and I don't wanna be lonely so show me the way home

I have finally gotten around to buying THING, and have installed it (at least for now) in the only place it makes sense: the cathedral in Tannhäuser Gate.



Rory Torrance is the artist behind this, and several other pieces I've bought over the past few months (they're all in Krakenstorm's welcome center, this was...bigger). To make the animated pieces move in the ways he wanted, he's said he had to write the code from scratch. I remain impressed.

He has two studios of his work: the Strangelands main studio, and the smaller Strangelands gallery in Elysium (as well as his work being part of the World Culture Hub, I believe, and I thought Soup's art gallery in Stormhold--though that may be devoted to Zenmondo Wormser's set of exhibits).

[Note from the Editrix: just learned he also has an exhibit at the UASL.]

At any rate, he's worth checking out. Definitely an eye for movement, pattern, and shape, and some strong messages in his work. I'm biased, sure, but I don't think I'm wrong.

the new cats are a bit odd

So, I decanted a cat bought some time back, because I wanted to see if I could get the incredible bicolor eyes in something without the high-shine fur:



See how pretty those are? But that's not the point of this. I want to talk about the Angel Wings sets that were a limited promotion from KittyCats:



Those are the parents, Alexei (in the Teal wings), a Tonkinese Blue Mink Tortoiseshell, and Moira (in the Pink wings), a Genesis Diamond fur.



And this is Laila, their kitten! For the special births of Angel cats, you get either a black rainbow set of wings and halo, or a white rainbow set of wings and halo.

She's also a Genesis Diamond fur, though she seems slightly paler than her mother? That could just be the lighting, though.



Of course, there are some glitches with the Angels...



And this is her while she's still young enough to be a shoulder rider. (That should last another couple of weeks.) And keep in mind, I'm only in there as a reference for size.

But still. Pleased overall. I may permapet Laila when she's old enough.

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

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I have to say Dune. Hands down.

I think it's getting to the point where I can be myself again

ALSO.

I haven't discussed this before now, but I actually have a resolution this December. I usually don't bother with them, but I want to try to make an entry every day.

Warning you all this may result in more picture posts, random 'what-articles-I'm-reading' posts, and more in the vein of fluff over serious context, but...I am going to TRY!

Here's to the experiment working!

Also, Happy New Year for those who celebrate!

this voice, is it calling? is it calling for me?

By way of EdelStore:

Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2022! from EdelStore Mall

Afrikaans - Geseknde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar!
Albanian - Gézuar Krishlindjet Vitin e Ri!
Amharic - Melkam Yelidet Beaal!
Arabic - I'D Miilad Said ous Sana Saida!
Aramaic - Edo bri'cho o rish d'shato brich'to!
Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand!
Aromunian - Crãciunu hãriosu shi unu anu nãu, bunu!
Azeri - Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun!
Bahasa Malaysia - Selamat Hari Natal
Basque - Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Belorussian - Winshuyu sa Svyatkami i z Novym godam!
Bengali - Shuvo Baro Din - Shuvo Nabo Barsho!
Bicolano - Maugmang Capascuhan asin Masaganang Ba gong Taon!
Bohemian - Vesele Vanoce!
Brazilien - Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo!
Breton - Nedeleg laouen na bloav ezh mat!
Bulgarien - Vesela Koleda i chestita nova godina!
Catalan - Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Cantonese - Seng Dan Fai Lok, Sang Nian Fai Lok!
Cebuano - Malipayong Pasko ug Bulahang Bagong Tuig!
Chinese - Shen tan jie kuai le. Hsin Nien Kuaile!
Chinese (Cantonese) - Sing Dan Fae Lok. Gung Hai Fat Choi!
Chinese (Mandarin) - Shen Dan Kuai Le Xin Nian Yu Kuai!
Choctaw - Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito!
Cornish - Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth!
Corsican - Bon Natale e Bon capu d' annu!
Cree - Mitho Makosi Kesikansi!
Creek - Afvcke Nettvcakorakko!
Croatian - Sretan Bozic!
Czech - Stastne a vesele vanoce a stastny novy rok!
Dänisch - Glaedelig Jul og godt nyter!
Duri - Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak!
Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar!
(also) Dutch - Prettige kerstdagen en een gelukkig nieuw jaar!
Egyptian - Colo sana wintom tiebeen !
English - Merry Christmas Happy New Year !
Eskimo (Inupik) - Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto - Felican Kristnaskon kaj Bonan Novjaron!
Estonian - Rõõmusaid jõulupühi ja head uut aastat!
Euskera - Zorionak eta Urte Berri On !
Faeroese - Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi - Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad!
Filipinos - Maligayang Pasko!
Finnish - Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta!
Flemish - Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar!
French - Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
Frisian - Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Friulian - Bon Nadâl e Bon An Gnûf!
Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ur!
Scots Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath yr!
Galician - Bon Nadal e Bo Ani Novo!
German - Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr!
Greek - Hronia polla ke eftihismenos o kenourios hronos!
Greenlandic - Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit!
Hausa - Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian - Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hebrew - Mo'adim Lesimkha. Shana Tova!
Hindi - Shub Naya Baras!
Hungarian - Kellemes karacsonyi uennepeket es boldog ujevet!
Iban - Selamat Ari Krismas enggau Taun Baru!
Icelandic - Gledhileg jsl og farsflt komandi ar!
Ilocano - Naimbag a Pascua ken Naragsac nga Baro nga Tawen!
Indonesian - Selamat Hari Natal dan Selamat Tahun Baru!
Iraqi - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah!
Irish - Nollaig Shona duit!
Irish Gaelic - Nollaig faoi shean agus faoi shonas duit agus bliain nua faoi mhaise dhuit!
Italian - Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!
Japanese - Meri Kurisumasu soshite Akemashite Omedeto!
Jèrriais - Bouan Noué et Bouanne Année!
Kadazan - Kotobian Tadau Do Krimas om Toun Vagu!
Karelian - Rastawanke Sinun, Uvven Vuvenke Sinun !
Korean - Sung Tan Chuk Ha!
Krio - Appi Krismes en Appi Niu Yaa!
Kurdish - Seva piroz sahibe u sersala te piroz be!
Ladin - Bon Nadel y Bon Ann Nuef!
Lappic - Buorit Juovllat ja Buorre Oddajahki!
Latin - Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian - Priecigus Ziemsvetkus un Laimigu Jaungadu!
Lausitzian - Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto!
Lithuanian - Linksmu Kaledu! Maltese - Nixtieklek Milied tajjeb u is-sena t-tabja!
Livian - Riiemlizi Talspividi ja pagin vonno udaigastos!
Low Saxon - Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar!
Luxemburgish - Schéi Krëschtdeeg an e Schéint Néi Joer!
Macedonian - Streken Bozhik!
Malay - Selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun Baru!
Malayalam - Puthuvalsara Aashamsakal!
Maltese - Nixtieklek Milied tajjeb u is-sena t-tabja!
Mandarin - Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan!
Manx - Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa!
Maori - Meri Kirihimete!
Marathi - Shub Naya Varsh!
Modern Greek - Kala Christougenna kai evtichismenos o kainourios chronos!
Mongolian - Zul saryn bolon shine ony mend devshuulye!
Monogasque - Festusu Natale e Bona ana noeva !
Norwegian - God Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar!
Occitan - Polit nadal e bona annada!
Oriya - Sukhamaya christmass ebang khusibhara naba barsa!
Pampamgo - Malugud Pascu at saca Masayang Bayung Banua!
Papiamento - Bon Pasco y un Feliz Aña Nobo!
Papua New Guinea - Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu!
Pashto - De Christmas akhtar de bakhtawar au newai kal de mubarak sha!
Pennsylvania German - En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Polish - Vesowe Boze Narodzenie!
(also) Polish - Wesolych Swiat i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku!
Portuguese - Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo!
Punjabi - Nave sal di mubaraka!
Pushto - Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha!
Raeto-Ramance - Bella Festas da zNadal ed in Ventiravel Onn Nov!
Rapa-Nui - Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua!
Rhetian - Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn!
Romanche - Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Romani - Bachtalo krecunu Thaj Bachtalo Nevo Bers!
Romanian - Craciun fericit si un an nou fericit!
Russian - S nastupaiushchim Novym godom i s Rozhdestvom Khristovym!
Romanche (Sursilvan dialect) - Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Sambal - Maligayang Pasko at Masayang Ba-yon Taon!
Sami - Buorrit Juovllat!
Samoan - La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou!
Sardian - Felize Nadale e Bonu Cabuannu!
Sardinian - Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou!
Scots Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil huibh!
Serbian - Hristos se rodi!
Sicilian - Bon Natali e Prosperu Annu Novu !
Singhalese - Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa!
Slovakian - Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce!
Slovak - Vesele Vianoce i na zdravie v novom roku!
Slovene - Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto!
Slovenian - Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto!
Sorbian - Wjesole hody a strowe Nowe leto!
Spanish - Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo (gilt für alle lateinamerikanischen spanischsprachigen Länder)! (applies to all Latin American Spanish speaking countries, so sayeth Google)
Sudanese - Wilujeng Natal Sareng Warsa Enggal!
Surigaonon - Malipayon na pasko sanan bag-on tuig!
Swahili - ºKrismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº !
Swedish - God Jul Och Ett Gott Nytt Ar!
Tagalog - Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!
Tamil - Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal!
Thai - Suk san wan Christmas!
Thai - Suk san wan pee mai - Happy New Year!
Tok Pisin - Meri Krismas Hepi Nu Yia!
Tongan - Kilisimasi Fiefia Ta'u fo'ou monu ia!
Trukeese (Micronesian) - Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Trukeese - Neekirissimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Tswana - Keresemose o monate le masego a ngwaga o montsha!
Turkish - Noeliniz kutlu olsun ve yeni yilinis kutlu olsun!
Turkish - Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun!
Ukrainian - Srozhdestvom Kristovym!
Ukrainan - Z novym rokom i s rizdvom Hrystovym!
Ukrainan - Khrystos Rodevsia!
Urdu - Naya Saal Mubarak Ho!
Vepsi - Rastvoidenke i Udenke Vodenke!
Vietnamese - Chuc mung nam moi va Giang Sinh vui ve!
Waray - Maupay nga Pasko ngan Mainuswagon nga Bago nga Tuig!
Welsh - Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Da!
Xhosa - Siniqwenelela Ikrisimesi EmnandI Nonyaka Omtsha Ozele Iintsikelelo Namathamsanqa!
Yayeya - Krisema!
Yiddish - Gute Vaynakhtn un a Gut Nay Yor!
Yoruba - E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!
Zulu - Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo!

Obviously, there are more languages on the planet, but this is a good start!

Merry all the things!

creation comes when you learn to say no

So. I got another email that should have been caught by the spam filter...

Hi there,

...Hi there.

My name is [Lxxxx], I am the main editor at Snoozy Monk ([leaving the name in but not the webpage]).

Okay...and your site has what to do with mine?

While browsing your site, I noticed you have an amazing article from this page:

"Amazing". Really?

http://razorblade-cookies.blogspot.com/2020/11/reputable-profile-my-left-foot.html

And this, Constant Reader, is where the Editrix felt her head tilt nearly all the way off. Because that "article" has NOTHING to do with insomnia. It's all taking on yet another spam letter, prefaced by a quote on D/s I thought relevant at the time.

And it's over a year old!

My team actually just published a comprehensive article on "Everything You Need To Know About Insomnia" which I think your visitors would truly appreciate and add value to your awesome article.

I doubt that, but...

You can check it out here: https://www.snoozymonk.com/blogs/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-insomnia

And this one I did leave in, even though it is clearly intended as spamvertising. I skimmed it, and...I mean, it does contain information that might help, but it's also the same information a five-minute search of Google would turn up. I am deeply confused.

If you were willing to add our link to that page, I would be more than happy to share it to my social followers to help you gain some visibility in exchange.

Not a chance in anything.

Let me know what you think and thank you for your consideration!

I plan to let you know by clicking the 'remove my name from your list' button.

Cheers,

Sure, merry whatever...

Lxxxx Mxxxx

Right. Couldn't even wait until the year rolled around to 2022 to hit me with "Hi, I got your name from a random bot search, you might be gullible enough to pimp us!". Honestly.

dearly beloved, for your entertainment

It has been a long, strange year.

Technically, it's past Yule, technically, it's the 25th, but since we just filled and hung stockings today, I think I'm allowed.

I think, as much as I can say there were lows, and some of them staggering lows, overall, I'm not displeased with how the year is ending. We've had successes, and I think some good ones, in RL and SL. We haven't gotten COVID. We're still alive and rattling around. We may have a permanent low bar set at this point, but I'm far from it.

So here's hoping you are, too, and that things are at least tolerable, if not stellar. Now is the time of sleeping; the last of the harvest is in, the bulk of the gatherings to dispense the remaining fresh foods are past; now we seek shelter, and dress warm, and wait for spring.

And good health and happiness to us all in the year to come. Merry Yule.


(No, I don't know why all the picture links are broken. Again. I'll work on it, but this is like the fifth time in as many months, I may take up the offer of a friend for him to host the blog under his Wordpress package...which Blogger, well, isn't, but we do what we must.)

pain is a warning that something's wrong

STATIC has really outdone themselves with this one. I'm showing off the pink--and one other later--but it comes with a hud for seven total glistening melted-candy effects (pink, red, yellow, mint, blue, purple, and white as noted on their Flicker. To note: while the item is mesh, you need to wear a BOM skin, because you *need* to use their alpha--the alpha cuts of most commercial bodies will not do.



It's even...is "better" the right word?...in person, with the light picking up glistening liquidity on the candy sections, and while the broken exposed rib moves a little less than naturally, honestly, this is the best thing I've seen since that one gore and guts attachment I found that was only fitted for male bodies. (Sorry, don't remember who made it, wish I did, but it was at We <3 RP several months ago.)



And here's the..."not so candy guts" one:



This one comes rigged for Belleza Freya and Jake bodies. Reborn, Legacy female and Legacy male, and Maitreya. It runs L$396 at the Dreadborne Township Forest of Dead Toys holiday event. I have no idea when the event closes, as I found it sidewise (tracking something I wanted to own at the Vae Victis booth at Shop n' Hop, and finding it led to Quills and Curiosities, which gave me the landmark for the event.

More information can be found on Second Life Syndicate's site, and found out when it's over! It runs until the 31st. (There's a hunt too, but they've been quite devious with gift locations!).

I can't be bridled, of course

Cue my great surprise and shock. See the shock? This is my shocked face. How shocking.



From the chat that tipped me to this:

[12:07 AM] Uxxxx: and what store is this?
[12:09 AM] Kxxxxx: A store that sells strippable mod outfits. Xtra Ordinari
[12:13 AM] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx: Mod is not verified, only claimed on market
[12:20 AM] Uxxxx: bit annoying that they don't seem to understand the difference between stylized and "child"
[12:27 AM] Bxxxxx: Yeah, and I bet they don't understand the difference between 'child avatar' and 'petite adult' either
[12:29 AM] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx: Prolly not
[12:29 AM] Uxxxx: prol- what [Xxxxx] said
[12:29 AM] Kxxxxx: They were likely mod, at least, the outfit the model was wearing one
[02:11 AM] Yxxxxx: Idiots. Absolute imbeciles. But also If those are supposed to be examples up there, wouldn't they literally be putting the exact thing they're claiming to be cp up as pictures in their store? Conflicted though because it sounds like they make things well, just their take on this issue is complete bollocks.

That's a great point.

But also, note the text of the ban: "underage", "Lolita-like", "baby-faced", "anime", "furry" characters, then only the qualifiers for "kid" or "teenlike" figures, dressed to "stimulate and tease in a sexual way".

And as far as the picture that announces this ban? To me, only the last avatar would come anywhere close to 'underage', and then the full-body latex would tell me otherwise. I just don't get it.

the spell has been broken, I loved you so

So, this was an interesting thing to find in email:

Hello,

Hi!

This is a message from Kickstarter’s Trust and Safety team. We're writing to inform you that a project you backed, 1UP Dice, is the subject of an intellectual property dispute.

So far, everything we've backed from Infinite Black has been Lovecraft-based. They garnered our attention a couple years back with their Elder Dice, lush, unearthly shades of gaming dice and accessories. Recently, though, they launched a new Kickstarter for 1Up Dice:



These are fun, brightly colored retro gaming dice. I think they're wonderful. Apparently someone else (our bet's on Nintendo) doesn't...

The project has been removed from public view until the dispute is resolved, which can take up to 30 days. The project’s funding and the countdown to its deadline have been stopped. If the project becomes available again, the countdown will continue and the new deadline will extend past the original deadline for as much time as the project was unavailable. You can find out more by reading our Copyright Policy and our Trademark Policy.

So...annoyance that the project's going to be delayed, a bit of worry on the project getting entirely axed, which would be said, but...bright spot that this Kickstarter may be delayed into January? So funds may not be coming out in December?

Original deadline
Thu, Dec 9 2021 6:30 pm PST

Time remaining if project becomes available
17 days

So the longer this takes to decide, the closer we get to January and not December, but still...that is a very, very thin silver lining.

Your pledge is currently still active. If you’d like to manage your pledge or reach out to the creator directly, you can still do so through the project page.

Which, by the way, is the only page that remains visible when this happens. Because pledgers need to be able to reach out and message the creators, change their pledge, or cancel entirely.

Still strange, though. And we had just found out about this:



Which I was really looking forward to having in my acquisitive little hands.

So we'll have to see how it goes. I hope for good things, but...depends entirely on who's sending them the copyright notice, and how much they want to drag this out.

it's not a cage when it's for your own good

What a strange November it's been so far. My work on NaNoWriMo has suffered several setbacks; I'm not dead in the water, yet, but I'm fairly sure that while I'll finish with something, I won't win the challenge this year.

Along the way Desert Bus for Hope happened, and when that tied up...well, see for yourself:



Everyone was astounded; not only with how much was raised, but the fact that the bulk of that wasn't live auctions going into the stratosphere, but the prize giveaways. (That, and this is now the third year Desert Bus has gone over a million in a row.)



This started things off, and then went to a quilt:



followed by a Faerun/Magic the Gathering crossover box:



The first giveaway to really give us an idea of how amazing this year was going to be was a handmade wooden wall clock (click for larger version):



which went over twenty-one thousand dollars. And it just kept going from there, until the final giveaway of the night, which was another sword. Well. Not just any other sword. A replica Final Fantasy Buster sword:



which was sold for a stunning $110,173.



This is Erika Cole, their prize coordinator for this year (and the past several years) with the sword, which weighed upwards of fifty pounds. It was deeply impressive.

But fun was had, happy tears were shed, and at the end of it, we knew as a group that we had contributed to the happiness and distraction of children in shelters and hospitals, and at the end of the day, after all, that is the point. And an important one, besides.

In the meantime, enjoy the Web Archive of Art. I also found a National Fairground and Circus Archive--mostly photographs, all interesting. And if you have some free time, go play with another AI-based art site, this one that uses text descriptions to make artistic depictions. It's fascinating.

And that will be that for now, and I'll get back to coding up RP entries! Cheers!