lights go out, stars come down, like a swarm of bees

First, pictures could be edited. But that was okay, filmed evidence could not be faked.

Then we could edit film. But that was still okay, because we had video evidence.

Now videotape can be edited digitally as it happens to remove objects the camera sees. We're pretty much down to fingerprints (which get iffy on occasion) and DNA work for evidence, right?

I'm just waiting for evidence of DNA editing now...

[10:17] Darlingmonster Ember: M Orr, my regards. I wanted to follow up with you about the Carni Outfit and ask if it was intended that it be only textures? And full perm? Was there an outfit box with prims?

And with a profound and sincere *facepalm* I traipsed back to the tree. The store blog explains the details, but I am quite chagrined over this. That thing's been in the Midnight Mania since I popped the tree up, in...August? September?

And okay, now I'm glad the Mania never capped--save for last night--but yaaagh. Such a rookie mistake. I am too long on the grid for this.

Remember the party at Fallen Gods I mentioned last night? Apparently it ran for twelve hours. There are pictures.



I had heard reports that the sightings of the ghost ship were in Caledon Sound. I went there, and saw nothing, but I'm fairly sure it may not surface during the day. I listened, but I heard no unearthly voices, and saw nothing untoward but the sea monster, rolling his eyes at the dock. I am wary that he seems so...placid, and...harmless.



So I stepped off the dock, shapeshifting on the way down. I swam slowly away from a shark, found an odd, glowing spike that gave off no heat, conversed briefly with a turtle, and pondered ancient shards on the sea floor.



I found a statue of a cat-headed goddess, holding a crescent moon, and the ruins of a temple beyond her. I swam to Lionsgate and back, and saw many wondrous things, but...no haunted ship.



Still, I am not disappointed. I saw many amazing things, both man- and nature-made, and had a chance to breathe good saltwater through new-formed gills. I'd forgotten how much I liked swimming. And I am sufficiently intrigued to return.



Still and all, whatever's there...is not there always. The sea retains her secrets.

and like a fool I kept on thinkin' of a train I could not miss

SL and IMVU are still locked, nose to nose, in the Pandering Battle; IMVU, after this:



is slightly ahead on points.

No slouch themselves on Stupid Ideas That Miss Their Target Market Completely, I would like to present Photobucket's entry:

because everyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about finding unicorns, finding glitter, and finding "stuff"; and also, because everyone knows how much Last Comic Standing cares about unicorns and glitter. Also, apparently, "stuff".

*coughs*

[A brief insert from the Editrix: Unbeknownst to me, there are services that cull the net for any mention of a word, or a particular name, and send that off to the person requesting. Apparently this has been something of a bother for the sim owner now semi-anonymized below. I trust I have picked an equivalent name that will not result in endless emails on the same topic filling his inbox.]

And finally, sim oddity. For a while this evening, I was hanging out in Haven of Rogues, watching the chairs. I'd heard about a new (read: "new to me") mer place, and it turned out to be something of a mer mall, with a lot of vendors for a lot of different styles of mer. This works for me, because I have some free mermaid tails, some paid mermaid avatars, and a bit of things off and on in between. I want to weed down what I have and concentrate on just a few 'looks', plus I'm always on the lookout for new animations.

Today, there was a gathering from one of my groups around their Lucky Chairs; several vendors had put in new items, and we're on something of an aquatic kick of late, which means I'm really going to have to find time soon and go for a serious finned swim. But I digress.

I arrived in my small bunny avatar--not the Tiny bunny, this is DP YumYum's grey rabbit avatar, about three feet tall, and I generally let her wear my posh Draconic Kiss Juliet Lolita dress, 'cos it goes with her hair. Within two minutes, I got kicked to the corner of the sim, trapped in a small little box. Why? Near as I can figure, because I was wearing a three-foot bunny avatar, and they said it looked like a child.

[23:20] Alexia Lennie: Please change to an adult avitar
[23:20] Emilly Orr: I beg your pardon?
[23:20] Emilly Orr: This is an adult avatar, this avatar is just short.

Okay, in all fairness, I don't assign designations of "adult" or "child" to my small bunny--I normally use her when building, and I observe three strong informal rules when clad in her skin:

1) She's not a child. She's short.
2) She's not "adult", either, because I don't plan to have sex in her skin.
3) The mind in the rabbit av is generally always of a mature disposition, therefore, unless the avatar is specifically shaped as a child, the avatar shares that mature dispensation, as well.

[23:20] Alexia Lennie: is this emily the model here?
[23:21] Emilly Orr: This is Emilly Orr. You don't know who you're talking to?

I realize, the stress of having bounced an utter stranger without cause may have affected her thinking, but really--doesn't the second L give it away?

Well, that, and not being in their shop group?

[23:22] Emilly Orr: But let me understand this properly: you wish me to change avatars to browse your establishment?
[23:22] Emilly Orr: I don't model for you, if you own Haven of Rogues.
[23:22] Alexia Lennie: it looks like a child ai, and right now we are having problems
[23:22] Alexia Lennie: just for now would you please change to a bigger adult one
[23:23] Emilly Orr sighs. Yes, I'll be back in a bit, then.
[23:23] Alexia Lennie: thank you hun
[23:23] Alexia Lennie: im throwing kid avis off atm see

I...see. Yes, that makes everything...clear? Though I still didn't get it--in the group I was in, mixed about half and half residents I knew and residents I'd never seen before, while most were finned, I didn't see a single avatar I would point to and think "that's a kid over there". And I usually have pretty keen kid radar. So that still perplexes me.

But, okay, I am a mostly polite person; I go off and crawl into my orca maid--I'm not feeling particularly mer today, but it was a mer place, I can hang and watch the chairs, right? The orca maid I have has a "top" layer that fades into the tail, to mimic the distinctive black and white skin pattern of the orca whale; it would lose much of its impact if it didn't have that top section. (This becomes relevant later; bear with me.)

Then this broke out in main chat:

[23:35] Jakkar Carlos: Okay, people. Indigo keep pressuring me that I am a kid avatar which is impossible because I am not so I am going to be banned. Just to let you know.
[23:35] Alexia Lennie: I did warn you Jakkar
[23:35] Alexia Lennie: you have lots of avis and you inssit on that one when you where warned

Okay, so, I know, it's just me being overly picky, but really--give ban powers to someone who spells this badly? Is that wise?

But more importantly, for folks who don't know the participants involved, Jakkar generally depicts his avatar as a bish, or bishounen. The word translates as "beautiful youth", or sometimes, just "pretty boy". Bish are a staple of yaoi fiction and anime, and--while the style is adopted widely by all sexes and a wide spectrum of ages in Japan, at least in SL it's primarily the province of young gay men--or people who desire young gay men.

And while at times Jakkar looks like a teen, at best we're talking willowy eighteen, not twelve. But to be fair to the management of Haven of Rogues, there were a lot of people there, people they didn't know, and the place has some fairly firm (and bizarre) rules. (We'll get to those in a bit.)

[23:36] Saori Nakamura: Stop being such a cow
[23:36] Indigo Jashan: LISTEN: i have made a subjective judgement call that to my eyes Jakkar looks underage

It's worth it to note at this point that Indigo seems to own much of the mall, or at least, seems to operate the group that runs it. It's also worth it to note that Saori was kicked from the sim earlier for, near as we can figure out, having too "cute" a face on her particular avatar skin. She was somewhat upset--and by that I mean Saori, not Indigo. Though Indigo could've been upset at this point, too.

[23:36] Drakon Lameth: s'ok, if some of what the covenant says in its ruleings is true, this sim could be slapped adult or be made to not have it happen... there's parts about public sexings
[23:36] Indigo Jashan: i'm sorry if Jakkar and others disagree but it it not open to discussion

I believe what Indigo said was in reference to Jakkar's appearance, not Drakon's words; however...again, we'll go into that later.

[23:37] Indigo Jashan: i'm the one gets my ass kicked here, so i make the call
[23:37] Indigo Jashan: Jakkar - butch it up 'til you look grown up or go away
[23:37] Saori Nakamura: Racists!
[23:38] Indigo Jashan: no, not racists, ageist

I have to give it to the management at Haven of Rogues; at least they're honest. They're judgemental as hell, irritating, and they don't explain nearly as much as they should, but at least they're direct.

[23:38] Gothique Graves: So technicaly I could be in a 8 foot tall avi
[23:38] Gothique Graves: Wearing diapers
[23:38] Gothique Graves: And i'd be ok?
[23:38] Indigo Jashan: and i personally don't give a shit what people do in their own space
[23:38] Saori Nakamura: I just told you im not a bloody child and you still kick me
[23:38] Indigo Jashan: but this isn't your own space
[23:39] Indigo Jashan: and if you were wearing diapers i'd kick you out for being gross

Again--irritating in execution, but direct.

[23:59] Darlana Greene: Someone just said "This is my sim and I can kick you out for the color of your shoes"
[23:59] Darlana Greene: "And it's not up for discussion"

I guess that about says it all.

Here's what gets me, though. Through trial and error we discovered that most of these "rules" are covered in the covenant for the Haven of Rogues sim. But seriously, who puts behavior rules in their covenant and not makes one single mention of it to people who come into the shopping area--which is most residents' first experience of any sim?

Automatic notecard giver. A drop-down saying "Please read the covenant rules". Standing unit--click it and get the landmark and the list of rules.

I know they know how to utilize the drop-down menu, because I was handed a landmark when I hit the mall, so...it can't be that.

Maybe they just like getting bitchy with people? Who haven't read the rules because seriously, who reads the covenant to find out rules of behavior if we're not thinking of living there?!? I will honestly tell you, I have never gone into a shop for a frock or a pose or a piece of furniture and had it cross my mind even once that maybe, I should read the land covenant before shopping there.

It's mental.

So is the covenant in question:

Welcome to the "Haven of Rogues" estate. The estate consists of 2 regions: "Haven of Rogues" (HoR) and "Haven of Mermaids" (HoMer) due east of HoR.

IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE IN THIS COVENANT, READ THE ONE MAIN RULE (But I'd read the whole thing if I were u):

1. The entire estate is a "No Meters" zone and "No Tops" are authorized on mers anywhere but in the commercial area (Rogue Tower).

That means "remove your meter" (now's a good time) & mermaids: "take off your top."

If you don't know what a "meter" is, don't ask.

Why just "mermaids" and not "mermen" take off their tops, too? Umm, think about it. But if you should find a merman in HoR or HoMer wearing his top while swimming about ... please take a photo and send it to me so I can put it up somewhere.

Why? Simple: My sim, my rules. Don't like 'em? Great.

Keep reading (or go away). :o)

I guess that's one way to look at it: the prototypical "My way or the highway" of sim dictatorship. Which is fair, by its own rules: he owns the sim, he sets the rules; don't like 'em, you don't have to be there. Fine, as far as it goes; but some of this is in direct contraindication to the established guidelines of Linden Labs as to what "PG", "Mature", and "Adult" actually mean.

Think of it as equal opportunity!

A merman would look goofy wearing a shirt, right? So does a mermaid, for the exact same reason.

Again, in the odd case that you missed the point here:

With the exception of the commercial (store) areas located in "Rogue Tower," unless there are mermen in either region who prefer to wear a top, you may not. And meters are not to be worn ANYWHERE in the HoR estate. So, please remove them immediately, return from whence you came, or, by default in that you are choosing to remain in HoR and NOT follow the law(s) as set forth in this covenant, you are indicating that you are makin' yourself "a target."

That's a good thing, I like targets; I like to shoot at things every now and then when I get "in a mood" and something that moves every so often makes a better target.

The management of HoR is well aware that there are some (usually women ... or 'men' who have been called to defend one) who believe mermaids should be allowed to wear tops but this is not up for debate and/or negotiation. If *you* would like to be "clothed and unnatural," have at it --- elsewhere. :o)

Feel free to explore Haven of Rogues as a clothed human ... or a "naked" fish or other animal ... but, unless you are shopping -- not as "Ariel with a top."

Get it?

Got it?

Good.

Oh, I got it--I'm fairly sure the next time I'm in world, I delete the landmark and never trouble them again with my presence--but also, it seems somewhat odd to insist on toplessness in a Mature-rated sim; especially since, as far as I know, the question of plain SL nudity being "Adult" or "Mature" was never properly resolved. Just for showing breasts, should they be rated "Adult"? I really don't know, I'm not the one to ask.

But back to the covenant:

SO! To review ...
If you are wearing a meter, take it off. Mermaids: wearing a top? Take it off ... this is an equal opportunity Mer area, if Mermen swim around topless, so too must Mermaids.

1 more thing: NO BREEDING PETS (like those dumbass BUNNIES!) ... ... 'nuff said.

On to the important stuff:

And now they get to the "important stuff"? So what was all the nonsense about women being naked on their sim, just...filler?!?

Onward (I admit, I'm skipping a bit because the covenant does blather on for some time):

LET IT BE KNOWN:
After more than four billion years of operating with a Covenant that has NEVER changed, the planet Earth still exists -- that's a pretty good Covenant.
AS SUCH: "Haven of Rogues" and "Haven of Mermaids" operate in conjunction with Earth's 6 basic rules (TOS?):

Connectedness: Every occurrence in nature affects something else; nothing happens in isolation.

Rhythm: Cycles are an integral part of nature: birth and death, dearth and abundance, ebb and flow. Nature doesn't attempt to fight off this natural rhythm in the name of control.

Balance: Nature thrives on both order and chaos. Constant change creates constant balance. Balance cannot come from "either/or," but only from "both."

Acceptance: Nature "just is." It has no agenda to control. Everything has both value and beauty. Water changes the shape of all it touches - without competing with it.

Openness: There are no boundaries in nature, no walls. Nothing is inaccessible to anything else. There are borders, such as between sea and land, but even here we find constant change and a rich variety of life.

Simplicity: No energy is wasted in nature; it always takes the "least energy" path. The result is elegant simplicity.

Here is where I started to get an inkling about the "sexual acts in public" comments in main chat from earlier. But I still had a long way to read to get to this section:

IF YOU DO CONDUCT BUSINESS HERE, a portion of your GP will be arranged btwn you & management, before opening day, to be passed along to management. IF YOU CONDUCT UNAUTHORIZED BUSINESS HERE (such as hanging out and hitting on visitors (ie., you're an unauthorized hooker), utilizing the "sex areas" for profit or taking your clients aboard one of the boats for a "sail of pleasure," you owe [Derain] money.

ADDITIONALLY: The peformance of sexual acts - ANYwhere, ANYtime, under ANY circumstances or conditions that are conducted ANYwhere on the island (other than in or on rented property) *IS* considered "Commercial Business" (see previous para. re: "you owe [Derain] money"). Figure out a deal and propose it to [Derain] before he proposes one FOR you - you'd probably like yours better than his. If you rent land or a home from [Derain], then what you do and who you do it with or to is your own business as long as it's within the confines of your own parcel.

So...unless I'm misinterpreting things...sex is a business transaction; [Derain Revanche] is in control of all business transactions; sex can happen anywhere if one works out an agreement with [Derain] in advance...

...so it really should be an "Adult" rated sim. I get it now.

And finally we come to two last rules I'd like to mention:

Rogue Rule #8: No annoying behavior of any kind will be tolerated my Matisse at anytime, anywhere. This goes beyond "No Griefing of any kind," because it is [Derain] who will decide what is "annoying." If anyone has a question about the definition of the word "annoying" at any time, see RR's 1&2. This should suggest to most that the practicing of normally accepted good manners, basic politeness, speaking when spoken to and other fundamental social etiquette features you SHOULD have picked up at some point when you were young should be all that that is required for a pleasant stay in the Haven of Rogues estate.

and

Rogue Rule #10: Public nudity is acceptable, public sex is not. Mermaids are required to be so. Wanna be naked? Have at it. Knock yourself out. Wanna have sex in Ikatere? I don't blame ya! Rent some land, build a hooch, use someone else's land or hooch ... or open a club where EVERYONE can have sex. [Derain] has always wanted to have one of those on his land, but since he knows nothing about sex and never gets horny so he hasn't gotten around to that.

So, okay, public sex is out--according to him, or at least, as far as he knows--but public nudity is in, plus mention of escorting in the covenant...that treads awfully close to the line on the sim being rated "Adult", if not dances right over that line and sets it on fire. Additionally, the bit about politeness and etiquette guiding our behavior on his sim...does that also include his sim managers?

Because personally, it does not want to make me look for anything in their shopping area if, for no discernable reason I could be ported off to a small square box with no exit without being informed what the infraction is; if, because I look twee that day, I'm declared to be a kid; if, without a word to me, I could be deemed socially inacceptable because my mermaid deigns to keep her breasts covered.

Let me tell you, sunshine, the reason I have modesty scales, shell tops, and other ephemera for the upper half of my collection of mers? Is because at least half the seas I swim in are P-friggin'-G and they aren't likely to change.

So, after these moments of evaluation, I think I can safely say: no, thank you, Mr. [Revanche]; your "gracious" and "polite" staff have thoroughly impressed me that I want nothing from you, your waters, or your mall; that, in fact, I'll probably keep you clearly in mind as a place to avoid. I want to risk no potential Linden-level bans on the off chance your waters are declared Adult due to the presence of observable sexual behavior, and/or public nudity, and there are those in your seas who don't happen to be age-verified when that change occurs. No thank you, happy to not take the risk, and truly, I am grateful you made it clear I am not welcome at any time.

[Sadly, I can do nothing about the names on the comments without deleting the entry; if it continues to be a problem, I will rewrite this with as much as I can of the original comments preserved--names changed in [Derain Revanche]'s case--and we can all go about our days.]

I have a rocket ship, a jetfighter, a paper airplane

There's a lot of really harsh commentary coming out of the blog post on camping and bots. Witness this reply by Sammybob Michigan:

Sounds to me like a bunch of people that want something for nothing. Reward without any hard work. If you didnt have a business plan when you started your business and some capital then you should close now because you going to fail anyway.

I didn't correct anything in that statement; it's all just as he--or, gods forbid, with that name, she--wrote it.

Let me be clear, here--I'm all for helping newcomers out, we were all new to the grid once, and new people need the help--but I'm just as happy providing landmarks to places with free hair, skin, and outfits; at this point, nearly everyone's come up a notch or two in the creative department, and new friends don't have to camp for three months straight to afford better skin, better eyes, better shoes.

But by the same extension, this seems unduly harsh. If one's business idea is 'toss freebies in boxes and get people to pay for them', or 'rip off good designers and resell for less', then yes, that business will fail. But if it's an honest person expressing something they want to see in world? And remember, very few are actually making rent out of anything they do in world; I know a bare handful. Most are actually lucking out if they make tier costs. Success is measured in micro-percentages in Second Life.

Angel Sin made another point in response to someone else:

Remember: The worst lag is being caused by avatars followed by listeners and huge texture files. Don't forget the scripts and last but not least poses. If you have the ability to check the debug menu for your region - set up a posing stand filled with about 20+ poses and look what's it causing.

While I was trying to understand this, I realized Anthony Hocken had replied later in the thread to Angel:

Not sure where you get that from. It should be minimal. The total poses makes no difference either (along with any other non-script asset in the prim's inventory). Only scripts are considered. What you're probably seeing is the pose stand object, plus the avatar standing on it along with all their attachments and HUDs. You'll see the same thing with any other scripted object with an avatar sitting on it.

Well, that's what I thought...

Onward. Does the top picture in this article on the upcoming movie "Gamer" remind you of anything? Like, oh, say, a live-action version of SL?

The strange thing is that the trailer is dark and gritty and moody and intense. The shots that io9 show, though, are all the candy-colored rave stuph. Bizarre.

Inventory cleaning again. Paired with nostalgia, it's an occasionally scary thing. To wit: I finally broke down and went through the main system "Clothing" folder, wherein I still had stored all my old (and by old, I mean 2006 vintage) avatar concepts.

The Clockwork Vampire:



Yes, I was proud of this at one time. System shoes...she started out with system hair until I found the freebie hair at Free Dove...and sadly, the maker of the clockwork corset--the only item I kept--was lost to an asset server crash long ago.

The Goth Fae:



Second iteration, two months in--still had the cyberbot, had made her shorter and more curvaceous, though she still had the pout. There was nothing I was able to do shape-wise that would kill that pout.

The corset was a freebie from one of the endless freebie stops on the grid, then; the leather skirt I got from the vampire princeling, who handed me forty-eight Lindens and the outfit to 'help out'.

The Camouflage Demon:



I have to admit, knowing nothing about how to adjust attachments then, having little in the way of finances to buy really good hair--I was pairing freebies creatively.

I will be honest with you--even with system hair, if it didn't have that strange black smudge across the lower face, I would keep this skin and outfit. I would. I'd slap better hair and wings on her and romp around world again, I am genuinely sorry to see her go.

The Citrus Butterfly:



Are you sensing a theme? I had a thing for wings. I still have a thing for wings, but I'm far more selective now--pretty much just Jen Shikami's beautiful offerings at Seven's Selections, and the occasional gorgeous tragedy, like Tox1c Chemistry's Shattered Seraph line.

At the time I just had the freebie wing pack I'd picked up somewhere, and I was carefully pairing wings to avatar to eyes to skin to hair--in this case, another system-hair girl, with the orange monarch pants (orange! My gods, orange! What on earth possessed me....), the orange wings, the butterfly top, and one of Nephilaine Protagonist's early skins I'd gotten on sale.

The shape? I hadn't really formally identified a "look" yet; this was maybe three, possibly four months in, and this was a slightly modified Fabrielle shape I'd found...somewhere or other.

Red Rains:



Don't ask me why the name, either on this one or Violette d'Nuit two avatars down; I have no clear idea. This was what the folders were labeled.

This one was not a shape I ever used to dance in (specifically, by request of the shape's maker, as it was the shape she was first seen dancing in, and we were dancing at competing casinos for a while), but was a shape (and outfit) I used to walk around world.

You'd be absolutely unshocked and unsurprised to know that I had many offers from gentlemen wearing this. I of course was completely clueless as to why at the time...

I will note, though, just for posterity: this was the second formally purchased hair, and my first purchase of flexi hair, I ever made: Adam & Eve's "Godiva", because it looked so amazing spinning around a pole. This started an SLife-long addiction to good hair, and sachi Vixen's hair in particular; at one point, for a year solid, I only wore Adam & Eve hair, nothing else.

The Naiad:



I admit, I was tempted to keep this one, too. But particles three years later behave in whole new ways from when I started; both in terms of my graphics capability now (I had a terrible graphics card starting SL), and with the advent of Havok4 from Havok1, particles behave completely differently.

Case in point, my naiad. She used to be a freebie skin/shape/outfit available everywhere; the particles (from her translucent skirt; though the rest of the outfit was equally translucent, and I'm really hoping the Photobucket Nipple-Recognition Software doesn't peg this picture as--gasp! ungasp! proceed--containing nipples) used to pool in a barely blue water-like rippling mass from calf to feet, and flow outward.

Now? She looks like she's standing in a sauna; even worse, she's looking like she's standing in a shower.

Violette d'Nuit:



Look! Boobages!

*coughs*

Do I mention this was the second shape I got from that dancer friend of mine? Again asked not to use it dancing, which I was more than willing to comply with, but mysteriously left in the folder with the skin (which actually, I kind of like), the burgundy hair (the third purchase of hair I made, I believe from either Panache or Curious Kitties, before the hair maven split off for Deviant Kitties), and this outfit--which was defiantly not streetwear.

As to the name, your guess is as good as mine; I wasn't involved in RP at the time, so maybe it's just what I thought something that looked like her would be called...

(Also, for the curious: the fact that the outfit was topless was actually less obvious before I had to add the little 'covering' hearts. Censorship sucks.)

Night Dancer:



I was dancing at my second club in this one (the first one got nuked; and I was just starting to realize at the end of my third month in the game, I really needed an actual paying gig to keep playing), in between trips to the dance pads in Amsterdam. I'd started in on my own shape modification, but the absurdly teeny waist, I have no explanation for.

The hair was another recolor/retexture of base hair; I just didn't have prim hair in any sort of variety yet.

There's more sorting to do, and the Angel of Smog I've been holding off on looking at, because that entire avatar is based around a glowing halo and the MistMaker 5000...which, considering the particle explosion from the Naiad av, makes me worry deeply.

But oh, how far I've come since those days of confusion and camping. And I'm down to 59,142 in inventory. More must be erased.

just look at the world around you, right here on the ocean floor

The Dark Victorians informed me of an interesting photo HUD for in-world photographers like me, who don't tend towards a ton of off-the-grid processing. AM Radio is selling it exclusively at the Dark Victorians' Emporium, and it retails for L$400. (All proceeds from which, btw, go to pay the tier on Far Away, which in turn is sponsored by Heifer International Charity, which is a very cool international group dedicated to sustainable agriculture and livestock training, in order to end world hunger, and raise the standard of living for everyone.

(Worthy goals, indeed.)

I came to the Emporium to track down the HUD, but was absolutely enchanted with two other offerings: all of Mary Poppin's props (hat, carpetbag, umbrella and her token absinthe bottle) for 600 Lindens, as well as the ability to pick up two dresses, the hair, and a reasonable approximation of the skin...and even better (though spendier), a living, breathing Nightmare to ride. (They charge the modest sum of L$2400 for the upkeep and training of said dread beast.)

Coming to Tanglewoods, of course, one will be dropped off at the central transport point. Just face northwest, and look for the bats.

After traipsing through the lovely horrors at the Dark Victorians' Emporium, I went back briefly to the Carnival of Doom. Nearly within moments of walking in past the ticket booth, a stray falling Ferris tram fell on my head. Of course I died, and went to the waiting room, and after trying to access the other rooms--and being sent back to wait--I gave up, and turned on the music stream.

EASY LISTENING! Hell is not only a waiting room, but it's a waiting room playing Musak versions of "O Danny Boy" and...BARRY MANILOW!

AAAAAAAH!

Anyway, so there we were, on this hunt.



The Pirate Kitties store in Silva is having a treasure hunt--but that's where things got odd. First, to get to the hunt, you dive beneath the surface of the small pool to the left of the store entrance, and begin exploring the undersea tunnels that snake under the entire sim.



Miss Neome shifted into a hermit crab, Miss Midnight became a cuttlefish, and Mr. Allen popped Clockwerk into a preservation bubble to jet about. I was feeling rebellious, so I went for the pirate bikini and gills.

My only difficulty was that the other shoe wouldn't attach, so I got the joy of wandering around in two different shoes. Amusingly enough, the Devoted shoes from Solange can be worn with Damen Gorilla's shoe base for his C'mere line of shoes. (Tomorrow's entry, I do believe, shall cover the new shoes recently acquired from Adam & Eve and Damen, in particular.)



We know they have four silver coins--small, partially glowed grey rounds that are surprisingly easy to hide; and we've found all four. We suspect they have four jewels--which are smaller and even more easy to hide, and we've only found three (the diamond, the very tiny emerald, and the ruby). We have no idea if they have four treasure chests, as we've only found two--and they're very large treasure chests that click open to be 'bought'.



It's a surprisingly cute build, even with the whole, mysterious-underground-passages angle. Everything is sunken ships, and cargo crates and barrels, and knotted-rope hammocks, and places to sit and relax in the cool water. And drifting sealife, along with sea flora, to complement everything.

(Note presence of sea monkey in the lower left corner of the above shot, f'rinstance.)



But we're finding ourselves surprisingly stymied by how many items there are to find; whether we've found all the chests, for example, or whether there are two more remaining. That, and understanding the layout of the many twisty-windy passages underneath the sim that all look the same.

Still and all, though, it's surprisingly pretty, and very peaceful, and at the least, it'll go into the landmark list of 'fun places to spend time'...and that list, frankly? Never has enough things on it.

So if nothing else, I'm happy to have found a new place to wander. And who knows--if nothing else, I could flip on fins, and see how fast I can swim through the tunnels!

calm down my heart...don't beat so fast, don't be afraid, just once in a lifetime

(A brief bit of proscenium-breaking, re earlier RP. Bear with me.)



This is Aki Shichiroji's "Nebari" skin/shape/outfit mix, out of the box. Untouched. Hair, eyes, shape, skin--that's entirely hand-painted, by the way; Aki may be the only start-to-finish, brushstroke-to-scanned-in digital--hand-painter of skins on the grid--this pretty much is Chiana from Farscape.

Don't believe me? Here, Chiana, for reference:



Chiana, played by Gigi Edgley. You can see Aki's done a marvelous job remaking her for the grid.

Now, then. Why we're here. When I got this av, while I liked the Chiana look, if I was going to spend any amount of time in it, I needed to soften the edges. This is what I came up with:



Now, I swear to you, this was completely off the cuff. Just what 'felt right', so to speak. Adjust a few sliders, soften the planes of the face, I didn't substantially change the nose, just altered the lip mesh shape a tad...I didn't do a lot, and I stopped when I hit here, fairly satisfied with the result.

How'ver, there's a known Nebari nemesis in Farscape. Her name? Varla (played by Skye Wansley):



Considering it's literally been years since I saw this particular episode of Farscape? It's kind of creepy how accurate the quick little mod I did of Aki's shape comes, to this character. Very nearly surreal, in fact.

Anyway. Various and sundry of other note.

Is my grid elitism showing if I ask why do people still voluntarily choose to look noobish on the grid long after their noob years? I speak, of course, of Rivula's brief wandering terror, sacsnow Jacobus.

Why am I publically identifying her? Well, for one, I walked in on her naked in my home. And for two, she wouldn't answer a polite IM. And for three, she then wandered into other private homes in Rivula, while I watched.

And for four? She looks like this:



Note: I am not singling out some genuine noob for savagery, here. She's been on the grid for nine months. She's also a member of not one, not two, but four public nudity groups.

So why, for the love of little green apples, is she rude, is she still breaking in to peoples' homes, and moreover, STILL IN A BASE SKIN?!?

That's not even prim hair. There's no excuse for this.



In other news of the week, we finally got rid of that annoying patch of flicker on the ceiling at the store. Yay. And today's tribute to Walt Disney went amazingly well:



I don't know if I've spoken about Tribute Island before this; if I haven't, I should have. Because Nikk Huet, one of the main organizing forces behind the Island, is entirely too self-effacing for words, let me effuse for him: Tribute Island is an amazing idea. Just start to finish.



I'm going to have to go back and do another run at the Island, for pictures--this was part of a set where I was running full HUD/browser visibility, for other reasons. So ignore the small one and click for the larger one, it's dark, but more impressive.

For anyone who doesn't know, this is a tribute to Arlington National Cemetary in Arlington, Virginia, well within driving distance of Washington, D.C. I haven't actually walked this one from the ground--this was intended to be an overflight capture, just to see how HUD-capture photography was going to look--so it may be at a tribute to those lost in wars-in-toto.

But I have to say, overflying this, dressed for the event that paid tribute to all lost in world conflicts from WWII through Viet Nam, this stopped me. Sight of this, literally, stopped me in flight, put my heart in my throat. Arlington does that, too, sometimes even in picture form--because there are so many of those small white markers, so very many...and knowing it represents the merest portion of humanity lost to the horrors of unresolvable difference...war between realms, between nations, between concepts of good, bad, restriction, allowance, religion, rights...and now we have a portion of Arlington on the grid, and it has the same impact.

All of Tribute Island is like this. Tribute Island is for all residents of the grid, to share, to learn, to experience who we are, whom we honor, whom we hold dear. From public personalities to the deeply personal, fandom to family, anything is allowable (following their build guidelines). Because in the end, it's about what we hold up, that will teach future generations--this we lost. This we once had. Know this. Feel this.

It's a powerful message, and one we desperately need, right now. Even virtually, reconnection to the common soul which links us all--that vast mythpool of concurrent experience we all dip into as a culture, as a society, as a planet--we can learn great and humbling things from each other, on Tribute Island.

Look it up sometime, go there. Learn more. Help out if you can. Remember the value of remembrance and loss. You won't be sorry you did.

I've become the anathema of my soul

((RP mode))

Two days in, I'm already twitching. I'd expected...I'm not sure, recovery? It's not what I'm getting.

Last night, I was able to contact Baron Wulfenbach, and he verified that, while I seem to have a certain...radiance...it's not actively radioactive. I suppose that's a good thing.



This is the face in my mirror, now. This is the face I've seen for three days. It's not a face I know, it's not a face I understand.

But I can't change to other faces, other forms, I'm more familiar with.

Is this how everyone else feels? Day by day, the same image, the same face, the same eyes...never changing, never anything different...

My shifter soul wants the mirror shattered, wants the freedom of change again. Instead, I sigh, and go back to the tree, and spend more time resting.

Eventually, I tell myself. Eventually. I'll heal and be able. I'll heal and I'll change.

Someday.

Make it soon...

waiting as the panic grips my hand

((RP MODE; also Confused Mode))

The naga comes to Brythony, and cannot ascertain where she is.

These lands may be more tricksy than I am.



I had not affixed our new lands in memory; I admit, I could have done this with ease just one day previous, but the sudden arrival of our new lands, you see, blew every thought out of my head as if my thoughts were dandelion puffs.

Even so, when I plucked from my chaotic memory the location of our lands, and enspelled m'self to go to that location...I was taken aback to find myself falling through the air.

I have not been here before. Of that I am quite sure.



Because, me being me? I would remember being exposed to a floating skull and crossed bones. With a collar. And a smokestack.



The naga reaches solid ground.

I learned another thing today, something I'd not quite known: nagas do not like falling to the ground. I tried to guide the fall, tried to hover, but the snake nature made me twist and flail in midair and I despaired of reaching solid ground in one piece!

But thankfully, my descent slowed, which is a very good thing, I would think, for both the snake-side of my nature at present and the Empress of all Dandelions who has so graciously extended the protection of her lands to the Dark Court.



This is the very far edge of the lands that belong to the one naming herself Nefairyous. Of course it's an assumed name, but who among the Unseelie has not, at some point, sought the secrecy of cover? Behind me lay the spreading estates of Mr. Gilbert Sapwood, storyteller of much reknown in the lands of Caledon and New Babbage.



And just to be clear, that moment in the last tour of Brythony wherein our small band discovered the singing mushrooms?

Those self-same mushrooms can be seen under the spreading willow just off to the right. And thus is the Unseelie Court now bordered.

Our lands used to be larger, yes. But we have been much scattered, and put through much along the way of travel, and this is a boon unexpected. We will accept, we have accepted, and it is joyous to be in fae lands again.

Now, we simply need to meet and decide what will exist here, in this fae-formed place.



Besides dandelions. She is the Empress of them, after all. They will, of course, be staying.

The naga slithers off; adventures await.

so deceiving is the clouded heart

Surprising, isn't it? You're still pushing through. What are you still moving for? Why don't you just give up? What keeps you going?

The ones I love.

The ones you love...Tch. I knew you'd say that.



Determination, then. Will to survive. To rage against the dying of the light. And that's the truth.

You think that's truth? This is truth: all your pretty words mean nothing. Truth is death. Truth is dead.

Death is a truth. Not the truth.

You can't put qualifiers on truth.

People do it all the time. I do it less than some.

More than most.

Only when necessary. But I also divide between small truths and large truths.

You'll never learn.



Me: I can't believe there is no way out...
Agony: You'll find you are wrong
Me: You fill me with doubt...
Agony: You were never that strong

You're not that strong. You'll never be. You're not the biggest, not the wisest, not the best. What have you got?

I endure.

Not good enough. Not good enough by half. What else?

I stand.

Not so well these days. What else?

I love.

You love. As if that's so important. And always back to that...



Agony: I am pain
I am the wound that never heals
It's all in vain
No compromise, no deals...

Enough, just enough. Just...let me breathe for a while.

As if it's that easy. But tell me again, it amuses me.

I am not alone. That's what you want to hear? Well, it's truth, again. I am not alone.

Of course you're not. You have me. And I know exactly what to say to keep you down. Tell me you don't believe me.

I believe you. But I refute you.

You'll never learn.

From you? Gods, I hope not.

Me: I can't believe this is the end
Agony: It's written in stone
Me: Where are my friends?
Agony: You have always been alone!



Don't think, for a moment, you'll get away from me. Don't think, for a moment, you'll stop listening.

Don't you think for a moment I don't know you're there. Don't think I don't know who you are.

Who I am?

Yes. Who you are. I know who you are.

You know nothing. You've never known, you've never been able to learn. Not the simplest of the simple lessons. I've been watching.

Doesn't matter. I know enough. I know you. I've been watching, too.

Who am I then?

You're doubt. You're insecurity. You're hateful, spiteful, willful. Cruel.

You don't know a thing. You haven't learned anything. You don't know enough to even know how little you know.

But I do know. I've always known. I've always known. You think you hide that well?

So who am I, then?

You're me.



Me: I can't believe there is no way out...
Agony: You'll find you are wrong
Me: You fill me with doubt...
Agony: You were never that strong

You think so? Tch. You think you know so much.

I know. Yes. I know this, I know you. I've always known you.

Arrogance. You think all the voices in your head are you?

No. Just you. But you're not staying.

You can't stop me. Especially not if I'm you. You can't do anything.

I can stop listening.

You're not strong enough to stop listening. No one is. None of you are. You are so very very weak at times...

I'm not strong enough to stop listening now...but give me time. Give me time, I will be.



You're not strong enough to deny me.

Concentration: Wind through willows. Paper-crackle of autumn leaves. Swirl and eddy of tidepool waters....

You're a fool if you think that will work.

Meditation: First fiddleback fern's unfolding. Starshine on the midnight sea. Touch of the beloved's hand on mine...

You won't be able to stand it. You'll have to face me.

Perception: All my days. Through every tick of every clock that's ever struck a chord. But I don't have to let you win.

You won't be able to stand against me. Weak and pitiful, crawling thing. What have you got?

I have my loves. I have my friends. I have my memories of love as well as loss, of joy as well as pain, and I have strength of will and survival etched on my bones. And I will rebuild. And I will come back stronger.

Love: I can't accept this, we will find a way
Out of this cesspool of doom and dismay
Beyond this dejection there's beauty and grace
A glorious future we long to embrace



I win.

(Lyrics are Ayreon's, from their concept album The Human Equation, this being a bit over a third of "Day Three: Pain".)

so dig a little deeper, 'cause you still don't get it yet

New skin designer out there, or at least new to me. Miss Calire Harford of Symphony Skins in Aurora Quays (at least currently).



Don't ask me why I started with the darkest skin in her freebie pack, near the door. I don't usually. And even while falling in love with the eyes, my eyes were drawn to what appeared to be a demarcation line across the neck.



So I flipped on a face light, and changed my pose, and presto, that line disappears. I think, honestly? It's not the light hiding a line. I think it's the way she runs the shading along the collarbone.

Beyond that, though, the rest of the body has really nice details. I could live with more definition on the nipples, but her belly button, even if photosourced, is absolutely charming. And her lower body is very pretty indeed.

But I keep looking at her eyes. Or the makeup around them. That is breathtaking.

Pulls a little oddly on the blink, but really, no one focuses that close.



I was wrong! There is a darker tone. This is "Baritone", and same lovely eyes, slightly darker, richer tan, bit more orange in the lips. About the only changes.



Okay, next tone up in her demo line, at least, is Falsetto. (And yes, for those twitching in the studio audience, the hair was mangled, thanks ever so, fixed now. I plead distraction due to the pretty pretty eye work. Shhh.)

Again, slight color variation, lips equivalent tone, same--still beautiful, but--same eyes.



I figure, Alto's close to 'average of all SL skin tones', more or less. Good definition, very little streaking on any of these, some small bit along the upper arms, I'd like more definition along the rear, but hey, I'm also an acknowledged freak. Beyond that, again, same lip tone, same lovely scrollwork around the eyes.



And Contralto's one of three tones I normally live in. And again, this is a lovely tone, peach-pink, sort of tea-rose bloom if anything along the shading.



And finally, Soprano--the second of my personal three favorite tones, and a very nice version, gorgeous pale-velvet-matte feel to this one.

(In case there's anyone who hasn't figured it out? My third favorite skin tone: white. Like, vampire-white, ice-white. What can I say, eternal gothling, I know, it's sad.)

So, overall, I don't think I'm going to be doing enough of these to develop a rating system, but I'd give her 4 out of 5 of whatever it would be. Check her out.