come join the murder, soar on my wings

So, first of all I believe this is a group gift from /Vae Victis\, which has a nominal fee (ten Lindens, I think) mostly to discourage those who join a group only to immediately abandon it. We've all known people like that. Or, ah, occasionally have been people like that...

ANYWAY, that's not what I intended to do yesterday. I was going to cover the new "Ahriman" Draped Horns that are out now for sale at We ❤ Roleplay (which is open now), or the "Ezekiel" Nighthunter's Hat at the current round of Chronicles and Legends.



Sadly, while considering a place to be, I put the horns on and immediately sank to the floor with the new cats. Right, it was not a good heavy-things-on-head day, even virtually. Got it.

Didn't solve the problem of what to cover that day, and today, I ended up wandering over to Drear Fen, my haunt. And something about the lighting made me want to try the new spectacles.



So yes, these are bridgeless in every sense of the word. For consistency's sake, you can imagine the inner nose mini-braces (I don't entirely know the proper word) to be connected via a piercing bar through the nose. Or you could just go with them for the style and forget consistency.



On to the first hitch, and it's something that cannot be corrected for by the maker, it's a wider SL hazard: the chain is clipping through my shoulder. There are so many poses in our personal AOs, in the furniture we sit on, in dance sets--it's literally impossible to reduce all clipping possibilities. About the only thing you could do is extend the neck with a deformer, like those sold for the Snokra snake avatars, but...I think it's just an occasional glitch, and the pretty more than makes up for it.



Did I mention it comes with three actual parts? A solid bridgeless set, a right-side monocle style lens, and a left-side monocle style lens. This is the left.



And the right. And of course there's a pink, it's tradition, or something, now. Amusingly, this particular shade is less "pink" and more "fever-dream cerise pried out of Lisa Frank's paintbox"...which made me laugh a bit.

(Though in tracking down if Frank even had a web presence these days...learned she does kitchen gadgets now! And crocs! Whyyyyy...)



The HUD's simpler, but still gives you lots of options, and as with the above, remember, you can tint the whole thing, just one side as a singlet, or if you really wanted to be flashy you could wear each monacle as a pair and tint them different from each other!



All in all, I really like these. They project a fine, focused line of sarcasm before I even say a word. I don't even have to tilt my head to look over them disapprovingly. How wonderful.

So, next up, likely the "Ezekiel" Nighthunter's hat, since Chronicles and Legends has them there. I'll give a more direct SLUrl when I cover the hat. But they're going for L$400.

Wait...did I say that? I think I already said that...Well, bother, you'll just have to read it twice. (Oh, but also coming up: an Arkivet and Vae Victis collaboration blade, the "Apophis", which is a lovely khopesh sword. And that's going to run L$450. So watch the blog for more!)

returning to Rivula

They say you can't go home again. Well, sometimes, that's because home has become an amusement park.



Things are...very bright, here.



Possibly the Environment I had going didn't exactly help with that.



It was very odd walking around, thinking...over here was the Enigma, over there was my treehouse...head-tilty, and not always in good ways.



They have a lot of rides you have to climb.



And then I decided to go. And...that was that.

Also, please come buy a cat. If you want one. It's that or start deleting them.

and I know, and I know, and I know just how this ends (part XV, and end)

(This turns out to be the last in the series.)

Feb 22, 2021, 7:17 PM

[given name], former master, distant love, inconstant ache.

In the last six years my life has changed a great deal. So...let's go into some of those. Not that you're reading these, but...something in me still says, write, on occasion. This is the last time i will.

I'm collared to a man named Matthias now. Of morbid amusement, since the rise of COVID, things have gone off the rails with him too. But before that, I was his, absolutely, with the exception of clients I took through Sakura. I'm still working at Sakura.

[I] is off and on these days. He voted for Trump, and...I can't get past that, especially with the insurrection Trump and others fomented against his own government, and members of his own party, this last January 6th. So..we don't talk a lot these days.

[F] and I barely talk, these days. What little we had, limping along, finally died, and I was the one to declare an end to things. I walked away; he still would like me to reconsider. It's made remaining friends difficult, for all that I still care. Maybe the fact I still care is part of what's difficult.

I met a man about a year after Matthias, named [E]. He has a lovely spitfire wife named [T]. They're marvelous, and marvelously sensual, and good friends, and we make the time we can to spend time together.

I met a blue-spotted cat named Hiro. Therein followed an extremely tangled thread of interrelations, confusions, mistakes and misunderstandings, and in the middle of everything (for reasons not concerning me), he stormed off the grid and left me alone for three years. I actually met him, and started falling for him, before I met Matthias. I accepted Matthias as a lover, and as my dominant, a year after *serious* conversation on what that collar would mean for both of us, but I, at least, know that--at least at first--I accepted at the end of that year of conversations because Hiro was gone.

Hiro recently came back, and proposed, and...I said yes. And it's been a tightrope walk ever since. But...if it is the most difficult balancing act of my life, it's also one of the most rewarding experiences, and I do not regret accepting his offer to partner in the least.

He met a lovely lady named Justine, and she is a bright shining supernova hiding a core of fractured insecurity. Sometimes the insecurity overwhelms. Sometimes she acts out just to get negative attention from either of us, and it drives me bats. But she's a joy, and so talented, and I watch people wander into her orbit and remain, fascinated. And I entirely get why--she has an orbital pull all her own. And I adore her.

I started following the work of a spoken-word poet and live performer named [R]. We're becoming close. I have spent a great deal of time trying to quit the whole falling-in-love-with-everyone game, because he'd be very easy to love, and recently...I decided that for good or ill, I was at least going to admit it. He's not running away so far.

And I suppose the final acquisition is a man named [M]. Older than I am, and presenting so in world, with white hair, and wrinkles, and...I love him more sweepingly than I thought I ever would. He is...caring, and funny, and wry, and warm, and a fantastic dancer, and willing to listen to anything I say without judgement, and willing to work around everyone else in my life. And he accepts everything in me--the scars, the successes, the fragility and the surety, and in world, the various avatars that go with them, from my 'human' face to the wee little Kemono demicat. I may keep some things close to the chest just to remain a discrete being, if nothing else, with everyone--but I know to my marrow that there is no face, no change, no mood, no pain, no rage he doesn't see and accept. That's a treasure beyond words.

He reminds me a lot of you, actually. You without the soul wounds.

I am...still wounded, myself. I may always be. I've done a lot of healing, and a lot of processing, and on the other end of things I look at a life that is an odd whirl of social engagements, otherloves, and terraforming--because, of course, Hiro is the Duke of Gearhaven, and the Lindens *finally* reopened the land store since he emerged onto the grid, so we *finally* have the sim of Gearhaven, and the Dark Sea next door, and we're building it up again. We'd been on one of Anshe Chung's rental sims, Oceanpoint, but...it's ruinously costish.

And yes, there is still some small, traitor part of me that wishes you'd return, but there's far more of me that just wishes you well, and living, and hopefully happy, and staying far far away, because...the breaking of faith was too extreme, my once-love. Too extreme by far. At this point, I'm glad you're alive, or at least were when I spoke to your machine that last time, but I'm happier never seeing you again.

But that's my life now. Mostly, I'm content. On more occasions than I expected, I'm even happy. I am loved and I love, and there are many threads in my tapestry that bind me close to the world, and to others, and I am many threads through the fabric of others' lives. I am no longer pinioned on the high mountain, even in thought. I'm still with the girls, not that I ever expected not to be. And COVID has caused great and terrifying fear, because...I had weakened lungs to begin with, and I am now very nearly agoraphobic about leaving the house. But I have a lovely set of masks to go out in, at the least. I have one with chibi cryptids on it, one with a pirate map, one with skulls and roses, and my favorite was one I got from Tormented Artifacts, and it says ADAPT OR DIE.

I'm trying. I am trying with every fiber in me, to adapt to new things, to accept change, and to adapt away from the person who needed to be at your feet. Regaining the ability to listen to Poets of the Fall helped, oddly. Discovering a singer who goes by LP helped also. (This may remain my favorite song of hers, at least the next few years, as it's already been the favorite song of 2020.) So this will be the last letter I send you, into the void of non-responsiveness.

It won't reach you, but I hope the thought does. I hope you know, somewhere in your embattled, mercurial soul, that someone occasionally thinks fondly of you. Because I still do, on occasion, in spite of everything. I am just no longer, and will never be again,

Yours~

J

And that...is that. That's it. I learned what I needed to. I had the talk with Matthias. We're in a better place, though the ground's still a bit rocky. And all roads no longer lead back to that missing master. Barring this excoriative excess, I doubt he even crosses my mind more than once every six weeks or so (when I'm not editing and posting things referring to him), so...it's starting to fade. Another decade, I may not even remember his name.

And that will be something of a bittersweet day, too, but on the other hand...all he had to do was talk to me. All he had to do. I've been here. I haven't moved since I sent him every point of contact I had. We still have the same house phone number that he'd been given.

So...while in the main, while the reason this all happened may have been me, probably was me...the lack of any and all contact? That's on him. And I am no longer taking responsibility for it. Not my fault, not my burden, not my Master, not my job.

I'm moving on, after far too long of standing in this one dark place, reaching out. And for once, you know...that's actually a hopeful thought.



(Though I still don't know what to do with this.



(I don't want to throw it away, because of what it once meant...and I don't want to keep it, because of what it once meant. The one thing I am sure of, is that it no longer watches over me.

(But that's okay. I have others watching over me now.)

call my name, I'm still here (part X)

"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure."
~~Peter Marshall

(Continued from part IX.)

Another.

Jul 17, 2012, 10:00 PM

[given name],

I'm really starting to feel like the girlfriend of the Fisher King here. Only I don't have a body to visit in the hospital. I just have an absence.

I don't want you to be dead. I don't want you to be gone. But I still have no idea how to find out.

There was a lack of open beds in the in-house physical therapy hospital. But one's coming free on the 27th, so the girl's going in then. Possibly just with [other love], possibly with me, because we're not sure if she's going up by VA medical transport, or via LIFT and transfers. If LIFT, then I'll need to be the active client to bring [her] back home.

I need you, but you're not here, and that doesn't look like it's going to change. I'll write you when I have more to say.

It may be a while.

Still love you. But starting to curse your name.

[Em]

Two days later.

Thu, Jul 19, 2012, 1:48 AM

[given name],

I still don't like not writing you. It feels like I'm being very selfish. But I literally have nothing beyond speculation at this point, on why you left.

So am I owned at this point? Am I Yours? Does it matter? Do you care at all?

I really hope you do. But I also hope for your return, and that's starting to feel like swallowing glass.

I love you. I have no idea what's going on. Tell me when you can, if you ever can.

[Em]

I'm really, really good at keeping hope alive for lost causes. It's a flaw.

One more to come, on this run, at least.

I know love is the loneliest place when you fall alone (part VII)

"To stray from built order is to confront the man with a gun."
~~Adam Gopnik

(Continued from part VI.)

The first of several short ones.

Jul 6, 2012, 4:52 AM

[given name],

I don't like not writing you. But today was the first fairly calm day I've had in over a month, and it's the first night I feel as if I'll be able to leave the keys, and go to sleep. I don't entirely know why I got so wrapped up in you, but I'm pulling away as much as I can stand, and trying to focus on making my life work again, over why your life separated from mine.

When I have to, I'll take other days off; in the meantime, trying to obey You in looser fashion, and see how it goes.

I'll be here when you get back, if you ever do, and I do love you.

[Em]

This was followed by

Jul 7, 2012, 12:45 AM

Master,

For most of the evening, I've been resting and fairly immobile; I'm keeping dinner down but I have a severe migraine, so I didn't even return to the keys until nearly midnight. I am currently buffered by more painkiller than I want, and carefully breathing until four, where--if I'm still having pain--I'll take my nightly meds, which include ibuprofen, and be off to bed.

I'm still worried about you. I still love you. I'm still here. What I don't know is where you are, but I'm starting to let go of needing to know. You'll tell me, or you won't, and life goes on either way. And though I'm not entirely sure what it means at this point, I still consider myself~

Yours.

[Em]

A slightly longer missive to finish this entry.

Sat, Jul 7, 2012, 9:49 PM

[given name],

Today did not go well. It was punishingly hot, and I didn't respond as quickly as I should have, or there were still lingering traces of last night's migraine. Either way, I quickly grew dizzy and disoriented, and by the time I really thought it through, I was only able to stagger to the reclining chair, where I stayed, half-conscious, until the girls arrived home from shopping. They've been feeding me cold water and sips of juice, and I'm starting to pull out of it. But it was kind of scary. I'm still not all the way back to stable, and my head feels like a drum skin that's been stretched too far.

Because I don't have an effective lead-in to this today, I'll just say it: I've been talking with some friends about our situation, and this was my last reply to one of them:

"Admittedly, that's one of the things I'm afraid of. Survived everything to this point; went into therapy for two years to deal with some of my issues, and get a handle on the others; and finally, the life seemed to be solid, improving...stable.

"Then...this. And it threw me so intensely, I was actually terrified by the depth of my reaction. Thankfully, I have tools now from my therapist and I got a handle on things within two or three weeks from the collapse, but I'm still not back to stable yet.

"It's interesting, too. Half of me is afraid I'll never hear from him again, which would be a great tragedy in my life. But the other half? The other half is fearful he'll slip back by as if nothing happened over these last four months. Four months (or longer) that I spent in severe emotional disarray, begging him to contact me somehow. Four months where it was proven by silence that it doesn't matter if I'm crying over his loss, begging him to talk to me again, or ignoring him completely--I'm not important enough to him to even send out a single line to reassure me.

"That's like razors on raw flesh. And the longer I'm left with only silence as answer means I'm going to assume things that could be wrong, I'm going to make mistakes in what I think and feel, but...I don't see another choice.

"And at this point, if I do give up, then I'm doing it on my terms, too. Until I hear from him, he's effectively made the choice to be out of my life. There's a lot of pain behind that knowledge, but it's where we are. I don't have to like it, but I do have to accept it if I'm going to go anywhere worth going."

This is what I know at this point: I'm not saying goodbye. I don't feel like I'm Yours, most of the time now; or put another way, I don't feel as if I'm protected and loved (at least, by You; I know the girls love me, and they are supporting me all that they can), but I'm not saying goodbye.

This is stubborn; I recognize that. And it will hurt me if you do intend on staying away longer, or even forever. I don't deny that. On the other hand, I've already been hurt by the past four months so, in a sense, I'm already there. I accept this pain.

But if you're too cowardly even to send me a simple text message, just one simple line saying you're *alive*...then you really don't have any room to complain. I'm still here--I haven't left--but today I stop obsessing, I stop fretting over things I can't change.

When I feel it's important, I'll write. I'll try to work on my writing and figure out if there's any ending for either story, or start a new one. And while I have no interest in dating, roleplay, or online relationships in general--I''m stepping away from those rules, too.

And if you disagree, you're welcome to talk to me. Ball's in your court.

[Em]

You know the refrain by now. No further word.

More to come.

for all of us who've seen the light, salute the dead and lead the fight (part V)

(Continued from part IV.)


(Two posters from Crimson Skies.)

[15:07] Ceejay Writer: Very well done - you touched on many movies/books/etc I hadn't heard of and will check into
[15:07] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): thanks
[15:08] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): ❤ Thank Youuuu!! ❤
[15:08] Ceejay Writer: Though I think I will buy you a slide projector for your birthday. ;)
[15:08] Edward Pearse: The Mammoth one is short stories. Some hit and miss as you expect
[15:08] Nyx Malaspina: when is the next shindiggie at the club?
[15:08] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Your Grace, you did brilliantly for short notice.

He really did. He was stellar.


(Cover art for Iron Harvest, plus a still from the game.)

[15:08] Ceejay Writer: Short story collections is a good way to explore various authors
[15:08] OldeSoul Eldemar (oldesoul): wonderful
[15:08] Edward Pearse: Seraph Club will be Feb for me
[15:08] Jimmy Branagh: Great job.
[15:09] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You did. Thank you so much.
[15:09] Nyx Malaspina: XD
[15:09] Edward Pearse: I'm still trying to get the new Mixxx software to work
[15:09] Cassie Eldemar (cashew.writer): thank you Baron and thank you everyone
[15:09] Cassie Eldemar (cashew.writer): ✿ faerie hugs ✿
[15:09] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Well, good evening to you all, friends and strangers.
[15:09] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Anyone wishing to support the Salon itself, you can pay the airship overhead.
[15:09] Jimmy Branagh: Noight sir, and awl

(I believe another still from Iron Harvest.)

[15:09] OldeSoul Eldemar (oldesoul): Thank you Your Grace, thanks for hosting Herr Baron-everyone take care !
[15:09] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Gute Nacht, those leaving.
[15:10] Edward Pearse: Glad you enjoyed it
[15:10] Polly (polly.ellsmere): thankees Duke - that was very interesting
[15:10] Polly (polly.ellsmere): goodbye Herr Baron and all
[15:10] Jimmy Branagh waves and poofs
[15:10] Nyx Malaspina: now considers buying this helmet....
[15:10] Tamlorn Carterhaugh Wood (tamlorn): Take care everyone. stay safe this week
[15:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Indeed. And I'm glad I took notes, definitely looking into the books
[15:11] Wildstar Beaumont: fascinating discussion ... and made me nostalgic for seraph city
[15:11] Sophie Cloud stands and waves, "Thank you for a wonderful presentation. It's great to see a big crowd."
[15:11] Edward Pearse: Oh yes my outfit is from Set to Stun. Check them out on Marketplace
[15:11] Wildstar Beaumont: good night everyone
[15:11] Tamlorn Carterhaugh Wood (tamlorn): Goodbye
[15:11] Liz Wilner: Good night all...thank you, Baron and Edward!
[15:11] Nyx Malaspina: Great job as always. :)

And there, Constant Reader, our Editrix stops. Thus ended the talk. It was everything an Aether Salon should be.

for all of us who've seen the light, salute the dead and lead the fight (part IV)

(Continued from part III.)


(I can't recall if this was from a film, or a still from an actual military experiment.)

[14:57] Vernden Jervil: There is also a board game set in the same world as Iron Harvest called Scythe.
[14:57] Edward Pearse: It makes me think of a steampunk setting where the technology has advanced forward to the point of the first world war.
[14:57] Sasha Prismara Featherlight (sashaveiloftears): The golden compass, always think of that with that theme
[14:57] Edward Pearse: Golden Compass and His Dark Materials is the same thing
[14:57] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): yes
[14:58] Polly (polly.ellsmere): movie aesthetic a bit different to TV series though
[14:58] Edward Pearse: Generally gets lumped in with steampunk, though I'm not sure it's either

(Prototype art of a plane that was actually designed some decades later, and a dieselpunk/deco luxury car.)

[14:58] Ceejay Writer: Wasn't the original City Hall here in Babbage based on the tall building in Golden Compass?
[14:58] Jimmy Branagh: Yes
[14:59] Edward Pearse: That was the third City Hall, but yes
[14:59] Jimmy Branagh: That was the second Town Hall, built by Loki Eliot
[14:59] Ceejay Writer: Ah. See, I shoulda got to town earlier!
[14:59] Jimmy Branagh: Yes, 3rd.
[14:59] Edward Pearse: Wolfenstein
[14:59] Ceejay Writer: Also Not A Founder, Jimmy.
[14:59] Edward Pearse: Wolfenstein is so old that when the first game was released it was on the Apple II
[14:59] Jimmy Branagh: Eh?
[15:00] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander) frowns and resets the Tipbot.
[15:00] Edward Pearse: The first Castle Wolfenstein was essentially sneak in and steal the plans and kill Nazis.
[15:00] Edward Pearse: Not a huge amount of dieselpunk there.

No, not the first version.

[15:00] Edward Pearse: But as the series progressed,
[15:00] Edward Pearse: I think there have been 13 or so games now
[15:00] Edward Pearse: it introduced the SS Paranormal Division, the Spear of Destiny, Adolf Hitler in power armour, and a variety of other weirdness.
[15:01] Edward Pearse: Bioshock is a personal favourite
[15:01] Edward Pearse: If you haven't played it, essentially you are the lone survivor of a plane crash who is lucky enough to wash up near a giant light house in the middle of the Atlantic somewhere.
[15:02] Edward Pearse: The light house is the top of a huge undersea city called Rapture.
[15:02] Edward Pearse: Sadly, free market capitalism went wild and one of the citizens used his influence to stage a coup over the Rapture's population has rioted and you're stuck in the underwater city with a bunch of crazies.
[15:02] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): wow
[15:02] Ceejay Writer: So it's Myst with Rabies?
[15:02] Edward Pearse: Rapture is a gorgeous vision of art deco
[15:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And weaponized courtesy
[15:03] Edward Pearse: I would pay real money for a mod that lets me skip the whole game and just wander the city.
[15:03] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): atlantus reborn?
[15:03] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): That would also suit me, Edward
[15:03] Edward Pearse: As for literature
[15:03] Edward Pearse: I personally loved K.M. Weiland's Storming.
[15:03] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): Arlantis
[15:03] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): This has been fun, loves, but I think I must be moving on. Was a pleasure to see you all.
[15:04] Edward Pearse: The characters were a bit cliched but the story was great fun!
[15:04] Bixyl Shuftan: I need to head out
[15:04] Bixyl Shuftan tips his hat
[15:04] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): Buh-bye!
[15:04] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Gute Nacht, those leaving.

(Captain America, Agent Carter, and dieselpunk anime.)

[15:04] Edward Pearse: Some other recommendations
[15:04] Jimmy Branagh: Noight Miss!
[15:04] Edward Pearse: A Fistful of Nothing by Dan Glaser – 2014
[15:04] Edward Pearse: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – 2009
[15:04] Nyx Malaspina: XD
[15:04] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): i am artfull hammerer's Niece
[15:04] Edward Pearse: The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk edited by Sean Wallace - 2015
[15:04] Ceejay Writer: Take care those leaving peoples!
[15:05] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Bitte, if you wish to appreciate our speaker before you leave, pay the small machine at the front of the stage.
[15:05] Edward Pearse: And I'll throw in Fatherland by Robert Harris – 1992
[15:05] Edward Pearse: And a final shoutout to one of my favourite radio characters of all time [15:05] Edward Pearse: The Red Panda
[15:05] Ceejay Writer: And the Flying Squirrel!!!!!!!
[15:05] Edward Pearse: Inspired by old radio shows like The Shadow and Green Hornet, the story starts in 1930s Toronto and ran for 13 glorious years
[15:05] Edward Pearse: https://decoderringtheatre.com/shows/red-panda-adventures/
[15:06] Edward Pearse: Decoder Ring Theatre also created Black Jack Justice
[15:06] Vernden Jervil: And is still going on a lesser level.
[15:06] Ceejay Writer: It's really good - I've played each ep multiple times.

(Sucker Punch.)

[15:06] Edward Pearse: Noir Detective
[15:06] Ceejay Writer: Look for Black Jack Justice there, too.
[15:06] Edward Pearse: So that mostly covers it I think
[15:06] Edward Pearse: Any questions?
[15:07] Jimmy Branagh applauds
[15:07] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): yay
[15:07] Liz Wilner: ♪♫♥ Applauds!!! ♥♫♪
[15:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) applauds
[15:07] Ceejay Writer whistles and stomps her feet
[15:07] Darlingmonster Ember applauds
[15:07] Cassie Eldemar (cashew.writer): .•*♥*•. applauds .•*♥*•.
[15:07] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander) applauds

(A full shot of the stage, which is apparently split in half between two parcels, and the job of work Edward had to do to fit all the pictures onto each parcel without maxing out that parcel's prims.)

[15:07] Vernden Jervil: cheers
[15:07] Liz Wilner: well done, Edward!
[15:07] Polly (polly.ellsmere): ♩♪♫♬ APPAWS! ♩♪♫♬
[15:07] Sophie Cloud applauds
[15:07] Jimmy Branagh: Good Salon. And you filled the entire hour!
[15:07] Izabelle1 (izabelle66): Thank you! :)
[15:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And did not crash the sim!
[15:07] Sophie Cloud: Excellent!
[15:07] Cassie Eldemar (cashew.writer): thank you Edward, I learned a lot
[15:07] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Thanks for the links!

(Continued in part V.)

for all of us who've seen the light, salute the dead and lead the fight (part III)

(Continued from part II.)


(Two stills from The Rocketeer.)

[14:36] Edward Pearse: Cinema has given us a few offerings that have tried to capture the dieselpunk feel.
[14:37] Edward Pearse: As Jimmy mentioned Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is probably the best example.
[14:37] Jimmy Branagh: The film wasn;t too good but it looked great.
can double as submarines, giant flying airbases, mad science, the Hindenburg III, and a whole bunch of other things.
[14:38] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): The Rocketeer comic moreso than the film, but i do count the Rocketeer...err, as you can tell.
[14:38] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): There's definitely a strong dieselpunk feel in the Russian Guardians movie, but it is more far-fetched
[14:38] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance) wonders if "Gravity's Rainbow" would qualify as dieselpunk... more fantasy than scifi really...

(Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow movie poster on the left, Iron Sky movie poster on the left.)

[14:38] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I also tend to toss Dark City in
[14:38] Edward Pearse: The Rocketeer is heavily pulp but again I think captures the dieselpunk feel.
[14:38] Darlingmonster Ember: yes!
[14:38] Edward Pearse: Hey who's giving this presentation? :-)
[14:39] Edward Pearse: Flyboy Cliff Secord stumbles across a jetpack made by Howard Hughes and has to deal with US government agents, Nazis and spies while trying to save his girlfriend.
[14:39] Vernden Jervil: We are trying to help you make the entire hour!
[14:39] Nyx Malaspina: that brings us back to aesthetics....what about books....I don't read that genre but surely there must be authors who write this genre.
[14:39] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) ducks her head
[14:39] Edward Pearse: We'll get there
[14:39] Edward Pearse: The movie is an adaptation of a comic book character created by Dave Stevens that first appeared in 1982, the year after Raiders of the Lost Ark.
[14:39] Edward Pearse: In the comics Cliff's girlfriend Betty is heavily inspired by pinup queen Bettie Page and is a lot less PG than the movie was.
[14:40] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24) grins.
[14:40] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24) lifts her leg just high enough, then folds it over the other.

(The Dark City movie poster, and a still from the film.)

[14:40] Edward Pearse: The movie Dark City presents a different take.
[14:41] Edward Pearse: Less pulp adventure it and more suspense thriller (I hesitate to call it a horror) it concerns an amnesiac man who struggles with the reality he is presented with.
[14:41] Edward Pearse: The setting is again very 1940s in its appearance, and is entirely set at night.
[14:41] Edward Pearse: I recommend all three
[14:41] Nyx Malaspina: (forgot about that film...really enjoyed it!)
[14:41] Ceejay Writer: 2013 Movie: Snowpiercer.
[14:42] Edward Pearse: Iron Sky I would argue at least starts out as a dieselpunk movie.
[14:42] Edward Pearse: There's not much more dieselpunk than space Nazis on the moon.
[14:42] Ceejay Writer: Fully agree.
[14:42] Edward Pearse: 1940s flying saucers and moon bases.
[14:42] Jimmy Branagh chuckles

Space Nazis seem to be a trope, yes.

[14:42] Edward Pearse: There's also a sequel which I haven't seen yet but it digs out all the pulp tropes it can get its hands on
[14:43] Edward Pearse: Following a nuclear holocaust on earth, survivors living in an abandoned Nazi base on the far side of the Moon board a barely-functioning spacecraft, and travel to the nucleus of the hollow Earth in an attempt to recover the Holy Grail from a group of reptilian shape-shifters who are led by Tyrannosaurus-riding Adolf Hitler.
[14:43] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Red fire!
[14:43] Edward Pearse: No I am not making this up.
[14:43] Darlingmonster Ember: ga wuh?
[14:43] Edward Pearse: By a similar extent the opening of Hellboy also uses the dieselpunk aesthetic.
[14:43] Polly (polly.ellsmere): think I've had dreams like that
[14:44] Edward Pearse: I've already mentioned Nazis, so Nazi's with an immortal Rasputin and a clockwork undead
[14:44] Edward Pearse: SS officer pretty much nail it on the head.
[14:44] Sabine Artemis (sabineartemis): Iron Sky.
[14:44] Nyx Malaspina: XD
[14:44] Darlingmonster Ember: yep
[14:45] Edward Pearse: The first of Marvel's Captain America movies is very dieselpunk, although again, it heavy on the pulp storyline.
[14:46] Edward Pearse: Giant 6 wheeled cars, the Super Valkyrie plane, and even the little one man submarine at the start are all examples of future tech but done in a 1940s style.
[14:46] Edward Pearse: Interestingly director Joe Johnson's work on the Rocketeer landed him the recommendation to direct Captain America: The First Avenger.
[14:46] Edward Pearse: So there may be stylistic similarities beyond the setting.
[14:46] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): Ahhh, love that one, too
[14:47] Ceejay Writer: *giddy* So. Many. Pictures.

I know, it was hard to get them all in frame at times!

[14:47] Edward Pearse: Sucker Punch, for all its issues as a movie again has some excellent dieselpunk imagery
[14:47] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander) grins
[14:48] Prof (professor.woodsheart): I always though April and the Extraordinary World crosses genres, from SP to DP – steam power taken the extreme and ending with rocket ships
[14:48] Nyx Malaspina: waits for Tank Girl to be mentioned...yes yes I know...
[14:48] Edward Pearse: I didn't include pictures but I also like me some Alec Baldwin The Shadow
[14:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): (This is gonna be heck to blog.)
[14:49] Edward Pearse: Huh. Actually Tank Girl completely slipped my mind
[14:49] Edward Pearse: But yes, Tank Girl
[14:49] Poison (marylucretia): green hornet
[14:49] Edward Pearse: Comics over the movie
[14:49] Edward Pearse: Though the movie has its charm
[14:49] Edward Pearse: TV tends to be a bit less forthcoming with the genre
[14:49] Ceejay Writer: No worries. I'll have it blogged by days end tomorrow!
[14:50] Ceejay Writer: I'm used to the madness.
[14:50] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander) looks appreciative
[14:50] Ceejay Writer looks slightly deranged

(Two different posters for Iron Sky.)

[14:50] Liz Wilner: would the series His Dark Materials qualify?
[14:50] Edward Pearse: Marvel's Agent Carter definitely has a dieselpunk flair
[14:50] Edward Pearse: I suppose that's to be expected following on from the Captain America movie.
[14:51] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Surely Dark Materials is a bit too much of an alternate time line
[14:51] Edward Pearse: The series features Peggy Carter working with the SSR.
[14:51] Edward Pearse: There's stolen high tech weapons, made by Howard Stark
[14:51] Edward Pearse: There's comic book villains and weird science and a whole bunch of things.
[14:51] Vernden Jervil: I don't think it is too alternate...and don't call me Shirley.
[14:51] Darlingmonster Ember: yum
[14:51] Edward Pearse: Plus it's set in the late 1940s so there's that look with all the tech.
[14:51] Edward Pearse: The anime Last Exile has some excellent dieselpunk vehicles.
[14:52] Tamlorn Carterhaugh Wood (tamlorn): What is interesting is my father was an engineer on cargo ships doing the Pacific Rim trade. He started on diesel powered ships, moved to steam which was more efficient, and then to atomic power. So the genres almost seem to be reversed.

That would be fascinating.

[14:52] Edward Pearse: The van ships are planes that fly by a form of antigravity (I don't remember it being properly explained)
[14:52] Edward Pearse: I've seen Tales From the Gold Monkey suggested as a contender.
[14:52] Ceejay Writer: Roger, got your vector, Vernden
[14:52] Edward Pearse: This 80s TV show rode the wave of Indiana Jones with a 1930s smuggler group based around the Pacific Islands.
[14:52] Edward Pearse: I remember the series. I'm unsure, but I supposed if we can take Indiana Jones as an influence then sure, why not.
[14:53] Prof (professor.woodsheart): City of Ember?
[14:53] Ceejay Writer: I'd like to see that series again and see how I feel about it.

(Prototype art for a dieselpunk plane.)

[14:53] Edward Pearse: Computer games have brought their own contribution to dieselpunk
[14:53] Sasha Prismara Featherlight (sashaveiloftears): I just started watching the Walking dead: world beyond, good start to the apocalypse. Seems more of a political agenda going on finally in the storyline
[14:53] Edward Pearse: Let me just shuffle some space here for a sec
[14:54] Sasha Prismara Featherlight (sashaveiloftears): It may not be steam punk, but it's punk so far I think
[14:54] Ceejay Writer watches Salon building collapse
[14:54] Polly (polly.ellsmere): surfeit of images crowding my camera out the door
[14:55] Edward Pearse: Of these I would say Crimson Skies would be the best known
[14:55] Darlingmonster Ember: nods
[14:55] Edward Pearse: Crimson Skies started as a board game in 1998 and was adapted to PC in 2000
[14:55] Edward Pearse: Set in alternative 1930s where the United States has collapsed, air travel is the most common form of transport. This has lead to...
[14:55] Edward Pearse: Sky Pirates!
[14:56] Edward Pearse: The aeroplanes featured all sorts of weirdness with bent wings and rear fitted propellers.
[14:56] Edward Pearse: Iron Harvest was released last year and has seen mostly positive reviews
[14:57] Edward Pearse: Real Time Strategy game set in the early 1920s.
[14:57] Edward Pearse: It features giant Mechs and looks pretty impressive, though I've yet to play it myself

(Continued in part four.)

for all of us who've seen the light, salute the dead and lead the fight (part II)

(Continued from part one.)


(Decopunk poster, and Mad Max.)

[14:13] Edward Pearse: By and large dieselpunk takes over where steampunk finishes.
[14:14] Edward Pearse: It's set roughly between WW1 and the 1950s.
[14:14] Edward Pearse: I tend to aim for a more late 30s to early 40s style when designing things myself.
[14:14] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Welcome, Fraulein Baker. Do come have a seat.
[14:14] Edward Pearse: The aristocracy features a lot less in dieselpunk than steampunk
[14:15] Edward Pearse: While you will get officers in military settings there's far less Dukes, Barons and Ladies.
[14:15] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander) chuckles
[14:15] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): Perhaps I've overdressed.
[14:15] Edward Pearse: As with the change in time period most of the great monarchies of the 19th century had disappeared by this time.
[14:15] Wildstar Beaumont: no Ladies ... sounds scandalous
[14:15] Edward Pearse: There is also a larger involvement of aeroplanes in dieselpunk.
[14:15] Nyx Malaspina: but plenty of dames....
[14:15] Edward Pearse: Steampunk co-opted the airship but in reality the airships heyday was the 1920s to 30s

(The allure of uniforms.)

[14:16] Edward Pearse: Britain had the R100 and the R101.
[14:16] Edward Pearse: With the R101's crash in France in 1930 that effectively killed Imperial Airship Scheme
[14:16] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Such a pity...
[14:17] Polly (polly.ellsmere): funny - lots of train crashes didn't put an end to rail
[14:17] Edward Pearse: The Zeppelin company continued with airships until the Hindenburg disaster in 1937 brought
[14:17] Edward Pearse: that to a screeching halt.
[14:17] Edward Pearse: As steampunk is the age where steam engines powered the world with soot and a Victorian aesthetic,
[14:17] Edward Pearse: dieselpunk is when diesel engines ruled along with the grease and oil required to run them.
[14:18] Edward Pearse: And just as there are those who like their steampunk brass to be shiny and their wood to be teak,
[14:18] Ceejay Writer: It seems to appeal to most of my mechanically inclined friends.
[14:18] Edward Pearse: there are dieselpunks who like their engines clean and their buildings repaired.
[14:18] Edward Pearse: So much so that some have created a subgenre called decopunk.
[14:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I still haven't figured that out yet.
[14:19] Jimmy Branagh: Oy love th' smell of grease and oil on th' morning ...
[14:19] Edward Pearse: I personally disagree with splitting it into a smaller genre, but each to their own.
[14:19] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): Mm, you're telling me...
[14:19] Breezy Carver: lol
[14:19] Wildstar Beaumont: :)
[14:19] Sophie Cloud: yes, please wipe your boots before coming into my kitchen

(Actual period uniforms.)

[14:19] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): Again, I do apologize for "appearing from the future" so to speak.
[14:20] Ceejay Writer: Meh, Steampunk is all fragmented up too, for me it's all a happy jumble.
[14:20] Edward Pearse: I have also seen people try and put things like Mad Max into the dieselpunk genre.
[14:20] Prof (professor.woodsheart): people like their bit of the pie
[14:20] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Let us roll our eyes in unison.
[14:20] Vernden Jervil: Oh we have a time travel incident at least once a month, no worries
[14:20] Edward Pearse: While I understand why, to me post-apocalyptic genres are another beast altogether.
[14:20] Darlingmonster Ember: ouch
[14:20] Nyx Malaspina: considers how many times she's tried to explain rococo punque and given up.
[14:20] Ceejay Writer: Daisy, no worries at all!
[14:20] Edward Pearse: *snorts*
[14:21] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): Especially since I tend to appear from the more...red light district of the future.
[14:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[14:21] Edward Pearse: Oh fer
[14:22] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Nice graphics!
[14:22] Edward Pearse: Looks like the right hand parcel is full
[14:22] Darlingmonster Ember: nod
[14:23] Jimmy Branagh: ((Lucky day, everything's rezzing))
[14:23] Edward Pearse: Continuing

(And uniforms for the dames.)

[14:23] Edward Pearse: As a rough guide steampunk uses a lot of brass and brown as its base palette.
[14:23] Nyx Malaspina: camming wildly
[14:23] Edward Pearse: In a similar way dieselpunk uses greys and chrome.
[14:23] Ceejay Writer: (Daisy, I ran a burlesque club in Seraph City.)
[14:23] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): (I was probably going to dance for it)
[14:23] Jimmy Branagh: ((Someone ran one in Babbage 'way back too))
[14:23] Ceejay Writer: :D
[14:23] Edward Pearse: Posters and artwork tend to hark back to the propaganda styles of the 30s and 40s
[14:24] Edward Pearse: and there is a huge influence of art deco, especially in the art.
[14:24] Ceejay Writer: ((I worked for that one too Jimmy!))
[14:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): (Well, I was thinking about it, Miss Daisy, so you're not alone.)
[14:24] Edward Pearse: General settings are often dark though.
[14:24] Jimmy Branagh: ((Oy dint wanna say nuffin; L) ))
[14:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) smiles at Jimmy
[14:24] Edward Pearse: As I mentioned before there's a lot of greys in dieselpunk,
[14:24] Sophie Cloud: I'd love to see a museum of your posters, they are brillant.

I'd actually love to see an exhibit of dieselpunk art, and the influences leading up to it. RL or SL, in fact.

[14:25] Edward Pearse: but the noir influence with contrast and lighting also features considerably in many aspects.
[14:25] Galactic Baroque: (Mad Max is gasoline fantasy, not post-apoc. Fight me.)
[14:25] Darlingmonster Ember: pics are promised for the journal logs
[14:25] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): WWII was a grim period...
[14:25] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): No, I agree.
[14:25] Edward Pearse: I was asked about dieselpunk music.
[14:25] Edward Pearse: I'll say up front that trying to pigeonhole dieselpunk music is even harder than trying to define steampunk music, so I'm not even going to try.

(Another set of fantasy diesel uniforms.)

It really is. "Electroswing" is a good catch-all, but that goes into so many different genres on its own.

[14:25] Nyx Malaspina: electroswing?
[14:25] Edward Pearse: Much like steampunk music is "music that steampunks like", so too dieselpunk music is "music that dieselpunks like".
[14:25] Edward Pearse: That said, Swing and Big Band music tends to feature heavily in the genre.
[14:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Electroswing is mostly something everything agrees on
[14:26] Edward Pearse: As I said there is a large 1930s-40s aesthetic in dieselpunk.
[14:26] Edward Pearse: There's a heavy military element with lots of uniforms around.
[14:26] Cassie Eldemar (cashew.writer): :)
[14:26] Nyx Malaspina: s h o u l d e r p a d s
[14:27] Galactic Baroque: l a p e l s
[14:27] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): ((I tend to play my character as a poster girl in addition to former air force mechanic))
[14:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): A lot of Hellboy fits into the aesthetic
[14:27] Edward Pearse: T a i l o r i n g
[14:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): In one sense or another
[14:27] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): ((But that can be a story for another time))
[14:27] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): High fashion gas masks?
[14:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Why not?
[14:27] Edward Pearse: Since many of those uniforms are WW2 inspired there's been suggestion that dieselpunk leads to Nazi cosplay or at least Nazi fetishism.
[14:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Anything that deals with uniforms gets that
the difference between a German uniform and a Belgian one.
[14:28] Darlingmonster Ember: nod
[14:28] Edward Pearse: But when you have State Police who dress like this I don't think it carries much weight.
[14:29] Edward Pearse: Current uniform of the New Jersey State Police for those wondering

(Raiders of the Lost Ark theatre poster, and...I forget the one on the right.)

[14:29] Polly (polly.ellsmere): REZ DARNIT!!!!!!
[14:29] Edward Pearse: That said, you always need bad guys. [14:30] Nyx Malaspina: Ho....leave my home state outta dis.
[14:30] Polly (polly.ellsmere): New Jersey is all foggy
[14:30] Edward Pearse: The pinup aesthetic also features heavily in the depiction of women.
[14:30] Poison (marylucretia): Nj NY CT Ma Rhode Island all similar uniforms
[14:31] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Especially in SL iterations
[14:31] Edward Pearse: I think the pinup aesthetic is certainly one of the reasons it's a lot easier to find pictures of dieselpunk women than of dieselpunk men.
[14:31] Edward Pearse: As I said earlier, dieselpunk is more set dressing than actual genre.
[14:31] Edward Pearse: As such it tends to be use existing genres for the story and dress them up accordingly.
[14:32] Nyx Malaspina whispers: (ladies..check out the dark fair for a hat that might meet these requirements.)
[14:32] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): That gal on the far left looks SO authentic *cough cough* authentic *cough cough*
[14:32] Daisy Baker (sweetdanax24): (Speaking of, if anyone needs a poster model for their gallery...)

(A still from The Shadow on the left, and a still from Metropolis on the right.)

[14:32] Polly (polly.ellsmere): looks like all the gents need are joddhies, riding boots and a smart military jacket
[14:32] Edward Pearse: Pulp is a heavy component of dieselpunk.
[14:33] Edward Pearse: Properties such as Indiana Jones and Doc Savage, to The Shadow and Metropolis.
[14:33] Darlingmonster Ember: yay!
[14:33] Edward Pearse: Pulp started as a nickname for the adventure stories that were being published on very cheap paper (pulp).
[14:33] Prof (professor.woodsheart): A pair of oily overalls
[14:33] Ceejay Writer: That tends to be my personal faavorite aspect!
[14:33] Edward Pearse: The name stuck with the genre.
[14:34] Edward Pearse: There are many stories that were published in pulp mags but tend not to be viewed as pulp.
[14:34] Edward Pearse: Pulp is often an action adventure story that does for thrills rather than quality of writing.
[14:34] Edward Pearse: Or at least it did
[14:34] Edward Pearse: Noir can also be a part of dieselpunk.
[14:35] Edward Pearse: Big city detectives, femme fatales, gangsters, mad scientists, you can do it all
[14:35] Vernden Jervil likes noir
[14:35] Edward Pearse: Certainly the Noir genre can be adapted to other aesthetics anyway.
[14:35] Edward Pearse: Blade Runner is probably the best example of a non-noir Noir movies.
[14:35] Edward Pearse: A lot of dieselpunk is about adding in retrofuturism to the setting.
[14:35] Edward Pearse: Al Capone is not dieselpunk.
[14:36] Edward Pearse: Al Capone with an army of robot goons could very well be dieselpunk.
[14:36] Jimmy Branagh: Sky Captain and the World of Tommorow
[14:36] Edward Pearse: FDR with an electromagnetic repulsorlift chair.
[14:36] Edward Pearse: The possibilities are pretty much endless.

(Continued in part three.)

for all of us who've seen the light, salute the dead and lead the fight (part I)

The pictures I got, not all of them came out, sadly, but I picked the best ones of the lot. This was the Aether Salon for dieselpunk, held at the Academy of Industry in New Babbage.


(Edward Pearse, Duke of Primbroke, presenting the discussion.)

This is also one of the few events I'll cover where I leave names intact.

[14:03] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): hiya ceejay. is this in voice? not hearing...
[14:03] Edward Pearse: Nope text.
[14:03] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Nein, not Voice.
[14:03] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): oakily doakily then
[14:03] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): It has been on rare occasions, but they are announced in advance.
[14:03] Ceejay Writer: Local Chat
[14:03] Edward Pearse: Just giving it a couple of minutes for the late arrivals

(A shot of the crowd to start.)

[14:03] Bixyl Shuftan: It's in chat
[14:04] Jimmy Branagh: This is also a test of speed typing ability
[14:04] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Herr Baroque! It has been too long.
[14:04] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[14:04] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): sehr gut
[14:04] Polly (polly.ellsmere): interesting phenomenon: clouds opening doors
[14:04] Edward Pearse: Yeah I cheated and lots of this I've written down already :-)
[14:04] Cassie Eldemar (cashew.writer): smiles
[14:05] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): That will make it easier for Fraulein Ceejay.
[14:05] Ceejay Writer: That's CHEATING? *eyedarts*
[14:05] Jimmy Branagh: ((I have everything written for mine ahead except for witty badinage. Cut-paste king.))
[14:05] Edward Pearse: Okie dokie, I think we can start
[14:06] Ceejay Writer: ((Ditto, Jimmy.))

(A definition of dieselpunk.)

[14:06] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Fire when ready, Duke!
[14:06] Jimmy Branagh: ((I would goo crazy otherwise))
[14:06] Edward Pearse: My name is Edward Pearse.
[14:06] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Wait, you mean not everyone writes it in advance?
[14:06] Edward Pearse: Hi!
[14:06] Ceejay Writer: Apparently we ALL do!

(A diesel deco train, and a poster from Seraph City.)

[14:06] Edward Pearse: Most of you in New Babbage are familiar with me
[14:06] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): I should hope you do.
[14:06] Edward Pearse: For those not, I'm one of founders of New Babbage and a long time fan of Steampunk.
[14:07] Edward Pearse: I got interested in dieselpunk through the old sim of Seraph City.
[14:07] Ceejay Writer: You found it? Was it lost?
[14:07] Edward Pearse: Exhibit A
[14:07] Breezy Carver: smiles
[14:07] Edward Pearse: I wasn't part of the founding group but discovered the sim through mutual friends

(Hindenberg's flight.)

[14:07] Edward Pearse: I created a nightclub there called Seraph Club.
[14:07] Darlingmonster Ember: woot
[14:08] Edward Pearse: While Seraph City has long gone, the Seraph Club still lives on, now in its new home of Cassandra City.
[14:08] Polly (polly.ellsmere): the Roving Seraph Club
[14:08] Jimmy Branagh: Oy just missed being a founder. I'm a fumbler Oy guess.
[14:08] Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (klauswulfenbach.outlander): Quite charming.
[14:08] Poison (marylucretia): here here
[14:08] Edward Pearse: I will apologise in advance if this runs a little short.
[14:08] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): A luvvily venue.
[14:08] Edward Pearse: I volunteered as a last minute thing so I haven't had time to check the run on this.

That was entirely my fault, by the way. I had been tasked with finding a dieselpunk speaker, and I contacted six or seven people, all of which turned me down, never once thinking of Edward, and I REALLY should have. Thankfully, he agreed.

(Cover for Children of the Sun.)

[14:08] Ceejay Writer: More time for drinks after - no worries!
[14:09] Darlingmonster Ember adjusts her little shorts
[14:09] Edward Pearse: Dieselpunk is really an aesthetic rather than a genre.
[14:09] Nyx Malaspina whispers: lms and schedule provided in some handy notecard. :)
[14:09] Edward Pearse: As such there will be a lot of imagery in this presentation
[14:09] Edward Pearse: This of course leads to a lot of opinion over what is and isn't dieselpunk.
[14:09] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): Huzzah!
[14:09] Nyx Malaspina: claps hands...like pictures.

(A selection of artists' renditions of dieselpunk cities.)

[14:09] Edward Pearse: What I present today is mostly my own opinion but other schools of thought will be touched on here and there.
[14:10] Edward Pearse: Dieselpunk the term, first came to use through an RPG called Children of the Sun, published in 2002.
[14:11] Edward Pearse: It was never a big hit. I've never played it but the reviews I've read are "neutral"
[14:11] Edward Pearse: Interestingly the world of Children of the Sun is somewhat different from what we think of when dieselpunk is used today.
[14:11] Edward Pearse: It was very much an urban fantasy style setting.
[14:12] Edward Pearse: It had magic, a variety of races and an assortment of critters, littered amongst the skyscrapers.
[14:12] Rory Torrance (rory.torrance): And an interesting font, at least.
[14:12] Edward Pearse: I saw one description of it as D and D meets Saving Private Ryan
[14:13] Edward Pearse: Similar to the transformation that steampunk undertook, dieselpunk too has expanded beyond a D and D campaign with a fantasy WW2 setting.
[14:13] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Interesting
[14:13] Edward Pearse: Also similar to steampunk, it's about the set dressing rather than the story itself.

(Continued in part two.)

just keep on saving our goodbyes (part VI)

"Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas."
~~Marie Curie

(Continued from part V.)

Found another one.

Jul 3, 2012, 9:50 PM

[given name],

The girl is currently in the land of constant panic attacks due to all the explosions. The air outside smells like moss and cordite. And most of me right now wants to beat the computer screen and scream aloud, but...that would do no good, so...back to waiting, to reconstructing, to eventually becoming not a wreck without you, and without knowing what's happened to you.

If it helps, at this point I'm getting thoroughly sick of being a weepy, emotional mess. I have walked so many times to the very edge of writing a letter with that fateful word, but I keep stopping. Not necessarily because of you, but because of me.

I didn't agree to be Yours just for fun. I certainly didn't do it because of convenience. And holding to that line has cost me another relationship, has given me a bit of conflict with [another love], and not a small amount of emotional strife along the way. If it were easy to be Yours--to be anyone's--then it wouldn't have the power to sweep me under the way it does.

But, by that same extension, if I hear nothing, I have nothing to go on. Just as I can't be owned by a ghost, I can't break up with a ghost, either. Until you're there, I can't confirm or deny you, on any level.

But as I've said before, I can't stay here. I think too much, I feel too much, every time I seriously think of the months of absence, and the possible whys, I just break down. This is not good for me.

I've been using the nightly poetry jaunts as a therapeutic device, but at this point, they're just trapping me into the same morass of worry, fear, anxiety and pain. I need to find a way to get out of this place.

I'm not breaking up with you. I still love you. I am angry and I am hurt and I am desperately afraid, but I'm still here.

However.

I'm not writing a letter tomorrow.

This is not going to be a forever thing, but right now, I'm facing too much. Writing you is another access point into all that pain and fear, and I need to--not want to, at this point, need to--step away.

I won't be far. You can always reach me by email, by a comment on my Twitter, my Tumblr, or you can call, since we don't have international calling. I'm appending my info on the end of this letter, in case you don't have it at present.

I miss you, I am less without you, but I have to start walking forward or I'm not going to live through this confusion. Flat out.

Em

Trimmed off all the personal contact details I appended after, but it was everything I had at the time--every working email, every social media point, physical address, phone number. Everything I could think of, much of which he'd been given before.

Nothing.

(Quite possibly a couple more to come.)

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

(Continued from part I.)

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

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

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

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

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

Gosh, thank you, Edward. :p

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The sensation came back, come on now...

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

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

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

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

For guests.

Measure of stress, I suppose.

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

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

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

Because I'd just remembered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The bad crash. The bad, bad crash.

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

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

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

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

And we began.

(Continued in part II.)