22 July, 2009

and yes, Virginia, all because the truth won't save you now

Erotic steampunk? Apparently so. In fact, it's the second such work to be published by Circlet Press, the first being A Wisp of Steam. An excerpt from Like Clockwork, the second book, was lovingly offered up on io9's site, wherein they mention a third volume, Like a Corset Undone, will be available from Circlet Press for purchase, or electronic download, soon--the same as the first two.

Hanging out of a day in SL. Wandering about, following random SLUrls, Midnight Mania mentions, tracking down things I've needed to track down for a bit...

I set up a friends' conference to keep track of my loves and their loves. It's a gaggle at this point--Miss Neome, Miss Fawkes, Miss Midnight Bohemia, who is Neome's otherlove. I set this up. I was talking to everyone. I was sending out chat to everyone.

We port to VenDom to see if there were new chair offerings and a new armor set in the Midnight Mania. We were also tossing odd net links back and forth to giggle at.

I sent this one, trying to figure it out, and got this message:

[20:44] Fawkes Allen was sent an instant message and has been automatically unmuted.

THE. HELL.

I mean, really...THE HELL?!?

This is apparently a very rare bug, according to Miss Midnight. To me, though? This is a very freakish and horrifying bug. Imagine that happening during a business conference! During an SL corporate address! During medical training classes, now held in virtual spaces, on those educational campuses Linden Labs so very much want Second Life to be known for having.

[20:44] Fawkes Allen was sent an instant message and has been automatically unmuted.

Which means he'd been muted in the first place. By SECOND LIFE, not me. Wrong, so very very very wrong.

[23:42] Rachire Andel: I like bondage
[23:43] Rachire Andel: so does ger
[23:43] Rachire Andel: alcohol makes bondage more fun


And people wonder why I don't talk that often in Caledon State chat much, anymore.

[23:43] Rachire Andel: too bad she cant pronounce the safe word
[23:43] Aevalle Galicia: Rach, alcohol and posting in the isc doesn't mix, sweetie
[23:44] Rachire Andel: too bad i didnt know this in advance
[23:44] Wrath Constantine: Don't drink and post.
[23:45] Rachire Andel: now you all tell me this


Of course, then it just got downright amusing.

Is it wrong that now I really want to play this game? Just to see if there's more to laugh at? Don't get me wrong, I adore Wolverine, runty little sociopath that he is. But really...that was not only absurdly violent, but insanely funny.

We're coming up on another Creators' Stamp Rally (the summer edition, natch) and already, a third of participating merchants have turned in their prizes for the run. S.I.C.'s outfit-and-weapon look really well done. Den-Dou's vampire skin is just fun. I adore the creativity that went into Gritty Kitty's artist apron.

The rules are the same as last winter: there are twenty participating designers, nearly all of them Japanese. You travel from sim to sim with your stamp card, find the stamp machine, get a stamp from each participating designer, and take the completed stamp card to the prize center to redeem your prize of choice.

To buy each stamp card, you find something that's got the CSR symbol on it, or is in a vendor where you can check what's going to be delivered, to make sure a card is in there. Each card will cost you at least one hundred Lindens. And yes, you can get as many cards as you want, just understand, you can only run with so many at once! (While I have seen a girl wearing eighteen cards, really, that does strike me as excessive. Though to be fair, there are 36 attachment points per avatar, supposedly.)

So far, only De'la's yellow slouch boots seem unpopular, but frankly, I don't think they're bad-looking boots--they're just bright yellow. But they're not ugly boots at all.

And do keep in mind to tip a little extra business towards Edelweiss, the main creative force behind the stamp rallies, will you? This is the first year they've done an outfit that wasn't pale pink! That deserves to be celebrated!

And lastly, this word from xkcd:



You know, torrent sites are even worse, I used to think...but they mean it when they say "This'll take three days; get a good book."

I logged out with 58,959 inventory items. Let's see if I can push away another two thousand tomorrow!

6 comments:

Christine McAllister Pearse said...

Ahhh, good old ISC chat. Fuzz sent me a snippet last night that made me shake my head. I can't say that I regret my decision to shut the blasted thing immeditately upon it being open.

Rhianon Jameson said...

I must say I don't know M. Andel, and the dialogue suggests extremely bad manners (though it's hard to disagree with the conclusion, no? Bondage sober? Well, I shouldn't speculate.), but those types don't seem to last long.

Because ISC chat has no specific purpose - no "important messages from the Guv only," or "announcements of general interest," or even "in-character comments only" - it becomes whatever participants want to be at that moment. It reminds me of the role-playing/Jaeger-speak kerfuffle of several weeks ago: fun if you're participating, less fun if you're not. As Mrs. Pearse notes, if it becomes too intrusive, one can shut it off. I find myself exercising that option more frequently these days, though I hasten to assure anyvon vonderink that it has nothing to do with ersatz German. :)

Frau A. S. Lowey said...

There might be some people who need bright yellow wellies. I am trying to think of more than one, though....

Emilly Orr said...

Lady Christine: Most of the time I do the same, though I've been trying to be more social of late. One wonders if I shouldn't give up and become a total recluse save for dances and in-store appearances to change stock. :p

Miss Jameson: And that's part of the problem, you see--"those types" (though I do know what you mean) usually do drift on, caught by the shiny of some other where, but...if I'm not mistaken, Mr. Andel is a Dean at Oxbridge Village.

Now, last night's conversation, pushed on somewhat by Duke Wrath, seemed to insure that Mr. Andel doesn't help new citizens while intoxicated...but considering new citizens frequently sign up for Oxbridge University, then ISC...it sets a bad precedent any way one looks at it.

Frau Lowey: Oh, I'm sure. Myself, I'm wondering if they're mod, and how appropriate low slouch boots are, as a concept, for neo-Victorian sims...

Anonymous said...

Though dishearteningly inappropriate(in my book), the comments you listed were on the mild side compared to the terms and language I've often seen. I've read anatomical terms used with such delight that I thought I was reading the text of 15-year-olds having fun "getting away with" using them. Of course, if any reproving remarks were made (and I've never seen it happen), the perp would no doubt draw themselves up in high indignance and declare that they are using proper terms (albeit over and over and over) and it's "medical". I so much more enjoy real wit, good Victorian use of language and the sparkle of people with more than a few brain cells engaged. I've seen evidence of past such sessions and am sorely disappointed to see it so very rarely.
I am (naively, I'm afraid) optimistic. I rarely close ISC chat just in case someone says something wonderful. I'd really hate to miss it.

Elspeth

Emilly Orr said...

Miss Woolley,

While I tend to agree with your comments, and admittedly, did post the two examples keeping in mind such thoughts, the more I think on the more I think it's an overall behavior fail.

I'm thinking in particular of certain individuals who find themselves intoxicated of an evening, frequently, and--being in inebriated state, find their tongues loosening--go off on how they are tipsy now (or beyond), and careen merrily about in chat for a bit before going off for coffee, or toddling off for bed.

We've seen this. Years now, we've seen this. This is not the issue.

The fact that someone was intoxicated on chat is not the issue.

I really think, though, two factors made this very relevant for me as an indicator of continual chat degradation:

1. Mr. Andel pointed out his intoxication, seemed to view it as a badge of honor, kept drinking and thus kept getting worse;

and

2. Mr. Andel is a Professor at Oxbridge and teaches classes on newcomer deportment.

One of those, without the other, I think I'd have been fine with. The thought that someone new to ISC, who'd studied under Mr. Andel, and who know thinks that's the way Caledonians behave...

Yeah. That galls, more than a little.

hide away, they say, 'cos we don't want your broken parts

Yeah, so...remember that thing I was recovering from? You know, last year ? Yeah. I did it again. So this is Em Faw Down Go Boom part ...