformed again into a teenager - or at least a very spry and agile 20 or 30-something year old person. I came away that day with a sense of "I really can still enjoy my life a little bit!" It was magical, almost entrancing, this new world of VR. I wanted more of it. So, like any good husband anywhere, my dear Rick went out and surprised me with the purchase of a complete VR system, which back in 2018 meant an investment of more than $6,000 between the high-powered, ultra-expensive,  huge-memory computer we had to get, plus the headset, plus the "apps" (short for applications, or programs needed to enjoy VR).  These days, no longer are those mega-computers needed, the cost of headsets has come way down, and even the apps are very affordable. The headsets have improved to where you can take yours anywhere, no wires or cables are needed.

It is as if the world has opened up itself to me, allowing me to go places and see things I would never in this lifetime be able to go to,  or to see, or experience. Through virtual reality I've been to France on the roof top of a burned out cathedral,  called Notre Dame, looking down into the incredibly mournful damage from the fire;  I visited an amazing one-of-a-kind in the whole world Panda Refuge-Zoo in China; I stood across from majestic Victoria Falls in Africa; and floated on down the mystical, almost lyrical canals  aboard a beautiful gondola in Venice, Italy.  And...so much more! Now, I can return to Martial Arts in some fashion and enjoy the thrill of a match - all without pain of strained ligaments, tendons, or broken bones, I might add! And..I can do this whenever I want, and best of all,   in the privacy of my own home. I used to intensely dislike being cooped up in my house during the frigid winter months. No longer are they unwelcome -  these days I look forward to filling part of my time with all sorts of VR apps during those long and cold months. Oh - I almost forgot to mention that VR is also a great educational tool as well. It is an investment that most people in a family can use and enjoy! 

June 2024-

So proud and happy to introduce it, I will write more about our own app, SetVR XL Unleashed! - and how it has enriched my life. For now, I really wanted to tell you all about the magic and sheer fun of VR. 

Excuse me, now. It is time for my morning exercises, so time to strap on my headset, tune in to SetVR XL Unleashed and get that bloodstream of mine pumping to get my day started.  See you back here again real soon!

~~. M. Shan ~~

(that is short for Marie Shanahan, Editor in Chief)