Pheasant Brocade by Brocade Tiger (Lexi Vargas)
For a good portion of my Real Life, from high school and beyond, I was involved in live theatre. Dramas, Comedies, Musicals, Mysteries, works that made profound observations on humanity and works that had no other reason for being than to make people laugh and smile and entertain them for a couple of hours. There’s nothing quite like it — but I haven’t entirely missed the parallels between 2nd Life and Live Theatre.
In some ways, 2nd Life can be viewed as the next evolutionary step in theatre and performance; from the early oratoria and chorus style of the Greeks and Romans, to the early passion plays of the Christian Church, the loudly proclaimed style of Shakespeare to the advent of gaslights which pushed theatre into the realm of evening entertainment. Radio plays to Television, Burlesque to Variety shows, highly choreographed news reels to the modern documentary, from “This Is Your Life” to reality television…the spectacle of observing life, of observing people and their motivations from one step beyond is a constant in mankind’s history — and what is online life but that again, once step removed by virtue of our keyboards and monitors, but able to step into a moment, into a story — our own or someone else’s — and not merely observe but interact. So perhaps it’s a little more improvisational theatre than high art, but the desire to tell a story or be told one lingers.
During my theatre career (and I use that term lightly) I stepped into a lot of roles — not all on stage. I was a lighting technician and a set designer, I worked in both the set shop and costume shop in college and was the tap on the shoulder person for make-up. I learned to dance for the shows we did (jazz, tap, and ballroom) and yes, I stepped on stage while a director tried to guide me through his or her vision of how the play should be, and I’ve sat in that seat and worked for hours and weeks with actors to ensure that my vision of a show was what the audience saw.
….as stated elsewhere, I rezzed in world on 07/22/08. I really had no idea what to expect, no real idea of what Second Life was about. I had a couple of friends inworld already, a few more who were in but I didn’t know it, but mostly I’d been intrigued by an NPR piece on 2nd Life, and after doing a bit of web surfing, I’d come across two things: Photographs of Lash Xevious’ La Reve sim (currently closed to the public), and the virtual, renewable, sustainable greenspace of Etopia.
Raeyn @ Two Days
I had a couple of false starts — the very first av I created is still viable but rarely makes an appearance — mostly because it’s linked a little too closely to my Real Life in ways that make me slightly uncomfortable. Still, every iteration was a learning experience and I can’t deny there’s a great deal of fun and satisfaction in creating a new av from scratch, with a different purpose, different look…be it for participating in an inworld RP, or messing with gender, or taking on a non-human, non-anthropomorphisized av.
Okay, not so long and not so strange but I didn’t plan on being absent from this blog for quite so long, but a few things have happened both in SL and in RL that have contributed to my impromptu hiatus.
1.) I go married inworld to a wonderful guy named Renard on May 6th.
2.) I started writing for the Free Finds For Men Blog.
3.) I took a few days off from RL work here and there.
4.) Did I mention I got married? =)
6.) I opened my own pose shop, ~Poetic Poses~.
7.) I started doing a little modeling in world in addition to dancing.
8.) Oh yeah, I got married in SL!
Sable Rose - Rustic Granite Choker & Feather Earring
Women have nailed the idea that a few choice accessories can take an outfit and snaz it up; make an old favorite look new again. I’m fond of handkerchiefs (and am glad some designers are adding them to their lines) but they aren’t the most original way to dress up a look and I’m kind of a stick in a mud when it comes to jewelry. I think I found a choker and silver wrist cuff I liked my first month in world and wore them with almost everything — or I didn’t wear jewelry at all. I’ve detested bling since my first rez day, and while there is some excellent jewelry in SL, most of it was either too high profile, or too costly to wear every day — especially if every day consists mostly of your favorite blue jeans and a tank top.
And then Rosie Barthelmess of Sable Rose started making jewelry and I found I liked wearing it a whole lot more than I thought I would.
I am your basic all jeans, all t-shirts all the time kind of guy, with occasional forays into office fare. Fashion, or even personal style, aren’t really things I’ve ever developed or found a need to — but when one of the biggest industries and the most common past time in our virtual play ground is fashion and shopping, you have a couple of choices: get with the program and find a style that works for you or continue to look both like a newb and your possibly less -than-impressive Real Life self.
A lot of SL designers give you the whole shebang, and for me, at first, that was the best possible outcome. But there’s only so much you can get from GothiCatz or DE Design before your whole wardrobe looks like a catalog advertisement for a particular style house. Then you have to venture into the realm of separates, which for someone as color challenged as I am… can be a hysterical disaster at times. When you run across someone like Damon Dollinger of Fear & Clothing, you get someone who has both style and a real eye for colors that can be mixed and matched; not just with his stuff, but with that of other designers. He gives an excellent way to take that favorite shirt and snazz it up a bit.
Fear & Clothing, Tartan pants
Those of you who did or are doing the Twisted Hunt Most Random Hunt Ever, or who read Rosie Barthelmess’s blog, have already encountered Damon’s work. For the hunt, he offered up a fantastic pair of tartan plaid pants in muted blues and violets, complete with a separate attachable belt buckle that, seriously? works with a lot of casual slacks I already had in my inventory.
These are the slacks in the picture. The shirt is also one of Damon’s… the bangle set is from Fashion Bar PeppermintBlue.
Fear & Clothing, Olive striped slacks and two tone henley
Before I got this in the hunt though, I’d bought some sets based on Rosie’s recs and photo shoot of her partner Eirik. Now, Eirik and I are built very differently and I’m about as far from the still vibrant punk/goth/brit aesthetic as you can get, so I wasn’t entirely sure what worked for Eirik would work for me. The plus is, that Fear & Clothing is very reasonably priced, even for us working stiffs in SL, so giving it a shot didn’t set me back a night’s pay.
…not something you hear much any more, but once upon a time, that was a goal of many a child; to step beyond the limits of our solid Earth and and face the vast depths of space not unafraid, but uncowed.
Shipyard
oh, nice...jets
The first launches into space were before my own childhood, but the magic and wonder of them lingered in my family. I devoured science fiction classics by Heinlein, Clarke, and Asimov as a kid, credit Haldeman’s Forever War with formulating many an ethical thought, and stole my older sister’s copy of McCaffrey’s Crystal Singer and The Ship Who Sang when she wasn’t looking. I caught Star Trek in reruns, was completely captivated when Battlestar: Galactica was relaunched, own multiple copies (no matter how bad) of the Star Wars Saga, and have been a scifi/fantasy geek for as long as I can remember.
*cough*
So, SL is a wonderland for someone like me, and yet I’ve kind of resisted the lure of many a hi-tech build even while trying to visit most of them. I’ve been to SICK 1 & 2, drifted in the shadows of Insilico, and explored Leviathon before it really came on line.
On the open dock
I’d heard about Shipyard, but hadn’t really tagged it yet, but the article at New World News prompted me to move it to the top of my list. So, given that I had to be up at the crack of dawn this morning, I spent a little time there and got more excited with every turn of the corner.
Jenvi contemplates a treacherous path, wondering if the bridge will hold him and his backpack full of freely or cheaply gotten treasures.
Backpack & Neck bandana (retinted): free gift from the Zoo,
Hunter’s belt: free gift from Mechanism;
Bracelet: Eye of Sephiroth – free from :sey;
Leg bandanna: free from *LikeA*,
Jeans and bowling team shirt $25L each from Little Rebel Designs going out of business sale.
Some of the bigger valentine’s day hunts are ending today the 20th. Vain Inc.’s Kissed, Greatest Love (I think), Starlust. Others are still going or will be starting: The Mardi Gras hunt on Anarchy, I think the one on New Toulouse (through the 24th) the Twisted Hunt Starts on March 1st.
I got some good stuff. Not a lot but good for the most part. The ladies fared a bit better, which is pretty normal. I don’t have the time to show off everything I or others found, but I’ve grabbed a couple more shots:
Harrops – Kissed Hunt. I really like the sweater, the pants are a a good fit but the shading on the pockets almost makes them look like they are missing (and they work better on the girls so don’t toss them ladies) . Still, it’s a good early spring look.
Kissed Hunt – Ripped unisex leather kilt. I have and admitted fondness for kilts. I have one in RL, it’s fun to wear even outside of my family’s eccentric membership into our ancestral Scottish clan. The best I’ve found is from Rfyre, but I like this one too, especially the leather texture of it. It moves well and while long, actually looks best with a set of hard boots and a black shirt. But since I’m focusing on hunt stuff, the shirt is from Dinzeo on me. Jael’s shirt is from*Etoile* White Racerback .
Mishmash of hunts and freebies (Vina and Jenvi took time to put on their faves)
Vina
From .:Fashion Bar PeppermintBlue:. (all free in Alice07’s assistance packs)
Hair: !HAIRS – Constancia – raven’s wing Shape: TA-L#1 Shape 190cm
Neko ears and tail free
Blues eyes
Free or nearly so
Skin: [Atomic] (Atomic Kitty) – Fskin_kisable_group gift
Choker: 0Bliensen+MaiTai – Bliensen+Stars Choker (Free from the Albero sim opening)
Bracelets: {ChaosLotus] – Starlusty Vday Hunt Bangle (Starlust Hunt – you need a HUD to do this one)
Dress: Zaara – Shubh Dress (freebie from the Starlust sim — the SLurl is to the mainstore)
Stockings: !Sock Shop! – Sweetheart Socks – blues (starlust hunt)
Jenvi
From .:Fashion Bar PeppermintBlue:.
Skin: Male PC-Dy Brownbold
Shape: Shape 211cm
Hair: cabelo furia castaho
Boots: PB Grunge Boot
Free or Nearly so
Jacket: [*Jetcity*] – Jaket {Black} (free)
Shirt: [*Jetcity*] Real T-shirt
Jeans: Maschienenwerk=SHAMELESS= KLEUR JEANS GrayRed
Leg Bandana: *LikeA* Bandana BR-CLOTH
Not Free:
[Atomic] (Atomic Kitty) Wine Feline Ears & Tail
So, Jael had fortitude enough to see the Vain, Inc. Kissed Hunt through to the end. And she’s been sorting and tossing through her goodie bags and has kindly pulled out the stuff she thought would be good for her male friends and putting them on a note card for us to go grid hopping. Whether she will get through all 250 (give or take) kisses by the time the hunt is over on the 20th, isn’t a sure thing — but I’m not going to complain . She’s done the hard work…and I (and any who read this) get to reap the benefits. (As a side note, she’s also separated out housewares from clothes — there’s been some nice finds in the former as well, but that post may have to wait.)
Thus far, in addition to the outfit a couple of posts back, here’s what’s been added to my virtual wardrobe:
Kiss Hunt: XtC Shirt and Jeans
I really like this shirt from XtC. It’s got a nice silky look to it, the collar isn’t overly large or thick and the flower detail on the shirt is really nice. Even though the shirt is more or less a traditional button down, it’s got an elegant Asian feel and look to it, dressing up what are nice, but not amazing, jeans. The other thing I like about the shirt is the wrinkle effect. I could have done without the unbuttoned bottom of the shirt — kind of fun and definitely realistic for those of us who are normally sloppy dressers, but that one detail makes this shirt more fit for casual, off-the-cuff wear, when without it, it would have looked super in any number of situations, including being worn under a separate jacket. Still, I like it a lot and I’m going to get a lot of use out of it, I can tell.
This two-piece jumpsuit from **AFD** has a lot going for it — it’s also got its issues.
What I do like about it is the level of detail both in the fabric and in way the detail actual fits my AV. The overlay at the waist looks seamless, the stresses in the fabric show up where you’d expect them to and even the underarm and wrinkle shadow match up really nicely. It’s sharp and fun and one of the better crafted issues of clothing I’ve seen lately.
The problem for me is primarily the big store logo and lips on the back of the jacket. One or the other would have been fine — I don’t have a problem walking around with a logo on a jacket in SL any more than I would refuse to wear a labeled jacket in RL, be it Harley or Nike. Nor do I have an issue with the lips, per se, given that they are in gold…this jumpsuit top actually looks good with several pairs of pants I have and when I throw a tank underneath, it’s a great jacket for wearing out to an in-world concert, or just to camp it up with some friends.
Kiss Hunt: **AFD** Two-piece jumpsuit
Together though, I’m less likely to wear it since it pretty much says, “Oh hai! Valentine Freebie Worn by thousands of others!” You can call it ego, or gutter-down snobbery if you like. I love designers who offer quality freebies and am far more likely to buy if I have a decent sample to work with and try on. (You do not want to know how many Lindens I have tossed at Rfyre and DE Designs).
That said, **AFD** is still some place I’m likely to browse and buy from, but I’d love to get more wear out of this otherwise very cool jumpsuit than I am likely to.
Which you know, maybe the plan. . .hmmm. Wonder if they have a similar version without the logo and lips. Runs to check….
Back with the rest later.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of the wildfires ravaging large portions of Australia. 181 people have already died, and they expect the death toll to top 300.
A lot of people have set up donations plaques around the grid, and some very talented people have put together some beautiful work to encourage and thank people for their generous donations.
My friend Helix Constantine is one; her little shop, Oddments is an eclectic mix of this and that, all of it fun. This is her first foray into jewelry and she’s offering a male and female version of a pendant called Southern Cross. It’s $150L for both. Helix’s shop is in Lower Dryston, she’s also available on slxstreet.
Southern Cross necklace for the Victoria Relief effort
Southern Cross Choker for the Victoria Relief Effort
Also participating are the fabulous Rosie B. of Sable Rose and Noirran Marx of Subtle Submission. Rosie ’s offering a gorgeous Phoenix pendant for the same cause and as with Helix, 100% of the purchase price will be donated to the Red Cross for the ongoing efforts in Victoria, Australia, to help people who have lost everything and who aren’t out of danger yet. Rosie’s stuff can be found in several places, including Rosie’s new venue at Shengri-La and her shop inside Subtle Submissions where you’ll find Noirran Marx’s fun Aussie Garters as a gift for your donation.
Subtle Submission's Victoria Relief Garters
Victoria necklace from Sable Rose
