Found To Be Wanting

"Conversation around a column" (1978) Richard Kalvar

I have promised myself and those of you who happen to read my blog to be honest about what goes on in my lives, so there is some news I need to share.

Three weeks ago we got the results of the biannual employee survey at the company I work. In the survey half of the personnel in my department found me to be lacking in certain aspects, the other half thinks I am just great.

The results were a bit surprising to me as I usually receive great marks in these surveys and considering that I have been completely open with them about the depression I am undergoing treatment for. I suppose they think I should get over it after two and a half years.

Since the results of the survey came in my co-workers and the personnel manager have been analysing the results together to pinpoint what flaws they believe I have. The co-workers written summary of this analysis was - due to some unfortunate delays - handed to me on Friday morning. This was on the morning of the day we were going out for Christmas dinner together.

In the summary the main points of criticism is that I "seem tired" and "lacking in ardor". They also believe that I set a bad example by taking too many "smoking breaks" (they are all non-smokers) and that I seem afraid of conflicts.

Well, that put a damper on my participation at the Christmas dinner, I attended all the same but avoided alcoholic beverages completely. During Friday and Saturday I have been mulling over this the whole time and I have come up with a strategy on how use it for a beneficial developments for myself and the workgroup.

I am grateful to my co-workers for being open and honest in their responses, because if I do not know how they feel about things I am denied the possibility to improve. Of course, I recognize my responsibility for the situation that has arisen. However, I believe that there are some errors in their evaluation of the situation and also some misconceptions that we have to discuss or clarify.

From my point of view, I also see that there is a potential for improvement among them too and that we need to discuss these matters openly to achieve a lasting improvements in our working environment. Our dialogue about this and other improvements have just begun, but if we all have the common goal to feel better at work and with each other, it can take the time it needs.

GA Winterfest - The Opening

Saturdays in SecondLife have lately meant a lot of strange problems for me. All my remarks in Instant Message and local chat are repeated, any tip I give get repeated also until I leave the sim and my HUD´s and AO´s turn themselves off anytime I try to use them. Frankly it´s more than a little tedious!

If I weren't the most patient man in SecondLife I would complain and rant ferociously, as it is you just get this whimper instead.

Today I had one of my "have-to-go"-events lined up, the opening of the Gay Archipelago´s Winter Festival. My son Guyke was a grass widower (Ziggy was away in first life for one of his hellish weekend work shifts) so I forced the boy to accompany me.

Well, once I thought I was ready dressing and teleported to the party I landed in snow, which really shouldn't have been a surprise to me considering it was a winter festival duhhh! As a trendsetter and fashionista extraordinaire it was of course impossible for me to go to this particular party in a tee and capris, so back home I went to change a-g-a-i-n. I choose to blame it all on my bad cold and my fever, although I should think others will have alternative theories on the matter.

Mitch and Garth, the happy couple

We got there a bit late and missed out on George Michaels and Ricky Martins appearances, but were in time for DJ Avacar´s great set and in time for the two most thrilling events of the party, the northern lights show and my buddy Garth Raleighs proposal to his beau Mitch Underwood.

Luckily - and to Garth´s and the party guests great joy and relief - Mitch immediately and happily accepted whereupon heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple ensued, totally against the rules of the Winterfests ban on chat spam, but no one really cared about rules at that point.

Guyke and I

The Change

THE CHANGE, is a rock opera created for the metaverse through months of collaboration by an international team.

Sundays at 1pm SLT at Benvolio (SLurl) 

The CHANGE is about the huge challenge and choice facing our world - will we continue the way we are to one future - with the world destroyed or change direction?

The show uses symbolic imagery. The audience is led by a dark and a light shaman into alternative futures. We voyage into other realities -  into the distant future and into the distant past.

We face the questions - what have we done? Is it too late? Shall we awake or shall we die? Answer the questions for yourself when you have seen this ambitious original creative show

The CHANGE is part of the Intergrid Metaverse Arts Biennial (Url). The Biennial Website will show all the events as the full programme develops on the different grids.

The festival celebrates the emerging fantastical and creative worlds of virtual reality. In the hyper gridded metaverse new worlds spring into being, each with its creators and arts. Already avatars can travel between some of these worlds. The IMAB festival calls for all grids to provide hypergrid freedom for our virtual selves to leap world to world! Let the citizens of the metaverse explore, encounter, create and express themselves!

(Tipped by my buddy junivers Stockholm)

GA Winter Festival 2012 - December 8-16

My friend Garth Raleigh at the Gay Archipelago has kindly sent me this invitation to share with you all.

"It is with great pleasure that the Winter Festival, 2012 - 'ICE AGE' Team invites you to attend the Opening Festivities of the Festival! 

Please join us for the event in which we will enjoy an amazing performance by George Michael beginning at 12pm slt followed by the incomparable Ricky Martin at 1pm slt. 

All Brought to us by the folks at Gay Fun World!

After we have had a chance to laugh and dance together with all the Festival Guests at the Festival Sim with these two iconic performers, we'll all enjoy a pyrotechnics spectacular at 2pm slt at the same site.

When: Saturday December 8, 2012, starting at 12pm slt
Where: Winter Festival Sim

We're all looking forward to seeing you and to having you at the Opening festivities - as well as all the events being held from December 8th through December 16th, 2012. You can find the full calendar of events at: http://www.ga-weblog.com

Yours in ICE AGE glory,
The GA Winter Festival, 2012 Team
❂ Garth Raleigh, GA Lead
❂ Mitch Underby, Winter Festival Sponsorship Coordinator
❂ Avacar Bluestar, Winter Festival Events Team Lead
❂ Megan Strom, Winter Festival MarketFair Team Lead
❂ Othon Weiland, Winter Festival Publicity/Public Relations/Promotion Team Lead
❂ Geo McAuley, Winter Festival Buildings & Grounds Team Lead
❂ Judas (craig.jules), Winter Festival Sim Team Lead
❂ Caoimhin (luckas.horsley)
❂ Praetor (PQ)
❂ Draghan Marksman
❂ Aragorn Fox Nicolei (martin.terr)
❂ Belko Rau
❂ Asharr Antonius
❂ Parvin (xcept.atlas)
❂ Peri (periplus. gran)
❂ Rico (ricogenu)
❂ Alum Dagger
❂ JeanMark Nightfire

NOH8 Avatars 25

Nakai Yifu

For more information about the The NOH8 Campaign and how to join it in SecondLife please read my previous post The NOH8 Campaign in SecondLife. There you will also find instructions on where to find the necessary duct tape and cheek painting free of charge.
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If you would like to be a part of the NOH8 Campaign on this blog please send me your picture (fullperm), I will be happy to post it. Name the picture NOH8 and your avatar name and drop it on my profile or send it to my email lundamats@gmail.com.

Love Is Beautiful

Photo by Meryl Schenker

(via J.M.G.)

Before going to bed I took a look at Joe.My.God. where I saw the photo above, by photographer Meryl Schenker, of two beautiful guys getting a marriage licence in Washington state on the first possible day.

It brought tears to my eyes of happiness for them and I needed to share it with you. Good night!

UPDATE: According to a comment on J.M.G and other sources. the mens names are Larry Duncan, 56, and Randy Shepherd,  48, from North Bend, WA. The two plan to get married on December 9, 2012, the first day it is possible for them to marry in Washington state. They have been together for 11 years.

Dog Tired

It´s been a long day and I just got home, tired as hell and going straight to bed. Most likely I will not be here or inworld much tomorrow either.

I hope to see you all during the weekend, love ya!