Santa, Ever, and That Poem

While I was walking back from the Real Life pharmacy it seems that I missed another visit by Santa to Bay City but a reporter for The Post was hot on the jolly old elf's trail and posted the appearance (original here) at Ever Dreamscape's memorial in Bay City - Dennis (SLurl), giving the big guy some private time.

Readers of this blog probably remember that Christmas 2013 was Ever's last with her friends and family in Our World and in Real Life so they probably can imagine that this holiday season is that much less festive without her. It was also last year that Ever let me post a copy of her special adaptation of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore. I ran across it the other day and thought of sending a copy to the Bay City Alliance group (and still might) but after talking with a few people I thought it would be okay to freshen Ever's work a little to reflect the changes in Second Life over the last year. So here goes ...

A Visit from St. Ebbe 

Twas the night before Christmas and all thro' the lot,
Not a creature on radar not even a bot.
The stockings were rezzed by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Ebbe soon would be there.
The moles were nestled all snug in their dens,
While visions of mesh danc'd in their heads.

 My alt, who was ruthed, and I in bald cap,
Were just logging off for a long restart's nap.
When out on the sculpty lawn there arose such a clatter,
I stood from my totally G-rated bed (“honest”) to see who was griefing with pixellated matter!

Away to the teleport I flew like a flash,
Clicked on my mini map, and waited to crash.
I turned up my draw distance and opened an AR,
With graphics on high I could really cam far.
When what to my V3.67891-2a did soon rez,
But a sleigh full of prims and eight noobs (one wearing a fez)

With a prim-endowed driver, probably named Luv4Debbie,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Ebbe.
More rabid than vampires his coursers they came,
And he gestured, and shouted, and call'd them by name:
"Now! dasher101 now! dancer22 now! prancertheromancer13 and hotchickvixen24
"On! cometcutie92 on! cupid4U69 on! donder95 and blitzenishawt;

"To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
"Now animate! Animate! Animate all!"
So up to the skybox the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of premium gifts — and St. Ebbe too:
And then in a frame, I heard on the roof
The freebie clicky heels of each little goof.
As I opened my pan zoom, and was camming around,
Down the teleport St. Ebbe rezzed with a bound:

A new shopping bag was rezzed on his head,
And he look'd like a newbie confused and full of dread:
He was skinny and tall, sliders raised to the max,
And I activated my laugh gesture, then waited for rez of my new mesh slacks;
A wink of his eye, wow he must have a face animation
Made me wonder if I 'd be better off gaming on Playstation.

Not a chat or IM, he went straight to his work,
And rezzed freebie crap all over; wow what a jerk,
And after his avatar had seemingly froze
He walked into a wall, then up the teleport he rose.
He sat on his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:
But I then heard him shout, ere he drove off the sim,
"Happy Second Life to all, don't leave for Skyrim!"

Best of the season to everyone from The Poultry Report. Treasure your family and friends as they are they best gift you can ever receive in any world.

Friends Online

If Second Life really wants to get into the Social Networking game, I suggest they look a bit more closely at the Google+ model of using Circles to help Residents keep track of our Friends list. I don't use Google+, mind you, as what few people I do associate with in Real Life really aren't computer users. Most don't even have mobile phones. And try to get any doctor's office to use email for anything — you might as well pound your head on a wall.

But at any given time there are about 20 people of about 170 from my Friends list in Second Life online at any given time. The word "Friends" is a euphemism, of course, for "People I need to keep in contact with for one reason or another." Like anyone, I guess, some people really are friends, others are more like family, and the rest filter into other mentally organized groups. But looking at my Friends list, there are only two groups: Online and Offline.

What I'd like to see first is to rename the list as "Contacts." Then some organization, if not like the Google+ Circles, is at least some way to group my contacts by type.

First Prim in History & Deja Visit

I've been zipping around Second Life, casually, just looking at things on the Damaged/Non Working Linden Content Locations list for the fun of it (yah ... I need a Third Life, really) and today I came across a unique museum in Shermerville and the First Prim in History (SLurl). Really.

Not really the first prim in Second Life, but you should go listen to it. Yes, listen.

Right. I was a bit disappointed yet still amused. I thought it might really have been Second Life's first prim considering that the region is pretty much all Linden property. Shermerville (and it's related sims) is a very "ideal" suburban Amercian-style community quite evocative of the 50s-60s, though you will find some shops and a few interesting things such as the museum and some very fun bouncy mushrooms (SLurl). A few of SL's more famous Residents have homes in this rather peaceful place. I won't drop names, but I'm fortunate enough to have one on my Friend list. You'll also find the Church of the Mac (SLurl), another museum that  has lots of funny pictures that even non-Apple computer users might enjoy.

What? Only one picture?? Even with all the things you saw???

Well, I wasn't very energetic today having spent a grueling day out of the house pushing a wheelchair and lugging things only to face two loads of laundry when I got home ... and no nap. Maybe I'm a bit punch-drunk from lack of sleep, though, because Shermerville reminds me of something I keep experiencing in Second Life ... deja visit.

How many times have you visited a place (usually on Mainland) and looked around only to realize "I've been at a another location very near by!"? Like the first time I visited the Church of Mac I realized that my friend's house was just around the corner. Or even today when I visited the Shermerville Park because of the Linden content list it took a wee bit of flying around to notice the church and my friend's house ... and recognize the park from a visit in or about my earliest days in-world. Deja Visit! I find it interesting how often we think of the world as big yet we keep coming across the same places.

One day I was at another friend's shop and I took a look on the map out of curiosity to see how far away my home was from there ... a 5 minute flight. We were practically neighbors. And I recognized several spots on the flight home. Deja Visit!

So maybe I shouldn't post pictures at all any more. You should go see all the places I write about and have your own Deja Vista experiences. And you can have them at my place if I can raise L$ 45848 (some $185USD) I can buy a 512m² lot I found in the community.

Memorial Park Memory

When my PC laptop died I had scattered and limited backups so quite a few things are gone forever. This image turned up, much to my giggly pleasure, for this goes way back into my life in our virtual world. The Memorial Park in Nangrim was on it's way to being huge and I had my first in-world girlfriend. We had invited a couple friends to just relax in the Park with some Classical music on the stream. Someone put on wings and started dancing so we all put on wings and danced. Then someone released particles and the clothes started coming off. It was a beautiful night. We danced and made small talk and just enjoyed being there for quite some time. Serendipity. Happy serendipity.

Year in Review: 2008

Apologies for the lack of posts since the first of the year. I've been busy in both lives and feeling a little bit ill in one of them. I've been doing my best to keep up with the Lucky Kitty Crew blog (Web) that I contribute to as well as commenting on other blogs. But to get back into the swing of things I thought I'd tiptoe through my photo library and grab images that leaped out for comment in a Year in Review of 2008. No particular order here and it is far from inclusive. Just some extra insights.

Coming face-t0-face with Governor Linden I learned a few things. First, Lindens really can remove themselves from the presence server. You may be able to see one, talk to one, or transfer inventory, but any scripts that depend on agent detection simply won't work. Thus, the Gov missed a hug from a really smexy lion. The second thing I learned is that Lindens really are people. The human behind this version of the Gov had trouble getting a simple giver script to run and couldn't set the box for sale at L$0. She turned down my offer of a free giver script. FYI, that is my wife, Angela, to my right with the white hair band. We wuz holdin' hands ... xtra kute.

I did quite a bit of exploring. Usually I'd grab something from a Lucky Chair then I'd wander around to see what else the region contained. That's how I found this giant sign for Sun Microsystems. Sometimes I'd just open the map and pan around looking for interesting sim names or patterns then teleport. Many blogs reported interesting places, too, that were well worth exploring. At least once a week I use the Stargate at home to find a '/drandom' place. Seeing what others are doing in-world is definitely one of my most favorite things to do.

:::sighs::: Moved a lot. This is a shot of my home in Navi. It was a bit expensive, especially compared to the sweet deal my sister Threshin gave me, but it was still rather nice. This is where Angela and I fell in love and it was her first home in-world. You'll find lots of pictures and posts about my "favorite" home throughout this blog, including later in this post. Today Angela rents a sim that we call home but in reality I have several spots I now roost, including the Isle of Lesbos, one of my first homes in-world.

It is on the Isle I have family, friends, and a job. It's a great place to laugh and play. Nary a day goes by that something silly doesn't happen to brighten my moods. A lot of remodeling had happened and I've been blessed to be part of it. I don't host events on the Isle at this time, but you'll still find me assisting with Security, building, landscaping, and being a mascot (?). Just as my blog has had many posts about my lands in 2008 you'll find many a post about the Isle if you hit the archives. Two words about this pic: Anti-Gravity Boobies.

2008 was the year I came out to my family, much to their chagrin. It may be the 21st century, but being a lesbian is still not completely acceptable. My alt also came out in 2008. I stopped keeping her secret but I don't exactly advertise who she is, either. When I "wear" her I feel like a different person in many ways, though since her outing we've become very much alike. I guess that was inevitable. Of late she's started making new products for my line of goods for tiny avatars, MicroSTUFF. Most of my tiny avatar things disappeared along with tens of thousands of L$ of other items in my inventory in 2008 but she still had her stuff so she's better off working on that line. I re-branded The Poultry Company into The PoP Department store and added a line of bikinis. Now to get off my butt and make more stuff. The region that Angela rents is not just home to me, but home to my store.

Really, though, home is where the heart is, and that is with Angela. I'm in love with her. Really. Real Life means that we can't spend a lot of time together but every moment is precious. We both find it hard to log out at day's end. She's very good to me, from letting me landscape and build the infrastructure for her region to seeking my advice on nearly everything she builds to being a fabulous cuddler and lover. We celebrated our 1st year together as a couple, spouses, and partners in 2008.

It seems I spend more time with the Lucky Kitty Crew (LKC) than I do my wife despite the many down moments. But up moments like this one make it worthwhile. A number of us were on a hunt for prize-filled flamingos and decided to all meet in one place for a breather and a pic. To my right is one of my bestest friends in-world, Serenity. She can be a blast. Lately I've been modifying LOL Cat pictures to look like her avie and posting them to the LKC blog ... or sending private ones to her. Just as she's an easy target for my humor she's also been an easy target for griefers. Remember, people: She is my friend and thus falls under my protection.

The Second Life 5th Birthday celebration was a joy because I got to do a couple things I really, really enjoy: Build and promote the Isle of Lesbos. I made an abstract miniature of the Isle so people could get a taste of the landscape, activities, entertainments, and culture of the Isle and to learn more about the lesbian lifestyle. Constant fussing and picking at this display took up more time than it should have, but I had a great time and I think it was worth it. Sure, I had to airbrush out the nipples on some classic paintings. Sure we had one (minor) griefer, but overall it was a great experience that I hope to repeat for the 6th birthday celebration.

Scenes like this should have been at the birthday party, but I didn't have the room or the prims. To me, the Furries & Friends Deck in the jungle at the Isle of Lesbos represents what I think the Isle stands for ... a peaceful, relaxing natural environment, free from most of the drama and negativity found elsewhere in-world where people can gather and just be themselves. The Deck is a microcosm of the Isle with cuddles, music, free goodies, fishing, fantasy, secret suprises, intimacy, whimsy, beauty, and so many more things. Probably my favorite place on the Isle, if you were to ask.

All that describes Grendel's Children, too, a wonderful collection of regions with the best values on innovative avatars, a fabulous landscape, and plenty of places to have a good time. The regions were remodeled in 2008 and, frankly, I prefer the previous structures (like the one shown here) but the ground level landscape still rocks (pun intended). It is a beautiful desert trying hard to be verdant. 2008's intricate cave system is gone, but it is still a wonderful visit.

My home. "Uccello's Land" at Whispering Big Pines. This was my dream home. I say that because I found that I just couldn't tweak it any more. I kept finding it was perfect, just what I wanted and needed. Many thanks to the Bestest Big Sister a girl could ever want, Threshin, for letting me live there. One day I may be able to create something simliar, but my home was more than prims and mesh landscape. It was a part of me. A part of my head and my heart and my soul. If the rest of the Grid had gone away I'm sure I could have been quiet happy here. (/me pats her Inventory knowing that the components are there, waiting to be let loose ...) I'm so glad to have had this, probably the highlight of my 2008, right after being married to my Angela. When she was there with me, life was near perfect.

This is where Angela and I live now, with several items from my previous home making this corner of the world extra special. Likely I'll be tweaking for some time to come. Just today I was doing some building and landscaping. Really, I should have been swimming and playing. Or working in my store. Three-quarters of the region is dedicated to retail space (Angela's store, mine, and some tenants) but it is spread out enough that the whole environment is inviting and attractive. I should work on an interactive element, maybe adding to the back story that the region is a former volcano undergoing succession from rock and grass to more sophisticated plants (an animals? Thinking about that one.). Thank you, Angela. I know you did this as much for me as you did for having a retail space.

Not my favorite build, but Burning Life was still fun. I dipped my brushes in every primary color paint can I could find and splashed, splashed, splashed. Many folks told me they liked it so I guess it worked. At least it gave me some ideas for Burning Life '09 if I get a spot. And it was an opportunity to experiment with scripts and wild design. Hopefully folks used it for my other intended purpose: learning about diversity and the lesbian lifestyle.

Oh, the pix I left in my inventory. I could have added a dozen more, easily. Maybe some will show up here in the future as part of another retrospective or to show how things change over time. Maybe they won't. Hopefully I'll be busy making more memories, ones as happy as those I have of 2008.