Picture of the Day - 379

"Gone to Market" by Tomais Ashdene

If you wish to see more of Tomais' photography, please visit his Flickr photostream by clicking his name under the picture.

Art Auction In Honor of Kylie & The Trace Too

Poster by Trinity Yazimoto

Art Auction: a fabulous farewell to Kylie Jaxxon

Auction start: 2nd August 2015 and ends 10th August 2015

The Trace Too (SLurl)

Kylie Jaxxon's beautiful sim, The Trace Too, is closing at the end of August as she has departed SL. Kylie created a beautiful sim that has become special to many people. Kylie was an avid blogger and somehow managed to find the most beautiful trinkets to decorate her lovely sim, then shared them with the community.

In honour of Kylie and her gorgeous work that has touched the SecondLife community, there is an art auction at her sim to celebrate her talent, and wish Kylie a fabulous and final farewell:

The auction was originally intended to raise funds to keep her beautiful sim, The Trace, open until the end of August. Due to people's generosity this goal has already been achieved, what an amazing result!

With this in mind, all proceeds from the art auction will now go to Relay for Life in Kylie's honour. This group raises money for the American Cancer Society within SL and we think it would be a very special tribute to Kylie if we could donate as many lindens as possible to this fantastic cause on her behalf. This is our way of collectively saying thank you for all that she has done for the SecondLife community, and remembering her talent.

A bunch of talented and generous artists have donated original pieces to the auction, and all their work is available for you to look at around The Trace. Each pictures has been placed as close to the location they were shot as possible. Check every corner, boat and deck to ensure that you don't miss any!

We really hope you'll join us to make this goodbye one of the best there has been in SecondLife.

Happy bidding!

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Big thanks to Pinkrayne for the PR writing and her help for the set up.

Huge thanks to all the Trace lovers who have donated one or several pics for the auction (Eddie Haskell, Leonorah Beverly, Gidgette Adaggio, Seraphiel Galaxy, ScarlettElizabet, SereneDean, Kaelyn Alecto, Lumiette, Pearl Grey, Lo Coeur, Pinkrayne, Bamboo Barnes, Maxie Daviau, Skinninylla, Sabastian Melmoth, Hillara, Coober Galicia, Terravive, Becca, Chrysterox, Masquerade Snowbear, Lizz Avon, Rosy Highwater, Tripp Nitely) (if you are missing in the list please let me know).

An endless thank you to all the generous persons having already donated and those who will do it before the end of the month.

Thank you to you all

Thank you Kylie, for having been this so lovely person in SL (i so wish i could know you better) and for all the stunning landscapes you have offered to us for all those years.

(via Ziki Questi's blog and from Trinity Yazimoto's Flickr)  

Dear Bock: Bodily Fluids?

Dear Bock,

I hear you are the relationship expert. My husband "Fredericko" (I changed the names to protect the innocent, or to not have him find out) has some peculiar interests in the boudoir. He likes me to be sticky and will not offer a warm moist washcloth after love making nor will he allow me to shower. Should I be concerned? Is this the beginning of some kinky sex play that I should run away from? Please help.

Sincerely,
Sticky House Husband Brad

Dear Brad,

Ahhh the eternal question about bodily fluids and their permissibility or not in sexual relations. 

Body fluids are liquids secreted or excreted from our living bodies (among others breast milk, blood, feces, pus, saliva, semen, smegma, sweat, tears, urine, vaginal secretions and vomit etc). All body fluids can carry STDs, so should not be entertained with someone whose serostatus is unknown. 

I always say, if both participants are consenting adults who want it or are OK with it, just go for it. If one wants it and the other doesn't, you have a problem that needs to be communicated and solved. 

No one should suffer during sexual activities or be forced to do something they do not want, it should all be about fun, enjoyment and - for most of us - expressing your love or warm delightful feelings. 

If your lover likes you "sticky" after your lovemaking while you find it absolutely abhorrent, try talking about it and negotiate it to something that is acceptable for both of you. A good start could be if you agreed to try lying on your back and thinking of the Empire for 5-10 minutes before rushing to the showers the next 3-5 times you have sex. Then again, if it is something absolutely unthinkable for you, a determined "No!" should suffice and no trials are needed.

If that works out for the two of you, then consider gradually increasing the time. If you still find it totally unacceptable, then you need to drop that activity and find other venues. The landscape of sexual activities is a wonderfully abundant smorgasbord to pick and choose from, there will be things you both will enjoy.

ADDENDUM & EDIT: Initially I had written a summary here of my own personal likes and dislikes concerning the listed body fluids, which I have on later revision decided to remove as it could be perceived as judgemental.

Suffice it to say, if I had a lover who wanted to run to the shower immediately after orgasm, I would most definitely be bothered, disturbed and insulted. But that's just my personal tastes...

Bock McMillan is a blogger, not a relationship expert, his weekly column "Dear Bock" should therefore merely be considered as his point-of-view on relationship matters. If you wish to get his reaction to a relationship question you have, you are welcome to send an email to lundamats@gmail.com. Remember to write "Dear Bock" in the subject line.

Second Pride, Annual Meeting - Saturday August 1 @ 12 PM SLT

From a group notice in the Second Pride Festival group.

Please be informed the Board of Directors of Second Pride will hold their "Annual General Meeting (AGM)" in the Second Pride Headquarters Conference Hall (SLurl) on Saturday August 1, 2015, 12:00 PM SLT.

The proposed agenda for the meeting is as follows

1. Call To Order
2. Department Reports
    - Chair
    - Build
    - Events
    - Community Relations
    - Security
    - Treasurer Report
    - IT
3. Elections Procedures
4. Adjourn

Mother

I just got off the phone with my mother. She called me, crying, and told me she could not take it any longer."He didn't sleep here last night and he hasn't been home all day. He must be with her, I don't understand why he is doing this to me..."

The man she is talking about is my father, who passed away on January 28, 2015.

I tried to get mother calm. I reminded her that she was there when father died and saw when he was given CPR and when he took his last breath. "Yes", she confirmed "I remember all that, but where are these strange thoughts coming from? Why am I thinking of this woman and there being something to do with your father?" We talked on about how they had been married for almost 65 years. How my father loved her very much, and she him from the beginning when they met until the end. How he never ever slept away from her during all those years, if he could help it.

Mother was calm again when we finished and was going to bed, because she was feeling very tired.

I can with absolute knowledge say, that if my father had had an affair and had moved out of the house we in the family would all know. Mine is not a family in which one is allowed to keep such things secret, not for very long and we all get involved in the end - always.

This has been going on for about six weeks, not constantly, but from time to time. At first we - my older sister and I - didn't understand what the hell was going on and we put it down to grief. After a while we were told that hallucinations and a change of mental status sometimes can be the only visible symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) in elderly people.

Last Friday I took my mother to the doctor for a checkup. The checkup showed no signs of a UTI so that wasn't the cause of the strange thoughts. What was discovered through a blood count test was that my mother had acute anemia. Her hemoglobin count was only 72 g/L (normal (121 to 151 g/L). The doctor believed that this could - possibly - account for mother's strange thoughts and hallucinations.

Mother was immediately admitted to hospital, with many protests and the promise it would only be overnight, and was given three bags of blood.

The reason for the anemia still remains unclear and is going to be investigated without hospitalization, as that is the only way my mother will accept.

It would seem that the blood transfusions haven't helped, not yet anyway. The whole thing makes me very sad and unhappy.

SL Photography - August 2015

The August 2015 issue of the SecondLife monthly magazine Photography is out.

To view it please go to: SL Photography Monthly - August 2015 Issue.

Stockholm Pride, July 27 - August 1, 2015

It's time again for my friend Apmel's neighbours to raise the Pride-flag.

Stockholm Pride, the largest Pride-festival in Scandinavia, started today and ends on Saturday.

For more information about this event, please visit the official website Stockholm Pride (English).