Second Life Made Me Learn Challenge: Old Dogs Sometimes Forget

1 In The Misty Night sm

One thing Second Life has taught me is that Real Life has a way of getting in the way. Which is why I am doing Strawberry Singh’s Monday Meme on Thursday. Actually, I almost skipped it entirely because my answers were so similar to Berry’s. But since I had a photo and wasn’t sure what to write about it, I’m just sticking it in this post and pretending I meant to use this image 😉

Here are the simple instructions for this meme:

I think I have forgotten more than I am posting here, but these are four things I know I can share.

Meme instructions: Share things that you have learned because of your involvement in Second Life, either personally or professionally. Don’t forget to leave a link to your post in the comments (of this post) so others can come by and read your answers as well!

Photo post-processing. I have loved taking photos in Second Life since I first started, but it took me a while to graduate from snapshots to post-processed photos. I began with PicMonkey when my efforts with GIMP failed, then finally moved on to Photoshop. Like Berry, I am self-taught. I still use PicMonkey a lot after I have done the major edits in Photoshop, simply because I love some of the effects that I can create with just the click of a button. I am proud to say that my PicMonkey tutorials on this blog are still among the highest-viewed posts I have, even getting hits this week.

DJing. After several years working as a host in various clubs in Second Life, I took the plunge, installed SAM and learned to DJ. I don’t do it any longer in clubs, but I am proud that I learned something that seemed to be too formidable to me for so long. I had fun doing it, but since I’m one of those people who can’t remember song titles or artists, the time commitment was too great for me to continue on a regular basis. It’s not very efficient when it takes longer to put a set together than it does to run it in the club 😦

Letting go. Through Second Life, I have come to accept impermanence. Whether it is a favourite sim, store, or a relationship, nothing seems to last. I have learned to mourn briefly, then move on.

Blood ain’t thicker than water. I never considered myself one to have a family in a virtual world. But I am blessed with wonderful parents and amazing siblings. I feel a closer bond with (most of) my sisters than I ever had with my blood relations. I have used Darkward as my family display name for over two years now, and I have no intention of ever changing that. Though I don’t see most of them very often, I love them all dearly.

I’m going to leave it here. But toss me a bone, though, and this old Second Life dog might remember how to fetch 😉

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:

Dress: =Zenith=Bohemian tie a knot long skirt (Milk) by Miffyhoi Rosca (available at Uber Feb. 25 – Mar. 23 2015)
Hair: TRUTH HAIR Delphine Gingers by Truth Hawks (available at Uber Feb. 25 – Mar. 23 2015)
Necklace & Earrings: EarthStones Precious Moments Locket & Earrings – Mother oF Pearl by Abraxxa Anatine
Hair: [Entwined] Anna by Vivienmarli (Gift at Shiny Shabby)
Skin: Glam Affair – Alice skin – Asia 02 C by aida Ewing (Available at Kustom9 Feb. 15 – Mar. 13)
Body, Hands & Feet: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V1.0 by Onyx LeShelle
Eyes: IKON Promise Eyes – Maldives by Ikon Innovia
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

Pose: Diesel Works by Rogan Diesel (old group gift, no longer available)

Photo taken using the LumiPro HUD by Stefan Buscaylet

Photo taken at Purple Crayons

Another One Bites

1 fri poses Villa_026

It is New Year’s Day in Australia, so it’s time to look back over my 2014. I’m not going to say too much; like every year, I have had moments of joy and despair. Rather than writing about it, I am simply going to share some of those moments with you in pictures. The pictures I have chosen may not be my best, but they all hold a special meaning to me.

Because this will be a longer post than I usually do, I will be continuing behind a cut. If you choose to continue, I’ll see you on the other side. If not, I wish you happy and healthy 2015.

Continue reading

Leaning Into The Storm

1 Port in a Storm

Cast adrift in a stormy sea, the clouds rolling in, the waves crashing, the rocks looming. When that occurs it is best to have someone to hold onto. Someone strong and unafraid to carry you to the safety of the distant shore.

Never cowering, always leaning into the storm.

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:

On Peep:
*Dress: Luas Cirque Dress S Black White by AinaraLuas (available at Cirque de Seraphim Sim 1)
Shoes: [whatever] Iodine – red – sheer by AnnaGrey
Hair: “”D!va”” Hair “Rosa” (Garnet) by Marisa Kira (available at Collabor88 Nov. 2014)
Skin: [PXL] Creations [PXL] JADE NAT PetalPink MEB C2 (FR) by Hart Larsson
Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual (L) & Splayed (R) by Siddean Munro
Feet: Slink Mesh Feet (Av) High by Siddean Munro
Hand & Feet appliers:[PXL] Creations – [ PXL ] Slink Hand & Feet Appliers NAT by Hart Larsson
Eyes: Amacci Gaze Eyes – Ocean Blue by Carina Larsen
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

On Chance:
Shirt: BUENO-Derek Shirt-Blue Sky by buenosl
Pants: *Shai* Men’s Basic Chinos – Black by Shai Delacroix
Shoes: [NikotiN] SplitRock (Black) by Ralph Dirval
Hair: *ARGRACE* TAKUMI – Dark Brown by rika Oyen
Hands: Slink Male Hands (AvEnhance) M L – Relax by Siddean Munro
Skin: Fruk – Jeremy skin shade 3 Dark brown by Chucky Hollak

Boat: [ Organica ] Nemo Rowboat Bed by Aki Shichiroji
Rocks/waves: Naima Coraline Barrier by Naiman Broome

*Pose: !bang – captivate by Luna Jubilee (available at Cirque de Seraphim Nov. 6-26 Sim 1)