Are Centaurs Extinct? (Updated Landmark to New Store)

The answer to the question in the title is, of course, a resounding "Hell no!".

Despite what you may have been taught, centaurs are not creatures of fable or mythology. Neither did the race die out entirely when their mares left them to wander off and die lonely deaths on the plains of Central Asia.

The story of how the species was saved and survived to this day through heroic efforts by the first laird and his wife is a living legend within clan McMillan.

The first laird Callum and his spouse the goddess-witch Minerva came across the last three living centaurs during their travels in Asia Minor. They were in a pitiful state after a long life of ribaldry, whoring and worse.

With the skilled ministrations of Minerva, the centaurs were brought back to health and were offered a safe haven in the laird's clan, who at the time lived in the Scottish Highlands. 

Over time there was intermarriage between the species and the McMillan clan became the renowned shapeshifters they are today. (Clan McMillan and their distant relations the Ashdene family are among the last remaining shapeshifters still among us.) To this day they choose at will in which manner they wish to present themselves.

Notes:

Centaur body (Bento) and skin from Jinx. https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/52351 (right now only sold at We ♥ Roleplay (SLurl)) UPDATE: Landmark to the New Jinx Store (SLurl)

The armor is my Valentine's Day gift from my husband Tomais.

Pride 2015 - Day 2, The McMillan Parade Ball

Dancing with Tomais in front of the beautiful Pride Globe
that Jak Calcutt has built for Second Pride

The second day of the Pride festival opened with the McMillan Parade Ball, an event sponsored by this blog, so of course I had to be there in my family tartan with my consort Tomais at my side.

DJ Kahvy with his host and spouse Garrett gave all of us who were there a wonderful time and a great warm-up for what was to come later in the day.

The photos above are by my friend Gigi Swansen, with whom I had the pleasure of dancing a couple of dances before she had to go off to work.

After Gigi left I asked my sweet Swedish friend Helene Dragoone for a few dances. She did me the honor of leading so I could just relax and enjoy the rest of the event.

I had a fabulous time and I hope all the others had as fun a time too.

SP Festival Events - Saturday June 20th

The festival continues with a full day of fun and entertainment.

You can find the complete festival schedule of events on the Second Pride website here. (Please note that the schedule is subject to change, so check it every day to make certain there haven't been any changes affecting your plans.)

8 - 10 AM SLT "The McMillan Parade Ball" at the main stage (SLurl) with DJ Kahvy and host Garrett (Formal dress, tartans are highly encouraged but not required.)
This event is sponsored by Bock in SecondLife

Don't have a tux? No worries, there is a sale on tuxes (non-mesh) at Vanbeek's (SLurl).

10 AM - 12 PM (noon) SLT "The Second Pride Parade" at the parade route (between the SP main sim and the East sim).
If you wish you are welcome to join me on my float "Saturday Night Fever", it seats 5-6 avatars.

12 PM (noon) - 2 PM SLT join DJ Antonio TooCool" at the main stage (see SLurl above).
This party is sponsored by Brook Hill Estates.

2 - 4 PM SLT join DJ Cupidity at the East stage. This event is sponsored by Awesome Breed Creations.

4 - 6 PM SLT "Elfwish" at the main stage (see SLurl above). This event is sponsored by Galadriel's Mirror.

6 - 8 PM SLT join DJ Hotboy and/or DJ Sarco at the main stage (see SLurl above). This event is sponsored by GMP.

8 - 10 PM SLT join DJRez at the main stage. This event is sponsored by Lakeside Estates.

A Piece of My Family History

"It has to be done today! He is coming home next week, I might as well do it right now before I return home." she told herself. The young woman stepped out of the maternity ward at the hospital in Lund on a warm summer morning on the first day of September 1930.

Her name was Nelly. She was a small woman, fit with sturdy legs, clear blue eyes and a determined look on her face. She was dressed in a light summer dress and had a small hat on her light blond hair, as every decent married woman had in those days when they went outside. On one arm she carried her newborn child and in the other hand she held the small suitcase with essentials that had been packed for the trip to the hospital a week earlier.

Nelly walked the short distance from the hospital area to the town center in a steady pace. It was a market day at Saint Martins Square and there were many people about. The square was filled with market stalls where the farmers from the surrounding countryside were selling off their goods.

She found a place to leave her suitcase and then she looked around to see whom she could approach with her offer.

Onlookers could see her approach young women or young couples, one after the other, speak to them shortly and see them shake their heads and back away from her with eyes filled with pity, disgust or unbelief at her unusual request. Nelly did this for several hours until she met a couple that did not instinctively shun her. 

The couple listened quietly as Nelly told them that her husband, who was a sea captain, was coming home in the immediate future after more than a year at sea. She had had an extramarital affair during his absence and had given birth to a son only seven days earlier. Nelly told them that she could not keep the child, because her husband would never accept a bastard son. The couple, who were in their late thirties, looked at each other. Tage and Ragnhild had been married for several years and had tried - unsuccessfully - to get children. Finally Tage nodded and smiled at his wife and they both turned to Nelly and told her that they would accepted her offer and would take the boy into their care. 

The infant boy and his birth certificate (where Nelly's husband the sea captain was noted as father) were passed to the couple. They made their goodbyes and parted ways.

---

My father would not meet his birth mother again until in 1948, when he was eighteen. He was sent to Nelly by the military when he was going to start his military service to require information on which of four alternatives his correct surname was. They supplied him with the address of his mother and told him not to return until he had the answer. 

My father took my mother along to the meeting with Nelly, At this time Nelly had divorced the sea captain and had shortly afterwards remarried the man with whom she had strayed in her marriage. Nelly and her new husband by then had five more children together. Both of them, my paternal grandparents, told my father that his true surname should be (McMillan) after Nelly's new husband.

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I have pieced together the information above from our family mythology and the Swedish population records.

My first life family never really had a close relationship with my paternal grandparents although we would meet them occasionally, with very long intervals. There was no affection wasted on us by my grand mother, although my grandfather was a kind and caring man who tried - unsuccessfully - to make up for her lacking social skills.

My Parade Blunder

Remember how I have been going on about how much I have missed the opening parades at Second Pride? And how happy I was when I learned that we would have one at this years Second Pride?

Well, I managed to botch up my participation by going for a short nap four hours before the parade was going to start and then sleeping for five hours. This despite having set several wake-up calls both on my landline telephone and my cellphone, all for safety's sake as I could not imagine I would sleep that long.

Luckily my family members (hubby Tomais, son Guyke and son-in-law Garrett) were at the right place in the right time and could represent the McMillan colors.

Photo by Tomais Ashdene

Photo by Tomais Ashdene

Photo by Jeff Ellsworth

According to the reports I have received from the Opening Parade it was a tremendous success, with more than 180 avatars taking part or watching from the adjacent sim. There were only a few problems, which were to be expected considering the amount of avatars there. I am so upset with myself for missing it.

Well, when I finally did wake up I logged in as fast as I could to calm my worried family and could get a feel of the parade anyhow as it runs 24/7 (except the short while the sim is restarted everyday). I went a little crazy and tried out many of the floats, as documented below by blogging buddies Jeff Ellsworth and Carl Paneer and my Tomais.

Photo by Jeff Ellsworth

Photo by Jeff Ellsworth

Photo by Tomais Ashdene

Garrett & Guyke watching the Bock-parade
Photo by Carl Paneer

For more great pictures from Second Pride Festival, please visit my blog buddies Jeff Ellsworth; Jeff Ellsworth Witnessing A Second Life: Second Pride 2014 Live and Lively (live blogging) and Carl Paneer: NakedCarl Second Life.

Just A Bar@Burnal Equinox 2014

I am extremely happy to announce to the world that Clan McMillan is represented at this years Burn2 in SecondLife. The Burn2 opened yesterday and ends on Sunday with the burning of the all the builds.

My beloved and trusted Sergeant at Arms sirhc DeSantis McMillan was chosen by the organizers of the event a while back, but I was sworn to secrecy by the sweet man and have not been able to share the information with you earlier.

As a part of my lairdly duties I was happy to visit the build yesterday accompanied by my royal consort Tomais. At our arrival we were heartily greeted by Sarge and his adorable spouse, my dear friend, Mrs. Vampi Twine DeSantis McMillan McMillan (honorary).

Contrary to his spouse my Sarge is an exceptionally accomplished hugger

sirhc's build is a bar in the skies that offers the other builders and all the visitor a space for rest, relaxation, friendly chat and meditation. The architecture is definitely "steampunkish" in style and highly imaginative and creative.

I must however warn all visitors to mind where they walk, as the build completely lacks railings and there is a long fall to the ground.

The sweet hosts are already aflame in anticipation of the burning that will take place on Sunday March 30, 2014, at 10 PM SLT (if I am correctly informed).

Here is the landmark to Just a Bar (SLurl), it will take you to the ground level under the bar. You will land in an acidic green slush that may be green diesel or rocket fuel.

To get up to the bar you will need to cam straight above - it may be helpful to use the surrounding walls - and when your camera reaches the build above you right click and choose "sit".

Once you have seen sirhc's build you may wish to look around at the other attractions, the organizers offer a comfortable balloon tour for doing that.

Security Arrangements

Following the events of the day the McMillan Household today decided to increase the protection offered to the much honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm, prince of Cascade Falls and sovereign ruler of the Southern Enchantment Region with Outer Territories. Two hunky bodyguards have been assigned to follow the lairds every move.

It is rumored that the laird is not entirely pleased by these measures but has patiently suffered the inconvenience of the enforced company - so far.

Quarantine

Yesterday a summit meeting was held at the stronghold of the McMillan clan in SecondLife, the Southern Charm sim. The much honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Char and prince of Cascade Falls, had summoned prince Guyke Lundquist to the home sim for a conference.

Prince Guyke is of course best known as The Prince of Claddagh, which is the age old title traditionally granted to the heir apparent of the McMillan clan.

The conference had been called rather urgently by the laird after he had been informed that his stepson had engaged in a battle of abuse with a French in-law concerning "Who are the biggest dickheads of Europe", the alternatives being the French or the Belgians. Both parties showed such unusual linguistic talents and creativity in their insults that the laird was mightily impressed and full of awe while thanking his lucky star that he was not involved.

While the prince of Claddagh only showed a modicum of interest for the discussions with his stepfather, the laird himself struck up a conversation in Instant Message with Dejerrity Mycron, his brother in-law. During the course of this conversation the laird was alerted to the fact that Dej had fallen sick with the same uncommon cold that the laird had just recently survived. It became clear that the contagion must have spread from Lund, Sweden, to New York, N.Y., U.S.A. via the Southern Charm sim.

At this news the laird immediately ordered that Southern Charm should be placed in quarantine with only restricted travel between the sim and the outside world. He also ordered out his lazy nobility to douse every straw of grass, every leaf on every tree and themselves with alcogel to avoid spreading the disease any further into SecondLife.

Named Avatars 2

This is the second installment in my new series about the intriguing names of avatars in SecondLife.

After I posted the first one I have gotten absolutely no more volunteers, which has made me realize that I would have to do two things. 

1. I would have to do a post on how I myself chose the name for my avatar.

2. I would also have to start nagging, coercing and threatening family, friends, acquaintances and even total strangers with dire punishments and consequences if they did not voluntarily submit their information and pictures. 

So here is my own contribution to the series.

"Bock" by Ika Cioc (spring 2008)

I was Bock long before I came to SecondLife in the early spring of 2007. The only thing that was added when I joined SecondLife was the surname and I chose it with great care. I will remain Bock even if SecondLife should one day cease to exist.

The word "bock" in Swedish means many things. Google translates it to the following words in English; buck, goat, trestle, stud, duck, tick, cross, billy-goat, fault and howler. The word holds even more meanings, although they are rarer.

Swedes - or most other speakers of a Germanic language - who first see it and do not know me often at first interpret it in the meaning "horny man".

I will not lie, the double entendre did not escape me when I once chose it, but the name was originally derived from the Swedish word "Stenbock" which is the Swedish form of the astrological sign of Capricorn.(No, I do not believe in astrology!)

The surname was a bit harder to chose, but as soon as I saw the list of 250-something surnames that Linden Lab supplied in those days I knew it would be something Gaelic (Scottish or Irish) because I have always had a weakness for tartans and for their charming pronunciation. After considering the choices offered for two days I finally arrived at the conclusion that I was of course a McMillan.

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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 yourself.

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).

Vilken nation tillhör du i SL?

Vampi och hennes OrmDricka gäng anordnade i söndags en fest på temat "Klä dig i din nations färger".

Vilken nation tillhör jag i SL och vilka färger har den som sina, tänkte jag en del på. Jag behövde dock inte tänkte länge. Redan när jag skulle välja efternamn till SL övervägde jag bara de skotska.

I SL är jag skotte av clan McMillan, Jag kastar på mig "familjetrasan" ´i alla möjliga och omöjliga sammanhang. Den är en utsökt McMillantartan med alla nödvändiga attiraljer skapad efter min beställning av den underbara kiltdesignern och klädskaparen Elle74 Zaftig. Elle äger och driver också butikskedjan "Bellissima".

Så efter kort betänketid blev det alltså "familjetrasan" som åkte på, och jag kände mig som alltid stolt när jag fick den på mig.

Väl på OD fick jag en massa frågor om min härkomst egentligen. Jag svarade med att jag i själ och hjärta var en skotte och brydde mig sedan inte om följdfrågorna eller invändningarna. En väl inövad teknik som jag har fört över till RL, den fungerar lika bra där som här.

Efter en stund gled det upp en mörk skönhet brevid mig och ville haka på mina som vanligt lite vilda danser. Millimina Salamander hade valt att klä sig i en vacker skotsk klänning i Royal Stewart-tartan. även den designad av den underbara Elle. Hennes korthuggna försvar på de frågor hon mötte var att hon minsann kände sig skotsk för att "jag bor i ett skotskt stenhus".

Vi dansade och hade trevligt ett tag, men som vanligt skulle den kära Millimina gå och lägga sig tidigt, så jag blev lämnade kvar med en massa människor i gult och blått och Blanche, härligt nog klädd som en jordgubbe. Blanche försvarade detta tilltag med att hon minsann bodde på Fruit Island i SL och där fick detta betraktas som nationaldräkt! ¨

I tävlingen röstade jag naturligtvis på jordgubben! Tyvärr röstade resten av gästerna på de andra blågula och ingen av de djärvare alternativen så Blanche kom inte ens på prispallen. Helt felaktigt tyckte jag.