Let me start by saying that the reason I haven’t blogged all week is because it has been anything but uneventful. My week started with driving to work in torrential rain and howling wind, nearly being hit by a tree falling across the street, a flat tire, a sinus infection, more than one spreadsheet from hell and simply being exhausted. I was just too tired to do a blog post justice.

I last blogged about Event Overload. Don’t get me wrong; I love sales events in Second Life and do most of my shopping during events. They give shoppers the opportunity to be ensured of new releases and exposure to multiple creators in one handy location and they are often discounted. Even if an event is hosted in the actual stores, it is easy to find what is going on through various groups, Flickr, Plurk and blogs. I do blog for a few events, which I wouldn’t do if I didn’t support the event, the creators and the organisers. All in all, this is my favourite way to shop.

However, there are drawbacks. Many events are difficult to get into, especially during the first few days when they are forefront in our minds. Shopping this way can also limit our exposure to a lot of talented creators, simply because they don’t participate in events, for one reason or another. There is also the letdown when you have dressed up in your latest finery from an event, go to a club or party and discover that one (or more) other person is wearing the same outfit. How embarrassing! How upsetting! How much of letdown to discover that your proud purchase doesn’t set you apart…

And that is what leads me to this challenge. I want you to take a photo of yourself, your home, your garden, your pet…anything that you want to photograph. But you must not have purchased anything you showcase at an event. It sounds easy, but if you’re anything at all like me, it’s not such a simple task!

Rules? Yep, there are a few:

1. You can’t wear or show anything purchased during an event, but you can use an item originally from an event that you later purchased in the creator’s store after the event was over (in world or on Marketplace).
2. You can use sales items, but not if it was part of an organised sales event (think Fifty Linden Friday or The Neighbourhood).
3. You can use review items, but only if they were for a general release and not for an event.
4. Group or store gifts are ok.
5. Hunt gifts are NOT ok (a hunt is an event, remember? 😉 )
6. If you wear something everyday that you purchased from an event, like your skin, a tattoo or your eyes, you can wear that. (I had to throw in that exception because I bought my skin as a Skin Fair exclusive lol).
7. Leave a link to your post in the comments of my blog so I can go perve check out your uneventful life!

I did a little sim-hopping while I was thinking about this challenge. While the masses were fighting the lag at Collabor88, The Black Fashion Fair, la Metallique Fair and countless other events, I was able to browse happily in several of my favourite stores – most of which I have discovered through events. In many of them, I was the only shopper. I didn’t have to wear full alpha, I didn’t have to stand rooted to one spot and cam shop my way around the store, I didn’t even have to wait for hours (or even days!) to access my shopping wonderland. I simply TP’d in, window-shopped to my heart’s content, all dressed up and unmolested.

Uneventful? You bet. And I loved it.

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:

Top: tulip. Halter Tank (Flower) by Minami Susanowa
Shorts: Maitreya * #1 * Cut Off Jeans Shorts by Onyx LeShelle
Shoes: (LaRoo) Ellie Sock Pumps (Pink) by LaRooShoes
Headband: Magika [Headband] Group Gift by Sabina Gully
Necklace: EarthStones Lia Crystal Necklace – Tourmaline by Abraxxa Anatine
Earrings: EarthStones Lia Crystal Earrings – Tourmaline by Abraxxa Anatine
Belly ring: EarthStones Sophia Belly Ring – Mother of Pearl by Abraxxa Anatine
Hair: *ARGRACE* MIZUKI – Auburn by rika Oyen
Skin: [PXL] Creations [PXL] JADE NAT PetalPink MEB C2 (FR) by Hart Larsson
Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual by Siddean Munro
Hand appliers:[PXL] Creations – [ PXL ] Slink Hand Appliers NAT by Hart Larsson
Eyes: Amacci Gaze Eyes – Ocean Blue by Carina Larsen
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

Pose: !bang – mini series – overcome 3 by Trieste Minuet

Location: tulip. Mainstore

Photo taken using the LumiPro HUD by Stefan Buscaylet