Changing Paradigms

This RSA Animate is taken from a speech given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education expert and recipient of the RSA  Benjamin Franklin award.

Thanks to my friend Butch Diavolo for pointing me to this!

... and let me just add for the benefit of my Swedish readers, "Utbildningsminister Jan Björklund, släng dig i väggen. Lyssna, lär och tillämpa!" (Which loosely translated means "Go jump in the lake Swedish Minister of Education Jan Björklund. Listen, learn and implement!")

Fourth Rezday Party Pictures - UPDATED!!!

Sorry for the delay with this post but I have a real life too ya know...

The pictures are mostly the gracious gifts of my dear friends Diana (surname withheld) and Joetonight Starship, one was stolen from my darling sister Millimina Salamanders blog and a few are my own.

All did not get captured on film by either Joe or Diana and they had - alas - both left us before the hunkalicious men from Club Erotes joined us. At a fast glance I can also see we missed taking pictures of Stirred, and many, many more but we were over 35 avatars a good while so...If anyone has more pictures and don´t mind sharing them with me, please send them to me!

Update 11 PM SLT (7 AM CET the next morning): I have now added a few pictures stolen from Apmel Goossons blog, that include Adrina, Sarco, Svessa, Vanadis, Chade, Volker and ush...

Update 10:30 AM (6:30 PM CET); I have added a picture of Apmel´s buttock cleavage on his insistence and for your comparison.


My deepest thanks again to everyone who came and to everyone who could not come due to real life or other reasons, but most of all to my wonderful family who convinced me this was a good idea and arranged it all with the wonderful surprise performances by DJ Andrey (my BIL and the other rezday boy), Strum Diesel, Bara Jonson, legendary DJ Sarco and last but in no way least Apmel Goosson for showing cleavage.

DJ Sarco - stolen from Apmel Goosson

ush in front of the shirtless gay men, Adrina dancing with Bock, Chade with Volker, Frost with Svessa - stolen from Apmel Goosson

Vanadis in her "Bock" t-shirt, Kandi, Frost and Svessa - stolen from Apmel Goosson

Photo stolen from Millimina Salamander

Andrey (my BIL), Frosts back and Millimina (my sister) - Diana

Ciroc and Andrey - Joetonight Starship

Andrey - Joetonight Starship

Joe himself with Apmel and Millimina - Joetonight Starship

Apmel - Joetonight Starship

Blanche - Joetonight Starship

Bock, in the background you see Diana and her hubby Hunter dancing - Diana

Bock study, in the background Valter and May - Joetonight Starship

Bock again - Diana

Bara

Strum

Bara attacked by a crazy stalker

Bock - Joetonight Starship

Ciroc showing his perky ass - Joetonight Starship, and below - for my readers comparison of cute buttocks -
is Apmel showing his cleavage for us also.

Dejerrity - Diana

Dejerrity and Bock partying - Joetonight Starship

Frost and Millimina - Joetonight Starship

The Cuteness and Coolness, Guyke and Janttu - Diana

C & C - Joetonight

Joeh - Joetonight Starship

Kandi - Joetonight Starship

Lunata - Joetonight Starship

Mialinn - Joetonight Starship

Millimina - Diana

Millimina - Joetonight Starship

Minoa - Joetonight Starship

Party people, party! - Diana

Strum - Diana

Wizanna - Diana

Vampi & sirhc, Joe, Apmel and Frost in background - Joetonight Starship

Oh What A Night

I am totally exhausted today after the wonderful rezday celebration yesterday for my BIL and me - and so happy and fortunate to be surrounded by these caring, loving and wonderful people in my SecondLife!

For now I will only say thanks to all who came and took part in celebrating Andrey and me on our fourth rezday but in particular I would like to thank the following for organizing and participating in making this amazing evening and night possible.

Andrey, my wonderful BIL and a fantastic DJ with one of the biggest hearts I have ever met, for talking me into doing it at all at a time when I wasn't particularly thrilled by the idea of a rezday party, in fact I had just a few days earlier turned down suggestions from Guyke and Millimina.

Millimina, Guyke and Janttu, my always supportive and loving family, who organized the most amazing and hilarious party imaginable in a very short time. (...and then calmly saved the day as the first thing I did when I got there was to derez the party venue.)

Strum and Stirred, two of the most beautiful souls in SecondLife and one of the most beautiful, witty and touching voices on the SecondLife music scene (...and I only mention one voice because I haven´t had the privilege to hear Stirred sing - not yet...). I am so proud to count both of these dudes among my friends.

Bara, my amazing and lovely buddy since for ever, who always hits every spot possible in me with his songs and his warm voice.

Sarco, the iconic and legendary DJ and my friend since the earliest days. Oh yes I do admit there were times I did not love him but that was mainly due to my ignorance, my Ars always loved him and at the end and they had made their peace. I will always rely on Sarco´s excellent memory reminding me of events that I have long since forgotten, that always bring back the love I had for Ars and the love the two of them had for each other through all the turmoil.

There are four more I would like to mention here and they are, Svessa, Frost, Mialinn and Blanche. Thanks to you all for accepting my outstretched hand over the rift that has divided the Swedish/Scandinavian SecondLife community.

In these days when the earth shudders, when nuclear power plants explode, when dictators are toppled and go down slaughtering their own people I have been immersed in my own private affairs. True it may be pathetic but it is also very human I guess. During days like these I have also realized how petty the fracas and in-fighting has been.

Stay tuned for updates with amazing pictures from the party as soon as I have gathered the energy to sort out all my impressions and all the wonderful things that happened. And dealing with a bit of real life in between.

I love you all, all who were at the party and all who sent greetings but couldn't come because they had other obligations to deal with in First Life and in SecondLife.

"Celtic Dreams"

Sunday March 20th, 2011, at 01.00 PM there is a new art exhibition opening av Ventura Arte & Jardin.

Mariposa Upshaw, my dear friend and the curator of this exceptional gallery, welcome us all!


Take me to the gallery

The Bock McMillan Art Foundation (a part of the BMcM Corporation) encourages everyone to visit this event although it does not have the formal or financial support of the foundation.

Crazy Dream

While resting this afternoon - in preparation for the big birthday bash tonight - I had the craziest and most vivid dream.

I dreamed I was sitting at my computer in the apartment I used to live in. On the other side of my living room there was an interview being taped by one of the Swedish channels, I listened in while I was surfing on the Internet.

The person being interviewed was Inga-Britt Ahlenius, a very well known and respected auditor, public servant and former Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

For some reason what she said in this interview was not at all to my liking, which is unusual because I almost always enjoy listening to her while she breaks the balls of some man around her with scathing and deadly remarks in a very factual voice.

So after the interview was finished I arose from my seat at the computer and as I passed her on my way out of the room I felt the need to tell her. "That was pitiful, Inga-Britt, I had expected more from you!"

She then looks at me from head to toe with cold eyes and answers, "Well thats the first time I have ever been criticized by a man wearing only boxers and showing me all his twinkle-toes!"

---

What conclusions can we draw from this dream?

Mine is that Inga-Britt must have a foot fetish, because the only thing she comments as she has this gorgeous hunk of a undressed man in-front of her are his toes. She must be totally obsessed with toes.

Oldies but Goldies

Photo courtesy of Janttu Winkler

You are all welcome to join my brother in-law Andrey Messmer and me for our joint fourth rezday party!

When: Saturday March 19th, 2011, from 12 PM (noon) SLT until we all drop
Where: Southern Charm
Theme: Nope just come as you are, but please be aware that it will be a mixed company...

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!

The party organizers Millimina and Guyke are promising a special surprise for Andrey and myself (and all of you too of course) at 1 PM SLT... I have been trying to get it out of them, but they just give me lip and call me awful names when I do that.

Spring Has Come

Well not yet, not in my real life location but at the amazing park sims of Calas Galadhon. The sims are owned and operated by my friends Ty Tenk and Truck Meredith. These guys are great and have opened up their beautiful home-sims free of charge

I got this message in the Calas Gadhon group and am now sharing it with you all.  Go there for a visit, you will not regret it and you will go back again and again and again...

YAY !!  Early but we were tired of the snow.  You will find some minor changes..a couple new homes, new cuddles and some new landscaping.

We open our doors to all who seek the peace and beauty we have worked hard to express and share as long as they adhere to the following: 

Just a few but VERY IMPORTANT rules: 

* ANY visitor who´s behavior violates Linden Labs TERMS OF SERVICE agreement will be immediately ejected and banned from the Estate. No exceptions. 

* NO NUDITY whatsoever... not everyone is comfortable with it, sorry.

* NO SEX 

* NO ACTIVE WEAPONS

* NO ROLE-PLAY  that would be considered offensive to others or against Linden Labs TOS. 

* CHILD AVATARS : This is a sensitive issue for some and so we  have adopted the following policy for now: While we welcome "families" with well behaved 'kids' ..... We do not encourage child avatars in the Park ...certainly not alone, and will not be responsible for behaviors that are inappropriate. 

In an effort to keep the park as quiet and peaceful as possible: NO EXCESSIVE GESTURES by ANYONE are allowed.

This is our home which we've opened to you.. Please respect our rules.

This cannot be made more clear. If an avatar is found in violation of any of the above rules or is found harassing, threatening, just being obnoxious or anything other than respectful and kind to another visitor , they will be asked to leave.  If they don't respond positively to the request they will be ejected and banned from the Estate.that said ... ;) 

HERE´S THE GOOD STUFF 
PARK INFORMATION:
Come immerse yourself in the early American coastal countryside of the early 20th Century. We strive to bring the beauty & peace of our natural areas into Second Life for all to enjoy as a refuge. 

There are now 9 sims to the Park.

Each sim has a unique feel, yet are tied together with verdant fields & farms, high mountain meadows and winding streams through its woodlands & valleys which eventually lead to the natural beauty of the coast.  There is also the island of Armenelos where the 'Santorini' build by Bora Rossini, can now be found.

The 'seasonal' build ... The Spring Glass Pavilion is now open.  The TP to it is found near the entrance.

BALLOON RIDE
This is not a tour, but a chance to cuddle, sit back and see the sims by air.  It takes about 40 minutes.  Probably the best overview of the Park is a short amount of time. 

REZZERS: Boats, horses, buggy

You can use your own horse as well.

Explore by small boat, horse, buggy, buckboard or on foot.  You will find the main rezzers for each of these found near the docks & livery stable, a short walk from your landing point.  Additional rezzers are located throughout the sims so you can feel free to get off your boat or horse and explore on foot for a while.  There are also a few new ways to travel around the sims, but we'll let you discover those on your own ;)

WEDDINGS

We consider requests for small , intimate weddings& receptions here (less than 20 avatars .. no more than 10 on the homestead sims) and have built a reception area around the Conservatory on the north side of the main sim where you land.  If interested please contact Truck  or myself, Tymus, for more information. 

ROMANCE

We’ve placed cuddles and slow dance Intan dance balls throughout the sims.  Romance is definitely an important element here*    Some of the cuddle areas are hidden... in fact… there are a lot of ‘details’… special spots you may miss if you don’t take the time to explore, touch & look all about you. Remember though, no nudity please... other spots in SL for that.

NO RENTALS 

This is strictly a PARK sim, meaning no rentals… no shopping… ALL HOMES & BUILDINGS ARE OPEN for you… these sims a gift to our friends and SL family, to provide a spot to sit back , enjoy and find some peace amidst the beauty of our natural world brought into Second Life.

DONATIONS

While we support a favorite non profit of ours... donation kiosk  at the landing point… we ask nothing for the opportunity to share our home but that all visitors treat each other with kindness & respect.

The only non-park presence is found in the HIV/AIDS EDUCATION & LEARNING CENTER located in the small row of town buildings near the docks & livery stable. 

Finally and above all, we want you to have a good time while you are here… to feel better when you leave. Come often and stay as long as you like.  We enjoy visiting and answering any questions with our visitors... so feel free to contact us.

Thank you,

Tymus Tenk & Truck Meredith, owners

UPDATE March 18th, 2011! 
Tomorrow on March 19th, 2011, there will be a tenth sim opening in the park

We give you ERYN VORN ...our new wooded sim ......

Come experience this new SL gem, number 10, in the unique CALAS GALADHON PARK ESTATE,   We look forward to seeing you in the days and weeks ahead.