SecondLife's Avi Choice Awards - 2016

Cast your votes here: The Avi Choice Awards

Voting ends November 28th, 2016, at 5PM SLT. As always, voting is limited to 1 vote per person, per category. Thank you for joining with us to applaud our favorites in Second Life!

The categories you can vote in are:

SLife AWARDS
Favorite Holiday Store - Favorite Furniture Creator - Favorite Kids Furniture - Favorite Home Builder - Favorite Home Accessories - Favorite Commercial Design - Favorite Full Perm Mesh Designer - Favorite Garden & Landscaping Store - Favorite Sim to Explore Through - Favorite Sim Designer/Creator - Favorite Place to Take a Date - Favorite Wedding Coordinator - Favorite Wedding Venue - Favorite Shopping Region - Favorite Adult Sim - Favorite Adult Venue - Favorite Role Play Location - Favorite SL Social Network Site or Community Forum - Favorite Blog or Website, Overall (all three genres) - Favorite Blogger, Overall (all three genres) - Favorite Customer Service, Overall (all three genres) - Favorite Annual Event, Overall (all three genres) - Favorite Holiday Event or Production - Favorite Shopping Event - Favorite Gacha Event - Favorite SL Sporting Event - Favorite Gaming Location - Favorite Hunt Organizer - Favorite Land (Rent or Sell)Company - Favorite Vehicles – Land, Sea, Air - Favorite Breedable - Favorite Breedable Market - Favorite Non-Breedable Pet Creator - Favorite Female AO Creator - Favorite Male AO Creator - Favorite Full Perm Animations - Favorite Second Life (inworld) Group - Favorite Texture Store

FASHION AWARDS
Favorite Jewelry Store - Favorite Female Skin Designer - Favorite Cosmetics Designer - Favorite Male Skin Designer - Favorite Female Hair Designer - Favorite Male Hair Designer - Favorite Female Mesh Body Store - Favorite Female Avatar Component Store (not mesh body, includes eyes, heads and parts) - Favorite Male Mesh Body Store - Favorite Male Avatar Component Store (not mesh body, includes eyes, heads and parts) - Favorite Mesh Body Compatible Clothing – Female - Favorite Mesh Body Compatible Clothing – Male - Favorite Adult Avatar Accessories - Favorite Female Fashion Accessories - Favorite Male Fashion Accessories - Favorite Tattoo Designer - Favorite Female Shoe Designer - Favorite Male Shoe Designer - Favorite Women’s Casual Apparel - Favorite Women’s Formal Apparel - Favorite Lingerie, Hosiery or Pajamas Designer - Favorite Men’s Casual Apparel - Favorite Men’s Formal Apparel - Favorite Kids Apparel - Favorite Avatar Designer - Favorite Female Fashion Model - Favorite Male Fashion Model - Favorite Fashion Modeling/Fashion Agency/Instruction Course - Favorite Pose Maker

The ARTS AWARDS
Favorite Magazine, Newspaper or Periodical - Favorite SL Radio Station - Favorite SL Recorded Show - Favorite Machinima Artist / Videographer - Favorite Art Gallery - Favorite Artist - Favorite Photographer/Studio - Favorite Dance/Photography/Media Tool - Favorite Theater/Production Venue - Favorite Tribute Show - Favorite Dance (Troupe) Performers or Show - Favorite Dance or Theater Choreographer - Favorite Dance Animations - Favorite Stage or Theater Set Design - Favorite Gestures Maker - Favorite Media Stream Provider - Favorite Country Singer - Favorite Pop Singer - Favorite Jazz Singer/Musician - Favorite Blues Singer - Favorite Singer in Standards, Classical or Ballads - Favorite Singing Group (2 or more performers) - Favorite Male Singer - Favorite Female Singer - Favorite Musician Management Individual, Team or Business - Favorite Live Music Venue - DJ/Streamed Music Club/Venue - Favorite Club or Venue Host or Hostess - Favorite Club DJ – Female - Favorite Club DJ – Male - Favorite Radio DJ

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).

Second Pride - June 19th Through 28th

Come be a part of the largest most diverse LGBT Festival on the grid!

Second Pride needs your help and participation to make this years 10th anniversary the best Pride ever!

Interested in performing at this year's Second Pride Festival? Just follow the link below and submit your application today! Festival Performer Information & Application

Interested in being a Sponsor or a Vendor? Sponsor & Vendor Packages. Hurry, hurry - there are still some packages free!

Get involved! Meet new people! Meet up with old friends! Show your Pride!

---

Although I already know that Second Pride's claim to this being the organization's 10th anniversary is challenged by some, I choose to accept it. (Nota bene, in my response to a comment by my dear friend Garth Raleigh, I - after having reviewed what  Second Pride actually says - correct myself as to the organization claiming anything of the sort.)

In my mind Second Pride - and any other LGBT organization on the grid, that can show any connection between their existing organization and the ad hoc committees celebrating Pride in the early days of SecondLife, can make the same claim.

#weareALLclean

It seems that we are living in a time for social media challenges, the successful #ALSicebucket campaign has a lot to answer for.

From news.com.au: #weareALLclean fights AIDS stigma with photos of hot, naked men:

"The sudden spate of shower selfies is the brainchild of activist Jack Mackenroth, who wants to raise money to fight HIV and AIDS while ending the stigma around the condition.

Men are being urged to take photos of themselves in the buff and post them to social media with the hashtag #weareALLclean, while linking to a donation page to find a cure for AIDS.

“I was inspired by the use of the word ‘clean’, especially common in gay culture, to describe oneself as STI/STD free”, Mackenroth says.

“This implies that HIV-positive people are somehow ‘dirty’. I thought a PG shower selfie or video would be a fun way that everyone could easily show their support on social media for finding a cure by using the hashtag #weareALLclean when they post their photo with the link. Then they donate what they can and nominate 3 or more other people to participate.”

The campaign is taking off online but is far from $1,000,000 goal in donations "

I have been challenged by my friend Rusty Redfield (Playing with the Big Boys: 084: #weareALLclean (yes, a naked picture challenge!).

I threw off my clothes and proceeded to schlep my beautiful husband Tomais, after first getting him naked, into a shower with me and then asked him to make another of his beautiful picture of the two of us. 

"Shower selfie" by Tomais Ashdene

As always the most interesting part of the modelling experience was to observe my own special artist at work with the photo he had taken. It is amazing what funky details his astute and discerning eyes find to correct in Photoshop before he is satisfied with the picture.

This time he even took the time to make it safe for F*c*book, please not the careful and ingenious placement of his signature. It is in that exact spot to cover up my amazing butt crack from the picture-nazis on that site.

I challenge the following of my family and friends:  +JJ Goodman, +Wayne NZ  and sirhc DeSantis. And, after due consideration, I am adding +Petr Hastings-Vanbeeck, just because I want to see him in the shower too...

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take a selfie or short video of yourself in the shower or bath.**NO EXPLICIT NUDITY**
2. Post your photo now on Moovz and all social media platforms with the caption "Take HIV Shower Selfie Challenge raise $ for AIDS cure bit.ly/CUREAIDS #weareALLclean"
3. Nominate 3 or more other people to participate!
4. DONATE! Please donate if you are able. Every dollar counts! bit.ly/CUREAIDS
5. On World AIDS Day (or before): Monday, December 1st, please change all your social media profile pix to your shower selfie photo and spread the word!!!