Not Another Pop Quiz!

Learning, learning, learning. Life is the ultimate professor. Every day it seems that life presents a new problem. And often they are the dreaded story problems! No, not grade school algebra, but real-life story problems. Lately life has decided to teach me more about endurance.

I have a friend in real life who will not quit anything! She will stand in place and just take it until the task is completed. On one level I admire her, on a separate level I think she is nuts! Its the old hold 'em, fold 'em thing. She will stick to the most unpleasant job because she does not want to be labeled a quitter. I feel that knowing when to say thank you and walk away is a sign of wisdom. Its the line 'don't go where you're not wanted' expanded to 'don't stay where you aren't wanted'. These seem to me to be easy life issues. Look inside, think and decide which way to go. I have rarely regretted stepping away when it was time to do so.

Right now I am staying put. I'm trying to learn what life wants to teach me about being steadfast. This morning I heard my knee pop with every step as I dragged the trash out to the curb. I don't need this right now, thank you very much! I need to be ten, or twenty years younger now! I need to be tough. I need to wake up ready to take on the world.

People have called me strong. I don't know about that. All I know right now is that when the child in me cries out "I don't think I can do this anymore", the adult says "yes, you can, and yes you will". I'm getting good at developing my own work-arounds. Shedding a lot of the nonsense has felt good. My priorities are different now, better. What rises to the top of the worry list is no longer silly stuff. My sense of clarity and purpose has never been sharper.

So, the endurance lesson goes on. I wonder if there will be a gold star on my paper at the end.

And The Winner Is: Time

Time is about the strangest thing there is. It changes pace, its warps and bends, it can be heavy, it can fly, it can be wasted, or it can be the only thing that matters. Its measurable and ethereal. Time can run out, it can be on our side, or it can be the enemy. This weekend was a perfect example of how time can be the greatest trickster ever!

On Friday night time moved at the speed of light for me. The 30's swing bash at Gatsby's was really nice. What great music! Of course I had a slight wardrobe panic. For an insane moment I thought about going shopping. Thankfully, I reconsidered, and just went to enjoy the event. And enjoy it I did, until it was time to race home, change clothes, and go the next party!

Then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, the the party at the Jazz Cat was in full swing! Three hours just flew by. It was such fun. We had a lot of new visitors to the club. And of course, our Infomaniacs! It took me about two hours to realize that I was hogging the mic, it seemed like 15 minutes. (Feel free to boot me out of there if you want to sing). It wasn't until my fingers started to ache that I realized how long we had been there!

Saturday dawned in RL. (Time spent sleeping is the oddest of all, no sense of it passing. Just close your eyes, and when you open them again, poof, hours have gone by. Hours spent with insomnia cannot be described without using words like glacial or molasses). I had a meeting in SL at one pm. It had been three weeks since the previous meeting, and I had not done my homework! Where did that time go? So then, I had to spend a few torturous minutes begging forgiveness and promising to do better.

Saturday evening is lost to memory. A topic for another post. I think I actually logged off for a while. If anyone knows what I did, please remind me. LOL!

Sunday I did some RL yard work. Which is of course synonymous with eternity. Then back to SL for another meeting! (Meetings are better in SL. Its not necessary to govern your expression at all times). And before I knew it, it was dinner time!

A friend suggested that some quiet time might be just the thing. We fantasized about it for a while. No notices, no IMs, no chats, no nothing. Of course we might have set busy for a while, but my goodness, what might be missed? We could have logged off, but then we would miss even more. Its like being a small child unwilling to run home for lunch, something might happen while you are gone.

Time will win in the end. And that's fine with me as long as I can spend time with you, here in SL.

HJ

An adage worth remembering: Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

The Ref Desk Never Looked Better!

This handsome volunteer is gracing the Reference Desk in a brand new shape, hair, skin and wardrobe. He is none other than Gareth! A little shopping, a few Lindens and voila! When asked why he decided to do a complete makeover, Gareth replied "I just got tired of seeing myself everywhere I went".

Gentlemen, make no mistake, we DO notice! Good move Gareth!

Just Wear Black, How Hard Can That Be?

Upon first arriving in SL, I was thrilled with the attire! There were clothes everywhere, a lot of it was free or very cheap, and best of all, it fit! After a while it became clear that not every item was a good item. Some were pretty dismal, no matter how trim my figure. And then there is the naked tummy issue. My inventory is comparatively modest, but still jammed with clothing. So, when the wear black formal party invitation arrived it seemed like a no brainer! I have lots of black formals. I can just open my 'closet' choose one and go!

HAH! Wrong again! Some of the black outfits have been there since almost day one. They just scream freebie. The skirts don't pass the dance test. (Every skirt has to be danced in to be sure it moves well. Yes, it is a law). And, speaking of skirts, my system skirts still cannot be seen by me on my computer. Its disconcerting at best to look at yourself with one of the key wardrobe elements missing. And If I decide to ignore this glitch and assume everyone else can see the skirt, then the next day I will have forgotten its still on. So then everyone wonders why I'm wearing a long purple brocade skirt with a mint green casual top and sandals. And everyone is too polite to mention my gaffe!

Back to the black dress. I decided to go shopping, and buy a new one. This should also be very, very easy. Nope! I ran from store to store, and nothing seemed right. Well, the dress for 1,000 Lindens was really nice. But I do not spend that kind of money on clothing. (Yes, I'm quite sure that it shows, thank you). I decided to really dig deep into my inventory and either find or make an outfit. Black part A should go with black part Z when accented with black part Q. Mix and Match is fun, and it usually works. But, not this time.

Back to the malls. I bought two outfits. As you will see in the photos, this is another reason I don't like to buy clothes. If a freebie stinks, so what? If something you paid good money for stinks, you want to scream, or cry, or both.

Dress A is the mix and match outfit. Its in fashion limbo, caught between classy and trashy. Dress B I purchased thinking it might have a bit of a retro flair, long pants with a skirt framing the legs. It will be might be ok for that goth formal ball. Dress C looked awesome on the sales board. Upon wearing it, the waist 'band' looks more like a spare tire. And it is no modify! Someone did some good Photoshop editing on this one.

Dress D looks very good. I'm going to wear it tonight. It came right out of Amalia's inventory. Its transferable, modifiable, and will look great. I hope! That I'm wearing a hand-me-down shouldn't bother me...right?

Oh, I'm going to wear black hair as well! I can't wait to see how much editing I will have to do for that style! And, I'm going to have to delve into my jewelry box too!

Except for the fact that I cannot spill stuff on my clothes, getting dressed in SL is damn near as difficult as it is in RL! So, please, when you think about referring to SL as a game, remember my angst!

HJ

Its a Mystery - to me at least!

Am I the only one mystified by the many options in SL? Am I the only one who is surprised almost daily about the features available? Lighting, land, viewers, scripting, sculpties, bugs, work arounds, deeding, streaming audio and video, the list is almost endless.

So many people know so much more than I do. And thankfully, most of them are delighted to share that knowledge with me. Its one of the many things I love about SL. People here do not hoard what they know. If they chuckle at my ignorance, they do it when I'm not present! And for that I am grateful!

For several years I searched for an internet game that would appeal to me. My reflexes are not now, and perhaps have never been, as sharp as needed to play the shoot-em-up games. Strategy games give me a headache. Chess is an excellent example. Planning 30 moves in advance, all the time knowing that your opponents next move will change them in an instant, makes me a bit crazy.

I heard about SL on the radio just over a year ago. I managed to remember the name, and went looking for this 'game'. Getting in was so easy. A few bits of information and I was on Orientation Island (which is one of levels of hell Dante did not discuss). I'll not share with you just how long it took me to get out of there, but I think I my record stands. Despite all of the frustrations I was entranced! The creativity did it for me! And, lets be honest, the OIs are okay, but the real show is elsewhere.

I don't remember much about my first days on the mainland. I was shot at several times. Some dude propositioned me on a beach someplace. Being bored out of my mind while camping is crystal clear. Zooming around the metaverse looking for a nice, safe place occupied a lot of time. Being homeless was no fun at all, but with virtually no Lindens in my pocket, it was my only option. I was adorned head to toe in freebies (some things don't change).

What ultimately what kept me coming back were the people I met. My oldest friend here in SL was about two months younger than me. And, incredibly, I was able to help him! It felt so good to answer a question or two for this new friend. Then, a short while later, I met a SL Mentor. He was someone I could go to with my 'dumb' questions.

Throughout this time I was kind of desperate for more help. I typed 'info' into search, and managed to find my way to Info Island. It was full of folks who knew SL so much better than I did. Each of them offered help, and more; friendship, great conversation, and laughter. Lots of laughter.

Info Island and its sister islands have become my SL home away from home. Just wandering about feels very good to me. Other than shopping, I rarely go any where else. And that is due to you, my friends. The warm welcome you offered, your caring and assistance improved my SL experience completely. Virtually everything changes at the speed of light here, but the genuine friendships only grow deeper with time.

And, hardly anyone shoots at me anymore!

HJ

First of all, congratulations to our own Amalia Broome on her new position as Assistant Manager of the Jazz Cat! Amalia is full of ideas and enthusiasm about the club, and has plans for events that we will all enjoy!

This Friday, June 13th is her first party! Check out your inventory, it is formal, and we are asked to wear black. I'll post more details and send notices to remind you.

The move of the main library is done. A sidewalk has been added to connect the Reference Desk to Info Island. Its very inviting, and the improved vistas will make it easier for folks to see what else is available.

A June party is being planned for those of us with birthdays, rez days, and any other important commemoration of yours in the month of June. We will gather at the Jazz Cat on Sunday, June 22nd at noon, SLT. I hope you can make it.

Time to go, I can smell the coffee!

New Art Gallery

I'd been walking past Teo's latest effort, the Library Art Gallery for a while now. It is right next to the Main Library on Info Island. It is, like many galleries, not terribly showy on the outside. It has a pleasing exterior that is inviting but does not compete with its contents. In other words, its perfect!

Last evening was the grand opening of the gallery, and the first show. Art departments from the University of Kentucky and East Tennessee State University are represented in the works shown.

Arriving a bit late, the intense lag told me that the opening was a smash success! I was going to open my map and see how many were in attendance, but I figured loading the map would be glacially slow, and decided to go inside to see the artworks. And, wow!

It would be difficult to decide which one to spend the most time looking at, studying, enjoying or deciding to buy for my home. The two works depicting the timeless grandeur of the ocean caught my eye right away. The color and movement were almost hypnotic. On an adjacent wall were two photographic works that were intriguing for their use of light and shadow. Upstairs were works that were very impressive in the use of color. I particularly was drawn to the image of the young woman in a red dress standing before a weathered fence. That image tells a story.

So, please visit the gallery, and congrats to Teo and the artists for their wonderful work.

Then, of course there was an excellent party! We were dancing in the grass to some great music provided by Gabrielle Riel DJ and owner of Radio Riel.

Also this week was an interesting discussion on Cybersex: Talking about the elephant in the room was facilitated by a panel of three, Katt Tomsen, Trina Varriale, and Holly Chase. It was another well attended event with a lot of thought provoking conversation. I confess that I went to the meeting because I simply do not understand the whole concept of cybersex.

Now, some of you might think that I'm either way too old, way too prudish, way too married, or just way too dense to understand the appeal of cybersex. And you might be right. I can understand cyber love! But cybersex escapes me. For me sex is an intimacy builder, a trust enhancer, a life affirming experience, and a profound expression of love. Then there are the earth shattering orgasms, a nice frosting on a really great cake. My imagination cannot make the leap that enables me to see how all of that is transmittable via a keyboard. And, I think that I will let it go right there. It seems that I am incapable of communicating my thoughts on the subject.

I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on the subject. Here or in-world.

HJ