"The True Reasons..."

Today I received in my possession a note card from Cortez Brandriss, who was earlier a candidate for Event Director of the Second Pride 2014 board but who withdrew her candidacy.

The note card is unmodifiable and was according to its properties created by Ms Brandriss, despite this I also sought to get a confirmation from Ms Brandriss. I did this before having read the last sentence in this note card, for which I ask Ms Brandriss' forgiveness.

My main reasons for posting this are twofold, Firstly because I love Second Pride and want it to grow and flourish for many years to come and, secondly, because I believe that the membership of Second Pride has the right to know what is happening behind closed doors. 

I will post it without any further personal comment, other than saying that these SP election seems to be turning out to be extremely ugly and messy, with personal attacks, anonymous bloggers and other monkey business. 

Marius Watz "Web Science artwork"

"7/29/2013 Re: Second Pride Election
C/c Second Pride Current Board

 To Doc Spad,

 I have been very confused as to why, what was supposed to be a very quiet and simple withdrawl from this election has turned to a large population of Pride Candidates and Voters coming to me concerned with my departure from the race.

 I was dismayed to find the answer to my question in a notice, sent by you on 7/27 to the entire Second Pride Community, that my reasons for withdrawing from this race were because of a ticket system.

 I tried to make this very clear when we first spoke, and I will clarify again now-- I withdrew from the Second Pride election because of *our* conversation-- a conversation in which the current Chair of Pride, yourself, came to me with an attempt to coerce me to join forces on a ticket with someone I have not ever met, as a means of throwing the vote. I withdrew my candidacy because I was uncomfortable knowing that the Chair of Second Pride was so willing to discuss other candidates with me, someone you barely knew. I withdrew because I felt that I was being asked to be a pawn in a dramatic game of manipulating the vote. The unprofessional freedom you took in that conversation was what caused me to withdraw my candidacy.

 I ran for Second Pride because I admired the outward professionalism of it's team of chairs, and I wanted to do something important for the LGBT community. Our conversation was steeped in drama that I did not want to be a part of, concerning people I do not know and have never met.

 I submitted a formal and professional withdrawl to Baz that did not go into these reasons, only to learn you have distributed a notice that has informed the entire Second Pride Group I left the race over the ticket system. Through this notice, you have not only publicly spoken for me with information that is not true, but you have also publicly pitted me and my withdrawl against the candidates in this entire election.

 I am outraged by the way you have handled this matter, and at the fact you have now brought me into the drama of Second Pride, when I have done nothing but gracefully bowed out of a situation you made uncomfortable for me to begin with.

 Please do not use my withdrawl as any future means to burden this election.

 With this notecard, I would like to officially announce the true reasons for my withdrawl. I ask that I am no longer contacted by any member of Second Pride about this election.

 Sincerely,Cortez Brandriss

 C/c: Second Pride Board. Kyle Beckett, SquirtN Wonder, Tylo Mabellon, Dextrum Boucher, Kharissa Indigo, Mr Gracemount, Baz Ceawlin, Tootsie Nootan"

Guyke Vanishes

SecondLife - or perhaps it is the viewers - sometimes play tricks on us. It is difficult to remember that everyone does not see the world as we see it and that we don't see what they are seeing.

On Sunday evening I way reminded of this when Butch, Guyke and I had gathered for a quiet talk before we went too our respective lonely first life beds.

We were all at Butch's place as he wanted to show us the new house he was building for himself and decided to go down to the water for a talk and watch the sunset. Butch had set up a place with two beanbags facing due west, so he and I sat in those and then Butch hauled out another beanbag for Guyke to sit on.

Below you see Guyke walking towards the beanbag to sit on it.

Once Guyke had sat down he completely disappeared from my sight (see the two pictures below)

I could still see Guyke talking in local chat though and when I told the other two they did not believe me, so I had to take the last picture above to prove it to them.

Then for some reason I opened my "People Nearby" (which Guyke insists on calling "radar") and on it i still saw Guyke's name appear but on a greater distance than he should be. So I clicked on his name in "People Nearby" and the camera zoomed over to him. He was far out in the water a couple of meters under the surface in the sit position he got from the beanbag animation. (See picture below). I had to pass that picture around to the guys also for them to believe me, the untrusting so-and-so's.

Well, after Guyke had stood up and then sat down on the beanbag again all was well and the viewer-drama was over! Everyone was once again showing up where we expected them to be.

We then went back to do what we had intended to do in the first place, and watched the amazing sunset while we had a leisurely talk about everything and nothing until it was time to go to bed.

My Son & A Beanbag

Remind me to someday tell you the story of this beanbag and how my son Guyke vanished.

Is There A "Ticket" & Why Weren't We Informed?

A message from Doc Spad, the outgoing chairperson of the Second Pride board of 2013, was sent out in the Second Pride group yesterday:

"I would like to share a few of my thoughts with the rest of the membership concerning the upcoming election. 

One of the best qualified candidates just removed herself from the running after learning about a “ticket” that was created by some of the other candidates.

There is nothing that forbids any candidate or group of candidates from forming a “ticket” but it does bring to question whether a ticket is built for reasons of bringing the best qualified people together or is the ticket being used to bring together various factions of the community to ensure that the whole ticket is elected regardless of who is best qualified.

These elections are for the next year’s leadership of Pride. We should all want the BEST candidates to be elected to further the Mission and the goals of Second Pride.

If a ticket is put together to garner votes from the various groups people belong to.... then we are not doing what is best for Pride.... we are just building support just to get elected.

I would encourage everyone involved in these elections to take to heart that Pride is on the brink of fulfilling its goals of unifying our community and really doing a great deal of good for all of us.

I would hope that whether you vote for a “ticket” or not that your choices are well thought out and you are voting for the best qualified people to lead Pride.

Vote for whom you think answers the questions on the forums best, who you think will serve the Board and Pride the best. Who you honestly think will lead Second Pride to greater heights and greater accomplishment. Ask yourself....what is best for Pride? And make sure THAT is the reason you vote for any particular person.

Thanks Doc Spad

Your outgoing Chairperson"

Following this message I have today asked all the candidates still running in the election for the board of Second Pride 2014 these questions.

"In a notice in the Second Pride group yesterday, the outgoing chairperson Doc Spad informs us that a group of candidates have formed an alliance, a.k.a. ticket, in this election. 

1. Have you formed a ticket – however formally or informally - with any of the other candidates running in this year’s election?

1. If so, who are the other candidates on this ticket?

1. If so, why did you choose not to disclose this information to the voters?

Respectfully,

Bock McMillan"

What A Great Party!

What a great evening I had, and I hope everyone else did too.

Avatars came dropping in and out all during the evening and I even missed greeting some of them properly, which I beg their pardon for. There was simply too many to speak to and too much happening that my head was coming unhinged. So many hot men and beautiful women showing as much skin as they dared in the mixed company - and some a bit more than that...

Thank you to all those of you who could come and share this moment with me. To the one's who could not come, I hope to see you another time soon. All of you have my love!

I would like to especially thank my two amazing DJs, DJ sirhc DeSantis and DJ Jared Palianta, for their dedication and for the excellent entertainment they provided!

I was so busy all four hours that I - alas - did not have any opportunity to take pictures but will have to rely on the kindness of friends and other bloggers. (I will post the links as i see them)

My sweet friend and legal advisor Diana Gilderoy sent me a whole bunch of pictures, I am showing you a fraction of them here.

Link:

1. My Avatar's Name Is Apmel; "Housewarming after sad news" (The sad news was that immediately before the party started, Apmelito received news that his friend Sven Idyll, a Swedish SecondLife avatar and blogger, had been found dead at his home in first life.)
2. Ziggy On The Edge Of Second Life; Second Life: Party Party Everyday

P.S. Despite Guyke's, Lee's and my own efforts to show the most skin, I should think we can all agree that that contest was won hands down my Apmel's friend ush Underwood in her amazing "mankini" for women (pic on Apmels blog).

Here is the result of my tinting efforts by the way. I think it looks pretty good and when I got the gold shoelace on as a cockring it worked even better.

Quote of the Day - Desmond Tutu

'South Africa's Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says he will never worship a "homophobic God" and will rather go to hell. The retired archbishop was speaking at the launch of a UN-backed campaign in South Africa to promote gay rights. Archbishop Tutu said the campaign against homophobia was similar to the campaign waged against racism in South Africa. "I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level," he added.'

This news comes to us via Joe.My.God. (a.k.a. J.M.G.), one of my favorite news sources, who picked it up at the BBC News.

Today's the Day

Look in your Inventories for the invitation named "Invitation from Bock". Otherwise here is all the information you need.

Everyone is welcome to this open house, except the select few (5 avatars) that already know they are not wanted.anywhere close to me.

WHY: Housewarming Party of my new palatial mansion

WHEN: Saturday July 27, 2013, at 12 PM - 4 PM SLT

WHERE: The Southern Charm sim in SecondLife (SLurl)

After you have arrived at the Welcome area please take a few moments to rez. There is ample seating provided for your convenience. Once you have rezzed, walk across the water in front of you on the bridge that has been provided and then turn right and walk up the hill to the house, which is located in the southeast corner of the sim.

WHO: Family and friends and friends of friends. The more the merrier!

WHAT:

1. Music will be provided by DJ sirch ((12 PM - 2 PM)) and by DJ Jared (2 PM - 4 PM)
2. Summer leisure wear is recommended and don't forget to bring your swimsuits as I have a pool here. (I am expecting to see a lot of skin!)
3. B.Y.O.W. but alcoholic beverages will be served.

WARNING: Gifts are highly discouraged. Bearer of gifts should expect to be kicked off the sim and possibly banned from it no less than six months!