Memorial For Dano

A week ago we all learned that the man behind the SecondLife avatar DanR Raymaker, in first life known as Scott Spencer, had passed away after struggling with a painful disease for a long time.

DanR Raymaker-Mirabella
(a.k.a. Scott Spencer)
★ March 19, 2007  † June 30, 2017

I knew him as Dano and first met him at Boots Gay Beach in 2007 (when he looked as his profile picture above).

Dano was one of the most charming, kindest and caring men I have ever met, with a weird sense of humor and a contagious joy of life. Being around Dano, meant you had fun, whatever mood you were in when you got there.

Even his last post on Facebook bears witness of his amazing sense of humor despite the pain and adversities he was struggling with in first life.

Dano was also one of a handful of non-Swedish avatars who dared take part in my blog-series "Naked Avatars in SL" in 2010. You can see his beautiful contribution in this post from May 21, 2010.

Yesterday I was invited to, and took part in, the memorial service for him and the celebration of his life. We were about 20-22 assembled, under the guidance of Evan Greymyst and Ezzie Mirabella. I am sure we would have been many more if people didn't have first life responsibilities to contend with during a weekday, but I am happy I could be there.

As I understand it, Dano had in length discussed with Evan Greymyst how he wished his memorial to be conducted. It was a memorable service.

Evan Greymyst conducting the memorial

Dano's husband Nibz and their two sons

Rest in peace, Dano, you will be sorely missed!

#Bock3000DaysInSL

There is reason to celebrate today, because it's my 3,000th day in SecondLife!

Bock on May 12, 2007, dancing alone at Bad Boy's Plaza

Who would've thought that fateful Monday more than eight years ago that I would still be here so very many years later?

I came out of inquisitiveness, only intending to check out what all the rave was about and why Sweden was opening it's first virtual embassy here. I spent my first weeks on Arrival Island, or whatever the place was called, trying to get my ugly noob avatar to look better so that I was fit to be seen. I'm gay after all, you have to at least try to look your best at any given moment...

As this was back in the day before Linden Lab provided us with the beautiful starter avatars and I lacked the necessary talent I finally gave up and ventured out into the world.

The first thing I looked for when I decided to venture away from Arrival Island, was anything related to Sweden, the second thing was anything to do with sex, preferably the gay variety. The Swedes ignored me completely, while the gays used me for mutual sexual gratification. Within an hour of leaving Arrival Island I was equipped with 10-15 dicks of various sorts, one of which took me far into the skies when I attached it.

After having used SecondLife for quick satisfaction and pixel-sex for a month or so I actually started talking to people before, during and/or after the quickies. My visits started to get longer and I started to make acquaintances, well more like fuck buddies but anyway...

Someone took pity on me and showed me where and how I could get my avatar to look better and where I could meet people for more than sex. I was introduced to Boots Gay Beach and the Devil Inside club (the "only" gay club to be for a while before it was destroyed by drama). I met good people, kind people and of course my share of assholes. I fell in love with Ars, we moved in together and built a life and family together at Southern Charm. Ars died and I seriously considered dropping out of SL, but then there was Southern Charm. I just couldn't leave it, everything there was a reminder of him and I did not want to lose it.

A little before Ars passed away I had reached out to the Swedish community again, with better luck this time. My countrymen and my SecondLife family were extremely supportive throughout my whole grieving process and involved me with community events, with parties and with people etc, etc. And my saga continues from there with a new love, new friends and new involvements and obligations.

So I came to SecondLife out of curiosity, I returned for the sex and continued for the the people, all the wonderful people I have met here.

All in all, it has been an amazing experience and I don't regret it for a second. I now know I'm going to stay here until Linden Lab pulls the plug in San Francisco, hopefully with a new and improved world waiting for me, my love, my family and my friends.

Happy #Bock3000DaysInSL to you all - and may we have many, many more!

Sweet Memories - UPDATED

YMCA-dance 2007 (Jerrod 1st from left, Drizz 3rd, me 4th, the female DJ 5th and Andrey 6th)

Today I read an interview with Jerrod Rodenberger which was published on the Gay Archipelago Blogs yesterday. You can read the full interview here: VIP Interview Jerrod Rodenberger by Hunter.

Jerrod is an old friend from my earliest days in SecondLife. We met on the friendly and caring Boots Gay Beach which was a safe haven and school for everyone, but gay noobs in particular.

At Boots Beach we partied, but we were also thought the basics of how SecondLife works and all the do´s and dont´s; What settings to use to get a more beautiful life. Where to shop for anything you needed. How to build. How to fit clothes and hair. How to script (advanced classes which I did not take I am sorry to admit today) and yes a few also got lessons in good manners and etiquette if it was needed. In short we got a run through everything that is needed for any fashion conscious gay man or boy in-world. I should think the closest comparison to what Boots Beach did for us would be to say it was like a Swiss Finishing School for young women.

Jerrod Rodenberger

In the interview Jerrod reminds me of a wonderful and funny evening we shared once when we were following Ars around the gay clubs of SecondLife.

That was way back in the days when people still talked in local chat, so suddenly someone commented on that a few of us looked like different characters in the Village People. Then someone said we should do the YMCA-dance and handed out the dance animation. I do not remember who the female DJ was but she started playing the song for us over and over again until we finally gave a reasonably synced rendition (it was my fault of course that it took awhile, but they were all very patient with me).

I laughed so hard my stomach ached and we all had a wonderful time. It was one of those truly magical moments in SecondLife when everything sort of connects, everyone is included and love of mankind reigns supreme.

Sadly I could not find the pictures when I did a quick search of my Inventory, but I have probably just not labeled them correctly.

Thanks for reminding me, Jerrod, and thanks so much for that great picture, I will treasure it!

Nakna avatarer i SL 107

I am proud to present to you all my friend Brendon Heron. I first met Brendon during my early days in Second Life, while I had my home set to a gay beach. Brendon was beautiful already back then. He has since become even more handsome and nowadays frequently works as a model at fashion shows.

"Mission Beach", also known as "Boots Gay Beach", was an amazing place back then. It was owned by Boots Mission and Shawn Mission, a gay couple, with the purpose of being a safe haven for gay male avatars. There were always some "oldtimers" - sometimes only a few months older than us noobs - there that continuously looked after us and helped us along while teaching us "the do´s and don´ts" of Second Life.

The oldtimers were extremely patient with us noobs. The beach was always a friendly place and a school. There was always someone willing to show you how to set your viewer to get a more beautiful world, where to get things we needed and even how to build and script.

I will always be grateful for all the help I got at Mission Beach those first months in Second Life and all the friendly and kind people I met there.

En dag med toppar och dalar

Idag hände det mycket i mitt SL liv, men mycket av känns för nära och privat att berätta om just nu - det kommer antagligen fram senare när jag har lite mer distans, men dagen fick i varje fall en underbar början och ett härligt slut.

Som vanligt på¨lördagsförmiddagen hade Ars sitt set på australiensiska "The Den". Det var tämligen välbesökt med bl a två jättekändisar inom gay-SL, Boots Mission och Eddi Haskell.

Boots Mission var en gång ägare till en sim som hette "Mission Beach" men mest kallades "Boots Gay Beach". Den stranden blev mitt första hem i SL efter att den inledande sexgalna fasen hade gått över då jag startade och lämnade SL inifrån toalettbås, under trappor eller någon annan skyddad plats. Stranden fungerade som en fristad och ett lärosäte.

Boots och hans adjutanter hade tagit till sin uppgift att med stor vänlighet och en beskyddande inställning berätta för alla vilsna bögar som var nybörjare i SL om hur denna mystiska och spännande världen fungerade. Vad man kunde göra här, var man i så fall gjorde det och var man kunde få tag på saker man tyckte sig behöva för att göra det. De ledde oss med mild och varsam hand rätt, lärde oss vilka inställningar man skulle ha på sin viewer för att ens värld skulle bli riktigt vacker, hur man rensade caches efter crashar, hur man byggde olika saker om man ville det och såg till att vi delade med oss av erfarenheter till varandra under långa stunder av trevligt samspråk. Allt som oftast utbröt spontanfester när någon bara satt igång att spela sin musik medan vi övriga dansade och pratade. Jag minns den tiden med stor värme och tacksamhet! Jag åker fortfarande dit ibland för att titta till det hela och lämna ett ekonomiskt bidrag för den fortsatta verksamheten.

Eddi Haskell är nog mest känd för att ha varit inblandad i många "dramas". Om det har varit med eller utan hans egen förskyllan har jag aldrig kunnat bedöma eftersom jag inte umgicks med honom annat än när vi råkade vara på samma fester. Antagligen berodde skitsnacket mest på att han har en färgstark personlighet och därför lätt får fiender, några av dem var publicister för den mest lästa blaskan och bloggen inom gay-SL på den tiden. De vildaste rykten spreds om honom genom antydningar och halvkvädna visor. Han har aldrig varit annat än vänlig och trevlig mot mig.

Efter festen på "the Den" var vi som vanligt på Elfay Pinkdots "Coffee and Pajamas". En alltid lika trevlig tillställning där Elfay spelar musik med roligt mellansnack och samspråk med en aktiv och deltagande publik, många av oss ständigt återkommande gäster. Eftersom detta var en förövning till den kommande "Valentines day" hade jag klätt upp mig därefter medan Ars som vanligt var lite mer nedtonad.

Efter det partyr var den en del kalabalik som jag nu hoppar över. Kvällen avslutades dock på ett underbart sätt med invigningen av Midnattsdotter Frides "Fride Live".

Där tvingade jag upp den stackars Vesper på min vilda dans-HUD. Blanche var där och sade vänliga saker om min avatar. Även aake, Qween, Bejita och Chaplin kom dit. Mot slutet av kvällen fick jag nöjet att uppleva Strum Diesel sjunga egna sånger och covers. Jag föll som en fura för hans charm och talang. Jag hade så roligt och njöt så mycket av hela evenemanget och samspråket med Guyke och hans man Janttu att jag helt glömde bort att ta bilder.

*Note to self: "Remember you have a blog now, f f s always take pictures!"*

För bilder från det sista eventet tvingas jag nu hänvisa er till Blanche´s arena och Mer eller mindre KRANFEL.