you've got to accentuate the positive

I want to say ISC chat's improved. I want to...I'm not entirely sure I can...but what's worse, I think Soup Jonson would have gotten along with Chairperson Effingham, more's the pity.

This worries me.

I kind of lost my mind a little when the LepreCats and the LuCkY sWiTcHeR cats hit the KittyCats store, and...bought one male/female sWiTcHeR set, and one female LepreCat.



This is Saoirse, who came out a Biggie cat, and even as a wee kitten was not so wee.



She's adorable, though.



The patterning kills me. Basically, the LuCkY sWiTcHeRs are patterned with 'costumes' (though they can't be removed) of every previous Feast of Padraig cat they've released to date? So they can get REALLY random.



And this is Quinn, the sWiTcHeR boy. Normal sized for a kitten, which is very small.



Saoirse pawing at my feet when Meabh was in the process of decanting. Attention-seeking already.



And little Saoirse demanding cuddles.

There'll be at least one more of these, with pics of Meabh, when I can find them!

I might hate myself tomorrow but I'm on my way tonight

By the time this posts, it will be long after the Mad Scientists' Ball, but it happened several days before then...

[10:20] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: By happy coincidence, the Mad Scientists' Ball on March 14 is on Albert Einstein's birthday......
[10:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Because of course.
[10:21] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It's Caledon, so it makes perfect sense for Caledon......
[10:21] Uxxxxxx Sxxxxxxxx: Newton is dead, Einstein died, and I already feel sick myself.

That is so bad. Amusing, but so bad.

[10:22] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Standing on the shoulders of giants gives you a much better view when the giants themselves are standing.....
[10:22] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: What was Einstein mad about, anyway?

Boo...hiss... :D

[10:23] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Action at a distance, I think. And the Copenhagen interpretation......
[10:23] Uxxxxxx Sxxxxxxxx: about his wife
[10:24] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: By a strange coincidence, I'm working on Andersen's fairy tales at the moment
[10:26] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: What an interesting conversation this is.
[10:27] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Was he interpreted in Copenhagen? Probably.....
[10:27] Uxxxxxx Sxxxxxxxx: when?

Well, he was at least born in Denmark, if not precisely Copenhagen.

[10:28] Hxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: Caledon is prone to interesting conversations. :)
[10:28] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: Oh yes.
[10:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): it's a tendency. Or a side effect.
[10:28] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: I usually just lurk but find myself entertained often. Especially when it's about cats.
[10:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): One of those.
[10:29] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: It could be a script by Tom Stoppard

It's starting to feel a bit by one of his, yes.

[10:30] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: We might or might not mention Schrödinger's cat. No way to know for sure.....
[10:30] Hxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx stifles a giggle
[10:31] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: I don't believe that Schrödinger knew whether it was actually his cat

[10:31] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: He couldn't have until he opened the box......
[10:32] exxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Cat probably has strong opinions about that but quantum physicists disregard it
[10:34] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wonder if the cat could, by having an opinion, collapse the wave function before someone opens the box....
[10:35] Mxxx Mxxxxxxx: I have a Denver Hax made Schrödinger cat
[10:36] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oooh

I am not at all surprised that Mr. Hax made his way into this conversation.

[10:36] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: He might not have been sure that he made it......
[10:36] Mxxx Mxxxxxxx: oh its a bunny
[10:36] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Sweet....

"Sweet".

[10:36] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I have a cat named Schrödinger on my lap at the moment
[10:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh no. One of the exploding bunnies is still on the grid?
[10:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): RUN
[10:37] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Nice. My RL avi sometimes needs to negotiate with her cat over access to the keyboard....
[10:38] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Schrödinger does not believe in negotiations
[10:38] Mxxx Mxxxxxxx: Schrödinger's Bunny Experiment: You Killed the Wabbit!
[10:48] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: there's a piranha rabbit behind [Cxxxxxxx]'s house that will attack you until you leave the parcel.
[10:48] Hxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: aka vorpal bunny?
[10:49] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: I believe it is called "perfectly innocent rabbit" or something to that effect.

That would be the vorpal bunny, yes. They used to run rampant on St. Kitt's. (See historical documentation, part one, and part two.)

[10:49] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: O frabjous day! Kalloo-KALLAY!
[10:49] Hxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: :D
[10:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That also sounds like a Hax invention, to be fair.
[10:49] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: it is.
[10:50] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: There is no such thing as perfect innocence, especially in Caledon
[10:50] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: he also left a my little pony on the mountain. same thing.
[10:50] Hxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: There's probably some of the exploding turkeys (?) I think it was running round Stormhold and a few other places.

But I could be wrong, to be fair. Maybe Mr. Hax was always the source of dangerous toys.

[10:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well, he didn't invent those, those came first, I believe.

[[Late insert from the Editrix: I am doubly wrong, Mr. Hax DID invent the exploding turkeys.]]

[10:50] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: there's an exploding turkey in tanglewood still
[10:51] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: No sim should be entiely without an exploding something or other.....
[10:52] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: stormhold has [Sxxx], does that count?

I don't know, how often does Mr. J explode?

[10:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): For anyone who may not know, who arrived after the departure of Mr. Hax...he was less a mad scientist, and...more a minor deity. And he dearly loved things that blew up.
[10:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) laughs
[10:52] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Adding enough kale and andouille sausage might do it.....
[10:53] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: I am sad I never got to meet him. sounded like a fun guy.
[10:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I think you'd have liked each other. :D

I won't say Mr. Hax and I were fast friends, or that I knew him intimately. We argued terribly from time to time. But I did know him enough, having had several talks on the value of things that attack avatars, things that explode avatars, and varieties of tea, that I believe I'm comfortable making that statement.

[10:54] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: me too......I'm always a little wistful about the Old Days for having missed them.....

There are things I miss, but overall, in spite of the insane pace of upgrades, the glitching, the inherent problems in the system, now...I think Second Life is more balanced these days. Of course, this is someone speaking who knew said Old Days, having lived through them. ("SOOOO old", Edward said. That is still making me laugh. Yes, ancient of days, disintegrating as we speak into vaguely unnerving dust and bits of strange fur.)

[10:55] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I sometimes wonder if he's still about in a different guise
[10:57] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well. Always possible.
[10:57] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): If it helps, Miss [Txxxx], the avatars are a LOT better now. :D
[10:58] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: I probably would have. but then again I'm not sure that much chaos and destruction in one place would have ended well.
[10:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I look back at old pictures and just shake my head at the graphics. (Though...that could also be who I was dating at the time. :D )
[10:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It may not!
[10:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): He blew up St. Kitt's all on his own, after all. No one helped! :D
[10:58] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: oh, yeah, SL used to be ugly as sin.
[10:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[10:59] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I don't have old pictures of my self--came on around 8 yrs ago. That was a wise judgment, I've been told.....
[10:59] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: very wise.

Case in point:



Someone actually looked at that and hired me. To dance for people! :D

[10:59] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: And now it's a horrid mishmash of incompatible body parts and clothing. I'm not sure we've gained that much.

Oh, I don't know. Yes, it's harder now to make exactly what one wants--I mean, I've been trying to learn enough of mesh to capture a certain avatar look for over a decade now, and still haven't managed it--but there are more options, I suppose, is the main point.

[11:00] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: I spent years as a female avatar because I couldn't get the male avs to look like what I wanted.
[11:00] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I don't see a reason to get a mesh head--the ones I've seen all look as if they're around 1 5 years old.....
[11:01] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins. Or pouty runway models, yes.
[11:01] txxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: And I'm neither of the above, not hardly......
[11:02] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx: I like my head. in fact I look quite horrifying without it. and I don't mean in the decapitation way.
[11:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Though that is a disturbing enough image

All in all, fun conversation. And some food for thought. Schröderanged as it was.

I hope it's worth it, out on the highway, yeah (part III)

And we pick up from the very full-bright version on the roof...

[13:15] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you can't deny she IS pretty, though.

I mean, yes, but that's hardly the point.

[13:15] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and that breast tattoo. I made that.
[13:15] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): She's lovely. The tattoo is lovely too.
[13:15] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You can only see 1.6666 nipples
[13:16] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): This does not help!
[13:16] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and below her belly button is not in view

Be grateful for small favors, I suppose.

[13:17] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: let me try to move it
[13:17] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [sh*t]

Yes, I did go through all the images I planned to post and carefully add a modesty covering.

[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NOW THERE'S TWO
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): please
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Mxxx]
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I'm begging you
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): please stop
[13:17]mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: But I didn't have anything pressed to drag copy

Just...STOP...doing the things! Call for help! Why did she keep trying things that apparently only made things worse?!

[13:17] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: something wrong with my edit tools
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Jxxxxxx] may kill ME at this point, and I didn't do it!
[13:18] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I'll rotate them if it lets me

Why...would that help?

[13:18] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: doh
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): are making
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): MORE
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): of them
[13:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Does, um....anyone have a net?
[13:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): For [Mxxx]?
[13:19] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I think it let me delete two!
[13:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Good
[13:19] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: 3
[13:19] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: wtf

Oh, don't say that--

[13:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): DO NOT TILE THEM

Oh, for the love of--STOP with the tiling of things!!

[13:20] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I AM NOT
[13:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): MIZI
[13:20] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am no Amy Iwish, but I can build!! I don't knwo what is happening!!
[13:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): This one painting is going to become the bane of this poor girl's existence
[13:20] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ugh

At this point, she made the entire thing radiantly blurred, which...I suppose...helped? And I thought we were done...

[13:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well...that's...radioactively infective, but....better?
[13:21] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it won't let me move it again
[13:21] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Which is SHOULDNT ANYWAY
[13:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Axxxxx]'s not in world, or she'd be here for this catastrophe
[13:22] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: mauybe it is a parcel thing
[13:22] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I'll wallk over
[13:22] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: Keystone Cops meets Sotheby's?
[13:22] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Apparently!
[13:22] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok I have move .. things again

I have all the fear.

[13:22] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: That sounds about right, [Axxxxxx].
[13:23] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Okay, good. Be *careful*....and try to move it, and take it back.
[13:23] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I will yeet it over there

No yeeting!

[13:23] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Do not yeet! Bad things will happen!
[13:23] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok I will "LOWER IT GRACEFULLY" into the gallery
[13:23] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but it is like 10 meters tall
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok .. it DEFINITELY is "move" and not "Stretch" or "Rotate"
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: one
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: two
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: three
[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) holds her breath

She made. It GLOW. Once more, it was just dire comedy at this point.

[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NO
[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): BAD [MXXX]
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: !!
[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NO BISCUIT
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am not doing this on purpose!!

ARE YOU SURE??



Every time I thought it was over...Do you see the tiny little circles? Do you see the tiny little labels? That's Miss M. and I. On the roof. For size reference.

[13:25] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It's the size of the ROOF
[13:25] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: imma relog and see if that fixes my tools

You do that.

[13:25] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Thankfully it's only facing Caledon Greystoke, but if anyone WAS there, they could SEE it from the island!

And then...

[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ACK
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): she made it physical
[13:26] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I thought that would help!
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): HOW
[13:26] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: OMG
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): How would that HELP
[13:26] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It would fall off into the water
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well that's not what happened!
[13:27] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: OBVIOUSLY
[13:27] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: So gravity influences it and it falls.
[13:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Forward
[13:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): She wanted it to fall backwards, apparently.
[13:28] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It didn't even crush us!
[13:28] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Usually when one complains about gravity being the scourge of one's unclothed form, this isn't what they're talking about

I know, right?

[13:28] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: maybe if we push it

Push...butwhy...

[13:29] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: [Mxxx], what are you trying to do with the huge picture?
[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: would it help to make it phantom
[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Get rid of it!
[13:29] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Let me see if I can return it.
[13:29] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Phantom just means it can be walked through.

Oh, great, that would be all we'd need, a giant pin-up we can walk through.

[13:29] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It did not crush us only because, ironically, the church steeple stopped it

I mean. Let that sink in.

[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Somehow, despite not having edit rights, it let me copy it

And I still don't know HOW...

[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so I tried to move them
[13:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You were able to take it back?
[13:30] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: Turning large objects physical is often used by griefers. lol! You just griefed the Village with a nudie! *snorts*
[13:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): SHE DID

So, between Mr. J, Miss R., myself, and the at this point very doubtable Miss M., we got everything squared away. Finally.

[13:31] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: This really is the best conversation that I've seen here in years
[13:33] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): This is unbelievable
[13:33] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): She just keeps finding new photographs
[13:34] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: The Tragic Tale of the Fallen [Jxxxxxx] with the Big Boobies.

Infamous in song and story, I'm sure.

[13:34] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) snorts
[13:35] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: And here I thought you were supposed to fall from grace......
[13:35] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: Turns out, it just takes [Mxxx] with a bit of edit rights. *grins*
[13:36] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: *insert rimshot here*

[13:37] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: What little virtue I have left is even more at risk than I;d thought, clearly.....

Clearly.

[13:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): But she doesn't have any on this parcel beyond rezzing out her own items!
[13:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That's what we can't understand!
[13:38] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Given that large physical prims with nude textures are seemingly falling from the sky, much more than mere virtue is at risk.
[13:38] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I remain ever grateful to Raven's Perch, for stopping the fall of the astoundingly huge painting onto [Mxxx] and I.

And thus ends the tale. I hope. But if Miss M. pulls this trick a third time, somehow? I'm going to fly over in the Gray Area with the Duke and bomb her house.

I hope it's worth it, out on the highway, yeah (part II)

So, the previous post was the day before yesterday. And then, yesterday...this happened:

[12:48] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [dusts off her hands against each other] There. So apparently I have "atoned" for "making" [Jxxxxxx] put her tastefully nude photo up in [Axxxxx]'s gallery by putting my own next to it. Hopefully neither will be gracing an outside public wall in 100s of repeats, full bright, sub 1.0 scaled, any time soon.

Yes, that is...devoutly to be wished. And I have no objections to the gallery show--I was considering the concept--but all this sounds...well, very much "There I've fixed it". And...how? Precisely?

[12:49] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Thank you for warning me. I, for one, will exercise every bit of discretion I possess......
[12:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I....what.
[12:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU ARE NOT MAKING IT EASY NOT TO BLOG THIS

And obviously, I failed on the not blogging it part, though I would reinforce, I did ask both Miss M. and Lady J. for permission. Because this was...oh, gods, "huge" sounds like a terrible pun, considering what happens later.

[12:50] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *I* don't have any qualms about your blog.
[12:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yay! Permission!

Which is when I went back and captured the beginning of this section of chat, but held it until verifying with Lady J.

[12:50] Fxxxxx Cxxxxxxx: Every ... bit ... of...discretion? What are the units of "discretion" ?

Valid question.

[12:50] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Discretion? We don't got no discretion? We don't got to show you no stinkin discretion. (apologies to Gold Hat)
[12:52] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am definitely not advocating anyone go to her gallery and see either photo, on the back wall on the let side, 2nd floor.
[12:52] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *left
[12:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Of course not.
[12:52] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Wouldn't dream of it....
[12:52] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *Right side!!!
[12:53] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: right
[12:53] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: (omg I am the WORST geographer)
[12:54] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Just don't go here Caledon Oxbridge Village (75,26,32) if you don't want to see them.
[12:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Helpful!
[12:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[12:55] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: That's certainly a load off my mind......
[13:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) smiles
[13:03] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx has found myself surprised that there's never been a burlesque club in Caledon called the Bewm Bewm Room.

I'm not. That sounds more like it should show up in Seraph City.

[13:04] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: So apparently somehow I was able to drag-copy [Jxxxxxx]'s photo so there are 4 of them. I shoved 3 back behind the wall.

And this is when things started going off the rails again. How? How does someone copy someone else's object in SL? I can't recall if Miss M. still had rights to Lady J's objects, it's certainly possible, but I have rights to move, send back, and outright delete Lady J's objects, because we do run into issues building on Gearhaven? And I don't have to right to copy anything she directly owns. So...confusion?

[13:04] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) facepalms
[13:04] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You....have issues. :D
[13:04] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wonder if I can resize them
[13:05] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh no

Oh, please no--

[13:05] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Don't say that
[13:05] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Don't say that concerning nudes
[13:05] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Not again
[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i can fix it

OH PLEASE NO--

[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you know how when you build
[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and the angle is odd and you slide a stretch handle

Oh, no. What? Oh no.

[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and it flings the opposite way?
[13:06] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Uh-huh....
[13:06] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): WAIT
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): So where is [Jxxxxxx]'s nude photo NOW??
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: at teh gallery
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I can't edit or move it now
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Somewhere flying over Caledon??
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, so it's still in the gallery

I suppose we should be grateful for small favors.

[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, the one ON the wall is fine

Good, good...

[13:07] vxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ...on the side of a blimp?
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it's up
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: over the building
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and .. large

Don't say 'large'.

[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well, that's fine, I'm sure Ms. [Jxxxx] can send it back or delete it at....

And then the ha'penny dropped, so to speak.

[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): DID
[13:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NOT
[13:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): do this
[13:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): AGAIN
[13:08] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no no not exactly
[13:08] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i um
[13:08] exxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You um?
[13:08] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I will try to shrink it.. but now it won't let me.. I don't have edit permissions on her stuff but it let me do it a minute ago!

HOW?!?

[13:09] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: if it lets me move it maybe I can put it in the ground or the water
[13:09] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i will TP out and back an dsee if that helps
[13:10] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok i can move it
[13:10] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oops

And it was hearing that 'oops', faithful readers, that made me leave the En Garde event at Sakura--in my very 1940's sleeveless twin set, with the extraordinarily non-Victorian lipstick-red pumps--and take the landmark that Miss M. had "helpfully" given out earlier. Because oh, dear gods, this was going pear-shaped AGAIN.

[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): AND the landmark you gave drops you off in midair--

Because it did. I didn't even bother flying, I just fell to the roof and went splat.

[13:11] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: does it?
[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) stomps on the roof for emphasis
[13:11] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: um

And, when I turned around after hitting the roof...

[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): MIZI OMG
[13:11] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: let me see if I can make it all grey or something
[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I THOUGHT YOU LIKED HER
[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) facepalms

[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): All the palms

[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Oh I fixed it!
[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well, it's gone at least...
[13:12] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Landmark "is not working as intended" or "not working, as intended"?

That is an excellent question. I do not know.

[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: whew
[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh it autoreturned
[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: let me take care of that

WAIT NO WHAT--

[13:12] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx cacophony of the screeching damned somewhere in the distance.
[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): DO NOT BRING IT BACK
[13:13] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): mizi void stars stop
[13:13] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wanted it back in my normal inventory

At that size??

[13:13] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh that isn ot what that does
[13:13] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Please tell me you can take that back
[13:13] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: There is such a thing as a normal inventory? Who knew?
[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: nope
[13:14] vxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I have crocuses in my pocketses.

Miss V., I highly doubt you march around anywhere with even tasteful nudes in with the crocuses, ready to be whipped out at a moment's notice, so...

[13:14] Nxxxx Rxxx: Certainly not a description of MY inventory

Nor mine, but nevertheless.

[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You can't do ANYTHING with it?
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Not even make it grey?
[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: maybe if we put a giant Caledon flag in front of it
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Jxxxxxx] is going to kill you

Oh, WHY...

[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh no
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU MADE IT FULL BRIGHT
[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I didn't do anything!!

YOU MADE IT FULL BRIGHT!

[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Jxxxxxx] is going to kill you.
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I may help.

And we adjourn to part three...

I hope it's worth it, out on the highway, yeah (part I)

We had been discussing the Steam Hunt when Miss H. veered into building matters:

[14:47] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ahh no [Sxxxxx] has me on a show leash...I am no longer allowed to delete or make buildings invisible...I already pulled that stunt
[14:47] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Make...buildings...invis....
[14:47] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Okay, that's one I haven't done!
[14:48] Cxxxxx Mxxxxxx: you can always make them invisible, but only for yourself
[14:48] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well first I made it invisible thn I turned them plywood colored all over
[14:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I have deleted them out from under me, taken back walls or floors, once made a house physical on misclick, THAT was fun....
[14:48] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I had a mishap with a picture frame
[14:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yes, I've accidentally retextured with a texture I didn't want. :D
[14:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Never made an entire house invisible.
[14:48] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I live to excel
[14:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) salutes you

I mean...it is a kind of accomplishment. What does one do with an entirely invisible house? I'd probably turn it teal and make it glow, but then I'd worry about the neighbors seeing in. :D

[14:49] Cxxxxx Mxxxxxx: I've done the re-texturing with a definitely-not-a-wall texture before.
[14:49] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yes. .. I once had 100s of [Jxxxxxx]'s looking at me when I dragged a snapshot on teh wall i was editing.
[14:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) laughs
[14:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That would be amusing AND unnerving
[14:49] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: If you are going to do something bone headed go for the whole enchiladea
[14:49] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and then LL decided, oh, you can't edit that now and locked it.
[14:49] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oooh [Mxxx] that sounds creepy
[14:49] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yikes
[14:49] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yes.. her eyes follow you wherever you walk
[14:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[14:50] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I just reskinned all my apartment walls over it
[14:50] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Not that I minded that so much
[14:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): They do that in front of her, too
[14:50] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hurts the prim allowance though
[14:50] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but no way was I asking [Sxxxxx] for help with the wallpaper again after that
[14:51] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: This was a public wall on the [RP] sim.

...wait. It was all fun and games until this. Miss M., you did this on a public wall? How public a wall?? Dear gods.

[14:51] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am trying to keep a low profile
[14:51] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: wow you are famous then!
[14:52] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Luckily I tend to be one between the UK and US East coast crowds, so I sorted it before anyone else came on sim
[14:52] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, mostly

Um..."mostly"?

[14:52] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx feels a disturbance in the force and pokes her head in the room.
[14:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) falls down laughing
[14:53] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx tries to look innocent
[14:53] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I now have a NC full of UUIDs of anything I try to edit like that. Thank gods for cache viewers.
[14:53] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: [mxxx] did what now?
[14:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) can only point weakly at [Jxxxxxx], make weird gestures towards her eyes, and collapse into giggles again.
[14:53] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You know the main wall on the old [RP] sim that the mansion is atop?

You fill me with dread, Miss M. Say on.

[14:53] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx nods slowly, "above the river? yes?"
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I dragged you portrait onto it on accident and set the repeats to like . a lot.
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and then LL locked it
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx gapes in horror. "oh. my. GOD."
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx falls down. "wait, WHICH portrait?"
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: um
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the um
[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh gods
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: racy one
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: oh GOD

I should note, this entire conversation was held in the main Independent States of Caledon group. So Miss M. has just told a bunch of neo-Victorians that she tiled a pin-up shot of another Caledonian across a retaining wall that runs the length of more than one building. Let that sink in.

[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): 0.0
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: oh NO!!! YOU DIDN'T
[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): OKAY THAT'S WORSE
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, the nakies one where your bits are hidden
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: mostly

"Mostly".

[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) facepalms
[14:55] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) falls to the floor, hands over her head. "OH MY GOD."
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): "Mostly"
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Its ok. only like 2 people came on sim before I fixed it

"Only".

[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) snickercackles
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and they probalby didn't see it
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: most lkely
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): "Probably"
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ish
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) collapses again

She keeps using these words!

[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I mean, [Axxxxx] and [Nxxxxxx] never have said one word.
[14:56] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I want to send the Duke this entire conversation. :D

I did send the Duke this entire conversation. Then I saved it for here (with permission from both chief parties involved, yes).

[14:56] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: anyway.. we were saying.. *I* was saying how your eyes followed me wherever I walked
[14:56] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: OMG
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I mean I wasn't panicking running around
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: a lot

"A lot".

[14:57] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: this is why I don't do Nakies piccies
[14:57] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you never know where they end up

Probably wise, Miss H.!

[14:57] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: they were TASTEFUL!
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: When you got far enough way you couldn't even tell it was you

This...is...not as reassuring as you think it is, Miss M.

[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hardly
[14:57] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I'm sure they were!
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ish
[14:58] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: pffft
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): "Ish"
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) giggles again

Oh, dear gods, Miss M. and qualifiers. I was just astounded at this point.

[14:58] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: someone needs to give me a scale with ish on it so I can calibrate
[14:58] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: of course, full bright did make it easier to tell in the dark
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): FULL
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): BRIGHT
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) is dead nao.

AKA, actually leaning over the keyboard, laughing until I was fighting for air, as much in shock as amusement. Not even kidding.

[14:59] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx looks over the brim of his glasses in bemusement.
[14:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): can't....breathe....halp....
[14:59] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Hey! at least I didn't have glow on it
[14:59] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: LOL
[15:00] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx digs out the photo.
[15:01] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It was a good lesson in texture preparedness, making sure to get enough sleep, and reading texture titles more carefully.
[15:01] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins. "Yes. Always texture when rested."
[15:01] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Ok Justine is trying to calibrate my ish...but FLikr doesn't want me to see
[15:01] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: and maybe don't use a naked picture of your best friend?
[15:01] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: maybe?

THIS. ALL the this!

[15:02] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wasn't using it per se
[15:02] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and I didn't know the wall was selected

Wait, whoa, missed this....What were you doing, then, Miss M.? That tiled the texture that many times over the wall you didn't know was selected? Were you trying to make a, what, a mosaic vase? With little images of Lady J as the tiles??

[15:02] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx passes the photo to [hxxxxx]. "PLEASE don't put it on any walls? kthx."
[15:03] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I will look and delete it to be certain Sounds fair enough.

Can digital images be cursed? Because...there's a second part to this.

there's a second voice inside my head, it tells me shut up and trust this (part II)

(Continued from part I.)

We pick up where we left off, just starting the presentation.

[16:33] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Welcome to the presentation gala for the inaugural Gearhaven Endowment for the Arts, Sciences, Magick, and Metaverse Culture Prize for Steampunk Preservation. Thank you all for coming.

[16:34] Wordsmith Jarvinen: The Gearhaven Endowment for the Arts, Sciences, Magick and Metaverse Culture recognizes that interactive (and occasionally immersive) creation of speculative scenarios are vitally important to diversity of thought and experience.
[16:34] Lightweaver Balan listens
[16:34] Wordsmith Jarvinen: The goal of the endowment is to promote highly interactive and immersive roleplay across the Multiverse, with an emphasis on Steampunk, Dieselpunk, and Sci-Fi communities.
[16:35] Wordsmith Jarvinen: In 2006 Desmond Shang bought the first Caledon Sim. In 3 months that expanded to 5 Sims. Since then the Steamlands in Second Life have expanded to dozens of Sims.
[16:35] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Over the years, hundreds of people have put in thousands of hours creating the glory that are the collective Steamlands of SL.
[16:36] Wordsmith Jarvinen: And there have been some quite amazing creations.

So many of the wonders listed in that link, by the way? They're gone now. Speaking of things vanishing.

[16:36] Wordsmith Jarvinen: In their 15 years on the grid, Duke and Duchess Hiro-Shatner Orr have seen many of these sims rise to glory only to disappear back beneath the waves.
[16:36] Edward Pearse: Wow, they're old

Gosh, thank you, Edward. :p

[16:37] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) grins!
[16:37] Lightweaver Balan: indeed
[16:37] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): laughs
[16:37] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) mutters, "SOOOO OLD."
[16:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) snerks
[16:37] Wordsmith Jarvinen: There are many reasons a sim or build may be lost, one of which is lack of funds to pay the tier.
[16:37] Wordsmith Jarvinen: To address this, the Duke and Duchess have instituted the Gearhaven Prize for Steampunk Preservation. Recipients receive a one-time payout of 25,000 lindens.
[16:38] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Two recipients have been chosen to receive the first Gearhaven Prize. Both have made significant contributions to Steamlands Culture. The first recipient is Michael Macbeth and his Tesla Theatre.
[16:38] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) creaks helpfully
[16:38] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth) bows respectfully
[16:38] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Opened 15 May 2018 in Victoria City, Caledon, the Tesla Theatre and Lounge hosts live stage productions of plays, musicals and ballets; live musician; and DJ led dances. The beautifully ornate two story edifice is an homage to Nikolai Tesla.
[16:38] Lightweaver Balan: yay
[16:38] Wordsmith Jarvinen: I'd like to invite Michael to come up and talk a little bit about the Theatre, the obstacles he has faced, and his future plans. Michael?
[16:39] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner) claps
[16:39] Bain Finch (bainfinch): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[16:39] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) claps
[16:39] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(`'·.¸(`'·.¸ * ¸.·'´)¸.·'´)☆
[16:39] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): •.¸¸.·` APPLAUSE!! ´·.¸¸.•
[16:39] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(¸.·'´(¸.·'´ * `'·.¸)`'·.¸)☆

I know, I know, I've hated gestures all these years, but...someone gave me this and...it's pretty, it makes a clapping noise, it has mild crowd sounds, and it's slaved to F1. I get it.

[16:39] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪

[16:39] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): Thank you Chancellor, Your Graces, distinguished colleagues one and all.

I've always sort of handwaved off the level of respect for being a Duchess. I know I'm only one because I married a Duke. But...honestly, this? Helping to pull this off? Knowing we're going to move forward with it? It's honestly the first thing I've been a part of where I actually think I might be starting to earn that 'Your Grace' title.

[16:40] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): in 2009 I had been a theatre teacher in community colleges and high schools and produced or directed nearly a hundred plays.
[16:41] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): I heard in Second Life, you could make a replica of your theatre and use it to map out your RL stage pieces. But I quickly learned it was much, much more.
[16:42] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): I am really quite blessed I think- I get to make theatre shows, or revues, work with people from around the world, and put on amazing shows and spectacles, with the fun steam and dieselpunk flair which I have always enjoyed.
[16:42] ღ Vivian Song ღ (vivianasong): nods
[16:43] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): This year will bring another major production as well as some live performances and DJ'd dances, with DJs such as Duchess Gabrielle Riel, and many others.
[16:43] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): This isn't about making money, it's about making art, making a difference in peoplke's lives. Being the conscience of the people, and the mirror of their own conscience.

That, right there. Don't get me wrong, financing helps, absolutely, but--the goal has to go beyond just the acquisition of coin. Especially with theatre, which is the closest of any art form to reflecting who we are back at us, so we can better understand.

[16:44] ღ Vivian Song ღ (vivianasong): smiles
[16:44] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner) smiles
[16:44] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem): Hear, hear.
[16:44] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): I am very very grateful for this award and entreat you all, at your leisure to see the Tesla, and let me know what you might like to see performed.

And while I never doubted the second of the first two awards should go to Marshall Ortega, I hadn't heard of Mr. Macbeth's efforts before we looked into him and his theatre. I am so glad, and grateful, we chose to honor him as well.

[16:44] Bain Finch (bainfinch): cheers for the community builders

Always. And that's the point of this award, really.

[16:44] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): Thank you all.
[16:44] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner) claps
[16:44] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) applauds
[16:44] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[16:44] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): hurrah!
[16:44] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(`'·.¸(`'·.¸ * ¸.·'´)¸.·'´)☆
[16:44] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): •.¸¸.·` APPLAUSE!! ´·.¸¸.•
[16:44] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(¸.·'´(¸.·'´ * `'·.¸)`'·.¸)☆
[16:44] Lightweaver Balan: **********Applause!!**********
[16:44] Circle2 Claven claps
[16:44] Lightweaver Balan: **********Applause!!**********
[16:44] ღ Vivian Song ღ (vivianasong): claps
[16:44] Saazerac (saazerac.atheria) applauds enthusiastically
[16:45] Edward Pearse: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
[16:45] Edward Pearse: ☆ -~*APPLAUSE*~-☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
[16:45] Edward Pearse: ☆-~*AWESOME*~-☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
[16:45] Edward Pearse: ☆☆~~-WoOoOoOoHoOoOoOo-~~☆☆
[16:45] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[16:45] RoseDrop Rust: Huzzah!

And I'm pretty sure those in the audience saw Mr. Macbeth's passion and spirit, too. That counts for a great deal.

[16:45] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Thank you Michael. The second award goes to Fuzzball Ortega and Steelhead Bay. Fuzz, please come up and tell us about the history of Steelhead Bay and your future plans.
[16:45] Wordsmith Jarvinen: For those who haven't been there, it's an enchanting region with Victorian houses and shops, attractive plants, a lighthouse, a pirate ship, an observatory, and an airship.
Zaida Gearbox (zaida.gearbox): jumps up and offers a steelhead
[16:45] Zaida Gearbox (zaida.gearbox): Hoooo!
[16:45] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) laughs
[16:45] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) grins
[16:46] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): As is tradition!
[16:46] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner) laughs
[16:47] Fuzzball Ortega: Didn't work on a speech, my apologies, but I am used to being behind a podium
[16:47] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Quite all right.

Except he'd turned partially away from the crowd, facing a side wall. Seemed odd. I didn't figure out why until Justine uploaded her pictures of the event.

[16:48] Fuzzball Ortega: I came onto the Grid back in 2006, for those who remember Darien Mason, he and I were acquainted in other Aethernet circles, and that's where I found out about SL. He had described it as Sims On Acid, and I was intrigued
[16:48] RoseDrop Rust: heh
[16:48] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): laughs
[16:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well, that's true enough.
[16:49] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem): interesting description yet not inaccurate...
[16:49] Bain Finch (bainfinch): lol
[16:49] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener): Fleeb, indeed.
[16:49] Fuzzball Ortega: After arriving to the welcome area, he teleported me to the original Steelhead City, and that was where I stayed.

And this angle showed me what he'd been looking at, and..pure serendipity, really. In the rushed madness of getting maps back up, I hadn't bothered to do more than just make sure maps were up and visible, but...the wall Marshall Ortega's facing? Is the one that has the early map of Steelhead on it. He wasn't facing away from the crowd--he was remembering Steelhead's beginnings. There's something...so touching about that.

[16:49] Panza Finch (panza.eilde) wistfully wishes that Genie was here...
[16:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) nods.
[16:50] Fuzzball Ortega: A few years back, sadly, TotalLunar Eclipse was not able to make tier on the Steelhead regions, and they were shut down

It was a heart strike for many, both residents who lived there, and for Lunar, and for a great many residents of the grid, that loss left a hole in their lives.

[16:50] Edward Pearse: Yeah I guessed it was going to be THAT photo

Because of course it was. Honestly, I was surprised I'd still held onto it.

[16:50] Bain Finch (bainfinch): it's a great picture
[16:50] Fuzzball Ortega: For awhile, I wandered The Grid, even visited areas on the Mainland.
[16:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It is...a picture. :p
[16:52] Fuzzball Ortega: I even made my home in Caledon for awhile. However, it wasn't quite Steelhead. So, around 2017, I thought Steelhead was gone long enough, and purchased Steelhead Bay.
[16:52] Bain Finch (bainfinch): :-)
[16:52] Bain Finch (bainfinch): that long ago?!?!

I know. Feels like just last year, doesn't it?

[16:52] Fuzzball Ortega: It has been a real struggle. I'm not a builder nor a terraformer. For awhile, I kept saying, "I'm not The Elf, but I'm trying my damnedest"

Having now terraformed most of two sims? I have mad respect for the difficulty levels involved.

[16:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Mmhmm.
[16:53] Dharma Bum (improvateur): Persistence furthers...
[16:53] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth) nods, totally relating
[16:54] Fuzzball Ortega: I did have some help along the way. But it's been a real struggle what with August 2019 thru November 2020 of being unemployed.
[16:54] Edward Pearse: Yeah I hear that one
[16:54] Dharma Bum (improvateur): ouch

Hard not to. That's relevant to so many right now.

[16:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) nods.
[16:54] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth) nods
[16:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): But perserverance and commitment.
[16:54] Zaida Gearbox (zaida.gearbox): we love our fuzzy
[16:54] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): Thanks for keeping it going
[16:55] Fuzzball Ortega: Several charitable individuals helped me keep Steelhead Bay afloat, even The Lindens were extremely helpful, some of you long time folks may remember my "Love Letters To The Lindens" in the past (the letters included some choice words for them to fix stuff)
[16:55] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) grins
[16:56] Edward Pearse: *snerks*
[16:56] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) nods, grinning
[16:57] Fuzzball Ortega: So, now, my goal is to get more visitors to Bay. To bring back the town meetings. It may or may not get to the same level as the Steelhead of Old, but I'm a Steelheader, it's my home. And I'm going to continue to do my best to share that Steelhead Spirit.
[16:57] Fuzzball Ortega: Thank you.
[16:57] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): yay!
[16:57] Lightweaver Balan: **********Applause!!**********
[16:57] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) applauds!
[16:57] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(`'·.¸(`'·.¸ * ¸.·'´)¸.·'´)☆
[16:57] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): •.¸¸.·` APPLAUSE!! ´·.¸¸.•
[16:57] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(¸.·'´(¸.·'´ * `'·.¸)`'·.¸)☆
[16:57] Edward Pearse: ☆ -~*APPLAUSE*~-☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
[16:57] Edward Pearse: ☆-~*AWESOME*~-☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
[16:57] Edward Pearse: ☆☆~~-WoOoOoOoHoOoOoOo-~~☆☆
[16:57] Edward Pearse: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
[16:57] Lightweaver Balan: **********Applause!!**********
[16:57] RoseDrop Rust: here here
[16:57] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner) claps
[16:57] Dharma Bum (improvateur): Bravo!
[16:57] Bain Finch (bainfinch): Huzzah!
[16:57] Circle2 Claven applause
[16:57] Bain Finch (bainfinch): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[16:57] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth) claps
[16:57] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): yea!!!
[16:57] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[16:57] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) grins happily
[16:57] Saazerac (saazerac.atheria) claps and claps

I left this bit in, because yeah, the applause really DID go on for some time, and it had gone on a while for Mr. Macbeth. Sometimes we never adequately see how much we're respected, until that respect is shown.

[16:57] Fuzzball Ortega: And that was a VERY old picture, Emilly.
[16:58] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Thank you, Fuzzball.
[16:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yes, yes it was. :D
[16:58] Edward Pearse: With this endowment Fuzz can get a skin made after 2010? *grins*
[16:58] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): At least it wasn't The Hair.
[16:58] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): ouch
[16:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, stop.
[16:58] Bain Finch (bainfinch): lol
[16:58] Fuzzball Ortega: Steelhead first, Fuzzball makeover second
[16:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Good to know your people still respect you, Fuzz. :D
[16:58] Wordsmith Jarvinen: The Gearhaven Prize will be awarded quarterly.
[16:59] Wordsmith Jarvinen: You can get more information about the Endowment and nominations for the Prize by clicking on the easel in the foyer.

Eventually, we'll make something more permanent to live there, but you know, even that felt appropriate--that I'd nipped over to our parcel in Steelhead to nab the easel with the information in it for the gala.

[16:59] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): Good man with simple tastes.
[16:59] Wordsmith Jarvinen: In the meantime, please enjoy your time here at Gearhaven, there are food and drinks in the kitchen to your left and out in the garden, and DJ Violet Scrivener will be providing the music for dancing!
[16:59] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): hurrah!
[16:59] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) grins again
[16:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Actually, Justine asked me to move the food and drinks to the kitchen FROM the garden, so....

And most of us ended up dancing in the garden anyway, but no one seemed to mind.

[16:59] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): thank you Chancellor
[16:59] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): and thank you so much, Word, for being our MC today!
[17:00] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) applauds!
[17:00] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[17:00] Bain Finch (bainfinch): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[17:00] Wordsmith Jarvinen: That's why it says "in the kitchen to your left"
[17:00] Wordsmith Jarvinen: A special thank you to the following people for providing historical photos and documentation:
[17:00] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): ah. hee!
[17:00] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[17:00] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Edward Pearse
[17:00] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): and congratulations to Mr. Macbeth and Marshall Fuzzball...
[17:00] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): Thank you.
[17:00] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): here here
[17:00] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Give Edward a clap since he's here
[17:00] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(`'·.¸(`'·.¸ * ¸.·'´)¸.·'´)☆
[17:00] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): •.¸¸.·` APPLAUSE!! ´·.¸¸.•
[17:00] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ☆(¸.·'´(¸.·'´ * `'·.¸)`'·.¸)☆
[17:00] Fuzzball Ortega: Thank you
[17:00] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Lady Aeval-Leigh
[17:00] Fuzzball Ortega: Hoooo!
[17:00] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): yay, edward!
[17:00] Bain Finch (bainfinch): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[17:00] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): Claos
[17:00] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[17:00] Bain Finch (bainfinch): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[17:00] Bain Finch (bainfinch): *•.¸'*•.¸ ♥ ¸.•*´¸.•*
[17:00] Bain Finch (bainfinch): .•*♥¨`•BRAVO!!•¨`♥*•.
[17:00] Bain Finch (bainfinch): .•*`¸.•*´ ♥ `*•.¸`*•.¸
[17:00] Bain Finch (bainfinch): ♪♫~ ღ♥ღ Applause ღ♥ღ~♫♪
[17:00] Wordsmith Jarvinen: Kamilah Hauptman
[17:01] Wordsmith Jarvinen: And my pleasure to be able to announce today. Thank you

I won't lie, we had asked another presenter, who turned out to be unable to make it, but Mr. Jarvinen did so well. And we are beyond grateful to the Lyonesse, Lady Aeval, and Sir Edward Pearse, who went well above and beyond making sure we had access to historical maps from several sims in the steamlands, as well as other documents that helped put things into perspective.

[17:01] Bain Finch (bainfinch): said in a million times. Not the prims, it's the people that make communities in SL
[17:01] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Absolutely.

It is. And really, that's the point of the award, and in fact, the Gearhaven Foundation in the first place. To support and encourage those fostering connections between people, as much as those who have grand dreams and visions.

[17:01] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) smiles brightly! "let's turn over the stream to Ms Violet and have some fun!"
[17:02] Dharma Bum (improvateur): Welll said
[17:02] Wordsmith Jarvinen: People and the attitude to cooperate and create
[17:02] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem) goes to enable sound...
[17:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) smiles
[17:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Gentlemen, do remember to take your trophies home with you.
[17:02] Zaida Gearbox (zaida.gearbox): Hoooo!
[17:02] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener): The garden is set up for the dancing .. and the weather looks like it will be agreeable. Also shadowy in places.
[17:03] Zaida Gearbox (zaida.gearbox): fuzzy! fuzzy! fuzzy! fuzzy!
[17:03] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): True.
[17:03] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem): I do like shadowy places...

Indeed so. And we danced the rest of the night.

There were so many ways this could have gone wrong. There were so many ways it nearly did, from the sim having to be clawed back from the void by the Lindens, down to returning everything we'd set out for the gala, resulting in the move back to the old sim, which then needed to be decorated nearly from scratch because I'd been removing things as I transferred them over to Gearhaven Prime. But somehow, through sheer stubborn intransigence in some cases, we managed to get past every obstacle thrown in our way. And in the end, we got what we wanted--an event that was not about us, the organizers, but that brought more attention to our recipients. Who deeply deserve every iota of that spotlight.

And that was the end goal. That, I sincerely hope, will be the goal every quarter with the awards. We will be looking for future nominees, and we already have some names that helpful folks have tossed into the hat. Anyone can nominate someone they believe is worthy of consideration, after all, and we will consider anyone nominated. And it will get less intense from here, to be sure, but I'm hoping it will stay this meaningful.

there's a second voice inside my head, it tells me shut up and trust this (part I)

(This one, like the dinner party, is also going to be non-anonymized, but because this was an awards ceremony, and the recipients deserve the lauds.)

After spending most of the day frantically planting things in the garden for the gala, interrupted for script questions, building separate things, and moving furniture, I got a wailed IM and ported back to the main house.

[16:02] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): i'm sure we tested these.
[16:02] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): and yet, here we are.
[16:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I am very confused

Apparently I had had Justine laboriously set out--in two different iterations of Steamopolis, no less!--forty Dali chairs. That could not be sat upon. WHY.

[16:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Do we need to replace them
[16:03] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): i think so.
[16:03] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): LOL
[16:03] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): THIS DAY
[16:03] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I need eighteen ounces of gin, and all we have is the bottle of neurotoxic whiskey that I'm not allowed to drink!
[16:03] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): THIS DAY

You do not know how many times I thought of getting up and getting a shot, but...I had promised people I loved, and someone I once loved, that I wouldn't drink any more past the one shot necessary for the worship bargain. Go figure, they got concerned when the left side of my body went numb. For six hours.

The sensation came back, come on now...

[16:05] Bain Finch (bainfinch): sitting is highly over rated
[16:06] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): I think I'll stand.

There were other guests that chose to, so while we did set out workable chairs, at least the Finches were not alone.

[16:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): All right, I'm leaving this in your capable hands, Countess, I'm going to go see what I can rescue from the kitchen bundle
[16:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grabs the drink tray on her way in
[16:11] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): we had chairs that looked good...
[16:11] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): but had an issue
[16:11] ΩღLina RodexღΩ (shannon.warden): i saw them i really did like them
[16:11] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): so we are setting up new chairs...sorry

Meanwhile, I was in the kitchen, gutting things out of the bundle of conjoined prims that had gotten returned on accident from Gearhaven Prime. We had both adults and urchins, so it couldn't just be alcohol. The caterers had set out deviled eggs and bread next to the coffee urn, so I just started rezzing out trays on a table nearby--rum, gin, tea, I think hot chocolate...and then threw my hands up and put the two trolleys we'd gotten from KittyCat's Creations for work out, on either side of her Cthulhu drinks stand...and it wasn't until I was leaving the kitchen that I realized I was putting out the Cthulhu drinks stand.

For guests.

Measure of stress, I suppose.

[16:12] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): Mr. Macbeth...thanks for coming...
[16:12] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): You have a spectacular home!
[16:12] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem) looks for a corner to darken...
[16:12] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): Truly
[16:12] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) shivers involuntarily
[16:12] Lightweaver Balan: wow someone lives here?
[16:13] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): a few of us do...
[16:13] Lightweaver Balan: good heavens
[16:13] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): we are in the process of moving to different sim...

I'm not including this to brag. It's just...Steamopolis started off as impossibly huge and complicated, and yes, awe-inspiring, but...at this point? It's where we live. And I was actually confused when people started reacting as if it was...well, what it was. Strange how we get used to things.

[16:16] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): We actually have several dark corners here! This room just has more light.
[16:16] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) reads back.
[16:16] ΩღLina RodexღΩ (shannon.warden): well i did open the door
[16:16] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Do I need to move some of the maps?
[16:16] ΩღLina RodexღΩ (shannon.warden): come in silly
[16:16] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): no the maps are perfect
[16:16] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth): *Tips hat and heads for the bar trolley*
[16:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, all right.
[16:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): OH!

Because I'd just remembered.

[16:17] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) quietly sips from a battered silver flask
[16:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Because I didn't think this through: A WARNING. Because I'm in no fit state to pick things up. Avoid the gear table with the wee cephalopod if you're not in an...experimental?...state of mind.
[16:18] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener): I thought it was a cake stand.
[16:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Some of the drinks are fine, most are eldritch, so....take your chances.
[16:18] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): i'll dip into them later...
[16:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) laughs
[16:19] ΩღLina RodexღΩ (shannon.warden): come on in
[16:19] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) looks up, "what have i missed?"
[16:20] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) passes Lady Justine her flask

I should have grabbed something, but I was in the numb aftermath of the second day of panic. People told me later I looked very composed.

[16:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) clicks the stream on, considers changing it, thinks today that might mean something explodes, and leaves it.
[16:21] Edward Pearse: Should we run the stream?
[16:21] Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth) waves to Grim
[16:21] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): Your Grace, Duke Argylle thank you for coming
[16:21] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem): Hello good sir.
[16:21] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem): Been a while.
[16:21] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) takes a heavy swig from violet's flask and hands it back. "THANK YOU."
[16:21] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): ok.
[16:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, we can, though I didn't invite you to the group to do that
[16:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) waves at Edward
[16:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I can, though!

I truly felt at this point that I was just clinging to the edge of something, expecting the something to explode, or dissolve, or...something unpleasant.

[16:21] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener) accepts the flask and winks to Lady J
[16:22] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): is violet flying?
[16:22] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener): Sadly, my typist is twitchy.
[16:22] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Not...to me?
[16:22] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener): So not officially.
[16:22] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Trust me, I resemble that remark.
[16:22] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): I tried one of those green drinks....quite refreshing.

Did someone put out absinthe? If not, we should lay in a supply for the next gala.

[16:22] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener): hee
[16:23] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And, considering the potential of all ages, we do have tea in the kitchen as well.

I sat and breathed for a bit as chat swirled around me.

[16:27] Fuzzball Ortega: Hello
[16:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Hello!
[16:27] ΩღLina RodexღΩ (shannon.warden): your good to go come on in they are inside
[16:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, good, you're both here now!
[16:27] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): yay!
[16:27] Edward Pearse: Hey Fuzz
[16:27] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): welcome!

Thank all the gods, they'd both made it. I relaxed fractionally.

[16:27] Panza Finch (panza.eilde) smiles as Fuzz arrives.
[16:28] Bain Finch (bainfinch): greetings
[16:28] Panza Finch (panza.eilde): Hullo Fuzz.
[16:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Also, brace yourself, Fuzz, i found a TRULY terrifying picture from The Olde Days of Steelhead. It's in the slideshow.
[16:28] Saazerac (saazerac.atheria) smiles and absorbs the scene "Hello all"
[16:28] Violet Scrivener (violetscrivener): Hello!
[16:28] Lightweaver Balan: better if the scene absorbs you
[16:29] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): No, no, did that yesterday, the entire sim absorbed me, thank you, but enough of that.

The bad crash. The bad, bad crash.

[16:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) looks up at the song.

It was "Little Red Corvette", and I guess I'd become fixated enough on making things as non-adult as possible, I was now twitching at the music.

[16:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Right, maybe enough streaming for now.
[16:30] ღ Vivian Song ღ (vivianasong): Awww, love this song!
[16:30] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): please find a seat, we'll be getting started momentarily!
[16:30] ღ Vivian Song ღ (vivianasong): wow, RIP Prince, you little eccentric oddball. WE love you!
[16:31] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem): You know I don't sit, Justine.
[16:31] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, I do too, but--we were sort of making the swerve away from adult matters for today?
[16:31] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) amends her previous statement. "everyone but Grim."
[16:31] Gʀɨʍօɨʀɛ (grimoire.hexem): yes, good.
[16:32] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) nods at Wordsmith, whispering, "i think we're ready."

(Credit to our attaché, Countess JustineJohndory Amethyst, for this shot.)

And we began.

(Continued in part II.)

guess again, you made friends, and some still ask about you now and then (part III)

Part the third and last!



This is Lord Erik Wall, I believe.



And of course Mr. Soup Jonson. I am endlessly amused that the picture he sent in to be used for the ball had his name on it.

Though, considering my inability to remember...may have been a good thing after all!



Another shot of Miss Mizogoi, being invited to dance by Miss Willow Nova, I believe...



...who ended the night quite magically by levitating them both!

All in all, it was a lovely introduction to Caledon for new friends, and a lovely dance for Caledonians in general. I was pleased with how well it turned out. Kudos to the organizers.

we're an endless stream of choices, we're the softest murmur of voices

Across the ISC chat this morning:

[10:26] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Stop by and visit Sir Mice R Delicious, Kat Nipper, Rebel Furrball, Kitty Purness and Lady Kittenpaws at Whybrow Memorial Park in Southend. They need petting!
[10:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): My goodness. When did the Whybrow Memorial Park get kittens? I have obviously not been there enough.

So...I went. Knowing my mood was fragile, knowing it would probably lead to tears...I went.



I'm morbidly amused, still, that Caledonians must risk death by rapacious trolley-car to enter a memorial park.



And there are the kittens. Hello, kittens!



And there you are, old friend.

I miss you. I am honest enough to admit you weren't the heart stike that Sumie was, just because it was so shockingly sudden, when she went. But you and I both knew you were going. And we both knew there was nothing to be done. Which resulted in a much more prolonged ache.



I was the best friend I knew how to be, both in being your friend in the first place, and during those final months. Which, being me back then, likely meant flighty and distracted and occasionally bizarre, in presentation and communication...but anyone who knows me knows that. You knew that.

You never seemed to mind.

But yes, some days, it still hurts. Your passing. Sumie's. People in my RL who've left the puzzle of flesh. Grief ebbs, and evens out, but sometimes the wave washes in and drags me under, still.



I have kittens of my own now. I don't know if you'd have been surprised by that. Likely not--half the time I was running around as a cat, or a bunny, or some composite creature with antlers and hooves.

You never minded that, either.

I'm partnered now, too. You might have liked him. He would have struck you as terribly bold and brash, but...you might have seen the heart I see, the soul beyond the skin, and understood. You understood a great deal, in your quiet, unassuming fashion.



But I will always miss you. Some days it hits harder than others. Fact of life, innit. And I'd always rather miss someone, than be blithely unaffected by the passing of a friend, so that's by design, too.



And Lady Kittenpaws is off the parcel. Because of course she is.

If you care to, you can visit the Whybrow Memorial Park in Southend. 'Ware the trolley, of course, but that's a known hazard.

guess again, you made friends, and some still ask about you now and then (part II)

Back for part two!



Such a lovely dress. She looked like a sunset. No idea now who she was. (Anyone who wants to help, feel free, and I will make corrections!) [[Now informed this is Miss Kay Cooper!]]>



Not a newcomer, I just adore this portrait of the Lyonesse, Kamilah Hauptmann. Really well done.



This is...Miss Mizogoi? Was Mizi ever blonde? If anyone knows... [[Late entry from the Editrix: Someone does! This is Miss Ithela!]]



And this is Miss Violet Scrivener. If anyone needs a DJ for electroswing or transglobal tunes? Plus any of the handful of other genres she favors...she's happy to take on gigs to entertain.



And Miss Justinejohndory Amethyst, Attache to the House of Gearhaven, Companion in training, and more than willing to find trouble at any time, any place.



Which brings us to...um...this lovely lass, who is...??? [[Late entry from the Editrix: This is also Miss Kay Cooper!]]

One more coming!

guess again, you made friends, and some still ask about you now and then (part I)

Let's talk about the Newcomers' Ball!

So, this happened several weeks ago, if not months, and I'm only posting it now because I forgot where I put the folder of photos.



Every formal dance needs a wraith, right? [Insert from the Editrix: Miss Justine has pointed out, repeatedly, that this is Grimoire Hexem. Yes, I know. EVERYONE knows. But sure, posting for the uninitiated--that's Mr. Hexem, one of Caledon's resident demons.]



I had notes on all this, too, I'll try to find them. I know the fellow is Soup Jonson, I don't remember the lass he's dancing with. Mr. Jonson was new to Caledon this year, or the year before. One of those. [[Late entry from the Editrix: This might be Miss Ithela?]]



Mr. Wordsmith Jarvinen, of course, can't miss that circlet anywhere. And...again, my memory fails me.



Miss Mizogoi (on the left) and Miss Justinejohndory Amethyst, on the right in the purple. Justine was new to Caledon this year.



Miss Tashi Kai, also new, I believe, and I did have better pictures that showed her face, but...there was just something about this pose, the wildness of her hair, the total abandon to the dance...I had to put this one up.



And finally, Miss Stereo Nacht (the little penguin). Miss Nacht is in NO wise new, but a happy figure of much regard in Caledon, lo these many years. She was actually dancing around the tiny donkey, but this particular image looks like she's sitting on it!

More to come!

when you build your house, I'll come by (part IV)

Last of the shots. (Continued from part III.)


(Either still in Kitti, or just edging into Tangle.)

[22:44] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) bats leaves aside

(Above the tall trees.)

[22:45] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): this has enough
[22:45] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Tangle?
[22:45] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): this parcel

To be fair, we are still pondering either moving from Caledon II, to Stormhold, or Tanglewood, or expanding holdings in Caledon II. We haven't decided yet.


(Fully in Tanglewood.)

[22:45] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): was mine then mags

(Close shot of the Aer Viator.)

[22:46] Hiro Shatner-Orr (hiro.shatner): steam was here

(Sinking through the trees.)

[22:46] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): We'd have 750 to decorate, but the thing with Steam is, it needs very very little

Steamopolis is a gargantual build, true, so much going on in that thing, so many floors and back stairways and rooms next to other rooms...but the thing is, barring the occasional need for the odd bed, or couch set, a person could, if inclined, pop up Steamopolis and live there as is. There's a limited staff, furnishings, art, curtains, a power plant for the steam towers...it really has everything as it is.


(And coming to a halt on once and former Shatner lands. Future lands? Remains to be seen.)

And that's where we stopped. Takes a little doing, with the gaps, but we proved that with care, and occasional reduction in speed, at least with the lower-prim airships, Caledon can still be flown mostly end to end. We'll see if that changes in future. I hope it doesn't.