February 14, 2010 Sunday

Here is my bike down Route 2 (Heterocera). And by the way, I mean bicycle, lol.

I found the "Route 2" rez area in Search Places -- it is at Ambrosia 123, 47, 29. Before I left I had studied my map of Heterocera with all its routes, so I would have some idea where to start and end (I have my own land, that map is huge; anyone have a HUD for such a thing?). So I know I am close to where I want to start, but it isn't completely clear . . . either direction seems to be Route 2 for the moment, so I guess I'll just take one direction and see where it leads. Route 2 generally goes around the outside of Heterocera, so I expect to be near the ocean. And sure enough, the rez area is on a nice boardwalk road with large, modern-style homes and parklike vegetation, and I can see the ocean, hear the waves and a distant gull, and someone's windchime. I'm gonna start out heading east from the rez area, although there are gonna be curves as we go along.

If you like feeling a bit haunted, visit Kongo Designs (Zoltar the Fortune Teller) at Fillip 166, 125, 28 and the Pump House (old abandoned) at 197, 55, 21. Go at night!

Next I happened upon the community of Ranunculus (Ranunculus 33, 244, 32) (by this time the boardwalk was pavement). City Hall, gas stations, suburban homes, 50s diner, shops, freebie area, beach area (including an old cannon), street lights, many more little "town" touches. I even saw a puppy who nipped at my ankles for a bit as I biked, lol.

Diamonds Rodeo. Ride a Buckin' Bronco. Quaker 135, 33, 31. (The road is overgrown cobblestone.)

Diamond Cove and Black Tarn Inn. Blacksmithing; and yaks. You heard me. Quaker 207, 38 30.

At a circular around a knotty tree (Buff 74, 224, 29), I had the choice of two roads. Sigh. I chose the one that said, "Caution. Road work ahead." The road ending, but I rode over fields with pine trees, mountains, etc, nearby. It still said Route 2! And I followed the telephone poles.

City of Annathom. Pool. Ice skating. Skyscrapers. Burnott 220, 45, 56.

Eventually I ran into protected land and decided to go back to the big knotty tree and took the east turn.

Atalante Classic Motors. Really nice classic cars. Eggar 109, 50, 32.

Art Essentials. If you like to paint, or look like you're painting, in SL, then this shop has some cute and thoughtful accessories . . . everything from the easel to paint-spotted jeans. Tawny 187, 218, 32.

Atolle Point Lighthouse and Community Park. Rivulet 85, 120, 24. (and which is where this branch of Route 2 ends).

Sallow Rest Place. Has a bus stop sign that says click it to travel to the unknown. Didn't quite dare do that. But it has a nice little Japanese-style beach diner along with Heterocera information. Sallow 205, 200, 32.

Satellite Market Square. Satellite 129, 12, 31.

Halberd Apartments. 340 L wk for 180 prims. Very spacious -- if you enjoy total decorating from the bottom up, you'll love these. Quiet area near the Market. Satellite 161, 12, 31.

I came to another terminus. I can't shake the feeling that I'm heading off to little side roads, although I'm glad of that, too. I decided to go back to my original land spot, as it was the only "turn" whose other direction I have yet to explore. So now I'm going West on Ambrosia.

Four Horsemen. A really gorgeous winter play area. Lake surrounded by snow mountains, skate on the lake. Pandorus 211, 175, 46.

Another fun fork in the road. The left rose into -- where does it rise to? It is called Bridge Road. Hydrangea 193, 213, 41.

Epoch Mage. Shop for just what it sounds like -- mage wands and whatnot. Really cool. Ethmia 163, 215, 85.

Chaos Machine. Woolybear 201, 253, 87.

Ivy's. Really funny, sarcastic signs for your bar or similar business establishment. Oakworm 133, 162, 31.

Eventually I twirled myself all around until I arrived back at the spot where the road forked, only coming up on the road I didn't take. I should also say, that, obviously I am only giving the highlights. But, again, there are oceans, yachts, luxury homes, bird sounds, a business or two, picnic areas, varying road pavements (mostly cobbled) -- really a lovely way. In any case, I still have a couple of forks I kept track of (landmarks), that I can still take.

A nice pier with a killer whale (go downstairs). Girdler 184, 76, 32.

Drive through a foggy tunnel. Tiger 42, 27, 29. OH! my gosh! big spider on the ceiling! Huge! Spiders everywhere and owl and wolf sounds. This is a linden tunnel, somebody got creative!

Anyway, this section of Route 2 is more of a path than a street or road. Pretty cool. Still cobbled. (for example, Algira)

Huet Village Italy. Several cute rental cottages, both sides of the road. Different styles. Algira 118, 16, 31.

A shop with a gnome avatar, big and beautiful outfits, and other cool clothing and things. Willow Bend. Jota 197, 106, 34.

Astryl Town. Cute little shopping village, like old Alaska, and rentals. I hear a kitty meowing. A park with hanging lights. Lunaris 67, 14, 40.

That's enough for one day. I didn't get all of Route 2 in, so I'm sure I'll pick up where I left off sometime.

December 25, 2009 Friday

With my free time today, I thought I would bike on Route 1 (Heterocera Atoll (mainland)). I wanted to use a chopper, but it's too fast and out of control for me. I want to see what I'm driving past. So I'll stick with my hobo bike. I am at the Tuliptree SL Railway Consortium parcel, driving down railroad tracks until I really get to Route 1. Love the railway and station buildings. Route 1, by the way, is cobblestone overgrown with vegetation. I have yet to come across anything remarkable (a few slightly interesting builds here and there-- a giant daisy, some Dutch windmills, and so forth), Route 1 is (so far) quite nice in that it isn't as garish as other mainland areas -- no blighted business areas and clogged 512s. I've even passed by some reasonably priced, pretty, high prim rental homes that are vacant. I diverged from the railroad some ways back -- kinda wanted to see where it went (a lot of it parallels Rt 1), but I can only be in one place at one time, so I'm sticking with the road. And it has gotten too laggy even for the bicycle, so I'm walking now (eventually taking to flight), which is fine, because the greenery and lovely homes are sweet to see.

I came across Pit's Truck Stop, which was an interesting re-creation. There was a semi truck getting gas at a gasoline bay. There was a laundromat, diner, and convenience store among other things. Also discovered a cute little place called Virtual Reality Learning Institute which had some information as well as a cafeteria and dormitories. But it was rustic, not modern. Cute, simple, informative.

Other places worth a peek: Spini Reservoir, Edison Shores Towers (spacious apartments), Rivula Park (good for kiddies), Citrago Cornfield and Zombie Shooting Gallery, Newbie World (amusement park), Zygaena Crater (lake in the center of Heterocera), Age Verification Test Zone and Information, Rocky Top (mountain in Arches), and herd of yaks (you heard me!) in Immidae, The Peach Pit (a pastel diner in Peach), a green house by the side of the road in Clearwing, the Duchy of Darkmere, Washburne (a town), The Bluffs Nature Preserve and Center for the Arts (including the Lodge), Lacamas Reading Hall (which is conveniently near Jackson Street Books), Cafe Wellstone, Meowth Manor and Gardens (although don't go near the house -- gardens PG and free), Volunteer HQ or Resident Help Network (for volunteers across SL, it says--awesome auditorium and forum areas, not to mention a mountain-sized robot man), Tikva's Beautiful Tara, and Hagen Forest.

Route 1 basically ended into nothing -- grass -- except the railway was there a short distance away, so I walked along it for a while til it ended also. I regret to say that I really haven't met a solitary soul on my Route 1 adventure. Only a small group near Zygaena Crater, who actually returned my greeting in German, and a Turkish gentleman near the old site of a femdom who did not answer me. Ah well.

I couldn't leave Heterocera without a stop off at the Temple of Iris (Linden Historical Site).

December 9, 2009 Wednesday

I have a lovely little -- well, not so little; it's very spacious, 2 stories. It's a beach house on a private island called Ceridwyn Isle resorts. I love it here. Nice neighbors, yet they don't bother you either. I shopped until I got the prims I wanted for a great price (400 prims, 600 a week). The squarage of it is very generous -- I have a nice-sized private beach, plus a little front yard facing the interior of the island. I gave up my 200 prim Sunset View apartment for this place.

So, I've slowly been decorating. It's just my relaxing house. I've been landscaping and gardening a bit at a time. Found a cute 12 prim herb garden at Luna Bliss. Perfect. Oh, and I have my Christmas tree up. When I was shopping for the herb garden, everyone has their Christmas stuff out for sale, so that is fun.

I started taking pictures of the clothing line I've been working on, although I didn't get it done to be a fall line. Any way, this involves me on a pose ball with a modeling animation in front of a backdrop I created. Also I mix and match skins, poses, and hair plus, of course, the dress I made to sell.

Then I did my first ice skating of the season! *Gives a wonderful sigh . . . Anyway, the people that are my landlords on the island I live have a winter wonderland area right now, so they have a rink. So fun . . . leaping . . .

August 18, 2009 Tuesday

At the moment, I am touring Costa Rica. As I walked along, I met a very nice young lady who was a resident there, a new one she said. She was riding a horse and showed me where to get one. So we both rode throughout the sims. I have to say I have rarely seen SL nature so pleasing . . . palm trees and sea, yet green and wildflowers and aspens. The homes were more like estates. There were cows and horses, yet luxury. Very nice. I haven't even seen it all. She gave me a "taxi" HUD that I can use to make sure I don't miss any of it.

August 15, 2009 Sunday

Today I attended a ballet by Ballet Pixelle telling a story about a Nepal goddess.

Last night I worked more on my Spiral Dynamics Integral exhibit, making some signs, writing a notecard about Dr. Graves, etc.

August 15, 2009 Saturday

As of the 6th of this month, I have been on Second Life for one year. This week upcoming will also be a second billing of my yearly premium account fee. I didn't realize that I had made the decision to go with a premium account that quickly. But it has been a good idea. I get 300 L a month and I finally have my 512 tierless piece of land I'm working with. I also have had occasion to use the live chat support capability.

Today I took a peek at SL's quarterly economy report and apparently user-to-user transactions have doubled over the last year. I found out they also categorize SL users with a 50 hour a month line -- over or under. I'm definitely over 50 hours. 18 percent of users "play" 50 hours or more, but they drive 87 percent of the economy. Cool.

I'm still working on my Apricot Apartment complex. It is still not ready for renting. But I've continued to enjoy the process. I continue to work on my fall lines for Aileen's Fashion & Furniture so I can have an unveiling in September.

Two big changes. I gave up my apartment and found an utterly lovely two-story beach house at Ceridwyn Isle. Very nice neighbors, had a chat with a couple. I just decided I needed 400 prims instead of 200 and this place just fits where I'm at right now. I don't really want to buy my own land for this particular purpose, I'd rather rent. This was a gem steal for the price. Anyway, I'm by the shore, yet there is room for the gardens I'm going to plant and the pets I'll have.

Second big change is that there is upheaval at my beloved Runningbears and I'm not sure how its going to settle. I still have some lifelong friends there, but I'm not sure if there will be a mall and club etc anymore. So I am in the position now of looking for another main shop for Aileen's Fashion & Furniture (and which by the way may affect if and how I throw my Fall Line unveiling party). I have had fun the last few days looking at locations and think I have found the place I want but haven't rented quite yet. There is a short list.

I also met a gentleman at a place I help out newcomers -- he was one. He's just one of those people you click with, and so we have been IMing and doing this and that. It's always nice to have a companion to enjoy the amenities of SL with.

I continue to work on smaller projects as well -- still decorating my house -- the beach house now. Still working on setting up to give classes on subjects such as the power of belief. Still helping out newcomers. Still stopping by for a hockey game here and there. It never ends.

I've been on SL a lot this summer, but in a week I'm going to be in another semester of college (RL) so although I will probably check in each night, my time is going to necessarily be a lot less. But I'll make do. I like that what I learn in SL -- to create -- inspires me to create the life I want in RL also. So it enriches my RL as I realize what is most important to me and I work hard so that I have a great family life and reach my professional and personal goals in RL.

Today I turn my attention to my community of Al-Andalus. I started by riding a horse around the CDS sims and see how they connect. I have been around before, and even now of course I do not know every nook and cranny. But I am feeling comfortable with the lay out now. (This would be Alpine, Bavaria, Locus Amoenus, Colonia Nova and Al-Andalus.)

July 22, 2009 Wednesday

I have continued to work on building the Apricot apartment complex, as well as creating items for my shop. Steven B. (who I met some time ago at Runningbears and is an ongoing friend) has helped me with the rental boxes. I went ahead and applied for the Fall Frenzy grid hunt -- we'll see if I get in. But it fires my imagination to create some fall clothing lines. So I spent most of today creating my Manhattan Peasant Dress. It really is going to be an ensemble with a hat and bag and everything. I'm going to make at least three versions. I really am bumbling along with this -- clothes making. I haven't got the right tools and even though I downloaded Paint.net, the learning curve for something like that is tremendous for someone like me to be able to make clothing. So I am just making them right now from the "Edit Appearance" features, full perm examples, and I even made a prim item from a torus today. But it is fun, period.

So there is a poverty vowed sufi who is running around Al-Andalus these days and I spoke to him again. He was floating (you heard me) around my house. Ha ha. He seems very nice, and I hope to get to know him better.

My neighbor at my Sunset View apartment saw all the remodeling I have been doing (oh! I found a lovely Georgia OKeefe to put up!), and he begged me to decorate his place. So one night I burned the midnight oil putting up walls, floors, tile, and a couple of chairs. It will take me a while to complete it, but it gives me another project. My apartment is all lavender and sage and country feminine. So now I am trying to make something masculine for my neighbor. I am going for deep colors. I gave him one brick wall. A wood floor. I want it to be fun for him, not stilted, but not juvenile either. So we'll see.

I have started building my second apartment complex. I haven't got land, but I'll have a prefab ready to drop. I am calling it Cucumber. It is kind of Greek classical feeling fused with modern.