SL Blogroll Clean-Up

Today I did a bit of delayed spring-cleaning when it came to my SecondLife blogroll.

The principles for removing blogs on my SecondLife blogroll have been

1. The blog has been deleted
2. The blog has not been updated for over a year
3. The blog doesn't adhere to the principle of mutual reciprocity - "Why in hell should I promote that blog, if they cannot be bothered to link to my blog? Not having a blogroll is no excuse, the same principle applies." (Two exceptions have been made to this rule. One because the blog was recently restarted and the blogger may not have gotten around to adding a blogroll yet and the other because I myself find great entertainment value in it despite it not having a blogroll.)

If you feel you have been unfairly removed, please send a touching letter with your complaints, in triplicate, to 

His Holiness, Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City
Vatican City State

He may care more than I do, he is such a kind and caring man they say....

If you on the other hand, should already have me on your SL blogroll or happen to add me to it, please inform me by dropping a note card on my SL profile or sending me an email and I will be happy to promote your blog in return. 

An Exceptionally Wonderful Man

Butch Diavolo has been a good friend of mine for many years now.

Butch is also a squatter on my homesim and is appointed as the Royal Gardener of the sim. (Although truthfully he hasn't been building or beautifying much (except his own plot) the last year, but he has been busy having a love life and taking care of himself.)

I know Butch as a kind, intelligent, warm hearted, level headed, everso faithful, amusing and highly sarcastic man, who always tries to help out if he is able. The only thing I have found lacking is his lovelife and his - sometimes - worrying choices where men and partners are concerned.

Yesterday I decided to adopt him as a son, and he agreed (Let's see how long that will last...) to defer to me before entering into any future partnerships. Any prospective partner will first be vetted by me - and my swarms of spies all over the Internet and in SecondLife - before being partnered. Linden Lab has been notified of this requirement and have agreed to assist in any way possible.

Fun thing though, through other familial ties of both my sons Butch and Pook, Butch will now be both Pook's brother and his grandmother. SecondLife families are a seriously messed up thing. However, as Pook's "pappa" I shall now be humming this tune to myself:

"For your brother is your grandma,
but your daddy don't know.
Woe, is me, shame and scandal in the family
Woe, is me, shame and scandal in the family"

(For clues to this musical reference please listen to Shawn Elliott in "Shame and Scandal in the Family")

New Line of Men's Underwear

Mein schatz, my friend, my squatter and the famous SecondLife designer of underwear Mirco Dinzeo yesterday told me about a new collaboration he has begun with Castello Sands in designing underwear for men with the Niramyth Aesthetic body under the label "CM".

He sent me a few samples and I thought I should share them with you. (Which forced me to do a long overdue update of my Niramyth mesh body)

The boxers are modeled by the world renowned runway model Bockalicious (All those famous people only go by one name, you know!)

"naked with a chair" - An Art Project by Mind

You all know how it is. When you login to SecondLife you are overwhelmed by notices, note cards, IM's, invitations and more. Sometimes you just click away or discard, other times you mean to read and respond later.

Well, if you are as forgetful as I am, that "sometimes" means you don't get to read important and interesting stuff, like an invitation from min cher ami Mind Carlberg to join in a fun photography project. 

Sample from Mind Carlberg's Flickr

Luckily, I was made aware of the project yesterday as I am surrounded by great photographers much of the time. One of the guys suggested we go over and take a look, as far as I could see neither my husband Tomais or my brother JJ had made a picture, nor had JJ's husband Wayne.

So when Wayne logged off to enjoy his Friday and my hubby and bro went to model in a photoshoot, I stayed on to take a nudie pic of myself and take part in the exhibition.

This morning I got an email from Mind ominously informing me "you've been framed" and thanking me for my picture. He had accepted my picture although I had informed him that I am not a photographer, merely a snapshooter.

If you want to see all the naked women and men with chairs who have taken part so far, please visit Mind Carlberg's Flickr page (url) or visit the interactive installation at THE BURIED MAN/Love Land (SLurl). While you are there why not undress and take a picture at the chair that is set up there.

The exhibition has been extended, so go, go, go!

I Blame Kip!

So, this evening I was innocently going about my business in SL, whilst my - otherwise - sweet husband was browsing on Facebook. There he saw a suggestion from Kip Ashbourne which he thought was completely appropriate for me. I am not sure I agree...

OK, so I have a phobia against chickens, but should my husband really send me "Crazy Chickens" from Marketplace, or as he himself claims "Delightful items like this" (a dead rubber chicken).

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!

SecondLife Turns 15, Let's Celebrate!

SecondLife was launched on June 23rd, 2003 when the adorable Philip Linden, our divine creator, first set foot in this world where Kahvy Smith only existed as an atom that would develop into the first dinosaur. Apmel Goosson wasn't far behind (just a fem nanoseconds) but still came in as first runner-up.

So this year it is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary. Wouldya believe it? It looks so old and mature...

Our darling Ebbe Linden and the Linden Lab har promised that there will be a yearlong celebration. Read all about the improvements at the SecondLife Community blog (url), which include lower mainland costs, the return of last names, improved performance and migration to the Cloud and much much more.

Happy 15th birthday SecondLife!

"He's Older Than SecondLife Dinosaur Dung"

Today we celebrate an avatar who - if the suspicions of SecondLife archeologists are correct - is older than the dinosaur coprolite found on The Land of Rainbows sim.

Fossilized Kahvy-poop, exhibit 1

Fossilized Kahvy-poop, exhibit 2

According to emerging theories among the archeologists there was life in SecondLife even before our beloved Philip Linden set his dainty little feet in-world. Excavations at The Land of Rainbows sim have shown that there were indeed dinosaurs wandering that sim long before that day.

DNA-analysis of the dinosaur dung found has proven without any doubt that the coprolites have been deposited by none other than the avatar today known as Kahvy Smith (nee Sands). The theory is that Kahvy Smith shapeshifted from dino to human avatar on this day eleven years ago in order to survive the changing climates that were threatening the existence of the dinosaurs.

Happy eleventh human avatar rezday, Kahvy!

(Inquisitive minds may wonder how I know this much about Kahvy's background in SecondLife. Well, to be quite honest, I was there already when he emerged.)

Ars In Memoriam 2018

Joseph Douglas Wilson Jr., in SecondLife also known as Ars Northmead,

★ April 21, 1953 (First life)
★ October 25, 2006 (SecondLife)

† March 12, 2010

"Ars Forever, Forever Ars"

"It Is Considered A Fashion Faux Pas"

I and the guys visited the one year anniversary celebration of Achille's "Men's Nudist Beach" (a.k.a. MNB or Men's Clothed Beach) yesterday.

Holt, I, Tomais, JJ and Wayne 

After awhile I saw something on one of my friends that shook me to the core.

Old men all over the world do it without shame. Germans and Brits do it. Hell, even David Beckham does it! And in the fashion seasons of 2010 and 2014 some designers attempted to make it trendy, but - Thank the Babylonians! - failed. We are talking about wearing socks with sandals.

Now, according to Wikipedia, this is an age old point of contention in men's fashion. "Wearing socks and sandals together is a controversial fashion combination and social phenomenon that is discussed in various countries and cultures. It is considered a fashion faux pas."

So, one of my friends was actually wearing sandals with socks, believe it or not... Surprisingly it was the most fashion forward among us sporting this weird combination, the awesome and well known SecondLife fashion icon, fashion vlogger, film director and producer (link takes you to his YouTube Channel) and not least a brilliant photographer (link to his Flickr), Mr. WayneNZ Esq.

Wayne in socks and sandals

Ladies and gentleman, I am now going to ask you for your opinion, is it the combination of socks and sandals cool or uncool? Please take the poll in the top right corner and add any additional remarks you may have in the comments.

That's Life - 1

So, there you are happily scheming about how to make everyone start calling you "Legs", because of course they are just as smitten by your gorgeous legs and calves as you are yourself...

That's the moment your husband decides to tell you he is going to start calling you "Shorty", because 215 cm (7'1'') just isn't tall enough in SecondLife.

Comfortable In One's Avatar

Many in SecondLife find it both rewarding and pleasing to constantly play with their avatars appearances, I am quite the opposite. I have an urge - a basic need - to find an appearance that I feel comfortable in. Once I have found it, I only make minor adjustments, like getting a new haircut, from time to time.

After the first two years of experimentation I had found a look I was comfortable in for five wonderul years, And then came The Mesh Revolution and the ground opened up beneath me and I was thrown into the bottomless pit of doubt. I started out kicking and screaming and denying I wanted anything to do with mesh - ever!

Why should I change my body to fit into mesh-clothes? "Clothes should fit people not the other way around!"

Well, I was convinced about the benefits of mesh-clothing by a friend I had at the time. Then came the mesh-bodies and heads and everything other mesh, and then on top of all that Bento... *sigh* *vomit*  *weep* *kick* *scream* *yell*

"l e g s" by JJ Goodman

The mesh revolution in SecondLife has really been overwhelming, challenging and difficult for me, despite a bit of fun along the way. I have tried out mesh-bodies, mesh-heads, faces, hands and other appendages (Yes, I do mean mesh-dicks!). Some were awful (like my TMP head & face) others have felt better, but still not quite like me - or rather how I want to project myself - until just about a week ago.

With a new face, new eyes, new eyebrows a semi-new haircut and a bit of fiddling with the settings of my Signature Gianni mesh-body (under the helpful and supportive supervision of my brother JJ Goodman) it finally came together.

I am finally comfortable in my avatars appearance again, and you will probably not see any major changes for the next couple of years. Hopefully there is no new revolution for awhile at least!

Pocket Size Bock: "Is My Ass Too Big?"

The new and much improved Bock is now shorter than he has ever been since he was a noob in SecondLife. He is now down to a height of only 2,15 meters (7’1”).

Morning Swim

I love my new shape and the shorter height, especially what the shrinkage has done to the shape of my legs and calves, which are now "absolutely delicious" according to myself. Nonetheless, I worry that my ass may - possibly - look too big.

Body: Signature - Gianni
Head: Catwa - Daniel
Hair: Stealthic - Rebellion

My Ebbe Loved My Tweet

This is big enough to temporarily break the "no more blogging"-rule. Ebbe Altberg, a.k.a. Ebbe Linden, CEO of Linden Lab, the creators of our beloved SecondLife, today absolutely loved my tweet below. I am ecstatic!

@ebbealtberg (of @LindenLab) called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “#SecondLife Avatar of the Year,”, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!

— Bock McMillan™ (@BockMcMillan) November 25, 2017

A Message From Our Dear Ebbe

I hope you all got this wonderful email from our darling Ebbe Linden.

Ebbe Altberg, aka Ebbe Linden, sexy as hell in scruff

Dear Second Life Residents,

It’s been an exciting summer at Linden Lab. Second Life celebrated its 14th anniversary, and shortly thereafter we also opened Sansar's creator beta to the world. In addition, we are 

thrilled to announce a set of investments into Second Life and its communities that will include enhancements to our engineering support, customer support, billing systems and upgrades, and customer acquisition outreach. In all, we’ve budgeted many millions (USD, not L$...) in the coming year to make SL even better, and we’ll keep everyone up to date on improvements as they roll out (or sooner).

This summer’s milestones have given us all another opportunity to reflect on just how strong the Second Life community is, what an incredible history SL has had so far, and what an amazing future lies ahead for the virtual world and its Residents.

For more than 14 years, you’ve created memorable experiences, diverse communities, close relationships, thriving economies, engaging art, exciting events, and amazing creations of all kinds. You’ve made the world, and we’re proud to provide the platform and tools that help you to do so. We at Linden continue to be impressed by what we witness from Residents every day, and we want you to know that we share that commitment to and love for Second Life.

Here are a few of the things you can look forward to soon:

• We are hard at work upgrading all of the SL infrastructure and moving it to the cloud, which will bring a wealth of opportunities to Residents near and far, and allow us, among many other things, to make SL more performant for Residents across the world from us. It may also allow us to introduce new products with more flexible pricing. 
• We’re working on several features to increase the value of Premium subscriptions. Most recently we gave Premium members priority access to near-full events, and shortly, we’ll be ready to unveil another bit of exciting news for subscribers. 
• We're building out a series of great extensions to Windlight (code name: EEP!), which will give value, flexibility, and new marketability to land, and will make Windlight settings tradeable assets. 
• We have an extension to the animation system in the works (code name: Animesh) that will allow non-avatar objects to use more powerful and efficient skeletal animations the way avatars can today, and even more changes planned for creators and merchants later in the year. 
• We’ve also got new experiences and events coming. An exciting new grid-wide gaming experience is coming soon! The team can’t wait to share the details with you in just a few days. Also in the works for this fall is an updated Halloween Haunted Tour, with new spooktacular events to celebrate. Not to mention, we’re turning 15 next year - SL15B, baby! That’s an incredible milestone and we are looking forward to collaborating with you to produce an amazing celebration. 

Long live Second Life and long live the creative process in the amazing worlds that you've trail-blazed! Thank you for filling SL with your creations and communities all of these past 14+ years, and here’s to many, many more together.

Best,

Ebbe Linden, CEO & the Second Life Team

---

Well, what can one say after that breathtaking declaration of love, other than "We love you right back, Ebbe baby, and the SecondLife Team too!💗💗💗"

I hope you all noticed the remark about "amazing creations of all kinds", which we all know must certainly include my fashion-forward and spectacular "The Jester's Hat"! Nothing else comes to mind really so it must be Linden-lingo for Bock's creation.

It is also good to know that the Lab is going to keep on investing in, working with and improving SecondLife despite the doomsday prophets who for a long time have been crowing about how the Lab will lose all interest in SecondLife once Sansar is launched.

Second Pride - Call for Board Candidates (Updated)

The minutes of the Second Pride annual meeting on July 30, 2017, have been published on the Second Pride website. You will find the minutes in the right hand column.

Left to right, Tootsie Nootan, Viktor Sandman, Jak Calcutt & LLedge Eames
(Marge Beaumont wasn't able to attend) 

A quick summary of the reports from the board members would be that this years Second Pride festival was a huge success, with lots of visitors, wonderful venues and builds, few security issues and loads of donations.

The board thanked everyone and the board members were in turn all lauded by those in attendance for their good work for the community and the organization.

After setting aside funds for tier for the Second Pride sim for the coming year and some petty cash, there will be roughly US$1,000 for the board to donate to charity. The board is considering donations to either The Rainbow Railroad or The Human Rights Campaign Fund.

The biggest surprise was the news that the whole board is stepping down, every single one of them. All the positions will be open for the election of new candidates.

The election timetable is as follows (all dates are of course SLT).

1. August 1 - September 3, 2017 - The Second Pride Festival group is closed for new members until the end of the election.
2. August 7-20, 2017 Call for candidates.
3. August 20-26, 2017 Question & answers period 
4. August 27 - September 2, 2017 Elections

The election committee will be headed by LLedge Eames as the outgoing chair.

---

Those considering submitting their candidacies will find a Board Candidate Submission Form (here).

Please take the time to consider how you - or perhaps a friend - could serve the LGBT+ community in SecondLife and send in your Candidacy.

---
UPDATE 8/13/2017
Lee MacKay, the current webmaster for the Second Pride website, in a comment on Google+, informs me: "It's also very important to note that anyone wishing to participate in the Q&A portion of the election process MUST create an account on the website to do so. The Q&A will take the form of comments beneath each candidate's statement, and a working, verified login is required to post or reply. This applies to the candidates as well, of course. - SP Webmaster"

The Southern Belle

As you all may know already, my husband Tomais is an avid collector of SecondLife machinery and vehicles of all and any kind. I wouldn't go so far as to call it an addiction - yet, but...

Happy Tomais

Anyway! Two and a half years ago we visited the wharves of the Bandit store and saw that Analyse Dean was building a ginormous riverboat. Tomais at once said "I want it!" and I, in a moment of codependency and weakness, told him I would get it for him as a present.

Nice ass!

When I checked in with the creator Anneliese for information on when the boat would be released, she said it might happen after that summer. Well that was two years ago, and Tomais has been taking regular trips to the wharf to check on how things were proceeding.

For a long time nothing happened, but then finally, about a week ago, Tomais told me that the boat was now released and that he was going to buy it. I reminded him of my promise and told him i would reimburse him when I got inworld, because he told me he simply couldn't wait for me to get there to buy it. (Addict much, eh?)

The beauty herself

Tomais has been happy as a ten y.o. with his new toy since he got hit. Learning how to work it and re-texturing it to suit his purposes.

I am the proud portmaster of the boats home port

I have enjoyed a couple of trips on The Southern Belle also, despite the fact that the captain makes me work my way over the Blake Sea (there is no Mississippi river in SecondLife), mostly in unsuitable gear.

My preferred manner of travelling

My actual manner of travelling

It's Midsummer's Eve 2017

Bock in SecondLife wishes all it's wonderful 

and sexy readers a very happy Midsummer!

Second Pride Festival 2017 - The Logo

Poster by LLedge Eames

Below is the logo of this years Second Pride festival, which was recently released. 

I like it! Its powerful and illustrates that we still have to stand up and be counted in the fight for our own and our International sisters and brothers rights and protections.

Sure, pride is a celebration of who we are and how far we have come in some countries, but we must also always remember there are places in the world where the situation for our sisters and brothers our far from comfortable and easy as it is for us.

We are here to celebrate and to give them hope and show support in their struggles. We are here to be in the faces of their and our oppressors, to show we exist and we are here to stay. We will be loud and proud because we cant!

SL14B Official Shopping Event, June 5-26, 2017

Linden Lab is hosting a shopping event to celebrate the fourteenth anniversary of SecondLife. It's promising you can get "free gifts and exclusive items from many of Second Life's top designers".

The locations to pick up your loot are presented here: SL14B Official Shopping Event.