you think I only think about you when we're both in the same room

Names anonymized to protect the guilty (grins), but name of the store left in:

[10:15] ixxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Hey Debauchery. Would you ever consider making an Adult Yoga mat with th inclusion of Yoda animations?
[10:15] ixxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *Yoga
[10:16] Cxxxxxx Fxxx: Yoda positions!!! That totally put all kinds of crazy images in my head.
[10:16] ixxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It was a typo
[10:16] Cxxxxxx Mxxxxxxx: Sex you will :)
[10:16] Cxxxxxx Fxxx: ha!
[10:17] Cxxxxxx Fxxx: Yes, it was obviously a typo, but it was an amazing typo!
[10:17] cxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol
[10:21] Jxxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: the kamasutra you still have to learn young sexling

How'ver, I wanted to talk about something else. The gyrocopter.



I took these pics months ago--anyone who's been to Gearhaven in the intervening time knows the terrain's changed a bit, and we've gone to non-mesh surround fragments. But Dejah built the gyrocopter.



They also built New Alexandria from the ground up. And did a stellar job. It's phenomenal.



But this is neat, too. They actually put a winged angel hood ornament on the front of it! (Sadly, yes, the only pick that came out of the ornament head-on, when the building was unrezzed. Rats.)



We'd circled around the entire city by this point. (I'm the one with blue hair in the back, btw--Dejah's the one in the pilot seat.)



And landing.

I honestly don't know if Dejah plans to sell this one anywhere, but if you're curious, the legacy name is Deebrane String. It's just...perfect.

it's the final busdown

From a letter I sent a friend explaining why I've spent the past seven days glued to an internet charity stream:

"We are in the last hour, formally declared, they are accepting no more bids, so they WILL end in another hour.

"Their total this year, btw?  Barring further merch sales, which from here will only be counted if it's merchandise specifically listed in support of Desert Bus, their total was $976,532.

Since writing that, by the way, ten minutes ago? Their total is now $977,938 for the year.

"To put that into perspective, in 2018 they raised $730,099.90, for 160 hours of fundraising, and in 2019, they made over 876K, buying 162 hours, and they were absolutely wrung out and weaving on their pins for that.

"*No one* expected that this year, the year they had to go virtual, and broadcast mainly from personal homes instead of being all in the same place, to raise this much. And I'm still astounded at another accomplishment, which they're not really fully considering: they took an event that is rigged totally to film, in several angles, one gathering room for performers during the run, and managed to hook up an insane variety of webcams, internet plans, data transfer and computer systems, to allow for the broadcast of both LRR performers in Canada, and special guests and additional volunteers worldwide, for seven days. And while yes, there were technical glitches, and signal shorts, and dropped signals, and problems with sound....they weren't using a system that had been in place for years prior. This was all new, begun in July or August, I believe, to get ready for the November event.

"So I'll be up from now, until they formally crash the bus, which is how they end the run every year, in about an hour, and then I'll go back to bed, reeling that this year has been so strange, so wonderful, and so bizarrely successful for the charity."

I was sure that I'd mentioned this more recently than 2013, but no, apparently that's the last time I spoke of it on the blog (with a mention before that one year earlier, and the first time I brought it up being all the way back in 2011). My Twitter feed largely tilts to Desert Bus mentions, and--barring the last two years, when I was boycotting Tumblr for the stupidity of their ban on adult content--my Tumblog is largely tilted to Desert bus mentions in November.

And I can't count the number of people I've told in Second Life about the charity, and how phenomenal I think it is. Because it really is. They've gone from a handful of people getting together in the basement of a friend's house, hoping to raise $10,000 for Child's Play, to now, I think fourteen years later? Where they've raised over seven million dollars lifetime in support of sick kids trapped in long-term care in hospitals.

Because that's all this is. That's all Child's Play does as a charity--they exist solely to help children get through one of the hardest experiences in any adult life, that they have to handle as children. And I'm so proud that they do.

This year brought us so many amazing things, but I'm only going to link a few that really stood out.

Graham Stark of Loading Ready Run explains what Desert Bus stands for.
The first intro, six days ago, for this year's Cloud Bus broadcast.
Jacob Burgess and others discuss how different this year feels.
Five days ago, Danny calls in, whose wish through the Make-a-Wish Foundation collapsed us all, because all he wanted to do with his was donate to other kids in need.
Alpha Flight's very 80s intro (the beginning of Alpha Flight was good, too, but that iteration was my favorite for the year).
Jacob Burgess wears the Very Nice Coat.
Alpha Flight's raccoon outro video.
The return of Teen Girls on the Street!
The first Night Watch News intro for the year, which introduced the Horrifying Eggplant.
Playing the Solo movie trailer but with the Star Wars Kinect dance-off music from the game. (For those who don't know, the Star Wars Kinect game had a dance mini-game, which was pretty much the goofiest thing ever, and Han Solo took part.)
Horrifying fun with Snapchat filters, featuring Graham, Jordan, Matt, Ian, and the cursed croissant himself, Ben.
The Smack Barm Pea Wet sandwich explanation, Part I and Part II.
The reading of 'Trapped in the Sea Kingdom', which eventually brought us Belopa, and a few days later, Laser Malena-Webber of the Doubleclicks' song tribute to Belopa.
Six days ago, Zeta's first shift.
Cam and Cori explain Blaseball.
Ashton has "fun" with Snapchat filters, and chat does not approve.
The worst Dump Truck ever: Trasure X Aliens edition.
Jacob Burgess names his appliances.
Danny's second appearance on the DB stream.
The return of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (first introduced at DB2019).
Reading of 'Trapped in the Sea Kingdom', featuring Belopa. (See also: the attack of the Fish with Faces.)
Beej reads auction descriptions after deliberately blurring his vision.
Second day of Zeta shift, and Cam is not prepared.
Jacob gives unrevokable permission for Zeta shift to eat anything he's made in Studio C.
Jacob's fantastic stretching advice.
The Garages perform live.
Discussing Belopa.
Alpha Flight outro part three: The Moose.
The Garages make a song for Jacob, "Eat the Bread".
Day Three Nightwatch News, Ben Drives edition.
Engineering starts a contest for the Shrine to Belopa.
Timothy Dalton reacts to one of the Auspicious Fish praising Belopa.
Rosewatta card readings.
The amazing live auction for the Star Trek prop replicas.
Jacob tells Zeta: Eat the Bread. (Bonus "Eat the Bread" video.)
Rosewatta card readings part II.
'Trapped in the Sea Kingdom' reading, day three.
Art Challenge entries for the Shrine of Belopa.
Cori becomes Gritty.
Dawn Guard intro, Hologram edition.
Mikey Neumann tells an Alan Rickman story.

Dawn Guard reads Rosewatta Stone cards.
Kathleen tries to explain Belopa.
Adventures in Snorsh tourism.
Alpha Flight outro: the Kangaroo.
Day Four of Night Watch News: Ben starts to slip.
Escape from the Sea Kingdom part IV.
Jennifer Belopez and Zeta Shift intro day four.
"Wheej" readds giveaway descriptions wearing a shirt over his head.
Failed art restorations.
Who are Maddy and Andy (DB2020 edition). (Bonus points for Andy singing Ride With Us.)

Andy reads the first recorded customer complaint.
Canadian mascots and the horror of Mr. Blobby.
Alpha Flight outro part five: the Manitoba Testicle Viper.
Night Watch News, the arrival of Benhattan.
'Trapped in the Sea Kingdom', part five.
Night Watch outro day five.
All is Belopa.
Alpha Flight intro day six.
The room reacts to baby Andy performing the Papers Please skit.
Jacob tells a story about his time in Poland.
Andy sings Tucson or Bust.
QWERPline: Quantum Distancing.
'Trapped in the Sea Kingdom' part six.
Beej sings 'When I Fall' from the Barenaked Ladies.
Last Alpha Flight intro.
Alpha Flight last outro: the Orca.
The final broadcast of Night Watch News, AKA "Is everything drugs"?
Ben sings This Year by the Mountain Goats
'Trapped in the Sea Kingdom' part seven.
The terrifying beginning of Omega shift.
Omega shares a video of why volunteers think Desert Bus is so important and chat breaks down.
The Sun returns to say hello to an auspicious fish.
Starting the final hour with Engineering playing with overlays.
The Final Busdown with all vocals out of synch).

Wau, that took way longer than I thought it would. Wanna know the really scary thing? This really is a short list--take seven full days times twenty-four and then put together a video strike team of 56 people to capture every moment into short videos to post to YouTube, and trust me--there's far more content up, for this year alone.

But that's Desert Bus, closed for another year. We'll see you--in some version--in 2021. Chat out.

for God's sake, turn around

Is it a good sign or a bad sign that I'm back to watching for certain names to pop up on the friendslist? I'll leave that as a philosophical exercise while I decide.

And, as expected, my brain has started playing back Certain Moments of memory in dreams. Because my brain hates me. Times like this, I really mislike the way I'm wired.

Anyway.

So here's a morbid bit of irony for you, but I have to fill in a bit of history first.

go placidly amid the noise and waste
and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof
avoid quiet and passive persons, unless you are in need of sleep

I've never been a great photographer, in any world. It's been a minor passion, but never a vocation. I have Flickr, I have Instagram, I have three different digital cameras (although two of them no longer work well, and the third is starting to get some odd hitches now and again, so I should just toss all three and upgrade to an actually better working single one).

rotate your tires.
speak glowingly of those greater than yourself,
and heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys.

Sometimes, I even remember to take one of them out with me when I venture into the world, though I'm sorry to say, I've taken far more images on my cell phone than with the actual cameras I own. That's somewhat disquieting.

know what to kiss, and when.
consider that two wrongs never make a right, but that three do.
wherever possible, put people on hold.

But that brings us to SL. See, in RL, I was never a tripod person so much. So while I take relatively few pictures, almost none of them are of me. (None of the three cameras have timers, either, so...there's that.) But in SL? In SL I have a fully independent, 360° camera that can work both from a fixed position and in motion.

be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment,
and despite the changing fortunes of time,
there is always a big future in computer maintenance.

And, to that end, I've taken a lot of pictures in SL. Portraits (because the one model who's always around is me), effects, scenery, game glitches, general oddity, even a few videos. And, me being me, quite a number of them are, shall we say, adult in nature.

remember the Pueblo.
strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate.
know yourself.
if you need help, call the FBI.

Now, I'm not Jeffree Star, I don't take pictures for the blackmail potential. That is vile and beneath not only me, but anyone I've shared with. That is so very far from the point of having those images in the first place.

exercise caution in your daily affairs,
especially with those persons closest to you -
that lemon on your left, for instance.
be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls
would scarcely get your feet wet.

So why do I have them? Memories, mainly. Words are good, and flashbacks are lovely--well, most of the time--but there's just something about a photograph...The power of the image transcends, in short.

fall not in love therefore. It will stick to your face.

GODS, you're not kidding...

Which brings us, in typical roundabout fashion, to that other bruised heart. (Remember the past week? Yeah, that fellow.) For some reason, while we were sharing with each other, I took relatively few pictures. I couldn't even tell you why. (And let's be clear here--I don't mean I have 100 of this guy, and 450 of that guy, and 566 of that girl...no no no. I don't keep a lot of the very personal pictures. But even among the small collections I have, pictures of that particular gentleman? I just don't have many.)

gracefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan.
and let not the sands of time get in your lunch.
hire people with hooks.
for a good time, call 606-4311. Ask for Ken.

Save for...the last time we were together. (Ah, now you're seeing the morbid irony. Yes.) I have a scant few pictures of a small, small handful of other times, but I have about six or eight from that time.

take heart in the bedeepening gloom
that your dog is finally getting enough cheese.
and reflect that whatever fortune may be your lot,
it could only be worse in Milwaukee.

And...the normal pattern is, or has been, to wait a few days, then cull through the raws, pick out the best angles, and ditch the rest. Because after all, they're just for me. They're never going to go into galleries or posters or on the Marketplace. Right?

And it's not like there won't be other times...right? Right?

Right...

you are a fluke of the universe.
you have no right to be here.
and whether you can hear it or not,
the universe is laughing behind your back.

Except...I know when I took those shots. I know--now--it was the last time. The last time there will be. And...I keep catching them when going through other images, and clicking one or two, and then closing them again, because I'm still far too close to everything to even begin to evaluate.

therefore, make peace with your god,
whatever you perceive him to be - hoary thunderer, or cosmic muffin.
with all its hopes, dreams, promises, and urban renewal,
the world continues to deteriorate.
give up!

I am sincerely torn between packaging those up in a zip file to be dealt with much, much later, and doing my usual cull-and-edit bit, but...there are no second chances. And the question in the forefront of the brain is, should I keep everything because it was the last time? Should I treat those shots as any other encounter? Am I ever going to have a 'hah, yeah, I remember that' moment from these shots, or will they always carry that slight flinching ache?

I honestly couldn't tell you, right now. But it is another question to ponder.

(The lyrics, so to speak, since it's mostly a spoken-world piece save for the chorus, are from National Lampoon's "Deteriorata", which was narrated by Christopher Guest.)

there's a rat in my kitchen, what am I gonna do?

We finally have closer, more detailed images of what Phoebe, the most mysterious of Saturn's many moons, looks like.

First and biggest on my list of the puzzling Phoebe: why does it orbit in an opposite direction from the other moons? Now we finally know: because Phoebe didn't start off as one of Saturn's moons to start with!

And there's a new alloy on the block. Aluminum is light, but not strong; iron is strong but heavy. To get high strength without iron's hefty weight, high-end manufacturers have gone for titanium, traditionally, but that's on the rare side, and expensive to boot. Now a team of South Korean material scientists have manipulated iron, aluminum and nickel together as nano-particles, and discovered a metal alloy with the tensile durability of iron, but the weight of titanium. And it's going to be relatively cheap to make.

So, in Caledon chat earlier this afternoon, I brought up a shop's Midnight Mania board that was currently offering baby rats. I didn't think EVERY gentle wanted a set, but I thought it might generate handy companions for street urchins, if nothing else. Someone--I forget who, my apologies--asked if they were full-perm.

They were not. I brought up another store, Flecha Creations, which I thought might have a similar sculpt, possibly, and was told that Flecha is currently in DMCA notification over several items they apparently lifted from Skyrim game servers. So...until that's resolved one way or the other, they're out.

Marley Blogfan offers a full perm, sculpted white rat kit (though one supposes it's potentially tintable/texturable) for L$89, down from L$199. It appears to be just a sculpted object, though with the listing of LI count, and the UV map in the box, I could well be wrong.

Then there's FLOOD. Flood offers these ratty options:

• Full perm rat baby: L$300, mesh, but while it's full perm, the rat comes pre-textured?
• Full perm adult brown rat: L$325, mesh, also comes pre-textured?
• Full perm adult white rat: A rather rotund offering for L$325, also pre-textured
• Full perm black rat in running pose: L$325, also pre-textured
• Full perm stretching white and black rat: Smaller, so L$275, also pre-textured (what is this pre-textured thing??)
• Full perm small grey/brown mouse: Also L$275, though not a rat, I thought similar enough I'd toss it in
• Full perm curled sleeping mouse: Also L$275; this one and the above are again pre-textured
• Finally, the...err..newborn??...variety: Full perm baby rat: L$275, and the...skin texture, I guess...is already on the thing.

So there you have it. Sort of a...rat roundup? Or something.



Cheers?