and I think it's gonna be a long long time, 'til touch down brings me round again to find

This is going to be anonymized, as per usual, but because it's openly from Caledon chat, curious sorts may be able to add up the X's and come to correct conclusions. I can't help that, I thought it was more of value to post it.

[13:03] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: May i ask a question of you. When we were looking for rentals in Caledon we just went from sim to sim. Is there an actual rental office?

Near as I know, from my years of involvement, there has never been a rental office with the actual plots for rent. To be fair, such a thing is a common practice on other estates; I went to the sim's rental office both to scan plots available and to rent on behalf of Gearhaven when I rented a parcel in New Babbage, and when dealing with both mainland and island estates elsewhere, there have been actual offices with parcels or plots for rent.

But, to Des' credit, in Rosehaven-once-Winterfell, I rented two conjoined parcels, then later the Duke of Gearhaven rented a third across the river from the first two, that were all 'found' via discussion with the Princess. And when it was still Winterfell, I rented, in turn, three separate parcels, one after another, from the Empress, so...not every sim that offers resident rentals operates with the rental office model.

[13:03] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no, but talk to [Jxxxx]

Keeping with my usual practice of bolding moderators in chat groups, and, in this case, estate managers or owners of sims.

[13:03] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: No, there is no rental office. However, you may want to contact [Mxxx Mxxxxxxx], who takes care of it for Desmond Shang. [Jxxxx] is not available at the moment.
[13:04] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: we found a place. and we have spoken to [Jxxxx]. He sorted out our land for us. Took a lot to figure out who to ask though. Is a bit secret society lol
[13:05] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: more laid back than secret

I would agree, but to be fair, I understand Ms. B's point, too. It's not as easy as finding a box, paying the box, and clicking a group invite board, to get land in Caledon. There used to be long waiting lists. Even now, when there is less demand, it is far from an instantaneous process. It can take up to 72 real-time hours in a good week to go from desiring a parcel, to getting it set in one's name and ready for building. And that's always been the way Caledon operates.

[13:05] PPxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Des used to do a lot of this himself, but he changed jobs and is working very long hours, so he delegated a little.
[13:05] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: if we are a secret society, no one has told me
[13:06] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: gathered that. Perhaps in the info offices there could be information on who to contact for rental issues, land deeding etc. Just a suggestion

This is not a terrible idea she's proposing. I honestly don't know how it would work, as Des or an EM must be on site to transfer parcels, so they are bound to officers with specific clearances. Changing that system to something that could be managed by rental boxes would be...problematic at best, and violently chaotic at worst.

[13:07] Emilly Orr: It is less secretive than just...things slip through the cracks. There was someone who was handling rentals full-time, I think RL claimed her back for a bit; then [Jxxxx]; [Mxxx]'s likely been doing land management and contacts for some time, but first I heard of it was today, so I am out of the loop.
[13:08] Jxxxxx Zxxx: The secret instructions are posted on the wall, in the Lecture Hall.

This may or may not be in jest, but to be fair, I'd have to go look to make sure. If they are, in fact, posted in the Lecture Hall, then that means the instructions on how to rent in Caledon, as well as the text of the full Caledon covenant (which I know is somewhere in Oxbridge, I have seen it in person), as well as other information on individual sims, are all available somewhere in Oxbridge Village. So it's far from secret and arcane.

[13:08] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx needs to see if they are updated
[13:08] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: And perhaps a group joiner when you rent. That would be helpful. Just my 2 cents for what it is worth

Again, Caledon is not an open group, and I truly think this is not going to change. Would it be easier to make Caledon an open group, not bound to an invite system? Sure. But with it bound to invites only, this ensures that the only people in the Independent States of Caledon group have some level of investment in Caledon. That makes sense, doesn't it?

[13:08] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx hums... the words of the prophet were written on the subway wall...
[13:09] exxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx rechecks his spectacles to look at the secrets.
[13:09] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: We used to have a class on What to Do in Caledon that ended with everyone in the class becoming Caledonian if they wanted, but the professor who taught that has left SL.

That might be a good class to restart.

[13:09] Dxxxx Wxxxxx hums... and tenement halls...
[13:10] Emilly Orr: You know, that is a good point. Des offered me group membership before I ever rented, because I'd shown up at several dances. I never thought to ask.
[13:10] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxx Exxxx: Hey how hard would it be to include a rental reference in the covenant of each sim?

Probably fairly easy, once it was in print, as t'were. But now? Each listing would have to be updated by hand, that would be a crushing amount of work.

[13:10] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Since then, any peer of Caledon can offer you membership

Admittedly, I did not know this. Good to know.

[13:10] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: you need the magic monacle, I think, Mr. [Sxxxxxxx]
[13:10] exxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx still likes to original Simon and Garfunkel
[13:10] Dxxxx Wxxxxx checks her covenant
[13:10] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: If anyone who has rented would like to become part of Independent State of Caledon, please say so and I will send an invitation.

Of course, she's asking in a group which is invite-only, about members who are not currently in the invite-only group, but...thanks for the offer?

[13:11] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: Please see Caledon's covenant in the region: "Caledon Oxbridge"
[13:11] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxx Exxxx: me, me, I would!!
[13:11] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: exactly [Dxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
[13:11] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: that's what Kitti says
[13:11] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [DME], you've been here longer than I have.
[13:11] exxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Well, this is the ISC group...
[13:11] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yes [Pxxxxxx]. but you have to be able to know who those peers are
[13:11] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: can't put anything past you, Mr. [Sxxxxxxx]
[13:12] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxx Exxxx: darn, I'm so old the trees are new
[13:12] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: :-)
[13:12] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: just as an outsider I see a couple of things that in my opnion could be better

I think the phrase you're searching for, Ms. B, is "more efficient". It would definitely be more efficient, and even easier, but would it be "better"? I'm not sure. I'm offering the suggestion only to a wider audience.

Also, if someone one is physically looking at is wearing the correct ISC group tag, it will say "Peer" if they are a member of the group. So it's less knowing who to ask as much as it is just finding a group member.

[13:12] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Mrs. [Bxxxxx], I sent an invitation, but it says you're already a Caledonian
[13:12] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: which means you are not an outsider.
[13:12] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxx Exxxx: ...as evidenced by this conversation
[13:12] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes. only took 3 weeks and many messages to Des

See above mentions of massive overwork. He tries, he tries hard, but he's only one estate owner with a lot of estatess.

[13:13] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Or you could come to Oxbridge and ask

Which is actually fairly well-advertised, in Oxbridge itself, in Victoria City, in the Guvnah's Mansion, and over countless Linden-owned and citizen-owned forums and discussion boards.

[13:13] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: We are there to answer questions and attempt to solve problems.
[13:13] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yes [Pxxxxxx]. My point is who do you ask?
[13:13] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Me.
[13:13] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well before today I never heard of you

And again, this isn't an unfair point. Who do you ask about land information in a place that doesn't operate by expected rules? She came in knowing only larger estates with land offices, or those places where one ports just to look a plot over and suddenly receives an IM out of the blue, or is descended upon by some rapacious sales agent who will willingly SHOW YOU EVERYTHING JUST RENT RIGHT NOW YES RIGHT NOW YES--

(Yes, this has happened when I've rented places, especially on mainland, or even just been looking. Or, 70% of the time, just ported to a place a store used to be that no longer exists.)

[13:14] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You haven't been to Oxbridge, then.
[13:14] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you have to be in the group to find people

She's not wrong.

[13:14] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I have yes. many times
[13:14] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: anyways just my opinion. There should be info when you rent as to who to contact. There is only Des and he does not answer
[13:15] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: Back to the reference to "Please see Caledon's covenant in the region: 'Caledon Oxbridge'"
[13:15] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: As I was saying, if you want to know something and don't know who to ask, come to Oxbridge.
[13:15] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: Where would one look in Caledon Oxbridge?
[13:15] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: In the Hall of Caledon
[13:15] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: exactly [Dxxxx]
[13:15] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: th Plaza, fo anyone with a staff group tag
[13:15] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: perhaps that could be more clear - maybe a URL would be helpful
[13:15] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: We have tutors, assistant deans and deans.
[13:16] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: all of whom can be helpful to visitors.
[13:16] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: we are pathologically helpful
[13:16] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well the times I have been at Oxbridge I have not seen anyone that is wearing a tag

This surprises me, unless she happened to go at such obscure, strange times that literally no dean or advisor was awake. Personally, I have never--quite literally meant--gone to Oxbridge without seeing at least one Oxbridge dean, advisor, or assistant tag. But then, my times are SLT, so...that may be why?

[13:16] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: yes, but someone not familiar may not know that... I do see Mrs. [Bxxxx]'s point.
[13:17] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I do not see a solution to anything coming out of this raising of ire, though.
[13:17] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: having rented in many other sims, you rent, get a group tag, get the land deeded, have contact names etc etc. I just think the system needs tweakign for newcomers
[13:17] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: not Oxbridge Tutor? Oxbridge Dean? COU Assistant Dean, Mrs [Bxxx]?
[13:17] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: nope [Txxxx]
[13:17] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok
[13:17] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: perhaps it is the times I was there
[13:17] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: yes, could be
[13:18] Emilly Orr: Now, wait. Des does answer. But understand, there's only one of him and several entire sims of us. He will answer when he has time, which is, some weeks, in very short supply.
[13:18] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Caledon is lovely.
[13:18] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I get that Emily. but when you try and rent and all contact goes unanswered then there needs to be a second person to contact. and that should be on the rental info

Is this a viable solution to the problem, though? Because, at the heart of it, while Des most definitely wants Caledon to survive, and thrive if it is able, he does not want another bout of heedless expansion that will destroy the nature of the place. Perhaps setting these limits is one way of making sure that those who are only interested in instant gratification move somewhere else.

[13:18] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Just trying to make suggestions so it is easier for newcomers
[13:19] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: anyways. Caledon is lovely. and love living here. Byeee
[13:19] Emilly Orr: Oh, I understand, and you are right, Caledon does do things in a very different way from...well, everyone I've ever dealt with.
[13:19] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: uhm
[13:19] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: In the past there has been more than one person to contact :3
[13:20] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it would help if all contacts were on rental info.
[13:20] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: whether or not they still are EMS....
[13:20] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: we are still waiting on land to be deeded
[13:21] Emilly Orr: To be fair, there's never been an official list of who is and isn't an EM. It's just sort of ...known.
[13:21] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I get that Emily. But as a newcomer there is no known

True, but maybe that's also part of the culture of Caledon. Some things are acquired directly--land, titles, group membership. Other things are more gathered by osmosis--the history, the running jokes, the forms of address, the ways in which information is exchanged, taught, debated, understood. Again, much of this is not instantaneous, and I don't think it should be.

[13:21] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Mr. [Sxxxxxx] used to be one..
[13:21] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I have no idea if he still is though.
[13:22] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: look do not get me wrong as we love it here at Caledon. Finally found the part of SL I have been looking for. I hate those beach sims etc
[13:22] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: He is an EM for part of Caledon.
[13:22] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Jxxxx] is Regent, he has the same access as Des... but he is not around right now
[13:22] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but I just think some newcomer friendly stuff would help
[13:22] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I agree [Txxxx]. Hes always been quick at getting back to me with land info though
[13:22] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: can we accept that we have not done as well as we could here, and that the Powers that Be in Caledon have heard, or will be told shortly?
[13:23] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: we do seem to be going over the same stuff again and again
[13:23] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx nods.
[13:23] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I never disagreed.
[13:24] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: And, Oxbridge is not Caledon itself. It is run independently and pays its own tier.
[13:24] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: was trying to point out people who may be able to assist Mrs. [Bxxxxx] quicker
[13:24] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: I can accept that the issue has been raised, [Txxxx]
[13:24] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ty
[13:24] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: [Mxxx] was a good suggestion.
[13:24] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: not trying to stir trouble. Just looking in from the outside
[13:24] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: perhaps a list of people at each info point?
[13:25] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Info point?

She's either talking rental offices again, or a central, controlled port-in point--which, to be fair, some sims have, and information on larger Caledon events have been posted there. She's saying perhaps another board with a list of current EMs to contact in case of questions or issues, and I suppose that could work, but again, it's taking up prim space on what is usually very small, usually round parcels of community land.

[13:25] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: on a a couple of the sims I have found what looks like an info office
[13:26] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: More a landing point, I believe.
[13:26] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: or cake sales point
[13:26] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: cake sale? nice
[13:27] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: we believe in freedom and cake, I think... some other stuff too
[13:28] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Mrs. [Bxxxxx], did you need a list or is everything all good?
[13:29] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: The older sims are hubbed -- landing points. Not all have them.

This is true.

[13:29] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: The is no list of EMs for each sim, because not all EMs want to be publicly known and a few are unlikely to even be in SL these days. Any effort in that direction is not encouraged.

This is also true. And it is their right to remain anonymous to the populace at large. Des honors that choice.

[13:29] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: we know how to contact [Jxxxx]. So that will be ok. All we need now is someone to deed land
[13:29] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ah.
[13:30] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Des, [Jxxxx] and [Mxxx], best bet is [Mxxx] right now
[13:30] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx nods.
[13:30] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Which would likely be [Jxxxx] when here (but not right now), [Mxxx Mxxxxxxx], or [Kxxxxxx Hxxxxxxx].
[13:30] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok thanks. making note of the names
[13:30] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: I just yell in ISC when I need assistance - there is almost always someone there to help.
[13:30] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Kxxxxxx] was the other one I was thinking of.
[13:31] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Perhaps instead of trying to ask to be added to the Caldeon group it could just have a joiner button?

No, because it's invite-only, and quite likely to remain so.

[13:31] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: [Jxxxx] is on travel and not likely to be in this week.
[13:31] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: that would be easier
[13:31] Jxxxxx Zxxx: Like the on on the wall behind me?

If there is a group join board for ISC at Oxbridge, that's news to me. I thought it was still invite-only.

[13:32] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: It also would make it harder to control. No joiner button is likely.
[13:32] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: that would be the Caledon Oxbridge University Group, but actually a good pace to ask

Ah, okay, makes more sense. The Caledon Oxbridge group is open-join.

[13:32] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: seems i have stirred debate
[13:32] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx giggles.
[13:32] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: or perhaps food for thought
[13:33] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Caledon has its own culture, and for that reason was set up to allow time for people to see if they are comfortable here before becoming members.
[13:33] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: as a lot of the 3000 members are also in ISC
[13:33] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Nothing better on a rainy and cool afternoon than a debate, Mrs. [Bxxxx] :)
[13:33] Dxxxx Wxxxxx: ... while sipping tea
[13:33] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx smiles... very rainy in Wales, but then it always is

There began a short diversion into global weather, which I chose to excise, as this is already going to be long enough on its own.

[13:36] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh and for the record I speak only for myself. My Sl partners opinions are his own. As are mine

More commentary on rain that I'm deleting for length.

[13:56] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Anyways thanks to you all. Have a lovely evening

Conversation returned to ISC "normal" at that point, which is to say, all over the place...but Ms. B does have several points, and good ones. It's not a way Caledon has ever behaved, and there have been reasonable and historic reasons why, but I do wonder if it would somehow benefit Caledon as a whole to behave--at least a little--like other sims on the grid.

On the heels of that, just a bit of random weirdness from another rental announcement:

[14:01] jxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i have a small announcement... more like a tease.... for some that may be interested... although im not giving out any details as of yet
[14:02] Jxxx Sxxxxxxxx: Then house is that an announcement or tease!
[14:02] Mxxxx Sxxxxxxx puts the flame thrower down, "Go on...."
[14:02] Jxxx Sxxxxxxxx: Something is coming!
[14:02] jxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Rentals are coming
[14:02] Fxxx Jxxxxx: 'I am Ironman!'
[14:02] Emilly Orr blinks. "Rentals?"
[14:02] Jxxx Sxxxxxxxx flails
[14:03] Emilly Orr: Rentals with tentacles!
[14:03] Mxxxx Sxxxxxxx: Oooo
[14:03] Jxxx Sxxxxxxxx: Tentarentals?
[14:03] Pxxxxxx Exxxx: wat
[14:03] Jxxx Sxxxxxxxx: Rentacles?
[14:03] Emilly Orr: Rentacles!
[14:03] Emilly Orr cackles

I just had to, yes. It amused me.

and the American girls in their American dreams

I don't even remember where I was, some little Halloween event end of October, but I saw this lass there and knew I had to snap a couple quick shots. And I do have one problem with her avatar...but it's not what you think.



Yeah, okay, the outfit's on the minimal side. And yeah, okay, she is definitely curvy. I don't have a problem with that--weirdly, she's reasonably proportional within the limits of a humanoid shape. Even her hands are approximately sized, and not tiny twee baby digits flailing weakly at the end of stick arms.

No, my problem is--her face. And not even her face, as a cohesive whole, but the fact that she rezzed in and immediately looked as if she'd ported atop garbage, or was sneeringly contemptuous over the whole affair. Looking serious is not a problem, and I am by no means insisting that everyone just needs to smile. Smiling doesn't work for all situations.

Despite all that, there is a difference between a face at rest, calm but not necessarily smiling, and...this. This is contempt. This is a sneer. This is a deeply judgemental and aggressive look on her face.

You can't see it because of the censored bar, but her eyes were narrowed, too. I waited before I snapped any shots, hoping it was just that animation or something, but--nope, just sneering contempt and narrowed eyes. That's just...awful.



And sure, I still think footless tights are pointless, I always will, but a lot of makers make them, and a lot of people wear them, so who am I at the end of the day? All I know is, she was totally carrying off the rest of that look, horns to heels (even with the fact that dat ass made her ankles look really spindly), until you got to her face, and that disturbing, sneering, contemptuous expression.

I just don't get it. I'd rather go back to the days of still faces and minimal expressive movements over the downturned expression, the wide pouty fish-lips in general, because really, that's just...unpleasant.

and it's hard with your head in the ground

Well, this was certainly odd.

[14:52] vxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Hello, let me degeh please. The skin is not enough?
[14:52] Emilly Orr: Pardon?
[14:53] Emilly Orr: Also, what means "degeh", please? I am not familiar.

I looked it up. Ms. D's profile is fairly barren, all I know is she's Russian. (Her SL bio:

Я вовсе не странная... Просто у вашего общества узкие рамки «нормальности»

Which seems to mean:

I'm not at all strange ... It's just that your society has a narrow framework of "normality"

at least according to Google Translate. Yeah.)

But "degeh" seems a baffling concept. In Farsi it means "What else?" But Google asked me if I was actually interested in searching "dige", which gets weirder. It's a town in China, that's all Google's hit so far. But it did ask me if I meant "dije", instead, which is Spanish for "said" or "I said", so...I'm just baffled. What did she mean?

[14:55] Emilly Orr: What exactly are you asking, [Dxxxx]?
[14:57] vxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: give me 100L$ on the skin pleasss
[14:57] Emilly Orr: What skin?
[14:58] Emilly Orr: Who *are* you? How did you get my name?

A few minutes later, I gave up:

[15:09] Emilly Orr: Okay, I guess enjoy the rest of your day. I have no idea what you want.

I really don't. If I had to hazard a guess, she was asking blindly for money to buy a skin? But here's the thing. I have zero groups in common with her, at least the ones she has openly listed. And, since I logged back in from the jaunt out today to vote (I voted, I highly recommend my US readers do the same, if you haven't already), I have been exactly five places beyond home:

• Copacabana Rio (to tap a single MM board and leave, which was a request from a freebie group I'm in);
• 7 Deadly s[K]ins (which is a skin store, but she didn't contact me until I was at the last stop);
• Carrie's Lingerie (who only carries skins for their costumes, currently only seen in the VIP skybox);
• the FaMESHed event (which okay, has skins, but again, she didn't contact me until I was at the last stop);
• and KOWLOON, to check out their gift festival. (Turns out it's a tote festival, as in, buncha totes for free or cheap. Sure.)

So...how did she get my name? What skin did she need that mysterious hundred Lindens to get? The grid may never know.

chilled to the marrow in them bones

Oh, boy, and I thought Diablo III was bad. We went from the dark moodiness of Diablo II:



and the deep, burnished red glare of the dungeons:



to Diablo III's emphasis on aqua being the color of everything supernatural:


(Above image courtesy of Gamespot.)

and candy-colored boss fights:


(Above screencap taken from IGN Live's coverage of the PS4 game launch, in 2014.)

That was insulting enough, but the news from Blizzcon was that Blizzard has decided phone Diablo is the wave of the future. Yeah. A mobile game. Do they not understand their audience at ALL?!??

As a dear friend said, "People are not fond of when you take beloved big well realized games and move them on over into crappy phone games." I wholly agree.

And you know, you just know going into this it's going to go chibi characters and microtransactions. Bet me. Oh, I don't even have to bet, I know this going in. It's going to be all mini-games to gain currency to buy specialty skins and lootboxes, and offers for Fortnite imitation arena battles. It's so depressing.

the winds they may be howling and my cares too much to hold

Strawberry Singh brings us news of the changes at Flickr. They're not good. Let's take them point by point.

I've been on Flickr for a stupidly long time. I have a lot of content there, though I'm nowhere near the 1,000 photos I'd need to have them start deleting them on me. I have also, until this month--to be specific, until yesterday--always had a free account. But it wouldn't have mattered had I bought in and gone Pro years ago, because the new price structure raises the Pro price for accounts from $25 US to $49.99 US (yearly). Now, could I afford that fifty per year, I'd get Flickr, on average, for a little over two dollars a month. My budget doesn't allow that, so I am resentfully now paying $5.99 a month, as I go, to give myself enough time to decide where to jump. If I am jumping elsewhere.

What does that $5.99 get me? Mostly peace of mind that I won't lose content until I figure out what to do. But also, Flickr is adding advertising to free accounts. Great. So going Pro will skip those for me, it's a trade-off.

Second, while Flickr's position on digital photography and artists seems to be, at least on the surface, supportive, Ms. Singh seems to indicate that other Flickr members have stated this is not the case. With this new change to both the pricing structure and the limitation on free accounts, this does seem to indicate that they have no problem holding content hostage--that risk of having account content deleted--for our money. This does seem particularly blatant, but without more information, I can't specifically address Flickr's desire (or lack thereof) to kick off digital photographers from their platform.

So what about her listed Flickr alternatives? Let's go over them one by one.

Instagram is not going to be a functional replacement for me, though that is primarily because I keep so little content on Instagram, deliberately. I'm not kidding--I have a grand total of seven posts. (That I have followers at all baffles me--my aesthetic, for what it's worth, on Instagram is essentially glitch art or tape damage. I refuse to upload anything that does not fit that very narrow scope.)

Tumblr is another 'replacement' listed that's just not going to work. I also have a Tumblr account (listed far down on the sidebar), and I cannot think of it as anything other than a photo/commentary reblog site. While I have posted original content (mostly poetry or political commentary), it won't work as a wide-scale replacement for Flickr. Tumblr's search features are woefully inadequate, their ability to set up individual albums is reduced to either hashtag management or setting up a new Tumblr account for each category, and the commentary on each post is essentially an embedded series of reblogs and likes that inevitably lead down the rabbit hole of other posts. And yes, as Ms. Singh points out, art theft is commonplace on Tumblr.

deviantArt has always been more of an art community than a photography community, and by that I mean sculpture, paintings, sketches, digital art, with some side ventures into sales accounts, fabric artistry, jewelry and adornments, and animation. I can't see it replacing Flickr any time soon. (I also have a deviantArt account, that does have some original work, but I don't think I'm going to challenge real artists any time soon.)

Koinup has always seemed not worth the effort to figure out--the layout is terrible, uploading to the site can be tricky and difficult, and while I did have an account in the past, I don't now. It's just not worth the trouble for me.

Ms. Singh also mentioned Ipernity, which I'd never even heard of, so I can't say whether it's good or bad. But considering I've never heard of it before this moment? I can't imagine it's a serious challenger.

Like Ipernity above, Ello is another image host I'd never heard of, so I have zero input on whether it's worth it or not.

Imgur does have the ability to compartmentalize into albums, and seems to have no image cap, but it's best to keep large-resolution originals on your own drive or upload service, because Imgur by its own admission scrunches images to save space. Also, as with Tumblr, art theft is beyond common there.

The last one she mentions I find particularly problematic as an image host: Pinterest. Originally started as a virtual design board, it does feature the ability to make many different sub-boards for separate projects, and these can include images or text that are uploaded to the site directly, or links that post offsite. But here's the problem: a couple years back, Pinterest went from open browsing to archaically closed. At this point, if I toss a Pinterest link to someone, and they do not have an account, what they will see when they click that account is maybe a second or two of the original image, then a screen-wide ad to join Pinterest. For that reason, it is unusable as an image host, and that is not likely to change.

For right now, Flickr holds its position by virtue of no one else quite able to do what it does existing currently. Maybe that will change. In the meantime, I add another fee to an already strained budget because I don't want to be bothered moving everything off and finding another image host that's less mercenary.

and it leaves its mark all stamped with lead in the lines and the grime inside your skin

This from a notice by Wordsmith Jarvinen to the Independent States of Caledon group:

Linden Lab blogged that SL has been under significantly larger than normal DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks since last Sunday. Basically networks of infected PCs attempting to overload the SL network with traffic. It's humorous that the blog says "unscheduled".

https://community.secondlife.com/blogs/entry/2438-unscheduled-ddos-on-10-28-2018/

I, too, found it humorous that the blog says "unscheduled". There are scheduled DDoS attacks?

But if you've been having problems since Sunday, October 28th, that is why. They're still ongoing.

In the meantime, this bit of utter lunacy from a gacha group, of all things:

[20:37] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: pls remove me from this group or else
[20:37] sxxxxx Yxxx: do it ya self
[20:37] Emilly Orr: You joined, you can leave any time.
[20:37] dxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You can leave it.
[20:37] Emilly Orr: It's not hard
[20:40] Emilly Orr: Wow, that's some profile, on top of the rampant hostility.

I'm not kidding--I pulled the profile, and the first thing on her SL bio?

Cute puffy nip lactating Futanari feline avatar here 4 kittyplay click my IM box sitting in a ray of sunlight filled with Swedish fish lollies, pillows and a new collar.

I...have no place in my brain for any of that, save for it throws me back to my City of Heroes days, where the common hang-out space was just bursting at the seams with catgirl vampire futa loli supers asking for sex. Just...wow.

[20:40] axxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: don't you know how to remove yourself from a group?

Apparently not. Oh, and from the first-life bio section of Ms. S's profile?

I lik sillycute-looking seductress chicks with cat ears, a tail, and maybe paws and a few patches of fur. Catgirls usually act rather cat-like and always succeed in being very very cute and sexy.
Cgirls walk the line between Furry and anime.

Right...Oh, and of the nine picks on her picks page? One is for a store. The other nine are all clones of one of those "earn Lindens now!" places.

[20:47] Jxx Sxxxxxx: or else what lol
[20:47] Jxxxxx Wxxxx: that's what I was waiting for too.
[20:49] sxxxxx Yxxx: maybe the else was i will turn into a clown and run around?
[20:49] Jxxxxx Wxxxx takes out a hit on [Sxxxxx]
[20:50] sxxxxx Yxxx: lmao they have to catch me first
[20:51] Emilly Orr: I notice she's still in the group.
[20:51] Fxxxxxxx Cxxxxxx: it's no fun to create drama, if you don't stick around to watch the fallout!
[20:52] sxxxxx Yxxx: exactly
[20:53] Emilly Orr: Yeah, but that's the thing. She has. Why doesn't she just leave?
[20:53] sxxxxx Yxxx: yeah
[20:53] Emilly Orr: Unless she doesn't want to, she just wants us to squabble amongst ourselves. Takes a low mind, but hey.

[20:54] sxxxxx Yxxx: [20:52] sxxxxx Yxxx: [20:37] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: pls remove me from this group or else we all want to know else what?
[20:53] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jus remove so u wont have to find out thank you kindly

[20:54] sxxxxx Yxxx: i asked lol
[20:55] Emilly Orr: Oh, that tempts me so much to talk to Little Miss Thing.
[20:55] Fxxxxx Axxxxxxxx: 20 minutes laer still talknig about that?
[20:55] Jxxxxx Wxxxx: I know I now wanna know why they did that [Wxxxx]!
[20:56] Fxxxxxxx Cxxxxxx: because clowns pink, [Jxxxxx]
[20:56] Jxxxxx Wxxxx: one of these days [Fxxx]....one of these days!

Some time later...

[21:02] Sxxxx Pxxxxx: ok i logged into something
[21:03] Emilly Orr: I want to say you did, but unfortunately, the 'cute catgirl' is unwilling to play. Or leave the group. So we're sort of stuck.
[21:03] Sxxxx Pxxxxx: huh

So, I finally wrote her.

[21:05] Emilly Orr: Okay, seriously. Pull open your group list. Select the Gimme Gacha group. Hit the Leave button. Done, and your furry little butt can go play elsewhere. This is so simple a three-year-old could do it.
[21:07] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: damn i try to keave i get errir or else i wouldnt be asking you im not stupid i know that
[21:07] Emilly Orr: Okay. Log out, log back in. If you still have the group, leave then. If you don't, then you're good. It's not on the group owner to kick you unless you become abusive in chat, in which case, I'm sure they'll be happy to kick you.
[21:07] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [f*ck] i wilk never join another group again because they wont let you leave
[21:08] Emilly Orr: They ALL will let you leave, it's voluntary, easy, and everyday.
[21:09] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Simple mind good bye

Gosh, guess I've been told. How will I ever live past this day?

Honestly, I'm not surprised with the current problems with logins, inventory, crashing, random restarts, and avatar persistence since the 28th that we're also having issues with leaving or joining groups. But she is being an upper-level idiot for not trying the basics first.

Scenes from a Chat: Totally Clueless edition

Oh, brother. This went stupid places.

[21:44] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: before i get kicked out can anyone prettyplease with cherries on top gift me 10ls :S
[21:45] Emilly Orr: Please be kidding.
[21:46] Rxxx Cxxxxxx: go away....far away
[21:47] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: thank youuuu

Oh, great, someone paid the leech.

[21:47] Emilly Orr: Because you don't sound like a bot, I'm not going to report you, but TRY not to do this again. That is a great way to GET blocked and reported.
[21:48] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: its okay
[21:48] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: i just needed 10ls n i have noone online
[21:48] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: just for a hunt gift thats all
[21:48] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: im very greatful
[21:48] bxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Get a JOB

I bet you are, and it''s "grateful". But I also agree with the above. Earn your own money, don't beg. Too many scammers are pulling that routine to trust anyone who asks for funds these days.

[21:49] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: i hope everyone enjoys thier night
[21:49] Emilly Orr: Listen to what I'm actually saying. My instant reaction is USUALLY to screenshot the chat, pull your name, and send the snapshot and a full report to the Lindens under abuse.
[21:49] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: maybe i can be a baby dj :p

I didn't catch this at the time, I thought she meant a young, inexperienced DJ. But this becomes relevant later.

[21:49] Emilly Orr: I didn't, because you didn't sound like a bot. But I could have. And others MAY have.
[21:50] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: um okay well im sorry if aking for 10ls bothered anyone
[21:50] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: i have said thank u n i havent asked for anymore
[21:50] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: sorry for whoever got offended
[21:51] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: im not one of those creepy people that go to group n group asking for lindens and they get n still want more

No, you're just a creepy little...yeah, that'll come in later on too. We move on.

[21:52] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: this was just onces in a life time
[21:52] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: well i think thats enough explaining
[21:52] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: i dont think a begger will explain themselves so much
[21:52] Emilly Orr: Yeah, as you're in full on defensive mode, and all I was trying to do was explain. Enjoy your night.
[21:53] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: nno defensive im sorry u feel that way u too

That would be "once in a lifetime". Also "beggar". So...I thought that was it, I'm walking away, I'm going back to my night...Twee li'l jerk IMs me.

[21:54] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: im sorry u felt that way i was also explaining myself
[21:54] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: didnt mean to be rude or anything
[21:54] Emilly Orr: I get that. I was trying to tell you there's dangers in asking blindly. That's all.
[21:54] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: ok i understand
[21:55] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: tysm for letting me kno
[21:56] Emilly Orr: Sure.

So I pulled her profile.

She's eight years on the grid. There is zero excuse for her not knowing these things. And she's in twenty-four (at least) kids' groups. Oh, did I mention? She's a child avatar.

So, okay, maybe she's not actually a disturbing freak--I will admit, I have a bad attitude about a lot of SL kids because more than a few of the ones I've dealt with personally are a) creepy and b) annoying beyond all reason, but if she's just one of the relatively few "normal" ones, then does she ever use her brain for more than hair storage?

I am so done with her. I didn't report her, but I may well block her twinkly butt for being just too stupid to breathe.

And we're still not done, fer gossake:

[21:55] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: people dont like people to come on sl and beg for lins
[21:56] Cxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: i dont like it either but i just needed 10ls n i was thankful for it if i had more then one person send me 10ls i would send it back
[21:56] bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so if you dont want people to say anything to you dont come on and beg for lins
[21:58] mxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: prob i see was asked once now we have a 11 minute conversation about it

As I see it, that's entirely the fault of little Miss M. If she hadn't started it, there wouldn't have been the conversation. There is no hunt on the grid that I know of that ended the night this all went down (three days ago from the time this posts, due to haunt coverage), so...she could have waited. The fact that we had to break down the possible consequences for her personal idiocy--and the fact that she still didn't get it--is galling and deeply frustrating.

change the voices in your head, make them like you instead

Next up is Urban Legends, for whom they tell us:

"A Spooky Nightime Sim set around a Wooded Lake Complete with Forest Trails, Abandoned Asylum, Cemetery, Haunted House, Corn Fields & a Bog. Find 'Nessie', UFO's, Bigfoot and more! Limited Time for Halloween Only! "

Huh. That sounds like a lot of things.

There's an additional note on the notecard, handed out on arrival:

**Be Sure to Have your Sound Effects Volume Turned Up and Distance Setting to at least 520**

Yeah, that's not going to happen. But hey, if your comp can handle it, maybe there's more in the skies overhead.



Ghost dog. Fun.



Well, now. Okay, let's not get too close to that.



Okay, so...I find this really interesting. I've seen this build in two other haunts before, but this one...they actually treated it like an abandoned mental asylum. So no wandering patients, no ghosts, just dust-bedecked cobwebs wreathing every opening. Graffiti on the walls. And occasional odd touches, like this chair in an otherwise nearly empty room, and a TV. On.



On the next floor, this oddly archaic set-up, also...on...but the rest of the place is mostly still, silent...unoccupied...But the shadows are active.



This place is big. I mean, it's sim-size. I'm not even covering a quarter of it. And it's less a haunt than a year-round photographic sim, with eerie touches for the season. This is in the upper floor of a doorless cabin by the lake, and I really raised the gamma to make out what was hanging from the rafters. But when I walked in...all I could see what the gleam of red eyes in the dark.

Very effective.



That is a big pumpkin.

All in all, this one's worth going to, especially if you want some unnerving photo ops. There's more--a motel and a parking garage, at least, a crashed plane in a swamp, a vast cornfield...maybe more still. Go explore. Go look. Go see.

Happy Halloween.

I'll be guided onward down the road, down the road

The perpetual question arises--have I been to The Moors before? And the honest answer is, I just don't know.

Their blurb is fairly typical:

"Haunted Moors, something wicked this way comes. Haunted House Oct. 25-31st Dance on 30th and 31st /*Windlight Sky: "[TOR] HORROR - Asian red" Water: "Glassy "RegionOverride*/"

Right. Okay. Let's go see.



Okay, I like the lighting.



And I like the pumpkins.



Sat down and died. It's been a long day.



The floating ghost chairs are neat.



And that skeleton is neat.



I...didn't hate this one. The sounds are good and creepy, there are lots of places for photographs, the Windlight settings are awesome...just avoid the spider in the attic and you'll be fine!

I walk to the borders on my own, fall in the water just like a stone

I've been meaning to get to this one for a while. Ironwood Hills is an RP sim, based around the concept of a mostly abandoned township where the spirits outnumber the living. It's very well done.

When I arrived, I was told this by the wee ghost holding the HUD:

"[16:14] Ghostly Greeter: Welcome to Ironwood Hills. During October we are offering free self-guided tours. Just wear the tablet and follow the instructions. It gets dark out there, so be sure to wear the flashlight, then enter the church to start your adventure. If you lose your tablet just ask me for another one. Enjoy!"

Thank you, I intend to do just that!



Pretty little church. The coffin lying on the altar is an odd touch.



I remember this place. I don't remember the floating cargo container, though...



Since when was the Asylum this close to town? There have been changes.

And then...I crashed. And today, when I tried to log in this morning, I spent an hour trying to access the grid at all. Worse, when I went to the sim to finish the game, I could barely move. Thankfully, even with frozen-treacle lag, the HUD is still responsive, but I never found the woman at the theatre, only Mr. Woods.

I left for a bit, went to return, and crashed. Three times in all, so that's when it hit me: I am not going to finish this haunt. Or achieve any of the goals. This makes me sad, but I still wanted to cover it, because there's still one more day for those with robust computers. The HUD is free.

where you won't see any rising sun

So this next one's in Serenity Lake, and their blurb is kind of hyperbolic:

"Halloween! Vampires, Witches, Zombies, ghosts, haunted house, Spider room Dance Club, Insane asylum,greedy game,Ouija, tarot,
vampire crypt,Ghost ship,bloodlines.
Beware & be welcome...Mature only!"

Yeah. The "bloodlines" bit worries me, because while the game's gotten a lot better, they're named "spampires" for a reason...but I've been protected for years, so I know I'm safe.

Let's go.



Burned pirate ship, check.



I don't think this is the haunt, I think it's just a dance club.



Okay, that's...new...And by 'new' I mean, really really old and we've stopped seeing them: a single-prim, full-bright, animated fireplace. Huh.



Right, because all vampires self-harm. Give me a break.



Apparently this is a 'diabolic pentagram' sex bed.



Haunted mirror. And...that's about it. Couple copyright infringements I didn't snap pics of, because I'm just tired of them. I think we're done here.

I'm also labeling this one with the Adult tag--it's on Moderate land, but if there's one sex bed, there are likely others. Therefore, best warned--you may go and run into people...running into people. So to speak.