there's nobody missing, there is no reward, little by little we're cutting the cord

So, the conversation was about food, and I was only halfway following:

[20:38] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Pad Thai, everyone?
[20:39] mxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: whats pad thai?
[20:39] Vxxxxxxxx Ixxxx: oh yum
[20:40] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: OOoo it is lovely! Noodles and veggies and eggs and meat on rice noodles in a spicy/sweet/smokey sauce!

It is pretty good. Here's a fairly easy recipe for it that comes with both printed and video instructions. And this one says it'll be on the table in thirty minutes (though I think that's exclusive of prep time).

[20:40] Gxxxxxxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: its a Chinese rice and noodle dish

Thai noodle dish. Actually.

[20:40] mxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ooooo
[20:41] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I made it!
[20:41] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: : ))
[20:41] hxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: mmm i love Pad Thai
[20:41] Gxxxxxxxx Axxxxx: Not to be confused with Muay Thai . . which is pain. :-p

Well, that's definitely true. The Thai boxing style tends towards fast and lethal moves, more than escape and subdual.

[20:42] mxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oooo
[20:42] mxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: is it?
[20:42] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Need cucumber slices with it! I forgot those!
[20:42] Vxxxxxxxx Ixxxx: I recently had it for the 1st time recently and OMG it was so good
[20:42] Rxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: IO know I will be hte

Meet Ms. S. This came out of nowhere, and I was puzzling over what "hte" actually meant. Was she drunk, or just couldn't spell?

[20:42] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: O wonderful, [Vxxx]! Welcome! lol
[20:42] dxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Pho is Still my favorite.. lol

Now, real pho soup takes 24-48 hours to make properly. Here's a quicker version. This one's called "cheater" pho, because it's even easier. And this one's a multi-step chicken-based version. None of these are traditional, but they'll taste enough similar to pass.

[20:42] Rxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: hatd

Still confused. Hate? Hatted? Had?

[20:42] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Pho is wonderful, too!
[20:43] Rxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: everyone hatesd Jewxs

And there it is. Really? This is a freebie and sales announcement group. Beyond that, the discussion had been about foods they enjoy. Where did this come from?

[20:43] dxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: 0.0
[20:43] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: My apologies, everyone.
[20:44] Axxxxx Dxxxxxxxx: I watched an episode of American Test Kitchen/Cooks Country, and Julia made Pad Thai, it lookd good
[20:44] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I deeply apologize.
[20:44] cxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: What was that [Rxxxxx]?
[20:44] Mxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: that was a bit random.

It really was.

[20:45] cxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Who does everyone hate?

Apparently, "everyone" hates Jews. Which is sheerly ludicrous. And why that comment in this group? Out of the blue. It's bizarre.

Oh, and this idiot joined three years after I did, which makes her over ten years on the grid! So she is more than old enough, in SL and RL, to KNOW. BETTER.

[20:45] Vxxxxxxxx Ixxxx: what was that about?
[20:45] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Move on, please.
[20:45] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: If I could I would remove it, but I cannot.

Sadly, there are limitations to being a mod, but I'm not sure even a group owner could strike someone's stated comment once published.

[20:45] cxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: A friend of mine got booted for criticizing a product.

That happens, yeah. I've been kicked from a group for asking a question.

[20:45] Mxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: when i seen that I scrolled up to see her having her own conversation that didn't match anything of what else was going on in chat.

I wasn't in world for that, so I only have this.

[20:46] cxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: But its OK to post anti-semitic hate messages?

No. Keep in mind mod H can't delete a comment from chat. Possibly the Lindens could, but I don't think anyone else has the power levels necessary to do that.

[20:46] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Jxxxx]? Do you see that poster in chat?
[20:46] Dxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: you cant stop a comment in chat only boot after the fact
[20:46] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It was taken care of.
[20:46] cxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Good. Banned?
[20:47] Vxxxxxxxx Ixxxx: I am glad it was taken care of
[20:47] Mxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Group hug! Everyone have a happy new year
! [20:47] Pxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you have a happy new year too

Things went on from there, in far less bigoted ways, so I stopped the capture here. But I'm still baffled. Someone thought this was appropriate to say two days after Christmas. Really? REALLY?

Not to mention we're days away from the second decade of the 21st century, and if people are still holding on to such laughably outdated ideas, they really need to just sit down and shut up. Maybe they'll learn something that way.

you've never learned to read or write, there's no books upon your shelf

Because that's what this whole conversation reminded me of. A codicil: I am keeping the name of the group intact, because it's mentioned more than once in the text capture. But I am anonymizing the actual avatar.

Onward!

[00:00] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: this part makes no sense to me
[00:00] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: No cost to join group)
For my VIP Group I make special Promocode on 99%!!! off for ANY item untill January 5 at mainstore (Works only one time for one avatar, be careful!!!!)Cost to join 500L$
[00:00] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no cost to join but it costs 500? uhhhh what?
[00:02] Emilly Orr: What VIP group? Limerence's?
[00:03] Emilly Orr: It's a pay group for this store's VIPs, and you'll get a promo code that will either discount, or refund, 99% of the purchase price of any hair.

Now, this was a stab in the dark, given what was said. But, I felt I should know for sure, so...

[00:03] Emilly Orr pulls up the notices

Even though I have all in-world notices and IMs sent to my email, sometimes things fall by the wayside. This notice was one of the things, apparently:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for all {Limerence} friends!!!
The Christmas group gift is now available at the mainstore location!
Just wear your {Limerence} group tag, grab it and enjoy. No cost to join group)
For my VIP Group I make special Promocode on 99%!!! off for ANY item untill January 5 at mainstore (Works only one time for one avatar, be careful!!!!)Cost to join 500L$
https://limerence-sl.blogspot.com/2019/12/limerence-christmas-groupgift-and.html

Okay, that makes sense, but I did see the issue.

[00:03] Emilly Orr: Ah, I see what you're seeing. It's a lack of punctuation.
[00:04] Emilly Orr: This group is free, and everyone in this group can get the Christmas gift, if you wear the group tag.

Which is fabulous, I'll have to remember to stop by Limerence tomorrow for the gift.

[00:04] Emilly Orr: The NEXT paragraph is only about the VIP group, not the main group.
[00:04] Emilly Orr: Though that is tempting to join the VIP group before Jan 5th...

It really is tempting.

[00:05] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well the grou pis free
[00:05] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i was wondering if she means she is gonna start charging for it at new years

No, not until January 5th.

[00:05] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: here is the full notice
[00:05] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx:

[15:34] Kxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Group Notice Sent by: Kxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx
{Limerence} Christmas&NY GroupGift and Promocode for VIP Group
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for all {Limerence} friends!!!
The Christmas group gift is now available at the mainstore location!
Just wear your {Limerence} group tag, grab it and enjoy. No cost to join group)>
For my VIP Group I make special Promocode on 99%!!! off for ANY item untill January 5 at mainstore (Works only one time for one avatar, be careful!!!!)Cost to join 500L$

[00:06] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and its the same on thei page
[00:06] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: https://limerence-sl.blogspot.com/2019/12/limerence-christmas-groupgift-and.html [00:06] Emilly Orr: Right, I read the full notice.
[00:06] Emilly Orr: And I told you how it breaks down.
[00:06] Emilly Orr: The first statement is a statement about the gift for ALL group members, those here, and the VIPS.
[00:06] Emilly Orr: The SECOND statement is only for the VIPs, or for people who join the VIP group.
[00:07] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: still confuses the hell out of me lol

Why? How is this in any way confusing?

[00:07] Emilly Orr: Separate the statements. It won't be confusing.
[00:07] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but it doesnt matter really since we are all group members i think?

And it was here I realized the issue.

[00:07] Emilly Orr: There's no charge for this group.
[00:07] Emilly Orr: There IS a L$500 charge for the VIP group.
[00:07] Emilly Orr: The VIP group is NOT THIS GROUP.
[00:07] Emilly Orr: Simple.
[00:07] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ohhhh

Oh, good, we're all on the same page now.

[00:08] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: that i didnt know
[00:08] Emilly Orr: There you go.
[00:08] axxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i didnt think they had 2 groups
[00:08] Emilly Orr: Limerence has two groups.

Happy to help.

And to point out, if you like the way Limerence builds hair, you could do worse than join a VIP group for L$500 that nets you one new hair per month. I've never been unhappy with any paid VIP group for a hair store, and I used to belong to Alice Project, and currently belong to Astrology and Truth VIPs. Happy to add Limerence VIPs for the new year.

but I don't sense affection, no gratitude or love

[21:24] Second Life:

kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx is offering friendship.

Would you be my friend?

I loathe friend requests out of the blue. Let me get to know you first. Let me figure out if we click. THEN we can talk friendship.

[21:30] Emilly Orr: Pardon, you were at the bottom of the list, I was closing tabs. You are?

I pulled the profile, and...here we go again. Of the seven groups this person has, three of those are catfight groups, and...no. Just no. And why the hell do I always get tapped to go fight people at home??

[21:31] Emilly Orr: Ooookay, let me head something off at the pass, just to make this easier: No, I am not interested in fighting you. No, I am not interested in watching women fight. No, I have zero interest in being dominated while someone beats the crap out of me.
[21:31] Emilly Orr: Now, if there's anything else, happy to discuss!

That's fair, right? I'm not being rude, just direct.

[21:33] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ops sorry

That would be "oops".

[21:34] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I glad to chatting with you

Let me take a wild stab in the dark here, you're not a native English speaker?

[21:34] Emilly Orr: Sure!
[21:35] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you like fighting
[21:35] Emilly Orr: As in, watching WWE matches? Not as much these days, as we don't have cable. As in fighting personally? I'd rather have a root canal.

Did they not catch with the "not interested in fighting you" line? Not fighting them. No interest. No inclination. Not doing it. And I'm not even as interested in WWE since The Undertaker retired.

[21:36] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: my internet is slow

Well, that's a conversational swerve.

[21:36] Emilly Orr: That is sad. Any way to speed it up, or is it a limitation of the package?
[21:38] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I can't be stronger
[21:39] Emilly Orr: Some places are like that, any number of factors could bring the speed down.
[21:39] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you look good for catfight

Annnnnd we're BACK!

[21:40] Emilly Orr: NOT. INTERESTED.
[21:40] Emilly Orr: Or, you know what? Fine. Sure. Great. Hire me to fight you. Fabulous. I'll go wherever you want once you send me 10K in Lindens.

It's not going to happen, but I am sick of getting these requests. I haven't even blogged all the ones I've gotten, just the "interesting" ones.

[21:41] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok
[21:41] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I no want fight me
[21:42] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I like to watch your in fight if you fighting

"You".

[21:42] Emilly Orr: Yeah, but if you want me to go ANYWHERE, TO fight, 10K. Non-negotiable.
[21:42] Emilly Orr: If I'm fighting someone else, 10K from them too.
[21:42] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok np
[21:43] Emilly Orr: Enjoy your evening!

And I dearly hope that is that, because catfighting is not my forte. I don't see a need for it, it is absolutely not my fetish, the closest I get to 'pain slut' territory is spanking. And it still hurts, keep in mind. But being hit? Scratched? Punched? No thank you, no interest, no need, move along.

[21:44] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you no here now
[21:44] Emilly Orr: No, I'm at home.
[21:44] Emilly Orr: I don't even know where you are.
[21:45] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: in divas hehe

What the hell is Divas? I searched in down in world, and several things come up. One's a Russian club, one sounds like some sort of mild hypnosis place, then there's "Wrestling and Catfighting Divas". I assume that's the one? I don't care, I'm not going, but that sounds like the terrain we're talking around.

[21:45] Emilly Orr: I don't know where that is.
[21:46] Emilly Orr: I live on the SIM, the SIM is not Divas whatever, entirely. There are private homes here.

I looked up the wrestling place? Seems like they're in Grant, which as far as I can tell, isn't even close to my home sim. So what gives? Why do I get one or two of these weird requests a month? Do I just have a punchable face?

No idea. But so over anything concerning this.

[[Post-publish note from the Editrix: it went on.]]

[22:11] kxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok I'm sorry
[22:12] Emilly Orr: You should be. I told you I wasn't interested twice.

I could not have been more clear. I fail to understand how this knuckle-dragger failed to comprehend.

the longest night of the year

It is the shortest day. It will be the longest night. There will be feasting and celebrations, remembrance of the seasons that came before, a sparkling tide of good wishes to carry us through the darkness and into the seasons ahead. Bonfires will be lit this night, not for fertility and merriment, but for warmth. Hot mulled wines will be served, hot spiced ciders from this year's harvests, because tomorrow will begin the fortifications against winter's deep chill.

Today is the winter solstice. Today is Yule.

I admit, I'm something of a cobble, religiously. While most of my practice now does center on Ásatrú, I began the journey in Celtic Wicca--and, though most of my holidays are Ásatrú placements on the year, Beltane, Samhain and Yule remain the mix of old and new. This is partially because, even though everyone in my family's social circle, growing up, proclaimed Christianity, and taught their children Christianity, we also had touches of that Celtic mysticism. We were an extended Christian family that lit the Balefires in June. We were a Christian family who knew the veil thinned in October, who celebrated the longest night. Looking back on it now, as an adult, I realize that this was very odd for most Americans, but for my cousins and I, this was what everyone did, because everyone around us did these things.

So for me, December 21st means Yule, means staying up and celebrating until the light returns, means keeping the lights burning so that the sun remembers to return. And from a purely scientific perspective, this is a ludicrous idea, and scientifically, we know this. But there are a lot of bizarre religious beliefs. Hindus believe the universe was sung into being by a multi-armed entity. Buddhists believe the universe is a sleeping god's dream. Ásatrúar believe the universe was licked out of deep-frozen ice by a space cow. So really, no one who proclaims any faith has a leg to stand on where physics and reality are concerned.



But we still have Yule. The shortest day, the longest night. The Oak King, old and fading, giving way for the Holly King, young and vibrant, to accompany the Goddess through the dormant months. (Even in this, my family's practices differed from the norm, as for many Wiccans the Oak King is already full in his power at the Summer Solstice, and the Holly King is in full evergreen blush at the Winter Solstice. But for us, the Oak King takes over at Beltane, and the Holly King takes over at Yule.) Winter, after all, is not solely a season of death and sleeping, but of possibilities germinating, of new growth to come, ruminations, contemplations, the snap of cold to bring the sap to the surface. After all, there are still harvests that happen in winter--ice wines, maple syrups, a wide variety of greens can still grow through the winter. Carrots, turnips and radishes can still be grown, though it is rare to get them to harvest's end in a survivable form. And animals during this time, raised for meat, were traditionally slaughtered in the winter, so that the cold would keep the rot away until the meats could be properly dressed, smoked or dried in preparation of the cold to come.



So merry Wintertide to all, whatever your flavor of celebration is, and may the coming year be bright and bursting with good things. Here's to the bright dawn to come!

we've tried the goodbye so many days

I...I can't even.



First line on her profile?

I am a redeemed child of the one and only living God and driven by my Christian faith.

I just can't.

From another random profile:

- I started putting in the same effort reaching out to you that you have to me. This is why we don't talk anymore.

That's fair in a lot of cases. I know people who unfriend when those friends stop initiating contact. For me, there are scores of people on my friendslist that are there because I used to talk to them. I'm the one not good at reaching out in many cases.

- Always beware of the fox being in charge of the hen house.

I get what they mean, but in a lot of ways, this is needlessly obscure. Just state it outright.

- If your presence can't add value to my life, your absence will make no difference.

See first point.

- When someone shows interest and passion for you and it suddenly disappears, they've already moved to their next victim.

A reference to the fox again.

- Someone's true colors will come out when you need them most and have nothing to offer in return.

Oh, always. A very old bumper from MTV once said, "If you truly want to know someone, and you don't have a lot of time, throw a glass of milk in their face." Because by doing that, you'll figure out how they deal with anger, hurt and shock all at once. It's valuable information in under a minute, if you really need it.

- Someone who has to be owned and controlled by another will never be loved.

Again, I know what they mean, but...obviously, I don't always agree. On the other hand, it's my choice to be owned. I know the parameters of that ownership. I accept the good--and the bad--within those parameters. And if I ever choose to walk away, I can do that too.

Not that I'd want to, but I am still an adult with choices. Choices I take responsibility for, choices I share responsibility for with another person. D/s, in this sense, is very symbiotic--both partners in the arrangement supporting each other.

Or at least, it should be. If one is owned in this sense, and it's only one way, that's not chosen, that's not submission under domination, that's just abuse.

- Love always takes time. You can't learn about somoene in an hour.

"Someone", and of course we can't. Second Life at large, though, falls into this trap quite often. I've told people in the past that SL is life in the spin cycle. People fall in love in an hour, marry over a weekend, divorce after two weeks. Every experience is more intense, more emotionally vital, and more emotionally devastating when it ends.

And I don't think, largely, that will change, because I see the same patterns of behavior in people who've been on the grid for a decade, that I see in people that just joined the grid. It's easy to be attracted to someone. It's easy to experience that first rush of infatuation. So of course it's as easy to get married, move in together, and, when something occurs that explodes that perceived level of connection and understanding, to storm off, unpartner, and move out.



In other news, running the advents again, I came across this lass. And I swear, when I first saw her, all I could think of was The Handmaid's Tale. I thought it was a scarily bold move to walk around in that particular attire. What a statement she was making.


That's when I realized no, it's just a holiday-red cloak and a white bonnet. Oh. I thought it made a bigger impact when I viewed it as political protest, but there you go. It's just fashion.

the fiends nail time bombs to the hands of the clocks

Same complaint, same response, it's getting old...

[11:52] sxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I have to say beautiful work by the makers, 1 out of 10 I would give it a 8 but you know what would give it a 10? Hmmmm lets see. what could it be? what would make it a 10 out of 10.? If there were stuff for Guys to use more important us Gorean guys. Vikings Guys medieval....
[11:54] Emilly Orr: We've heard this before, and my response is the same: there are makers of Gorean clothing on the list, they do show up, you've just bought all of it. So find new stores and talk to them about joining the 25L list.

I mean, really. Want more makers of mens' attire on a sales list? Talk to the merchants who make them. If he doesn't know any, this is not my--or the sales list's--problem.

In the meantime, I finally saw Annabelle: Creation. While I very much enjoyed The Conjuring and The Conjuring II, the rest of the films in the series have been a disappointment. The Nun was nigh unwatchable, the first Annabelle film was tedious, and La Llorona was just ridiculous in every way. And pointless, to be blunt. Too much emphasis on jump scares over plot, on cranking films out over actual integrity of character.

But I liked the trailer for Annabelle: Creation. And while I knew it wouldn't be a great film, I thought it had a chance to be an okay film. But after seeing it, I'm just confused.



Don't get me wrong. They actually picked a good team of actors. That's not the issue. And the plot seems...well, it has iffy moments, but it seems (at least structurally) sound. And the setting definitely works--most Americans can easily believe the midlands, the so-called "flyover states", are haunted--whether they live in one or not.



No, I think it comes down to direction. John R. Leonetti had directed the first iteration of Annabelle, and the results weren't stellar. To be fair, while he has a solid footing in horror, most of his horror credits have been as a director of photography, not an actual film director. He did a capable job on The Conjuring, a film I liked very much, and had taken the first Annabelle, which...wasn't as good.

And he was attached to the project at first, but...not that long after, he was replaced by David F. Sandberg, who, while he has several directorial credits to his name, is mainly known for three: Lights Out a film with a strong plot and weak direction, Shazam!, a film that doesn't even start to become likeable until the last ten minutes, and...Annabelle: Creation.



So what's wrong with it, other than the emphasis on jump scares, which reduce all build-up of tension in any horror film, over actual dread? That's where my confusion comes in.

I truly can't fault the acting. There are some big names attached, and they're great, but even the unknowns are good--honest, heartfelt, we know their characters, we understand them, we feel for them. That's not the issue.

The issue really is the direction. In the sense that...how do I describe this? It almost feels like it's a two-director film. It's like Alfred Hitchcock and Eli Roth decided to make a film together. There is a build-up of creeping dread, long, drawn-out shots that generate tension, and then...JUMP SCARE. There's the revelation of a plot point, and several breathless moments where we try to figure out--did we see something in the shadows, or is it just human brains trying to pattern our way through the darkness? And then...JUMP SCARE.



It's not a coherent whole. The two sides--the two stories, the feeling of twin directors, whatever it is--keep tugging at each other. It's..bipolar. It's a bad mix.

And even with that, it was a far better film than Annabelle, and received much more box office than its predecessor, and...I just don't understand why. All right, in the very basic sense of the term, it was a better film, because the original independent Annabelle movie was terrible. But this? This isn't good. It has good moments, but...that's all they are, a collection of moments that do not, on their own, add up to a decent film.

It relies on jump scares over storytelling. It's plebian. It's mediocre. And ultimately disappointing overall, because it could have been so much more.

if this is what we are, then I gotta move on

Ah, the days of yore, back when we had wood-burning cats, spindle-wheeled carriages were still popular, and Lolas Tangos were the newest Big Thing:

[11:13] Cxxx Mxxxxxx: I am looking through some old inventory and I am seeing things called "Lola" appliers. Does anyone remeber what they go with?
[11:14] Rxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: with Lola Tango boobs
[11:14] Jxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Those were bewb addons, in the days before mesh bods

Back in the annals of tiiiiime...

[11:14] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yeh lol
[11:15] Cxxx Mxxxxxx: how did they work? Should I keep them?

Weirdly, I still have my Tangos, even though I've thrown out all the clothing I saved to wear over them, and routinely toss out the Tango layers in new items of clothing. I should just throw them away, too.

[11:15] Mxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: old mesh boobs
[11:15] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: huge lol
[11:15] wxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: thank goodness for them too. System boobs are an abomination
[11:15] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol
[11:16] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: they can work with mesh bodies can't they?

Yeah, and people still make appliers and clothing for them.

[11:16] Cxxx Mxxxxxx: can they?
[11:17] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Remember, let's not denigrate others' decisions on their avatars, please.

I don't think anyone was, specifically? But of course, you know best, you're a mod of the increasingly restrictive group this chat arises from.

[11:18] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i'm not sure, i seem to recall something about how they can work with mesh bodies
[11:19] Jxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Can they? Yes, technically, because they are just another mesh addon. Not sure if they're even sold anymore. But if you put them on you'd have to alpha out the chest section of your mesh bod. The lines would be very visible
[11:20] Cxxx Mxxxxxx: hmmmm. Could they be covered with clothes so the seams don't show?
[11:21] Jxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Probably? But I'm not sure why someone would want to use both.

Me, neither, because most mesh bodies "expand", if that's what's desired, far better than any applier system ever did.

[11:21] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: actually, i have some breast 'deformers' that i use to make lara more natural, but they can be sized to where the old lola's look like flat chested lol
[11:22] Jxxx Gxxxxxxx: Ummm, I have some that i don't use anymore, but, I did put them on, and I didn't need to alpha out the chest...maybe bcuz I'm BoM now
[11:22] Cxxx Mxxxxxx: so I should probably delete them?

Entirely up to you. As I said, some people still make Lolas layers for outfits.

[11:23] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Thank you all for all the info on mesh bodies. i have been at a loss of even where to start. that helped alot.
[11:23] Cxxx Mxxxxxx: I am always at a loss. Welcome to the club, [Txxxxxxx] ;)
[11:24] Jxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Not the appliers [Jxxx], the bewbs themselves
[11:25] Jxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: The meshbodyaddicts blog is no more, but the group is still around and very active. A good place for comparison questions

True. Plus, running a search for Lolas Tangos and Second Life would probably turn up some articles.

[11:26] dxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: eh I hear they have gotten infiltrated and are no longer unbiased as a source.

Infiltrated by whom?

[11:27] Pxxxxxxxxx Exxxxxx: There are also videos on YouTube comparing various bodies. I think Strawberry Singh /Linden has some

She does, as well as a very informative blog.

[11:28] dxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I tend to see the omega using bodies as the best options unless you want a specialty body. so the omega blog is useful. though demoing and asking around and such can be useful and there are likely random blog posts you can dig up about the mesh bodies.
[11:29] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: sl forums are always a good place to skim through for current thinking as well
[11:30] yxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i seen once addons called cherrybombs... they are giant...

Not as big as the Overfilleds. With some lasses wearing Overfilleds, they couldn't see their knees, let alone their feet. Or the ground. Or their arms around each massive breast...

[11:31] yxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wonder it isn't possible wear mesh clothing with those accessories?

Asked and answered.

[11:31] Vxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxxx: remember, all designers are created equal in the eyes of God, even though some are major banking than others

There is no need to bring religion into this, thanks.

[11:32] yxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: this side of the plane, please ...

Exactly.

[11:32] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: all designers may be created equal, but talent is certainly not distributed evenly
[11:33] yxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but we don't complain about ti here... specially if they are generously giving away gifts.
[11:35] Jxxx Gxxxxxxx: You would need appliers for those, I'm pretty sure

And then the conversation drifted away, and likely a good thing. The upshot remains the same: any implant system won't look as good as mesh bodies do now, but it is possible to still use them.

misguided, high-minded, I'm missing the train

This made my brain snicker briefly:

[22:12] Sxxxxx Jxxxxxx: can anyone tell me where was the Jenny located?
[22:13] sxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: in my lap...
[22:13] Sxxxxx Jxxxxxx: that's nice..but not the Jenny I'm looking for I'm sure
[22:14] mxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no forests jenny .....lol
[22:14] Sxxxxx Jxxxxxx: lol
[22:14] mxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: is the one he has
[22:15] Mxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: wanna get the jenny ?

It's starting to sound like the "Who's on First?" routine.

[22:18] jxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: wow! Everybody wants me? :)

I have to slightly de-anonymize this one to make her answer make sense; her first name was Jenny.

[22:19] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ohh
[22:20] Sxxxxx Jxxxxxx: lmao

In other news...more spam from my inbox.

Hi Emily,

The name has two L's.

I'm Anife, representing [another useless search engine mill] the #2 job search engine in the world.

I guess you gotta be proud of something.

As we are having our network base getting bigger we would like to offer you a partnership with any hidden cost or meaning,

Which is it? A hidden cost, or a hidden meaning?

The idea consists of placing a banner ad (shown on the image attached) of the services you r offering on our high traffic page, starting off our barter type of cooperation with asking you to indicate [the search engine mill] as a job partner on your page.

That should be "you are offering", but near as I can make out on the enclosed image, they're going to somehow list my blog's banner (which, uh, I don't have) alongside their ad banner? How does that even work? How is that profitable for them?

Let's discuss the details,

No.

Onward

Go away.

every time I look away, I find a hiding place

Short little snippet I caught today:

[10:38] Fxxxx Rxxxxxxx: We have a griefer do we?
[10:39] exxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Copybotter
[10:40] Qxxxxxx Nxxxxxxx: he copied a part of the Entrance Hall at Oxbridge, and placed it insides of the building. He was still busy, and my impression has been, that he just started.

How much of a knuckle-dragging idiot does someone have to be to copy something, then rez it out on the premises? That's either insane levels of arrogance--which means they're very young, and very stupid--or actually being too dumb to add numbers up to ten without counting fingers and toes. And possibly dragging in friends to help. Which doesn't discount the stupid in any way.

[10:41] Fxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ahhh..... I presume that an AR was also issued?
[10:41] Qxxxxxx Nxxxxxxx: there is a community of copybotters, who have their own viewers, a kind of marketplace with copybotted content from SL, and they offer a service. e.g. when you want a copy of something you have seen in SL, they will copy it for you.

Ugh. I knew there was a dedicated community of ethic-less copyright infringers who pulled mesh objects in from computer games to the grid, but I thought actual, in-person "copybotting" had died down as being too slow and ineffective. Guess I was wrong.

[10:42] Qxxxxxx Nxxxxxxx: yep, I sent an AR with photo proof to LL
[10:42] Fxxxx Rxxxxxxx: nods nods

Always wise. I hope they stop this little fish; sounds like they're too young and too dumb to wander around by themselves.

'cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more

Running the advents a couple days back, and I ran across this lass. Lady, that can't be good for your skin. Or your health. It's cold out.



I'd bring up the baby hands deal, but I'm more worried she's going to get frostbite on her tender bits.



Also, how does she walk in those?

People and their hobbies...she did have one good quote in her profile, though.

"If you're in a relationship and all you do is cry every day, you need to stop and ask yourself, am I dating a human or an onion?"
~Jessica Kate Plummer

It's a good question.

In other wanderings, I came across this spraddle-hipped individual:



Hoo, boy. So on the plus side, she didn't seem to complete the look with the pouty fish lips and the narrow eyes that was mysteriously so popular a few years back, but...the hips are still wrong. No woman, who is not anorexic, on the planet, has a thigh gap like this. Because human legs are not square. They're curved. Even with those individuals thin enough so that one can see scenery behind them through those legs, there are still curves. Perceive:



A reasonably fit model on a tropical beach somewhere. Note the curves.



A (very) young model, in a portfolio shot. She does seem to have a fairly rectangular gap, but note that that is in clothes. It can clearly be seen that without them (and even in those pants, this can clearly be seen), she would also have curves, just less of them.



An anorexic patient (note presence of hospital bed, those terrifyingly protruding hip bones, and the fact that her inner knees have been bandaged because the bones rubbing under such thin, fragile skin was causing damage). This is the closest we will ever see to the once oft-imitated rectangular thigh gap in Second Life, only...this is on a real person. A real, very unhealthy person. And even she still has (limited) perceivable curves, because humans are designed with padding. And even starving ourselves down to non-viability will only reduce that padding so much.



From the back it's not as bad, at least at certain angles. But again, it's such a weird shape to go for--I'm truly glad she didn't go for the upsetting pouty face, but this combination of extraordinary curves and that thigh gap is just so unnatural that it stands out, jarringly, every time.

on the rooftops they dance, Valentino-type tangos

There is good and bad news in this.

After meeting someone with an Altamura head (which I mistook for Akeruka), I joined the Akeruka group. I demoed a few heads with my usual tragic failure rate. Then I drifted over to Valentina.

This is Valentina after the base shape tweaking:



This is my normal system look:



That's...really close. Like, the closest I've come with any mesh head in three years of searching. And it's on sale...for another day.

The bad news? Akeruka only accepts Omega appliers, I believe. But that's not the big problem. The big problem? I don't have L$1,750 to buy it.

In the end, honestly, I don't care how much I pay for a mesh head--honestly, I'll put things aside and save for it, even though I'm tragically inept with personal finances. I care about how much it looks like the me in my head--the system me. So while yes, the price tag is a sticking point, it is something to keep in mind.

But that price tag. So, the search goes on.

In the meantime, Schadenfreude is showing this off at the SaNaRae event:



I showed this to an actually Jewish friend. I didn't think it was amazingly accurate, but I was amused about holiday tentacles. He said he would have wanted a better place for the shamash, and I agree--it's pretty much just plunked on top of the creature's noggin.

But come on, nine different metals, sixteen different candle color options, all for L$175? I think a little historical inaccuracy can be allowed.

moving on up and forward onto all that will become

Out of the blue, wandering the Erratic Black Friday sale, I got an offer to friend someone. The greeting sent with it was in French and I didn't save it, I just pulled the profile. One day old. Yeepers.

So the next step was figuring out why:

[11:25] Emilly Orr: Do I know you from somewhere?
[11:25] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: salut (Hello)
[11:26] Emilly Orr: Hi. Do I know you? I tend to friend only people I already know, or who are interested in my work.
[11:28] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: j ai pas compris le concept de jeux (I did not understand the concept of games)
[11:32] Emilly Orr: j ai pas compris le concept de jeux?
[11:32] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oui

Okay, off to Google Translate it is!

[11:33] Emilly Orr: Tous le jeux ou juste Second Life? (All the games, or just Second Life?)
[11:34] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: just secon life
[11:35] Emilly Orr: Pensez-y comme à un simulateur de vie. (Think of it as a life simulator.)
[11:35] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ah ok
[11:35] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: merci en tout cas (Thank you anyway)
[11:36] Emilly Orr: Vous pouvez tomber amoureux, vous pouvez trouver un emploi, vous pouvez construire des choses à vendre. (You can fall in love, you can find a job, you can build things to sell.)

Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for Google Translate, but one must keep things fairly simple to get the point across.

[11:36] Emilly Orr: C'est moins un jeu avec des niveaux et des points, car c'est juste ... une autre vie. (It's less a game with levels and points, as it is just...another life.)
[11:36] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: et j ai pas de maison (and I do not have a house)

Oof. You're really straining the coherency of my ability to translate the words. Which, by the way, regarding French, and several other languages, I just don't have. A few words here and there is about as fluent as I get.

[11:38] Emilly Orr: Vous pouvez en trouver sur le marché, gratuitement ou gratuitement, et vous pouvez louer un terrain pour le mettre en vente. Ou achetez un compte premium, qui vient avec une maison. (You can find cheap or free ones on the Marketplace, and you can rent land to put it on. Or buy a premium account, that comes with a house.)
[11:39] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok
[11:44] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: et toi tu as acheter quoi a ton debut (and you bought what you started)

Uhh...was she talking about Lindens? I wasn't sure, but I assumed she was talking about Lindens.

[11:45] Emilly Orr: Vous pouvez obtenir un compte premium à tout moment. Vous pouvez acheter des Lindens à tout moment, par le biais du site Web ou du navigateur. (You can get a premium account at any time. You can buy Lindens at any time, through the website, or through the browser.)
[11:48] axxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok

And that seemed to be that. I moved on, she stopped talking, I declined her offer of friendship, but it was puzzling. Did she just hit the wrong key? Did she think friending people is how you ask questions? The Lindens really need to bring back Orientation Islands in some form, there's just zero instruction on what to do with Second Life before they're shotput onto the grid.

And a bigger question is, if she doesn't know what Second Life is, why is she here? Why'd she make an account in the first place? Seriously? It's not like Overwatch or World of Warcraft, there are no points, there are no levels, there are no quests--at least, within the main grid, there are countless mini-games people have come up with to entertain themselves. But Second Life itself? As I said, it's more a life simulator than anything. At its basest level, it's a 3D chatroom.

So why did she make an account?