My sister Dawson came back to Second Life for a short visit. I was overjoyed to see her as I've dearly miss her. Daw promises me that she will drop by occasionally to check up on me. I can always use some checking up and some sisterly advise and affection.
Speaking of sisters, this is a recent picture of my sister Victoria, now one of my favorite pictures of her. I was showing Victoria the changes made to the Hidden Forest at Opar where all the original trees in the forest are replaced with taller, more mature trees in glorious autumn follage. I like this picture because it captures a new sophistication that Vic has brought to her appearance. She is charming as always. I also like the colors and lighting in the picture, especially the beautiful translucent coloring of Victoria's avatar. Naturally, this picture is windlight free. Click on the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing.
On the Wild Shore of Opar, the sea churns and waves crash heavily against an island mountain and over the rocks on the shoreline. High above it all, Jaysun and I enjoy a sunset at Opar sitting by the campfire on top of Wild Shore Island. The views up here are spectacular. And its so peaceful and relaxing here enjoying good company and listening to sound of the waves and the crackling of the fire.
The Japanese stereotyped the first Westerners arriving in Japan in the 16th century as being redheaded barbarians. And this stereotype persisted through the centuries. Well, this Japanese girl likes to occasionally go redhead. I recently have been wearing this curly red hair. Curly hair was considered especially barbaric by the Japanese. But I really like this particular look on me. And It's not at all barbaric. Wouldn't you agree?
I was wearing this look when I went to the Bentham Forest looking for fashion shoot locations for Mariko Magic. I took a lot of pictures experimenting with different poses, angles, and lighting. This is one of those experimental pictures: but, I think that it stands well on its own merit. I used this location for my prize winning photo in the MEB Photo Contest.
I ran into Leesa Donner while out shopping one day. I am awed at all the changes in Leesa's appearance since she graduated from modeling school. She apparently designed her look very well as her Second Life modeling career is really taking off. She is so successful at everthing she is doing in Second Life. Leesa is amazing.
One of the highlights of my redesign of the Hidden Forest at Opar are
the fields of tall wildflowers one walks through to enter the forest.
My very dear friend Leena Ying visited Opar to see the new forest. Leena is from Beijing, China. She is the owner of DrLife, a store featuring the best skins available in Second Live. Leena has a great love of Chinese history. She recently built the most realistic recreation in Second Life of the Great Wall of China. Women are definitely highly represented among the best builders in Second Life. I'll feature Leena's Great Wall in a future post.
I took this picture of Lulubelle when we were exploring an AM Radio build in the exhibition sim for artists-in-residence of the Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts (IDIA) of Ball State University. We came upon a incongruous sight. Suspended high above one of those vast forlorn rural scenes by AM Radio was a huge blue orb which we were able to enter. It was like entering a pocket universe. For all 360 degrees of the interior sphere, distant stars surround you. The sphere is filled with white feathers and delicate floating dandelion seeds upon which you walk, sit, and lay. At times, you loose your sense of what is up and what is down. The effect was magical. I went to the sim yesterday and was disappointed to see that the orb is gone. Hopefully, it will be brought back.
ArorA at the El Cau
Jaysun and I caught the last half of ArorA Chadbourne's performance at the EL Cau in Caputxeta Vermella, a Portugese sim. There was a good sized audience at the EL Cau. It was a nice surprise to find an active Portugese community in Second Life. ArorA's performance was one of her recent best. The selection of songs and her intrepretations were superb. And the mostly Portugese audience loved her, as all audiences do.
Jaysun and I enjoyed a little dancing at the El Cau
Syd harbors a secret dream. He wants to be Fred Astaire. Yes, our Syd dreams of being cool and debonaire in top hat and tails. I just couldn't picture it ... we're talking about Syd. But then he did an amazing impersonation of Astaire dancing Puttin' On the Ritz. At that moment, he really was channeling Fred Astaire. And I had an inspiration. I said to Syd, "Oooo Syd! I have a great idea. Let's put on a show." Syd thought it was a great idea. So we traveled to an inn in Vermont run by retired Army Major General Thomas F. Waverly (dear old man) and built a stage in his barn big enough for the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes and went to work practicing our dance routines.
Syd was an absolutley smooth and elegant dancer. Opening night was just 2 days away, and we needed one more routine. I put on my Rita Hayworth hair, and we danced what would be a rousing closing number. On opening night, all the rich swells from the city drove up to the General's Vermont inn in roadsters and chauffeured limousines and filled the barn. The show was a stupendous success. They loved us. And we raised enough money to save the inn from foreclosure. But then the county evoked eminent domain to condemn the property and gave it to a private developer to build a casino. I guess tax revenues trump property rights. The poor General ... it was just terrible. But they say that every cloud has a silver lining. This abuse of government power opened Syd's eyes. He renouced his leftist ways, joined the Tea Party Movement and became a Republican. A happy ending, afterall.
