Truth

Where Winter Ends

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There is no place more desolate than your thoughts when alone in the middle of a long, cold winter. The darkness and dreariness of the season can drive you deeper into this wilderness created by your isolation. Stark, quiet and desolate, it can seem as if there is no way that spring will come.

But a blast of colour, an instant of positive outlook can bring you closer to that moment.

The colour, in this case, is provided by the Brenda dress from Salt & Pepper for Tannenbaum 2017. It comes in a variety of colours and trim choices, but I chose red – the colour of life and merriment.

It is the colour that brings me to where winter ends.

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:
*Dress: Salt & Pepper S&P Brenda by xxSaltandPepperxx (available at Tannenbaum 2017 through December 25)
Shoes: N-core KATE FUR “Fatpack” for Maitreya High Feet by Claire Messenger (available at FaMESHed December 2017)
Hair: TRUTH / Farryn by Truth Hawks (available at Uber through December 23)
*Mesh head applier: *Birth* Lelutka Hud – Rose Applier – Tone 03 by Silent Alchemi
Mesh body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V4.1 by Onyx LeShelle
*Mesh body applier: *Birth* 3rd Gen Maitreya Body Skin Applier – 03. Tone v1.0 by Silent Alchemi
Eyes applier: Avi-Glam AG. Vivid Eyes – Lelutka Applier – Daylight by Kendra Parfort
Eye shadow & lipstick: The Face ~ Lelutka – Celebrity ~ Make-up palette by NatalieWells (from Powder Pack LeLutka October 2017)
*Body freckles: .::Nanika::. KIRA Freckles mesh body applier by sDEVAs

*Pose: an lar [poses] The Annette Series – Four by Katya Valeska
Location: North

Through The Stillness

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It has been many, many years since I rode horseback. As a child, I rode often, but since adulthood, I haven’t had the opportunity. Except, that is, in Second Life.

The lovely braided mane for the Water Horse Bento Riding Horse is from Jinx and is available at the August round of The Liaison Collaborative. My horse is prancing out, so proud of her appearance.

The dress I am wearing from ChicModa fits perfectly into this fantasy setting. It is pretty and feminine and a great little frock for summertime. It is available only through today at Cosmopolitan, so hurry in to pick it up.

It is tranquil and calm on my ride, a journey through the stillness.

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:
Dress: ChicModa // Mae Dress // Floral Pink 1 // Lara by Sassy Nitely (available at Cosmopolitan through August 13)
Hair: TRUTH / Margarita by Truth Hawks (available at Uber through August 23)
Mesh head applier: DeeTaleZ *Appliers* CATWA Head “Agatha” Eastern by Steffi Villota (available at Uber through August 23)
Mesh body applier: DeeTaleZ *Appliers* for Maitreya Mesh Body “Freckles” EASTERN by Steffi Villota
Eyes: Avi-Glam AG. Serene Eyes Tropical by Kendra Parfort
*Mesh head: CATWA HEAD Lona v2.12 by Catwa Clip
Mesh body, hands and feet: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara by Onyx LeShelle

Horse: Water Horse ~*WH*~ Riding Horse (Warmblood) by Tyrian Slade
Custom horse texture: The Painted Pony WHR Coat Importer – “Surfer Dude” – LE by HappyDaize (exclusive for the Water Horse Creator’s Fair through August 31)
*Mane: Jinx : Country Mane for the WH Riding Horse by Julana Demina available at The Liaison Collaborative August 7-30)
Pose: The Texture Barn Equine Animotions Pack – 17 Static Poses for WHBR by LadyJess Przhevalsky (available at the Water Horse Creator’s Fair through August 31)

Location: Luane’s Magical World

Second Life Made Me Learn Challenge: Old Dogs Sometimes Forget

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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