A quick note before I leave for RL work: is any reader aware of blogs written for the Avilion regions, similar to the Caledonian blogs in the sidebar? I have the one for the Avilion Order already, but cannot find any Residential blogs, so to speak. If you know of one, please leave the name and the URL in a comment, or send it to me at the E-mail link in my sidebar. And thanks much!
Nav writes in Scrawled in Wax about a question that frequently exercises sociologists and psychologists studying us in Second Life, and has probably puzzled a number of plain Residents, too. With the ability to become anyone and anything you can imagine when you live on the Grid, just what is it that motivates a person to design an avatar as they do? Not only do most people on the Grid exhibit a mind-blowing (and truly unreal) sexual gorgeousness, but you can also be a girl when you’re a boy, a boy when you’re a girl (apparently less often), a vampire, a half-cat, foxes and dogs and trolls and hobbits and elves and dragons and…. Well, you obviously know what I mean.
Nav’s main point: it’s entirely likely that there’s something more than simple roleplay in many cases. There must be a reason why a person chooses to cover themselves in scales, or festoon their electronic bodies with pendulous (ahem) equipment, or whatever. On the surface, the argument seems rather Freudian; but that doesn’t disqualify it from being valid and worthy of consideration.
I publish many of my Second Life snapshot photos on Flickr, as you can tell from my sidebar feed box; and, while following the visits made to my own stuff, I like to check out the photos taken by my competition, uh, colleagues (grin). (Okay, okay; the ego’s getting swollen here….) Where I find good ones, I mark them as favorites so I can come back to them.
Many of these are too good to not share with you; and so I’m starting an irregular column called “Contact Sheet,” where I’ll share a few with you from time to time. Where the photographer has allowed usage (usually through Creative Commons), I’ll insert a copy; otherwise, you’ll find a link to his or her page on Flickr, Snapzilla, et al.
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Several regions of the Grid are very much favorites of some avatars, for reasons sometimes best explained by themselves. But if you study their work, you can begin to perceive the reasons for such an appeal. One of these is Anessa Stine, who (when she isn’t running Pin-Ups in Retrology) has done some time in the Wastelands. Here, in this howling wilderness of ruins, rubble and mutants, Anessa has discovered ways to capture your attention and portray beauty — and even a smile or two. Of course, it could simply be the costume she’s wearing…. (Note: for those easily offended, go rather to the kittens. This costume is radical to some sensibilities.)
Hitomi Mokusei, on the other hand, prefers the more pastoral lands of the Far Away, specifically the Wheatfield. She has a set dedicated to photos she’s taken there. Examining these, I’m much reminded of the better work of Andrew Wyeth, such as Christina’s World. A selection of the best (the last of which I’ve commented on in depth):
(Cross-posted to Vicious Studios)
As a deliciously serendipitous tie-in to my own article, Father Mark, deacon in charge of the Anglican Cathedral on Epiphany Island, wrote a piece yesterday on how he puts together his weekly service for Grid “parishoners.” Give it a look, and meet a very friendly man of the cloth.
Tuesday was the deadline for Second Life banks to stop offering interest or close down — and it seems to have passed without any more notice from the general Resident population. Well, at least other than the constant hits I get on my previous articles. One or the other of the articles gets at least a few hits a day. As for the feared runs on assets, those were quickly stifled by the bank owners themselves, who slapped limits on their ATMs until they could supposedly liquidate assets and cover withdrawals.
What has happened, from the looks, is the essential collapse of the Grid-bank industry. Several banks have either sold their assets to purchasers, or have simply closed up shop. At least a few are trying to work around the ban on interest payments with what amounts to a renaming of “interest” — or they plan to move to new metaverses such as Central Grid. The ones hanging on still promise that all deposits will be covered for those willing to offer them the time to gather or convert their capital. Whether this will work out in the long run, knows God.
One thing is probably certain: someone else will devise a plan to offer a return on investment to Residents, and there will be a rush to join the industry — until RL lawyers get nervous, justifiably, about liability issues. And that will be the end of that. I would rather have a no-bank world, though, then take a chance on leaving my lindens with a scammer. That cash has value both in- and out-world, and I want control of it for myself.
While writing the article below about the Anglican Cathedral, I stopped in for a lark at the First Second Life Church of Elvis, where I was reminded of the now familiar Ten Commandments:
While I was there, I had this mad…compulsion…come over me, and then I blacked out. Next thing I knew, I was back in my loft, and I looked like this! It took a powerful counterspell to remove that thing…specifically, a set of ETD hair.
The other afternoon, as I was rezzing in, I received one of the ever-present group notices, from one that I had just joined the previous day. Bible study was scheduled for the next morning, and I would be very welcome to attend at the Parish House.
Yes, religion is present in Second Life as well. Just about any societal-based activity is available on the Grid, and it’s not surprising that the Immanent is there as well. It’s not incredibly thick on the ground, but RL people, if nothing else, will bring their RL beliefs with them into SL — or create religions. Cory Linden was well known as wandering around in the guise of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and the First Second Life Church of Elvis still operates. For myself, though I have a bit of a mystical bent as well, I prefer relatively mainline Christianity, and participate in my area Episcopalian church. So, when I read this article from Episcopal Life online, I had to investigate it.
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The island is named Epiphany, logically enough. And the owner has built for the glory of God an impressive complex of structures indeed. Here’s the most impressive, the Anglican Cathedral. This pile of prims is an excellent emulation of other well-known piles of RL stonework, scattered about the length of England, and even in the United States, and is sizeable. Whoever built it worked carefully and well to get the appearance, inside and out, just right. When I stepped inside, it felt rather like a real cathedral. Here’s a few shots:
Five services a week (usually Evening Prayer or Compline, according to my reading) are held, and all are invited. Bible study is part of the program as well. There are also sermons that you can listen to, offered by the “rector,” Rev. Mark Brown of New Zealand. For more information, see the cathedral blog.
I beg your indulgence for a little time spent in the Real World, but with something that has probably touched every fashion maven in Second Life as well.
Chrisy Jewell has done a brief appreciation of the Italian fashion designer Valentino, who is
finally hanging it up on the clothes rail after some 75 years of life and 45 of them in the rag business. His last spring/summer show, according to Reuters, finished up with a parade of models in his signature lipstick red dresses forming a walkway, down which the Italian maestro came for his bows, as well as waves of farewell to the fashion press (see photo). According to the article, his retirement is seen as the departure of the last of the great individual couturiers, celebrities in their own right.
The fashion life of the Grid certainly has a lot to thank Signor Garavani (his actual last name) for. Probably half, if not all, of the women avatars in Second Life own at least one ball gown; and the love of floor-sweeping hems, bright jewel tones and accents such as bows and ruffles comes from designers such as Valentino. In an age when fashion is often meant more to shock than impress, Valentino stood for the age-old mystique of the beautiful woman, who dressed to enhance her femininity — and yet still be a part of the modern age. The proof is in the number of socialites and movie stars who frequented the couturier’s house for so many years. The maestro, along with such stalwarts as Giorgio Armani, helped bring back tasteful dressing to the red carpets in the Nineties after some of the more disastrous excesses of the late Eighties. (Just find any decent, up-to-date book or Web site on Oscar fashion, and you’ll see what I mean.)
Buona fortuna, maestro. Like I suggested in the comment I made on Chrisy’s blog, perhaps you won’t give up entirely, but will come on in to SL and open an atelier….
The Ewing Fashion Agency held its 2008 Design Awards on January 20th. While I was unable to attend, I had some interest in this season; 1, it was my first season in Second Life; and 2, I had purchased nominated items from two of the designers in the competition.
And I’m very glad to say that both of my nominees won! Personal congratulations go out to Ann Otoole for her Andromeda gown, which I wrote up and modeled as one of the holiday trio between Christmas and New Year’s Day; and to Digit Darkes for her wild Cher-like mohawk hair called Defiance, which I just couldn’t resist! And a batch of general congratulations and best wishes to all of the winners.
Andromeda, by Ann Otoole
Defiant, by Digit Darkes (gold catsuit by Nicky Ree)
Vicious Studios was celebrating a grand opening, or re-opening, this past weekend. I was asked to do some guest-blogging for them while they were busy with the building and decorating, and Gidge Uriza invited me to the festivities in thanks for my small contributions.
I was able to take her up on the opportunity for a party last night, the venue being their dance floor on top of a shark pen. (Well, they are Vicious.) The theme of the party was “Come dressed as you’d appear on American Idol,” and I’ll admit I stretched it quite a bit. I showed up in the “silver appliqué” top and pants I found in the Canada in SL mall (which I’ve been favoring quite a lot in my less formal times lately), hair like a celestial biker chick (Omayrah Silver from Sinsation), and the excellent dark silver skin from chroma — yes, that’s how it’s spelled if you search them up. Gidge said I looked fantastic, and I think I heard at least one jaw drop — virtually, of course.
The music was hot, spun by disc jockey DJRobyn Writer, and Robyn was hot herself in a set of royal blue silks that had me voting for her in the best-dressed woman contest. And whoever programmed their dance system was a master; I was doing moves I’ve never seen, or dreamed of, before, while the entire crew danced along in almost simultaneous formation. Partway through, Vic, the owner, put in an appearance, complete with his guns; Vic likes guns, you see (grin). When he started shooting them — over our heads, I emphasize; the man’s not a lunatic to drive away his customers — I rezzed up a katana and wore it on my belt for the rest of the night. It actually seemed the thing to do, since the rest of the Vicious staff had all pulled guns as well, and were dancing with them. I felt a little undressed without some weapon, even if it was a prop sword….
En fin, a splendid time was had by all, many sweepstakes prizes were awarded from the sim’s merchants, and I ended up in a 3-way time for best-dressed woman with Arcadia Nightfire and one of the Durants (I can’t remember which, but congratulations!)!! A cool £300 and several of the raffle-ball prizes, plus that dancing, made for a very nice night.
More photos are available at my Flickr stream.
Please consider donating, especially in times of disaster, to Episcopal Relief and Development, a worldwide ministry of the Episcopal Church in the United States. 100% of your donation goes to relief work; no administrative costs are taken from contributions.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Sister Gatling Gun of Love and Mercy.
My Johari window -- visit and offer your ideas on my personality
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