Point of View

Isn't it fascinating how two people sometimes can look at the same view and see completely different things?

"Together" Photography by Bock McMillan

"Together" Photography by Tomais Ashdene

For more of Tomais photography please visit Flickr - Tomais Ashdene or Photomonkey SL (NSFW).

Visited by an Apparition

I will never forget it, you know? I was in bed with my boyfriend (now husband) Tomais, and he said to me "Bock" ... he always calls me Bock (well, when he doesn't call me "lover") which isn't that strange actually as Bock is my chosen name.

"Bock", Tom said, "what is that floating above us?" As I looked to check what Tom was talking about the apparition landed beside the bed we were laying on. 

We had been busy snogging, making out, canoodling and enjoying the warmth of each others bodies while exchanging a little spit from time to time.

As we watched in surprise and amazement the androgynous creature started stomping around the bedroom of our summer villa in way that would certainly impress RuPaul. When we asked who it was and what it was doing there, it answered haughtily, "You may call me Ghislaine and I am here to show you my latest outfit and the new model-AO I got from Henimations." 

We were duly impressed, of course! I was issued a gag order and sworn to secrecy concerning the apparition's true identity, which upset me a bit because this is the third one I have gotten in a short time.

Sophie

I "did a Bock" today, i.e I went to bed for a short nap after work and woke up seven hours later.

I must have been dreaming about Sophie Tucker or Bette Midler, because when I woke up my mind was filled with Ernie-jokes. (Sophies jokes were for a while picked up by Bette, which is where I first heard them.)

Sophie Tucker, was a celebrated American comedian during the early parts of the 20th century. She used to tell jokes about her boyfriend Ernie.

These are some of my favorite boyfriend Ernie-jokes.

"I will never forget it you know? I was in bed last night with my boyfriend Ernie, and he said to me "Soph ... he always calls me "Soph"... you got no tits and a tight box". I said to him "Ernie get off my back."

"I will never forget it you know? M'girlfriend Clementine is a dirty old broad. We were hanging out laundry the other day and she said to me "Soph, how come you're never caught in the rain when you hang your laundry." I told her "My dear Clementine, every morning I pull back the sheets and look at my boyfriend Ernie. If it's laying on the left it's gonna rain. If it's laying on the right it's gonna be a sun shiny day." Clementine said "Well what if it's sticking straight up?". I told her "Well who the hell wants to laundry on a day like that?!!"

"I will never forget it you know? It was on the occasion of Ernie's eightieth birthday and in honor of the occasion he married a twenty year old girl. And he rang me up the very next day and he said to me "Soph, Soph (he always calls me Soph),  I have just married myself a twenty year old girl, what do you think of that". And I said to him "Ernie when I am eighty years old I shall marry myself a twenty year old boy, and let me tell you something Ernie twenty goes into eighty a hell of a lot more than eighty goes into twenty."

“I will never forget it you know? Doorbell rang the other day, answered the door and there was a delivery boy there with two dozen roses. I grabbed the card I opened it, it said “Love, from your boyfriend Ernie.” I was having tea with my girlfriend Clementine. I said “Clementine, do you know what this means? For the next two weeks I’m gonna be flat on my back with my legs wide open.” Clementine says to me “What’s the matter, ain’t you got a vase?”

...and now I am crawling back to bed... 

Looking for Speakers!

Group Notice sent by: Katya Valeska

"On February 7-9, 2014, there will be a conference for all Second Life bloggers. We'll be holding a three day conference to discuss everything under the sun from fashion, to photography, photoshop, talking to designers and just blogging in general.

Those who are putting together this event would like to see if anyone within the community would like to speak at this event. If you would like to, please fill out the application: Application form 

Below is a list of topics that will be being discussed at this year's conference.

• Blogging Basics 101

• How to Take Quality Photos in Second Life

• Photoshop Techniques

• How to Edit Prims / Overlaying Mesh in Second Life

• How to Promote Your Blog

• How to Approach Designers

• Event Blogging: How, When and What to Do

• Focus on Fashion Blogging

• Focus on Home / Decor Blogging

• Focus on Roleplay Blogging

• Focus on Editorial Blogging

• Focus on Destination Blogging (Sim Exploring)

• Focus on Second Life Blogging (News, Around the Grid)"

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I was tipped about this event by my friend and co-blogger Jeff Ellsworth.

Video Commercial

(Tipped by longtime Bock in SecondLife reader - who also happens to be my SecondLife son - Guyke Lundquist)

This is a video commercial for an exceptional store in SecondLife. Miamai. The store is loaded with lots of interesting and unusual stuff. It proves beyond any doubt that SecondLife is still alive and kicking and that we have wonderful, imaginative and skillful creators, designer and builders.

Yesterday I got the wonderful black hat from there, just because it is beautiful work. I will alas only be able to wear it on those rare occasions (once a year) that I do drag.

Avatar Appearance

I rezzed in SecondLife on March 11, 2007.

Noob male avatar in 2007 (not Bock)

Bock, May 2007

Bock (center), September 2007 (with cousin Drizz McMillan & my Ars before he was mine)

Bock, June 2008 (Photography by Ika Cioc)

Bock, January 2009 (Photography by Ika Cioc)

Bock, 2010 (with Ars)

Bock, 2012

Bock, 2013 (with distant cousin Butch Diavolo)

Hotboy Resigns from Second Pride Board

At the Second Pride emergency board meeting today it was announced that the Events Director Hotboy Lockjaw (formerly known as MJshotboy Skytower) had resigned from the board on January 8, 2014, effective immediately. (The resignation has now been posted on the Second Pride website, Resignation of Hotboy Lockjaw - url)

Hotboy was duly thanked by the board for his efforts for Second Pride and it's membership and for a job well done, it was also noted that organizing events for such a diverse group is not an easy task.

The meeting then went on to a call for candidates for the vacancy as Events Director.

After some discussion it was decided that

1. Interested parties should submit notecards to the Co-Chair/Secretary Andy Long a.s.a.p. but no later than Monday January 20, 2014, 5PM SLT, expressing their interest and outlining their experience in event planning and organizing in SL.
2. The Second Pride forums will be opened for questions and responses until Friday January 24, 2014, 5PM SLT. 
3. The time of the board meeting to review the candidates and appoint the new Events Director is a yet to be determined but will occur during the weekend of the January 25, 2014.

It was stressed that qualifications for the job include, skin thick as a rhinoceros, no first or second life obligations at all and lots of time to spare, exceptional prior experience and a great talent for organisation.

The minutes from the meeting are posted on the Second Pride website, Meeting Minutes of Emergency SP Board Meeting January 11, 2013.

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On a personal note, I would like to add the following.

I was extremely saddened to learn about Hotboy's resignation. However, after reading his statement, I fully understand that he must have been under great personal strain to finally take this step. I commend him for doing so. There is most certainly a limit to what attacks and pressures we can expect our elected officials to suffer for the common good.

To some degree I feel responsible for adding to the pressure by calling for events catering to all timezones. However, although I believe that such a move is necessary for Second Pride to grow, I would have accepted that it may not be doable at this time.

The new Events Director should hopefully be able to call upon the support of Hotboy, and others with previous experience of this post, as well as a group with an abundance of experience and ideas on how to handle things. This job cannot be accomplished without other people acting as shields, giving support and performing necessary tasks, thereby allowing the Events Director to focus on the main objectives.