Departures

Unknown artist

We all come to SecondLife with different expectations, so it must be expected that some will leave sooner or later. I have been thinking about the way people choose to depart once they find that our world, or its residents, does not offer them what they had wished for.

Some come with the hopes of a cool game where they can score points and move from one level to the next. A game that will give them a few - or many - hours of entertainment. Others come to SecondLife with the expectation to meet a perfect world where they will be entertained by others.

Well, SecondLife is not a game, it never was and it will never be. You enter this world with your own personality, your talents and your interests, much like in first life actually. Just as in the first life you cannot expect to be entertained by others all the time.

SecondLife, just like first life is what you make of it yourself. What you put into it matters and what you offer others matters a hell of a lot too. If you are a recluse, you can remain a recluse and devote yourself to the activities you find rewarding or beneficial. If on the other hand you have an outgoing personality it is all about relationships and context, you can join in and take part and make your contribution to the world.

Those expecting a technologically perfect world in SecondLife are also bound to be badly disappointed, because SecondLife is not perfect, never was and hopefully never will be. Just as in first life there are bugs, annoying malfunctions and irritating quirks. Sure Linden Lab smooths out some of them over time and somethings improve only to create other new obstacles. During my almost five years inworld conditions have improved vastly in so many ways and slowly and steadily. As new features have been developed new problems have arisen and the lovable tech-geeks at the Lab have gotten new problems to deal with. But most importantly our beautiful world continues to develop and improve.

"Turning Away", self portrait by Scott Hutchinson

The way people choose to depart from SecondLife vary a lot. The short lived ones are not a problem, nor are the recluses, because none of these have created friendships or relationships that can or will miss them.

The worst kind of departures are those that suddenly just drop off the radar without a word after creating longstanding relationships and friendships with others who care for them and worry. By their action they tell us that we are not even worth the time or effort of saying goodbye to.

The second worst departures are those who leave with recriminations and rantings about how Linden Lab or the other residents inworld - or outside of it - did not live up to their expectations of entertainment or performance. They might as well say it outright, "You are losers for staying on!"

I would wish people learned to leave SecondLife with some dignity or style, saying "Goodbye and thanks for all the good times but I have found other interests in life and am moving on. I have valued your love and friendship over the years." It would feel so much better than when they leave with bitterness, recriminations and complaints that we or the world we love - are imperfect, unsatisfactory or do not meet with their standards. neither inworld or in our first life activities.

Just Get Out al-Assad

guardian.co.uk informs us;

The United Nations general assembly has approved a resolution backing an Arab League plan that calls on the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to step down and strongly condemns human rights violations in Syria by his regime.

The vote in the 193-member body was 137-12 with 17 abstentions. Russia and China, who vetoed a similar resolution in the security council, voted against the resolution.

There are no vetoes in the general assembly and its resolutions are not legally binding, but they do reflect world opinion on major issues.

Western diplomats were hoping for a high yes vote to deliver a strong message to Assad to immediately end all human rights violations and attacks on civilians and hand power to his vice-president.

"Today the UN General Assembly sent a clear message to the people of Syria - the world is with you," US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said in a statement. "An overwhelming majority of UN member states have backed the plan put forward by the Arab League to end the suffering of Syrians. Bashar al-Assad has never been more isolated." (Full article here)

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"Fuck the hell out of there al-Assad and for fucks sake stop killing your people", is my interpretation of the worlds message to Assad in this resolution.

Not surprisingly the mass murderer by proxy of his own people Assad was supported - yet again - by Russia, under orders from the "little father" Putin and his puppet Medvedev. and the Dictatorial Republic of China.

The Oldest Swedish Avatar Gets Older

Happy seventh rezday my dear friend PetGirl Bergman, also lovingly known as Tina, the concierge at the Embassy, "that woman" or even "the oldest living female Swedish avatar in SecondLife".

Who would believe that such an old avatar would still be alive and kicking and sexy and fun? 95 must be the new 25, or something... 

Lucky Woman & Luckier Man - UPDATED

Emarald Harvey

Look at that beautiful man in his humorous picture! It is my buddy Emarald Harvey.in one of his contributions to this blogs series "Nakna avatarer i SL" (Nude Avatars in SL)

Would you believe that this boyish, charming and talented man with a wonderful sense of humor could capture and hold the heart of one of the most kind, caring, talented and beautiful women in SecondLife for four years? Four years in SecondLife, that must be something like 25 years in first life, even for a straight couple.

Well, I know both Emarald and his wonderful wife Zigadena Gabardini and today they are celebrating their fourth anniversary, and let me tell you I am not in the least surprised. They complete each other in all the ways a long-lasting couple should.

Ziga attacking my buddy Em

Today my two lovely friends are celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary at one of the friendliest places in SecondLife Club Ormdricka and of course everyone is invited.

The party starts at 12.30 PM SLT. I for one am going to be there! Club Ormdricka (SLurl).

UPDATE: Ughhh terrible! First I overslept until 1.38 PM SLT and when I finally logged in I could not teleport anywhere. I managed to get hold of my buddy Em but the sweet Ziga had already retired. Hugsand kisses my darlings, I am so sorry about this mess, talk to you tomorrow!

How My Soul Was Saved

Let me start by saying that both Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise can go jump in the lake, because my own personal vampire is far sweeter, more stunning and cleverer than the two combined!

I am now at liberty to share his name and true appearance with you all. You may remember I told you about his coming out as a vampire to me in my earlier post My Soul Is Intact (url). At that point in time I had not yet asked for his permission so I showed you a picture where he was masked. Here is the unmasked version.

I and Drey

Some of you may recognize my darling brother in-law Drey Messmer after his makeover, and you would be correct. Well, my BIL is these days an out and proud gay vampire and I support him thoroughly.

As some of you may remember, we did some tests that I reported to you in the post mentioned above and concluded that my soul was safe. However, my BIL is no dumb-ass so he discussed my case with his vampire liege - the guy that had bitten him I am guessing  - and they reached the conclusion that my soul could still be in peril and further testing was needed.for a correct diagnosis to be made.

Drey, my personal vampire

So my BIL came over for a new visit and we started the testing. Before the testing could proceed I had to wear  the garlic necklace again and deactivate it and I also had to deactivate my Animation Override (AO)

"The Garlic Necklace: Your Garlic Necklace Vampire Bite Ward has been deactivated. You are now vulnerable to Vampire bites".

It felt a little scary to do this in the presence of a cute vampire, but I trust my BIL implicitly and of course I was never in any danger. Following the deactivation Drey made a new scan of me after first assuring me that if there should be a problem there was also a cure.

"HUD [Thirst::Bloodlines] 3.4: Bock McMillan's soul is in Limbo. To rescue it, they need to drink the Wormwood potion. If they register, their soul will go to Titania Bracken."

When I saw the result of the scan and the name I remembered the incident where I had been attacked by this awful Titania woman at a concert where we had been dancing in some obscure place. The bite was sent under the guise of a farewell hug and as any decent Swede I never deny I a hug (we are all bad that way) whereupon she bit me and stole my soul.

Drey told me that the only thing that had prevented my soul from being lost was the fact that I never joined Bloodlines. If I had done so at any point after the my soul would have gone to Titania´s soul-count.

Now for the cure Drey teleported to the sim Liquid (SLurl) to purchase the Wormwood potion and send it to me. He told me not to use it until he returned.

Drey, my savior

When my BIL was back and I had unpacked the potion he had sent me, he told me to wear the bottle, hit it and then choose "Drink" on the dialogue window that appeared.

As soon as I had drunk the potion I received this message "The Wormwood Potion: Your soul has been rescued from Limbo".

Drey made a new scan of me and got this message; HUD [Thirst::Bloodlines] 3.4: Bock McMillan's soul was in Limbo, then they drank the Wormwood potion. Once they have registered for Bloodlines and been bitten, their soul will go to the next person to bite them.

Yeahaw!!! My soul that had been in peril had now been saved by my beautiful, wonderful BIL.

The next thing I did after giving Drey a hug was to activate my garlic necklace again!

For Apmel

(via J.M.G.)

This made me think of you bosom buddy, with a big smile on my face!

... and then this...

Bock, you are 17 % Hippie,. You are almost as far from being a hippie as one can be

The Hollywood Style Party

The birthday boys, Ziggy & Holter

When the new lovers Ziggy and Holter discovered that both of them had a first life 24th birthday coming up they decided to throw a bash in their new house on the Pure sim.

Unfortunately I arrived a little late due to teleportation issues but I understand the party started as it was meant to go on, with the two birthday studs arriving to the party on their Harley Davidson motorbikes and crashing them both into the swimming pool. What a start and the party escalated from there.

Lars Kaz and DJ Shep

DJ Shep supplied the great music with his hunk Larz Kaz as a beautiful appendage.

Scott and Garcin in the back with Thorn and Hurtful in front

As could be expected the supply of beautiful gay men was abundant and there were even three good looking women present.

People came and went and came back all the time I was there so its rather difficult to say how many where there.

Regi Yifu always stylish

Alas I could not stay longer than midnight (my time) as I was working the day after, but I suspect that more guys came in after I had left.

I had a really fun time and am sure that goes for the others there also.

More pictures from the party can be seen on Ziggy´s blog Ziggy On The Edge Of Second Life