lock it safe in an urnful of summer

Wanted to push to get at least ONE post out, and whilst doing that, decided to wander an event I hadn't finished yet, and whilst doing THAT, decided to say hello to a dear friend...

Three days ago, things were terrible. Two days ago, things were terrible. Yesterday, things were grindingly awful but for a couple bright spots--talking to you being one of them. And today my system is still reeling from the past three days of leading-up-to, and then actually-having, a crushing migraine, to the point that my entire system fought getting out of bed due to ow. I'm hoping it's going to get better from here?

...and then backspaced ALL of that to say

[15:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) says hello as she's wandering a random event.

I mean...I'm not outright lying,exactly, I'm just not...going into everything?



I know. I KNOW. But...it gets tiring answering The Question some days. I'm trying to be accurate while also not dragging everyone's mood down, y'know?

AKA, Em is Trying to Find the Balance. Or maybe balance in general.

"There's no right way to forgive a person who hurt you." Also known as Ladyknighthebrave's take on Mike Flanagan's A Haunting of Hill House. And it's a miniseries that has a lot to say, on a lot of topics, but Ladyknight's take on it, I think, is sound for the material. It's an hour of how we, as individual beings, process trauma, but also...how we, as families, process trauma.

And in the meantime, processing through new realities and new issues and trying to sort everything out. And still only a couple haunts for the year under my belt. Agh.

if teardrops could be bottled, there'd be swimming pools filled by models

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I have to say Dune. Hands down.

Can you solve the puzzle of Room 1408?

So, this one's a little tricky. First, there's a default port-in-point, so you need to go there, and then follow the beacon to the haunt. If that doesn't work, then when you port in, hang a left, and run along the tracks towards the back of the attraction. When you see the big white building? That's it.



The instructions are simple on how to get into the "ride". The thing is, it's a wholly unique concept, as far as I know. Insteada of the typical scripted chain rides, you click to get in, and you (and up to three friends) will immediately go into mouselook on a bed. And the room moves around the bed. It's fascinating.



There's a ton of movie homages here, but there's also a fair bit of originality, and both are paired rather brilliantly.



You have full view--if your mouse can go there, you can 'see' there. Up, down, sideways, behind you--and do look around, there are so many little details to catch. I've been through this four times now, and I see something new every time.



Marvelous use of just a single red balloon, too, to cause dread and unease.



Have sounds on, if you can, there are sound cues as to what should draw your attention at any given time. I don't know if it matters if you have your music on or not, but that may make some of the effects harder to hear.



And did I mention, there's also a story to this one? Because it's not just ooh-spooky-gotcha moments, there's an actual linking tale for this. It's not hugely complicated, but it doesn't need to be.

All in all, highly, highly recommended to check this one out before the spooky season ends. It's very well done.

and I'm more than willing to offer myself, who knows where that might lead

Just this little bit:

[07:33] Ithildin Telperion (mondi.beaumont): I promise - no, I swear ! - now I'm done with my "Fantasy Faire 2021" photos - at least for this year - Fantasy Faire 2021 is over, and all involved look back on the past 3 weeks with one laughing and one crying eye .

So much fun, work, diligence, stress, laughing, crying, remembering, fundraising, supporting, broadening horizons - and much more. All this is and was only possible because everyone pulled and is pulling together.

The Fantasy Faire is actually an old-fashioned, outdated ideal concept - because what counts here is togetherness and responsibility towards others, and not, as is so often the case nowadays, just putting oneself in the right light. So Fairelanders are perhaps a little naïve, a little old-fashioned - but that's exactly what makes us so strong. Taking the extra step when the other person is already limping... reaching out when someone can't reach anymore, listening carefully when others become quiet, giving a smile even when we might feel like crying.

[07:33] Ithildin Telperion (mondi.beaumont): Many thanks to each and every one of you for everything you have done and achieved. From the organizers, the sponsors and idea providers, to the designers, world builders, the tirelessly working team on all different levels, the chroniclers, the photographers, the idea providers, the hidden surprise chickens - to every single visitor.
From the organizers, the sponsors and idea providers, to the designers, world builders, the tirelessly working team on all different levels, the chroniclers, the photographers, the idea providers, the hidden surprise chickens - to every single visitor.

Thank you for your donations, your criticism, your loving words, your compliments, your time, your energy - your help, your feedback and your straightforwardness.

Stay healthy and take good care of yourselves! All my love from the bottom of my heart, *Mondi* https://www.flickr.com/photos/28469653@N05/

Here, here.

And...this:

[11:48] Fantasy Faire 2021 ~ Memorial Candle: The inscription reads: Miss you so much, Sumie.

I do. But the candle's in Steamopolis, now. That helps.

Next year, I'm buying one for Alastair.

In radically different (and likely NSFW) news--a beloved story of the invention of vibrators may be wrong. Totally not kidding--apparently Rachel Maines thought she was onto something, or at least thought she could get a book out of it, but her "research" into the origins of Victorian electrical stimulation devices utterly fails to hold up.

Maines says now that her book was intended merely to present a "hypothesis", and was never intended to be taken seriously, but--if one reads the book? She never once presents it as a working theory, she presents it as fact. Hmm.

On the other hand, now we do know there was a link between Victorian electrical stimulation devices and human sexuality--the catch is, the devices were marketed to men.

(That article also mentions another "myth", only one I'd never heard of--that Cleopatra "invented" the vibrator by filling a gourd with bees. Now, on the surface, this sounds patently ridiculous, but we live in an era where Gwyneth Paltrow suggested a beauty treatment that involves massive amounts of bee stings, and at least one woman has died from this recommendation, so...really, who knows?)

this magic is tragic (part II)

(Partially roleplay, still partially just baffling. Continued from part one.)

All right. We're all here. What's up?

[14:51] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): ok. so.
[14:51] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): watch this.
[14:51] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): watching?
[14:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yep.

And she walked to the far end of the deck, and fell through the floor. What?

[14:52] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): EVERY DECK.
[14:52] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): in that spot.
[14:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That has never happened before.....
[14:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): WTF
[14:52] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): is NOT SOLID
[14:52] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): i know!
[14:52] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): i don't know what happened.
[14:53] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): but it's been like that since the Gray Area returned.
[14:53] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): from wherever it was.

So I walked to where she'd been when she disappeared...and fell through the floor, all decks, out the bottom side, and hit the sea floor below. WHAT?

All right, there had to be a reason for this. I swam up, and then hovered, slowly rising, and...figured it out.

[14:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I see the issue!
[14:53] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): you do?
[14:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And...it's weird
[14:53] Captain Lackbeard (araseagas): Grey Area?
[14:53] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): so yeah. Rusty and Thomas,
[14:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That's this airship
[14:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): The Gray Area
[14:53] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): this is the ship the duke was on
[14:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Our other big fleet ship, the one with heavier armament, is the Grown-Up Conversation
[14:53] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): when he went missing
[14:54] Captain Lackbeard (araseagas): Oh yes, I'm following
[14:54] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): the grown up conversation is more a space ship, rather than an air ship like this one, right E
milly?
[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): True
[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It's future, not past
[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): So
[14:54] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): i think we need to get Rusty a pirate uniform.

I mean, don't get me wrong, he's dashing in the white suit, but he'd probably be quite dapper in a frock coat, too.

[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): here's what we're dealing with, and AMUSINGLY, only the Duke can fix it
[14:55] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): great.

[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): This we're on? This metal plating?
[14:55] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): yes.
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): it's a texture. Bet me the entire thing is phantom
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And that's fine, because we're technically 'walking' on the metal prims underneath
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): But that bit over there?
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): The prims underneath are gone
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): All the way down

[14:55] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): wow.
[14:55] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): HOW?

I HAVE NO IDEA.

[14:56] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): i'm wondering if this is a side effect of ... the accident.
[14:56] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I'd virtually guarantee it
[14:56] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): the whatever-happened.
[14:56] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): right. ok.

[14:56] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): well. we need to sort this out, then don't we.
[14:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That's tricky

[14:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That one section, all the floors are just...gone
14:59] RoseDrop Rust: and thus the ceilings and bulkhead
[14:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Right

So, add that to the list of things that need doing.

• Finish terraforming the sim.
• Open the portal to Carcosa, and get the Mystic and the castle set up there.
• Finish planting things in the garden.
• Finish fixing up the Ocean Club.
• Pull the space station over from Oceanpoint to Gearhaven.
• Track down the flickering of eldritch energy I've been picking up in the house.
• Finish making the decorating changes we'd planned in Steam.

Oh, and:

• Find the Duke.

Suuuuuure.

'cause things are getting creepy in this sleepy state of Oregon

So there's a poet and singer I've been following for a while, Rosedrop Rust. I've mentioned him before on the blog, at least once, if only in passing. He's good. More importantly, he's got a great stage presence and can really work a crowd.

But two nights ago...things were...different.

That's when he performed at City's Edge again. He's performed there before, he generally opens for a singer named Oceane, German lady, really intriguing singer. But he's on first, easy manner, playbook of standards, good on piano, guitar, and keyboards that I've heard to date.



There was someone in the audience running a light show...Rusty tells me her name is "Kalyca Goes Overboard". Seems to fit.



And I kept losing sight of Rusty.



Hells, I kept losing sight of the stage. I mean, seriously, here, there's a light show, and then there's PARTICLE OVERLOAD.



And the colors were pretty, don't get me wrong. Some of the shapes were odd, but some were okay, it was just...WAAAAAAY too many of them, yeah?



And maybe, next time, don't occlude your performer, and the host, onstage quite so often?



It was seriously difficult to figure out what to look at--performer, stage, dancers, lights...dizzying, and not always in good ways.



And maybe don't blind your audience, because...this was the dance floor!

All in all, great show, but...TURN DOWN THE LIGHTS, sheesh!

it's a fact of life, your final act is gonna need some work

WELL THIS WAS FUN--

[10:46] axxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: how was your day today?
[10:48] axxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh let me run to madpea to get my day gift for valentines before I forget
[10:48] axxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oops sorry wrong chat

Could've been worse.

[10:48] jxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx hugs [Axxx] "haha, you and me both!"
[10:51] Rxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: Good thing I never post in the wrong chat. (Did I say that without blushing?)
[10:52] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: At least it wasn't something 'really special' where you want the ground to swallow you up after :D

Yeah, been there, done that...far too many times.

[10:53] Rxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: oh I like thos better :)
[10:53] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *giggles*
[10:53] Rxxxxxxxx Rxxxx: so we all hold our breath if she would post more :)
[10:53] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: mmhmmm :D
[10:53] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: where's the popcorn? :D
[10:54] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: well puddles, I haven't seen even one heart...lol...my graphics may not be good enough!

During all this, there was a hunt on the sim. It's not relevant other than people occasionally mention it.

. [10:54] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: tho on the other end they turn redder than their hair. Well at least in my case anyway :D
[10:58] jxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: push your glasses up, get on some good shoes and scan around. You know [Ixx] is the Hide and Seek winner of champs by now! =-)
[11:11] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh please .. why can i not enter , i did no harm to any, if i spoke i asked

All well and good, right? Just chatter back and forth. But no, meet Ms. A, who's either extremely argumentative or extremely stupid by nature. I can't figure out which.

[11:11] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i can not enter
[11:12] bxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I would check your script count
[11:12] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i never go into any public chat .. but to ask

I mean...good for you? But really, you should just ask for help from a mod. It's why they're there, or at least, one of the reasons.

[11:12] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: they exist!! I found one!!
[11:12] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no i am a cat .. it am good on that
[11:12] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: gosh
[11:15] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ah lost a letter but well .. if you don't want me there i go to other skin shops .. but refund my member ship please, legally a ban would stilll do that hihi .. i do not get the ban .. i sometimes talks of a board not working but otherwise i never speak out anything lol

Err...no, there you're wrong--if a group charges a fee, you don't get it back, even if you're banned. Which it doesn't sound like you were, anyway?

[11:18] dxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: u should really check your scriptcount as [bxx] said, if you would be banned you would have gotten a notice about the reason

Ms. D's another mod. She would know.

[11:22] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no i am a cat.. i am like 40k .. it is that i mentioned the board was not working lol .. it did not .. it was just so you knew ... there where more that noticed but i only reported lol

And that can't be it, either, we say that a lot. "[X giveaway thing] is down again." High-traffic sim, it happens. We're then told they're working on it, or they will get to it, or they thank us because they hadn't yet heard, and everyone moves on.

[11:23] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the rendercost is not the scripts
[11:23] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok so how i check that lol
[11:24] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i can see appearance
[11:24] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i never had a problem before
[11:24] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and i did not change my cat

Yeah, but chicklet, you're still missing the point--you haven't BEEN banned.

[11:24] Txxxxxxxx Exxxx: (Axxxxx], check your IMs
[11:25] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol thank you

Okay! You're getting help! Awesome! (She types, knowing what's going to happen.)

[11:25] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i got the message that i got a 2 hour ban .. i don't know why

Here's my other problem with all this: I'm not going to say she's lying, but...I have never heard of this store, or this designer, handing out two hour bans. It's pretty much all or nothing--she works it out with you, or you're gone. No in-between.

[11:26] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but it seems to enter count when i am on
[11:26] Ixxxx Zxxx: we never ban people for a hour or so

And there's confirmation.

[11:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Probably running a high script ratio, then. Which likely comes down to expression control huds, head control hud, tail hud, whatever.
[11:27] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: gosh... if you go off with it .. bless you .. i just go find another skin store that is not this .. pathetic .. cause i still don't know why .. as i never do anythign i just look the boards .. is it cause i don't buy ? i did buy in past lol but sure won't now

"Pathetic". That's...what you're going with? Really?

[11:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Whoa.
[11:27] Axxxxxxxxx Txxxx shakes her head.
[11:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I get you're irked about the ban, but to go from 'why is this happening' to 'pathetic' is a leap, isn't it?
[11:27] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yeah whaoa indeed , i am banned for some hours for no reason

Missing the point, chicklet.

[11:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Just ask a mod.
[11:28] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: thanks
[11:28] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i did
[11:28] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol

So...why aren't you leaving it in their hands?

[11:28] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you was getting already lots of help, we mentioned things and [Lxxx] even wrote your personal.
[11:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yet, you still said 'pathetic', is the thing.
[11:28] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and yes

Was she confirming that she was getting help and still threw a fit in group chat??

[11:28] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so i should shut up about it here right ?

Ideally...if you're already working with a mod, keep doing that. Don't complain fruitlessly.

[11:28] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i still don't know why i am banned , i am a cat .. i do no harm to anyone
[11:28] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: would you maybe read your Ims, that was sended to you?

That would be nice, yes.

[11:29] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i read them [Dxxxxx]
[11:29] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: thank you
[11:29] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol

Really? Doesn't sound like it. Or do you mean, 'Why yes, I read them, but I didn't reply to them, because I'm an idiot'? Because that is also what it sounds like.

[11:29] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: banned is different that ejected

Usually, but I'm still wondering where that 'You've been banned for two hours' thing came from. This store doesn't do that. This maker doesn't do that. So where was she seeing that?

[11:29] Qxxx Bxxxxx: it won't get you anywhere so I'd shut up before you DO get banned.

And she really should have taken this advice...

[11:30] Ixxxx Zxxx: we did NOT ban you

And now you snagged the attention of the skin designer. Go you.

[11:30] Ixxxx Zxxx: we NEVER ban people for a hour or so
[11:30] Ixxxx Zxxx: we ban or dont ban
[11:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oooof. Please, [Axxxxx], for the love of all gods, breathe and read your IMs.
[11:31] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: i would think 'ban' would include being unable to chat in group?

Actually, you'd like to think that, but until that person relogs or closes the group chat window, they have access. It's a glitch that's never been fixed.

[11:31] Ixxxx Zxxx: so something must be going on thats not as it should be
[11:31] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i just asked and get banned .. woow what a business
[11:31] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: thanks all

Which is not what's going on, you absolute unseasoned chicken wing. Pause in the outrage for five seconds and turn your brain on.

[11:31] Ixxxx Zxxx: anyways... drop it in the chat and IM one of the staff plz
[11:31] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i hope you have a bliss about it then it has some course lol
[11:31] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): If it were a permanent ban--which is all I've heard [Ixxxx] do--likely, yes. And she's still in the group, so....
[11:31] Ixxxx Zxxx: lets find out what happend
[11:31] Cxxxxxx Cxxxx: over scripted?
[11:31] Txxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: they haven't banned you
[11:31] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Exactly.

In my defense--in everyones' defense--we were trying to help, we were just typing fast, so it hadn't registered the group owner had said to stop. Our bad.

[11:32] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: its nice nice to insult people that try to help in IM, just saying .-=)
[11:32] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Mmhmm.
[11:32] Oxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxx: she doesn't want help, she wants to be a troll
[11:33] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Don't make it worse, [Oxxxx], please.
[11:33] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: please .. i see she only asked
[11:33] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: what are you guys doing
[11:33] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: girls .. or whatever
[11:33] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: laughs
[11:33] Ixxxx Zxxx: and now she IS banned

And it was entirely her fault she GOT banned.

[11:33] Ixxxx Zxxx: lets change the toppic

And that really should've been it.

[11:34] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so has anyone having a good day?
[11:34] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: gads...still only one heart!! [Ixxxx] you are a good GOOD hider!!!
[11:34] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: woow .. i just saw a questions and you ban for that ?

Oh, good gods, don't YOU start!

[11:34] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: She did not just ask, you didnt readed my Im.-)
[11:34] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: not a shopt to be int lololol

Whatever shred of sympathy I had for you, chicklet, is now gone.

[11:34] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: an alt ..how boring.
[11:34] Ixxxx Zxxx: how is the hunt going sinners?
[11:34] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: she did ask and i am sure in the im she asked more
[11:34] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: do you treat customers that way ?

I don't...just make it stop.

[11:34] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: I've found one [Ixxxx]!!!
[11:34] Qxxx Bxxxxx: ...hunt?
[11:34] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well i for ONE love [the store]
[11:34] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: only one! lol
[11:34] Ixxxx Zxxx: yay!
[11:34] _Pxxx Lxxxxxxx: Hi all has the hunt started yet?
[11:35] Ixxxx Zxxx: i know its a hard hunt
[11:35] Nxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxx: Yay a new hunt!!!
[11:35] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: you hide too well!!!

She does. She's been in Twisted too long.

[11:35] Ixxxx Zxxx: but... worth it
[11:35] nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and i love looking at all the beautiful skins...great job!
[11:35] Ixxxx Zxxx: hehehe
[11:35] Axxxxxxxxxx Txxxx: well i love the one I found lol...but [Izara] you are makin my eyes bleeeed from lookin! lmao
[11:35] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: woow .. i am going to log too cause this does upset me ... this is not a shop it is a culture .. it is like you do as we want you to and you are fine kinda thing , right ?
[11:35] exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh gosh logg off ff time

Please kill this alt's access too.

After that, things settled down, but sheesh, people. Catch a clue. You have a problem, talk to the designer, the land owner, whatever. If you can't reach them, and you're still in their group, talk to a mod. If that fails, ask--RESPECTFULLY--in group chat. How is this hard?

I'm gonna chase it, I know, I know, I know

PRESS RELEASE 10 February 2021:

The Gearhaven Endowment for the Arts, Sciences, Magick and Metaverse Culture is pleased to Announce the first recipients of the Gearhaven Prize for Steampunk Preservation in Second Life.

Our two recipients for the first quarter of 2021 are:

Recipient: Michael Macbeth (michaelneff.macbeth)
Project: The Tesla Theatre in Caledon Victoria City

Mr. Macbeth's attempts to foster community and participation by encouraging avatars to share the same experience, together, is laudable on its own. But he's also trying to create a community of theatre owners, to schedule events together, pass show lists back and forth, and encourage each others' group members to attend community showings. Especially now, this is vital, and worthy of preservation.

Recipient: Fuzzball Ortega
Project: Steelhead Bay

I'm not sure I need to go into why Fuzzball's efforts to preserve Steelhead, that quirky mix of Western American steampunk, mad science, clockwork creations and magic, are worth supporting, but for anyone who doesn't know, Steelhead started out very long ago on the grid, owned by another avatar entirely, and over the years, it not only changed hands, but grew in size. There was an unfortunate accident of timing that prevented the sims from being paid up on tier, and one by one, they all went away.

This, not to put too fine a point on it, crushed some people.

But Fuzzball had a dream. And he made that dream a reality. And had we been around, we would have supported him that very first year, for the sheer enormity of the effort to bring it back. But we're here now, so we're doing it now.

Each recipient receives L$25,000 to use towards preservation and improvement of their projects.

A formal gala will be announced soon for the official presentations of the awards.

We applaud and congratulate our two winners and wish them all success for the future of their projects.

For information on future awards contact Justine.Johndory Amethyst by IM or Notecard or visit the Duchy of Gearhaven in Second Life.

smoke 'em if you got 'em, 'cause it's going down

Another day, another attempt to get to the tower at White Veil. All right, you rock bastards, let's go.



So, same thing, start at the beginning, agree to the experience if you've never been there before, and start out. "Simple"...



Found out what the squares do. So this is pre-their effect (on my second attempt running up the side of the course), but they attach with a variety of squeaking sounds, before bouncing you up in the air. I don't know if it's an always thing, but at least they didn't dump me back into center track. Always off the track entirely, crashing into trees or penguins.



Oh, what's this? A little bridge out to...a TV? Why?



A TV that's just showing a still image, even. Hmm. But that did remind me, I meant to watch the video the artists released of the exhibit. And there are a few clues in there for how best to access the track.



Finally made it to the tower! I felt accomplished! And I was almost immediately sent back to the beginning because...the winding ramp up has little discs SHOOTING PUSHING ORBS AT CLIMBERS??? Bryn, WHYYYYY?



Made it to the winding ramp again on the third try, and dodged the little shooting discs, and...RIGHT INTO A MAGNET I COULDN'T ESCAPE FROM ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

Which held me until the big rock was released down the ramp, and rolled right over my face. And I got sent BACK to the start for the third time.

I have a certain point I always reach with restart games, that started when the organizers behind the Twisted hunts decided it was more fun laughing at tortured souls than actually giving them a reasonable challenge. Three's about it, and I'm at my frustration limit. Which may be the point, I don't know, but I do know it's going to be at least another week before I try again.

I still don't know what's at the top of the tower.

take a chance, we can dance up in mid-air (part two)

More from the ice-skating event in Christmas Town!



Skating through Whoville brought us to the rather infamous National Lampoon movie--and while it and Christmas Story aren't my favorite holiday films by a long shot, I know a great many people are nostalgic for them. And while this is mostly artfully posed cutouts, and the shortest section of any of them, it demonstrates the film's highlights very well.



And then...Polar Express. And while I admit the CGI used in this film gets more and more Uncanny Valley every year, it's still such a heartwarming piece.



And then Frozen, because of COURSE Frozen, why wouldn't there be Frozen? And the Frozen set they really put some work into, it's...magical.

Now, this is where it got odd for me...Past Frozen, you skate past a big WAKE UP sign, and that part's okay, nothing wrong there, you fell asleep to start this, but...



...then you pass paparazzi?? And...cheering crowds?? The huh?



And then you're back on the lake.

Now, you can get off there, and be happy with the trip. Or, you can stay in pose, and you'll skate through the whole town in a huge curving loop, which makes the whole thing--from the front pad with the pose sets to the end of the ride after the town finale--about twenty or thirty minutes, all told. It's not a short piece.

But probably because of that, it is an experience, and one I heartily recommend. The rating is moderate, and there's nothing unsafe for even the littlest of littles or the most venerable of the aged to be offended at. It's just charming start to finish, and a great deal of fun.

Five out of five candy canes, do go if you get the chance!

take a chance, we can dance up in mid-air (part one)

So let me tell you about an ice-skating event in Christmas Town. Lady Justine tipped me to this--walk (carefully) across the frozen lake from the flagstones to the big glowing castle, and pick your choice of journey--single skating, or couples. They're equipped for both. Turn off your music, say yes to the HUD control (it's small, you won't even see it), and off you go.



See? Big glowing BRIGHT blue castle.

So, the conceit of this is that you've fallen asleep somewhere, and you're dreaming about various holiday movies. There's a great bit of moving-clock action as you go into the first film...



...which is of course "It's a Wonderful Life", and they did a great job with very muted colors and lots of shades of grey.



Next up: Christmas Story, and while the cut-outs of the characters are a bit pale and reflective, it gets the point across. Past the flagpole, we skate into the house, and out into...



...Charlie Brown! Which was all bright colors and Schultz drawings against shadow, VERY effective.



Charlie Brown leads us to the Grinch, and again, the cut-out's a bit reflective and static, but the Whohomes of Whoville are lovely little structures, and it's a fun moment.

Next up: the rest of the skating tour!

deathblow, look at you go, brought a T-62 to a Rodeo

The Duke found an interesting little take on the three approaches to virtual experience. From this, I've pretty much always been an immersive player, with touches of augmentative. He started out dissociative and is now immersive for the most part. That explains a lot of things about a lot of people, though.

Onward through the haunts. So, first strike against this one is, they misspelled "poltergeist" on the event name. Second strike, the blurb for the place is in all caps:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN , HAUNTED HOUSE SCARY HORROR MOVIES
STEP RIGHT IN .THE TV IS ON THE FRIZZ AGAIN LETTING OUT ALL KINDS OF GHASTLY GHOULS TO TERRORIZER YALLS NEIGHBORHOODS

Riiiight. Okay. Let's go see, I guess.



I'm not holding out much hope for this.



Step in to a lightning crash and a man's fever-pitch, constant screaming. That's annoying.



Oh, look. Orbs. Great.



Gremlins. Just...why.



Upstairs, the first bedroom had an inset gif in one window, the back wall covered with a picture of a room that made no sense at the angle it was at, and...I'm done here.

Zero out of five skulls.

What else sounds interesting....How about Karma's Haunted Manor and Saint Sadist Cathedral? It's on Adult land, so I'm assuming either Adult content or gore. Their blurb says:

"Welcome to the Haunted Manor And Saint Sadist Cathedral in the sky. Come stay the night.. if you dare.. Beware of Blood Thirsty Rape Zombies.."

Uh, you know what? No. Never mind.

Guess I'll find something else tomorrow.

now and then there's a light in the darkness

Let me give you another good reason to keep wearing masks. This is dire news. Be safe out there. In the meantime...



Welcome to Hell Castle.



The theatre seems to be the one place that isn't haunted on this parcel, but they have some nifty lobby posters.



And they have a chain ride! So here...we...GO!



There is some spider action, but only here, right past the entrance.



I ended up going through this ride twice, just because I loved this section so much. So, the rest of it moves like your standard chain ride--jerk forward, see set pieces, jerk forward again, new room...but in this passage, the coffin car spun 45 degrees diagonally so that people in mouselook could see each painting change. That's pretty nifty coding.



And I never felt movement up, but we're on the second floor. That's pretty neat too.



I have left out a couple rooms, because they weren't as fun as the rest? But there are some zombies, some floating heads, in other rooms, at least one very familiar split-head dog (it's from a video game, or a movie; I just can't place it right now), a tunnel of reaching hands, and the traditional spiral-of-doom passthrough...



This was also nice. A tunnel passage that managed to be eerie and atmsopheric without dripping gore or triggering repetitive screams on the soundtrack. Neatly done.

There's something like five or six other haunted houses on the parcel, I may go back and see what they are, but if nothing else, any other fan of chain rides in SL needs to check this out. Pretty good job all told. Four out of five skulls.