Recommended Reading

My dear friend Ricco Saenz has published a great (as usual) post about Second Pride and the upcoming Pride Festival on his blog Second Sighting │ Ricco Saenz's Journey in SL. I highly recommend reading it.

Photo by Ricco Saenz

Second Sighting: On the 50th celebration of the Stonewall Riots, Pride takes a major step forward in SL (url)

Float With The Tiny Community

The Much Honored Bock McMillan, the laird of Southern Charm etc.etc., is showing his support for the tiny community's struggles in SecondLife.

"We all want to be grounded", the laird says, "the struggle of the tinies is Ours."

And here is some good news on the matter shared by Inara Pey on Twitter

The Lab have actually found the root cause of the problem and have a fix, which is  currently with the Lab's QA team for testing. See Hover Height / Vertical Positioning Issue at: https://t.co/azFOkDQfcQ .

— Inara Pey (@InaraPey) January 14, 2019

If you would like a set of stilts, please send me a message inworld and I will supply you with a pair. They are made for an offset of 0.4

I Will Float With The Tinies!

Yesterday I read my friend Ricco Saenz heartbreaking post Second Sighting: For hover height, Tinies gathered in a protest that was far from being tiny about the present struggles of the tiny community in SecondLife.

Detail from a picture a by Ricco Saenz

Today I have decided that I will sympathy-float with my tiny friends for one (1) month in support of their struggle. The only exceptions will be when I am taking part in a major motion picture production or modeling for one of the master photographers.

I am changing my hover height and making stilts as soon as I get into SecondLife.

Must Read: Curious Ways to Die in SecondLife

Ricco Saenz, blogger and a long time friend of mine, recently posted about "6 curious ways to die in Second Life" (url) on his blog Second Sighting │Ricco Saenz journey in SL (url). You must read it, and the pictures will make you die in interesting ways too!

"Eaten by an anaconda" Photo by Ricco Saenz (at Flickr)

At the Cocoon House

I had read about DaD's "Cocoon House" on Ricco Saenz blog, Second Sighting (url), a while back. Today I went there to check it out for myself.

"The Cocoon House at DaD Design" Self Portrait 2018, by Bock McMillan

It's a beautiful house, but alas, too small for the needs and requirements of a SecondLife royal. I did buy it tho. Just in case I should happen to be exiled by some minor revolution, which is highly unlikely but it is best to prepare for all contingencies.

Bock is wearing:
Dazed - Freaktard glasses Onyx
Complex - Carlos Shirt - Style 1
Dufaux - Spring short - dot/gray
Equal - Caleb sandals, black

P.S. Please note, no socks were worn with the sandals!

Ricco Saenz: A Decade of Transformations

Read Ricco Saenz great retrospective post on his 10 years in SecondLife, Second Sighting: Being 10 years old in Second Life: a decade of transformations

I particularly agree with this quote from Ricco´s post: 

"I am in SL because it gives me a good time, because I’ve met, and keep meeting, some great people on the grid, because I have developed an intense relationship with someone there to the point of calling him my husband, because I feel marveled at the possibilities of the virtual world, because I still see its potential and its positive reality."

And the Winner Is...

Yesterday I posted a picture puzzle and asked if you could guess the meaning of the pictures.

You were asked to post your guesses in the comments.

The pictures depicted were the following:

1. Three Swedish football fans (Their nationality is shown by them being painted in the blue and yellow colors of the Swedish flag and wearing the jersey of the Swedish National football team)
2. A blazing sun
3. Six varieties of pickled herring (It should have been at least seven, sorry for that...)
4. A bundle of freshly harvested chives
5. New potatoes, with skin still on, boiled with dill
6. A bottle of aquavit (an alcoholic spirit, made from potatoes, that gets it distinctive taste from spices or herbs)

Thank you Ricco Saenz and Kahvy Smith for taking part in my little game. The answer I was aiming for to this riddle was indeed "Happy Midsummer!"

Now without further ado, let me announce the following...

And the winners are...

*Bwow-Chcka-Bwow-Ba-Doom*

Mrrs. Ricco Saenz and Kahvy Smith!

Congratulations guys, you have both won a handmade Jester's Hat in Multicolored Rhinestone by BMcM™. 

Keep the object safe in your Inventories for a while and you will make a fortune some day, I am quite certain of that!

The Closing Party at Visions of Hope

"Visions of Hope 2016", the silent art auction benefiting RFL of SL has run the month of May.

The Results/Closing party is on May 31, 2016 @ 5pm to 7pm SLT with the tunes supplied by DJ Hᴏᴛᴛɪᴇ B. (mjshotboy.skytower).

Last chance to see the amazing collection of art by the following artists: Bijou, Boudicca Amat, Ciottolina Xue, d-oo-b, Dru G. Eiren-Milneaux, Em Larsson, Hills, Inara Pey, Mareea Farrasco, Nikolai Warden, Proph, Pusher, Randy Firebrand, Ricco Saenz, Tomais Ashdene, Trinity Yazimoto and Ziki Questi. (Bids are accepted until May 30).

The silent auction was intended to raise funds for Relay For Life, a global initiative by American Cancer Society aimed at gathering donations to fight against cancer, as well as providing "a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer" and "remember loved ones lost", as the ACS webpage says. During the exhibition, the public has been able to acquire photo-based pieces as well as sculptures from some of the most renowned artists in Second Life and, at the same time, contribute with the ACS's programs to improve cancer survival, decrease the incidence of cancer and improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their caretakers. It should be noticed, too, that the actions by ACS are not restricted to the United States: lately, the Society has been contributing with initiatives to fight cancer around the world.

Take me to the Visions Of Hope Gallery (SLurl).

Artists:
Bijou
Boudicca Amat
Ciottolina Xue
d-oo-b
Dru G. Eiren-Milneaux
Em Larsson
Hills
Inara Pey
Mareea Farrasco
Nikolai Warden
Proph
Pusher
Randy Firebrand
Ricco Saenz
Tomais Ashdene
Trinity Yazimoto
Ziki Questi

RFL of SL:
- The first Relay For Life of Second Life was held in 2005. It was attended by a few hundred avatars and raised about US$ 5,000.
- In 2015, RFL of SL raised US$ 277,000.
- This year the Relay weekend will be held on July 16th and 17th. Other activities, such as the silent auction, will be organized during the year for raising funds.

Hope Haven Heroes:
- The RFL of SL team that represents Hope Haven, where the support groups for survivors and caregivers meet.

Contacts for further information:
- Randy Firebrand (in world) and Ricco Saenz (in world and via email - ricco.saenz@gmail.com).

Visions of Hope 2016

Randy Firebrand and Ricco Saenz are inviting us to "Visions of Hope", the 2nd annual art exhibition and silent auction raises awareness for cancer survivors, caregivers support groups and "Hope Haven Heroes", the RFL team representing them.

The opening party, hosted by Cᴜᴘʀɪᴄ Rᴏᴜᴛᴇʀ, is April 30 at 4 p.m. (SLT) and the exhibition runs through May 30. All proceeds to the American Cancer Society.

Take me to the exhibition Visions of Hope.

SL12B Begins Today!

And right in the middle of the ongoing celebration of the 10th anniversary of Pride in SecondLife the community also gets to celebrate the 12th Birthday of our wonderful Second Life.

I will of course go to take a peek at this celebration also, if nothing else but to show my gratitude to my darling Philip Linden (a.k.a. Philip Rosedale) and his team of superbly clever, imaginative, skillful and loveable nerds, geeks and dorks, i.e. Linden Lab.

Thank you, for giving us this world to live in!

For more information about this event I direct you to my friend Ricco Saenz blog Second Sighting: Celebrating dreams at SL’s 12th Anniversary and of course the event website SL Community Celebration

REMINDER: Visions of Hope, Last Chance!

Today is the last day of the silent auction benefiting Relay for Life of SL at Hope Haven Heroes Gallery (SLurl).

Get your last bids in to the music of DJ Cupric from 1 PM SLT.

The results will be revealed at 4 PM SLT.

Last Chance to See "Visions of Hope"

From a press release kindly forwarded to me by Ricco Saenz, who together with his partner Randy Firebrand, is the organizers of this event.

"Visions of Hope", which is a silent auction benefiting Relay for Life of SL. closes tomorrow Sunday May 31.

 
Cupric Router will spin the tunes @ 1 PM SLT, so we can dance and get those last bids in. The auction results will reveal themselves @ 4 pm SLT.

The organizers wish to thank the amazing artists: Ziki Questi, Tomais Ashdene, Ricco Saenz, Em Larsson, Hills, Trinity Yazimoto, Boudicca Amat, Pusher, Bijou, Morgan Kincess, Skippy Beresford, Dru G. Eiren-Milneaux, Bear Silvershade & Serei Guena for having joined forces on behalf of RFL of SL.

Hope Haven Heroes Gallery (SLurl)

Visions of Hope - Silent Auction in Benefit of RFL of SL

From a press release

Ziki Questi, Tomais Ashdene, Em Larsson, Hills, Trinity Yazimoto, Boudicca Amat, Pusher, Bijou, Morgan Kincess, Dru G. Eiren-Milneaux and other great photographers and visual artists are joining forces on behalf of Relay For Life of SL (RFL of SL). Some of their original and unique works will be part of Visions of Hope, a silent auction starting on May 3, 2015.

Yes, that's it, an auction with some of the most renowned photograph artists in Second Life - and you can take one of them, or more, home with you (I mean their work, of course).

All the money raised with the activity will go to RFL of SL, which helps gather funds for the American Cancer Society's programs to improve cancer survival, decrease the incidence of cancer and improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their caretakers.

Visions of Hope will be held at Hope Haven Heroes Gallery (SLurl) during the whole month of May. 

DJ Cupric will be responsible for the tunes during the opening party, on May 3rd, at 1 PM SLT, and everyone is invited to join.

The Silent Auction
For the auction, one just has to click on the title boards and make an offer. The minimum bid is just L$ 400 and the amounts can be increased by at least L$ 100 each time. At the end of May, we will learn who acquired what.

So, if you'd like to check the works of some amazing photographers in SL, and maybe acquire some of them and help the efforts of RFL of SL, go visit Hope Haven Heroes Gallery during this May, and join us for the opening party.

Visions of Hope is hosted by Hope Haven Heroes. Hope Haven is where the survivors and caregivers support groups meet. Hope Haven Heroes is the Relay For Life of SL team that represents it (more info on Hope Haven support groups at the gallery).

Summarizing:
Event: Visions of Hope, Hope Haven Heroes' silent auction on behalf of Relay For Life of SL

Date: From May 3rd (official opening) until May 31. Soft opening for the press on May 1st.

Artists already confirmed:

• Bijou
• Boudicca Amat
• Dru G. Eiren-Milneaux
• Em Larsson
• Hills
• Morgan Kincess
• Pusher
• Randy Firebrand
• Ricco Saenz
• Tomais Ashdene
• Trinity Yazimoto
• Ziki Questi

(Others will possibly join the list soon)

Opening party: May 3rd, 1 SLT, with DJ Cupric.

About RFL of SL:
- The first Relay For Life of SL was held in 2005. It was attended by a few hundred avatars and raised about US$ 5,000.
- In 2014, RFL of SL raised US$ 415,000.
- 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of RFL of SL.
- This year the Relay weekend will be held on July 17th and 18th. Other activities, such as the silent auction, will also be organized during the year for raising funds.
- The theme for RFL of SL 2015: The future is now.

About Hope Haven Heroes:
- The RFL of SL team that represents Hope Haven, where the survivors and caregivers support groups meet.

Contacts for further information:
- Randy Firebrand (in world) and Ricco Saenz (in world and via email ricco.saenz@gmail.com).

New Blog Header For Summer

This is my new blog header for the summer, isn't it simply beautiful? The picture is called "Tan lines" and is by my talented husband Tomais Ashdene.

My tan lines have been generously provided by my friend and fellow blogger Ricco Saenz. You can find Ricco's blog here, Second Sighting (and in my blog roll, of course)

Are You a Tourist or a Traveler?

What is your attitude, your approach, to SecondLife, are you a traveler, a tourist or perhaps something in-between?

"On the hill" by Ricco Saenz

Blogger and photographer Ricco Saenz shared his beautiful and thoughtful images, both mental and literal, on that very question in his blog post yesterday, Second Sighting. Ricco Saenz's journey in SL: Under the sheltering sky. Read it!

I am here for the duration.

Photoshoot with Ricco

This evening I went along to watch as Tom had a photoshoot with Ricco Saenz for his blog Second Sighting. Ricco Saenz's journey in SL.

The shoot took place at the wild, mysterious and beautiful Dark Moon Avalon Isle sim. Tom was in his centaur avatar while handsome Ricco was a satyr. I could tell that the two knew each other well because their collaboration on the set was effortless and smooth.

In one of the pictures they took, Tom was supposed to have an arrow sticking into his bodacious rump and he was whining about it. I and Ricco ganged up on poor Tom and told him to "man up" and "take it like a man".

While the guys were posing, chatting and taking pictures I tried for the longest while to add Ricco's blog to my SecondLife blogroll, but it just would not stick whatever I tried. So I blamed it on "that darned technology" and decided try doing it after I had logged off.

When I tried it again it still did not let itself be added but I was reminded by a similar experience a while back so I checked my blogroll. Sure enough, the reason I could not add it was that it had already been added a long time ago duhhhhh.