Meanwhile at AVENUE

I was recently hired as a writer at AVENUE and thought you might like to check out some of the articles I have written. It’s been fun profiling different creators, meeting new people and learning about their creative process. I wanted to share that with you.

In December, I wrote a profile of the avant garde designer blackLiquid Tokyoska and  a story about Squinternet Larnia’s year long struggle with cancer and how she is coming back to Second Life with new skills and newfound grace.

In November, I wrote a profile of Ria Bazar, a homebuilder who builds homes that have stories and of fashion icon Takuya Jinn, a clothing designer who is also a story teller in his designs.

In October, I was thrilled to work on a special supplement highlighting William Weaver and the fabulous Phototools he developed that have now been seamlessly integrated into Firestorm. In the regular October issue, I got to write a profile of the dynamic duo of LeeZu!, LeeZu Baxter and Barbara Nicholls as well as a story about the iconoclastic Usermane Resident of Diktator.

I hope you can check out some of the stories. I loved writing them and hope you love reading them. And check out the rest of the magazines. The photos are amazing and there are so many interesting and varied articles.

Awake and Unfold

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” ~ Anaïs Nin

Last Saturday the 2012 Miamai Black Label collection was revealed during an immersive and beautiful show called “Unfold” which was about the painful but full of hope journey from our inner fears and desperation to the birth of a new life. From the dark to the light. From the cocoon to the flight.

It was a stunning and meaningful show, everything was perfect, the spectators had to wear a moth avatar to get in. Brilliant.
If you missed it, you can watch the video made by Thalia Heckroth , an amazing capture of an amazing event.

In the following pictures i’m going to show you two pieces of the collection, breathtaking dress and boots created by the talented Monica Outlander and Pill Kanto.
*bows to Monica and Pill*

The gorgeous skin i’m wearing is from Glam Affair, a special version of Amberly, it’s called Unfold and, along with some others, Aida Ewing created it for the show, only for the show, and i feel honoured and lucky to have them.

I’ll add some excerpts from the beautiful poem especially written for the show by Kathryn O’ Driscoll ( Keira Seerose inworld ) and which accompanied the show itself, telling about the transition from cocoon to flight. Here you can find the whole six parts of this touching poem, they should be read together and in order.

Finally,Grace

Oh, mother,
Mine creatrix, help me.
Oh, won’t you lend me some new air to breathe.
I feel I may stew to death in melancholia;
Will I see you there?

Exodus

They say that the blackness,
the ravenous cave, has devoured me.
They talk of me,
as if I am not here. Am I?

Continue reading

Wake Up!

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When I was growing up, if I woke up tired, grumpy or out of sorts and complained that I didn’t want to get up and go to school, my mom would say, “Well, you better wear a wake up outfit, then, hadn’t you?” A “wake up outfit” was anything with bright, cheery colors or prints, clothes that could make you smile when you look at it. I’m all grown up. My mother is gone, but on a gloomy, grumpy morning, I will still turn to clothing to lift my mood. I put this on as a sort of prophylactic outfit, hoping to stay up for a good portion of my friend Maht’s mahrathon for Heifer International. Of course, my computer did not cooperate, crashing constantly, so all it’s wake up powers went untested.

Continue reading

Fourth Annual Mahrathon to Raise Funds for Heifer International

Mahrathon 2012 for Heifer International

Chicago, IL & The Velvet, Second Life, December 8 & 9, 2012 – What began as a joke 4 years ago has grown into a successful annual fundraiser for Heifer International. A conversation about who had spun the longest set inspired Maht Wuyts of The Velvet, one of Second Life’s® oldest clubs, to attempt a 26.2 hour DJ marathon, called the Mahrathon, a joking reference to his first name.

The first Mahrathon raised around $500 from tips donated by people coming to the club. Last year, for the third Mahrathon, he arranged to DJ at the Star Lounge, a Chicago coffeehouse while spinning at The Velvet, raising funds in both worlds and raised over $1500. This year his goal is $2000.

While a small fundraiser compared to many of the others in SL, this one is only 26 hours long, requires no special build or sim, no creators were asked to make anything. It is one guy playing music for 26.2 hours and hoping that will inspire you to give to a charity that helps create sustainable incomes for poor families around the world by not only giving them livestock to support themselves, but asking them to pledge to pay it forward.

The Mahrathon starts at 3:48 on Saturday, December 8th and continues until 6:00 PM on Sunday, December 9th. The odd starting time is necessary for the official 26.2 hours that makes this a marathon, or Mahrathon to be precise. Last year, the Chicago Reader interviewed Wuyts during his marathon set.

In SL, Wuyts is known for his encyclopedic knowledge of music and his vast collection that he mines for unusual and eclectic sets. Over the last year, he has done a weekly set of music from 1960 to 2012, presenting the best music of each year week after week. Anyone attending the Mahrathon for its entirety would be happy to know there will be no repeats.

During the 26.2 hours, several guest hosts will drop in to meet and greet while Wuyts spins his tunes in two worlds. Among the hosts, are Harlow Heslop, Caelan Hancroft, CodeBastard Redgrave, Tristan Elan, Lolotehe Menoptra, Faery Sola, Sachi Vixen, Samara Barzane, BabyChampagne Sass, Harper Beresford, Gabe Bookmite, Callie Cline, Alicia Chenaux, Sasy Scarborough, Gidge Uriza and Cajsa Lilliehook.

To go to The Velvet, click here.

My Second Box Is Open for Enrollment!

My Second Box is now open for DECEMBER enrollment!! That’s right – it’s time to get ready for our November designers. For 300L you will receive 5 gift items that are for My Second Box group members only.

Our Designers this quarter are:

Adorkable
Donna Flora
Lassitude & Ennui
Hopscotch
Adore & Abhor
Sascha’s Designs
Blueblood
Embody
Status
Somnia
Bilo
A:S:S
L’Aph
MINA
Spyralle

Designers in BOLD – well, let’s face it – its’ not a secret – THEY ARE DECEMBER!!!! YAAAAAY

Five of these designers will release a special item for MSB Shoppers each month Oct – Nov – Dec around the 15th of each month.  You must rejoin the group each month as a shopper for a group fee of 300L.

My Second Box is a monthly subscription group with free gifts from carefully chosen designers from across the grid. Similar to the real life monthly sample boxes you get.

– Monthly Subscription fee: 300L every month.
– Subscription is open from 1st to 25th of each month
– Gifts are sent to subscribers on the 15th
– All subscribers are EJECTED FROM group on the 26th of month –
– Subscribers MUST re-subscribe and pay the $300L fee at the beginning of each month

DISCLAIMER: It is up to the subscriber (you) to obtain your gifts in a timely fashion. There will be a notice that the group will close within 24 hours just as a reminder.

MY SECOND BOX WOMENS Group Link

RC Cola and a Moon Pie

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With the lovely hat from Bliss Couture and the sleek pencil skirt, everything about this outfit is so very chic, but the polka dots and the bright cherry red point me toward rockabilly. In fact, RC Cola and a Moon Pie ran through my head the entire time I was blogging.

I don’t want no cornbread
And I do love peas and rice
And I don’t want no carrots
No real hot pizza slice

But everything’s gonna be alright
With an RC Cola and a Moon Pie

Continue reading

Snowy Days

Frostbite Cottage from Trompe Loeil for COLLABOR88

The new FROSTBITE Cottage from Trompe Loeil has been released for Collabor88 and I couldn’t wait to rezz it and see how cozy and wintery it was. I chose the white but there are several color variations and you can opt for frosted windows or not just by touch.

I chose frosted, in RL I live in Atlanta and I miss the wintery cold of the north. Continue reading

Daydream Believer

Just wanted to share a quick picture today!

daydreaming

Head: Fashionably Dead “Doll Head” (Eyes Closed No Makeup) at Arcade
Hair: Magika “Yesterday”
Skin: Tres Blah gatcha skin (n/a)
Dress: Schadenfreude “Eala Dress” in Ivory
Hands: Slink mesh hands

Elfboy in violet

That right there is a violet suit.

Nomine has new mesh suits for sale. When I took my animus here to check them out, my cursor paused over the black one, and then the red one, and then I thought: AM I A MAN OR A FAKE MAN IN SL? And so I bought the violet one. I’m wearing it with a great violet skin from Plastik, the Averian Elven – Wisteria skin. I’m pimpin’ enough for any old urban decay.

So yeah, I’m challenging myself to blog as my boy avatar all month. Just so you know, boy-Acha is a queer Elf and his boy parts totally match his skin color. He abides by the life rules that his old friend Catero told him once, via Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and feel what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” He’ll be back.

Welcome back, hi-rez photos. I missed you.

Eyes: Mutsu star eyes in pink
Ears: AITUI type 2 stretched ears, small fantasy
Nails: Mandala male short nails
Suit: Nomine mesh suit in lilac
Hair (prim) Atro Patena – Josef in black
Hair (tattoo): JOMO etched hair 02a
Skin: Plastik Averian Elven – Wisteria – Plain
Horns: Illusions Runed Horns: Aries
Boots: GRASP layered leather boots – black
Scarf: Artilleri Taylor scarf in stripes, purple & apricot
Nose ring: Ephemeral Captive – bead nose ring (3 bead)