I really need to take a Photoshop class or watch some video tutorials online. That.is.all.
79 of 365 Photoshop fun with texture layers
I really need to take a Photoshop class or watch some video tutorials online. 
My first love
I cannot believe this ancient image is on the internet.
I want to enlarge it so I can see your eyes.
Seeing this tiny tease of your face makes me desperate
to wrap myself in my memories until I can feel you
and smell you and hear your voice whisper my name.
You have been gone for more years than you were alive
but my heart still jumps when I see you Chris.
77 of 365 Dutchie!
Honestly, content creators never drop things on me to review because I don't really do product reviews. So when Froukje Hoorenbeek of Dutchie dropped her new bed on me and asked me to review it here I was a little surprised. Perhaps I should not have been though, since I am a member of her group and show her plants and furniture in just about every picture of my home. You see I am a huge fan of the low prim, amazingly textured houses, furniture, plants and other goodies for your living space that are available for sale at Dutchie.
Mind you, I am not really used to taking product photographs so I am sure if you look around you can find better photographs of this bed. The textures are fantastic and the details in the construction make this an object you really do need to see for yourself. There are about 45323406 animations and options. I don't really use couples animations in SL so I did not have the opportunity to try them out but if you are interested in that kind of thing this bed has every option you can think of and then a few more.
The animations I did try out are top quality, smooth and very well done. There are animations for cuddling and talking with your partner or reading a book, working on your blog or even having a good cry. All in all this bed is great and worth the price tag of $4,500. I have no idea how this price compares to other such product on the SL market but given the high quality of this bed it seems well worth the price to me.
Take a trip to Dutchie and while you are there check out the houseboats which are simply adorable. I love the low prim, copyable house plants and have owned them for ages. Read more from Dutchie here on their blog. I also recommend you hit the subscribomatic as Froukje gives out amazing gifts from time to time and you do want to know when she releases new things, don't you?
76 of 365 "Everything or Nothing"
Last night I had a short but intense conversation with a friend during which he said "I can't be consistent about anything except everything or nothing." In that moment I understood completely what he meant but as I think about it today, I realize the same could be said for me in many respects. "Everything or nothing" is why my "inner circle" is pretty small. I am just not consistent about keeping up with people and I tend to lose track of things. If I don't put the effort in to a friendship, it can easily fade into the category of "I really enjoy and care about that person but I just never seem to keep up with them." Which soon slides into the guilt I feel about not making time to nurture my relationships and then lands with a thud in the "damn, how did I mess that up" pile. Either I put my "everything" into a friendship or I fail at that and "nothing" is what happens. This is not something about which I am proud.
"Everything or nothing" is why I was able to write for New World Notes for two years. Once I made the commitment to take on the deadlines and the tedium of calendar keeping, the idea that I would do anything less than my very best never crossed my mind.
"Everything or nothing" is why I finished my 365 and took on a second year.
I could list about 10 ways "everything or nothing" applies to my RL job, my family, my glass and fiber art, my writing...honestly I could go on and on. Either I am on or I am off, focused and devoted or done and gone.
The inability to be consistent about anything except "everything or nothing" is a big part of me too, my friend.
75 of 365 Clusterfuck of Fail
The past few days have been a clusterfuck of fail. I have been cranky, not sleeping, up to my eyeballs in alligators at my RL job. My kids have been fighting like mad -- with each other and with us. I am short, uninterested in Second Life for the most part and feeling the demands of friendships when really what I could use is a little bit of
nothing
at
all.
When I close my eyes I imagine the hot white sand under my feet. I watch the little sand pipers running around in the comic way they do when they are racing against the next swell of the water. I hear small children squealing in a mixture of panic and pure joy at the sight and sounds of the immensity of the sea. I feel the pages of my book under my hand, unread. The sun is baking the lines into my face and my skin begins to feel the telltale tingle of the burn that will eventually fade into the soft glow of days well spent at the beach.
~~~~
Yeah. I think I can manage today now.
74 of 365
Someone on plurk posted a picture of a suburb and it got me thinking about Linden Homes so here is my image for today. I don't have much more today. Sorry folks.
73 of 365 Guardamar Creature Studios
I am not even sure how I ended up at Guardamar Creature Studios but it is a great spot! If you happen to be looking for an enormous whale or possibly some dinosaurs this is the place to go. They also have flamingos, all kinds of furry creatures for your land and several fantastic freebies. This shop is definitely worth a visit.
At Guardamar we have the following creatures for you to see and buy : Dinosaurs, T-Rex , Baby Brontosaurus, Triceratops, Brachylophosaurus, Elephant, Bagaceratops. We have many birds to include common pigeon, rock pigeon, Chaffinch...
72 of 365 SAIWA Station
SAIWA is another one of those builds that uses glow to great advantage. I tend to be a fan of glow when it is used well and I think it is in this case. However, when I was there I ran into a person who liked the build but thought it "could use a bit less glow" so let that serve as a warning.
SAIWA has a very "Insilico" feel. It is created by very talented people and I felt like I wanted to know more about the back story and what happens next. This is not a huge build and I did not feel it was nearly as interactive as I wanted it to be, sadly. I wanted to become a clone or at least enter one of the cloning chambers but either it is not possible or I could not figure it out. Even though I wanted SAIWA to swallow me up and let me play more than I was able to do, I really liked the feel of the place.
SAIWA is Swahili for comfort and serves as a genetic nursery for tailored clones. This is for the purpose of producing generations of clones that are capable of surviving in low atmosphere conditions.
71 of 365 Lazy Sunday Morning
For some reason I love my very very RL bathtub made by the talented Colleen Desmoulins of The Loft. Generally I am not all that interested in recreating a RL house in SL but I do usually find a place to rez my bathtub, and its not just so I can post gratutious naked pictures on my blog. Although, if you have read this blog for any time at all you know I am fond of doing just that every now and then. Why? I don't know. I am a pixel exhibitionist I guess.~~~
I did not fall asleep until well past 3am last night. This morning I remembered I promised my kids I would take them out for breakfast. I am going to be a hurting kitty today. Be gentle.
~~~
Apparently there are football games on TV today that are big.important.meaningful and we must watch. I, for one, will be there for the nachos and beer.
~~~
My friend ColeMarie and her band Soleil have a new album out. I downloaded it a few days back and really love the music. You can see a super beautiful machinma Cole made with Bryn Oh and read about the album here on Hamlet's blog. You can buy the it here on Cole's bandcamp page. It is worth every bit of $10usd and then some, I promise.
~~~
Speaking of Bryn Oh, I read her blog today and learned I am on Prokofy's FIC list this year. I honestly had no idea. I am so FIC I didn't even know how FIC I was. What a bunch of silliness.
~~~
Have a beautiful day my poppets!
70 of 365 Playa Sol Mananero
"About Land" says you can surf here in the icy waters that are inhabited by orcas and sea lions. I dunno if I would want to do that as it seems kind of frigid but the sim sure is pretty.
69 of 365 Monastery of St. Michael, St. Francis Church
I am not at all a religious person but I love to visit houses of worship both in RL and in SL. There is something comforting and peaceful about churches and temples that speaks to me. Religious buildings touch our senses -- visual beauty, soft compelling music, smells of old wood and incense, cool smooth surfaces of carved stone -- combine to give us a feeling of security and predictability.
The Monastery of St. Michael, St. Francis Church in Second Life is one of the most beautiful houses of worship I have seen in the virtual world. When I visited I was surprised to see a steady stream of visitors exploring the pretty grounds or quietly enjoying the virtual cathedral. The music playing over the stream was just lovely and I swear I could smell the familiar scents of mass.
The monastic community located here at Taliesin Shores is an extension of the origional community that was once located on Milarepa, a mainland sim.I. Why are there no doors in the doorways?!Simple. :) One of the basic tenants of medieval monasticism was to offer hospitality and sanctuary to anyone who needed it. In that spirit, there are no doors to close on this sim. Every place is open to anyone to explore, including the monastic cells in the enclosure.II. About the groundsThere are various locations suitable on the grounds for prayer and reflection. These include:-the tree cathedral, located to the east of the church: take the left hand path at the entrance port.-the church-the resting points that appear as small, open eneded huts-the monastic enclosure and cloister-the garden space west of the enclosure, including the greenhouse. I'm hoping to be able to sell some plantpets to supliment the income of the community.The grounds are under development, and I'm hoping to have a labarynth installed in the south west corner at some stage.The sim is open to the public, provided that individuals are respectful of the community and the silence here. From time to time, individuals and groups may book the facility for weddings, etc. Contact Rimpoche Kiama for details.Also, individuals may be engaged in prayer or reflection. Please approach people here respectfully and allow them to address you before speaking. If they seem quiet, respect the peace and move on.III. The Rule of the Monastics of St. MichaelThe rule is simple. Observe prayer and reflection on the grounds, promote and help others to develop the skills of prayer and contemplation. Residents have a maximum of 250 prims and should clear their stay with Rimpoche Kiama first. Additional cells can be added should the need arise.Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.Peace,Rimpoche Kiama,Foster, Monastery of St. Michael, St. Francis Church
67 of 365 Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle also known as the "Crow Castle" because of its black exterior is one of Japan's premier historic Japanese castles. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture. Home of the Keibatsu Samurai Clan. Hosoi Ichiba Cluster
66 of 365 - Hey Linden Lab, Let's talk.
Dear Linden Lab
People I respect are saying things are different now. They say you are listening to your customers in a way that has been absent in recent years. I want to believe them. I really, really do. But it is hard, you know?
There was a time when I was *such* a LL and SL fangurl. I stop short of calling myself an evangelist because to be honest, that word has big time creepy connotations for me. All I can think of is a huge theater with a crowd of 50,000 and some preacher on a stage smacking people in the head while bellowing "evil spirits get out!" But in truth I had great confidence that the virtual world of Second Life was going to change everything from the way we learn and do business to the way we play. I was so convinced that the virtual worlds were the future. Not like a Jetsons future but I was sure that in 10 years I would not be able to imagine my life without virtual worlds, just like today imagining a day without the internet itself gives me the shakes.
There was a time when I thought LL was a great company and I respected its unconventional approach to business. Even when the Lab made really stupid decisions that negatively impacted my friends (think Open Space debacle) I still sort of sided with LL. I totally remember getting a smackdown on plurk from a certain AI personality back in the day when I was less than sympathetic to people's outrage over some LL policy change. I think I said something about "hey its a business" and "really people, get over yourselves." See? I was kind of on the side of management and not so much on the side of "residents."
Since I have used the word "resident" let me stop and take a little detour for a moment. We are NOT residents. We are customers. If I am a resident of a world then I want representation on an elected body. I want a say in policy and I want to vote for leadership. Get it? It just doesn't work that way because SL is not a world. It is a fabulous online platform for creativity and the way I spend a lot of my leisure time but I am not a resident. So, dear LL, stop with the rhetoric please? It may have had a time and a place but for now I think we all would be better off if you just call us customers. That way, you will remember that you need to keep us happy and we will remember that we can take our business elsewhere if the vendor (that would be you) does not perform the service for which we have paid.
Coughs...I digress. Sorry.
So, Phaylen and Toxic met with some Linden officials and they came away from the conversation feeling hopeful, even elated. The company has new leadership and a new attitude. They care what we customers think and they want to hear what we have to say. I am going to wrap my cynicism up in a pretty pink bow and set it aside for the moment. I thought I would take a few minutes to say a few words about what I want Linden Lab to think about over the next few months.
Before I go there I would say one important thing -- I would hope that in the search for customer input you would not limit yourselves to reading blogs and social networks, listening to podcasts or talking to highly visible customers. We loudmouths have a platform to say what we think. So sure, grab the low-hanging fruit, but please don't stop there. You have data and I hope you use that information to your advantage. You know who logs in for long periods of time. You know who used to log in a lot and now log in only sporadically. You know who spends a lot of money in world. Use that information and whatever other information at your disposal to identify customers who may have important view points and reach out to them. Do not limit the conversation to the those who reach out to you and those who spew their opinions on the web.
So, with that out of the way, here is what I wanted to talk to you about dear Lindens.
1) Please provide us a platform that is functional and stable and then stay out of the way.
2) Please, please please fix search. Your showcase is a great idea! I love it, however, about 80% of the time teleports to the locations don't work and it makes me cranky. Please fix this. I don't know whether to beg or demand this one.
3) You really should significantly reduce tier. Your sim costs are not competitive and over time this is going to become more and more of a problem. Once other grids reach critical mass you will start to see more and more migration.
4) Whatever happened to interoperability? Are we ever going to be able to hop from SL to other grids easily? Make it so, please.
5) Give us a way to link to our social networks outside SL but for GODS SAKE PLEASE DO NOT BECOME FACEBOOK. On this point I am simply begging.
6) The way to bring in new customers is robust marketing strategy. As far as I can tell you don't have one. You really need to fix this oversight.
7) Please learn how to communicate with your customers. This would involve listening as well as talking. I am an avid blog reader but I have a hell of a time reading your blog. I can't explain why exactly but if I can't then other people probably ignore your blog too. Why don't you use inworld messaging and the splash page to your advantage? There has to be a better way.
8) Your customer service is pathetic. Filing a ticket is so useless most of us don't even bother anymore. This is a sad state of affairs. You need intelligent Customer Service Reps who do more than read from a handbook and who are empowered to fix things. For example, if someone loses an entire folder of jewelery you should either recover said items from the backups you perform routinely (you do perform backups routinely, right??) or you should compensate them for the loss of real dollars. (That person would be me and I was told LL would do nothing unless I stopped using a Third Party Viewer.)
9) Which brings me to the subject of Viewer 2.0. All I can say is I tried. I really, really tried to use it and learn it and love it. I failed. And so did you when you rolled out that "not yet ready for prime time" piece of garbage. Some of us have not gotten over that miscalculation yet.
10) You must, absolutely must, deal with IP infringement and DCMAs in a more responsible way. This is of paramount importance.
I am sure I could go on and on but this is getting long so I am going to have to wrap this up now. One last little thing -- Thank you Linden Lab. Despite all the flaws and problems and frustrations, I would be lying if I didn't say being able to log in to Second Life has improved my world and helped me to tap into my own personal creativity. I have met some of the most interesting people anywhere and made friends I intend to hold close for life. So thank you.
Love,
Chestnut
64 of 365 The one where Chestnut goes there -- Partnerships in SL and Marriage
If anyone has bothered to look you will notice my partner box is empty. There has been no change in my relationship, but I no longer need/want Linden Lab to sanction it or feel the need to publicize who is important in my life. If you know me, then you know. If you don't then its not material to you.
Way back a hundred years ago or so when my husband and I were about to get married I got really upset when he said he didn't need or want a wedding ring. At the time he worked on wooden tall ships like this one and this one. If you spend your days climbing around in the rigging of a ship, having a metal band on your finger is a recipe for getting caught up in wires and ropes and has the potential for a lost finger or worse. So, he had a point.
Still, I was angry. I absolutely wanted a ring on the hand of my tall, good looking husband. He challenged me by asking why the ring was such a big deal. We owned a house together, we were planning to start a family. We were totally in love and fully committed to creating a life together so why was a ring a big deal? He had me. My reasoning was steeped in insecurity and my own need to "claim" him, his blue eyes, his lovely English accent, his fantastic sense of humor and the way he inhabited his jeans as MINE. He never got a wedding ring and we got married longer ago than some of you have been alive. You know what? He still fills out his jeans quite nicely and he is still MINE.
For those of you who would love to think my wedding ring-less husband is being deceived because of my relationships in Second Life - I am very sorry to disappoint. He is well aware of who I talk to and who I spend my time with in world. He knows who has my cell phone number and who texts me. When I am online I sit in the living room so he is free to see whatever I am doing. I know there are people who would love to reinforce the "SL causes marital discord and divorce" theory but you won't be able to use me as proof.
So, yeah. Keep your stupid partnership box Linden Lab. I don't need it. I don't want it. It does not mean a thing now and honestly it never really did. I do not define my relationships by symbols. I define my relationships by the feelings in my heart and by showing up, day after day, year after year.
63 of 365 Forgotten City
Every once in a while I run across a sim and I think "this place is going to be photographed a lot." Forgotten City is such a place. It is still under construction I understand, and I did find a place or two where the transparent prims needed to keep visitors from falling through the phantom sculpted walkways and bridges were not lined up exactly right and I fell through to the water below. However, these minor inconveniences in no way take away from this fabulous build.I did absolutely no post processing on these images so what you see here is pretty much what you will see when you visit Forgotten City. These images are definitely worth clicking on for a larger view.
A once great city where the prosperous residents were served by the miraculous mechanical automatons. The people have long since disappeared, but the automatons remained and still take care of the crumbling stone walls, abandoned halls and rusty fences.
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