Additional Feedback

I already filed my response to the survey a while back, but today I sent in an addition to my previous responses, as I had come to the conclusion that I had not been specific enough in my earlier response. So today I filed the following addition.

What did you like best about the festival?

1. The lesbians were back - and I love it!
2. The parade is back - and I love it!
3. The wonderful serene Chapel
4. The beautiful builds
5. The event was extremely well organized with little or no confusion, the board members and their assisting teams did a splendid job.
6. Three sims worked great! The smaller area kept the space close and increased the chances of running into old friends and acquaintances.
7. The sims were restarted every day which mostly kept lag at a reasonable level.

What suggestions do you have for the 2015 Second Pride Festival?

1. I would like to see a new beginning for the Names Project, i.e. the so called AIDS Quilts. It is not acceptable that whether or not donated quilts are displayed or not is dependent on an individuals whims or requirements. This is something that Second Pride can and should do for the LGBT community.
2. Try to get a few more live acts, I know there are singers and musician who would love to take part.
3. I always loved the plays that Marcus Steeplechase and his buddies enacted during Pride, it would be wonderful if we could get something like it back.
4. Poetry readings perhaps?

Please don't get me wrong, I love the DJ's and the parties but options should be provided to a greater extent, the community is diverse in it's needs.

Darn! I forgot to mention that I missed the combats between Gay Gor and Romanum from last years Pride. The people participating in that were a fun crowd and I had a great time watching and chatting there last year.

Overall, the Festival of 2014 was the best ever!

If you haven'r taken the survey yet, please do so here 2014 Second Pride Festival Feedback

Memories of Bygone Days

In preparation for the upcoming week long celebration of the life and times of Marcus Steeplechase, who recently passed away, old treasures have been unearthed and again see the light of day. The old Ironworks Club is being erected again at this location and friends of mine have already visited.

When I logged into my Facebook-account today I was first struck by the amount of pictures my name had been tagged in, but soon realized why. A display from 2007 has been found in Marcus' Inventory showing frequent visitors to the club or maybe it was participants in a photo contest? I cannot remember anymore. 

Among those shown in the display is the 6-8 months old me (third row from top, seventh from the left in the top picture). I still remember the hair and skin I am in very well, they were among the very first things I ever bought in SecondLife. To my left you see my then friend Drizz and fifth to my right is my brother in-law Dej. The whole display is full of familiar names, some of whom are still with us to this day.

A few months in SecondLife had finally made it clear to me that camping was not a worthwhile way to earn the money I needed. After having briefly considered the sex-trade I shrugged it off and decided to plug in my credit card instead, promising myself dearly that I would never ever spend more than  L$5,000 a month. Ah, the sweet innocence of youth...

In the beginning I did not at all want to look one bit like a Swede, but instead chose dark brown hairs and skins with California suntans (I seem to remember that this particular skin was named Hermes, but I am not sure.).

It wasn't until later, during my first year with Ars, that my appearance started to revert more to my first life looks with blond hair and lighter skin tones, because I realised I felt more comfortable that way. Of course the fact that blond hair finally stopped being a strange yellowish may have helped.

Celebrating Marcus Steeplechase

On Monday September 23, 2013, at 7-9PM SLT, the first life birthday of Marcus Steeplechase will be celebrated with a two hour Special Cabaret Night in his honor.

The Marduk Theater has been put up again and you are invited to spend an evening with Marcus' friends and family to celebrate his life.

Marcus Steeplechase
★ October 20, 2006  -  †August 3 , 2013

Marcus was a friend and mentor to many in SecondLife and made friends easily. He was involved in many things and in his community. Marcus was also the co-owner of The Ironworks sim and club. One of Marcus' passions was theater and putting on Cabaret Evenings. The organizers have put together some of his favorite musical numbers and brought together some of his close friends to perform for you.

Take me to The Marduk Theater! (SLurl)

In October the Ironworks Club will be brought back and there will be a weeklong block of parties to celebrate the life and times of Marcus in SecondLife on the week of his rezday.

The organizers are looking forward to seeing you then as well. Look for future announcements!

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The organizers have also informed me, that if you cannot attend the celebration, and wish to have something said or make a dedication you can send a note card to Sasch Petrov. Sasch will then read it on air for you.

Installation of the SP2014 Board

Yesterday I gathered, with many other members, to witness the installation of the SP2014 board.

It was a very civilized and undramatic affair with the new board directors dressed up in all their finery (Imagine, if you can, Hotboy in a dashing grey suit which actually covered most of his skin except the face, neck and hands!) while the rest of us there in our usual sexy "shabby chic" attires.

Khar Indigo (archive photo)

The most moving and interesting moment of the event was when Kharissa Indigo, the outgoing Events director, initiated the proceedings with a eulogy for the recently deceased Marcus Steeplechase:

"I want to take a moment to remember Marcus Steeplechase, whose brilliant mind inspired the 2010 board and the community. Marcus was a man that thought outside the box and inspired others to follow. He never judged anyone by gender or sexual preference but encouraged the very best from them. He was a kind-hearted man. He was passionate with a wicked sense of humor and my mentor. More than that he was one of my very best friends. Under Marcus’ leadership, Second Pride produced some amazing events: For example, Teahouse of the August Moon - an inspiring play  done by the Pride players. He spearheaded a fabulous Art Walk that lasted several days with over 80 participants on 3 sims; with a fundraising  party at the end. Marcus orchestrated the huge Haunted Mansion and party bringing together a community of builders. Second Pride Festival that year was inspired by the waterways of Venice. The water floats were a fabulous idea but  try as they might just couldn't seem to get around the waterways. Last year, Marcus returned  for a an encore performance of “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” at Pride.  Marcus was an amazing man in his real life and second life, a champion for those whose needs were greater than his own. He brought the community together like no one else could; people working together to create that special fun and excitement. Sadly he passed away on August 3,  2013, His accomplishments in Second Life and Second Pride and for those of us that knew him, his memory, will live on forever in our hearts.

Like Marcus and others before him,I encourage the new board to take the lead in  helping the community heal and come together. I encourage the community to invite your friends and neighbors to join you. Make something positive happen. I'm looking forward  to a bright future for Second Pride and it’s community. 

Thank you for listening"

The speech was greatly appreciated by the assembled members.

Following that there were a few other speeches and then the outgoing directors that were present passed over passwords etc. to  their incoming counterparts.I am assuming that the directors that were not present have done or will do the same at the earliest convenient moment.

The outgoing board of SP2013 were thanked for their hard work and devotion during the past year, while the incoming board of SP2014 were congratulated and showered with our heartfelt best wishes for the coming year.

Marcus Steeplechase - In Memoriam

When I came home from work today I received an email from my brother in-law Dejeritty Mycron informing me that news had reached SecondLife yesterday that Marcus Steeplechase had passed away.

Marcus Steeplechase
★ October 20, 2006  -  †August , 2013

Marcus first rezzed into SecondLife the same week as my late husband Ars Northmead and Dejerrity Mycron. Ars always spoke highly of him and I know that Dej is grieving his passing.

I did not know Marcus well myself and only met him in his capacity of owner of one of the most famous and long lasting gay clubs in SecondLife, The Ironworks Club. He was always friendly to me and seemed like an extremely cheerful and boisterous man with a rowdy sense of humor.

After the Ironworks Club closed in early 2010 I didn't see him much in SecondLife, except at the Second Pride Festival last year. There he played the lead role of king Henry in the musical farce "The Six Wives of  Henry VIII". He also played Anne Boleyn's sister Jane and possibly some other roles too.

Rest in peace, Marcus!

My thought go to Marcus's family and friends in first life and in SecondLife, remember he was loved and will live forever in your hearts and minds!

The Six Wives of Henry VIII

On Sunday evening I had the great pleasure of seeing the musical play "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" at The Marduk Theatre at the Second Pride Festival.

The legendary Wesley Spengler, proved that he could clean up nicely and gave us a wonderful, helpful and humorous narration of the events that unfolded on the stage.

The music to illustrate the event was fabulously chosen to give a tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the lyrics so that they were elevated to a completely new level and meaning.

As could be expected, the audience participation was an added benefit. We all dove in with gusto and scathing remarks.

Catherine of Aragon, brilliantly interpreted by Van Auster showed us - albeit in pixelated form - that the reputation of the women from Aragon for being among the sexiest in the world is not false.

Anne Boleyn, played by MeatJockey Lederberg, and her sister Jane, played by Marcus Steeplechase,  arrive at the court after a few years abroad. Anne Boleyn successfully entices Henry VIII with her foreign talents and vices.

Archbishop Thomas Cromwell, elegantly played by Kharissa Indigo, awaits to escort queen Anne Boleyn to the scaffold after she has been convicted of all crimes possible and sentenced to death.

Queen Anne says farewell to the court and the world on the scaffold.

CHOP IT OFF!

Jane Seymour, played by Callinet Dagostino, heats up the king and all his men and every other man she encounters during her short life.

King Henry, formidably played by Marcus Steeplechase, takes a moving farewell of Queen Jane before she is sent to the scaffold to get her head chopped off.

The king mourns the demise of Jane for three years, here seen passing time with his buddy archbishop Thomas. The archbishop is meanwhile scouring the protestant royal houses in search of a suitable new mate for the king.

Anne of Cleve, portrayed with flair by MJshotboy Skytower, arrives at the court of Saint James´s but turns out not to be to the liking of the king.

Queen Anne sings her goodbyes with the country classic D-I-V-O-R-C-E before being shipped back to Cleve by the king.

The kings former buddy archbishop Thomas is sentenced to death and beheaded for "lese majesté" (treason against his sovereign) for arranging the disastrous wedding with Anne of Cleve. CHOP IT OFF!

Catherine Howard, played by Peewee Musytari, arrives at court to screw with the king and everyone else with a pulse - and perhaps even without...

The court rejoices and celebrates at the upcoming beheading of Queen Catherine.

Queen Catherine prays for mercy and says her farewells.

CHOP IT OFF!

Catherine Parr, performed with bravado by Philip Eubanks, comes to court to marry and nurse the aging king.

The king sings his final number, of course it could be nothing else than "My way".

Grand finale, the ensemble and the audience dance and applaud an excellent performance!

This was a definite success and was extremely entertaining. If you ever get a chance to catch the show, jump at it!