just a few more weary days, and then I'll fly away

It's been...well, several not good days, an entire month of not good days, or even 181 days of not good days...but we'd gotten through the month of being in inarticulate pain, until Valentine's Day...and then a message came through Timeless Textures.

I'm leaving the business in, but anonymizing everyone but Wyvern Dryke, because...well, he's the point of contact.

On the 14th of February, he sent this message.

Xzavia's RL son sent me a message in Discord today.

I am so very sorry, everyone.

Xzavia Yifu passed away IRL on February 1, 2023

Understand, he wasn't trying to keep the news private, per se, he just wanted to make sure he heard from the family that it was okay to pass it on, first.

She became very ill over Christmas, due to Covid, and was not able to recover.

I do not know the future of Timeless Textures, or by extension USC / Eagle's textures.

Again, very sorry. *hangs his head low and curls up sadly with his tail over his muzzle*

Why is it always Wyv. My gods, too much loss going around.

Anyway, that came in around five, so I didn't hear about it until the day after, because...well, we had holiday plans. But when I logged in on the 15th...well, it was this, opening for me in mid-chat:

[2023/02/15 10:19] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): Yes, when Free Dove's Paloma passed, she asked that her store be closed.
[2023/02/15 10:19] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): Xzavia would probably not ask such a thing.
[2023/02/15 10:22] Kxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Nice..My friend [Axxxxx Rxxxxxxx] introduced me to timeless textures. :)
[2023/02/15 10:24] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: thats so sdd to hear I only poke to x in mid january
[2023/02/15 10:24] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): Yes
[2023/02/15 10:25] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): she last logged in, on Jan 31
[2023/02/15 10:27] Mxxx Wxxx: and sent the notice on 30
[2023/02/15 10:27] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): or perhaps the 30th.
[2023/02/15 10:27] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I was not able to of gotten that message
[2023/02/15 10:27] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: my condolences to her family, she was the best texture creator i knew of
[2023/02/15 10:27] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): the 30th. She last logged on the 30t, not the 31st
[2023/02/15 10:28] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): the 31st is when I got the message from her in Discord, that she was going into Hospital

I knew she'd gotten Covid, I knew it took a lot out of her, I didn't know she'd hit the hospital stage.

[2023/02/15 10:28] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): and then... static.
[2023/02/15 10:29] Vxxxxxx Pxxxx: My condolences to her family.
[2023/02/15 10:29] Kxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: :(
[2023/02/15 10:29] Rxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i got a notecard from the 30th
[2023/02/15 10:29] Mxxx Wxxx: so she went there for a day ;(
[2023/02/15 10:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, wow. I was so busy yesterday, out, I hadn't heard. She will--deeply--be missed.

It's always odd what strange things we think of when we hear the news. What crossed my mind at first seemed so absolutely trivia--"Guess she's not going to finish the brocade sets." Like that is in any way important.

[2023/02/15 10:30] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): nods
[2023/02/15 10:30] Rxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: there was a notecard sent out 30th january
[2023/02/15 10:30] Wyv the FloxMonster™ (wyvern.dryke): Yes, she sent a notecard through this group on the 30th, saying she wasn't feeling well
[2023/02/15 10:31] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That, I got, yes.
[2023/02/15 11:11] Jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i cant believe this is happening
[2023/02/15 11:11] Sxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx offers hugs to all who want one.
[2023/02/15 11:12] JewelMermaid: was it covid?

I'd go so far as to say complications from Covid, to be clear. But in brief: yes. As so many noble souls before her.

[2023/02/15 11:12] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: what happened?
[2023/02/15 11:12] Sxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I believe so.
[2023/02/15 11:12] Leslea Aldrin: She had covid before Christmas.. and never really recovered.. got sicker in January

(Left also non-anonymous for reason which will become clear in entry two, which...probably will be tomorrow.)

[2023/02/15 11:12] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: omg
[2023/02/15 11:12] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: :(((
[2023/02/15 11:13] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: I didn't know
[2023/02/15 11:13] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): She was my favorite texture designer. Well, probably still is--I own SO MANY brocade sets.
[2023/02/15 11:13] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: me too
[2023/02/15 11:13] Kxxx Cxxxxx: me too
[2023/02/15 11:14] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i have a ton of her stuff too
[2023/02/15 11:14] Kxxx Cxxxxx: Xavia is a great loss personally and to SL
[2023/02/15 11:14] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: yes
[2023/02/15 11:14] hhcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: so sorry about that
[2023/02/15 11:14] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: is it going to close?
[2023/02/15 11:15] Leslea Aldrin: At the moment- there are no details available if she had willed it to someone else or not.

[2023/02/15 11:15] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: I see
[2023/02/15 11:15] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Wyv's still hoping to find out.
[2023/02/15 11:16] hcccccccc Rxxxxxxx: we will miss it
[2023/02/15 11:31] Axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: May she rest in peace. And he sent a notecard yesterday, which I'd missed at the time:

Hello friends, thank you for your patience during this solemn time.
Here are details for Xzavia's Memorial.

WHEN:
Saturday, 11 March at 1 pm SLT

WHERE:

Xzavia * Celebration of Life

HELP NEEDED: We need someone to VIDEO RECORD the service. If you know someone, please contact LESLEA ALDRIN

Okay, leaving Leslea's name in, too, so potential videographers can contact her.

NOTES:
* The Memorial's location belongs to Mxxxxxx Sxxxxx. (Thank you [Mxxxxxx].)
* All are welcome to visit and feel close to our beloved Xzavia. There is a picture near the benches.
* You are welcome to make a brief statement, if you wish to commemorate Xzavia's time with us (voice or text).

Thank you

~Wyvern Dryke a.k.a. the Flox

And that's all I know for now. A donation jar was set out; enough was raised to at least cover her parcel rental for one more month, until the family decides what to do. I'll tell you when I know more.

remember my heart...how bright I used to shine

Struck me mid-morning, caused me to shake my head. It's been weeks since my furbaby passed, why am I not over all of this, why am I stuck in place, why am I not processing this and moving forward with new life things...

Then I went back to the entry.

It's been five days.



But, day or so back, I had the same feeling, so I decided to crawl back into the saddle and cover the 'Judge' Celestial Hammer from /Vae Victis\. Because I had a completely cracked idea and couldn't get it out of my head.



...which instantly failed to work, but then I remembered, I forgot to resize it. There's a resize menu.



WAIT PROBLEM.

Okay, plus side: it shrinks down REAL small. It's partially stuck in my hair on the left side (viewer's left), that's how small it goes. Down side: I cannot be Dinkie and show this off. Drat.



Time to go in a different direction. This is the hammer, rezzed out as is from the box, no changes.



LOOK AT THAT DETAIL. I'm dead serious--this is a shot without shadows employed, and I think only up to Advanced Lighting on Firestorm, because I'd been at a heavy-lag event and had clicked a lot of my usuals off? And it still has that much detail.



And here, Constant Reader, is where Em's brain fell out for a bit...but I got it back. This is not as complex as it looks. And again, makes this piece hugely variable to the end buyer.

So, everything's actually more self-explanatory than it looks--the 'screw' image pretty much just tints the screw, the thing I took for an eye at first, second row from the bottom, tints the wings, and the curlicues on the bottom do the ornate fine details. Lets you really play with themes--click down one row, you're done for that color, or mix and match, both work. Some from here, some from there? Knock yourself out, this'll let you do it.



A slightly different shot with stronger contrast to show you what the ornate little details really are.

I may throw up some of this run of originals on my Flickr, I may take an entirely new set--the goal was to get a Dinkie-sized hammer, and that was utter failure. But I did learn if I ever really want, I can reduce it to be a hairpin!

Not that I want to do that--this is glorious full-sized, even full-my-sized. Beautiful work, start to finish.

You can acquire this beauty for L$500 at the main store. It comes with a hud of poses, for photographs or just standing, and the hud itself can be turned off and on without detaching, which means you don't even need to lose your AO. This one has all the functionality.

Highly recommended, do go look.

can't call it a problem if I never let a play drop

Information from Shakeno Tomsen:

Stop. Using. PNG. or. 32-bit TGA. For. Opaque. Textures.

Why? Most people don't see it but SL has an automatically enabled option to convert ALL these textures into alpha masks, and it SHOULD be disabled. It makes content creation a hassle because you can't choose what should be alpha blending and what should be alpha mask if it is on, requiring you to use workaround features for it...
...BUT: Disabling this feature will probably cause a lot of objects go into an alpha sorting trainwreck in your client. That is because said textures were uploaded with an unnecessary 32-bit/transparency layer that SHOULDN'T BE THERE, and now it doesn't attempt to fix it automatically, showing what the textures truly are like.

To solve this, please upload your opaque textures as 24-bit TGA and disable the option "Render alpha masks when 'Advanced Lighting Model' is enabled/not enabled". Not only they will be correct in a visual manner, they will also require less data to download and process.

Thank you sincerely.

Now I need to figure out which textures I've uploaded that I want to go through the hassle of this...

And this from a random profile that I found relevant:

Safewords are valid in SL because it is psychological and emotional space we are trying to achieve and a relationship we are trying to preserve. And because of RLV. Surrender is surrender and it is vulnerable.

Green: Go Sir! Goooooo! I love this!

Yellow: Slow down Sir...let's figure this out I'll hint gently. And maybe you have the right idea in the first place, but let's negotiate softly.

Red: Instant stop. I guarantee I will leave BDSM forever if I violate a redlight, a RED. Safewords can save lives. No longer Sir....I'm coming to the rescue.

Tapping out/Snapping: During gagging, or combinations. It means the gag comes off.

Use your safewords, they can even protect a friendship. Safewords between trusted friends can prevent misunderstandings.

BDSM is to develop trust, intimacy, and provide an avenue of utter surrender, as well as foster greater self control.

He's not wrong.

Next, why I got rid of STATIC's Nightmariner's Lantern (at least for now):



Because it REFUSES to stop launching itself into midair and spinning like a mad dervish!



It makes no sense to me.



Seriously, every time I rez one out, it goes COMPLETELY mental.

And now, some random cat pics to round this out.



What is the fascination with staring at walls? Can someone answer that for me?



Because I don't get it.

I hope it's worth it, out on the highway, yeah (part III)

And we pick up from the very full-bright version on the roof...

[13:15] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you can't deny she IS pretty, though.

I mean, yes, but that's hardly the point.

[13:15] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and that breast tattoo. I made that.
[13:15] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): She's lovely. The tattoo is lovely too.
[13:15] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You can only see 1.6666 nipples
[13:16] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): This does not help!
[13:16] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and below her belly button is not in view

Be grateful for small favors, I suppose.

[13:17] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: let me try to move it
[13:17] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [sh*t]

Yes, I did go through all the images I planned to post and carefully add a modesty covering.

[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NOW THERE'S TWO
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): please
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Mxxx]
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I'm begging you
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): please stop
[13:17]mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: But I didn't have anything pressed to drag copy

Just...STOP...doing the things! Call for help! Why did she keep trying things that apparently only made things worse?!

[13:17] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: something wrong with my edit tools
[13:17] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Jxxxxxx] may kill ME at this point, and I didn't do it!
[13:18] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I'll rotate them if it lets me

Why...would that help?

[13:18] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: doh
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): are making
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): MORE
[13:18] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): of them
[13:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Does, um....anyone have a net?
[13:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): For [Mxxx]?
[13:19] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I think it let me delete two!
[13:19] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Good
[13:19] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: 3
[13:19] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: wtf

Oh, don't say that--

[13:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): DO NOT TILE THEM

Oh, for the love of--STOP with the tiling of things!!

[13:20] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I AM NOT
[13:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): MIZI
[13:20] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am no Amy Iwish, but I can build!! I don't knwo what is happening!!
[13:20] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): This one painting is going to become the bane of this poor girl's existence
[13:20] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ugh

At this point, she made the entire thing radiantly blurred, which...I suppose...helped? And I thought we were done...

[13:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well...that's...radioactively infective, but....better?
[13:21] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it won't let me move it again
[13:21] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Which is SHOULDNT ANYWAY
[13:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Axxxxx]'s not in world, or she'd be here for this catastrophe
[13:22] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: mauybe it is a parcel thing
[13:22] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I'll wallk over
[13:22] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: Keystone Cops meets Sotheby's?
[13:22] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Apparently!
[13:22] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok I have move .. things again

I have all the fear.

[13:22] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: That sounds about right, [Axxxxxx].
[13:23] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Okay, good. Be *careful*....and try to move it, and take it back.
[13:23] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I will yeet it over there

No yeeting!

[13:23] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Do not yeet! Bad things will happen!
[13:23] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok I will "LOWER IT GRACEFULLY" into the gallery
[13:23] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but it is like 10 meters tall
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok .. it DEFINITELY is "move" and not "Stretch" or "Rotate"
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: one
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: two
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: three
[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) holds her breath

She made. It GLOW. Once more, it was just dire comedy at this point.

[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NO
[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): BAD [MXXX]
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: !!
[13:24] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NO BISCUIT
[13:24] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am not doing this on purpose!!

ARE YOU SURE??



Every time I thought it was over...Do you see the tiny little circles? Do you see the tiny little labels? That's Miss M. and I. On the roof. For size reference.

[13:25] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It's the size of the ROOF
[13:25] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: imma relog and see if that fixes my tools

You do that.

[13:25] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Thankfully it's only facing Caledon Greystoke, but if anyone WAS there, they could SEE it from the island!

And then...

[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): ACK
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): she made it physical
[13:26] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I thought that would help!
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): HOW
[13:26] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: OMG
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): How would that HELP
[13:26] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It would fall off into the water
[13:26] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well that's not what happened!
[13:27] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: OBVIOUSLY
[13:27] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: So gravity influences it and it falls.
[13:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Forward
[13:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): She wanted it to fall backwards, apparently.
[13:28] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It didn't even crush us!
[13:28] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Usually when one complains about gravity being the scourge of one's unclothed form, this isn't what they're talking about

I know, right?

[13:28] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: maybe if we push it

Push...butwhy...

[13:29] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: [Mxxx], what are you trying to do with the huge picture?
[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: would it help to make it phantom
[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Get rid of it!
[13:29] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Let me see if I can return it.
[13:29] Pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Phantom just means it can be walked through.

Oh, great, that would be all we'd need, a giant pin-up we can walk through.

[13:29] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It did not crush us only because, ironically, the church steeple stopped it

I mean. Let that sink in.

[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Somehow, despite not having edit rights, it let me copy it

And I still don't know HOW...

[13:29] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so I tried to move them
[13:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You were able to take it back?
[13:30] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: Turning large objects physical is often used by griefers. lol! You just griefed the Village with a nudie! *snorts*
[13:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): SHE DID

So, between Mr. J, Miss R., myself, and the at this point very doubtable Miss M., we got everything squared away. Finally.

[13:31] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: This really is the best conversation that I've seen here in years
[13:33] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): This is unbelievable
[13:33] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): She just keeps finding new photographs
[13:34] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: The Tragic Tale of the Fallen [Jxxxxxx] with the Big Boobies.

Infamous in song and story, I'm sure.

[13:34] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) snorts
[13:35] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: And here I thought you were supposed to fall from grace......
[13:35] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: Turns out, it just takes [Mxxx] with a bit of edit rights. *grins*
[13:36] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx: *insert rimshot here*

[13:37] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: What little virtue I have left is even more at risk than I;d thought, clearly.....

Clearly.

[13:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): But she doesn't have any on this parcel beyond rezzing out her own items!
[13:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That's what we can't understand!
[13:38] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Given that large physical prims with nude textures are seemingly falling from the sky, much more than mere virtue is at risk.
[13:38] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I remain ever grateful to Raven's Perch, for stopping the fall of the astoundingly huge painting onto [Mxxx] and I.

And thus ends the tale. I hope. But if Miss M. pulls this trick a third time, somehow? I'm going to fly over in the Gray Area with the Duke and bomb her house.

I hope it's worth it, out on the highway, yeah (part II)

So, the previous post was the day before yesterday. And then, yesterday...this happened:

[12:48] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [dusts off her hands against each other] There. So apparently I have "atoned" for "making" [Jxxxxxx] put her tastefully nude photo up in [Axxxxx]'s gallery by putting my own next to it. Hopefully neither will be gracing an outside public wall in 100s of repeats, full bright, sub 1.0 scaled, any time soon.

Yes, that is...devoutly to be wished. And I have no objections to the gallery show--I was considering the concept--but all this sounds...well, very much "There I've fixed it". And...how? Precisely?

[12:49] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Thank you for warning me. I, for one, will exercise every bit of discretion I possess......
[12:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I....what.
[12:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU ARE NOT MAKING IT EASY NOT TO BLOG THIS

And obviously, I failed on the not blogging it part, though I would reinforce, I did ask both Miss M. and Lady J. for permission. Because this was...oh, gods, "huge" sounds like a terrible pun, considering what happens later.

[12:50] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *I* don't have any qualms about your blog.
[12:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yay! Permission!

Which is when I went back and captured the beginning of this section of chat, but held it until verifying with Lady J.

[12:50] Fxxxxx Cxxxxxxx: Every ... bit ... of...discretion? What are the units of "discretion" ?

Valid question.

[12:50] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Discretion? We don't got no discretion? We don't got to show you no stinkin discretion. (apologies to Gold Hat)
[12:52] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am definitely not advocating anyone go to her gallery and see either photo, on the back wall on the let side, 2nd floor.
[12:52] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *left
[12:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Of course not.
[12:52] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Wouldn't dream of it....
[12:52] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *Right side!!!
[12:53] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: right
[12:53] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: (omg I am the WORST geographer)
[12:54] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Just don't go here Caledon Oxbridge Village (75,26,32) if you don't want to see them.
[12:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Helpful!
[12:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[12:55] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: That's certainly a load off my mind......
[13:02] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) smiles
[13:03] Axxxxxx Gxxxxxx has found myself surprised that there's never been a burlesque club in Caledon called the Bewm Bewm Room.

I'm not. That sounds more like it should show up in Seraph City.

[13:04] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: So apparently somehow I was able to drag-copy [Jxxxxxx]'s photo so there are 4 of them. I shoved 3 back behind the wall.

And this is when things started going off the rails again. How? How does someone copy someone else's object in SL? I can't recall if Miss M. still had rights to Lady J's objects, it's certainly possible, but I have rights to move, send back, and outright delete Lady J's objects, because we do run into issues building on Gearhaven? And I don't have to right to copy anything she directly owns. So...confusion?

[13:04] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) facepalms
[13:04] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You....have issues. :D
[13:04] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wonder if I can resize them
[13:05] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh no

Oh, please no--

[13:05] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Don't say that
[13:05] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Don't say that concerning nudes
[13:05] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Not again
[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i can fix it

OH PLEASE NO--

[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you know how when you build
[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and the angle is odd and you slide a stretch handle

Oh, no. What? Oh no.

[13:06] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and it flings the opposite way?
[13:06] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Uh-huh....
[13:06] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): WAIT
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): So where is [Jxxxxxx]'s nude photo NOW??
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: at teh gallery
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I can't edit or move it now
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Somewhere flying over Caledon??
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh, so it's still in the gallery

I suppose we should be grateful for small favors.

[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, the one ON the wall is fine

Good, good...

[13:07] vxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ...on the side of a blimp?
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it's up
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: over the building
[13:07] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and .. large

Don't say 'large'.

[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well, that's fine, I'm sure Ms. [Jxxxx] can send it back or delete it at....

And then the ha'penny dropped, so to speak.

[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU
[13:07] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): DID
[13:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): NOT
[13:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): do this
[13:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): AGAIN
[13:08] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no no not exactly
[13:08] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i um
[13:08] exxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You um?
[13:08] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I will try to shrink it.. but now it won't let me.. I don't have edit permissions on her stuff but it let me do it a minute ago!

HOW?!?

[13:09] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: if it lets me move it maybe I can put it in the ground or the water
[13:09] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i will TP out and back an dsee if that helps
[13:10] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok i can move it
[13:10] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oops

And it was hearing that 'oops', faithful readers, that made me leave the En Garde event at Sakura--in my very 1940's sleeveless twin set, with the extraordinarily non-Victorian lipstick-red pumps--and take the landmark that Miss M. had "helpfully" given out earlier. Because oh, dear gods, this was going pear-shaped AGAIN.

[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): AND the landmark you gave drops you off in midair--

Because it did. I didn't even bother flying, I just fell to the roof and went splat.

[13:11] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: does it?
[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) stomps on the roof for emphasis
[13:11] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: um

And, when I turned around after hitting the roof...

[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): MIZI OMG
[13:11] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: let me see if I can make it all grey or something
[13:11] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I THOUGHT YOU LIKED HER
[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) facepalms

[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): All the palms

[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Oh I fixed it!
[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Well, it's gone at least...
[13:12] txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Landmark "is not working as intended" or "not working, as intended"?

That is an excellent question. I do not know.

[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: whew
[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh it autoreturned
[13:12] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: let me take care of that

WAIT NO WHAT--

[13:12] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx cacophony of the screeching damned somewhere in the distance.
[13:12] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): DO NOT BRING IT BACK
[13:13] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): mizi void stars stop
[13:13] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wanted it back in my normal inventory

At that size??

[13:13] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh that isn ot what that does
[13:13] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Please tell me you can take that back
[13:13] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: There is such a thing as a normal inventory? Who knew?
[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: nope
[13:14] vxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I have crocuses in my pocketses.

Miss V., I highly doubt you march around anywhere with even tasteful nudes in with the crocuses, ready to be whipped out at a moment's notice, so...

[13:14] Nxxxx Rxxx: Certainly not a description of MY inventory

Nor mine, but nevertheless.

[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You can't do ANYTHING with it?
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Not even make it grey?
[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: maybe if we put a giant Caledon flag in front of it
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Jxxxxxx] is going to kill you

Oh, WHY...

[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh no
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): YOU MADE IT FULL BRIGHT
[13:14] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I didn't do anything!!

YOU MADE IT FULL BRIGHT!

[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): [Jxxxxxx] is going to kill you.
[13:14] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I may help.

And we adjourn to part three...

I hope it's worth it, out on the highway, yeah (part I)

We had been discussing the Steam Hunt when Miss H. veered into building matters:

[14:47] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ahh no [Sxxxxx] has me on a show leash...I am no longer allowed to delete or make buildings invisible...I already pulled that stunt
[14:47] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Make...buildings...invis....
[14:47] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Okay, that's one I haven't done!
[14:48] Cxxxxx Mxxxxxx: you can always make them invisible, but only for yourself
[14:48] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well first I made it invisible thn I turned them plywood colored all over
[14:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I have deleted them out from under me, taken back walls or floors, once made a house physical on misclick, THAT was fun....
[14:48] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I had a mishap with a picture frame
[14:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yes, I've accidentally retextured with a texture I didn't want. :D
[14:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Never made an entire house invisible.
[14:48] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I live to excel
[14:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) salutes you

I mean...it is a kind of accomplishment. What does one do with an entirely invisible house? I'd probably turn it teal and make it glow, but then I'd worry about the neighbors seeing in. :D

[14:49] Cxxxxx Mxxxxxx: I've done the re-texturing with a definitely-not-a-wall texture before.
[14:49] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yes. .. I once had 100s of [Jxxxxxx]'s looking at me when I dragged a snapshot on teh wall i was editing.
[14:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) laughs
[14:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): That would be amusing AND unnerving
[14:49] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: If you are going to do something bone headed go for the whole enchiladea
[14:49] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and then LL decided, oh, you can't edit that now and locked it.
[14:49] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oooh [Mxxx] that sounds creepy
[14:49] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yikes
[14:49] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yes.. her eyes follow you wherever you walk
[14:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins
[14:50] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I just reskinned all my apartment walls over it
[14:50] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Not that I minded that so much
[14:50] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): They do that in front of her, too
[14:50] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hurts the prim allowance though
[14:50] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but no way was I asking [Sxxxxx] for help with the wallpaper again after that
[14:51] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: This was a public wall on the [RP] sim.

...wait. It was all fun and games until this. Miss M., you did this on a public wall? How public a wall?? Dear gods.

[14:51] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am trying to keep a low profile
[14:51] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: wow you are famous then!
[14:52] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Luckily I tend to be one between the UK and US East coast crowds, so I sorted it before anyone else came on sim
[14:52] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, mostly

Um..."mostly"?

[14:52] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx feels a disturbance in the force and pokes her head in the room.
[14:52] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) falls down laughing
[14:53] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx tries to look innocent
[14:53] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I now have a NC full of UUIDs of anything I try to edit like that. Thank gods for cache viewers.
[14:53] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: [mxxx] did what now?
[14:53] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) can only point weakly at [Jxxxxxx], make weird gestures towards her eyes, and collapse into giggles again.
[14:53] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: You know the main wall on the old [RP] sim that the mansion is atop?

You fill me with dread, Miss M. Say on.

[14:53] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx nods slowly, "above the river? yes?"
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I dragged you portrait onto it on accident and set the repeats to like . a lot.
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and then LL locked it
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx gapes in horror. "oh. my. GOD."
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx falls down. "wait, WHICH portrait?"
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: um
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the um
[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Oh gods
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: racy one
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: oh GOD

I should note, this entire conversation was held in the main Independent States of Caledon group. So Miss M. has just told a bunch of neo-Victorians that she tiled a pin-up shot of another Caledonian across a retaining wall that runs the length of more than one building. Let that sink in.

[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): 0.0
[14:54] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: oh NO!!! YOU DIDN'T
[14:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): OKAY THAT'S WORSE
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, the nakies one where your bits are hidden
[14:54] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: mostly

"Mostly".

[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) facepalms
[14:55] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) falls to the floor, hands over her head. "OH MY GOD."
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): "Mostly"
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Its ok. only like 2 people came on sim before I fixed it

"Only".

[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) snickercackles
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and they probalby didn't see it
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: most lkely
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): "Probably"
[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ish
[14:55] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) collapses again

She keeps using these words!

[14:55] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I mean, [Axxxxx] and [Nxxxxxx] never have said one word.
[14:56] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I want to send the Duke this entire conversation. :D

I did send the Duke this entire conversation. Then I saved it for here (with permission from both chief parties involved, yes).

[14:56] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: anyway.. we were saying.. *I* was saying how your eyes followed me wherever I walked
[14:56] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: OMG
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I mean I wasn't panicking running around
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: a lot

"A lot".

[14:57] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: this is why I don't do Nakies piccies
[14:57] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: you never know where they end up

Probably wise, Miss H.!

[14:57] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: they were TASTEFUL!
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: When you got far enough way you couldn't even tell it was you

This...is...not as reassuring as you think it is, Miss M.

[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hardly
[14:57] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): I'm sure they were!
[14:57] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ish
[14:58] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: pffft
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): "Ish"
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) giggles again

Oh, dear gods, Miss M. and qualifiers. I was just astounded at this point.

[14:58] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: someone needs to give me a scale with ish on it so I can calibrate
[14:58] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: of course, full bright did make it easier to tell in the dark
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): FULL
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): BRIGHT
[14:58] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) is dead nao.

AKA, actually leaning over the keyboard, laughing until I was fighting for air, as much in shock as amusement. Not even kidding.

[14:59] Gxxxxxxx Hxxxx looks over the brim of his glasses in bemusement.
[14:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): can't....breathe....halp....
[14:59] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Hey! at least I didn't have glow on it
[14:59] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: LOL
[15:00] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx digs out the photo.
[15:01] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It was a good lesson in texture preparedness, making sure to get enough sleep, and reading texture titles more carefully.
[15:01] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) grins. "Yes. Always texture when rested."
[15:01] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Ok Justine is trying to calibrate my ish...but FLikr doesn't want me to see
[15:01] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: and maybe don't use a naked picture of your best friend?
[15:01] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx: maybe?

THIS. ALL the this!

[15:02] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I wasn't using it per se
[15:02] Mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and I didn't know the wall was selected

Wait, whoa, missed this....What were you doing, then, Miss M.? That tiled the texture that many times over the wall you didn't know was selected? Were you trying to make a, what, a mosaic vase? With little images of Lady J as the tiles??

[15:02] Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Axxxxxxx passes the photo to [hxxxxx]. "PLEASE don't put it on any walls? kthx."
[15:03] Hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I will look and delete it to be certain Sounds fair enough.

Can digital images be cursed? Because...there's a second part to this.

I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, you won this time

Do you know the history of the .mp3? NPR wasn't sure we did, so went to Karlheinz Brandenberg to get the real story. It's fascinating, uneasy-making stuph.

And you will never see me on this hunt. Talk about missing the point...in all directions!

Looking for a terrifying avatar? I can help you with that.

The FTC has finally stepped in and forced Linden Lab to change their "Become your avatar!" campaign, on the charge of false advertising. You can see the revised before and after pictures on Miss Questi's blog.

(Yes, yes, it's a parody...but seriously, that would be cool if they did it that way.)

And this is one of the most impressive images I've seen from a Second Life photographer. My eyes keep telling me it's real; that the combination between the exquisitely textured sign, and the veiling of approaching night, manage to remove the computerized component entirely. Would it still feel "real", to me, at any other time of day? Likely not, but as it is, it's stunning.

Meanwhile...in a texture group far, far away...

[20:57] Bxxxxxxxx Sxxxxx: sprinkles the otter with pink glitter...
[20:58] Dxxxxx Kxxxx: dear santa thane, id like a martini the otter hasn't stirred with her paws... that is all
[20:58] Sxx Wxxxxxxxx: NO!
[20:59] Sxx Wxxxxxxxx dabbles her paws in ALL THE MARTINIS
[21:00] Bxxxxxxxx Sxxxxx: --==crate=--
[21:01] Sxx Wxxxxxxxx: AAAAGH NOT THE CRATE!!
[21:00] Dxxxxx Kxxxx: hehehehe
[21:01] Emilly Orr: So first we had an otter covered in pink glitter. Then we had otter retaliation by stirring all the martinis. Does that mean we now have martinis with pink glitter in them?
[21:01] Emilly Orr: Is it edible glitter, at least?
[21:01] Bxxxxxxxx Sxxxxx: it is! like kid proofing the house, we have otter proofed this group
[21:02] Sxx Wxxxxxxxx: havent!
[21:02] Sxx Wxxxxxxxx: well - maybe for a while - gotta go to beta grid
[21:02] Sxx Wxxxxxxxx: but Ill be back!
[21:02] Emilly Orr: You forgot the MUAHAHAHAHA.
[21:03] Sxx Wxxxxxxxx prances off giggling darkly to herself
[21:03] Emilly Orr: Close enough.

Seen at Patron, spinny people:

(from the random album)

Sculpted by Miss Eliza Wierwight (she also owns the Patron sim), the entire installation slowly rotates under a giant red balloon, and it's far more impressive in person. Do go look.

And there's a certifiably angry bird at La Boucherie:

(from the random album)

See? Angry. Really angry.

Seen at The Cube, the sculpture "Womanflower":

(from the random album)

This one was worth going back through to check again, because I wanted to name the artist. (She's Yaiza Galicia, by the way. She's also got a Marketplace store where you can purchase her sculptures at insanely reasonable prices.) The Cube gallery is a linked set of installation spaces, with artists that rotate in and out taking each of the cubes, or only some. If you go, they're happy to send you an invite to their group to keep up to date on the artists in residence.

If you're wondering how J.J. Abrams will do directing the Star Wars reboot, other fans are wondering the same thing. Ross Thompson did a trailer mash-up of both films, just to find out what it might be like.

Do you like zombies? Do you like teddy bears? Ever wonder what you'd get if you mixed the two? I can now answer that, also.

And there's a lot of Kickstarter project videos that start with the fairly artificial "surprise" angle--"Oh hey, I didn't see you there!" Kickstarter's finally made a video montage of projects that have used this angle.

Finally, there's a movement afoot against lives of indulgence and overspending. People are finding smaller spaces, and learning how to live in them; sometimes by building them, sometimes by buying or renting them. Felice Cohen is one of these people, who started out living in a tiny, tiny space, but--due to publicity and sub-leasing restrictions--now lives in a much larger one.

The bit about that which I think is important: she misses her old space. She misses feeling like everything she loved was nearby. I think making the sacrifice to live in smaller spaces means we find out what's truly important to us, and we work on making that feel like home (or reflect the home we have). Instead of what we think we 'should' have, or 'should' be working towards, we work on what we need.

More of us need less than we think we do, to be happy.

though well-concealed, the scars, they just compound

A fortnight ago, give or take a few days, I suddenly realized it was October, and I had no haunt planned. This was, understandably, something of a shock: I hadn't expected either to want to build a haunt, nor did I have the land for it.

How'ver, in discussions with friends, a parcel was set aside, a ridiculous amount of prims reserved, so I set to.

(from the haunts album; floating above Lunitarium, contemplating potential builds)

It was hard going--not because I didn't have ideas, but because I didn't have the skills to bring them to fruition. Sadly, the warehouse as you'll find it, should you go, will not be all that I hoped.

It's not even, strictly speaking, a haunt. As such.

(from the haunts album; the path to Severance)

I should explain. What I originally decided on was a quirky, little, abandoned-warehouse haunt. Some sounds, some floating objects, a great deal of surreality that stayed on the cutting-room floor. No hunt, I felt, because I just didn't have the time to create anything.

And then...I found myself going through the pages of the Black Book, and I felt compelled to make more of a presentation piece of them. At the start, that's all it was. At the start, it was going to be a few extra textures, tossed in at random, into an otherwise unremarkable build.

Later...

(from the haunts album; the second floor)

At this stage, I still have sounds and such to throw down, but I've made over forty pages from the Book, plus assorted "tag"-style graffiti works for the walls of the warehouse, some unique industrial sounds, and I've gathered an insane number of things that look like they belong in an abandoned warehouse. What started as a quirky little thing has morphed into a fairly faithful tribute to...well.

Slender Man.

(from the haunts album; the second floor)

Of course, understandably, it's my own take on the topic. So some things may not match other recorded 'histories'; all I have to say to that is every chronicler adds their particular spin on things.

This is part of mine.

For what it's worth, I'm now opening SEVER to the public, though more may be added later. It can be found in Lunitarium.

Enjoy?

and it's much too late for goodbye

Last hunt update bit:

Post I	Post II	Post III
Post IV	Post V	Post VI
Post VII	Post VIII	Post VIX
Post X	Post XI	Post XII
Post XIII	Post XIV	Post XV
Post XVI	Post XVII	Post XVIII
Post XVIX	Post XX	Post XXI

Whoa. This is the last Mesh Around hunt post. And yay, because this thing ate my blog like chocolate.

How'ver, we start today at [NN]'s door, and a...sweater dress? Baggy sweater to be worn over something else? Really not sure:

(from the scavenging album)

I'm wearing size 3 of the sweater; there are four sizes included, from 1 to 4. And I'm wearing the large size of the leather belt, because the small version clipped into the mesh.

(from the scavenging album)

Ideally, I'd want to wear leggings or something with this, and some of the 'shapelessness' of this mesh gets a little daunting, especially around the shoulders.

(from the scavenging album)

Still, mesh is in its infancy on the grid; it would be silly to assume there's going to be no problems in integrating mesh into our wardrobes, and even on our persons. That shoulder oddity doesn't kill this sweater for me, it's just something I'll have to keep in mind.

That, and find a good pair of leggings for this to make an outfit with.

(from the scavenging album)

::Fe Style:: made glasses. Yay. And they killed my hair. Joy.

Now, to be fair, here, they're not bad glasses. And, if I choose add over wear on Niran's, I won't lose things from the neck up. But my brain still insists that I shouldn't have to lose hair when putting on a pair of glasses; because the skull is the default for hair, and optic techs can choose to attach glasses on the nose, the mouth, or the chin, so what the hell?

(from the scavenging album)

Pixel Snobs made a summer dress, non-strapless, with a pattern of repeating flowers around the hem. I'm showing it in size M.

(from the scavenging album)

And here's the back. It's simple, it's sweet, and the green belt adds to that whole "new spring flowers" vibe. Pretty.

(from the scavenging album)

Unrepentant had some pretty nifty packaging, too: everything in the box top above rotated save for the scarab. Very well done.

(from the scavenging album)

And their gift was...wait. A completely untextured pair of goggles? Why?

(from the scavenging album)

Ohhh, I get it now--they're full-perm goggles, with baked shadow patterns to export out of world. There's even a notecard with the link to fetch the rest of the files from a drop box:

included in this is the original 3ds Max file (2010)
Dae files
physics file
as well as the ambient occlusion maps.

Okay, that's actually rather clever. Apparently Unrepentant does mesh and sculpted textures and items for creators, they're not just another fashion house. Keen!

And...that means we're DONE!

(from the scavenging album)

Now, if y'all will excuse me, I'm going to go collapse somewhere now. That was a LOT of hunt entries, people!

they sentenced me to twenty years of boredom for trying to change the system from within

I will not offer refunds for accidental unenroiling

First off, I love that word. I have no idea what it means, but I love that word. (And yes, I know Ms. Graves meant "unenrolling", there, but...still. Unenroiling. Fun.)

I will also not make the group free if you accidentally leave for you to rejoin. It's not fair for anyone else.

Now, keep in mind, this is coming from the M.O.C.K. Cosmetics group. While I didn't pay to get in the group, if I left--for any reason--and wanted to rejoin, I would, happily, and I would not complain a single thin complaint about the L$250 join fee.

Why not? Because--while I have bought lipstick layers, eyeshadows, and full makeover sets from her over the course of the last year--the bulk of my makeup collection is group gifts she just tosses out. She's working on a concept, and she doesn't know where it's going--she'll do it up in grape or turquoise, copper or violet, and see how it looks when it's vibrant. Then she turns back to the worktable, and does it over again for smokey eyes, muted lips, neutral makeovers.

Not everything she makes is sedate; but for the most part, what her store actually carries for sale are makeup and tattoo layers that enhance subtly, or tone down the makeup your skin might actually have, or just adds another stripe of color to your existing stripe, across the eye, the lips, the cheeks.

Everything else? Whatever occurs to her in the fever of creation, and most of it she tosses to us gratis. So that L$250 fee to get in is a bargain at twice the price, no doubt in the least.

Two years after the fact, I finally get an explanation on the great Valkyrie/Dreamscape bridge debacle I covered back then (scroll down to the last two comments). How'ver, reading over my original post before the answer, I still stand behind what I said back then: it doesn't matter how personally attacked/vilified/stolen from any maker feels emotionally, imitating someone else's work to that specific extent is an act of ridiculous folly. Because it makes the maker in question look like an idiot, essentially. Rather than the injured party, noble even when wounded and bereft; because it, itself, feels like the personal attack.

I'm not wholly without blame (in the general sense) myself, in this: several years ago I put together a pack of tin ceilings. This was before I started making texture sets by hand, and ensuring that any elements I pulled from various websites were legal and in the public domain, and royalty-free. At the time I saw no problem in hitting two large makers of tin ceilings, and resizing their product images to fit the standards of Second Life.

The reason I don't sell that pack now is that--even though my digital reselling of that pack never directly lowered the profit margin of those makers of actual, RL tin ceilings--I didn't get permission to reuse the images. To me, that was something that became startlingly clear after I began to investigate digital copyright.

But here's the thing--even if I was still selling that pack of images, if someone lifted those images from the same sources I did, paid to upload them all into SL, and then made a house with them--I would never, not in a century of SL days and nights, do my best to copy that mansion down to the last detail, then use my own tin ceiling textures to provide that final, malicious retort.

Because I'm not showing the world that I had the textures first in that example. I'm showing the world what a spiteful, vindictive, petty tyrant I can be when crossed, and frankly (especially as I already have a reputation in many places for being mouthy, bitchy, and/or relationship poison anyway), that doesn't advance my cause any. That just makes me look like an easily offended loon who'd rather copy someone's else's work out of peevish resentment.

Seriously, people...if you're going to take a vocal stand against copyright infringement, the last thing you should ever consider doing is engage in any blatant copyright violation. Whether it proves a point or not, it's never going to be the right move.

you can't get your arms around everybody, you cannot carry the doom

Pursuant to the entry on Curious Kitties a couple of days ago, Morbidia Marchant sent an IM my way:

[14:18] Morbidia Marchant: Hello, this is Curious Kitties support.

Sorry to disturb you but I came across your blog on the VIP program & thought you might like some information on it. I've sent a notecard since it won't all fit in IM. The name of the notecard is "Curious Kitties VIP"

Its a lot of information to read so if your not interested in the details you don't have to read it. =^.^=

Generally, anything that SL actually delivers to me, I am willing to read. I understand her reticence, but I was looking forward to learning more about the program.

This was the text of the notecard:

Hello, this is Curious Kitties support. Sorry for the intrusion but I came across your blog & thought you might be interested in the details.

The main reason for the VIP program is to fund creating new items, since the earthquakes here (Japan) the value of money has dropped & there are many damages among radiation & power outages that heavily interfere with the future of Curious Kitties staying in Second Life.

The Curious Kitties VIP program is currently generally unadvertised since it is in beta & can't handle so many orders for the time being. In the future there will be an official release announcement when a large number of members can be serviced.

Most of the current packs [are] just for L$. For the moment this is just a test for a few days.
We're going for an automatic delivery service in the future. (Thats whats being tested now)

The system was usually handled from this website: http://curiouskitties.com/SP
Theres also been a small banner on the sites sidebar (curiouskitties.com) for about 3 months.

Right now by purchasing any pack you get an invite in to the program
which is currently handled by a group, but will likely branch out in to a larger webpage program in the distant future.

With the current offers the program can be joined from $10.
Each month theres new VIP only items.

Starting next month a point gacha system where members can get even more VIP only & Curious Kitties regular items for free.

If you have any questions about the VIP program or Curious Kitties in general please don't hesitate to contact me at any time.
I'll try my best to help. (On a side note there isn't any native English staff so the program description is sometimes a more difficult one to understand.)

I hope this has been of use & again sorry to bother you. =^.^=

Okay, so I did some further investigation. Let's break this down.

(rom the fashion album)

Now, you may not be able to make it out in the image above, but the larger image should show it clearly enough: this is a straight-up direct screen capture for the $10 box, that purports to give L$2600 and a VIP group invite. The cost? L$900,000.00.

Currently, L$2600 is going through LindeX at a cost of L$10.40. To get L$900,000.00? You'd need to pay out L$3600.00. That's a loss of L$897,400, or $3589.60, to buy the $10 offering.

(from the fashion album)

The next level up purports to give out slightly over $20 in Lindens, plus that VIP group invite. The cost for that one? L$900,000.00.

(from the fashion album)

Not to be outdone, the final box offering, marked $80, is also going for L$900,000.00.

Okay, but Morbidia mentioned this is an unadvertised test program, just to see if things transfer via their scripted system. I get that, they're not intending to sell things...save for the prices do come up in Lindens, these are set to sell.

I went to check the Limited Edition avatar packs, and found something else odd:

(from the fashion album)

This is the sale box for the Angry Strawberry avatar. I now have a much better idea of what comes with it, besides the group invite--but when clicked, it's set to sell for L$5000.00. Which works out to $20.

For a box marked $10 and a VIP group invite.

Now, to be fair, while the box is marked at half the price of the actual offering, for that price you get eight variant skins, the dress, the eyes, the hair, and the HUD to change it to other colors.

On the Marketplace (and this one's just pulled at random, really), the Althovyan Elf Avatar comes with skin, hair, eyes, outfit, ears, and earring-changing HUD for the prim elf ears (if not more than that, that goes unmentioned on the Marketplace), and retails for L$3000.00. So L$5000.00 is not all that high considering her normally high prices.

Is it a dodge? No, I don't think it is. How'ver, I do think this 'testing center', or whatever it is, should not offer actual items for sale until the prices being asked match the items being given...

Serenity Semple points me towards the NWN coverage of the Lost Gardens of Apollo closing. And yeah, that one's going to hurt. If you've never seen it, try to make time to check it out...it truly is one of the magical spaces on the grid. And soon to be there no longer.

And Miss LillyBeth of Textures-R-Us has some new information on an old controversy; I'm willing to trust her in this, it seems to fit with what's been observed. It's also notable that as of this writing, Vryl Valkyrie only has textures and .raw files on offer on the Marketplace. Conversely, Abel Dreamscape still has the Troubled Bridge out for L$500--as well as many other builders' packs and completed builds. I'd say Dreamscape won that particular battle--I just don't know why Valkyrie made it one in the first place.

in the late of the evening, with the cold in my eyes

Ten reasons why watching fantasy and sf shows is a good thing.

Worldwide music takes on the Rolling Stones. One world, singing together--yeah, that's much better than bombs.

Kirsten's Viewer strikes again--but this time around? She's made a 3D viewer...for a 3D world.

I don't get it, either.

Artist Olly Moss has a solo gallery show out called Papercuts; lucky us, she's also started a blog to show off. Sadly, I have several fandom fails where I don't recognize the silhouettes involved, but they're all wonderful.

Last entry I got a comment from someone praising me for a rant, I think (I never take those comments quite seriously, it'd be like praising me for breathing...wait. Breathing isn't an autonomic process with me...Hmm. Okay, I get the point, but I was making another one, so we move on), and as a by-product, I've been reading through her blog. I hit this entry, which made me ponder, and then I found this one, still reading back, and then hit what I thought was the main entry (though as it turns out, I'm wrong, the controversy goes back farther).

And this is Dolly and Lilith Heart's response to some part of the controversy.

Now, I'm not going to go into the whole thing in terms of my experiences with others; I've ranted that rant, and have no intent of revisiting. And that's not entirely relevant here, anyway--while it should be the responsibility of everyone who seeks to protect the copyrights they have to protect those copyrights, it's not an easy process, and there are some severe downsides to doing it. Because, yet again, DMCA was never intended to be used in all the ways it's being used today. It just isn't that robust a law.

But, I figured I might have an important point from someone who does work with an estate company, who is always looking for new and interesting landscaping ideas: most of us won't shop at Heart Botanicals, flat out. This is a Solace Beach-wide thing. Why?

It's not because any of us even heard of this controversy. We're not boycotting or making a fuss or saying they do bad work; they don't. (In pure point of fact, they do amazing work, and always have.) Several of us, including the owner of Solace Beach, Ayesha Lytton, own palms, lilies and various beach plants and tropical ground covers from Heart Botanicals, after all.

Hells, just from reading through their blog, I dropped by yesterday for one of the beach bonfire sets. But I had to grit my teeth to do it.

Why? It's quite clear: nothing we buy from them is copiable. Nothing. And that kills its usefulness for us.

And it it bothers me to no end, because sometimes I have ended up deleting items because they hit the Lost & Found folder on a return, and I wasn't thinking. These days, I try to carefully rez out everything in Lost & Found, but at that point, once moved, they're never in their original folders, and things get jumbled, and yeah--in some cases, I've just forgotten. They have a series of volcano hot spring calderas that I adore for off-sim decoration; they also have a couple different versions of tropical ground cover that are just perfect for behind signs and next to difficult parcel transition points. And of course, I've long since fallen for their coconut palms with the lily vines...

But nothing they make is copiable, from their lemon topiaries down to the scattered beach-rock prims they make up. And I've pondered why such a big firm--big enough that, at least to the surface eye, some of their designs might well be being copied--steadfastly refuses to make copiable designs. Anyone who works with estate management is very clear on what that means--pay L$100, say, for five of something, no copy, or pay L$1000 for five of something copy. We get it, we're going to pay more for no-transfer versions.

But we need them if things are going to work.

Think about it: if I have a 4096 parcel, say, that needs some tropical additions before I plunk the land sign down, I'm looking--realistically--at two makers, Tobias Novi and Heart Botanicals. (While there are scores of other makers, and I've investigated most of them, those two people are really where I shop, when I shop tropical landscaping.)

And 90% of the time, I'm going to go with Novi's work (hells, even when I use Dolly and Lilith Heart's palms, I use Tobias Novi's shadows, come on!), because I can just delete it when it gets returned to me. Why? Because his items are copiable.

Sooner or later, we hit that wall of pretty vs. practical too many times.

In pure point of fact, I'm now in the process of shopping for similar sculpts--not in the attempt to copy them (I wouldn't dream of it, frankly) but solely and simply because some of what they do, in terms of plans, I can either buy from them (and get pretty single-serving plants and rocks), or find comparable sculpts, cobble them together, and have not quite so pretty, but copiable plants and rocks.

If you were managing several dozen parcels, what would you do? Or forget the building angle--if you had the choice between two palm sets, one lovely and tropical and amazing, with detailed prim work, but no copy; and the other one pretty damned good, with less variety but everything was copy, no transfer...Trust me, you'd shoot like an arrow towards the no-transfer items.

Because, at the end of the day, if I'm going to spend L$800 to L$3000 on something, I'm going to look for these things:

* Does it alpha badly?
* Will it fit a large area easily?
* If tropical ground covers, not palms, is it a good mix of rocks and plants, or plants and other debris?
* IS IT COPIABLE?

And that last one? Really is the most important.

Will I boycott Heart Botanicals because of their stance on this? No. It's on the tacky side to call out the person, not the comment, but it happens, it's an unfortunate fact of the internet. More importantly, just examining the comparison shots, they may have something there, because their original meshes and their package layouts do seem to resemble the pieces on other grids--at least to the untrained eye.

But I won't lie, I'm working very hard to ensure that those replacements I can find to buy, I do, and those sculpts I can track down, to make on my own, I do. So that, once everything's found and as finalized as it's going to get, I won't need to shop at Heart Botanicals any more.

Because pretty only counts for so much. Past that, it's all about performance. And as far as being able to copy them across seventy-plus sims, Heart products simply do not perform.

and even though she's dreaming, she knows

Short brief entry/explanation, just so everyone's on the same page.

First, I have no idea what's going on with Photobucket. A friend pointed out the images weren't loading; another mentioned that mayhap there was a copyright challenge going on in the background. (I'm thinking that's not the case, because I've seen the things that Photobucket puts up if there is a reason for them to delete content; this graphic doesn't match their previous observed behavior.

But however it is--or isn't--I'm planning on transferring the images for this blog to another service that won't spontaneously replace them with black and white print on a whim.

Secondly, yes, I'm planning on getting back to the doll entries, but I got tied up in how to define things, and I'm still not sure how that's going to play out. But they're still on the table, and I'll post them when I'm done.

Third, I have what may well be a hundred or more images of Team Fortress 2 and Minecraft--possibly each--that I haven't posted. I'm still pondering whether I want to just flip up pic-heavy entries of some of the happenings. No or little text, and would that still be interesting 'reading' for people who don't play either game?

But there you go, the news, or announcement, or what-have-you about the last few days of strange graphics and radio silence (so to speak).

Me, I'm going back to pondering changing dwellings, and wondering on the best way to measure a tower when the ground levels of surrounding plots in the same sim are uneven...

^&^

[Update: this tweet from the Photobucket account came in a few hours back:

Hey PB peeps - just got an update on the maintenance issue - looks like after 12am MDT (-6 GMT) for things to get back to nrml

[The problem with this? It's not fixed yet. I'm hoping on the morning...but I'm still planning on transferring my graphics off.]

^&^

[Update II: Turns out, I didn't keep the original background or the logo. *sighs* So tomorrow, I have to decide how badly I want to retain the original look, or if I just want to spend a few hours recreating my blog. This is so irritating.]

I was cold and you were fire

So, in the midst of some personal changes, I decided to rebuild the skybox. I'm still deciding what I want to put out on ground level in Winterfell, now that Samhain has come and gone (I haven't gotten around to removing the talking well from Caledon Morgaine; first, I like the way it looks there, and second, the property is still technically for sale).

(I say technically not because I'm contemplating pulling it off the market, but because I've had nary a nibble of interest. Honestly? Don't expect to, either. It's a hard, hard grid for land sales at present.)

I know, most gentles on the grid wouldn't choose black as the starting point for a holiday retreat. But then, I've never been most gentles.

The black wood for the walls, floor and ceiling came from inSight Designs. The stained glass inserts in the walls came from Twisted Thorn Textures. Side one of the skybox contains the little gold 'gloo' tree given out in 2008 as a group gift for New Trails, and an incense bowl I've had for at least four years, made by Azrazael Maracas. The reindeer wreath on that side comes via Prim & Pixel Paradise (it was made by Karra Babii). The skull-and-cane decorations came from Post Mortem Creations. The large holly wreath is from Niven Designs. The smaller skull-and-black-holly wreath I acquired last year at the Soup Kitchen.

I think it came together nicely.

And the inspiration for rebuilding, the De Baza winter fireplace. I honestly don't know if she has it for sale; I got an advance copy, because she's going to be one of the stops on the Twisted Thorn Christmas hunt beginning in December, and I'm tossing around the idea of being another stop.

But it's lovely, it goes perfectly with the black wood, it's double-sided, and all of that decorated pretty is just nineteen prims. Yes, seriously.

freedom spins you out of control 'til someone chokes you with a chain

[06:13 PM] Kaye Robbiani: a customer bought a box of textures, from my texture store, then sent me a notecard to complain that there was nothing in the box but pictures!
[06:13 PM] Thrice Skyward: A customer who actually read her instructions?
[06:13 PM] Thrice Skyward: Lol.
[06:14 PM] Hope Dreier: OMG
[06:14 PM] Kaye Robbiani: she would appreciate my prompt attention to the matter.
[06:14 PM] Damian Delacroix: That's classic. :)
[06:14 PM] Fatima Ur: LOL kaye, thats funny
[06:14 PM] Damian Delacroix: SLAge of this person?
[06:14 PM] Alix Stoanes chuckles. that "picture" of customer service paints a thousand words
[06:14 PM] Sphynx Soleil: what did xie think xie was getting?
[06:14 PM] Kaye Robbiani: 2 years! not a noobie
[06:14 PM] Damian Delacroix: WoW. x_x

Now, as amusing as this is, this speaks to a basic disconnect with building, SL instruction, and the caliber of people on SL these days.

[06:17 PM] Kaye Robbiani: it was wreath and floral textures, probably thought she was getting wreaths and bouquets

Likely, but still. There is a deep disconnect between the making of things, and the viewing of things, in Viewer 2. And sure, she was two years old, this clueless lass, but that's no guarantee that she spent those two years in SL. A great many people try SL for a while, get bored, wander off...months or even years later suddenly realizing they might still have an account, so they log back in to see if things have changed.

Still. This is dimmer than average.

[06:21 PM] Sphynx Soleil: if they're using viewer 2 they probably are shuffled away from "this is how you do things"

That's also true, too, but even so; even folks who can't spell and do nothing but shop know about building, whether or not they do it.

This just brings me back to the point of, it is relentlessly ill-conceived to allow people to log into SL and wander around with no instructions given whatsoever. SL has a high learning curve, even now; two years in, while I'd figured out the basics, I was just starting to learn building; four years in, I'm still struggling trying to figure out scripting.

This lass likely felt some smooth-talking Victorian had scampered with her coin, in return for nothing but pictures of the wreaths she wanted to purchase to decorate her home.

Puts me in mind of the old SLX offerings of "box kits" where people would literally sell plain, plywood created prims. And other people would buy them.

This was in a store named DeTHGRiP:



I have no words. We move on, stunned by the mallet of circumstance.

Why Minecraft speaks to people so powerfully. Or at the least, why such a simple game creates its own archetypal narrative structure. (And, for more intriguing Minecraft storytelling, try Towards Dawn...the tale of a miner who stopped mining.)

Or, put more simply, sometimes it's not about the great new thing--sometimes it's just about the story. In this light, if the PR department can figure this out in time (which will be difficult now that Catherine Linden left the Labs, though a case can be made that she was part of the problem in the first place), Second Life has one of the simplest storylines ever:

Live.

It doesn't get simpler than that.