Jennifer wrestled her friend playfully to the ground in front of the snow (cone?) stand and began licking at the girls eyeballs as though they were sugar cubes….. okayyyyy!
SL can be fucking hilarious. This was actually on someone’s profile today. It’s the electronic voice that makes it.
Too much concentrating for me though 😮
This is a beautiful, heartfelt track. I went to see these guys the other week and I’ve been listening to this album every since, over and over and this song in particular. I just love it. You can hear the sincerity in his words… and the words, well, they’re sorta perfect for the way I’m feeling just now. The things I’m thinking. I want serenity and calm. I want to look forward with positivity and open eyes despite the uncertainty and the fear of the unknown. I’m not a naturally positive or open person. I am trying to be though. Small steps still get you closer right?
I always adored Feeder and now I’m more in love than ever. A rekindled love affair, and we all know how intense those can be 😉
Holding thoughts ’til they transpire
The fear of the great unknown
Choices we make could change the rest of our lives
A blueprint of things to come
I was speaking to one of my very special people the other day. I like the way his brain works and the way he introduces ideas into my head which I then realise have been there all along he’s and just unearthed them and formulated them into words for me. He’s very adapt at that and it’s definitely one of the things that draws me to to him.
So anyway. We somehow fell into a conversation about the concept of ‘Them’ and ‘Us’ and how people connect and … more often than not, how they don’t. I asked him if I could talk about it here and he kindly let me. With these words of warning.
“Just mind you’re not taken out of context though. Anyone who disagrees will only see you as pretentious”
So perhaps I divulge at risk. I like to think I’m far from pretentious though. And I definitely know he’s not. Not in the slightest. I think what he was saying is that that I may be seen to be insinuating that we see ourselves as being better than some folk, that the Thems’ are somehow lesser and the Us’ better. This isn’t the case at all. You can rest assured that I see myself as less then virtually everyone on a whole manner of fronts 🙂 Aside from the usual array of wronguns (I liked this description and I unashamedly stole it from said friend) of course. I don’t drive cars into people or stab them or …do any of those horrible things I really don’t want to mention here and I think I’m justified feeling a little morally better for it.
Okay focus. Them and Us. I think we all have these in our lives. Those people you feel comfortable with and want to be around (the Us’) and those you, well, don’t (Thems).
We want find the Us’. Most initial meetings comes with an undercurrent … is this person someone I will want to talk to again? Am I feeling that initial spark and is it enough to want to carry on talking or should I cut my losses and run (after a politely appropriate period of time has lapsed of course, I am British after all).
The power of connection is potent, it’s incredibly strong and pleasurable. My thought process goes sort of like this ‘I’ve found this person. They get me. I get them. We can properly talk. This is GREAT’. When it happens it’s amazing, your heads join up and ideas flow back and forth between you, developing, expanding and maturing even dying exhausted from dissection. Sometimes it’s fast and furious other time lazy and relaxed. Sometimes you say everything and sometimes you say nothing and both are perfectly perfect at the time.
When you get the above you’ve created an Us. Something shared. Us’ are elusive so this is special.
When you have an Us then often, the differences between you and Them become more apparent. You’ll share a behaviour you’ve seen a Them demonstrating within your Us and validate it’s alienness. You may laugh or shake your head in despair bringing you closer and widening the gulf between you and the others.
I sometimes think though that some people don’t get that they are a Them … He sums this up way better than I ever can.
“It’s very easy to meet someone in SL and immediately talk to them as if they’re one of Us only to find you’re actually just ripping them to pieces because really they’re one of Them – how fucking pretentious does that sound?!
I don’t mean it that way though because I’m not saying I or we are better- they’re actually the majority of this world after all, however in SL I find it really odd how those people never say, erm excuse me, I’m one of those people you’re kinda ripping to pieces. They just agree and lol and all the usual stuff instead”
Maybe they don’t think about this as much as we do. Maybe they don’t think about it at all? Maybe we think to much (we definitely think too much).
I think (yes, again, I’m aware 😉 ) that what we should all do is go out there and find our Us. And your Us might not be the same as my Us. Probably won’t be. And this is perfectly fine.
As he says…
“Be true to yourselves people. Find who you are and be the shit out of it if it makes you happy. That’s all that really matters”
So today this happened.
And no, that isn’t me. And no, I wasn’t searching on Mesh animated sex dolls either. Honest.
People’s heads scare me.
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Le-Louve-Billy-Bob-Male-Sex-Doll-Mesh-Animated/11278494 (just incase you wanted one, ssshhh, you know you do)
Tonight I ventured into SL somewhat aprehensively in the hope of taking a new profile picture. If you’ve read my words you’ll know I am fucking awful at photos. I’ve been told (from people who aren’t) that the only way to get better is to practice so I’ve been doing a lot of awfully frustrating practicing.
Having messed about a bit too long choosing my outfit and deciding on a suitable sim I realised that it was now past midnight and If I was going to do this tonight, I’d have to quit with the procrastination and get on with the task in hand. TPing to Hazardous I found my spot, selected my pose, messed about with my environment settings and camera controls and just as I was about to start I noticed this stunningly beautiful brunette in my background. She would definitely have put my wee doll to shame had she been in the picture so I messaged her and asked her as politely as I could if she could move over a wee bit, and she was ever so lovely and obliged. And then I started the painful process of trying to take that elusive decent photo. I was about 2 mins in when something wonderful happened. The beautiful brunette sent me a photo she had taken of me. Turns out she was a photographer herself and the picture was bloody amazing. Don’t take my word for it though, see for yourself;
Of course I tried to pay her for her troubles however she was having none of it. She said just the fact I liked it was payment enough. Isn’t that just incredible?
It’s these little acts of kindness that remind me how great SL can be sometimes. This woman as lovely inside as her avatar is on the outside completely made my day and reminded me how much of an impact small random gestures can have on people. She affected me and I vow to do more of this sort of thing myself (starting tomorrow though as it’s late here and I’m sleepy and maybe not with photos as no-one would thank me for that!).
Ps .. incase you are wondering and want to engage this talented lass for a photo yourself, her av name is Maia McKeenan. Photography is clearly a passion for her and I adore her words:
“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”
Do look her up. She is all kinds of special in many different ways.
Still in my head and not just the music. I prefer the Lelly version 😉
So, building on the SimsILikeToGoTo series I thought I’d talk a little about Hazardous
Hazardous really is a photographer’s dream. Worn and washed out in a charming whimsical sort of way. It’s a horseshoe shaped landmass, it’s surface draped in yellowy brown long grasses peppered by lazily sprawling trees. It’s foundations soak in seawater.
There are just so many things to explore and discover here. I really don’t want to tell you about every single one as half the fun is unearthing these treasures for yourself. I’m feeling shary today so I will tell you about a few places I like to go and things I sometimes do when I’m there.
The sim designer has an artists eye and has placed props strategically around, tools for the most perfect photos. Should you have the skill… which, of course I don’t (I’m trying though, honest). Here is a link to a place where people do FolkWhoCanTakePhotos . You can get some nice ideas there. For example, there’s a picture of someone with a chicken in there. I am rather impressed with the chicken photo and I’m contemplating getting a chicken.
Alright, I think first I’ll tell you about the tired old walkway edging out into an algae covered pond. I like to perch on the edge and watch the tree branches reflected in the water ripple back and forth as the dancing dragonflies hover. Or maybe I’ll wander over to the (Hazardous 😉 ) wooden bridge to find a spot to sit. The railings may be long broken however the structure itself seems robust enough to support you across the vast chasm below where the the water curls and laps. It feels deliciously dangerous to sit smack bang in the middle of this bridge and it makes for wonderful photos (even if it invariably results in wet socks!).
Why not plop your pixels down on the rusted old barrels, the rustier old trucks providing an atmospheric backdrop and snap to your hearts content. Curl up on the hay bales lazily strewn with blankets should you feel a chill. There is sometimes a horse at Hazardous. It’s a sporadic antisocial type of a horse not often about. I think I’ve seen it twice in … well possibly hundreds of visits. I have so many questions about the horse..where does this horse go when its not there? Why is it only there sometimes? Is it avoiding me? Why do I care?
If you have answers to this mystery then please, shoot me an IM and take this nonsense out of my head. There is way too much random shit in there as it is.
Anyway. Moving on from the horse (the horse can drive you to distraction). You can ensconce yourself on the battered indoor furniture left outdoors to decay and rot in the shadow of a tumble down ruin of a cottage. Find one of the many vintage record player and dance in this dreamy landscape with the grasses brushing your ankles. Or head over to the prettiest outside dance floor I think I’ve ever seen in SL where bleached boards are surrounded by strings of tiny white bulbs. It’s atmospheric and it’s just, well, beautiful really. If you feel like a wee sway you will be spoilt for choice.
Then theres the oxidised on it’s last legs playground. The swings, climbing frame and merry go round are rather delightful. As are the little hidden chill places discovered when you fall down the cliff. Yes I fell down the cliff. I fall a lot. I still have bother walking in sl even after all time 😮 Make sure you search both inside and outside to find them. And do search out the hidden tps, they are quirky and fun. I’ll even give you a hint, try the well and the bath at the land zone.
Theres a leaning lighthouse, a towering ….tower of some sort with a…rotating top bit… no clue what it is really. A windmill? Fuck knows. Looks nice though. Most stuff looks nice here and thats why you should visit.
That’s not the only reason for a wee trip here. I’ve met some of my favourite people ever in Hazardous. People who’ve come to be more than friends. People who have become very, very special to me. That sounds like there have been a lot of people. In fact it’s the opposite. There have been incredibly few.
Who knows … my next best mate could be there now, waiting 😉 Your’s could be too. So why don’t you go see? And remember to…
“Dream infinitely…remain fearless…seek Hazardous adventures”
It’s Friday and I’m not feeling fine. Not very fine at all. The alcohol is still seeping through my veins and clouding my brain … This visitor who was welcomed with open arms last night now squats unwanted refusing to leave me … lingering maliciously. I’ve tried to make her go. To no avail. She clings.
I want the boat. I need to find the Island. Leave her alone on the shore.
Will you sail with me?
I saw this in someones profile picks the other day. I think it sums up SL relations pretty well really…
Partnered 1st sept US time ❤
2nd sept We thought about divorce 😮
6 to 7th sept Psychotic breakdown about not telling a shop name 
8th sept I took 1/4 blame
8th sept Spiked her coffee with meds , seems like the paranoia is fading
Update: I stole the above from Joan Ryder (dukem)’s profile. He’s nuts. His wife seems equally nuts. Nuts in a good sort of way.
Wishing for the weekend…
I really wish that, given the mesh developments of late, that the Lindens would get their fingers out of their arses and update their houses because, quite frankly, they’re shit. I’m whining I know 😉 but what’s SL without a good moan now and again.
I know I could easily go and purchase a beautiful mesh home for myself. The marketplace abounds with such lovely abodes, hell my inventory has more than its fair share of them, bought on impulse now languishing there gathering dust. That would involve renting land though and really, what’s the point in that?
I used to rent parcels. I’ve owned sims. It was fun at the time. It was also expensive. Nowadays I don’t really see the point.
I do like having some sort of base though in SL. A spot to rez, a hideaway to dress up my wee doll, a bolt hole when things are getting … a bit too much. And sometimes, very occasionally, I will invite people over. A linden home is fine for all of this. A few years ago they upgraded the privacy which meant people outside couldn’t see those inside. You can talk in voice or in local safe in the knowledge that no-one is going to eaves drop. Although I have no idea why anyone would want to listen to any sort of dialogue I have going, it’s very boring I promise. I’m a private person though so that matters. You can choose your own radio, stream your own music if you can be bothered, that’s an important one for me too. So yeah. Well done on that bit.
There’s just no getting away from the fact that the houses themselves are awful. For example the one I have now still has a diagonal prim with a texture, basically a ramp masquerading as a stairway (I wasn’t fooled, I changed it 😮 ). It still has the godawful round metal fire in the corner of the lounge (someone recently expressed concern about inadequate ventilation and my carbon monoxide levels, bless). There appears to be a … pond? in the lounge too, not sure why. Its a crappy pond. I covered it up. The lights are rubbish as well, garish prim spotlights that you just have to live with really. I’ve rebelled and put up a delightfully spidery light of my own because well, maybe the acceptable one sort of negates the crappy linden one? Okay it doesn’t. But I can still have two lights if I want to 😛 I’m pretty sure they made these houses and all the wonderful contents within right at the start and they’ve not bothered to update them. The should. Please fucking do it.
You get 117 prims. It’s not a lot of prims really. I’ve tried to make my wee place as pretty as I can on this amount. I never think it looks very good though. I thought it might be nice to remember how it looked in 2017, if I was to ever look back you know? So I took some photos and here they are.
And if anyone wants to teach me how to take a decent bloody photo in sl .. please, don’t be shy. I’m aware I suck at this 🙂
You have received a partner proposal from (names removed to protect the not so innocent) Please accept or reject this proposal by Friday, 03-17-2017.
Send Your Reply:
| Proposal: | I thought this would at least get a WTF out of you when you woke up. Maybe a laugh. I hope you have a great day! |
I think he was drunk again. I maybe thought WTF. I definitely laughed. And my day was great, not completely because of this, however it certainly contributed. Because great days always have to have a sprinkling of smiles and fun and silliness.
People have been talking to me quite a bit about partnerships in SL lately. I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe that’s my next blog post; Partnering in SL. Not today though. I’m still way too hungover and delicate to tackle something so controversial and complicated.
The good news is that I’m not too under the weather to play you this. I was lucky enough to see this talented songstress last night. And you’re lucky enough to be hearing it right now. She has a new album. I have it. You should get it.
These guys. Live tonight. Woohoo.
You do as well right?
“I like to read your stuff.”
Right.
So I open up WordPress, hit the write thingy and of course my mind completely blanks and I find myself devoid of any inspiration whatsoever 🙂
In the end I decide to blog about not blogging.
When I decided to start this I knew it was going to be a sporadic enterprise at best because, well, that’s what I’m like. It’s like that old waiting for a bus adage … sometimes you have to wait forever for one to come along and then, other times you seem bombarded by the bloody things.
I guess what I’m saying is, if you are expecting weekly or even monthly updates then you will be disappointed. They’ll be infrequent and random and mixed up. I seem to blend SL in with my RL as much here as I do in world. I don’t want to ever feel that I’m having to meet anyone elses’ expectations. I want to say things when I feel like saying them.
So there you go.
In other news, here is a picture of my cat.
Tempted though I am to post more tracks today (I have found an awful lot of good new tracks) I thought instead I’d take a little time to talk about what has become one of my favourite places in SL. It’s a tranquil little Island retreat full of realistic looking sand dunes and flowing hillsides bathed forever in pinky purple sunlight hues. It’s one of the most serene and relaxing locations I have ever had the good fortune to stumble across in my seven plus years in the place. And trust me, I’ve done a lot of stumbling 😉 It’s name, as you’ve likely guessed, is Salt Water.
I was in two minds about writing this, Salt is quiet and it’s peaceful and part of me thinks it’s better that way… you can come to be alone or to share a moment with a kindred spirit without fear of interruption… that selfishly it’s better to tell as few people as possible about this perfect little haven to safeguard and protect my experiences there. On the other hand though, its just too wonderful not to share. The creations emerging from people’s heads in sl and manifesting themselves in the form of beautiful sims need to be shared and experienced by as many people as possible. It’s simply not fair to keep it a secret (as much as I’d like to).
The island is made up of bleached white sand interspersed with rocky outcrops, wooden walkways worn by sea spray traverse the little rivers snaking their way inland, gulls sing out to you as they float and circle in the sunset sky, fat and contented pelicans (are they pelicans, I’m a poor ornithologist) balancing comfortably atop stumps of wood in the shallows watch you contentedly with lazy eyes as you make your way past the sand slipping between your toes delightfully the breeze warm and inviting.
It’s a romantic’s dream … there are many cosy little spots to snuggle, little wooden huts, their curtains billowing in the wind, twinkling fairly lights entwined with the wood. Atop the hill, if you can find the vine covered tree swing decorated with ribbon and foliage, you can swing happily back and forth for the longest moment taking in the amazing vista in front of you where waves lap and crash at the shore, where the waterfall cascades down the cliff front and every thing seems to move at a slower, gentler pace.
Then theres the beach house. And the outdoor bed in the garden of the beach house. It feels so deliciously decadent to be outside suspended above the ground on the antique iron bed strewn with cosy blankets and comfy cushions, breathing in the sea air , getting lost listening to the Island radio (which, by the way is the perfect accompaniment) you MUST listen to the music if you ever visit. If I had to choose one spot in this entire wee sanctuary then I’d choose the outside bed in the beach house garden. You get drawn to some places. This one draws me.
There are generally people there although sometimes, magically you can find yourself entirely alone. The people Salt attracts tend to be … interesting and different. The designer is a special guy and I’m not sure he realises how affecting his creation is. It affects me. So Tre, thank you.
I’ve tried to take some pictures here however I am a shit photographer and neither my photos or words will ever do this place justice. I suggest you pay it a visit, and if you run into me .. which you may well do…say hello 🙂
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