Breaking Radio Silence

It's been over a week since I officially severed comm-lines and went dark. And even tho I got my new computer with quad this and giga that, I haven't been in-world very much.

The increased power of the new machine coupled with the power of its' nVidia Geforce GTS 240 (a souped up 9800 gt) created a new experience for me. In fact, as soon as I got the new PC setup, I was compelled to explore Second Life by myself for the next couple days.

I just wandered the roads on my home continent (Satori) and made a trip back to the first continent (Sansara), the site of so many of my expeditions in the past. I found the exploring to be relaxing and fascinating. Sometimes I walked, sometimes I rode my horse, sometimes I drove cars or helicopters or hovercraft, but mostly I kept moving to see what was around the next bend in the road or over the next hill.

Naturally, I had to ride my adventure companion, Vixen the Wonderhorse.

One day I headed back to the first continent, Sansara, and found an airfield. They had trial airplanes and helicopters, so I had to take the new vid card for a ride in a helo.

And I came upon this really beautifully designed sim, a home of vampires and other dark things (more on this in the coming days).

On Sunday night, I broke radio silence and quite a few friends said hello (hugzzz). It was good to be chatting with people I care about and I tried to be upbeat, but the truth is I was still struggling to find a reason to be in this artificial world. And another thing, I'm finding so many of my friends are enduring their own SL existential issues. One of my friends said, "It's like an epidemic".

On Sunday evening, I went dancing at the Junkyard as Fiery's spun an easy-bluey set.

Ok, then yesterday I left SL completely. I headed into the World of Warcraft for the frist time. I know, I know. What was I doing there? I don't know. But for four hours I, Mage Yordie, ran around in some kingdom killing wolves and creepy little evil things, collecting junk off their dead bodies, and being sent on missions that got me into all kinds of trouble.

It was a strange world for me because the graphics and controls were different than SL, but I was doing ok until I wandered into the wrong area where advanced players started killing me and re-killing me. I figured out how to spoil their fun, but it left me with an overall sense of futility. I'm just not into shoot'em-up, although I used to enjoy adventure games like Might & Magic.

Even with all the luxurious power and gracefulness of my new machine I can no longer get that sense of possibilities for the future. Otoh, yesterday's WoW experience did cause me realize that WoW is not an alternative to SL for me. I suppose this makes me sound like a bit of a stick in the mud, but I find racing into the forest and killing ghouls.

I'm simply lost right now. I'm licking my wounds, trying to get past the latest stream of disappointments. There are many things to enjoy in Second Life, but there are also many anti-social people here too.

I've had a revelation: I think my problem is, I plunge into my relationships with enthusiasm and openness, throwing caution to the wind. I've always been this way and I believe it is part of who I am. I also think this is a quality that people like about me in both worlds. However, here in SL I don't have the protection of my real life sensibilities, especially feedback from non-verbal communications. In real life I heed my instincts and believe they've served me well. Unfortunately, many of the senses that feed those instincts are non-existent in SL.

Uncommunicative

(adj)
Not disposed to be communicative.
(thefreedictionary.com)

Due to a series of unrelated but unsettling second life events, I've decided to turn off my communications links and become uncommunicative for awhile. I need some time to rethink things, and just wander around. The alternative is to use my alt, and I simply am not my alt. Please don't be offended.

Halloween Night @ Junkyard Blues

Everyone was there! Well, nearly everyone was there at Junkyard Blues last night. Wow! What a bunch of ghouls, witches, serpents, faeries and oooogly-skeery things were there last night. I was late due to swarms of real life Trick-or-Treaters, but there was plenty of suprises waiting for me when I arrived.

Last night was Halloween, but the night was also full of some kind of romantic electricity because two couples re-partnered, right there at Junkyard Blues. First, it was Miss Luci herself and Straton! Yeah, they repartnered! Yay! And a little later in the evening, Derwin asked Ellia to partner with him again, and she accepted. WOW! It was simply wonderful.

I tried to get some photos of what was going on at JY, but my vid card was just not up to the task. Following are some photos that capture some of the activities.

The gang at the Junkyard exceeded 60 peeps at one point, but new peeps were coming and going all night. That's Miss Luci standing on the graveyard DJ stand, and I'm the Fae with the delicate wings and pale blue dress.

That's Ellia in her seductiveness and Derwin in his very skeery looking dragon costume.

I didn't stay in-world as long as I had planned last night, but with all the peeps and all the events and all the visuals and sounds and carryings-on I can't even comprehend, I finally ran out of steam. Halloween had lasted for two weeks for me, and I was finally tired. So, I logged and cuddled up with a movie I had recorded, very happy, happy as a clam.

I can't wait till next year!

Thor-Oh-Good

Hehe. On Friday night I went to see Thor Effingham in the another George Thorogood concert. It was Tight Whiteberry as GT and the concert was a lot of fun, but I wanted to get some good shots of Thor as Jeff Simon, drummer.

Here's the whole GT band on stage, looking good with ghosts and all.

And here's Thor in his total coolness, in the role he loves, drummer in a rock & roll band. /hooo

Most of the peeps in the audience were in costumes, but I was costumed-out and just wore some jeans, top and my gardening boots. I really enjoy the shows that Tight and the Lightening Entertainment group put on, I've seen Blues Bros, Pink Floyd, The Doors and George Thorogood so far, BB many times. I'd join the Lightening group, but my experience in past is that they generate a lot of group IM spam.

Halloween Party Season

I like parties. Last week, Aynnie & Hart really kicked off the Halloween party season and I've been partying ever since. Last night was my sixth party and it isn't even Halloween yet. Woooohoooo!! Here are some of the highlights of the week.

On Monday night, it was Dryguy & Cascade's Anniversary/ Halloween party at the Still. One of the thing that makes a great party is having great people, and so many of the right people made it including Luci & Strat, of course, DJ Ali & Darrko, Ellia & Derwin and so many others (sorry the many names I've left off).

Wow! The Distillery is always a great place for a party, but Luci & company did an incredible job preparing for Halloween.

That's Derwin, sitting on a spider while waiting for Ellia.

Here's Toto (Thor) and Dorothy (me... giggles) dancing and carrying on. There are a couple of X-rated shots where Thor jumped up under my skirts, but this is a PG blog. hehehe

I don't know Cas and Dry all that well, but was thrilled to be invited to their party. Here's a photo of the two celebrating one year together. I love people who love each other.

Next, on Wednesday, I went to a party thrown by SL Bloggers Jerremy Darwin and Tymmerie Thorne. Wow again, it was a very elaborate party with a great deal of thought put into it, including an army of insane noob clones.

That's an undead me standing on the remains of a couple of zombie noobs I had killed in one of many noob attacks.

Throughout the night insane noobs were released on the party goers.

Last night was Ellia's Halloween party and I always enjoy Ellia's parties. The theme was skeery and she even had a haunted house and grave yard. Again, so many of the right people were there including DJ Iron, Magi, Dillon, Leanna, Darrin, Luci, Strat, Piper was there as a frog, and many others and many great costumes. I'm sorry to say I didn't get many photos because of some unhappy events there were unfolding in my IM channels, but Ellia is a wonderful host and you an always feel the love at her parties.

There was fog covering the ground of the skeery park, and if you look to the left you'll see Piper in his frog costume.

I wish I'd gotten a good picture, but see that pretty little pink genie, toward the back, center... that's Ellia. She was such a cutie.

Again, sorry for the poor picture quality, but I was distracted. Anyway, that's me (you guessed it), undead, and hurling fowl language like a pirate captain should.

There was one more party to attend last night, thrown by a new friend. Unfortunately, shortly after I arrived some witch-bitch named Calamity shot and killed me. I'm sure she was amused, but I was not, so I left. I like to mingle with new people, but when you are new in a group and someone makes you the butt of their jokes, it kills any sense I have of wanting to belong. pffft

Second Life is the perfect place to make Halloween fantasies come true, and this has been my best Halloween so far. I can't wait to see what is in store at The Junkyard tomorrow night!

Aynnie & Hart's Halloween Party

It was Sunday afternoon when Ayn Tomsen & Hartigan Beck threw their annual Halloween party. The party took place on the roof of their haunted mansion and as you would expect, there was a great crowd. Fiery Otaared was scheduled to spin her great tunes, but she had equipment problems. Fortunately, a Zombiefied Ziffy Zarf (right) was there with his collection of ancient Halloween songs and the party began.

Our hosts: Homer (Hart) with his terrifying, insatiable donut eating mouth, and Marge (Aynnie) with her frightening blue hairdo from the netherworld.

As with all of Ayn & Hart's party, they had a fantastic group of people and the costumes were just wild.

That's Liss and LeLe. I should have gotten a close up on LeLe because you can't see here fangs with the dripping blood.

That's me on the left, the skeery Geisha Witch.

This is Tippy & Steal or Steal & Tippy. I'm looking at the hips but can't tell them apart really.



It was another fun party with Aynnie & Hart. And if you haven't checked out their Haunted House, there's still time. I'll be putting more photos up on my Flickr page.

Another Saturday Night

Saturday is my favorite day of the week. I sleep in late, I do only the chores I have to, and then there's the afternoon and evening in Second Life.

During the afternoon, Leanna and I went trotting around looking for outfits for Halloween. We have invites to parties from tomorrow to Wednesday, then of course there will be big parties at the Junkyard throughout next weekend. I was looking for things to embellish the idea of my Geisha Witch, and Lele was looking for a cool outfit. Both of us were successful with our shopping, but I envy LeLe who got a most fab outfit (I'll get some good photos tomorrow's party).

Then, it was Saturday night. I had a new place I wanted to try out, The House of the Rising Sun, a bluesy club, and Leanna and I arrived ready to have fun. Low and behold, there was Bradley Gazov, DJ'ing, along with other friend like Lacey, Jenna and others. Wow! Even when I think I'm reaching out in new directions I end up in the same circle of friends. Regardless of how small SL can be at times, it was fun to be at a new venue with new ideas.

Ok, it's kind of my fault cuz I was boasting that I'm a semi-professional SL pole dancer. Next thing I know there's this pole right there in front of me.

Yes, that's me, upside down, fanny sunnyside up. At least I was wearing panties, much to the club owners chagrin.

I had fun but the clock was ticking and it was time for the Miss Luci Show at the Junkyard, so I beamed over to JY, while Leanna headed over to see the folks gathering at the Crossroads. Many of my fav peeps were there at JY, so I jumped right on into what what going on. Ziffy was nearby and asked me to dance. We hadn't had a chance to catch-up in awhile, so I jumped on his dance ball and we danced, pranced and carried on.

There she is on the podium, Miss Luci with the amazing red hair.

And there we are, Ziffy hiding behind my hair, copping a feel while I'm pretending not to notice.

While we were dancing, I told Ziffy about the House of the Rising Sun. You see, in addition to pole dancing, they also have escort and dancer advertising boards. So, I had been thinking, well, let me explain. Last year, I saw a show on the business channel (CNBC) about high end escorts in real life. The thing I found interesting was that there's a new service called the "Girl Friend Experience" (GFE); it's like you pretend to be some guy's girlfriend. And I was thinking, "hmmm, I could do that in Second Life" (let's be honest here, I'm definitely a high end kind of girl). So I was explaining this to Ziffy when he basically told me I was nuts, while giving a tacit, if not resounding approval of my idea. hehe. The problem is, I'm not sure this is me.

I was glad to be in-world for another Saturday night, but as happens so often recently, I left early.

The truth is, I'm not sure where my Second Life is heading. The truth is, I'm still bewildered about the events and people who've come into my life this year. I'm enjoying the Halloween season, but I'm really struggling to stay connected.

Red Alert

Ok, ok, ok. I bought Voyager. Well, I bought the bridge of an Intrepid class starship, specifically Voyager. Why I did this is still a mystery to me, but I've been watching reruns of Star Trek: Voyager and one thing kind of led to another, sort of. It's pretty cool and very authentic looking. And it's functional, like you can say commands like, "Red Alert" and the ship goes into alert mode with flashing lights and alert sounds.

After I got setup, I invited Aynnie & Hart over for a shakedown cruise. Hart is a real doctor, so we made him the ship's Emergency Medical Hologram. His first medical directive was that all crew members have enemas. hehe

Only a few minutes into our high warp adventure, we were attacked by a pack of huge alien bunnies. That's me dangling with my butt in the air. I declared my first"Red Alert" as the damned hairy rabbits dragged us off. yuk, yuk

Shortly after I began my second life I joined SL Starfleet. My idea was that I'd be able to hangout in starships and do stuff (not sure what stuff I had in mind tho). Unfortunately, I just didn't have time for all the Starfleet training and duties, so I left the Academy. Yesterday, for L$1,000 and about 250 prims, I have my own starship. I'm still not sure what kind of stuff I want to do here, but Ayn & Hart thought it would be a fun place for a Star Trek party.