Who Ya Gonna Call?

Even the biggest investors need sound advice in these uneasy economic times. Is your savings account as thin as a graham cracker? Is the value of the stock you bought melting down like a Hersey bar on the dashboard in July? Has the price of gas made you feel like you have been impaled on a sharp stick? When its time to pay the bills, do you sweat like you are being roasted over a fire? Do you have the sensation of being squished by the bite that inflation takes from your salary?

Well, head for Investing Info Island! No financial question is too huge! No problem too sticky! Everything you ever wanted to know about making your saving grow is there! You will feel much easier when you learn how to cope with the massive money worries we all share! After some careful research, you will no longer feel like a tiny bug about to be stepped on! You will smile, and open your arms to embrace the security that sound investing information can provide.

What s'more could you want?

HJ

(The Staypuft Marshmallow was played by someone named Susan).

Ever Feel Out of Step?

While wandering around, looking for something ( I cannot remember what), I spotted this glaring error on a wall of stuff for sale. It may not be a mistake, it could be an attention getting device. We can give the merchant the benefit of the doubt, I guess. In any case, this avatar was all alone, hanging upside down.

When I grabbed the snapshot, I thought that it would make a short, funny blog entry. Then a few days went by, and I'd forgotten all about it. Today, while looking at my photographs found this one.

It must have been fate! This is kind of how I felt yesterday and today. Upside down in a right side up universe. Nothing big happened. No gut wrenching conversations. It began yesterday at a mentor's meeting. Sitting across the table from me was one of the older residents of SL. A man who has been mentoring for ages. A person who has the ear of the Lindens. I started to feel inadequate. I typed in several comments for the discussion, and deleted them all. Finally at the end, I had a thought to share, and when I did, it fell like a snowflake in the dead of winter, quiet and ignored. Not one person present said a word about it. And I could feel my confidence begin to shrink away.

Then, later on, a friend replied to an email, and clearly I had not communicated well. Or, she chose to reinterpret my words in a way that would alter the course of action proposed. I felt frustrated. This morning I've been in my backyard wondering how in the hell I'm going to get control over it! The damn weeds, the overgrown bushes, tree limbs that have to be cut back... its a very long list.

I'm overwhelmed, and feeling like that avatar, upside down in a right side up world.

I'm not sad, alone, scared, or overly emotional about all of this. It happens to everyone at times. That sneaky feeling that we simply are not good enough. A good laugh, a decent idea and all will be well. Hell, even Mr. Highly-Experienced-Mentor has to have his moments. In fact, I'm convinced that he is too far removed from being a new mentor to really appreciate our need for confidence building support. (A wiki post cannot solve that problem).

In fact, damn it, I'm feeling so much better after writing this, I'm going to implement my idea! If it fails, so what! At least I will have given it a go! And, I think it might be successful. After all, even when I'm not feeling confident, I think I'm good at inspiring confidence in others!

Hey, I can feel blood rushing to my toes! Thanks guys, just being able to talk with you via this blog has helped! What great friends you are!

HJ

Rocky, a very good friend

My second life is richly decorated by many wonderful people. Great friends with brains, compassion, wit and patience. They are generous with their time, knowledge and laughter.

I'm quite sure I met Rocky at the reference desk. He and his dear, wonderful wife Cindy visited one night when we were all in rare form. Rocky dove right in with his own brand of humor. But, he always seemed to be at the edge of the crowd. When I asked why that was, he replied, "I'm making sure I have a quick exit handy"!

I'm so glad that he never took that exit.

One of the best things about becoming friends with people is discovering the many talents and skills they have. Some of these aspects are immediately seen. Others take time, and the right circumstances to show themselves. For example, Rocky is a thoughtful, evocative writer.

This is shown by the speech written by Rocky in the previous post. Honestly, I could hardly believe it when I read it! I should not have been surprised, it is everything that Rocky is, wise, intelligent, thoughtful, and expressive! Please scroll down and read it, it is worth your time.

Rocky, I am so proud to call you my friend!

HJ

(And, no one passes funnier notes in class than Mr. Vallejo).

"Sophia, the Lady of Light, Wisdom and the Word"...

The following was written by Rocky Vallejo for the grand opening of Illumination Island.

Among the religious and philosophical belief systems of many different peoples, Wisdom is often portrayed as a woman of purity, grace and light.

In Greek, she is known as Sophia, one of Plato's four cardinal virtues.

In the Christian/Jewish holy book, The Bible, she speaks to humanity: "Does
not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?" On the heights
beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; "beside the gates
in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud."

Sophia...her message, often unheard in a world loudly pressing on to
make one more Linden, is one of self reflection, and an understanding
of the potential within each of us to make a difference and truly enjoy
our lives and life around around us.

When I first visited Xinoxi's sim, then on the Willow sim I could hear her...
Sophia...

I could feel her presence and held her hand as she walked with me through
her land. She shown out to me brightly in the visual feast of the place
its architecture and stately grounds. She led me down hallways and rooms
set out in graceful splendor opening my mind to the other name given her...
"Logos"... "The Word."

I laughed with her at the antics of Louis Wain's cats. We fled in terror
before the Martian hordes of the War of the Worlds, winced at Elizabeth
Bennet's rebuff of Mister Darcy's initial offer of marriage, tumbled
down the rabbit hole with Alice and voyaged 20,000 leagues under the
sea with Captain Nemo.

Robert Louis Stevenson knelt with us in prayer and while our eyes were closed,
connecting with the Deity, Peter Rabbit snuck into our garden and cleared
us out of our carrots!

We passed Shakespeare deep in conversation with Sun Tzu on strategems of love and war
and tiptoed by Nietzsche brooding in a corner.

Out again into the sunlight we lost ourselves in the maze and finally stood
in awe in the midst of the Olympian temple of the gods.

On Illumination Island I could shut out the day to day din that presses in
on us in both real life and second life, and see the light, feel the grace
and hear the words that Wisdom has to offer me here.

"... for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot
compare with her."

Thank you, Xinoxi for sharing this place with us. We in the library community welcome you
and wish you all the best as the newest member of our archipelago. 

Dances with Refrigerators?

Our dear friend Leeorie bought a new house for her property. So, she decided to have a going away party for the current house. She, being the good person that she is, invited every soul in Second Life. Little did she know that they would all show up!

Can you say sim crash? Yep, Lee's party crashed the sim.

Lee had mentioned that we were to help her get ready for the big move to her new house. So, we all decided to give her a hand, by removing her furniture, to our houses. This is what friends do for one another, we help out. So, Bucky grabbed the fridge, Liz shouldered the book rack, Alacrity had a lamp, Kat hoisted a large floor pillow. Not being a greedy sort, Insouciance simply took a lampshade. Amalia having put dibs on the bed, but decided to provide musical entertainment for the movers. Lourdes and Hypatia were so concerned about the chairs they wanted, they decided the best thing to do was simply sit on them until it was time to leave.

Prior to the crash, we wondered if Lee wanted to sell the lot as well. She kept yelling GARDEN, BACK YARD, and FIREPIT! She seemed to want everyone to get a good look at the place, because she would often yell, SPREAD OUT! This might be a novel idea for realtors and folks on the move. Show the place to a couple hundred folks all at one time and tell everyone to grab a piece of furniture on their way out.

It was a great time! Thanks Lee, and good luck in the new house.

(Lee, I forgot to grab that nice easy chair...I'll be by later to pick it up).

Infomaniacs!

Hey Maniacs. I've posted another ad for the Infomaniacs television program [har] on my Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/srharris/2718491700/

He Never Even Doodled!

The images above provide proof positive that its never too late for a talent to be nurtured. Alacrity has returned to college to pursue a BFA! The images above are but two of his works currently on display on the second floor of the Library Art Gallery.

The paintings have a wonderful sense of whimsy! The viewer is drawn in by the shapes and colors, and enchanted by the juxtaposition of the subjects. Two jelly beans and a fork! The fork just lies there, defeated by the tiny treats! The toy bear perched on a bowl of eggs and an lemon is delightful. How often does a still life painting make you smile? I'll leave you to discover the magic of the toy ducks in person.

As charming as the images are, there is a lot of skill involved as well. Creating an evocative image from a fork and jelly beans is not easy. So, Alacrity succeeds on several fronts; pleasing images, excellent skills, and a sense of wonder. Be sure to visit the gallery, its on Info Island.