A Horrible Start

After having troubles with rezzing my avatar yesterday I tried to take off everything I could and then set it to the male test avatar again. My work was interrupted by a surprise visit from a friend in first life. He had a bottle of wine and  some pizza.

I woke up early today and the picture shows you what I encountered when I logged in-world, "The boy next door"- male avatar with a couple of remnants from the pool party at Regi's Warehouse #69. Luckily I am getting to be an old hand on this and could soon get my regular self into place for a visit to one of Sarco Halderman's sets with my friend Jared Palianta.

Early Notice: Alt Avatar Ball - Saturday 7/13/13

The Details

EVENT: Alt Avatar Ball
DATE: Saturday 13 July
TIME: 10am – Noon PDT
PLACE: Club Morpheus, LEA11, Second Life
WHO: You! Come as your alt!
WHAT: Make a notecard with:
Main Avatar Name: eg “SaveMe Oh”
Alt Avatar Name: eg “Vaneeesa Blaylock”
and give your notecard to the host Agnes Sharple.

Then dance, talk, and make your guesses. There'll be prizes for correct guesses and a big prize for whoever makes the most correct guesses!

....
For more information please read I Rez: Alt Avatar Ball

Avatar Appearances

Its important how you look, not crucial, but still important. Sometime during Pride week one of my immediate "friends" (huh?) told me very kindly that I looked old, which set me out on a hunt for a new skin. I have spent most of my time since, when I do not assist my cantankerous builder/interior decorator Butch Diavolo, with searching for a new skin that I would feel happy and content in.

I ended up buying four (4) skins in three (3) days, because I momentarily thought I liked them. After using them a short while everything about the new skin just feels "wrong" in a powerful way. It is silly really, because my avatar is not really me, but still I have to feel good and comfortable in every aspect of it.

So I have now - for the time being at least - decided to stay with the skin I have had for two years. All the new ones feel too shiny and oily. Besides they all also seem to have too much eyeliner on, wearing the skins I feel like a man of ill-repute in a Moroccan bordello. What do I care if I look old, I prefer aging gracefully than to look as if I was desperately trying to be more youthful than I am., Growing older is still better than the only other option.

Speaking of eyeliners, following a comment on my blog yesterday I came across an interesting post on Nigel Riel's blog Trials of Eyeliner (I have added it to my blogroll now) that deals with avatar shapes.

Apparently there is a rule of thumb concerning human - and hence also human avatars - proportions, saying that an adult humans height should on average ideally be around 7½ heads high, with the rest of the body parts spaced in as you see from this picture on Nigel's blog.

Image by Nigel Riel

In my life as an avatar I have of course come across the usual accusations from those in SecondLife who believe that we should all try to emulate reality in-world also and it is therefore somehow "morally wrong" to be the normal 2,20 m tall, the same rule seems to apply on overly muscular bodies. To them I say, "Bite me!"

Oh speaking of proportions, reality and heads, did I ever tell you about the two supposedly artists that at separate occasions have IM'd me to inform me that my head "is too small compared to the rest of your body". They both looked like dogshit in their perfectly proportioned bodies, by the way. Being the kind man I am, I did not tell them that but merely answered that, I liked my head fine and that the head actually doesn't grow when you pump up your body. Of course they could have meant compared to my height, in which case they would have been correct, but as I remember it they said nothing about my height.

Well, I don't care one bit about "reality" in avatar appearance, but I do strive to be proportionate. Using the guidelines that Nigel points to in his post Trials of Eyeliner: Monday Meme – 6-24, I am going to give my avatar an overhaul on proportions. Hopefully it will help me plenty in the avatar meat race!

Retraction

On Saturday, there was a post on Bock in SecondLife entitled “At the Gay Nation Set” where we incorrectly stated that Mr. Butch Diavolo, the well-known SecondLife DJ and an extremely handsome, humorous and charming male avatar to boot, congregated at the venue with a multitude of ex-lovers.

Although our reporter at the time, through the documentation supplied to him, may have believed this to be true a closer examination of the documentation provided has shown that these allegations are entirely false. As far as we know today (through a source very close to Mr. Diavolo) only three (3) ex-lovers can be confirmed.

In this situation it is my duty and obligation as editor in chief of Bock in SecondLife to offer our sincerest apologies to Mr. Diavolo for publishing the false information. We are truly sorry for any pain or other inconvenience the publication may have caused Mr. Diavolo or his reputation as an honest and upstanding male avatar.

The story leaked to our reporter was obviously from a lesser man and motivated by jealousy over Mr. Diavolo’s prowess as a lover and/or success as a DJ. If it were possible I would fire the reporter, but he is the only one we have and he also happens to be myself.

We are sure that our readers and stockholders, who have always supported us, will understand that this was an honest mistake and stick by us now and look forward to a bright future together with them.

Your humble servant
Bock McMillan
Editor in Chief of Bock in SecondLife,
The Much Honored Laird of Southern Charm,
The Most Patient Bock McMillan, Prince of Cascade Falls,
Sovereign ruler over The Commonwealth of Southern Enchantment and Outer Territories, 

etc., etc.

Official Apology

Bock in SecondLife wishes to extend it's sincere apologies to Guyke Lundquist, stepson of The Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm etc., etc., for the horrible accusations posted on this blog earlier today.

Guykechen is an absolutely trustworthy person and an upstanding male avatar (when he is not laying down with his feet in the air) who would never betray the trust his stepfather places in him!

Love you forever, my son!!

Swedish Boycott of Bock?

A while back I asked for applications (post url) from kissable Swedish avatars to join me in catering to the International community on the third annual International Kiss-A-Swede Day in SecondLife.

To date I have received a positive response from only one (1) Swedish avatar, the sweet miss Helene Dragoone. Although I am certain the two of us - with enough time - will be able to manage the onslaught of craving International guests, it would be better and faster if we were joined by a few more kissable Swedes.

I am not at all sure what has caused the Swedish community to drag their heels or if this is an outright boycott of me. If it is a question of something I may have said and done, it would of course be much better if I was informed about it and was given the possibility to make amends or at least clarify.

Anyway, if you should happen to be interested please send your information to Bock's email or just drop a note card on the laird's profile in SecondLife. The e-mail or the note card should include your full SecondLife (searchable) name and specify if you have any special needs or requests that the organizers need to arrange for.

WANTED: Kissable Swedish Avatars

The time is quickly approaching for The Third Annual International Kiss-A-Swede Day in SecondLife. As you all may already know this event occurs yearly on the Swedish national day, June 6.

The much honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm, prince of Cascade Falls and absolute sovereign ruler of the Commonwealth of Southern Enchantment with all distant territories etc., etc., is now calling for all kissable Swedes in SecondLife to join him in catering to the hankerings, desires and wanton lusts of the International community.

"Our Swede-deprived International guests need to be met by the most awesome lineup we can muster to provide them with the charming experience it entails to kiss or be kissed by a Swede. Let's give them a lasting memory and have them coming back for more. If you have kissed a Swede once, there is no turning back!", says the laird with a shy smile.

When: Thursday June 6, 2013, 12 PM - 2 PM
Where: The Southern Charm sim (SLurl will be supplied at a later date)
Who: Any and every avatar who identifies as Swedish and has a humanoid shape (farm equipment or other machinery need not apply).
What: Kiss, hug and have fun to great music and with old and new friends. (Clothing is optional, but bits and parts should be covered - at least at the beginning)
Why: Just for the hell of it and for sharing your charm with humankind.

Please send your information to Bock's email or just drop a note card on the laird's profile in SecondLife. The email or the note card should include your full SecondLife (searchable) name and if you have special needs or requests the organizers need to arrange for.

Participants should immediately start moisturizing, exercising and puckering up their lips to be in perfect condition for the event. 

Changing Appearances

Changing the way your avatar looks is a difficult thing for some of us, others do it with great ease and talent.

My own avatar has developed very slowly to the point where I am today. Sure I may do radical changes to fit a theme party or just for the hell of it, but when the party is over or my mood shifts I slip back into my comfort zone and revert back to "my look".

I do make changes, but only small ones that are difficult for others to detect and often go back again to try something else. Over time the changes are significant though.

My mentor in blogging, Eddi Haskell, has recently performed an extreme makeover and the result is truly amazing and stunning as you can see in this post on his blog. Eddi Haskell´s Second Life: Eddi Haskell´s New Look. However I will give you a sneak preview here.

Eddi Haskell´s New Look
Le derriere, douze points!

Named Avatars 5

I am very pleases to introduce you today to Sjöfn Stoneshield in my series on how we decided on the names for our avatars-

"My cousin, Vanadis Falconer, lured me into Second Life because she thought I needed a little break now and then from the work on my dissertation in psychology.

When I joined I needed a good first name. "Vanadis" was already taken by Vanadis. Since we are almost the same age and cousins, we have grown up with the folklore about the Norse gods Thor, Odin, Frigg and Freya. Now I had to think a little extra. 

We have an old tradition in Scandinavia; If you pick seven kinds of wild flowers from seven different fields in absolute silence on a midsummer night and then put the flowers under your pillow you will dream about your future husband or wife. In the pre-Christian era there was also a goddess named Sjöfn, sister of the goddess Freya, who was worshiped if you had love troubles. The goddess was revered by both men and women.

There was only one small problem with that first name. It was not possible to use the Swedish letters Å, Ä and Ö in Second Life at that time (A´s and O´s with circles or two dots above). The Swedish Ö (O with two dots) is pronounced as "I" in "bird". Should I spell my name "Sjifn"? Nah, it made no sense to other Scandinavians. Should I use the German "OE"? Nah, only Germans would understand that. So I just gave up and called myself Sjofn. 

Then it was time to choose the surname. One name sounded more ridiculous than the other, eventually I came to the "S" and Stoneshield. Sjofn Stoneshield that´s good, I thought. A shield of stone for a strong and independent woman - perfect!

One of the first things I did after joining Second Life was to write to Philip Linden and tell the boy that he should ensure that Swedish Å, Ä and Ö could be used in Second Life names. And because Philip is obviously a well-mannered and obedient boy, Second Life introduced Å, Ä and Ö in the next update. So now I have my dots over the o and Sjofn is now and for eternal time called "Sjöfn Stoneshield".

Ars go Fridars ("prosperity and good harvest" in Old Norse)
Sjöfn"

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If you would also like to participate in the series by sharing your reasons for choosing the name you have given your avatar, please send me an e-mail lundamats@gmail.com. Please include a picture of your avatar.

I may take some editorial liberties with your text and picture, such as correcting obvious misspellings in the US English and perhaps shortening. However I promise that I will not distort any facts and that I will contact you if the changes are of a major nature (or if I have reason to believe that you would think so).

Nakna avatarer i SL 93

Den sköna och alltid lite utmanande Puff Klang har varit och sett filmen Avatar och blivit så påverkad att hon har blivit en "na´vi", dvs. en av de visa inhemska invånarna på den fiktiva månen Pandora.

Det är med stolthet jag i detta bloggprojekt nu presenterar Puff, the na´vi!

Med en omskrivning av ett annat känt talesätt skulle man kanske kunna förmoda att "Once you go blue, you have to stay true"...

Jadå, ni är fortfarande välkomna att skicka era bidrag till mig antingen inworld eller till min mejl lundamats@gmail.com

Yes, you are still welcome to send your contributions to me either inworld or to my mail lundamats@gmail.com