At Connected Consulting..

We take care of all types.  :)

Love it!



XOXO,
Bliss

Happy Holidays!

To All of My Second Life Family and Friends:

Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!  :) 

From Cisqo too.  LOL

:)


XOXO,
Bliss

Take the Pledge..

I know times are tough for everyone, but..I think taking the pledge to see that no child goes hungry is important.  Even if you can't afford to donate, you can afford to spread the word to the blogging world and raise awareness.




XOXO,
B

Ushering in the Snow...

Let's see....

Since my last post, not too much has happened. Had a fantastic Thanksgiving - where I totally whipped up a Martha Stewart style dinner. :) And this year, there was no dying or sickness. Everyone lived and ate and then passed OUT from too much turkey.

And as is always my custom, I started decorating for Christmas. Since everything was so quiet on this long weekend, I logged in to SL to decorate my home there too. So I cleaned up the ground and decided it should be as snowy on the ground as it was in my skybox.

Of course, every adventure needs company. So I rang up Mr. Moo, who happily joined me on my snow hunting crusade.  He even help me change my radio to my favorite Christmas radio station..because DAMN..I love Christmas music (FYI, my favorite song is "Baby It's Cold Outside").

I had so much fun, I made him decorate his house too.  LOL!  And in my usual fashion, I snuck in and put cookies and milk out on his table.  Every house needs food!!!  His Christmas tree is cool...it gives out Christmas balloons too!  Mine's just..a plain old Christmas tree. 

Hopefully, I'll get to see more of you guys - I really do miss my crew.  :)

I hope you all had an amazing, safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday.  Christmas is right around the corner now - have you decorated?  Will you?   

TTYL for now.

Love,

Bliss

Have You Met....

Cisqo?

I know, I know.  I don't blog about him as much as I did Mr. Moo.

Doesn't mean he's not very important to me.

:)  For the record, we celebrated our one year anniversary together last month.  One year since we met in a seedy club..one year since he tried to take me on a date and I tried to ditch him..and one year since he had dinner in my apartment with me and we started talking, and I realized that this guy wasn't like other SL guys (Moo excluded). 

Over that year our RLs got CRAZY.  But we stuck it out, and I know now that......sometimes you get what you need when you NEED it, not when you want it. 

We laugh like nut jobs together..and he's so laid back..he makes ME laid back. 

:)  Whaddaya think?  Another year on the horizon?



XOXO,
B

Old Lives..New Lives.........Blurry...

It's funny what SL can do to you when you first start.  Or even your first..one..two..or three years into it.

What's even funnier is how things can go from all encompassing to.....meaningless.  How people can fade from your rearview mirror and leave you wondering if they ever belonged in the picture to start with?

Though, it's strange how some people never fade from your life, isn't it?  Even when things are crazy..and hectic..and life's just sucking you into a big black hole - some people always surface in the sea of insanity and throw you a line to bring you back.  Those are the people you should always keep close.  Always remember to check in on THEM too.  Friendship is a two way street.

I'll always say it.....I've come so far in SL, and learned more about myself than I ever thought possible.  Fallen into so many black holes, and crawled my way out (never on my own - always with the help of the best friends in the world), stood tall and laid on the floor with footprints on me.  But..I always get back up.  SL isn't just a cartoon world.  It can beat you down if you let it.  It's the people you surround yourself with that can truly make the difference.

So to my besties..who made it from my old life..to my new life..from my free skin to my pricey skin..from my house, to my island to my skybox.....

I love you.  And in this particular holiday season, I am more than thankful for you.  I am grateful.

Your world can change in the blink of an eye.  Make every second count - don't waste your time and energy on the unimportant things in this world.  Zoom out on that picture you're looking at and take it all in.  Best advice?  Just Live.


XOXO
Bliss

Home..

When it snows..you have two choices; shovel or make snow angels. :)

Welcome to the new Boucher home..happily nestled in the snowy mountains of the new Blissie Cave.  An amazing birthday present from an amazing friend.   

:)  Who's ready for the holiday season?  Meeeee!!!!!



XOXO,
B

GAME DAY!

I forgot to post these earlier. :) I snuck on a little late last night and what do you know..my Cisqo was on too!

So we posed for some game day pics. We may support different teams, but we play nice. :)







I'm totally a Jets babe, and he's a Panthers fan. What about you?


B

Okay, Let's Remember...

So, maybe I shouldn't say this..but I feel like I should.

Second Life is not reality.

It's not..how do I say this? You're not wandering forests. Or swimming in oceans. It's not reality.

I had the brutal displeasure of running into someone I met a very long time ago in SL.

She was so wrapped up in Second Life..so..consumed by SL, SL love, SL drama, SL was RL to her..and all I could do was fake an AFK to get away from it.

You see, I used to hate people that left SL for RL..

But now..I don't log in..and I genuinely don't miss it.

Don't get me wrong, I miss my friends. I miss the hysterical moments with my friends in Second Life. But not Second Life itself.

I stopped building, designing..decorating.......shopping.

GASP!

I know.

I realized..I don't need something to re-capture my attention. I've seen it all and done it all in SL. I use it mostly as a chat client these days. I IM with my friends and I log off. Or I log on and clear notices..and log off.

But sometimes, even I need the following reminder:

Second Life is not REAL Life. Nor is it a healthy substitute. And sometimes, you need to take time away to remember that.

Otherwise..you become the freak that someone plays afk on..to avoid talking to them. ;-)



XOXO,
B

Where In the World is Blissie Boucher?

Kinda feel like I'm stuck in a constant state of AFK. I log in, and get lost doing something else..and by the time I remember I'm logged in and come back..everyone else is gone.

When did it happen that I could not log into SL for days at a time and not miss it at all?

I miss my friends, sure. But the need to be a part of SL keeps fading..

Well..drop me an offline IM, I'm always happy to chat on Google Talk. Unless I don't like you. Then please don't.



XOXO,
B

The Girl Can't Help It..

Came on the radio..stuck in my head. :) Fabulous - I love it. One of my fave songs ever.





XOXO,
B

Nothing on the TV....

So I don't log into SL a whole lot these days. I pop in and out usually. And when I'm not hiding out at a club or gig, I'm standing still in my rezz location IMing.

For the first time tonight, I went down to the bottom of my rainforest dome (yes, that's where I live) and sat on my couch to watch my SL tv.

In that tv..there are a ton of pictures from my last 3 (soon to be 4!) years in Second Life.

Some pictures make me smile, some make me laugh..and of course, there are those that make me a little sad.

You see, in my time in SL, a lot of people have come and gone.

But none will ever bother me so much as those that leave my life, but don't leave SL. Some I've made the hard decision to unfriend. Others have chosen to unfriend me. And then there's the rare few that we still see each other on our friends list, but no words are ever spoken.

I guess, just as with RL, people drift apart. Priorities change, lives change, yada yada. Maybe the following is true:

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.


~Author Unknown

I guess, I'll just have to believe that.

I've put the TV back into my inventory for now - because maybe it's time I sorted through those endless pictures and weeded out the ones that sting. The truth is, more of them make me smile than anything else. Adventures, silly nights and of course, the amazing shots of my outfits. LOL!

But on the very SUPER bright side, my SL brother, Deylan, has chosen to return to SL. In his absence, we did keep in touch - thankfully.

I guess when some people exit, others make their return.

:) Wouldn't that be ideal?

Hope you all had a safe and healthy Labor Day Weekend!



XOXO,
B

Happy Birthday Dear Dad

Didn't think this day would come - but it did. :)

Thank you for giving me another day with my dad.



B

Nina Brandenburg Sings....

Okay, please pardon the profanity...

However.

Nina totally fucking KILLED it on Saturday night when she performed Lady Gaga's ballad, "Speechless".

I mean..she was so BEYOND fantastic..I feel like I should have recorded it to add to my iPod!

Don't know the song?

:) Educate yourselves, kids.

Best live SL performer EVER. Thanks, Nina!

Too Funny

"Livejournal is a site where people who don't have any friends can spend hours writing fucking inane journal entries and then pretend that they have friends who want to read them. It's a great system because it keeps the loonies off the goddamn streets. With Livejournal around, you can read about some guy who is complaining that Cap'n Crunch slices open the roof of his mouth when he eats it. If Livejournal didn't exist, you would be walking down the street and meet the same guy screaming at the top of his lungs and trying to stab you in the face with a hammer."

-- from "Chris" at somethingawful.com

Where the Wild Things Are..

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick and think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new
Flashback, warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcase of memories
Time after

Sometimes you picture me
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear
What you've said
Then you say, "go slow"
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds

Chorus:
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I will be waiting (I'll be waiting)
Time after time

After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
Watching through windows
you're wondering if I'm OK
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time

You say "go slow"
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds

Chorus:
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I will be waiting (I'll be waiting)
Time after time (Time after time)


Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after
Time after

Woot!

S'all I got to say, yo.

:)


XOXO,
B

Starting Over

First of all, let me just say a genuine thank you to US troops around the world for all that they do and all that they stand for. I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July (I say it in the past tense because it's 1 AM for me - so the 4th is over).

I was lucky enough to get to spend some Sunday down time with my bestie, the lovely Beverly Zauberflote. It was nice, just being able to hang out and chit chat (not that she's not subjected to my constant chatter on a regular basis). But usually I'm wrapped up in something else or focused on something else..and so I was really happy we got to just goof off together.



And hanging out with Bev got me to thinking.

How do we make it through?

How do we, as normal human beings, make it through everything life hands (or throws) us?

I think, on a very basic level, it becomes fight or flight.

Some people choose to kill their avis and start over.

And there are other people. People like me, who choose to fight..who choose to accept things the way they are and push through.

It's confusing, I know.

Let me give you a hypothetical example:

Meet Second Life avi, Jane Doe. Jane Doe meets and falls in love with SL avi, John Dee. What Jane doesn't know is that John has a girlfriend on the side. Until one day Jane busts John in a lie and finds out he's living an illicit double life with a whole SL family and prim babies. Jane's friends find out, and it's now the talk of SL. Profile drama, IM gossip. You name it.

Jane's faced with two choices.

She can remain as Jane Doe..and move on. She can wait for the gossip to die down and she can, as they say, roll with the SL punches and hope that normalcy resumes (well, as normal as SL life can be).

OR

Jane can kill her avi off, sell her land and create a new avi who never has to deal with any of Jane's old life. She can meet and marry a new SL guy without ever having to address the old one.

Here's the thing, though....

How does one forget who they are? How do you detach yourself, the user, from Jane, the avi? How is that possible at ALL? How do you "forget" Jane's friends, her enemies, her loves, her hates, her inventory, her EXPERIENCES? Try as you might, I don't think you really ever can.

Jane is as much a part of you as you are a part of her.

Jane's fooling herself if she thinks that she can walk away and become Lorna Doe and never think about Jane again.

Do you never speak to your friends again? Do you become your old friend's friends....as a new avi?

See, to me..there IS no starting over.

Just pushing on.

It's like real life in a way.

Yes, you have your shitty times, and yes, you have the people that gnaw at your insides. But the thing is..you grow..and you move on.

You stay on as Jane, and realize that the things you thought you'd never survive..you will survive. Sure it'll suck for a while - whatever it is - but when you get through it and you look back, you say to yourself..

Damn that was some learning experience.

:) Hopefully, that's what you'll be able to say.

So.....

To anyone who's thinking about starting over, let me just explain that I'm not saying DON'T start over. I'm just saying..what's the point? You'll survive the whatever..and be okay.

But that's just my humble opinion, kids.

:) Have a fabulous night.



XOXO,
Bliss

Saturday Dare

Inspired by a bucket of frozen margaritas and some awesome beach time.

Put on your favorite song..

Turn the volume all the way up...

And sing the hell out of it.

:) Doesn't matter is cats and dogs sing with you - rock it!

Happy Saturday!


XOXO,
Bliss

Happy Father's Day

God, I want to thank you. Thank you for giving me the best dad I could have ever asked for. Though, I know in my heart, if I had asked for a dad, even the most ideal of descriptions wouldn't have compared to the dad I was given. And thank you for giving me more time with him when you could have taken him away in November. I am nothing short of blessed in this life. ♥

Happy Father's Day to my dad, and to all of the amazing dads out there.


XOXO,
B

Coming Home...

Introducing Cisqo..

So this is a little overdue, I think.

Meet Cisqo, my other half.



Cute, isn't he?

It was a decision that took a long time for me to make..

I swore I'd never settle down ever again.

But I'm kinda glad I did.

When my dad got sick, Cisqo stayed up a lot of nights IMing with me to help me stay awake for the night shifts at the hospital. Consequently, we both went through a lot in RL after we met, and I don't believe it was just coincidence that we met when we did. The thing I love about SL is that it can bring people into your life you otherwise would never have known.

It's still relatively new to me - not being selfish and bratty - which is what I was I got used to doing after Moo and I ended.

I have no idea what's in store for us - but I think whatever it is..I'm down for the ride. :)



XOXO,
B

Summer Days..

:) Oh, the lazy busy summer days in New York City.

Rooftop parties, evening dinners..outdoor margaritas..sexy summer dresses..sunglasses..the sweet chill of air conditioning..ponytails..the ICE CREAM TRUCK! :)

I love the summer in NYC.

It occupies a lot of my time, and sucks me away from SL some. But it doesn't mean I don't love my friends - I do! :) So if we don't get to see each other - I apologize. And if we do, I'm thankful.

I recently got the chance to just kick back with my old friends - even if it was sitting in my Connected office. :) But it was totally worth it. And Moo and I were able to hang out and explore a cattle ranch as well.

And Bev..well..my bestie gets the short end of the stick with me. So I owe her the biggest apology. By the time she gets to me, I'm falling asleep on my computer.

And Cisqo..well. Cisqo keeps the same wacky SL schedule I do, so our time is BEYOND limited.

So here's to you enjoying your summer as well - hopefully with a margarita in hand, and maybe laying on the beach. :)





XOXO,
B

Happy Mother's Day!

:) To all of my fave SL ladies - superheroines in both worlds as far as I'm concerned. Have a great day!!





XOXO,
Bliss

Exploring! :) Finally!

Thanks to Bev.. :) for my first exploration venture in ages. From sipping tea, to meditating, to tai chi, to glass sharks..and of course, reaching for the hand of a higher power..we had a blast! :) Love ya, B!












































XOXO,
B