Scared To Feel - Lelia Broussard Official Music Video

Usually, I log into Second Life right after my first cup of coffee. This morning, being the Monday after the New Year's Eve holiday, I knew most of my friends had returned to work, so I wasn't in a big hurry to log in. Besides, I had a huge job ahead of me, on I had been putting off for too long. What better time to dive into my 50k inventory than a new year.

Not really being in the mood for that, I decided to walk my Chou/Border Collie mix up, Molly. It was a gorgeous day outside. As we walked, I wondered would be the best way to organize my inventory. So much was in there after 4 years of retail therapy! I remembered then that I even had a Chou doggie in there somewhere. Glancing down at Molly, I wondered how she would feel if she knew I had tried to duplicate her in a virtual way.

Back home, after taking off all the layers of clothing I had worn to keep warm - tshirt, long-sleeved tank, hoodie, fleece jacket, gloves, hat - I plopped down at my lappy and logged into SL. I rezzed into my home the same place I always do which is in my skybox. I then tp'd down to my home. This has been my ritual since forever ago. I spend very little time in my skybox, and yet I always log in there. Rituals are an important part of any life.

Once on the ground, I clicked the Inventory button and just stared for a bit at the entirety of my existence there. Contained within each folder were all the decisions I had ever made. No, not just the clothing, althought that is massive. I am the consummate consumer. But also all the notecards ever written to friends, the decision to try this or that "identity" and all the ecoutrements that accompany those decisions. Silly things, serious things, sexy things. LMs to bright shiny places and to dark, forboding ones. Objects that have memories attached to them.

I did what any good, self-respecting person would do. I closed that Inventory window and went shopping.

The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind.  - Maya Angelou

New Truth Hair - Lucia and Teshan

Beware of the half truth. You may have gotten hold of the wrong half. ~Author Unknown

Lucia in Mirage

Teshan in Mirage

Truth Hair Inworld Slurl
Truth Hair on Marketplace

Skin by Curio - May

 

Trust

Love and trust are difficult commodities to come by, especially in SL. A good friend, tho, reminded me of something in a comment she left...

....I want to add something tho--the only person who hasn't at some point said "how could I have been so stupid" at the end of something is the person who hasn't ever opened their heart. Pat yourself on the back for taking the risk.

Rusted Gears - Bryn Oh

Nice post on the Prim Perfect blog about machinima and the UWA awards. The
entries are posted and Bryn Oh's was my fave.



Your can read the entire article here.

Destination

 

Crossed the state line into CO today. Pulled into the hotel in Denver around 5pm. Was nice to reach our destination safely. I thought I might talk a bit about destinations. About how nice it is to know where you're going and how to get there. But I'm tired and I'm not sure I'm up to tackling that at the moment. So...I'll just say that, altho the destination is the goal, the way there is just as important.

How we get there, what we do long the way...those are important parts of the journey. I took a few detours, crossed a few bridges, and burned a few along the way. One nice thing I did was listen to several cds. One in particular my RL burned for me had a James Taylor song on it I had forgotten about. I'm sharing it below because it stuck with me all day. Hope you enjoy. Hopefully tomorrow's post will be more insightful or at least, more fun.



Walk down that lonesome road all by yourself
Don't turn your head back over your shoulder
And only stop to rest yourself when the silver moon
Is shining high above the trees

If I had stopped to listen once or twice
If I had closed my mouth and opened my eyes
If I had cooled my head and warmed my heart
I'd not be on this road tonight
Carry on

Never mind feeling sorry for yourself
It doesn't save you from your troubled mind

Walk down that lonesome road all by yourself
Don't turn your head back over your shoulder
And only stop to rest yourself when the silver moon
Is shining high above the trees



Road Trip!

So this post is going to have NOTHING to do with SL ... exactly. I'm really exhausted but i'm on a road trip to Denver. Tonight, I'm staying in Hay, KS. My poor doggie, Molly, is sleeping in the car because this stupid Best Western doesn't accept pets. Oh well. She's in her crate and the doors are locked and the windows are down an inch, so I hope she's okay.

RFL Home Expo is over. I'm exhausted and really needed this vacay. I'll be in Denver for 10 days. I have to admit I'm kind of excited about not being in SL for a while. I mean, I'll have wifi, but I've spent the last 10 days in SL for like 8 - 10 hours at a time. My butt is still numb!

So Hope. Well, interesting things seem to happen to me while I'm doing RFL Events, especially in the realm of relationships. Suffice it to say, some interesting information was revealed and it confirmed, beyond a shadow of doubt, what I suspected for a while. So why Hope? I guess I'm hopeful that tomorrow and next week and the days ahead are full of adventure and wisdom and ... hope. Hope for some self love. Hope for the ability to choose more wisely how I spend my time. Hope that love finds a way and wins in the end. I guess I'm a hopeless romantic and never give up on the belief that love, real love, makes everything right.

New Truth Hair - Cecilia & Miku

If someone has enough courage to ask you a question seriously, then you should be brave enough to answer truthfully.- Cameron Milton

Truth has released two hairs for girls. Cecilia is a side-swept braid that is smaller and more delicate than some of his previous braids. I love this for Summer and the casual ribbon that falls just right. Miku comes with two bang options. Love the pieces that frame the face and the bow is fun!


Cecilia in Champagne - 18 color change ribbons

Miku & Miku2 - 20 color change bows

Truth Hair inwold SLurl
Truth Hair on Marketplace

Skin: New from Curio - Chic in Sunkist Light

{what next} @ RFL Home Expo 2011 - Laurel Cottage and more!

RFL Home Expo 2011 is in full swing and I've had the privilege of working with the team there as the Live Music Coordinator. Yay! It's been a lot of fun and no one loves prefabs and furniture more than me! So when I was asked to work there, I jumped at the chance!

There are many amazing creators there and OMG .... {what next} is one of them! Below, you will see what Winter Thorn has put together. And a big shoutout to FrankLee for singing at Home Expo! If you havent heard him, catch a show soon! He was amazing.

Below is the Laurel Cottage. It comes with color change wall panels, woodburnng stove with options (the door opens and close...love that!) and chimney smoke and outdoor lanterns.

Love the red door! So come on in......

 



This is what you see when you enter the cottage. I love the fireplace and the openness of the space. It's very breathable while being cozy at the same time. And that sunroom..love it. I also love the wood textures.

Fireplace with two settings for the fire. Door closed with "burn" fire setting. Door shown open on the right with "smolder" fire setting. Love it! Love the attention to detail.

Flutter sofa and rug and blinds:

Fun poses for singles and couples

Laurel Breakfast table and chairs:

There are a lot of options with this set, as in all of {what next} furniture. Chair pads are color/pattern change and match other Laurel Cottage items. Breakfast tray which dispenses self rezzing (wearable ) props like a croissant, coffee and juice to you and guests. Tulips and mail (linked),  petals are texture changing. 16 animations in each chair, including various drinking/dining animations and a bonus hold hands animation for couples.

Upstairs with walkout to balcony/porch area

Laurel Dining Room set:

Same as above with larger table and place setting - dispenses self rezzing (wearable) cutlery and drinks to you and or guests - food not included. Bottle candles, rug, console tablewhich includes FREE tulips, 2 prints, herbs from the Laurel Spring Decor Set, working wall clock, wall hanging art print. Save 10% buying the full set.

One of my FAVE things is the wall texture controller. It lives hidden behind this cute little framed key wall hanging. A touch and it slides up to reveal the controls for the kitchen, the living room and bedroom wall change. Some color combos below:

Hate to run ....but I have to hurry and get this out! See you at Home Expo 2011 - going on til May 22nd!

SLurl to [what next} at Home Expo

Giving Up the Ghost

Sometimes, doing what you know you need to do is difficult. Even when its been needed for a while. Even when you KNOW it needs to be done. It's funny how you just know something, but can't prove it. And then...by accident...you find the proof that validates what you've been thinking all along.

Once the cat is out of the bag, so to speak, there aren't many choices left. So "off with their heads," decrees the Queen. And roll it does. But not without some hurt feelings, a sense of betrayal, and just an icky "how could I have been so stupid" feeling. Below are some helpful suggestions to make this transition period a bit easier to handle.

Get out of the house!


Resist the urge to isolate yourself. If you just can’t bear to be around people, at least go outside and walk around the block, get some fresh air.

Let Go

Let go of the hurtful past. It will only hinder you from creating and cherishing the precious moments in your life.

Relax

This too shall pass. Hold on and hope that tomorrow will bring more than sunshine…even some joy!

Those are great suggestions regardless of what's going on in our lives. Good luck with them!  Now get outside! <3
 
JJ

New Truth Hair - Eden and Sia

'The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and must therefore be treated with great caution."
J. K. Rowling

This week, Truth gives us a gorgeous updo and a fun, casual style. Both amazing. I love the back of the updo, Eden. Soft and natural but elegant - with and without flowers. Sia is fun and flirty and and smexy. Love the way it hangs.

Eden - champagne

Sia - quince

Truth Hair SLurl
Truth Hair on Marketplace
Skin: Curio May skin - found at Skin and Shape Expo

Only Hope (Switchfoot)

Adam n Eve Skin - Dany @ Skin and Shape Expo

Skin and Shape Expo is up and running with over 70 vendors participating. The expo, which opened May 10th, will run until May 20th. 50% of all charity items will benefit Direct Relief International. http://www.directrelief.org/

Below is only one of many skins being offered by sachi vixen of Adam n Eve. This is Dany and it has to be my very favorite skin from Adam n Eve. It comes with 3 brow options, 4 eye shadow layers, and 6 lip colors.


Brows:
Top Row (l-r) Natural Bare, Natural Red
Bottom Rom (l-r): Natural Black, Natural Brown

Eyeshadow:
Top Row (l-r) Pink, Exotic
Bottom Row (l-r) Dragonet, Smoke

Lipstick:

Top Row (l-r) Nude, Nutmeg, Red

Bottom Row (l-r) Rose, Scarlet, Shell

 

My fave combination:  Natural Brown brows, Smoke Eyeshadow, Rose Lipstick

slurl to Adam n Ever @ Skin & Shape Expo - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Palladium/189/106/49

New Truth Hair - Cassandra & Clementine

"Like all dreamers I confuse disenchantment with truth." - Jean-Paul Sartre

I love Truth New Hair Fridays! Today, I have new hair in rl, too. yay! New color anway. More yay! Okay, enough about me....

Cassandra - champagne

Clementine- cranberry

Truth Hair inworld
Truth Hair Marketplace

tristan prettyman - simple as it should be

{what next} @ Culture Shock - Norwegian Wood Living Room

Culture Shock is in high gear with over 150 shops and proceeds going to an amazing cause, *Doctors Without Borders.

Below is the amazing Norwegian Wood Living Room set that Winter Thorn is offering at Culture Shock. It is only available there and offers all the options we've come to expect from all things {what next}: color change fabric/pillows/rugs...even the wood on the guitar is color change...and poses for singles and couples and pose props like guitars and laptops.
This set is a music lovers dream! Love the light wood textures.

SLurl to {what next} at Culture Shock

*Médecins Sans Frontières, commonly referred to as " Doctors Without Borders " is an independent humanitarian medical aid organisation. We are committed to providing medical aid where it is most needed, regardless of race, religion, politics or gender and also to raising awareness of the plight of the people we help.

New Truth Hair - Jacqueline, Shannon, Shanna

"You want the truth? No truth handler, you. I deride your truth handling abilities."

Sideshow Bob, The Simpsons

Jacqueline (l) Jacqueline2 (r)

in Espresso

Shannon

in Champagne

Shanna

in Cranberry

 

Truth Hair Marketplace

Truth Hair inworld SLurl

Skin: 

Photo 1 - Glam Affair

Photo 2 & 3 - Curio

Outfits:

Photo 1 - Gizza Shalway Outfit

Photo 2 - ~Blacklace~ Aphrodite

Photo 3 - Paris Metro French Lace Cocktail Dress

Shoes - !RFyre Andria Women's Black Ankle Boots

(all found at The Village)