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We’ve all heard about virtual worlds and Second Life, but how many people actually have the time and inclination to spend hours – or even days, apparently – nerding it up on the PC to find out what it’s all about?

Worry not. If you take this along to the beach with you, you can return to work fully versed in the virtual world. And when younger colleagues start mouthing off about their avatar’s experiences (avatar = you in a virtual world but usually much sexier than the real thing), you can dominate the conversation with some interesting philosophical perspectives gleaned from author Tim Guest.

Guest writes about his own experiences as avatar Errol Mysterio and interviews people from

the virtual and real world, including the chief executive of Linden Lab, the company which invented Second Life.

Alternatively, log on to www.secondlife.com, kit yourself out with a blonde hair-do, boob job and leopard print mini dress and call yourself Tina.