#Bock3000DaysInSL

There is reason to celebrate today, because it's my 3,000th day in SecondLife!

Bock on May 12, 2007, dancing alone at Bad Boy's Plaza

Who would've thought that fateful Monday more than eight years ago that I would still be here so very many years later?

I came out of inquisitiveness, only intending to check out what all the rave was about and why Sweden was opening it's first virtual embassy here. I spent my first weeks on Arrival Island, or whatever the place was called, trying to get my ugly noob avatar to look better so that I was fit to be seen. I'm gay after all, you have to at least try to look your best at any given moment...

As this was back in the day before Linden Lab provided us with the beautiful starter avatars and I lacked the necessary talent I finally gave up and ventured out into the world.

The first thing I looked for when I decided to venture away from Arrival Island, was anything related to Sweden, the second thing was anything to do with sex, preferably the gay variety. The Swedes ignored me completely, while the gays used me for mutual sexual gratification. Within an hour of leaving Arrival Island I was equipped with 10-15 dicks of various sorts, one of which took me far into the skies when I attached it.

After having used SecondLife for quick satisfaction and pixel-sex for a month or so I actually started talking to people before, during and/or after the quickies. My visits started to get longer and I started to make acquaintances, well more like fuck buddies but anyway...

Someone took pity on me and showed me where and how I could get my avatar to look better and where I could meet people for more than sex. I was introduced to Boots Gay Beach and the Devil Inside club (the "only" gay club to be for a while before it was destroyed by drama). I met good people, kind people and of course my share of assholes. I fell in love with Ars, we moved in together and built a life and family together at Southern Charm. Ars died and I seriously considered dropping out of SL, but then there was Southern Charm. I just couldn't leave it, everything there was a reminder of him and I did not want to lose it.

A little before Ars passed away I had reached out to the Swedish community again, with better luck this time. My countrymen and my SecondLife family were extremely supportive throughout my whole grieving process and involved me with community events, with parties and with people etc, etc. And my saga continues from there with a new love, new friends and new involvements and obligations.

So I came to SecondLife out of curiosity, I returned for the sex and continued for the the people, all the wonderful people I have met here.

All in all, it has been an amazing experience and I don't regret it for a second. I now know I'm going to stay here until Linden Lab pulls the plug in San Francisco, hopefully with a new and improved world waiting for me, my love, my family and my friends.

Happy #Bock3000DaysInSL to you all - and may we have many, many more!

Picture of the Day - 358

"Diners" by Tomais Ashdene

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

Cruising with Ⓕoгđιş

It was on the eve of my 2,999th day in SecondLife when Fordis decided that I was now old enough to visit the gay leather scene.

Although he is only 916 days himself, he was quite protective until he started hitting on two rough and tough guys sitting in a booth close by discussing sconces. From then on all his blood went to his "other head" and he forgot all about me... so I was free to cruise on my own.

JJ, Tomais, me, Fordis & Divos

Picture of the Day - 357

"Xin" by Tomais Ashdene

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

Picture of the Day - 356

"Messy Heart" by Ricardo Morsch

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

Picture of the Day - 355

"dreams of cherry blossoms......." by Lara

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

Landslide For Yes!

42 out of the 43 constituencies voted for accepting same-sex marriage in the Irish referendum today! Only the constituency of Roscommon-South Leitrim voted "No" with a little more than a thousand votes.

What a wonderful and marvelous day this has been! And for many European gay men the fun continues today with the finals of the European Song Contest.

However my heroes of the day are our straight allies in Ireland, this song is for you wonderful people!

Thank You, Our Irish Straight Allies!

As Rachel Maddow, the television host of the MSNBC has said: “Here’s the thing about rights – they’re not actually supposed to be voted on. That’s why there’re called rights.”

But in the case of Ireland there was a definition of marriage written into the constitution, so to have it changed there was a constitutional requirement to put it to a ballot of the Irish people.

And according to all analysts the outcome is already clear, based on among other things by the huge voter turnout and the fact that even usually conservative constituencies have voted Tá/Yes. The only question now seems to be if any of the 43 constituencies will return a Níl/No-vote.

You can follow the counting here Irish referendum - Results by constituency. From there you can click on the detailed listing on the upper left of the page.

An Irish Cabinet minister, Leo Varadkar, who came out as gay at the start of the government's campaign, said: "We're the first country in the world to enshrine marriage equality in our constitution and do so by popular mandate. That makes us a beacon, a light to the rest of the world of liberty and equality. It's a very proud day to be Irish."

I could not agree with him more and would like to thank all our wonderful, sexy, beautiful, amazing, wonderful, marvelous, awesome, wonderful, amazing, beautiful, wonderful  and down-right sexy straight-allies in Ireland! I love and adore you all! 

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!