The Wedding of Kicki and Hercules

The bride and groom at the altar

Protesters?

Yesterday I was honored to be a guest at the wedding of Kicki Springflower and her handsome lover Hercules.

The church, Stavkirken in Second Norway, was packed with the glitterati of the Scandinavian communities with some interesting International additions. Stavkirken is a beautiful jewel of architecture in SecondLife and all the guests did their best to match it. Most of us actually succeeded, except for a guy who kept his hat on inside the church.

It was a very beautiful ceremony and the declarations of love between the bride and groom were touching and heartwarming.

The lag was surprisingly horrendous as we were no more than 45 people on the sim. I don´t really experience lag very often in SecondLife although it is a common complaint. I took a few pictures - as you see above, but the only one close to acceptable is the one at the top of this post, but if you look closely on that you see three guests standing in crucifixion poses.On all the rest there were "Grey people" as witnessed by the picture to the right.

I at first thought this was Ms. Blanche Argus and some friends protesting against "marriage being a patriarchal form of slavery for women", but when I interviewed her on this she vehemently denied it and claimed that she and her bench-mates were in fact all sitting down..

Well as I always say, "Lag is a state of mind, don´t blame it on the Lindens!" I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the ceremony. For better pictures I suggest you visit some of the other Scandinavian SecondLife blogs. I was sorry I could not attend the party afterwards but reports say that it was great fun with Ms. Ewa Aska and Ms. Rultan Zeppelin as hostesses and the amazing DJ PJ.

Kicki and Hercules, you made me proud by the way you both handled the difficult situation, I wish you both all the best for the future! As the SecondLife saying goes "If the wedding has bad lag but the sim doesn't crash it will be a long and prosperous marriage!" (Well, I just made that up, but there should be such a saying.)

P.S. I hope a bosom buddy of mine notices that I carefully avoided to include any picture of a certain reverend/philosopher in the pictures above.

Autism Experience 4

Ventura Arte & Jardin Presents
Autism Experience 4
Art and Music benefiting  VAI (Virtual Abilties Inc.) and Dreams/Brigadoon Explorers
 
EVENTS: 

PREVIEW - all art donated for the auction on display now  thru april 30 at Ventura Arte & Jardin 

FIRST MUSICAL EVENT:
Sunday April 17 @ Ventura
noon sl - James Corachea
1pmsl -   Saintess Larnia

SECOND MUSICAL EVENT:
Sunday april 24
1pmsl - Gina Gracemount
2pmsl  - Cylindrian Rutabaga
more music tba

A VERY SPECIAL ART AUCTION
Sunday May 1st 12 PM (noon)
 
Art donated by:
 
Sculpture:
Alizarin Goldflake
Blue Tsuki - a special work to be donated to Dreams
Bryn Oh
Blue Tsuki - piece to be donated to Dreams
elros Tuominen
Fuschia NIghtfire - 2 works
Gleman Jun - 3 works
Glyph Graves
Gore Suntzu - one of a kind/exclusive to  auction
Jon Haskell - 2 works
Kicca Igaly
Miso Susanowa
Neeks Karu
nessuno myoo
Pumpkin Tripsa
Rag Randt - 2 works
RebelMum Slade - exclusive to auction
soror nishi
Treacle Darlandes - exclusive to auction
Ub Yifu

Paint & 2d works:
Eliza Wierwight - exclusive to auction
Fiona Leitner - 4 works
Gracie Kendal - 2 works
Milly Sharple - 2 works
Sheba Blitz
sledge roffo
Trill Zapatero

Photography:
Cala Rossini * signed work
Carlotta Ceawlin - 2
Dom JInx - 2
Eves Rodenberger - 2
Jocgart Larsen
La Baroque - 2
Lookatmy Back -2
morgana nagorski
WickedV Carver

Art can change the world :)
Thank you for your interest in supporting residents on the autism spectrum, and promoting awareness, support and understanding thru art and music.

Mariposa Upshaw,
owner/Curator Ventura Arte & Jardin

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.

Dance In Light - Sunday April 17th, 12 PM (noon)

Dance in Light is a 45 minutes show with original music, dance, lights and particles.

It is brought to you by an international team:

junivers Stockholm: Composer, Music performer Stage and Light design (Sweden)
Medora Chevalier: Choreography, Costumes, Dance Performer (UK)
Sunshine Vayandar: Dance Performer (South Africa)
TheDove Rhode: Dance Performer (USA)
Southern Riptide: Dance Performer (USA)
Efrantirise Morane: Light Show operator (Italy)
Warpy Centaur - Musician animation operator (Ireland)

Dance in Light's original numbers:
Dance of Life
Are You an Angel?
No More
Carp Rock
Eden

For more information contact junivers Stockholm, Medora Chevalier or Sunshine Vayander

Landmark to the Garden of Change


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.

Facebook bans picture

This picture of two fully clothed adult men kissing was banned by Facebook today. Read the full story here: Hey Facebook: What’s SO wrong about a pic of two men kissing? 

I reposted it of course, lets see what happens...

Snog-A-Thon in London

Kiss-In Protest April 15, 2011, in London U.K. The protest took place after two gay men, Jonathan Williams and James Bull, were asked to leave the John Snow pub in gay district Soho - for kissing. (I first saw this on J.M.G.)

We should´ve been there Apmel, my bosom buddy! We could have shown them a trick or two, dontcha think?

Ughhh I just remembered you´re one of those heterosexicals... or whatever they are called.

What Makes A Good DJ?

Bock looking at Ars

I have spent most of my second life hanging around with - and surrounded by - some of the best DJ´s in SecondLife; Ars, Andrey, Sarco, Harley, Martial, Yannis, Zno and the rest of the Sarco Sound (link not active) crew and many of their DJ friends.

Over the last year I have mainly stayed in the Swedish clubs in SecondLife and there are some good DJ´s here too, the first names that pop up in my head are Frost, Lucien and sirhc, at Erotes I enjoy the music of Butch Diavolo and Arc - but I am not making a list so if you don´t find your name here don´t be sad.

My Ars used to say "Everyone thinks they are a DJ in SecondLife" by which he meant that playing records isn't all there is to it. Now first listen to what a real DJ can do, just lean back and enjoy. This remix was made by DJ Markus Schulz.



I found this summary on What Makes A Good Club DJ? by ElGringoSalsero;

Each year, DJ Magazine publishes its list of the top 100 DJ's based upon public votes. I would consider the top ten identified DJ's to be reliable experts on what it takes to be a good DJ. Here's what they have to say on the subject: 

#1 Armin Van Buuren - "Timing and character."
#2 Tiësto - "A great DJ can adjust to the crowd, make them go crazy but still be able to do his own thing."
#3 David Guetta - "A great crowd."
#4 Above & Beyond - "Good taste in music, an open mind and experience."
#5 Paul Van Dyk - "The confidence of knowing what your own sound is. And not being a snobby ass and playing for yourself."
#6 Deadmau5 - "Their taste in music. It's a little bit of technical know-how, but 90% of it is the music you play."
#7 Ferry Corsten - "Knowing how to entertain the crowd. You're not there to educate. You should present new music without forcing it down people's throats." 
#8 Markus Schulz - "Unique style and understanding of the momentum in the room."
#9 Gareth Emery - "Knowing the crowd is a fundamental requirement and looking like you're enjoying it."
#10 Sander Van Doorn - "A lot of interaction with the crowd. Playing a set is about educating on one hand, but also playing music that the people are there for."

---

My own two cents on this subject, from my perspective as part of the crowd:
1. Be prepared, for Gods sake plan your set! Adapt the music you choose to the event that is planned and the crowd you expect to be there. Always make sure you have enough music to go overtime if something should happen that requires it and enough to adapt your set if it should be needed.
2. Be aware of the crowd and work with it (it´s not a wanking session after all). Being arrogant and snotty is a definite no-no, you are there to entertain not to be a condescending s.o.b. This also means do not badmouth any other DJ´s, words spread.
3. By all means take requests if you wish to do so. It isn't necessary to play the requests straight away. play it later if it fits better there and if it doesn't fit tell them.
4. If you don´t have charisma or a personality don´t bother!
5. Most important of all be true to yourself; If you don´t like the music, don´t play it!

The technical stuff can all be learned as you go along.

Bock Gets Banned

This blog was today informed by a friendly reader that The Much Honored Bock McMillan, Laird of Southern Charm and CEO of the BMcM Corporation has - for the first time ever - been banned from a sim in SecondLife (see picture).

When the blog contacted the McMillan household for a comment on this surprising news Mr. Wild Zepp, spokesman for the clan McMillan, gave the following statement:

"Laird McMillan is proud and honored to receive such singular attention from a minor shopkeeper and club owner in SecondLife, especially since neither he or his family have any intentions of ever visiting that particular avatars establishments for reasons which he choses not to elaborate on. The Laird however extends his regrets to all other shop owners on that sim that he and his household cannot grace them with their business."