Stories from another life

Most people will now know the name Eshi Otawara, designer of the fantastic Rouge sim for Codie, and it seems she’s been at it again!

While taking the morning off recovering from a rather pesky cold, I was sent an SLurl for a new sim that Eshi was working on and decided to go and have a peek.  I have to say I was really not ready for what I saw!  The build was actually done in just 1 hour, and is a powerful work of art, which perfectly captures the title, Anguish.

The terrain itself was actually modelled using dark / light shading from a picture of her face, and the rest of the sim built around it.  I can’t possibly begin to describe it, so hopefully this video will give some idea:

But for the full effect, you have to go visit while it’s around, so drop by and visit when you can! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Desperado/126/183/39

It’s been a while since we’ve had a party under the excuse of a Twitter meetup, and so think it’s about time to kick one off again, and because I’m not biased, I will of course extend the invitation to those who have left us for Plurk (I still insist it’s evil though!).

So, we have a theme; 60’s!  You can take this as either hippy flower power 60’s or swinging sixties, however you picture it, I’m going to try and make the build a bit of a half way between the two.

We also have a very special venue for this one, as Codie has kindly offered use of the Code Red Lounge for this one and allowed us to decorate it 60’s style for the occasion.  This is also a special because it may well be one of the last parties at the old Code Red Lounge, as it will be closing it’s doors and de-rezzing soon as Codie opens her awesome new sim!

Last of all, date and time; Saturday, 28th June at 12pm SLT (8pm BST) and going on until the early hours and the last person drops!

Hope to see as many there as we can fit!

Ok, so starting a new meme kinda, except this one is just one question that I’d like to see other people’s answers to: “What brought you to SL?”.  Not going to tag anyone, but feel free to pick it up and answer yourself!

As for what brought me to SL; pure chance!

I’d been using Twitter on and off for a few months, just the odd Tweet every couple of days, and one day while sat in the office and taking one of my sanity breaks of the day, I decided to have a flick through the public timeline for anything interesting. 

I happened across someone by the name of Roxette Wise, who seemed to have a computer generated profile picture and was going on about trying to get into the ETD isle, and because the other Tweets on her timeline amused me, I decided to follow.

Soon after this I started to reply and found out that all this talk of ETD and full sims was to do with Second Life, which I’d heard of in the past, but not really paid much attention to.  However, now that it was brought back into my mind I thought I’d just have a peek and see what it was all about.  Not that I’d get drawn into it, I was just satisfying my curiosity.

So, after an arduous signup process (99% of which was trying to find a good name, after which I gave up finding a good one and just went with Rik), I was off into SL.  The first day or so was just spent wandering Help island, and then visiting places listed as “popular” in the search, which were mainly freebie and sex islands, and then by around the 3rd day, met Rox for the first time in world and was taken to The Blarney Stone on the Ireland sim, and after hearing some of the live music there, decided I would stick around for a bit after all.

Rik - The early days

So, 6 months later; and I’m now spending far too much time on it, going to parties, building things, and making new friends each week, and to think, none of this may have happened if not for some absent minded glace at that Twitter timeline 6 months ago :)

This morning, I was sent a link to this competition being run by the Ewing Fashion Agency for the Altamoda magazine, who are looking for people to put on the cover of their magazine and write an article about.  Just your usual case of send a few nice pics and some words about why you think you should be on the cover.

Now, it sounds good fun, and initially I was quite tempted to enter Osiris, but then it started to spark a debate in my mind, which I’m going to throw open to the floor to see what peoples opinion is on this; should a guy with a female alt enter this, or is it a kind of cheating?

Now I guess technically, the competition is to find female avatars for the cover (actually the competition is open for male avatars too, but I just don’t think Rik has the look!), and so as a female avatar, it would stand to reason that Osiris should be perfectly eligible, but suppose she was to win, how would the women entering the competition feel about it?  Would it be like a transvestite* winning a beauty contest?

As for whether I enter, I doubt it, as I’m really not one for stirring up controversy, but would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on it anyhow :)

 

*For the record, I am not a transvestite, the story of why I have a female alt is a long and uninteresting one that I may bore you with some other time :)

…well it’s obviously really, just look at the top of the blog!

It’s Tim!  Although I’m sure a whole list of entries may be considered cheating, I did like one of them, so I’m going with that.  All great entries, but there’s something about this one I just like the sound of.

Of course, being of the feline variety, the hat is probably not going to be of much use to Tim, so I will now be searching round for a suitable alternative!

Cheers Tim!

For some time now, this blog has been sitting here without a proper title, and it’s about time it was named properly.  Since I’ve been having a bit of a block when it comes to thinking up a suitable title, I’ve decided it’s time to open it up as a competition to see who can come up with an original title for the blog, and there will be a prize for the winner!

What is the prize you may ask?  Well, I’ve decided I’ll be offering up one of these adorable hats from Argrace, which come with built it flexi hair in a range of hair colours, and the hat is scripted to be changed between black, grey and burgundy.  It’s available for men and women, and the winner can choose the hair colour they’d like.

So, post your entries in the comments, and I’ll announce the winner on Friday!

UPDATE!

As it seems at least three of the people entering so far are people with fluffy ears a little larger than the hat is suitable for, I will substitute a suitable prize for those winners.  Maybe some catnip or doggie treats…

Ok, it’s been a while since a post, so until I can get something good together, I’ll just copy the meme from Tenebrous and Dakota!

1) How would you describe yourself?
“Me and You” by Fun Lovin’ Criminals

2) What do you like in a girl?
“Get Away” by the Ocean Colour Scene

3) What is your motto?
“Weapon of Choice” by Fatboy Slim

4) What do your friends think of you?
“We Might As Well Be Strangers” by Keane

5) What do you think about often?
“Sunshine of your Love” by Cream

6) What do your parents think of you?
“Little Favours” by KT Tunstall

7) What do you think of your best friend?
“Your Lucky Day In Hell” by Eels

8) What do you think of the person you like?
“Heroes” by David Bowie

9) What do you want to be when you grow up?
“Samson” by Regina Spektor

10) What do you think when you see the person you like?
“Original Of The Species” by U2

11) What song will they play at your wedding?
“All I Have To Do Is Dream” by The Dandy Warhols

12) What will they play at your funeral?
“I Shall Be Released” by Beth Rowley

13) What is your hobby/interest?
“Sit Down” by James

14) What is your biggest fear?
“Destiny” by The Zero 7

15) What is your biggest secret?
“Elephant Love Medly” by Moulin Rouge Soundtrack

16) What do you think of your friends?
“California Rain” by Madeline Peyroux

17) What is your theme song?
“This Garden” by The Levellers

18) What do you think of your family?
“Something Good” by Utah Saints

19) What is your best friend’s theme song?
“Breakdown” by Jack Johnson

20) What is your mood right now?
“I Know What I’m Here For” by James

21) If your heart could talk what would it say?
“Drinking in L.A.” by Bran Van 3000

22) What do your co-workers think of you?
“Whistle for the Choir” by The Fratellis

23) What does your future look like?
“So Pure” by Alanis Morissette

Because I’ve been rushing around this week getting ready for the RL holiday on Saturday, I’ve not got too much to write about for SL, so it’s the perfect time for a little space filling meme, courtesy of Tim!

 

1. What time did you get up this morning?
6:00am.  Or was awake at that time anyway, getting up is a different matter altogether.

2. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
“Jumper”.  Oh, the shame.

4. Favorite TV show?
If we’re talking all time favorite, it would have to be Buffy, but these days, somewhere between Lost and Heroes.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Something cooked if I have the time, otherwise just cereal.

6. What is your middle name?
Not telling :)

7. What food do you dislike?
Cucumber.  Even the smell is unpleasant.

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
At the moment, I keep going back to Diana Krall - Live in Paris, just can’t get bored of it.

9. Favorite sandwich?
Ham and Brie.

10. What characteristic do you despise?
Arrogance.

11. Favorite item of clothing?
Summer linens; I look like something that’s just been dragged off a desert island, but it’s comfy!

12. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?
At the moment, I think Egypt is top of the list for the next visit, or possibly Iceland.

13. What color is your bathroom?
Some god awful brown tiles with a picture of storks in it.  It has to go!

14. Do you make friends easily?
Yes.  Always like to socialise in SL & RL.

15. Where would you retire to?
No idea!  Somewhere in the countryside would be nice.

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?
Hard to say, most recent birthdays have involved drinking, so not much memory there.  Spent last birthday sunning it up in Spain though.

17. Favorite sport to watch?
None, never watch sport.

18. How many towns have you lived in?
Two.

19. How many do you think will send this back?
Probably none, as everyone I know has already done this!

20. Whats on your bedroom floor right now?
Too much to list right now, I need to tidy!

21. Favorite saying?
“This should now not work less than it didn’t work before”

22. When is your birthday?
RL: 3rd October, SL: Uhhh, January sometime…

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Technically a morning person, but in practice neither!  I sleep lots!

24. What is your shoe size?
10 for boots, 9.5 for regular shoes.

25. Pets?
Not any more, used to have a cat called Boris.

26. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with us?
Off on holiday for two weeks this Saturday motorbiking round all of Ireland!

27. What did you want to be when you were little?
Architect.

28. Which talent would you most like to have?
Would love to be able to play the piano.

29. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Ohh or Aww; I can’t seem to start a sentence without them!

30. What is your favorite flower?
Jasmine, love the smell in the summer.

31. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
This Saturday, start of the big holiday.

32. What color are your eyes?
Dark Brown

33. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Transformers.

34. Summer or winter?
Winter; like wrapping up warm and sitting by the fire.

35. Hugs or kisses?
Can’t I have both?  Probably hugs to be honest. 

36. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate every time.

37. Do you want your friends to send this back to you?
Meh, won’t be offended if they don’t.

38. When was the last time you cried?
Watching Highlander, the scene when he’s wife is dying, you know the one…gets me every time.

39. What is under your bed?
More bedsheets in drawers.

40. Who is the friend you have had the longest in SL?
Roxette Wise, as she was the one to draw me into the madness!

41. What did you do last night?
Quiet night in on SL then more packing.

42. Favorite smell?
Oh, so many!  Picking an obscure one at random; hot tar.  Oh, and bacon cooking.

43. What are you afraid of?
Spiders; they’re evil.

44. Plain, sweet, or salted Popcorn?
Salted, although caramel beats all.

45. How many keys on your key ring?
I don’t have a key ring!

46. How many years at your current job?
4 years at this place.

47. Do you have any scars?
Scar at the bottom of my forth finger of my right hand from where I had glass through it as a child.  Also a mark on my foot from last year where an insect burrowed into me in the night.

48. Favorite day of the week?
Friday night, furthest part of the weekend from Monday morning.

49. How many people will you be sending this to?
Nobody, will just see who else picks it up.

50. Who’s answers are you looking forward the most?
Nobody yet!

Ok, before you start to wonder if this blog is going to be nothing more than posts about SL Twitter parties, it’s not.  Hopefully.  But with two in as many weeks, they’re just the main thing going on at the moment, so bare with me!

After the success of the last party, it was decided that we should throw another one, this time with the lovely Kitty Lalonde hosting, creating a fantastic 50’s style venue which fitted in perfectly with the theme of the night which was Movies.  Throughout the night, many people turned up in many amazing outfits from a wide range of films, filling up the dance floor in no time (half of the floor being taken by a rather awesome Alien outfit).

I’ve heard rumors of another dance video on the way, and I’ll update the post accordingly when I hear of one being released, this one featuring the dance from Fame, pushing our flexibility to the limit!

As always pics on Flickr here.

First of all, a warm welcome to a new blog, which is to be random writings of adventures within SL*.  I’m not going to promise regular updates, but will post up whenever there’s something worth writing about!

And what better way to kick off the new blog than writing about the SL Twitter Meetup on Saturday night!

So, the plan was simple; lots of SL users know each other in Twitter, but have never actually met each other in-world, and the idea started to come together to bring everyone together one evening; and meet (in a virtual sense) people properly!

For my part in this, I demolished my old house (any excuse, I love rebuilding), and threw together a suitable site for everyone to gather on, and with the word spreading quickly on Twitter, we soon had people turning up on Saturday evening and gathering around the campfire.  The flaming butterflies were particularly rampant that night, setting fire to many people, though thankfully there were no serious injuries!

I think we hit about 26 people at the peak, and at many times, chat was flowing too fast to possibly keep up, but it was great not only match up some of the people to their Twitter identity, but also find many new people to follow, adding about 12 new follows over the course of the evening.

As the evening went on, the numbers filtered down as people had to move on to other events, but just as we thought it was coming close to shutting down for the evening, Willow and Kitty returned to kick start things once again and get us going with synchronised line dancing in a Thriller style!  If you’ve not seen the video yet, check it out online on Willows blog here, or download the full size version from Mewsic here.  And one final link; all pics from the night can now be found here.

A big thank you to everyone who came along and made it a very memorable night, and special thank you to Roxette Wise for helping me with the building and planning!  Looking forward to the next party now, which I believe is already being planned, and which I’m sure will be worth of another post soon!

 

* I still don’t know where we sit on the whole trademark thing when referring to Second Life, so for now, it’s hopefully suffice to say I’m not in any way affiliated with Second Life, Linden Labs etc.