Satisfied Mind

Rosanne Cash is one of my secret heroines. She proves that a person can grow up to be normal and productive, even with the privileges and problems of being the child of a celebrity (she is Johnny Cash’s daughter). She recently did an album of songs called The List from a list her father gave her of the 100 most essential country songs he wanted her to know. One of the best songs on the album is “Satisfied Mind.”

Rosanne Cash does country music but she lives in Greenwich Village and grew up in Southern California. So we’re not talking about a woman here who has uh.. milked the cows and driven the tractor to the back field.

This dress by sachi Vixen reminded me of her as it has a sort of country flavor in its denim and then a sort of city sexiness in its short length. Sachi, a veteran of SL, makes a dress that is seam free with stitching that curve over the body in all the right places. I pair it with a set of thigh high socks held up by suspenders, hand knitted by Nena Janus and boots Emma Gilmour just put out for Fifty Linden Friday.

My skin is one of Tuli’s Dressing Room offerings, one that I like a lot with its purple shading. My beautiful and almost impossibly long and thick braid (which curves around from the back) is a very recent offering from Truth Hawks.

How many times have you heard someone say
“If I had his money, I could do things my way?”
Little they know that it’s so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind….
~ “Satisfied Mind” as performed by Rosanne Cash (with Neko Case)

Hair: >TRUTH< Tamina – chestnut by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH<

Skin: []::Tuli::[] The Dressing Room :: Gina 04 by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress: AE JDS Blue by sachi Vixen for Adam n Eve *

Stockings: *League* Thermal Stockings –SoftPink by Nena Janus for *League*

Boots: [SC] Surf Couture – Olea Boots – Worn by Emma Gilmour for Surf Couture

PS I hazard a guess this is the ONLY non-Halloween blog you’re seeing today. It’s intentional. I have eaten all the candy already :P

Autumn Movement

I cried over beautiful things knowing no beautiful thing lasts.

The field of cornflower yellow is a scarf at the neck of the copper sunburned woman, the mother of the year, the taker of seeds.

The northwest wind comes and the yellow is torn full of holes, new beautiful things come in the first spit of snow on the northwest wind, and the old things go, not one lasts.

~ Carl Sandburg

Autumn has peaked here and all it leaves are the memories of colors and the golden sunlight scattered on the lawn. AvaGardner Kungler’s evening dress reminds me of those colors with its rich gold so beautifully rendered and dark leaves. AvaGardner understands how to highlight the sheen that might show in a fabric and does a terrific job with the system piece bodice, doing just that.

I wear this dress over one of Kira Ahn’s skins, currently at a discount at her closing sale for dekade. This African-American skin is gorgeous with great highlighting. I especially love the eyes and lips. I adjusted my facial features quite substantially on my shape to make the skin make more sense. I am curious if Kira was fitting this skin to a thinner nose because I found it hard to make a nose that made sense.

Queue Marlowe made this absolutely gorgeous updo with an optional band that can be modified to any color you choose through the old-fashioned, scriptless edit and color change. (Honestly, sometimes that’s all it takes, folks—low lag and easy peasy ;)) I wear pretty leaf earrings from Caroline Apollo for this autumn theme and a great texture change bracelet from Julia Tower.

I cried over beautiful things knowing no beautiful thing lasts.

Hair: AD – kathryn dark with hibi band by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog *

Skin: [dekade.] SKINS BARDOT-Zuri/Ebony/Eyebrows 02/Hair/Make up 03 by Kira Ahn for [dekade.]

Dress: (Kunglers Couture) Sophia – amber by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers

Earrings: (Caroline’s Jewelry) Gold Leaf Earring Large by Caroline Apollo for Caroline’s Jewelry

Bracelet: [} Jasha {] Verandi Bangle – Right by Julia Tower for [} Jasha {]

The Advantages of Being Male

In looking for inspiration for this blog, I tripped across an interesting list: 90 Advantages of Being Male. So in lieu of my saying anything pithy, please allow me to share some of my favorites:

1. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat… 3. You know stuff about tanks…. 6. Your bathroom lines are 80% shorter…. 8. Old friends don’t give you crap if you’ve lost or gained weight… 11. Your ass is never a factor in a job interview…. 13. A beer gut does not make you invisible to the opposite sex… 23. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.

Yaszi Mornington gets that it’s easy to be a man. Just throw on this tweed hoodie and it’s all good. Shelly Toonie has you covered with a great sweater and Rob1977 Moonites makes your terrific cords.

34. You don’t have to shave below your neck. 35. You don’t have to curl up next to a hairy ass every night…. 39. Everything on your face stays its original color…. 43. Flowers fix everything…. 45. You get to think about sex 90% of your waking hours… 47. Three pair of shoes are more than enough…. 53. You can whip your shirt off on a hot day…. 61. Hot wax never comes near your pubic area….69. Wedding Dress $2000; Tux rental $100…. 72. People never glance at your chest when you’re talking to them.

Tricky Boucher teased his group members last week with two new men’s skin offerings. I donned the Shawn here because the eyeliner on the other was just too much for me. I will tell you, I inspected this skin thoroughly (*cough*). It passes all my tests. And Truth Hawks decides to give a nod to the guys with great new hair that came out this week. Why is there so much less hair for men in SL? “57. You don’t give a rat’s ass if someone notices your new haircut.”

77. You needn’t pretend you’re “freshening up” to go to the bathroom. 78. If you don’t call your buddy when you say you will, he won’t tell your friends you’ve changed…. 85. If something mechanical doesn’t work, you can fix it or bash it with a hammer and throw it across the room. 86. New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet…. 88. You don’t have to remember everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries.

90. Your pals can be trusted never to trap you with: “So…notice anything different?”

Hair: >TRUTH< Drake – cocoa by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH<

Skin: -Belleza- Shawn Med group gift by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza-

Jacket: Meriken Co. “HOOD” Brown by Yaszi Mornington for Meriken

Sweater: MS-Knit Vee Olive by Shelly Toonie for Moonshine *

Pants: *FIR* Brown Cords by Rob1977 Moonites for FIR & MNA *

Shoes: (Shiny Things) Murphys – brown by Fallingwater Cellardoor for Shiny Things

Brave New World

Gwyneth Llewellyn twittered a great story yesterday, written in the finest post-apocalyptic style about SL after SL. Told by an “Oldbie,” the story predicts the future of the grid once the Open Grids took over. (Please click that link—it’s well worth reading.) Once mesh is on the grid, once other grids open up, what will it look like? Will our avatars be human or ultra human?

Whatever grid we end up on, Eshi Otawara will be leading the way for design. No matter what you put in her hands—prims, textures, sculpties—she finds a way to make something entirely new and imaginative.

One of her newest outfits, a mash up of pieces based on a look invented by Ipkiss Igaly, is enhanced by Eshi’s ability to scale the prims in new and exciting ways and to downplay color when shape is needed. I sometimes wonder if she should have been a sculptor rather than a painter.

I chose to show this with SinSister Chastity’s beautiful African-American skin for Abyss. I also think the future grid is going to be less “white” and more colorful, as the real world is—in more ways than just skin color.

“I do love new Clothes.” ~ A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Skin: [ ama garijus ][ sunset ][ vixen ][ bald] by SinSister Chastity for <TheAbyss>

Outfit: Igaly Darkness – by Eshi Otawara and Ipkiss Igaly for Eshi Otawara *

PS Yeah, not a lot of writing. I am just finishing this scarf. Must. Get. Done.

Aether Captain

The underlying spirit of SL is the game. Many of us came to SL as former gamers, usually on video or computer games, oftentimes from social networking sites. Gaming is inherently social, so it all makes sense, and even if SL isn’t a game, we all understand “the game.”

The role playing communities in SL are very familiar with the social game. They are all playing games in role playing—games that are complex and compelling, drawn off books and games and other stories. Perhaps there will be an RP community derived from a game like Todd Action’s newest, Aether Captains, which is a dice game.

I donned this outfit in honor of Todd’s new game. Trilobyte Zanzibar and blakopal Galicia, two of the coolest RL Burners in SL, btw, created this great ensemble for all you gamers and high flyers. With its ornately embroidered jacket and spirited scarf, it’s great fantasy garb from two great artists.

I grace this ensemble with hair from Elikapeka Tiramisu. She has opened her new store—Elikatira, and it’s as exciting as you might imagine. I mean, hair—how worked up can someone get? Well pretty worked up, in my case. Elika doesn’t fail to delight—every single piece she has released is gorgeous and the textures are spot on. Welcome back, Elika!

I checked out Rhapzody Wilde’s store again as I was hearing some great stuff. I had not liked her first skins—the eyebrows had that sort of anxious look that doesn’t suit Harper. Rhapzody’s been busy, however, and she has a whole new room full of skins, including one that takes advantage of all the delights of layering alpha and tattoo layers. I love the unique touches Rhapzody has given this skin—from the full but not over done lips to the the moles on the skin.

Adventure is worthwhile in itself. ~ Amelia Earhart

Hair: [e] Away – Brown 08 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira

Skin: Sophie~Smokey~Brown Brows by Rhapzody Wilde for Mynerva

Outfit: BlakOpal Airship Pilot Ladies Outfit – White by blakopal Galicia and Trilobyte Zanzibar for BlakOpal *

Boots: BAX Prestige Boots Brown Leather by Bax Coen for BAX Boots *

Fall

… And every year there is a brief, startling moment
When we pause in the middle of a long walk home and
Suddenly feel something invisible and weightless
Touching our shoulders, sweeping down from the air:
It is the autumn wind pressing against our bodies;
It is the changing light of fall falling on us.
~ from “Fall” by Richard Hirsch

Fall is the poet’s favorite time of year—bright colors, bold scents, and the idea of death lingering over everything. It’s a delicious sort of melancholy really, an indulgent state of emo. It requires long walks through the fallen leaves, squinty gazing up in the now-bare trees, and a pensive expression.

It also requires, as with everything I do, a good wardrobe. In this case I shrugged on a great jacket from kinbo Akina, which comes in three colors (get the fat pack at only 400L for versatility). I layered it over a spankin’ new sweater from Anyusha Lillienthal, which sports a cute sculpty front pocket and slouchy waist. I had a little trouble adjusting this prim at first but layered under the coat it looks dandy. Leggings also from Anyusha keep me warm.

My skin is a beautiful freckled fall wonder from Trin Trevellion. This particular line is suitable for redheads or brunettes and has a beautiful skin tone with pretty lips and gorgeous eyes. My pretty earrings are from Maeve Mortlock, the goddess of fun and inexpensive jewelry. (She said her RL sister is a RL jewelry maker but Maeve herself is too “tomboyish” to make silver do what she wants so she does it in SL.) I would buy a lot of this jewelry if it were available in RL–it has a beautiful hand-crafted look.

My boots, which are perfect for fall leaf kicking, are from Siddean Munro, who is just in the middle of spring on her side of the world. With their luscious leather textures, the great zipper, and the really easy resizer hud, these boots are a deal. (And I love the styling—check the strap running under the boot!)

Written while listening to “Broken” by S.Carey.

Hair: >TRUTH< Paige – copper by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: -sD- Wichita [Tan.Freckles – Spring] by Trin Trevellion for ::Sindecade:: *

Jacket: oyakin*linen-coat(beige by kinbo Akina for oyakin

Sweater: Ibizarre Mara Jumper (Woodbine) by Anyusha Lillienthal for Ibizarre *

Pants: Ibizarre Romy Leather Pants (black) by Anyusha Lillienthal for Ibizarre *

Earrings: Ear Candy ~ Chunk of Jade Earrings by Maeve Mortlock for Ear Candy

Boots: SLink Mieke Riding Boots – Brown by Siddean Munro for SLink *

Go Packers!

On Sundays where I live, there is so much green and gold on every living person, it’s enough to make one wonder if investing in gold and green dye plants would make one a millionaire. Packers fans are about as devoted as they get, and with this weekend’s battle against the Minnesota Vikings, there was a buzz in the air. We wanted to CREAM the Vikings. And we did! I am sorry to say, but there was something so satisfying seeing Brett Favre throw that last minute incomplete. (My international friends can pretend they are above all this but I have seen the World Cup. You don’t have to know the players or game to know the feeling ;))

Well, the biggest fans know it requires more than just cheering—it requires a sort of psychic oneness with the team to get them through. And this psychic oneness necessitates dressing up in the team colors in the most outrageous ways in order to push that ball through the end posts. Rob1977 Moonites accommodated me in my efforts by making his very cute Jackson sweater in green and gold. (I don’t think he intended this at all—he’s Irish and probably has no idea who the Packers are but it’s a lucky coincidence, dontcha think?)  Skinny jeans from Gin Galtier with a yellow pocket make it all nice matchy matchy.

I modified this hair from Kavar Cleanslate to make it greener. I hope the dye washes out tomorrow—eek! Tiff Aristocrat has made some darling facepaints for the 2.0 tattoo layer that bring out the spirit in all of us (though I would caution her against using trademarked team names for them). We know that’s why LL made that tattoo layer–so we can show our team spirit!

I love these high tops from Coke Dreadlow. They are beautifully sculpted, textured and scripted to let a person change the colors all over the shoe. A custom-made Packer Backer sneaker! (Say THAT three times fast!) And my beer helmet? Well ya know, it’s never a Packer game without some beer. (Found this in Blazed Undercity’s head shop—I don’t think I laughed quite so much as the night I visited that place.)

Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers were all about. They didn’t do it for individual glory. They did it because they loved one another. ~ Vince Lombardi

Hair: Exile Dori/aqua by Kavar Cleanslate for Exile (modified)

Skin: *YS & YS* Andrea 07 Passion by Monicuzza Babenco for *YS & YS*

Makeup: Facepaint Green Bay Colors ‘half’ – f by Tiff Aristocrat for ***Sports Teams Face Paint

Sweater: *FIR & MNA* The Jackson Sweater Green Womens by Rob1977 Moonites for *FIR & MNA* *

Jeans: Djinn & Tonic [Bootcut Denim, Dark & Belted] YELLOW  by Gin Galtier for Djinn and Tonic *

Scarf: >TRUTH<  Lygon Scarf [yellow stripe] by Pixel Chrome for >TRUTH<

Socks: *Sprawl* Scrunchy Sock (green) by Pushbutton Skolnick for Sprawl

Shoes: PornStar Hi-Tops MultiColor v2 by Coke Dreadlow for Urban Bomb Unit

Hat: !Blazed.BeerHelmet by Blazed Undercity for OD Games & Scripts

Meetings

I have been attending lots of meetings lately.

For meetings, it’s best to leave off the bling and the tight revealing miniskirt and the fringed bra. It’s best to be remembered for your contributions and not your apparel. That’s why I wear this pretty but conservative ensemble which starts with the jacket from MariaElena Barbosa’s Marlene set. It has elements that are photosourced and it’s well constructed with a peplum skirt and smart cuffs. My skirt is a pretty one from como Setsuko, who has a whole gatcha full of these skirts. Shoes are a conservative and pleasing silhouette from Fallingwater Cellardoor. (I just love Fallingwater’s shoes—they are classy and versatile. I could see this pair working with a very sexy outfit just as easily.)

My skin is from Kira Ahn’s sale at dekade. I really liked the Vivienne set in the Bardot line. It’s sophisticated, mature and beautiful with a variety of makeups. Pick it up before Kira’s sale ends because once it’s gone, I presume it’s gone. Earrings are pretty little baubles from Delora Starbrook and I pulled my hair up in a ponytail from Parvarti Monday. Easy peasy.

“Meetings are indispensable when you don’t want to do anything.” ~ John Kenneth Galbraith

Hair: fri. – Cassidy – Thoughtful Brown by Parvarti Monday for fri.day *

Skin: [dekade.] SKINS BARDOT-Vivienne Tan /Brown Brows/Make Up 09 by Kira Ahn for dekade

Jacket: MEB : Marlene by MariaElena Barbosa for MEB *

Skirt: ::{u.f.o}:: blossom band long skirt.(sky loman) by como Setsuko for ::{u.f.o}::

Tie: MIEL ELLE UBER bow by Mika Nieuport for Miel

Earrings: *HD* Bertille Earrings by Delora Starbrook for Haven Designs

Shoes: (Shiny Things) Kelsey pumps – black by Fallingwater Cellardoor for Shiny Things

A Little Secret

A very popular fantasy entails a trench coat and lingerie. It’s a very sexy one for both the wearer and the gazer. It is always a trench coat, always a trip to his office midday in a busy city, always a taxi ride over. There is something so piquantly delightful about the secret of what’s under the trench coat—and what isn’t.

Imagine the satiny lining of a trench coat against your skin, its warmth as it slides against your body and the thrill of being the only cover between you and exposure as you ride over in the taxi on the way to his office through traffic. Thankfully, Emma Gilmour’s trench covers just enough and gets you from taxi into his office. Beautifully sculpted and rendered, it certainly makes this fantasy seem almost real, especially with stockings peeking underneath.

And those stockings… well they are attached to the garter that is skillfully made by camilla Yosuke, the doyenne of lingerie in SL. As your coat is drawn open, the scent of your fragrance floats out, warm off your skin, and the sheer swiss dot of the garter and bra is enticingly revealed. Your coat slips off your shoulders and drops to the floor and his eyes follow the lines of the lingerie around to the back, seeing a little sweetheart cut out on the panties. Your intent becomes suddenly clear, as you can see the expression on his face.

Tricky Boucher’s skin is the ideal for this look. Sensuous, glowing, freckled and shadowed in all the right places, it compliments camilla’s lingerie. A sexy updo from Truth Hawks with stray tendrils falling out means this hair will soon be taken down. Pretty pumps from Fallingwater Cellardoor get you past the receptionist with their proper and classy styling and right into his office.

It’s not what you wear – it’s how you take it off.

Hair: >TRUTH< Leighton 2 – seaspray by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: -Belleza- Elle Dark SK 5 by Tricky Boucher for Belleza *

Jacket: [SC] Surf Couture – Corriedale Coat by Emma Gilmour for Surf Couture

Lingerie: Dee Cream Outfit  by INSOLENCE Lingerie by camilla Yosuke for Insolence *

Shoes: (Shiny Things) Delphine pumps – sand by Fallingwater Cellardoor for Shiny Things *

Parabolas

“She wore a short skirt and a tight sweater and her figure described a set of parabolas that could cause cardiac arrest in a yak.” ~Woody Allen

Some people think the coming of cooler temperatures means the coming of the hiding of the body—big bulky knits layered under big puffy quilted coats so everyone is waddling around like the Michelin Man. There is no need for this. First, it’s not cold enough yet and second, gosh, we’re in SL where it’s a temperate 72F at all times. And one can be warm and fashionable.

Take this short skirt and sweater set from beanster Potato. Beanster has always been about funky casual styling and color sets and she doesn’t miss the mark this time. I wear it with capri tights from Ana Boogiewoogie to cut the chill (and the long tunic over short leggings is very “in” this year). Finally I feature very stylish shoes from Jolie Monday. I am digging seeing the strap wrap around the shoe and heel on all sorts of shoes this year—they are tres chic.

My full and fetching hair arrives from the creative studios of my darlin, Queue Marlowe. Turns out she can do straighter hair too, and this hair has all the hallmarks of sexiness, especially the little curl around the cheek. Tuli Asturias makes me smile—literally. And casual jewelry from Ryker Beck completes the look.

Frank: I can knit a sweater!
Annie: I can fill it better!
~ from “Annie Get Your Gun”

Hair: AD-mochi brown sugar by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog *

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Audrey (tone 3/br) :: 05 with []::Tuli::[] Audrey t3 – dark 8 matte by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress: Hurley – Brown / Striped by beanster Potato for Ducknipple

Tights: Sh*t Happens – Footless Tights (Olive) by Ana Boogiewoogie for Sh*t Happens

Jewelry: :: Exodi :: Autumn Set by Ryker Beck for :: Exodi ::

Shoes: fri. – Dream.Booties (Chocolate) by Jolie Monday for fri.day