Merry Christmas!

May your Christmas be filled with love, joy and hope in the coming year.

~ Ribbons Whitfield

Glad Tidings

Hello Gentle Readers! Yes, thank you for the emails - quite surprised to receive them. I'm quite fine, I assure you. That pesky Real Life took some turns, some amazing, some awful, and I was dragged away, kicking and screaming to attend to them. No worries!

Sadly my SL time has become somewhat limited so swimming in the big pond of pixels has not been happening as much as I like. Fewer things to blog too. Although I must say that those of you who know me well, thank you for being such terrific friends. As promised, I did not blog any of your silly escapades even though RLTS readers would LOVE to hear about them. I'm just that good of a friend.

A few things are up. The Alternative Classix LIVE returned to the Cetus Gallery District two weeks ago. DJ Tarsis rocked the house AGAIN, like always. The new Riverwalk Coffee Company is really beautiful. Stop by on Friday evenings and bring your requests to share over a martini or a cup o' joe. Tars is also spinning Brazilian Groove on Wednesdays at the high in Skiddaw. Salsa shoes recommended.

Also had a chance to sit with upcoming photographer Conor Newall. He was kind enough to send over a few shots (see the one above). He's an eye for color and detail which is fresh compared to most. Looking forward to seeing his style develop.

With the season upon us, I send you all warm wishes for a blessed Christmas filled with love and joy!

Using your head.

My grandfather is a wise man. For years he would tell me to "use my head". Before major events he'd say, "Use your head." When something went wrong he'd say, "Use your head." And when I DID something wrong, he'd say "Why didn't you use your head?"

Linden Labs used their noggin today. Check out the new OpenSpaces policies established in response to you, the users comments, thoughts, criticisms and complaints. Wait, were there compliments? Hmmm

Enjoy!

Land Conservation

I was in a National Park the other day in RL and was delighted to see that developers were in the process of knocking down the trees to build 1500 residences, all with 3 car garages, a landing strip for the airport, three new schools and a very large shopping area to support the new residents with groceries and gas.

*pointing* This would be my sarcasm face.

Linden Labs (LL) recently released a new policy on the use of Openspace land. This has caused a lot of ruckus lately and upset a lot of people. Let me be clear by stating I am happy and sad about this change.

Much like my scenario above, when Openspace owners rented out their land to people to build their homes etc, the technological strain was significant for LL. The land was never intended to be used for rentals or for that matter, significant traffic constantly calling up a new pair of pants as they put an outfit together. Basically, they abused the land they purchased and now LL is working to correct the technological problem they caused with misuse.

I know a lot of people are angry. Some will have to move their businesses, others their residences. I feel for those who were innocent in this - confused in their purchase/rental. The "laws" of LL can indeed be confusing. But for those who knew better and yet opted to set up shop on Openspace saying "everyone does it" well shame on you. Just because everyone does it does not mean it is right. And shame on you again for complaining when someone came about to correct your stealing because that is essentially what it is. You've stolen server and asset draw space.

Harsh? Not really. Most folks knew exactly what they were doing. Some owners did it to be popular with their friends (giving them low cost space to "help them out"). Some did it to be greedy in another way - to make as much cash as possible. Some probably did it because they didn't have the skill to produce pretty space and left it up to others to fill in the gaps. Reality is, open space is meant for conservation and beautification, not a shopping mall, a sex palace, nor residential tracks.

Am I delighted with LL's crack down? No. I'd have liked them to instead have put their foot down with those sim owners who abused the opportunity. Instead of working it through with them one by one (hey, they could have contracted with me to manage this project!), they opted to raise their rates for all.

While many think they are victims, the real victims (aside from all of us who loose our beautiful space due to rate increases) are the non profits and educational use clients. Because of the greed of some, several non profits will suffer. Yes I know, University of North Carolina can probably afford the increase. But can a small non profit? Perhaps not. Disappointing.

So what does this mean? It means that some entrepreneurial folks are already on top of it, creating new developments for the mass exodus of people who need a new home. Ultimately, the LL economy lives on and the only loss is perhaps the sailing space, forests and gardens we all once enjoyed.

****

• A very nice counterpoint written by MarkTwain White on openspace sailing.
• Protest vote page to stop the rate increase.
• Jack Linden's response
  

Happy Noob-a-licious

I really have to log in more often and hit my regular spots.

Giant Noob at the Cork Factory. It's terrifying.

Tootsie Treat

I have been on the hunt for an elegant shoe for MONTHS. Most shoes I like are either too tailored or they look beautiful until you zoom in and discover they have spikes. :/

Then I discovered Sven Olbers. Sven is an evil, evil man. EVIL. His Bow shoe is perhaps the most elegant (despite the spikes) I've seen in SL to date. Now mind you, I don't get out much so don't rush off to insult my intelligence (or lack thereof). If you've noticed, I don't blog much about fashion. I've just no eye for it.

Worse, I couldn't resist the Curl clog. To. Die. For. Tropical flowers adorn the top of the foot with a whimsical heel. I want them in all colours. I mean it. I WANT THEM IN ALL COLOURS.

Wait until you see the rest of his work. Heels in every style. Matching belts and accessories. Boots in every style from platform to spike to thigh high to feather. Someone get me out of here before I go broke!

By the way, there is a fantastical pair of Halloween shoes at NONKO. Group gift of course. But Ohhh the fun I will have with these next week!

Happy. Happy. Joy. Joy.

I just had the most unexciting, under expectation meeting, lackluster time I have had in a very long time. Jewelry expo was less than dazzling.



A few of my favourites where there. The Eolande build was creative and some of the jewelry from a couple of designers was decent to perhaps even good (even a couple of "huh, that's interesting" pieces).

Once I took a class to build jewelry last year and the basics. I couldn't help but to think that my classmates produced a better product than several of the vendors there. And that wasn't that great.

The expo design itself was a bore. I know how painful it can be to hear that someone dislikes your work, but I have to ask, was any creative work put into this at all?



Freebies are around. I've only found a few things that made it interesting. I imagine those able to participate in the hunt might find some choice pieces.

Jewelry Expo ends today, Sunday. Have fun!

Plurkisms

It occurred to me that many of my plurk friends have created a culture over the last few months. You can count on a guy named Class Tax to have a new crush every week (he'll edit the name in the lead plurk often). We will have at least some culinary discussion at least once a day. We will celebrate karma boosts with drive-by plurks and emoticons. We will share personal challenges and be encouraged by one another. And every Friday or Saturday night, one of us, idiots that we are, will have a few too many and will drunk-plurk. This is something I'd like to discourage. But it will happen and sometimes the results are hysterical.

When I joined plurk, there were very few folks around. But my friends list exploded overnight. I wish I could tell you who the evil person is who ... er... the nice person was who introduced me to Plurk. He created a monster... er.. provided me a means to explore further social networking.

From a social media standpoint, this is somewhat fascinating. When I joined, none of this existed. We created the drive-by "naked cartwheels" (thank you Trinners). We created the banana dance welcome. We wake up to each other in the morning and tuck each other in when it is bedtime. And we do it across time zones, all over the world.

I've seen the frustration of one plurker who was dealing with citizenship issues, the pain of another who was trashed while she made every effort to be professional, break ups, get togethers, and even medical issues. Where, in all the world would such an environment be where this kind of encouragement exists? Have we come to the place where we can no longer do this in real life, but must now find our support and affection from 140 characters or less on a social media site, by strangers?

I'm delighted we have each other. I am saddened that this acquaintanceship doesn't exist in real life for many. And I look forward to my plurkdom growing and prospering with all things good and none of the nastiness that comes from people who don't know how to be grown ups.

Here's to a great Plurk!

UPDATE: I stand corrected. Plurk is not technically a "social media" but instead a "microblogging network". Thank you guy-who-gave-me-the-link!

Army of Women

I don't often write about the real world. But, in honor of a real life friend who has been there four times, I offer that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. With one in eight women having breast cancer throughout their lifetime, it makes sense that today they've launched an Army of Women.

One of the reasons (they say) that the research isn't done for breast cancer is that they don't have the bodies - healthy and ill- to study. So one bright gal got the idea to put out the call.

Want to help? Sign up. If you fit the mold for a study, they will email you. You can then request more information and see if it is something in which you want to participate. If it is, let them know. If not, delete.

Where? http://www.armyofwomen.org. Join us today.

Teddy Bear Nomis

Tonight, at the Breakers... Nomis Oyen arrived with his entourage in tow. He then proceeded to perform a reading as follows (from the song):

If you go out in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go out in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for teddy bears,
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily dance about.
They love to play and shout.
And never have any cares.
At six o'clock their mommies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears.

If you go out in the woods today,
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely out in the woods today,
But safer to stay at home.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

CHORUS

Every teddy bear, that's been good
Is sure of a treat today
There's lots of wonderful things to eat
And wonderful games to play

Beneath the trees, where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

CHORUS

Donations to Nomis' mental health care fund can be sent to Ribbons Whitfield in world.

Hogwarts

There are a few places in SL that tickle my fancy. Despite the uproar by some of the horrors of Harry Potter, I find the stories fanciful and imagination invoking. That, and the cinematography is sometimes breathtaking.

Given that, it's no surprise that Hogwarts in Liquid Heat is a delight. The moving staircases lead you to wonderful rooms to explore. Drop by the dining hall for a little twilight delight. But beware the dungeons!

Explore away and don't hesitate to grab a student for a little tour. Most are lovely and happy to show you around! By the way, check out the paintings - little surprises await!

UPDATE! Michele Hyacinth's blog takes note of a free navigation HUD for Hogwarts. The things I miss! Thanks Michele!

101 For You

It didn't occur to me that this was my 101st post until, well, blogger.com was nice enough to tell me.

Given my technological limitations, I've never been able to provide those spectacular windlight images that make you drool. So in celebration of the virtual world to which Ribbons Learns to Swim is dedicated, I offer you Koinup:Your Virtual Life. Koinup is a depository of some of the best pics, machinima, and other creations. Gather up your favourites and share!

Intimate Gatherings

With the closing of Harmony Cafe, the Alternative Classix Dance Party was in need of a pretty quick spot to call home. It was at that point that Cetus Gallery District Xander Ruttan stepped up and said, "Hey! Stick with us!". And the AC once again had a home.

But what home? Cetus is growing and undergoing some changes. And the AC definitely had a place in the future, but what about now? So we all took a stroll and decided that the Cetus Community Center would work just fine, at least until the new digs were completed.

Last night Xander popped over to try and "bring down the space". You see, the community center was a very large, cavernous facility designed to hold many many people. It was not set up to create an intimate feel that good nightclubs emanate. I was thinking, maybe set up a hostess stand with some ropes to control the "usable" space. But Xander had a whole different idea. He created a building within the building. Beautiful glass walls encased the new "club" - a new floor, a new backdrop on the stage. A few new furnishings defined it further and literally, in a few moments time, the community center went from a spot in which you could play football to a warm, welcoming, intimate lounge for people to gather, share a martini, and relax. I should mention that Xander seemed rather uncomfortable. The only reason is that the work wasn't up to his standards. But believe me, no one minded one bit - heck, no one noticed!

We had more than 30 people stop by for the party last night. Thank you all for your patronage. We love you all. The AC is back!

Ayibobo

Few people know this but in my spare time I am manbo. I practice my maji on unsuspecting fools, calling on lwa, and preparing for nago. All will fall to my will by the power of the spirits.

Okay, not really. But it is a neat throne, no? Boojum Island is undergoing a little reconstruction at the moment and it is really amazing what they have done. Subtle changes, but they make all the difference. Stop by the vodou hut for a brew and wander the island in search of booty, or even a little love. Tons of little surprises to explore!

One delightful surprise is the mooring of the Manhattan 158 - perhaps the most beautiful and well done yacht in SL - at least of what I have seen. She is pure luxury. Does she belong there? I do not know. But wandering her luscious decks was pure delight. I think I will leave a little zo devan for them in blessing.

Girls with Guns

You know when you stumble upon something and you know you really shouldn't look further into it -- like you are walking along and hear something in an alleyway and you just KNOW you shouldn't go down there? Plurking is kind of like that.

You see, Zoe Connolly plurked that Virtual Girls with Guns now has 8 members. I took the bait and headed over to check out exactly what VGWG was... I'm sorry but you cannot dangle a piece of chocolate in front of a chocoholic and expect them not to want it. That's just cruel.

Eventually the ladies convinced me that I needed to be a member. So I signed up. And I searched my inventory for a weapon.

This was a terrifying happening. Apparently, my weapons like to be worn sort of hanging off my tooshy... or on my right ear... or my knee - even when attached to a hand. I got one to shoot with some satisfaction but quickly realized maybe it would leave casings on my neighbor's lawn and thought better of it. How sad that a girl who can handle a weapon in RL is a complete clod in SL.

My plurking sisters didn't miss a beat. Zoe quickly reminded me that VGWG was about "helping sisters to pack heat". Looks like my next few weeks in SL might resemble more my RL than I'd like... I really wish I hadn't posted on REC now. It's coming back to haunt me. lol

I can say this: weapon proficiency in SL seems a far better use of time than learning to work the catwalk... Why this seems to be the case I will never know.

Murdered.

I debated posting this little find mostly because I object to the glamourization of violence. That said, this post is most certainly for the most mature of us and should not be shared with our youth, nor those faint of heart.

b.places describes the REC sim as "... [it] recreates the apartment of the REC horror movie, so in case you haven't had enough watching it, try to test your nerves on this disturbing place!" Disturbing it is, its creepiness magnified with the REC HUD you snag at the start. The HUD lets you wander through the house as if moving through the eyes of a video viewer -- mostly in mouselook. Wander through and click areas that sparkle. Of course, the first thing I clicked left me for dead, in a pool of my own pixel oozing blood.

Kind of reminded me of some of the things I see in RL.

Gorey and certainly heartbreaking that there could be so much evil in the world, but an amazingly creative sim worth the stop on places to see in SL.

Popped the Cork

Secrets. I love my pals.

It's 3 AM and I just got back to bed from a RL emergency. I logged to apologize to those whom I fell asleep/ran out on earlier and zap! In came an IM from Nug (see The Drink). Nug tells me he has something to show me. This usually ends up being something either exciting, creative, or highly questionable.

So I pop on over to the plot where Old Skool once stood and where do I land? Not in the drink but instead, my home - the Cork Factory.

In order to understand my love affair with this place, you need some history. The RL Cork Factory was a stop off point for some of the top "rave" DJs in the late 80s and early 90s. Since that time, they turned the place into high priced, fashionable, super trendy condos. You see, the boys paid homage to the Cork in SL with a replica - right down to the graffiti on the walls -- some of it probably original.

I found the Cork purely by accident. I was stressed out, frustrated and annoyed by a SL business venture in my early days and went searching for live venues to decompress. I stumbled into the joint to the sounds of a DJ named Nomis who actually spun (get this) REAL VINYL.

The Cork Factory became my home for a variety of reasons - some of them RL. My heart broke when it closed. The boys new venue, Old Skool, was cool but just wasn't the same.

So I welcome the Cork back to life. When asked if I was granted permission to blog it, Nug told me, "you write what ya want....we open now....no drama...no business plan....we plan when we can....we not livin on tips........we just here to have fun". I couldn't have said it better myself.

Joy and Ribbons

I love my spontaneous friends. And I hate it when I misunderstand what they are trying to tell me. So here is one I blew - my long time SL girlfriend Yvette was RL married. She tried to explain it all and I missed the timing. How did I figure it all out? Plurk. (Thank God for Plurk!)



With that, I pray for much happiness and love in her home. I am delighted in her joy, and am hopeful for all things calm, patient and loving in her life.

Welcome, Dante, to our lives! You've made our girl so happy the last several months. I cannot think of anything better and I thank you.

I guess that means we have to work out a signal on the door at the tree house or something... Maybe a ribbon!?!?

The Drink

Last night, old time pals Nomis and Nug both logged. I leaped with joy as I rarely see either online anymore. These boys built my much beloved Cork Factory and eventually, Old Skool. Both old school DJs (no pun intended), they would spin historic techno, beat mixing it until your heart had no choice but to sing and your feet to move.

I TPed on over and the boys plugged in for a little 50s, 60s and even a little 70s. We danced. We chatted. We made fun of our friends. Happily, I dozed off and danced with the sandman...

So this morning I awaken, log in to catch up on IMs from my friends on the other side of the world and found myself in the drink. My guess? They logged for a last blast party. But once again, sadness takes me and I cannot help but to feel like we've ended yet one more SL era. (Don't get all whooped up -- an SL era is really short...)

Sacrifice on a Wall

When I was a child, we went to visit family who lived in the DC area. It was then that we went to the Air and Space Museum (feeding my addiction of all things space science related), the Washington Monument (closed for construction) and Arlington Cemetery (where I saw family). But one of the most memorable moments for me was a trip to the Wall.

I knew of no one who was family. But I saw others come and go, weeping. There was one volunteer there that day who was making charcoal impressions for visitors. He asked if he could make one for me. I said yes of course and he wanted to know which one. I said any and I cried a bit as he went about taking the tracing (bewildered). You see, I understood even at a young age what this meant. I grasped what those lives did collectively for our country. And I wept for their sacrifice and for the families left behind who had little comfort in knowing their loved one died in a war or conflict.

Meme Science entered SL with a goal of recreating The Wall. For those who have lived or visited DC you'll be struck by how familiar the walk is from the landing spot. Accept the notecard - it's packed with information about videos, how to search for names, leaving gifts, other memorials etc. For more information visit http://thewallsl.com.

AFK Prank War

I don't usually do this but dang, it was just so sooooo funny.

Methinks Crap Mariner is trying to start something... AFK pranks. Check it out.

The Crash Monster

Hanging at the Blarney in the morning, I ran into a rather unusual avi - Maximus Madfes. Thing is, he's one rather nasty looking bat. Tends to hang from the ceiling too which threw all the newbies for a loop. It was just then that one lovely woman was struggling to recover from the new version install and continued to crash. As anyone who knows me knows, I beat the daylights out of the crash monster on a regular basis -- that mysterious monster out there responsible for lag, crashing, and other nasties.

Maximus Madfes: I think she crashed
You: Poor girl
Maximus Madfes: That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it
You: Do you ever get full Max?
Ribbons Whitfield freezes
You: Wait.
You: Are YOU the crash monster?
Maximus Madfes: Shhh

Apparently, he prefers Avis doused in garlic butter...

Retro Girl

In light of being suckered... er... um... encouraged to sign up to become a Mentor Buddy, it occurred to me that it was time for a new profile pic (new pic --> see left). The one I had been using was taken my first month in SL and well, I've changed a bit since then. It's affectionately been referred to as "old school". That said, I turned to a guy who has tremendous talent but who refuses to let me use his name. Basically, he wants to continue to do in SL what he does, without any interruptions. This kills me because hello, check out his talent.

Thoughts? Opinions? Criticisms (be gentle)? Lemme know!

Bossa Nova Latin Love

Everyone who knows Bossa Nova LOVES Bossa Nova. However, not everyone knows the smooth beats of the genre. Usually I invite folks to join us on Wednesday nights from 6 to 8 SL at the high in Skiddaw as Tarsis spins Latin heat with the soothing, rhythmic, beats of Bossa. But not everyone "gets it". That said, I provide Fifty Years Under the Spell of Bossa Nova, compliments of the Chicago Tribune. Welcome to the world of soothing waves, chrystal clear notes, and hot summer nights!

A Ghost Club

Urbanity.

One of my favourite places in SL. And yet I have never ever seen another soul there. I'm starting to wonder...

Plurk, or Not to Plurk, That is the Question

This is what happens when plurks get new shoes. Welcome to the massive plurk maintenance day.

UPDATE I: The one hour maintenance is, well, a bit longer. This original post was blogged at 6:15 am. It's now 1:45pm. Guess they're having trouble getting all the animal-plurks back in their pens...

UPDATE II: It is now 3:55 and we seem to be all go at Plurk.

Language Barriers

When speaking with my Brazilian friend, I'm always put to shame as the only foreign words I know generally name food while his English is flawless. That's why I am taking this opportunity to share the one moment in nearly six months that he was not familiar with an American phrase.

Ribbons Whitfield: How did it go today?
Guy: Let's say that if I had lots of bananas and a baby chimp, the job would get done exactly the same way. Might have been the most tedious mission ever, but it's all done now.
Ribbons Whitfield: To the victor go the spoils?
Guy: I have absolutely no idea what that means... but it can't be good
Ribbons Whitfield: He who wins the war gets the gold
Ribbons Whitfield: Or he who takes the village gets the pillage rights
Guy: LOL
Ribbons Whitfield: You know, and the best virgins.

Peer Pressure

Join my plurk.

(You know you wanna.)

MUAH.

No More Nuclear

One of those days when a staple is going away. Nuclear Boutique will be closing its doors on July 31st after two years of fashion contributions. The Ribbons Learns to Swim and I do. teams wish Ari all the best in her future pursuits.

In her words,

"Rather than being unavailable for my customers (as I've been for the past 2 months), I'd rather close the store than lower my standards for customer service...not to mention the lack of new products I am able to create with my current schedule.

"I'm a little sad as this has been a great time...nearly 2 years I've spent building Nuclear Boutique and I will miss it and my friends I've made here. I am hoping to work on other fun projects and spend more time with my friends when I'm in SL and look forward to some free time.

"When/if time permits I might re-open Nuclear Boutique, but for now it's best if we close down.

"Thank you everyone for your support and friendship and for making Nuclear Boutique a great success. I am forever grateful."

Blessings and warm wishes for continued success in all you do!

The Future: VR, Beartender, and a Pizza

I entered into virtual reality at the tender age of 12... Or maybe it was 11. In any case, I was a tween before we knew what a tween was. In fact, I actually remember the 300 baud rate and what a great guy I thought my Dad was when he stepped me straight up to a 1200 baud, skipping the 6. That's kind of like going from one of those elementary age cell phones that will only dial your parents straight to the new i-phone with unlimited usage requirements.

Anyway, by the time I turned 13 I was hanging out in a virtual bar, with a virtual bartender (known as Beartender, or, Kevin in RL) struggling over how to spell "heels" so as to not look like a 13 year old in an adult virtual space. Now I just know SOMEONE is protesting saying "It's not possible! At 300 baud you were..." and they're right. We were hanging out on a BBS - aka Bulletin Board System. Think pre telnet and pre packet radio connection.

So we hung out, the lot of us. I made a lot of friends early and of course, was part of the original development of some of the emoticons. For instance, :----->* meant blowing a kiss. Betcha didn't know THAT one.

Our little minds spun. I remember the day I had this great idea. We could one day create a world where you could create little cartoon people to make them look like you (or anyone else or anything you wanted), and we could all meet in a real virtual bar. Wouldn't that be cool? Oh and it would sell virtual beer. Ooo and what else could we sell? We could create a whole world of this stuff! How neat! Imagine the economic models you could play with... not to mention the games you could play against people from all over, like you know, Bobby from over three blocks. It wasn't long before a bunch of us were chit chatting about what the virtual future would look like, and of course, what technologies were coming along that might lead us there one day.

So after a long hiatus involving a little mistake with the Milnet and a computer that reminded me certain things were off limits (thank you Global Thermal Nuclear War), I re-entered the VR in college, post Al Gore's invention of the Internet. While I still don't get gopher, I can now navigate my way around most settings and programs.

Having been in SL now for well over a year, I find it interesting to look back and think on what we imagine it to be. We weren't too far off. We also never dreamed all of this.

It was not too long ago that Google, or Yahoo, or Sony or SOMEONE was discussing the integration of an X-Box (or like gaming cube) to SL. Then someone mentioned the other day the effort to integrate Warcraft and other VR systems so that you could TP from one SL sim (say, while surfing) to a portal in Warcraft (or other VR entity). This is a little exciting to me because we have come from 300 baud rate to integrating VRs from all over the world, probably under one code which is as close to digital nirvana as one can get.

So here is your future: You'll conduct a round in Warcraft, TP over to a SL beach sim where you can decompress from a hard day, order a pizza through a virtual kiosk HUD that will be delivered straight to your RL front door which is opened by remote, but paid through your Linden account, and check your' child's homework completion status all from your desktop. And to think, it all started at least for me, at 300 baud.

Texture Texture, oh Where Art Though?

I love bragging about my friends success mostly because I want my other friends to enjoy the first friend's success to begin with. So I do, I shall, and I will.

That said, let me introduce Kid. Kid's a nice guy. His background might surprise you. He's witty. And he's cute - well, it's rumoured that he's cute. I've never seen his face due to the welding mask. He's also talented. When Kid and I were introduced, I was told of his building ability. He's humble enough to consider himself one of many. I tend to think he's extraordinary but I get to 'cause he's on my friends list.

After months of nagging by Hey Girlfriend Yvette and by me, he finally produced some wearables and is selling them under the men's store name of HAZARD. What makes these little beauties not just tees, but ART, are his textures. All tees are $75L copy/mod/no trans. Check out two of the many below.


What I absolutely ADORE though, is his belt. Complete with a multi texture (there is that fabulous word again) menu -- count them 28 TEXTURES -- for every informal outfit, this thing has four - count them FOUR - shape versions for all your fashion deliciousness. (I'm just sooo excited and apparently really like to count...) Classic Belt $300L copy/mod/no trans

I should add that Kid has asked that I make the point that his stuff is custom designed for the male avatar shape. I discovered this as the belt didn't fit me and as I tweeked, I made a mess of things. He warned me (see enclosed notecard at purchase for details), but like all good tech savvy persons, I didn't read the instructions. His texturing is also specifically designed to complement the male form. I've been wearing a few of the tees around lately and have been receiving complements. But not all of them work for me given my uh, physical personality. By the way, Disturbed is pictured -- the more you wear it the more disturbing it becomes. Trust me. lol

HAZARD has five stores in world. Get yours while they're hot. ;)

UPDATE! 14JUL08 Looksie who discovered HAZARD!

Crucifixion, Armageddon and The Channel

It occurred to me I hadn't done a mentoring update in a bit, not since my experience with SL Armageddon. This thought came to me as I was listening to a relatively new mentor express her... no VENT her frustrations over a mistaken post to "The Channel" where they attempted to crucify her. All I could think was, "Yup. Sounds familiar."

Anyway, while I was exploring the aquarium the other day, a Mental Mentor was having a bad day. This is one of my mentors for being a mentor - the one who talked me down in June from quitting all together. I offered to help take the person off his hands rather than dump the client which was of course received as humourous - this batch doesn't pass problems downline, nor do they give up on people. In an effort to convince him, I made the point that I was happy to do it in the spirit of the mentor who had patience with me when I was going mental. He asked who that was and I responded, "You."

There was a long pause.

Then another.

And another.

Then, a note telling me I was just signed up for the MM officer team.

All I could say was, "And I drank what?"

**Special thanks to all the MMs and the leadership team. You guys have been terrific! I love mentoring again!

How to Catch a Liege

In recent news, due to some recent drama I have acquired a new Tiny Empires subject named Loran. She was kind enough to give me a tour of her home which happens to include a lagoon garden that is breathtaking.

In an effort to make her feel welcome, I TPed over my liege, Prince Marcus. Unfortunately, the Prince has RL worldly responsibilities that prevented him from staying with us. However, he left his pixels under water during the lagoon tour. Interestingly, when I logged back on, he was still standing there.

It didn't take long for Loran to pop back and the idea was raised by *someone* that the Prince should be captured. That said, the following resulted...


Loran Loire: how amused will he be?*grins*
Ribbons Whitfield: Amused, yes. How much so? Unknown. LMAO
Loran Loire: you know he will blame you *giggles*
Ribbons Whitfield: Eh. I'll say I found him that way and it was all your fault.
Loran Loire: in for a penny, in for a pound
Ribbons Whitfield: Fabulous.

Hey, at least we left him a breathing apparatus...

Footsie Lovin'

Oh My Gosh!!! I'm drooling! Only one *real* reason for that. SHOES.

You see, the 2008 Footwear Expo is coming up July 17-27th. Where? I have no idea. Who? TONS of footsie favourites - Tesla, Enkythings, Zhao -- all in one spot. Proceeds benefit the ASPCA.

The big question? What shoes shall you wear when you go?

Oh I almost forgot! Don't forget to check out the 2008 Say I Do Bridal Expo too!

Chalk Drawings and a Sense of Finality

This picture was taken at the high in Skiddaw, owned by Nexeus Fatale.

All I can say is I found Nex this way. That, and I didn't do it.

TE on Sale?!?!

Complements of a contact in a TE group:

Greetings all! This is to let you know that Tiny Empires is on sale for half-price, starting right now and going through this weekend. The Full version is L$249 and the Federation hud is L$149. If you're in the U.S., Happy Independence Day! Sale ends Sunday night July 6th 8pm SLT. Giftbox version is not eligible.

Dig it? ;)

Swiming with the Fish

I'm bored lately. So to find something interesting, I started cruising my friend's picks to find something nifty. I stumbled upon a simple, but nifty, place: the Aquarium in Largo. It's really a lovely little place with beautiful fish.

Need a quick 10 minute break? Surround yourself in the calming waters. And don't forget to take a peek at the sand in the tanks - a few cute surprises there!

UPDATE! The aquarium has sadly been moved to a Volunteer Island for Mentors. Sorry folks! (JUL08)

Happy Birthday Second Life!

It's no wonder that Second Life is a cancer. Crabby crabby, lag ridden, crash-a-lot Cancer. But none the less, we love our little home making SL!

So cheers to five great years! You can get your free Linden Lab Birthday Bear from Grim Babies and I have no doubt you'll find a few pints lifted at your neighborhood pub. Cheers!

For more information about SL5B gigs and events, visit the Wiki.

Temple of Doom

Looksie what I heard!

The Indianna Jones Temple of Doom SIM opens today at 12.noon.

...Just don't call him "Junior".

Cherry Blossoms for Life

Yes, another good cause. (I'm a sucker for good causes!)

What: The Cherry Blossom Relay for Life Festival

Think of it: two sims, breathtaking Japanese scenery & architecture, events and daily activities including …

• a picnic under the falling petals of cherry blossoms
• interactive games to play with your friends
• the East meets West Ball, rave/techno party, live musicians to get your toes tapping
  
• cherry blossom strolls past art for charity bid
  
• several charity auctions including special pieces by participating vendors
• photo opportunities at specially created picture points with the stunning scenery
• a cuddle or smooch with a loved one
• and more!
  

WHEN: Friday 13th June - Friday 27th June, 2008

WHERE: The Virgin Island Sim

Happy Birthday Lix!

Few know that today is a special day. Today is Lix Korobase's birthday.

You may be asking yourself, "Well, that's nice but why do I particularly care?". You see, if it were not for Lix, Second Life would not have DJ Tarsis. In fact, REAL life would probably not have DJ Tarsis. She is the great woman behind the great guy.

So today we celebrate the beautiful Lix and offer her our thanks. She's my girl and I love her.

Happy birthday baby!