Second Life – Page 277

Breaking The Rules

Image February 21, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

I’ve mentioned before that I work in a club in Second Life called Breaking The Rules. I’m a host and shift manager there. But I also spend what spare time I can just hanging out, listening to music and having a good time. It’s one of those places where I always feel at home, whether it’s packed to the rafters or if there are just an “intimate few”, as I call it when the numbers of guests dwindle to single digits. BTR runs 24-7, so it’s a great place for insomniacs or for those of us who live on the “wrong” side of the international date line. I wanted to share some of my “happy snaps” I’ve taken there to share just a taste of this incredible place.

While the club itself is a dark, wood and brick warehouse-type building, it’s the people who go there who make it vibrant and alive. From the DJs and hosts to the regulars and those who just drop in to see what it’s all about, you can always count on an incredible cast of characters within the confines of those four walls. I also have a showroom there for Pics by Peep (walk out of the club, turn right and I’m the last shop at the end of the row of stores) and I offer a discount to “Rule Breakers” – members of our in-world club update group.

So, if you’re in Second Life and love rock music, fun people and a party that never stops, click the link above to find your way to the club.

Remember, you’re not having fun if you’re not Breaking The Rules 😉

Oh…and if this looks like the place for you, be sure you Like BTR on Facebook!

The Sound of Maddness

Image February 20, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

Yes, I know “Maddness” is misspelled in the title. But that’s because my sister, Maddie, spells it that way as her tagline when she DJ’s. That’s just one thing that sets Maddie apart, makes her special and so very amazing. She curses like a longshoreman, she’s a staunch animal rights advocate (particularly for pitbulls), and she’s fiercely protective of her family and friends. She is vocal when she believes in a cause, but she’s respectful of other people’s opinions. That is, unless she’s dealing with a dipshidiot (her word of the day 😉 )

Maddie and I have taken a LOT of photographs together – of the two of us when we were working or playing, for holidays, with our family, or just for fun. But recently, after deciding to go back to DJing in Second Life, she asked me to update her profile and DJ pictures. She wanted to include the Parental Advisory – quite appropriate for her! But I also wanted to show Maddie as I know her…bright, beautiful and bold.

I also wanted to depict Maddie emerging from the clouds of a recent break up, finding herself again in her music and redefining her life. I think this is my favourite of all of the photos I did.

But there’s also the softer side of Maddie. The one who nurtures her family and loves all animals (spiders and gigantic moths excluded). The girl who dresses casually, yet always manages to be feminine. The sister who has been my confidante and always brightens my day.

(I must give credit on this photo to my boyfriend. I had shown him two previous versions and he suggested I combine the two. It wasn’t something I had done before, but it was exactly what the photo needed. And he, Maddie and I all loved the result 🙂 ).

Maddison Haven Serrta – my *$@# Maddi(e). My sister and friend.

Weekly Writing Challenge: Image vs. Text – There’s More Than One Side To A Story

Image February 19, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

I actually started this post last night, and then ran out of time. When I saw the Weekly Writing Challenge, I decided it was the perfect reason to complete it!

Not for the first time, I found myself taking an old photograph and reworking it. Sometimes it’s an old favourite I want to experiment with. Other times it’s just for the sake of honing a new technique. And sometimes it’s to tell a different story with a single image.

This photo has gotten a LOT of mileage. It’s a very basic photo, so it’s easy to work with. This is the raw image. I actually shot this against a yellow, sunshiny background, but with changes to my lighting settings, I ended up with a black background.

My first instinct was to create a head shot from this photograph. So I cropped it closely and allowed my expression to tell the story. I appear wistful, perhaps thoughtful in this image.

When I started experimenting with overlays, this image immediately came to mind. The solid black background was perfect for adding a texture to tell a different story. One that shows me gazing into a window – perhaps wishing for a place like this to call my own.