I & My Identical Twin

Sometimes we need to be in two places at the same time, but as we know that isn't possible in our first life. However in SecondLife it is. On Friday evening I realized I had promised to be at two separate places at 12 PM (noon) on Saturday.

First I had promised Tomais that I would be at the Wastelands sim for a photo shoot with him, Lee McKay and Ryder Yowman for the "And equality under the law for all" picture. So I needed to have my body there. The second place I needed to be was the Second Pride board meeting taking place at the exact same time. So I needed to have my mind there.

The problem is impossible to solve in first life, but a no-brainer in SecondLife. I logged in the lairds Secretary of State, my oldest and wisest alt Wild Zepp-McMillan to take care of my presence at the Second Pride meeting, while my body rested safely at the Wasteland sim under the protection of my lover.

Wild hasn't been online much and far less outside of the home sim since he was created, so first thing he needed was new clothes. (He only had system clothing and any McMillan would rather be seen naked.) He was sent off to a trip to The Men's Department with an allowance of L$2 000. After only spending about L$500 he was good to go and a pride to see.

I can understand if you have difficulty telling us apart, but left to right it is
Bock McMillan and Wild Zepp-McMillan

The experiment was a complete success, I am happy to say, and I was able to perform my obligations in both places, thanks to Wild and being in constant communications with Tomais on Skype.

The photo shoot turned out wonderfully and I am extremely proud to have been a part of it.

"And equality under the law for all" Photography by Tomais Ashdene
with (left to right) me, Ryder. Lee and Tomais

You can see more of Tomais photography on his his Flickr photostream here or his Tumblr PhotoMonkey SL (NSFW). However, all four of us were ejected from Wastelands and sent back to our respective homes when we tried to pull off the naked version of the picture.

The Second Pride meeting went well too, for the minutes please visit SP Board Meeting Minutes 4-19-14 and for the transcript please visit Transcript of SP meeting on 4-19-14.

As could be expected, the present Marketing Director World Undercroft and Event Director Merrick Genesis, were relieved of their duties for failure to attend three consecutive meetings in a row without permission from the Chair.

The meeting was informed that the key responsibilities of the Marketing Director would be performed jointly by Karl Kalchek and Baz Ceawlin. As the position of Events Director is crucial for the upcoming Festival, even I could see that the position would have to be filled with someone who had the skills for the office. I was therefore not at all surprised when level headed Marge Beaumont made a motion that the position, in accordance with the bylaws, should be filled immediately by Kharissa Indigo (a.k.a. the Relentless Khar).

Although I myself love Khar and could see that she had the required skills I was worried by this nomination both for Khar's own sake and for the sake of Second Pride as she has been a target of "some contention" (to put it mildly) within the community, so I gave voice to my concerns at the meeting.

After being assured by several members of the board that they would not allow Khar to stand alone as a target and that they had discussed policies to handle such a situation I was satisfied. The board then appointed Khar to the position of Events Director.

We were then introduced to The Sponsor and Vendor packages for the Festival, and the registration form for those who had purchased those packages.

Next meeting will be Sunday, May 4 at 12 PM (noon) SLT.

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P.S. I would like to clarify that Merrick Genesis absence is due to first life health issues, not through any desire to neglect his duties.

Picture of the Day - 59

"Siblings" Photography by Citta Wiskee

If you wish to see more of Citta's photography, please visit her Flickr photostream here.

SL Photography Monthly - May 2014 Issue Out

The May 2014 issue of the SecondLife Photography Monthly is out today. To view it please go here SL Photography Monthly - May 2014 Issue.

Should you wish to view back issues please visit here, SL Photography Monthly - All Issues.

Well, I might as well share the introduction I wrote for this issue, it is my blog after all.

"Images. They have followed humanity all throughout our evolution. We saw them in our dreams, then we manifested them in sketches on sand and dirt, over carvings on rock and stone to paintings deep inside the caves we dwelt in. Later still we committed them to paper and canvas. More recently, we developed cameras to take photographs, and now in modern times we can use digital technology to capture and create images in ways we've never been able to before. 

I don’t accept the anthropologists theories that our need to recreate, depict or share our visions was driven by religious needs or hunting purposes. I would rather believe that mankind has from the beginning felt the need, the urge even, to let those who came after them know, “I was here. See me. Remember me!” and also to share their visions with those who follow. “Here, right here, I and my friends killed the antelope” or “Jondalar and Ayla met here”.

Images always contain messages. The message can be one of mood, thought, or deed. Sometimes they are loud and in your face, while at other times they are subtle, veiled and discreet. We as viewers interpret, based on our own experiences and thought processes, what the artist put into their work, or we may use our prerogative to use their work as a starting point to create our own images, visions, and memories.

In this May 2014 issue of SL Photography there are 23 amazing photographers who have chosen to share some of their wonderful visions with you. Enjoy them and use them to your own benefit.

Bock McMillan

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I wish to thank the editors of SL Photography Monthly for thinking of me and awarding me this rare honor!

Doug in Memoriam 2014

Joseph Douglas Wilson Jr., a.k.a

Ars Northmead

★ April 21, 1953 (first life)
★ October 25, 2006 (SecondLife)
† March 12, 2010

Picture of the Day - 58

"Sebastiann Vollmar Profile" Photography by Bre Leroux1

If you wish to see more of Bre's photography, please visit his Flickr photostream here.

PSA: Free Speech

A much needed public service announcement from our friends over at xkcd.com on the true meaning of free speech, which my American friends call First Amendment rights.

Word! Word! Word!

O Tempora, O Mores!

In olden and I don't hesitate to call them better times, not that long ago really, it was customary for a suitor to pay a visit to the father of the intended bride or groom to ask for the beloved child's hand in marriage. During the visit the suitor would be asked to state his case and give provide proof of his good intentions, his suitability and his means to keep the beloved child in a manor to which it had become accustomed.

Those are now bygone days I am sad to say. Yesterday while I was hastily going through the latest updates on Facebook, after my hot and steamy shower and immediately before I hit the Egyptian linens that cover my stately fourposter bed, I - by pure chance, I swear - came across the announcement below.

You can of course imagine my complete and utter state of shock at seeing this news.

Add to this the fact that I had spoken to the two no less than twenty minutes earlier without being told a word about this news that they now flaunted for all the world to see.

Luckily for me and the two newlyweds, I was in communications with my royal consort at the time of this discovery, otherwise a troop of the Southern Charm palace guards would have been sent out to search for and apprehend the two and throw them into the dungeons beneath the palace - in separate cells, mind you - to stew until it suited my pleasure to speak to them, in a year or two.

However, my wiser and more sensible spouse convinced me that we must change with the times and accept the fact.

"Both the boys are old enough to know what they want and do as they wish", he told me and also reminded me of the fact that I had myself been rather hastily married to him not long ago. Although I told Tomais that was not at all the same thing, as neither he or I had fathers that could be approached  and that we had waited two months. I also added that both the newlyweds had personally made me a firm promise not to jump the guns.

"They are young", he said, "you must forgive them, lover. We will both send good thoughts to them and hope that everything will go well!" I realized of course, that Tomais advice was - as always - sound but told him I still needed to sleep on it to come to terms with it. Tomais agreed that that might be the best thing to do, considering my weakened state.

So today I, the Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm, prince of Cascade Falls, Sovereign Ruler of the Commonwealth of Southern Enchantment Region and Outer Territories and finally UN appointed Protector of the Solace Island and Mount Whitney sims in SecondLife, am here to tell you all the following.

From the bottom of my heart I congratulate Crown Prince Guyke, Prince of Paradijs, and Mr. Garrett Smith Esq., a Texan of no - as yet - known royal lineage, to their recent wedding. I also heartily welcome Garrett Smith into the family, where he shall be given a place at the main table at all formal state occasions. In due course he may, or may not, be given a suitable title.