Isadora Fiddlesticks' Doorway to Second Life

AVENUE Magazine APRIL 2011

2011-05-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More avenue

Another month, another article by me from AVENUE Magazine . I love the front cover as it epitomizes Spring. Awesome work!

I really love contributing to AVENUE Magazine. I helped start this magazine two years ago, and it has been an amazing experience and a real thrill. Writing, interviewing and searching for content fuels my interest and passion for this virtual world called Second Life that helped me rediscover my passion for writing, stunning visuals, arts, and the digital society.

It's a little sad that I get to devote my time less to my baby, when I would work on this so much before, I now work on it less, and if I am really busy, not at all. Ever since I started venturing out on my own and living as I want in the real world, I've slacked off a bit on my contributions, and my heart aches each time. I miss the Skype sessions with the editorial team, vetting the articles, twiddling with Photoshop and InDesign (which I still know so little compared to the living geniuses that is the layout team) and looking through the layout.

Nowadays I feel like a fish out of its fishbowl. AVENUE Magazine had been my fishbowl for the longest time, and now I witness it grow and expand, with a little help from me, into a thriving, artsy, intelligent magazine that I've always wanted it to be.

We've got an amazing staff--from the editorial team, to the writers, photographers and the guest contributors. We have our doors open for suggestions from staff, giving us more eyes and ears on the grid when my eyes and ears are not so attuned due to RL. I will always be grateful for the chance that was given to me by Rusch Raymaker, and to the editorial staff, who has to put up with my inconsistencies lately.

To my AVENUE family, please bear with me as I grapple real life with its horns. Thank you so much.

AVENUE March issue is raining men!

2011-03-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More avenue

Rawr!! It's raining virtual men this March! Fabulous male fashionistas Winter, Enzo, & Gabe grace our pages along with our awesome coverage of the finest fashion, design, music, places, arts, & businesses.

My article this month is a business feature on The Red Rock Mesa, a Native American arts & crafts sim.

Read all about it and other finely written and styled articles in this issue!

We plan the way we w

2011-01-17T16:44:00.001-08:00

We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it. Proverbs 16:9

On Rod Humble's ascent as CEO of Linden Lab

2010-12-27T22:33:00.000-08:00

Marketing SL as a platform that you can do anything with reminds me of how skin moisturizers are marketed towards women...lol. Fight 7 signs of aging with one product...only that kind of marketing tactic didn't really work with a product like SL. So they tried to leverage on the business aspects when Mark Kingdon was at the helm.

Now they are trying SL as a gaming platform. We've yet to see if this works, but really, with the exception of beauty products, categorizing something and putting them in a box and focusing on ONE of the features are what usually works in marketing most products. Some people get attracted to a product's main selling point, and nothing else. Those are the kind of people the Lab are trying to grab hold into now.

What makes for us already in SL? I hope Rod Humble will not abandon the residents and take care of us and let us participate. I'm all good with their marketing spin, as long as they don't lose sight of us that already see SL as beyond gaming and vampires and so forth.

All in all, SL is a great product, it can deliver more than advertised, BUT when handled improperly, it devolves as a bad product. We are slowly into that devolving process, when the Lab placed all their eggs in one basket, but it's not yet too late to make miracles...:)

I believe no matter who the CEO will be, ultimately WE are the experience. If they want to go to that road, well and good, but I think they should take advantage of the residents' passion by engaging with them more so that the residents can take care of the other SL aspects that they don't choose to highlight for now.

Trill's Cause

2010-10-16T15:10:00.001-07:00

Here's my arts article for AVENUE Magazine entitled "Trill's Cause". Trill is an awesome painter whom I met through the fabulous Filthy Fluno in Artopolis last year while going through his fantastic gallery. Trill Zapatero's paintings are very beautiful and unique, but for this article I've encountered another side to her, which is discussed in the article.

Open publication - Free publishing - More trill zapatero

So I hope you all get to read it and enjoy it :) This will be my last article for now, until I find enough time for writing and interviewing people online again. I still manage and look for content for AVENUE Magazine though, but writing needed to be set aside for a while...:(

$GaNKeD$ All that Jazz with my old Last Call Outfit

2010-03-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

I don't usually get review copies, nor blog a lot. Imagine my surprise when I got a pack from $GaNKeD$ designer Misty Merryman's lovely designs for GIA's Accessories Fair. I've already seen several reviews for $GaNKeD$'s other offerings, and with what I've seen, these accessories contributes a unique and eclectic facet to a wardrobe.

In this blog however, I chose one of $GaNKeD$'s necklaces to complement a really old but very wonderfully made outfit by the original designer of Last Call, Ginny Talamasca. The Aida dress is one of the oldest items in my inventory, a particular favorite of mine, which goes well with my hair, Exile's the Aphrodite, a purchase from last year's Hair Affair. The hair is a fabulous updo with enough hair sweeping elegantly to the sides that makes it very flattering and elegant to wear.

What you see me wearing is the All that Jazz Necklace, a cute necklace adorned with ribbons and shimmery balls that adds glamor to what could have been a plain outfit. The All That Jazz necklace adds to the girlishness of this outfit, with its ribbons complementing the lace and the delicate texturing of the outfit.

I also got myself a new pair of eyes. It seems that I have been wearing Miriel far too long already, and upon reading many blogs about Poetic Color, I gathered up enough courage to go buy a pair.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and by golly, these pair of eyes epitomizes the saying to the letter. Delightfully realistic and soulful, these eyes are very reflective and wonderfully deep, one could easily get lost in them.

Not in the picture, but the shoes I chose to wear all this with is the AOHARU Walk Suede Laceup sandals in white.

By the way, GIA's Accessories Fair will run until March 27, 2010. You can find all the participating stores here and here. This event will benefit the Relay for Life in SL by the American Cancer Society.

Winter Casual outfit # 2

2009-12-19T22:44:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by Vixie Rayna's column in AVENUE Magazine that featured a fur jacket by AOHARU and Shai's Crocodile skin boots in red (only 50L$ when I bought it a couple of Fifty Linden Fridays ago). These two, together with Armidi jeans, Armidi's Schuyler top, Zaara's bracelet, and Caliah Lyon's Pearl earrings made a great outfit. Giving the outfit an eclectic look was this belt, a group gift from Lion skins. It had feathers and other sorts of adornments with this Native Indian feel to it.

I took these photos outside my house. I rezzed four of Botanical's trees and lined them up in front of the house. I was going to hang a Christmas lantern, or a "parol" as it is called in my RL country, but I only have limited prims in my plot and I don't want to be a bad tenant to my landlady who has been really nice!

Mainland living has its perks and peeves, I've had strangers with creepy profiles coming into my parcel looking around and being rude, but I get that too back in Costa Rica sims, only that this man I encountered in Mainland rudely entered my house and looked around. He said the door was open but I said that wasn't an excuse to just go in. Geez!

Winter dressing A-Z

2009-11-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

Red has always been associated with Christmas, and a white winter has never been colorful and festive with people wearing anything red to mark the holidays.

In this place where I live in real life, we don't have Autumn or Winter...so I don't have much practice creating outfits in that theme, but here I am trying anyway. Reading enough fashion blogs and looking at runway shows for inspiration, I came up with this pretty ensemble comprising of Armidi, Dela, Second Wave Apparel, Maitreya, Tesla and Zaara.

Wearing this outfit is makes me feel sophisticated, ladylike,and very chic, as if coming out of a building and getting ready to hail a taxi to go home. Or go for coffee with friends. Or go on a date. The red coat goes very well with the different elements of this outfit, which I decided to put eclectic touches by mixing elements of lace and funky graphics.

The inner blouse is a part of Sioxie Legend's Tuxedo dress that has rich and intricate lace embellishments on it, and matching it with Zaara's modern black leggings with a pattern of crazy splashes seems not a bad idea.

The charming shoes from Tesla complements the rest of the outfit really well. Tesla's shoes are fun, flirty, and never complicated to wear.

I was really satisfied with the end result and decided to take photos.Unfortunately, I am in my laptop, and I have a pretty lousy connection. So I made a big risk of maxing out the sliders and putting the graphic setting to Ultra, fiddled with the Windlight presets, and snapped away. The initial result was okay enough, and I decided to practice my little skills in editing photos until I felt somewhat satisfied with the result.

A little bright, but not too bad,I think.

A Piece of Candy's latest group Gift: Tilly

2009-11-21T17:38:00.000-08:00

A Piece of Candy always gives great gifts every month and I always look forward to them. Candy Enoch makes great outfits and separates that looks great along with her other stuff and among other designers' works as well.

This group gift comes with socks too and some other items, but this charming blouse is my current favorite...:) JCNY, Zaara, and Ryker Beck (not sure if you can see her fabulous belly ring that I was wearing in the photo though) were my chosen accessories for this outfit, with my shorts coming from Armidi.

I don't usually post my outfits, I'm not a great stylist nor was I set out to become a fashionista inworld, but as a woman in SL, you get into that eventually and along with it a desire to share your finds from the grid.

Going on to other news, if you have been one of the few who actually follow my blog, I'm sure you noticed some changes. I have also gained some time again to be able to blog, so I hope you look forward to whatever random tings I could be rambling on about...:) Thanks for being a great sounding board!

Penny pinching has its rewards :)

2009-11-21T04:08:00.000-08:00

Sometimes cleaning your inventory and avoiding shopping for a couple of weeks can be rewarding because of the new outfits you end up putting together in order to have something "new" to wear. I know for most of you this is already passe, but combining new and old items is a new thrill for me lately. Putting together outfits is not something I usually do, being someone who prefers ready-made outfits pulled together for you to click and wear.

Nowadays its different, I am penny pinching in RL and earning for insurance and a health plan. So I left (in tears and sadness) Costa Rica Si ms and moved to Chinle Island, then now settling in a comfy 1024sqm in a mainland sim with a really nice landlady.

Penny pinching in SL is definitely something I got used to and I intend to keep to this lifestyle, and perhaps someday, I'll be back with my own parcel somewhere in Costa Rica.

Anyway, back to the outfit:

I was looking for something really elegant, but not too formal. A classic silhouette, sexy, but not too revealing...well, except for the cleavage...;)

The hair is Maitreya's Aisha, blouse is from Casa Del Shai's Filipiniana collection, skirt is a newish purchase from Zaara, earrings is from CCD and the shoes is a classic T strap from FNKY!

Skin from League, my usual skin...:)

BBC fail article about Second Life

2009-11-20T20:29:00.000-08:00

So BBC ran an article about Second Life and it wasn't balanced at all, considering that they have approached M Linden (Mark Kingdon) for an interview and he has been able to answer the journalist's questions extensively.

The Lab has called for residents to comment and encourage us to write about our perspective on SL today, and here is my comment to BBC's article:

On the contrary, there are more and more uses for Second Life than it was used before. Your article did a disservice to this network by not looking at both sides of the story, and to think I respect and find this news network credible and fair.

Sure, there are those who came in, found it boring, had a bad experience, etc., and logged off. Then they preach all sorts of evil about it and predict its death. But Second Life is still here...and growing--those who predict its end are the noisy minority.

As a writer in the virtual world (I also belong to a staff of a magazine based in Second Life that features articles from many categories like art, business, machinima, events, live music, fashion and architecture) I was able to make a small living out of Second Life, so my hours in it are more productive than usual. My work with it (AVENUE Magazine) also made me see that SL is NOT a STALE and STAGNANT world after all. It is vibrant, creative, eclectic, stimulating, fun, and a great social environment.

As one of the commentators above said, SL is really how you make of it--but I dare say that who you meet during the first hour is also dependent to your staying or leaving the world. I was lucky to find friends after several days of wandering around (I was patient enough) and I have more friends and contacts now more than 2 years later.

That said, there a lot of things to do to make SL more palatable to regular computer users, and Linden Lab is making strides in doing so.

That said, as a reader and a follower of your network, I hope to see more objective and balanced article about Second Life.

I am not sure if they will print that or not, so just thinking of posting it for documentation and for everyone to see I did my part...:D

On consumers and how to handle the content theft issue

2009-10-30T04:11:00.000-07:00

Real life deals with content theft, copyright infringement, and piracy issues. Real life designers and brands are constantly hounded by problems of their items being imitated and sold into the black market or at third world countries where corruption can turn a blind eye and let them be sold rampantly in public. Movie makers are afraid that the movies they produce that takes a lot of money to make will only be taken by pirates who will illegally sell copies at a cheaper price.

As Second Life opens up and becomes more accessible to people, SL imitates RL and the same problem lies deep in Second Life, and with a unique twist. There are facets of consumers in SL that are different and unique to the virtual world. There are consumers who don't mind--as there are also in RL where there are people who don't mind at all to buy fake Chanel because they just want to look trendy. Virtual or RL, there are such people, who do not mind the ethics or artistic license of it all. Hoodwinked they are not, THEY KNOW what they are buying is fake. There are also residents in Second Life who don't care where the clothes they get for free come from--as long as they are free, and they look great without spending anything, and for as long as SL is "just a game" for most of them. They don't login to be consumers, they are just here to check things out, explore, chat, flirt and maybe use a sexbed or two. I often talk to these kinds of people while randomly going to places.

While I love the idea of raising our voices and being heard, there leaves to be the question of how to reach out to those kinds of people--OR if these kinds of people ought to be in the radar for Artist's Voice or Stand Up! peeps or not. These sorts of people may know its wrong, but why would they care or mind? They haven't invested anything inworld to care, no designer friends to worry about, no artists/creators in their Friends List that they can feel a glimmer of compassion for. Most of all, they don't really equate virtual goods as real, the way most of us already do. Virtual goods are yet to be valued the same way as real items are valued. Despite the articles we read, the reality for many is still that there is no value in virtual goods. When people login SL for the first time, or casually, they expect things to be free.

And even things change in the future and virtual goods are taken seriously, it doesn't mean that the content theft/copyright infringement will end. It will just be in the background, a constant reminder that there are people who still choose this path of stealing content. The very best we can get and should be getting is cooperation from LL. But then again, we never know what their plans for SL are and how this issue will affect their plans.

My favorite outfit # 1

2009-10-12T01:24:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fashion blogger, but my love for clothes in Second Life is just as immense as the next female avatar out there. If I were to say how much I spend my money in virtual clothing, I'd surely get in trouble.

Every Monday, I'll try to recall which outfits I like and document them so I can get a clear picture of what items I really like on my avatar.

First off, is this outfit from Bare Rose. Haruka Kish first wore it when she represented Japan in the Miss Virtual World competition. I really love this dress because of the way it was created, nice and flowy, it embraces my figure and brings out that Asian look and feel. The textures are finely detailed and I really like the shade of blue that June Dion used for this dress.

There's no need for more accessories as this dress comes with a necklace, so I finished it off with a nice pair of Courtisane's Devoue shoes in black.

Beyond Skin Deep

2009-09-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

Addendum: This post is in reaction to the comments.

It's disheartening to read something like this that is so ignorant.

I'm personally not exposed to black fashion, and I really regret that I wasn't able to attend the show because I would love to see and be educated on what makes African-American fashion the way it is. Certainly shows like this are also meant to educate people like me with little interaction to certain ethnic groups, and SL is a perfect place for such education.

There is a purpose to shows such as Ebony, it's for people who lack the awareness that such fashion exist. SL is about options, of expressing diversity nowadays. We can't avoid diversity and people must know more that such diversity in fashion exist. If we embrace diversity in the forms of Neko, Goth, Asian or furry, why can't we embrace Ebony? People who choose to be in that skin color should be able to make that choice and enhance their look.

Those who were residents long enough in SL would complain about the "lack" of diversity and cookie cutter skins. Before it's hard to find really good looking dark skins out there...now that there are so many options, and people are not afraid to experiment, one agency tries to represent the shift and people are making a huge deal.

The true irony of it all is that while people have no trouble putting up fashion shows for Asian-oriented fashion, Goth, and such, when a fashion show that featured a collection of designers dedicated to the African-American culture brings up the narrow-mindedness of some people in the grid that are reacting to it and interpreting it in their way. There shouldn't be any hesitation to showcase the things that define a certain race or culture, it's not stereotypical at all, it's just showing what is there, a slice of RL that made it's way into SL. The fact that SL fashion history would list this event as happening so late in the age of SL fashion says a lot about how in a world where race is optional, we are still judged by the color of one's skin and there are people who find a problem in showing off one's ethnicity.

"Well if you can be whatever you want in SL, then why would you want to be in SL who you are in RL?" People would ask.

Why not?

Black,white, brown or yellow--that shouldn't limit us from our creativity, at times designers find inspiration from race and the culture it accompanies. They can either mix it up--make it multiracial, globally-infused fashion, or they can stick to the fundamentals and make something that is truly "Ebony" or truly "Japanese".

Gattina's post title just reminded me how impossible the lyrics' words are. As long as you're human in SL, you will have certain affinity with a race that is skin deep. You can't change that, but what you can change is something that is located beyond the skin, your character, where one is truly supposed to be judged on. And that will enable you to transcend races, when you transcend races, you won't see the fuss or fear the emergence of shows such as Ebony, but embrace it.

People have the right to color, to diversity. People don't have the right to be bigoted.

FROM SHAI'S NOTECARD--HELPING OUT

2009-09-28T00:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there's no telling how a calamity in real life can affect us, and knowing that some people in Second Life are badly affected by those calamities, we often feel a surge of sympathy and compassion.

I'm located in the Philippines in real life, as is Shai Delacriox and her husband Kriss Lehmann. We're all okay, albeit experiencing some floods in our respective areas, but the typhoon Ondoy has wreaked the country in more ways than we can fathom. Along with Miabella Foxley (which this image is from), they are appealing for contributions for the relief of those affected by the typhoon Ondoy.

Anyway, I am repeating their appeal inworld in this blog--please read below:

"Typhoon Ondoy [Ketsana] in Black September - The worst storm in 50 years hits Metro Manila triggering floods, landslide, power outage and stranding people in rooftops and malls. The storm kills 72 and hundreds missing. About 400 mm [15.75 inches] of rainfall in just 6 hours. The president declared a state of calamity."

This weekend our friends in and out of Second Life™ were badly affected by the typhoon flooding in the Philippines. Miabella Foxley, Shai Delacroix and Kriss Lehmann are setting up a collection in SL that will be directly donated to the Philippine Red Cross. We are asking our friends and contacts to please help us raise money for the Filipino residents that were victimized by Typhoon Ondoy/Ketsana.

Donations will be accepted via a kiosk at Casa Del Shai, Botanical and other locations. You can also donate directly at the Red Cross Philippines website link below. 50% of all my sales made in the next two weeks will be directly donated in form of goods to fellow Filipinos who are in need of assistance.

Please take a moment and help make a difference to those who have lost their houses and possessions from the flooding.

http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/PNRC/wtd.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqAdaiCZBQ4&NR=1h

Shai Delacroix
Casa del Shai - Manila, Philippines

Inventory Sale!

2009-09-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

I'm having a virtual garage/yard sale this weekend! Here are the following furniture for sale:

There's more items and I'm rezzing more stuff as soon as I have some more space. I will also be selling most of my transferable clothing as well, once I finish cataloging them.

In order to get the item, you must pay first, then select take from the pie menu...:)

TP here:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Puntarenas%206/35/17/498

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Puntarenas%206/35/30/23

Thank you for your support!

Putting more effort in blogging

2009-08-28T05:38:00.001-07:00

I haven't peeked in this blog in a while and there are many reasons why.

But those reasons aren't important anymore, as far as I'm concerned, with this entry I'm turning a new leaf.

From now on I'll make more time to post my thoughts and feelings. Treat this blog as a pensieve (if you read Harry Potter you'll know what that is) if I must. For virtual memories and thoughts are just as valuable as my real thoughts and feelings. Just like in real life, if one doesn't have a venue to vent and process their thoughts, one can truly fatigue themselves from the emotional weight.

Nowadays, there are lots of things to write about, one has a hard time starting. So maybe I'll just stop with this post for now and gather my thoughts.

Til then.

ROAM: Rezzable's King Tut

2009-05-03T09:35:00.001-07:00

Rezzable's Digital Alchemy earlier of this year was a first step in recreating ancient Egypt in Second Life, allowing content creators to showcase their creativity and be challenged in creating items according to the aesthetic theme of the civilization.

Today, another phase was introduced in this endeavor through King Tut's tomb, and it was a grand spectacle of gorgeously rezzed prims and textures. The experience starts off as a virtual museum, complete with audio tour that speaks of Egypt's past. One is rezzed on a landing point, with a map of Egypt during its ancient times laid out on the ground.

There are four audio recordings that you can listen to before moving on to the next site, the excavated ruins of King Tut's tomb. A quick look around gives you the feeling of adventure and anticipation towards the mysterious.

Inside, the ancient mysteries of King Tut is unveiled, and this is where one can see the talents of the content creators bloom, showcasing amazingly detailed primwork on Egypt's ancient items. One can tell how dedicated to the details the creators were by looking closely at the items being showcased in the museum.

This virtual museum in Second Life took about two months to complete, a huge feat with really excellent visuals. It is an entertaining and educational place of art, fashion and culture. A must see.

AVENUE partners with MFA

2009-04-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

There is a great partnership concerning AVENUE Inc and Merovingi Fashion Awards is year, and as co-editor of AVENUE Magazine, I am proud to announce that AVENUE Magazine will also be covering this event.

The MFA is known throughout Second Life as the prime award giving body that has been giving away Apple iMacs, Adobe Photoshop software and Wacom tablet pens since their start two years ago. It is a truly rewarding way to reward our content creators by giving them something really tangible to connect their achievements to.

We look forward to this excellent partnership with Merovingi! Thank you for your trust!

AVENUE Magazine Exclusive Supplement

2009-03-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

AVENUE Magazine March 2009

2009-03-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Walk Like An Egyptian

2009-02-05T00:29:00.001-08:00

I know I may not have the most original blog post title, but I can say that going through Rezzable's latest Egyptian-themed sim has me wanting to dance the Egyptian dance. Even if I did not make it to their exclusive show, I was able to drop by before that day ends to look around at the wonderful creations that designers like Sysy Chapman, Hart Larsson, Shai Delacroix, Digit Darkes and many others have made in homage for the mysterious ancient Egyptian civilization.

I was lucky to have bumped into fellow Plurkers Sysy Chapman and Hart Larsson, who showed me their items. I tried them on on the spot and had a mini pictorial. I am not the best photographer yet, but having the best items on and being on a beautiful sim helps a lot in making my snapshots look really pretty.

So here I am feeling regal in Sysy's Nefer gown with the Efe Emerald makeup with hair, which is fantastically done by PXL Creations. If you want to see more of these, you can come to the 2nd show which will be on Friday, February 6 at 2pm SLT.

AVENUE Models presents...

2009-01-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

This show will be later this afternoon at 1pm SLT. Click here for a limo! :-D

A Few Honest Lindens

2009-01-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

Today's blog post from Frank Ambrose, (FJ Linden in SL) is the most honest and candid as a post from the Lab goes, considering that most blog posts in the official blog has been more about fluff and self promotion lately. It's not that self promotion in their own blog is bad, but candid and honest posts is something Second Life residents have always found to be short in the Big Blog, and many have complained about their latest strategy on reassigning certain topics like grid outages and Torley's video tutorials to other places, but that is another discussion altogether.

What seems to be emerging right now is FJ Linden's style of keeping us posted. In my opinion, FJ Linden is one of those rare Lindens who say it like it is, using the word "painful" several times to emphatize with us residents who are trying to get in to get our SL fix. He also has the skill to write SL's woes without sending us to panic and keeping us hopeful because he and his team are doing something about it.

Indeed. Looking at his profile, and noticing his experience with AOL, I trust him. AOL, like it or hate it, is a big company, and his experience there has made him ready to handle the new challenges that is SL's infrastructure. I'm sure that his patience has been tried so many times in AOL, and that last weekend's borkage was probably as hard on him as it was on us, but I think this is the pain that one goes when one is trying to make things better.

I don't know if people have heard or read about this, but there's a saying that "the steeper the climb, the better the view". I believe this quote is so apt for Second Life. Climbing the twin mountains of growth and stability is long and steep, but in the end, the benefits will be so good in the end.

Here's hoping we all still have the patience for it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2008-12-22T18:07:00.001-08:00

I decided to be a little more social and do what many people in Second Life do; send cards. I did the photography and added my words. It's not the best, but it's from the heart..:) HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

ROAM: Princeton University

2008-12-20T07:27:00.000-08:00

Schools and universities are springing up in Second Life these days, and one of the best looking sims I've seen in SL is the Princeton University sim. Fantastic use of space, artistic and ethereal, I'm sure those who visit the sim will find be amused and pleased by the visuals that this sim possess. At one point, modern and revolutionary, otherworldy on the other, the Princeton sim's builders and developers are gifted in every sense.

These photos were taken before the sim turned into a winter wonderland for the holiday season.

I BARE it all for PEACE ON EARTH

2008-12-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I joined in on a hunt, and I needed to document my hunts for my articles for AVENUE Magazine, so here I am taking photos of my early finds.

I rediscovered Sioxie Legend, a designer who once in a while used to help me with my defunct magazine while doing the PEACE ON EARTH hunt. This hunt has over 400 participants. She made this dress, a prize for the PEACE ON EARTH hunt.

I am wearing Belleza's skin, a participant on the PEACE ON EARTH hunt. I've always thought Belleza has elegant skins, timeless yet chic, and this one is no exemption.

The only thing that was not free in this picture is the lovely pair of shoes by Stiletto Moody. This revolutionary pair of shoes is called BARE, and it consists of realistic toes and ankles made of sculpted prims. As usual, the shoes come with Stiletto's trademark walking sound, a selection of nail polish for your pretty toenails, and 2 rings to choose from to adorn one of your toes. It is also has an intelligent system that will help you blend the skin of your new feet to match your skin's color. Nifty huh?

AVENUE Magazine December 2008

2008-12-04T03:08:00.000-08:00

This month's issue is now online and at AVENUE Magazine's vendors all over Second Life!

Iota Ultsch graces this month's cover in a sultry shot that features her latest fashion offerings. We also feature her avant-garde architecture for this month, highlighting one of her other skills as a builder.

Also in this issue:

*Winter sims
*Fabulous Fashion's Angie Mornington
*Acoustic singer Zaphod Theas
*IBM in SL

Plus decadent fashion spreads, top notch fashion, and noted SL talent!

Click below to read!

Get your own - Open publication

The Essence of Your Patronage in SL

2008-11-20T20:12:00.001-08:00

In my time as a resident of Second Life, I've seen really wonderful projects come to life: Art collaborations made to inspire, invoke emotions and reflect. Gathering places like clubs and discos that provides an avenue for our social activities. Fashion that feels like an artpiece or makes a testament of one's heritage. Immersive sims that increase your SL involvement. Truly being in Second Life has made me more appreciative of the many endeavors that enrich the world and protecting them becomes very essential, not just for me, but for the whole Second Life experience.

I'm sure all of you has seen how creative a lot of people can be in SL, and when creativity thrives, there's no stopping it....well, nothing except MONEY. The sad truth is that many if not all of the art and visuals are made out of sheer love to create and to inspire, and with the rising tier prices and the economy in RL taking its toll to our SL activities, we are in danger of losing all that we have come to appreciate. One of such project is the Second Life Shakespeare Company's Twelfth Night. Though I have not seen this one, I have seen Hamlet, and I truly believe that this is an amazing testament of passion for theatre and an excellent example of how Second Life can be used.

This collaboration is strictly a resident-run and resident-supported professional theatre company that first started with Hamlet as its first production last year. They do this out of love and respect for the craft, and such endeavors are worth supporting. Even if Shakespeare bores you to death in Real Life, at least SLSC does their best to make it cool in Second Life.

Please support the art and creations you come to love in Second Life by donating to their efforts and helping spread the word about their existence. We must not be complacent during this difficult times to help those who have resorted to their creative genius to support themselves, for some of our virtual fashion designers and artists, whatever little Linden dollar you contribute bring food and gas to their table in Real Life.

What really ails the grid

2008-11-11T18:48:00.001-08:00

Today's post is in reaction to RightAsRain Rimbaud's blog post about bots and campers. He stresses out that they are the main reason of Second Life's performance issues, then asserts his disappointment over the Linden Lab's lack of reaction and action to it. Mr. Rimbauld also started a Flickr group so residents can submit snapshots taken of bots and campers that litter our grid.

True, bots and campers a bane to our Second Life existence, but so are the following residents:

*Blingtards/scriptards
*Attachment junkies
*Content creators who unwisely upload textures that rezz too long
*Sims running too many scripts/textures that load too long

However, the difference is that while the three offenders can be changed through awareness, the issue on bots and campers remain an issue that REALLY NEEDS to be acted upon by the Lab. Bling can easily be taken off and scripts be rewritten to work efficiently, but bots and campers are proof of the Lindens' lenient system. The word "lenient" here is in the context of how the Lab responds to people using bots/campers as a business of some sort. With the exemption of gambling and bank bans that has taken place, the Lab has an easy going policy with regards to running and engaging in business in Second Life

Thus the question comes up on how to best resolve this problem that has long been hindering our experience from the grid. Should we form a group designed to abolish this? I wonder if this is the purpose RaR's Flickr group serve? Would it be used as some sort of evidence-gathering repository to show/shove down the Linden's who refuse to see the LIVING resident's point? That THIS and not Openspaces are the root cause?

AVENUE Magazine's 2nd issue now out!

2008-11-04T02:23:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! With Halloween shenanigans temporarily distracting us and with the deluge of parties, events and other happenings for October, we got so much in our plates we had difficulty trying to squeeze everything into this one issue!

As Managing Editor of AVENUE Magazine, Second Life's newest and most comprehensive magazine about Fashion, Lifestyle and the Arts, we are proud to release our 2nd issue!

Featuring Sissy Pessoa of Biastice, eDreams Factory newest sim--Golgothica, Burning Life 2008 interview with Poid Mahlovich and Katt Linden featuring the awesome photography of SL's best photographers who were able to get the best snapshots of BL's best art installations!

More in this issue:

Talk Show--SL Style
Artist of the Month: Ravanelle Zugzwang
Model of the Month: EmmZ Tzara
Cirque D' Ego

Click here for the web edition! ENJOY!