Well Now..

The short lived life of Munchies at the Burning Life sim prompted a friend of mine to point out the obvious (yet it was totally oblivious to me) last night.

You see, while Burning Life allows artists to create something of their own exhibition for a few days for others to "appreciate"..we do that all year long.

Think about it! Between the Bistro Olive and the Blissful Productions events at the Wild Jungle Beach Club..we support artists..designers..builders..DJs..live musicians and charities.

And we do it without restrictions or an elitist attitude while actually supporting the people involved and maintaining a general peppy outlook.

So now that I've thought it through..I'm not as sad about leaving the project.

In the end..it's like taking a step down from what we actually love in Second Life - from what we've always loved and supported.

So..we'll keep doing what we do without limits. :)

Because that..is how I roll, baby.


XOXO,
B

I feel..

Like this..

Like I dunno..

I don't know what it is I want right now.

Or what I want to do.

I just feel..unsettled.

My 100th Post!

Well, it's not massive or meaningful. Just retrospective. :) Thank you all for sticking with me for 100 posts..more than a year together in SL..the ups, the downs, the funny little lulls..and everything else that came our way. My 100th post isn't really about me. It's about everyone that makes my SL days and nights so much fun. :) About the people I love and how they make logging in all worth while. Just to name a few special folks in alphabetical order who truly put up with my shit (sorry, these are the people I spend almost ALL of my time with..and have a super special place in my heart..please don't be offended if you're not on the list, if you're on my friends list, you mean a lot to me - that list is short and sweet, I promise..): Aeryn, Beverly, BigD, BORDAY, Busy, Crighton, Deylan, Ehric, Kim, Kemi and Parker.

It's all in honor of you guys. :)

XOXO,

B

Ann Cares

http://www.anncares.com/

http://anntaylor.com/catalog/editorial.jsp?pageName=BCA

Check it out.

:) For a good cause.

XOXO,

B

Marly's!!

So, I was lucky enough to court the very lovely Marleen Vaughn into the showcase. Now, if you look classic style up, you'll find her picture there with a LM for Marly's.

I snapped some quick pics before tomorrow night's showcase..because I think she did an AMAZING job setting up (I was shopping while she was setting things up..lol).

If you've never been, check it out tomorrow and then grab a LM and head off to see her store for more great goodies. Party's from 6-8 PM SLT at the Wild Jungle Beach Club - come one, come all!

:) Mr. Moo and I made good use of the roof poses..just hanging out for some time while I changed outfits.

And yes, I've been a deadbeat about posting showcase blogs. I'll be better, I promise.


XOXO,

B

My Exhausting Day in (Brief) Review

A while ago I posted about a house versus a home.

And today..

I went home.

Moo and I sold the 1/2 sim island at Marinero and went back to our old stomping grounds at Bayou. We decided to move..to start over..to just go back to having fun.

And I loved the island. But it wasn't worth losing Moo - nothing really is.

We fought so much..I didn't even want to be at the island because it stopped feeling right.

So we've gone home to Bayou..to snuggle in our snowy skybox..eat breakfast on the porch in the snow and feed Fred in the morning.

And..revive Sporks. Well..try anyway.

Will we still fight? I'm sure every now and then. But I can't forsee anything as big as this last fight coming up in the near future.

And Marinero? :) well, if you pop in..you'll recognize the new owner. She's a good friend of mine..so I know the land will get the love it needs.

SMOOCH! :) off to bed..feeling pretty darn happy and settled tonight.


XOXO,
B

Ladies..

A few things are swirling around in my head today..

One thing being the new issue of Vanity Fair this month featuring a special on Marilyn Monroe.

But the trail of events leading up to the photographing and "exhibition" of Ms. Monroe's most private and personal items is, to say the least, disgusting.

The betrayal of trust..the greed..the complete disregard for the dead..well it's just astounding.

Can you imagine..everything private about yourself that you protected..suddenly becoming public? Everything going to the highest bidder who then turns around and sells to someone else?!

I highly suggest buying this issue - the trail of events are fascination beyond the disgust.

The web article doesn't give as much detail..but it's a great teaser..

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/marilyn/marilyn

I've always loved MM as a style icon..so I found the collection and the article fascinating. Her life was actually very interesting - just as much as her death is intriguing.

So! If you can, grab it up and read it. :)

Next!

While I'm not terribly political minded, I must say the following:

Ladies. For everything the women before us fought for..please vote. Please do NOT underappreciate this right to vote that suffragette's and suffrigists battled for.

HBO released a movie some time ago, "Iron Jawed Angels" based on the fight for women to have the right to vote - rent it if you can. (http://www.hbo.com/films/ironjawedangels/).

I don't care WHO you vote for. Just don't waste the right TO vote.

That's all for today.


XOXO,
B

An Apology..

Here's something fun to read..

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/09/11/tf.bad.apologies/index.html

I trust none of you do these stupid things..

Just Stand Up!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Stand_Up!

If you haven't checked it out, you should.

And the song? :) I love it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beyonce: The heart is stronger than you think
It’s like it can go through anything
And even when you think it can’t it finds a way to still push on, though

Carrie: Sometimes you want to run away
Ain’t got the patience for the pain
And if you don’t believe it look into
your heart the beat goes on

Rihanna: I’m tellin’ you that
Things get better
Through whatever
If you fall, dust it off, don’t let up

Sheryl: Don’t you know you can go be your own miracle

Beyonce: You need to know

CHORUS
Sheryl: If the mind keeps thinking you’ve had enough
But the heart keeps telling you don’t give up
Sheryl/Beyonce: Who are we to be
questioning, wondering what is what
Don’t give up
THROUGH IT ALL, JUST STAND UP!

Fergie: It’s like we all have better days
Problems getting all up in your face

Leona: Just because you go through it

Fergie: Don’t mean it got to take control, no

Leona: You ain’t gotta find no hiding place

Keyshia: Because the heart can beat the hate

Leona: Don’t wanna let your mind keep playin’ you

Keyshia: And sayin’ you can’t go on

Rihanna: I’m tellin’ you that

Miley: Things get better
Through whatever

Rihanna: If you fall

Miley: Dust if off, don’t let up

LeAnn: Don’t you know you

Natasha: Can go

LeAnn: Be your own

Natasha: Miracle

Carrie: You need to know

Ensemble: CHORUS

Mary: You don’t gotta be a prisoner in your mind

Ciara: If you fall, dust it off

Mary: You can live your life

Rihanna/Carrie: Yeah

Mary: Let your heart be your guide

Rihanna/Carrie: Yeah yeah yeah

Mariah: And you will know that you’re good if you trust in the good

Ashanti: Everything will be alright, yeah
Light up the dark, if you follow your heart

Mary: And it will get better

Mariah: Through whatever

CHORUS

Fergie: You got it in you, find it within
You got in now, find it within now
You got in you, find it within
You got in now, find it within now
You got in you, find it within
Find it within you, find it within
Everyone: THROUGH IT ALL, JUST STAND UP!

Ha!

So I got on the elevator at work today and the little computer screen read off the news of the day to me.



And guess what..?



Cabbage Patch Kids turn 25 tomorrow.



Holy shit!

I still have my first cabbage patch doll, Lydia. I actually just pulled her out and washed her. LOL! She's all clean and smelling like Bounce now.

I thought to myself..this was my first and only doll. She's been to Mexico, Canada, California, Florida, and MORE! She's been to more places than some people have.

So..here's to feeling old and nostalgic on this unhappy eve.

:) Thank you Lydia for living with me all those years when I just chewed your hand and stuff.

Love ya.


XOXO,
B

Everyone's Entitled to..TYPE IN CAPS!!

For the most part..I like to think of myself as a rational person.

Mostly.

I like to believe that the people I care about can always speak openly and honestly with me. I'll always help and support and do whatever I can.

Now, I am by no means to be confused with my blonde partner, Pollyanna. I am not a ray of sunshine and I am indifferent to most people that I meet (in RL and SL). I may come off as cold or unfriendly..but I warm up eventually, I guess.

But let me tell you.

There are some days where I just don't give a fuck.

I don't give a flying, walking, running, skiing or bungee jumping fuck about other people. I don't want to be a shoulder to cry on..I don't want to be an ear to whisper too..because (say it with me) I don't give a fuck.

I don't want to be patient or understanding..I don't want anything.

And I think..as a generally kind and tolerant person..

I am allowed.

Yeah.

You heard me.

I am allowed.

I don't go looking for fights. That's not my style. For the most part, I'll walk away because I know what I'm feeling will pass. And my usual self with resurface - eventually.

I am, by no means, making any excuses for anything I've done to anyone.

I'm just saying..

If I've ever been tolerant of you..of your moods..your IMS..your chat..your drama..your tps..your friends..your needs..your wants..your anything..then you should do the same for me.

Understand that I too am entitled to moods - I wasn't made with just one.

And thanks Kim..for letting me type in caps to you when I needed to the most.

:) I appreciate it.


XOXO,
B

Heaven..Hell..and Stuff In Between

Short post tonight.

I was watching Black Snake Moan during the benefit for Busy and Ehric when an exchange caught my attention.

You see, Christina Ricci is a sinning nymphomaniac chained up in Samuel L. Jackson's house (as he's saving her from the devil..). His pastor friend comes to see him and ends up in conversation with Ricci.

In a nutshell..she says to him..that heaven is a load of bullshit - religion kinda too. Why would God want people that do wrong..commit horrible sins..and then say 'I'm Sorry' so they can get into heaven. Why would he want to fill heaven with people like that?

Hm. Point.

So the pastor tells her believing in God isn't about getting into heaven. You don't do things just to get into heaven. It's about believing NOW..about having someone that's there for you all the time..to listen to you. Someone to give you the strength to go on..to push forward when you need it TODAY. Not at the end of your days..when you can't help anyone anymore.

I guess I never thought of it that way.

Just sharing my jumbled ramblings..


XOXO,
B

Buyer Beware..

So..

You know how most stuff in Second Life business goes over our heads because we’re not really IN business?

Funny how that’s such an incorrect assumption.

I was reading the Fresh Baked Goods blog about a week or so ago (http://slfreshbakedgoods.blogspot.com/) and the creator was being sued for copyright infringement, etc. While I’ve shopped there before, I made a mental note to keep away until things were cleared up. So, as with many things, I just kind of put it to the back of my mind and continued about my business.

In my wanderings for great designers to showcase at the Wild Jungle Beach Club, I have had the amazing pleasure of working with so many talented creators.

And while I’m aware of content theft in SL, I never really stopped to think that..running a fashion showcase could and would open me up to creators accused of content theft. I wasn’t doing any type of due diligence on them – I worked under the assumption that..if a store was big, beautiful and well known..then surely it must be reputable.

Okay, it was a stupid assumption, I know.

I ran into a creator today that I’ve been trying to get into the showcase. And when I mentioned another creator that would be involved there was a strange response. She asked me if I knew of their reputation. Beyond the beautiful clothes, I did not. So while I questioned her about it, I also opened up two other IM boxes and began tapping two good creator friends for info.

Sadly, I got the same response from them all.

The accusations stemmed from several extremely reputable creators who provided various works for proof. It appeared awefully damning to me. All seven different websites/blogs provided to me.

So I stepped back and asked myself..if this were RL, could I do business with someone that even remotely struck me as shady?

And the answer was no.

I have a lot of friends that create, design and build, and I can’t help but think of how unfair it is to have your dreams and visions stolen. I can’t help but think of how much *I* would hate it if someone took my ideas for Blissful Productions and passed them off as their own.

So now I’m in a position of having to do due diligence on creators that I intend on working with because the unreputable ones are out there..still working hard to steal content without any repercussions – and no real warning system for shoppers.

For your reading pleasure, here’s an article I stumbled onto today. It also mentions the issue with Fresh Baked Goods.

http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2008/08/28/what-second-life-can-teach-us-about-content-theft/


XOXO,

B

Stella Stapleton Studio!

So, if you've seen my new pictures..you surely must know I did not do this myself! The VERY lovely Stella Stapleton came into my SLife and snapped these amazing shots. :) Please see below for a few samples (catch me in-world for more as I'm SO going back for more!).

For your convenience, following is the notecard that I got from the studio:

Welcome to the Stella Stapleton Studio! Interested in a chic profile picture? Pick out your favourite outfits and let's get snapping! I take pictures for Sexy Second magazine and I am the art and marketing director for Stella's Mall, so quality is my utmost priority. I specialize in portrait photography. Normally, I only provide my services to magazines and/or blogs, but I've had so many requests for profile pictures, I decided to provide this service publicly.

You will receive high quality, photoedited pictures with custom backgrounds that will surely you get you noticed by those curious profile-peekers :) Appointment durations vary, but usually take about 20 minutes. You can expect to receive your finished photographs within a day.
Contact me to discuss appointment time and what type of photograph you're looking for (black and white or colour or any background preferences) and how many pictures you want.

All finished photos are copy/mod/transfer. All poses are provided by me in studio.

Rates: $250L per finished photograph.

Check out my Flickr page for examples of my work: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stellastapleton/

I do hope you check her out - her work is amazing, and there's also photography for sale in her gallery! :)

XOXO,

B