Thursday, July 4, 2013

Celebrating Independence Day

My day in SecondLife started out with a visit from Guyke and Dej.

Dej had a first life friend staying over for the weekend and watching on his screen. I wanted to show off the new place before the two took a nap to prepare for the evenings delights. 
When Dej and his friend had logged off, Guyke and I decided to try to find a party. Luckily we did not have to wait long before I saw an invitation to the Mine Shaft Club. I had never been there before so we were not sure what to expect.

We ended up having a great time with the friendly and hairy leather men. Guyke only needed two (2) changes of outfits before he felt comfortable there. I am not as fussy as my sweet son, so I only needed one.
My final outfit
Guyke in his final outfit
The great  DJ Emil
Vexsten (far right) was a new pleasant acquaintance, and kept busy by hitting on
both me and Guyke at the same time! Luckily we sometimes compare notes

Happy Independence Day 2013

The American Declaration of Independence (declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain), which as all Americans know but perhaps not all my readers of other nationalities, was adopted by Congress on this day in 1776.

The preamble of that declaration says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Even if Thomas Jefferson's words are heavily influenced by religion and natural law philosophy they, to this day, express what those of us that believe in a democratic society based on full and equal human rights for all citizens still hold true. 
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I wish all my American readers a very happy Independence Day

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Sunrise Over Southern Charm

As the entire building team, the brilliant and sublime Butch Diavolo, builder/interior decorator extraordinaire, my stepson Guyke and myself, assembled this morning the sun was just rising over Southern Charm.

Although we were in a hurry to get on with the finishing touches of the remodelling of the main mansion and its interior, we simply had to stop working to take in the breathtakingly beautiful sunrise.

Gay Archipelago LGBT Summer Festival 2013

From a press release by Gay Archipelago.
PRIDE & PROGRESS' - LGBT Summer Festival, 2013
JULY 4TH THROUGH JULY 14TH, 2013

The Gay Archipelago in Second Life proudly hosts the LGBT Community at the annual Summer Festival beginning July 4th and wrapping up on July 14th!

Our Festival theme this year celebrates and reflects the simple joy of individual Pride and Community Pride as well as the tremendous Progress that has been made recently, and sometimes quickly, within the arena of LGBT civil rights around the world.

On behalf of the GA Festival Team, I welcome you all to enjoy the custom-created Dream Delta festival sim and the many events we have planned during the 11 days of the celebration.  We have the some of the finest entertainment to be found in Second Life on deck for you.  You can find the complete daily calendar at  www.ga-weblog.com  any time.

Thirteen beautiful GA estates beckon to the tourist in you to see the highly-popular 'Vistas & Blossoms' multi-sim landscape and garden exposition.  Grab your cameras, get lost in jungles and explore mythical regions in the '11 most beautiful days of Summer.'  Oh, and when have completed your grade tour, feel free to cast your vote for your favorite destination at the Peoples' Choice voting station at the Program Start Point.  There's $L33,000 in awards to be made on July 14th in this friendly and fun event.

Like to build in SL?  Think you have what it takes to take home the top prize of $L10,000?  Or perhaps you would like to watch and learn new and varied  techniques of creating a build.  Its all good in this year's LGBT Sandbox Build Contest to be held Sunday, July 7th.  Entry applications are available, open and for more information contact the LGBT Sandbox Manager, Alum Dagger.  Everyone is welcome!

Stroll through the remarkable sand castle 'Market Fair' for an unsurpassed shopping experience - and pick up unique quality free items from some of your favorite SL merchants and organizations.

You are invited to tour of one of our many exhibits hosted on multiple regions; dance to your favorite DJ's as they whoop it up to celebrate LGBT Pride Season; see Role Play from the Gay Archipelago in action; or take in one of the live performances that make our calendar shine!

Come along and hang out on our beach - meet some new friends or enjoy some time with old friends and family.

Be safe.  Be Proud! Happy Summer, 2013!

Garth Raleigh
Lead, Gay Archipelago


For a complete calendar of events please visit Gay Archipelago Weblog

Relativity

Well, if even Einstein thought so it cannot be wrong,right?

I have today added xkcd.com to my first life blogroll. 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Getting to Know Marcellias

I first heard from Marcellias through a note card he sent me, either just before Second Pride or one of the first days of it (Pride has messed with my perception of time).

It was one of the kindest and wonderfully caring note cards I have ever received. I will not tell you any more of its contents for fear you think I am bragging, but lets just leave that subject with the knowledge that Marcellias is a thoughtful, kind and caring man who knows how to express himself well.

Marcellias hung out with me and my friends a couple of times during Pride-week, dancing, chatting and enjoying himself like crazy just as the rest of us.

One of the very first things Marcellias will tell you about himself, is that we has a weakness for the color purple but that he is trying to get to grips with it. I told him, I don't mind at all if my friends have hang-ups as long as it does not involve hurting people or animals, so we should get along well.

The other night, when I had difficulty sleeping, I logged in-world to get some relaxation while I was waiting for my sleepiness to come back. Marcellias was in-world, so I asked him if it was a good time for me to come over to visit his home in SecondLife as I had promised to do. Marcellias told me he was working on his outfits but would be happy to have me over to show me his place.

The first thing I noticed when I got there was that it was raining, which is the first time I have encountered rain in SecondLife. Apparently you can get grass that does that, aren't our builders and designers creative?
Marcellias took me for what he called "the 5 second tour" of his place - which lasted for about 30 minutes. All I can say is that he has created a beautiful and peaceful haven for himself in a bubble up in the skies. The place is full of animals of every kind imaginable and the lots of sounds from them. Do not have your music on when you get there!
You will not at all believe Marcellias insistence on his purple-craze though, not until you see his bedroom. But even that is no way as bad as he himself thinks, it is true that it is purple but still cosy, warm and beautiful.
After the tour we sat down for a little chat out on the balcony of his cottage, until I felt that my need for sleep stared to overwhelm me and Marcellias was called away to assist in a fashion crisis concerning a tattoo.
It was great visiting with you Marcellias and I will be happy to show you my home, as soon as my brilliant and sublime, but temperamental, builder and interior decorator Butch Diavolo allows me to have people over.

Dedication



This is to all the hateful trolls in first life, in SecondLife, in all other virtual worlds and last but not least in the blogosphere, especially the one that lately - for unclear reasons - called me a misogynist.

I know I should not post two songs back-to-back but I stumbled across this and here you have it...

(I tried finding an uncensored version of this particular video but without success, if you know where I can find it please tell me!)