hooray for winter fest

I've turned my Second Life sim of Mill Pond into a magical, wintery wonderland of fun for the upcoming month and I must say, my heart is all tingly because of it. It seems so odd to me, that in the transformation of the sim from 'summer' to 'winter', it actually *feels* cold there now. I dress my avatar in sweaters, and scarves and long pants because if she's in anything else, I feel cold. I laughingly said inside Second Life that I'd like to study why that is, but I really would. I may have to look into this.

Why, in a virtual world, with just an image on my monitor, do I feel cold, or warmth, or fright, or anger. It's interesting stuff, lovelies. Think about it.

Mill Pond's the place to be

One of my good friends, DrFran (her blog's listed on the right there) just emailed me a link to another blog that references Gracie's L'Alph Art Gallery and her magnetic poetry board, and talks about Mill Pond as well. Cool stuff!

I have at least 3-4 people every day asking me if there are places to rent and live in Mill Pond. It amazes me, truly. I have 20 rental units there and they are all full. I think if I put up 20 more, they'd fill up in no time. I could, but if I did, then I think the whole 'feel' of the area would be lost. I think part of what attracts people to Mill Pond really is the sense of community and feeling of 'home' there. It's a gorgeous, relaxing, spiritual place I think. I'm glad so many people love it as much as I do.

i'm a nice girl, really

Ok so here's the deal, listen up. When I started this blog, I really wanted/needed it to be a place where I can say exactly what I feel. This is really my journal - this isn't just a place to say pretty and 'appropriate' mindless things. So. That being said.. I know that there will be people reading this that might be shocked at some things I might say from time to time and that's ok, but I can't write things with the goal of not offending anyone. I'll never succeed at that.

So, this is my blog, my place, my space.. to say what I feel, and to feel what I want. If anything said here offends you, or shocks you, or makes you look at me differently, then so be it. This is me.

introducing, Mr. Virtually Fantastic himself.. Reginald Golding!

Reginald is actually my husband (his real name is Daniel) but in SecondLife his name is Reginald Golding and he's today's "virtually fantastic" person because his blog makes me laugh, and because he made a prim rubik's cube with EIGHTY FREAKING ONE prims when it could have been made with ONE. :)

three day work week

So this Thursday is Thanksgiving. I'll be spending the day at my Mom's house with Mom, Dad, sister, her husband, their three kids, and my husband and our three kids. Should be an interesting day.

The thing I'm most thankful for this week is that I only have to be at work for three days of it. I'm bored with work these days. I've been in this position for four years and at first it was very exciting, but really.. the admissions cycle just keeps rolling year after year with basically all the same stuff each time. There are aspects about my job that I really do like very much. For instance, I *love* giving presentations on Penn State to high school students and their parents, and talking to them about all we can offer, and all the options they have. It feels good to feel 'helpful'. I dig that. Other than that, though.. I'm starting to really not like the fact that there's no way for me to be creative in this job. I think that the more I become involved in the art field, the less I enjoy jobs that limit my creativity. So, hopefully a change is on the way and I can start to enjoy my 'job' again.

virtually fantastic gracie..

today's virtually fantastic person is my fabulous friend, gracie. she's smart, she's funny, and her new prim hair is f'ing gorgeous. she also has a great blog - phasing grace - it's linked to the right there.. you should be aware, however, that if you go there and you completely dig her stuff (and you will), you can't have her cause she's my friend. prim hair and all.

class project

Here's my latest project for class. This was done in illustrator. I discussed my motivation for this in an earlier blog, but basically it's just that the american public is starting to have a bit more say in the political world now that blogging and things like youtube offer immediate access to stupid shit that politicians are doing. Political manipulation has moved from the politician to the people.

*I* am virtually fantastic!!

Today is a good day. I got word today that I was officially accepted into the MFA program in New Media at Penn State University! Let the rejoicing begin!

I'm crazy excited about this opportunity. It's taken me a few years, actually, to really find something I was passionate enough about to want to do it for the rest of my life, but I think I may have found it.

I officially start in spring semester, which begins in the middle of January. I'm excited, nervous, scared, anxious.. all rolled into one.

today's virtually fantastic person is........ *drum roll please*!..

Nigella Lawson!

If you haven't seen this woman, you really need to check her out. She's the most 'sensual' chef I've ever seen on Food Network. This woman can eat a boiled egg and make you want to touch yourself. Seriously.

So the first 'virtually fantastic' goes to Nigella.

two steps away...

As of today, we're only two dudes away from having a female president. Nancy Pelosi was chosen Speaker of the House today - the first woman ever to hold the position. That's pretty cool, I'm thinking.. then I realize - If anything were to happen to the president and vice-president? Bam! Female president! That rocks.

Then I got to thinking about how I'd be as president. I'm thinking not so good. I'd suck as the President of the United States. I'd get in a cranky-ass mood or be pissed off about something, and the next thing you know we'd be at war with God knows what country for God knows what. Oh hey wait.. maybe this whole Iraq thing just started cause George was in a bad mood one day. I can see how it could happen. Thing is, now we're kinda stuck there and people are all dying and shit - that part kinda sucks. Plus now he can't really say 'oh, my bad, that was a jacked-up decision' cause then he looks even worse for making all of those people die for NOTHING really, but.. aren't we already doing that anyway? Does ANYONE ever really think that things will improve so dramatically in the middle east that one day we'll be able to say "There see! It was all worth it!"

I don't think so, either.

i understand illustrator better now, but it still sucks

ok, i'm finished with my illustrator project. i don't know if i love it, or hate it, but it's done so i'm not thinking about it anymore. i'm also writing a 'self-critique' for this project (which really doesn't seem to be the appropriate term, because really it's more of an artists' statement than a self-critique, but whatever) that will explain how social change (ie. blogging, youtube, etc) has led to the swing in power of political manipulation from the politicians to the public. that's my story and i'm sticking with it.

why oh why does illustrator suck

i'm taking a Beginning New Media art course this semester. This is a photo of our 'project' from unit one of the course - photoshop.

unit two is sucking majorly. illustrator. enough said. i'm not really a 'drawy' kind of person so i'm not really digging this section, but.. it'll be over soon.

on a completely different note.. i had some major difficulties with streaming live music in second life last night - my stream just hasn't been the same lately. hopefully i can figure out how to fix that soon. it seems that it's because my CPU is so taxed with running Second Life and iTunes that the stream itself gets all choppy and skips a lot. so, I guess i'm going to try running second life on one computer, and my stream on another. that should be interesting.

performing tonight!

I'll be performing live in Second Life tonight at Mill Pond at 5:30PM Pacific Time -

Stop by if you get a chance!

it's not funny

Second Life has been having some major issues over the last week or so. Over the weekend, we experienced significant region crashes, severe lag, major inventory issues, teleporting issues, database issues.. etc, etc.

In reading the latest blog entry from SL, it almost feels as like this is some joke to them, and frankly.. it's not funny. We're talking major bucks here people. Some residents are giving you TONS of money, to make sure this stuff works. These are not minor issues or small inconveniences. As you have said so many times.. 'this is not a game'. It's not a game, nor is it a joke. Fix it.

And yet, another release is scheduled for this Wednesday. Two days from now. All this crap is broken and truly, has been broken for quite a while now. Does no one at Linden Labs say to themselves "Hmm.. you think maybe we should fix all the BROKEN shit before we put some new stuff out there?". HELLO PEOPLE, wake up!

I adore Second Life, I truly do. I think it's amazing, wonderful, magical thing. But come on peeps.. shit's jacked up and it needs to be addressed and fixed before moving on.

you spin me right round, baby

the live music scene in second life (everyone always calls it that.. i'm not sure why actually but there it is) grows every day. every single day there are more people there performing, playing, singing, and making music. it's pretty freaking amazing.

i'm a live performer in second life, and i sing in there once or twice a week usually. i *love* doing it, it's so much fun and it's one of the things i love most about second life. i was really nervous, though, to start it. there are so many amazingly talented people in second life that play and sing, that i felt at first that since i was 'only' a singer maybe i shouldn't perform. it took a little while for me to recognize the fact that part of what makes second life so great, is that there's room for everyone - and when i say everyone, i mean EVERYONE.

second life is promoted as a place where you can 'be whatever you like' or 'be what you dream', and let me tell you, there are people living that out every day. furries, tinies, elves, prostitutes, people into the whole 'gor' lifestyle.. you name it, and it's probably there.

for the most part, people in second life really don't care what you're into. everyone's part of the larger community there and that's what it comes down to. am i into the 'gor' lifestyle? no, i'm not.. but can i respect that other people want to experience that? i sure can. i wonder sometimes if it's in the 'doing' and 'learning' that we make our decisions. if second life is a place that allows people to experiment and learn, then i think that's a great thing. if that makes us more conscious, caring, open-minded individuals in our 'offline' lives, then i'm all for it.

anyway, back to the music stuff.. there are a ton of musicians there and if you haven't been to any live music events, you really should go. they're always so 'real' and so welcoming. do some of the musicians suck? yeah, some kind of do.. and you know what? maybe some people think i suck too... but.. it's not about that.

it's not about whether you suck or don't suck.. or whether people love your music. it's about sharing the experience and respecting what other people are doing. it's a big step to put yourself and your talent out there to the criticism of others.. but it seems that in second life, the music and art communities at least, are all about respecting and recognizing the differences we all have... and making the most of it.

and the crowd goes wild..

i'd call election day a success, at least for Pennsylvania. Rick Santorum's out and that can only mean good things. The Dems have control of the house now, and hopefully the senate will follow, but time will tell there.

i've never been a hugely political person, but i think because of the class i'm taking now, where we are actually forced to *think* about political manipulation and social change, it's made me stop and think about things a little bit more. for that, I'm glad.

so my next project for class is to create a poster representing political manipulation, or social change and irony, or anything along those lines. i'm thinking i'll focus on political manipulation because although the initial thought that pops into my mind there (and probably everyone else's) is that we're being manipulated constantly by our politicians putting their own 'spin' on whatever it is they want to accomplish so that we'll go along with their crazy-ass ideas. but.. i'm thinking that if i do the 'political manipulation' idea, i'll use the politicians themselves as the puppets.. because truly when it all falls out.. we're pulling the strings here and if they make some wrong moves, we'll pull the floor out from under them.

how 'bout it, Mr. Santorum.

rock it

it's election day, lovelies, so get out there and rock it.

let's play a game - i'll give you a quote, you pick the asshole that said it. here goes..

"The idea is that the state doesn't have rights to limit individuals' wants and passions. I disagree with that. I think we absolutely have rights because there are consequences to letting people live out whatever wants or passions they desire."

guesses? anyone? (giving you some time to think....... *hums the Jeopardy theme song*...)

it's my current state senator Rick Santorum. that dude needs to go.

rock it, lovelies. rock it.

bush *is* the devil, you know.

So this was my assignment for class this week. I'm taking a new media art course this semester and this was the image I made for this week. I was planning to do a whole 'twist' on the 'Bush is the devil" thing by using pubic hair to represent a 'bush', but it didn't quite work out. So, this is it.

Maybe I'll post my assignments every week now. Unless they suck, then I'm not showing them to you.

quiet little house

This weekend we had some friends over that we'd met on Second Life. It was f'ing fantastic. It still amazes me how you can connect with people in an online community and then have that translate so beautifully into the offline world.

I know that a lot of people are showing a 'fake front' online and pretending to be things they aren't, I think we all probably see that on a daily basis. But now and then, my lovelies, you find a few gems in all of that crazy-ass dirt and they make it all worthwhile.

I've been in online communities in some form or another for about 10 years now and I have met some of my favorite people in the world that way, and the people I hung out with this weekend are at the top of that group.

Kristauf, Jamin and Gracie.. you guys rock. I love you all.

don't leave, DrFran!

A lot has been going on with Second Life lately. There's a big commotion about the private island price hike, and the chaos that surrounded that fiasco. Basically, Linden Labs decided to raise the price of private islands by closing down the ability to purchase them, then telling everyone, "hey, when we decide to sell islands again, there will be 150 available at the old price, then they jump by a huge amount effective immediately".
Brilliant, I know.

Anyway, because so many people threw a fit, they apparently decided that was a bad decision and have now said that until November 15, private islands can be purchased at the current price. After that date the price will increase (by an additional $100/month - not small change, here).

So, because of all of this, I think a lot of people are taking another look at how much Second Life means to them and if this extra cost would be worth it. I know I have been. I've decided that if the price of my current island goes up another $100/month, that I'll no longer keep that island. Yeah it's great to have your own space, and it's great to feel like you're in control of that land in ways that you couldn't be if you were on the mainland with everyone else, but that's not what it's all about for me.

Second Life for me is about the community there, and the ability to be creative and meet new people and share my work with others. Can I still do that without my own island? Absolutely. Will it allow me to have the same control I have now? Probably not, but that's ok. I'll still be able to build, and sing, and make art, and hang out with my friends if I'm not on my own island, and I'm ok with that. To be honest, the part that upsets me most in thinking about giving up my island is that the people that have come to make "Mill Pond" their 2nd home, will have to move. That's disappointing for me because my whole goal was to make Mill Pond an area where people would want to be, to relax, and hang out, and be creative and comfortable. So to have that go away would make me sad.

*On another note, one of my favorite people in Second Life has become disinterested in it and is considering leaving. Don't leave, DrFran :( we'd miss you.

so sad..

My husband just posted me a link to another blog where someone is discussing how Second Life is ruining THEIR life. I found this post to be completely and totally amusing. I guess because I've spent years in IRC and have seen the drama that unfolds in that virtual 'community' and have now spent a significant amount of time in Second Life and have seen the differences between the two, this blog entry made me laugh. Out loud.

I find myself doing the same thing this person is complaining about. I never sign onto IRC anymore - I'm always in Second Life? Why? Well for the orgasms, of course! Kidding.

I think I've been attracted to both of these things because there truly does exist a sense of community in each. You meet REAL people and come to form 'real' relationships. But dang, once you add pictures, that whole IRC thing isn't so neat anymore. IRC for me now is like comparing hamburger to filet mignon. I'm not gonna hang around eating ground beef if I can click a different button and end up with filet mignon. Second Life is my filet mignon right now, and I'm no longer hungry for hamburger.

However, it should be noted, that if the market price of filet mignon continues to increase as it has been, while the quality of the meat continues to decline... ground beef may become the meal of choice.