Monday, June 30, 2008

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)

Monday, June 23, 2008

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".

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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

Thursday, June 12, 2008

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!

Monday, June 9, 2008

SL Boredom

When crusty SLers get bored...


Random house. Sim owner allowed build. *shaking head* I should be critical and say this was a horrible infringement but I cannot stop laughing long enough to do so. lmao

Sunday, June 8, 2008

When Your Avi Walks and Talks...

I'm sitting in a RL English Pub, watching a RL Euro Cup game and I look over and see a woman who is not only striking, but extremely familiar. I turn to my friends and, with my jaw dropped, point as I am unable to verbalize any other response. (I still feel guilty for pointing - my mother would have had a fit!)

My companions turn to look in the direction of my rude point and also drop their jaws. It was most unfortunate that I didn't have a camera -- this woman looked exactly, I mean almost EXACTLY like my avi. SHE was Ribbons.

Why do I suddenly feel bad? LMAO

(Photo from blog.rlove.org)

Friday, June 6, 2008

SL Lovin'

I'm talking to a friend about a woman he recently met in SL. Things are progressing in an interesting way it seems as they both are aware that, well, they are pixels. These pixels are experiencing new pixel love. They aren't in love as of last reports but anyone who has been there knows the excitement of meeting someone amazing and new.

He goes on to say that he was having a little trouble explaining it to his friends. Being a newbie, the RL friends don't quite get the hang of it yet.

So she's pretty?

Oh yeah! Beautiful red hair... But sometimes it's chestnut... And when she goes blonde... Well... um...

*blank stare*

Okay... What did you guys do?

*grinning* We went to the beach to go windsurfing... and then we went skydiving... and the other day we were in Paris and she looked so cute on the Eiffel Tower with the sunset kissing her cheeks...

*blank stare*

Oh. um...

Well, is she a good kisser?

She's absolutely amazing... er... wait... she's... um... her pixels kiss soooo well.

Wait - you're telling me you took her to Paris?!?


Nothing like a little SL lovin'.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Silent Sparrow and Bad Apples


I log in. Hey Girlfriend IM chat window immediately opens in mid conversation.

"It's just terrible."

"I can't believe people would do that."

"Can you believe that?!?"

So of course, I ask, "Wait, what'd I miss?"

Silent Sparrow has been so abused by those taking advantage that they are removing their freebies from the store.

"It is with a bit of a heavy heart I write this: I will no longer have the old freebies out for people to pick up. They will be available for newbies though, so you can bring your friends who are just starting out to pick up all of the old sets. (Please make sure they are 30 days or younger). I love spoiling the ~twittery birds~, but the harrasment (nasty IM's and general rudeness) has gotten out of control. From now on starting 6/12, when I release a new group freebie the group will be closed for the week while that set is available."

ACK! NO!

"It happened at Sn@tch too."

"I just don't understand people sometimes"

"Others too... people harassed their models and sent them nasty messges demanding they send them the freebie themselves."

Ribbons Whitfield: I don't understand. Why would people be upset?

I mean honestly - it's a freebie! You should be grateful that the designer was generous enough to put one out!

"Because there's a bunch of people who think that they are supposed to be given everything."

"Some people feel entitled."

"They are entitled to that boot in the butt."

"Yes. And they were brought up to think that by their parents."

Ribbons Whitfield: Don't get me started.
Ribbons Whitfield sighs

"I'm holding off from starting, myself."

"I remember when a freebie t shirt was a big deal!"

"A few bad apples gotta ruin it for the whole bunch."

"So true!"

"And the saddest thing about it, those bad apples probably don't even have a clue..."

"No, they probably don't - in all senses of the phrase."

Need I say more?

Monday, June 2, 2008

SL Armageddon & a Savior

**All names have been changed to protect the innocent... er... guilty... er... well, everyone. Yes this is another venting and is in no way to take away from the great program that is SL Mentoring. Despite this outburst, these are wonderful people who do a GREAT job. You couldn't have a better SL calling. On with the vent.***

SL Mentors IM Chat:

Amy: Is something going on with SL that we don't know about? This is my third relog in about ten minutes...
Steve, Fawn & George: no probs here...I'm fine too.... All fine here, video, music, IM, TP all nominal
Phil: Maybe SL Armageddon is coming, read your SL bible

I couldn't help but to laugh hysterically. In one line, "Phil" reminded us to use our resources rather than open up a window and disrupt hundreds of mentors. Cheers Phil!

Sara, being helpful mentioned that "you can check the grid by yourself". So, standing firm to my principles about chat, I asked Sara if she would "remind us how to check the grid please," for which a link was provided. This helps all new (and rusty) mentors remember how to be proactive.

Of course I was immediately reminded that because I posted that, because I helped people, because I did my job, I'll likely be moved back to apprentice status by Linden Labs for having broken the chat rule. Tell me again how this is worth my time? I'm a professional, educated person who spends her day in crisis intervention. And you want to demote me back to learning level because I was helping people?

Yes, this rule gets under my skin. Why? *grumbling* *grumbling more* *throwing a shoe* I believe in self sufficiency. I believe in respecting others and their time. And I humbly appreciate what it means to have chat windows pop up all the time and be frustrated by that. But I also feel that by signing on as a mentor, you have to have a certain amount of respect for the learning process and, frankly, a responsibility to help other mentors too. Rules that punish people for doing just that realllllly get under my skin, so much so that I have a kink in my shoulder from the experience.

Of course, making this even more frustrating was that as this was going on, I was in the process of three mentor jobs at once, one of them quite serious with RL implications.

So I whined to a crusty old mentor who has heard it before. And get this - he talked ME down. ME! The one who talks everyone else off a cliff. Not only that, he gave me some tools to feel empowered again, provided a network of people who do the more advanced work, helped me learn, and encouraged me. So thank you Sir-to-be-Named-Later-if-he-Lets-me!!! You made my Second Life a whole lot better. And as such, saved yet another mentor from an early retirement!