Decorating Help

“If you love something, it will work. That’s the only real rule.” ~ Bunny Williams

It’s time for spring cleaning and redecorating so I picked up a ton of prims and started setting some new ones down. Cory Edo has a new living room set a Fameshed that is perfect for redecorating, including sofa, chair, artwork, tables and lamp and several choices of blanket chest. The sofa and chair include color change for the upholstery and texture change for the optional pillows and quilt. The chest has the same texture change for the blanket. I spent a good hour clicking colors in and out, prepared to surprise Mr. Beresford when he got home, especially after I decorated with Cory’s artwork and wood wall art and Kunst Himmel’s rug and custom-colored Max Graf’s mesh curtains. I knew he would be so surprised!

I put on a pretty dress from Vitamingirl from Shiny Shabby that comes in several looks, all gorgeously ethnic with embroidery and a lovely cotton top detailed with buttons and lops. I also custom-colored my sandals from TeamRedgrave with their great HUD. Pretty jewelry from Plurabelle Laszlo added the finishing touch to my look.

Truth Hawks’ newest ‘do added a touch of casual elegance to my look, especially with Sawsan Secretspy’s latest skin for Designer Circle. She has recently introduced a V2 skin tone to her appliers, so make sure you apply the right one with these new skins. Soleil Reid’s eyes are heart-breakingly beautiful with this look.

Mr. Beresford was, indeed, thrilled with the redecorating (and my look), but he asked if he could add a piece or two of his own. He said he had found something at Fameshed that would fit in perfectly and add his own touch of manliness to the decorating. I had given him permissions over my things, and I had to run, so I left him in charge. I was relieved to see in my email he had only sent back one chair. I was looking forward to see what he had done when I logged in later. His IM in email said, “I finished my decorating. I think the color matches perfectly so you’ll be happy, honey.”

I was pretty excited to see what he had done when I was able to log in. Mr. Beresford indeed added a touch of manliness. Wavie Haller’s Comfy Chair, a recliner fit for a man cave, had taken place of my sent-back chair. Sigh.

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Willa by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: .::WoW Skins::: V2 Enya Golden Designer Circle by sawsan Secretspy for .::WoW skins::., available at Designer Circle *

Eyes: {D.A} – Marble – Deep by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.0 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: B.C.C Good Feeling Long Dress Mix by vitamingirl for B.C.C, available at Shiny Shabby *

Jewelry: Bliensen + MaiTai – Yesterday – Coral – Necklace and Earrings by Plurabelle Laszlo for.Bliensen + MaiTai *

Feet: Slink Avatar Enhancement Feet High V2.1 by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: Raven Sandals – REDGRAVE by TeamRedgrave for Redgrave

Poses by Dove Swanson for Long Awkward Pose (no longer available)

Furnishings: Trompe Loeil – Enfield Living Room Set PG [mesh] by Cory Edo for Trompe Loeil, available at Fameshed *

• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Chair PG
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Trunk Open Barbados
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Wall Art Wood 1
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Wall Art Wood 2
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Wall Art Wood 3
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Chair PG
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Table Square
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Couch + Blanket/Pillow PG
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Table Round
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Wall Art Sunrise
• Trompe Loeil – Enfield Wall Art Tree

[ kunst ] – Boho carpet #2 by Kunst Himmel for [kunst], available at Shiny Shabby *

Rustica – Mesh Drape GATHER PANELS by Maxwell Graf for Rustica * (modified)

Punchline: [Con.] Comfy Chair – PG – Brown by Wavie Haller for Consignment, available at Fameshed *

The Collector

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. ~ Thomas Merton

If SL is a fantasy world, than my fantasy is to be an art collector. In fact, at one time, I indulged in that fantasy and had my own little person gallery of art I had collected, but now I just enjoy it in my own home. I found that I could be a fantasy art collector at a new site called curiator.com (apply for an invite), in which people can exchange their favorite art and build a collection, perhaps finding more by their favorite artists and learning about new artists. Consider it a Pinterest for fine art. (I am Harper Beresford on there as well—find me.)

For this blog entry, I imagined an art collector with a country home—a modern villa with plenty of wall space for hanging paintings and sketches and photographs. (I do realize art encompasses more than this, but indulge me here.) I pulled some pieces from my collection on curiator.com and put them up on the walls and went to town with new items from FaMESHed and Collabor88.

Cory Edo has made a collection for FaMESHed with a sort of postmodern bent. With suggestions of earlier periods, she mixes funky with traditionalism, modernist curvy lines with varied surfaces to offer a set that seems eclectic and pulled together all at once. The furniture features a variety of PG, and if you choose to upgrade, adult poses which will make it very versatile. And I even snuck in BabyChampagne Sass’s modern trunk (as my art collector travels back and forth quite a bit).

Putting this collection in the villa that Cory is offering at Collabor88 was a no-brainer. It all fit together. The villa itself has a large open space with two rooms off the main space and three levels climbing up. She offers it in a shadowed white, which you can customize to your pleasure. I tinted the floor and several walls to pop color in our art collector’s house and give a tension to this modern but homey space. As always she offers privacy settings, pull down blinds, and locks on the doors so art thieves can’t creep in.

Tya Fallingbridge’s dining room set at FaMESHed is a gorgeous addition to this house. With color change built into the table and credenza and changeable fabrics on the chairs, it’s entirely customizable. The modern lines of the chairs and credenza compliment the more traditional round table and provide a handsome or beautiful look to a dining room (depending on your styling).

Our art collector is, of course, eclectic and stylish and I tried to show this with a black pantsuit that Spooky Mistwallow has made for the Black Fair. Coupled with strappy stylish shoes from TeamRedgrave (made orange to pop), the look is sleek but also colorful, especially with Maxi Gossamer’s Limited Bazaar jewelry. Funky nails from Giela Delpaso mix it up in this colorful assemblage.

I used the elegant gold shadowed skin from Izzie Button, a feature at the Black Fair, as my palette. With dark brows and sleekly lined eyes, the skin has a neutral lip, perfect for our art collector. And a casual wavy flip from Chiaki Xue completes the look—she doesn’t want to look contrived.

We have art in order not to die of the truth. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Hair: *Dura-Boys&Girls*45(Dark Brown) by Chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: Izzie’s – Kaelyn Skin pale DB (gold) by Izzie Button for Izzie’s, available at the Black Fair *

Eyes: IKON Ardent Eyes – Skyfall (ML) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Outfit: :KR: Glamstreet Pantsuit – Black by Spooky Mistwallow for Kastle Rock, available at the Black Fair *

Jewelry: MG – Necklace, Earrings, and Bracelet – Tarifa Neon by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer, available at Limited Bazaar *

Shoes: – Shoes Grace – 12colors R / REDGRAVE by TeamRedgrave for Redgrave

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

House:

Trompe Loeil – Modern Villa by Cory Edo for Trompe Loeil, available at Collabor88 *

Furniture:

Trompe Loeil – Oceania Brights Collection by Cory Edo for Trompe Loeil, available at FaMESHed *

[PM]Pixel Mode – Cohen Dining Set by Tya Fallingbridge for Pixel Mode, available at FaMESHed *

{{BSD Design studio}}Model offshore luggage brown by BabyChampagne Sass for {{BSD Design studio}}, available at SL Fashion Week *

::PopArt:: Iwanca Lux vase by Fionna Cale for PopArt

:CP: Vita’s Lamp by Isla Gealach for Cheeky Pea

Rug Pale Paradise **Sweet Sorrows** by Colette Charleville for Sweet Sorrows

Pixelated Petals- Zen Bowl Set  and Pixelated Petals- Glass block vase w/orchids by Miko Omegamu for Pixelated Petals

MESHWORX – Flute Floor Lamp v3b (Mod/copy Only) by Loz Hyde for Meshworx

Trompe Loeil – Star Duo Ground Lamps Gold & White by Cory Edo for Trompe Loeil *

Wedge Table Lamp by Kaerri Rae by Kaerri Rae for Kaerri

Medallion Rug by Szabo Horn, no longer available

Art by:

Robert Rauschenberg

Michael Wolf

David Hochbaum

Jeremy Geddes

Richard Avedon

Hiroshi Yoshida

Oleg Dou

Banksy

Shadow Dancing

Do it light, taking me through the night
Shadow dancing, baby, you do it right
Give me more, drag me across the floor
Shadow dancing, all this and nothin’ more
~ “Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb

I am still struggling with shadows in SL, which may be my fault because I persist in using a client that seems unstable on my machine (I am guessing due to my inventory size). I am increasingly frustrated with the instability. So it’s a bit of “shadow dancing” for me.

Of course, the song suits this look, which I find has a touch of 70s to it.I start with this incredible dress from pixivor Allen, which was one of her Fashion for Life donation dresses, and is now sold in her store. It moves with a fluidity that is mesmerizing and has a silhouette that is simply fantastic. The system pieces are sexy (especially that lacing up the back) and match perfectly to the prim skirt pieces. While the dress comes with little silver mary jane high heels, I chose to wear some prim toe shoes from Babette Ultsch because they have the best silver texture in SL.

My skin is a new one from Gala Phoenix, who is simply making my heart sing with her newest skins. I love the subtle translucency and pinkiness to this skin, the gentle freckles sprinkled across the nose, the beautiful lips, the shapely eyebrows. Even the collar bone and breasts are beautifully shaped—that is no small feat right there. The best part is this skin is youthful but not “immature.”  My hair is Thora Charron’s free offering from Hair Fair, and it’s fantastic! I will say I recolored the barette to a shiny white but guess what? Native shiny doesn’t show in shadows. Go figure.

Shadow dancing, all this and nothin’ more…

Hair: [LeLutka]-PINNED hair – AuburnHaze by Thora Charron for LeLutka (modified)

Skin: :GP: Sundust [Dark] Stormy-Electrify 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Blue (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Eyelashes: Eyelashes -20- DiamondDust *REDGRAVE* by Viola Leigh for *REDGRAVE*

Dress (with hair piece): (AlaFolie) Miss Philipines version 1 by Pixivor Allen for AlaFolie

Shoes: *KL* Sandals Nadia Silver by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair

Modern-Day Cleopatra

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety.
~ from “Antony and Cleopatra” by William Shakespeare

And so Shakespeare invents for an archetypal woman, so vigorous, so vivacious that even in later years, she is interesting. (She is also vain and dramatic, self-centered and selfish—not exactly a sympathetic heroine). Perhaps that’s why the fantasy woman in SL is so prevalent—she of the huge gown, extravagant hair and eyelashes, and incredible features. Agnes Finney sells to this dream—a dream of an elaborate gown kissed with key details, like this high collar, the butterflies at the hip, and the high cut up the leg. Our Cleopatra considers herself royalty and expects to be treated as such.

Aida Ewing plays to the fantasy as well with her shimmering, glimmering makeup, this time on a beautifully lush darker skin highlighted with diamond-enhanced lashes from Viola Leigh. Strappy sandals with leather crenellations on the heel from Onxy LeShelle complete our modern-day Cleopatra, aiming for her Antony.

I was
A morsel for a monarch.

Hair: *Plume* – Amor/Onyx by Fauve Beaumont & Lulu Jameson for *Plume*

Skin: -Glam Affair- Layla Dark –  TDR – D by aida Ewing for -Glam Affair-

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Deep Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Eyelashes: Eyelashes -28- Cleopatra *REDGRAVE* by Viola Leigh for *REDGRAVE*

Dress: Agnes Queen Victoria 2 by Agnes Finney for My Precious *

Earrings: (Caroline’s) White Pearl Shoulder Dust Earrings by Caroline Apollo for (Caroline’s)

Shoes: Maitreya Gold * Hana Seashell Leather V2 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya Gold

Poses by Rogan Diesel for Diesel Animation Works. *

Pink Funk

There is definitely something sexy about a girl with an attitude and a pair of leather pants. ~ Eliza Dushku

LeeZu Baxter does it again—making something so drop-dead sexy that I can only stare at myself. First the top, which was released a couple weeks ago. She combines a drapey bodice barely clinging to the body, held on by a zippered collar and wonderfully textured in her inimitable way. Then there are the leather pants, integrated with the boots and textured with a stylistic contrasting leather. Honey, does my ass look TOO wonderful in these?

Atomicsparkle Skytower has released a new set of skins. One of the more beloved skin makers on the grid, she offers this set with its full lipstick on tattoo layers. I opted to don a full wavy style from Queue Marlowe, who keeps threatening to come out with more hair soon (once she recovers from her whirlwind trip to Europe). My eyelashes, from Viola Leigh, have little specks of glitter.

Look at these boots once more. Rowr!

Not sure I am ever taking them off ;)

Hair: AD- dive black by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog *

Skin: AtomicBambi-Tania-Pale-Dk-Blush with AtomicBambi Tattoo – Tania Lip – DUSTY PINK by Atomicsparkle Skytower for Atomic Bambi *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Deep Blue (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Eyelashes: Eyelashes -20- DiamondDust *REDGRAVE* by Viola Leigh for Redgrave

Top: [LeeZu!] Cloe Top /champagne by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu! *

Pants with Boots: [LeeZu!] Florentine High Heel Pants /pink by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu! *

Tattoo: AITUI TATTOO – Zodiac – ASF Taurus I by Jesseaitui Petion for AITUI

Nails: (complate/R) Hand size 20 [MANDALA]Milky Nails/White and (Nail Only/L) Hand size 20 [MANDALA]Milky Nails/White by Kikunosuke Eel for [MANDALA]

Bracelets: !COMPLATE(L)[MANDALA]Milky Way Bangle/Polly white (worn on left forearm), D(R)[MANDALA]Milky Way Bangle/white (worn on right upper arm), and G(R)[MANDALA]Milky Way Bangle/white (worn on right forearm) by Kikunosuke Eel for [MANDALA]

PS Great thanks to IG, who helped me tune up my blog a bit. I’ll be back for more ;)

Lazy Sunday

It’s a lazy Sunday—nowhere to go, a cup of coffee, a newspaper, NPR on my iPad.

On a morning like this, you can’t help but be happy for all you have. Swaffette Firefly sure makes me happy with this cozy but sexy robe. She has combined sculpty prims and system pieces in a skilled manner. Instead of giving us a frumpy torso prim, she uses the skirt layer to make the bottom of the robe and puts a sculpty belt on. She uses prims to make the cozy wrinkled sleeves.

My guy (read: me as a boy) likes his cozy robe too. Swaffette manages what many don’t—she provides beautiful and useful fashions for both men and women. And a men’s robe looks like a man would wear it—it’s just as sexy on him as on her. These robes are no copy/transfer, so I can see buying a set and giving one to your sweetheart. Valentine’s is just around the corner ;)

I got my skin from Al Vulo after seeing a similar on another avatar. I have gone back and forth about Al Vulo. There is something a little too much about it and I can’t put my finger on it—too much sheen, too much makeup, too much color? I chose this skin for its more subtle makeup and great eyebrows. Al Vulo’s almost there for me—almost.

An American of the present day reading his Sunday newspaper in a state of lazy collapse is one of the most perfect symbols of the triumph of quantity over quality that the world has yet seen. ~ Irving Babbitt

On her:

Hair: >TRUTH< Eva – cranberry by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: al vulo- berta* natural 2 tan by Hlin Bluebird for al vulo

Robe with Slippers: sf design bathrobe red – hers by swaffette Firefly for sf design *

Newspaper: ILLClan Prop Shop – Newspaper by illclan Kristan for ILLClan Prop Shop

Coffee: Coffee with Steam by Dan Medici

On him (who Raven calls “the Old Spice guy”):

Skin: 04b Dark-Tan Skin -Tyson-/goatee+base+nobodyhair  *REDGRAVE* by Emilia Redgrave for REDGRAVE

Shape: Sophistishapes – LLOYD bodyshape by Sophia Rossen for Sophistishapes (modified)

Robe with Slippers: sf design bathrobe teal  his by swaffette Firefly for sf design *

Go Packers!!!

Gracie and the Real Girl

I met Gracie Kendal when I first went to Tiphares. We have known each other for some time, and I would be lying if I said we were besties, but we certainly do like each other tons. I asked Gracie to provide a guest blog because she has done very specific work centered around her avatar. She wants me to mention that she is an artist—and she is—but her work is so much more than mere art. It’s an incredibly personal statement about her identity

Gracie Kendal is a woman who has been seeking her way in her first life using her second life as a mirror, a vessel for her identity, a means of growing both personally and artistically. Gracie, who is now an instructor in art, did her entire masters thesis using SL. She explored the embodiment of Gracie, her avatar self, to understand the embodiment of Kris, her human self. You can read more about Gracie.. and Kris.. at www.kristineschomaker.net and see pieces of her thesis at The Gracie Kendal Project.

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

How can I be myself when I’m immersed in thousands of advertisements, TV shows and movies every day persuading, influencing, telling me who to be? How can I be myself when I am constantly being judged and criticized by family and friends for not living up to their expectations? How can I be myself when I don’t have control? Ralph Waldo Emerson was right, It will be my greatest accomplishment to be able to find myself amongst the constant barrage of “something else” out there. I wonder what Emerson would have thought about avatars. It is funny, creating this virtual representation of myself, this ideal figure, this avatar I control, I can be myself. Is she my doll? When I was a kid, I played with Barbies. I wanted to be a Barbie. Who didn’t? Now, I have become my own “doll” which I project my hopes, fears, passions and imagination on while I explore this amazing path of self exploration.

This is Gracie. Gracie is me. I am Gracie. Her clothes help define us. Her signature paint pants were given to her by a great friend who said, “OMG you have to have these.” As he said, “they’ll look much better on you, than me.” I laughed. The black t-shirt from Coco, is amazing. The detail in the wrinkling and seams help make it seem real and natural. Gracie’s shoes are the fabulous UBU PornStar Hi-Tops. I especially love the detail of the writing on the toes and the ability to change color and pattern. This outfit, that Gracie wears all the time, is also what I (Kris) wears in the real world most of the time; Jeans, a black V-neck tshirt and Converse. Gracie is me.

In her 4 years of existence Gracie has had the same shape from Alady, and only one other skin. Her current skin from Redgrave helps show off her blue eyes and bright smile. Another signature to Gracie’s look is her Artilleri Rhinestone retro glasses. While I wear glasses in real life, I felt it was important for Gracie to also have some stylish artsy specs. Her nose ring and Kaj <3 bracelet were created by my great friend Jordan, owner of Jordans Jewelry. These are both representations of two amazing long time friends in SL. The only thing that Gracie changes a little more often is hair. I mean come on, with so many amazing hair stylists out there, you just have to. Right? Her current hair, is Truth Linda champagne. The one constant as far as hair goes, is that Gracie always stays blond. That is who Gracie is.

Radiohead sang, “I don’t care if it hurts- I want to have control- I want a perfect body- I want a perfect soul.” With Gracie’s help, I am trying to find “my” control through “my” perfect body and “my” perfect soul. Whatever that is.

Hair: >TRUTH< Linda – champagne by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH<

Skin: O4B Moon Pale Skin / blue (light-brows) *REDGRAVE* by Emilia Redgrave for REDGRAVE

Shape: AladyShapes68SlaveGirlCcup by Tracey Sassoon for ALady

Top: *COCO*_V-neckTee (black) by Cocoru Lemon for Coco

Pants: Painter Jeans created by Forseti Svarog (unknown where they came from)

Glasses: /artilleri/ Rhinestone Retro! BLACK by Antonia Marat for Artilleri

Nose Piercing: Jordan*s Diamond Nose Piercing by Jordan Morgenrote for Jordan’s Jewelry

Bracelet: Kaj <3 bracelet, blk cord (rs) by Jordan Morgenrote for Jordan’s Jewelry

Key: CFF- Heartwork Wind Up Key by Canolli Capalini for Capalini Fine Furnishings

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

Awareness

There are a lot of functions centered around “awareness” of this or that thing in SL lately. Personally, I’ve attended a number of these “awareness” events and am shocked at how little they do to actually make people aware other than putting it in their title (and, to be honest, I wonder if – in some cases –  it is a ploy to boost business by saying it is “for” something.) There is so much more to say than “be aware” and give it lip service. Let’s go beyond the virtual and get real about this.

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s not about being aware that breast cancer exists—we know that. It’s about being aware about your risk, about treatments, about the need to fund research to help treat and eradicate it. (Meanwhile I will show some virtual breasts—I can’t skip the picture/review portion of this blog and perhaps it will catch people’s attention.. heh heh).

Skins, left to right, clockwise: L.Fauna {Lola . Tan 1} [Whisper] by Launa Fauna for L. Fauna; no.07 :: Demetris – Natural :: Beard 02 – Bald by Aeon Jiminy for no.07, [LeLutka]-LOLA_stan-makeup2(L Brows) by Minnu Palen for LeLutka; -Belleza- Elle Dark SK 4 by Tricky Boucher for Belleza

Here are some quick facts. (Please note I have linked all my sources—please check them. It’s important to think critically about what you read. I am not just shoving some “statistic” in a notecard without proper attribution to a credible source.)

• Breast cancer happens substantially more in women than men. But.. it does occur in men.*
• It is estimated that 207,090 women will be diagnosed with and 39,840 women will die of cancer of the breast in 2010* Death rates have been decreasing since 1991, however. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.*
• Based on rates from 2005-2007, 12.15% of women born today will be diagnosed with cancer of the breast at some time during their lifetime.*
• In 2010, there are more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.*

&Bean – hounds of love LIGHT Rav  1  brow by Keiko Morigi for &Bean; []::Tuli::[] Audrey (tone 3/br) :: 07 by Tuli Asturias for Tuli; 04   Dark-Tan Skin -Tyson-/goatee+base+chesthair  *REDGRAVE* by Emilia Redgrave for Redgrave; :GP: Sundust [Dark] June-Pure 3 by Gala Phoenix for Curio

Wanna get even more real? I recently had my first mammogram. I did it on the instigation of my friend, Raven Pennyfeather, who knew that I was overdue for my first exam and whose father was recently (successfully) treated for breast cancer himself.

Since some of my readers may not have had this valuable exam, let me explain to you my experience. My breasts were each placed on a platform and pressed down by a clear PETG plastic paddle—gently and briefly. (I know so much about the paddle because in my former life I helped manufacture them.) The discomfort was temporary. Ripping off the little band-aids that were put on my nipples hurt the most. The woman who did the exam was fabulous—she has seen boobs all over on every age and size of woman and man. I felt no shame at all.

[ PXL] Daniel NAT Face00 Dark H by Hart Larsson for PXL; :: DUTCH TOUCH ::kEIra:: Olive – Dawn CL1 EBblack by Iki Ikarus for DUTCH TOUCH; *Sawode* Ada Umber Skin Makeup 1 by sanalyildiz Yalin for *Sawode*; Adam n Eve Skin – Marina t3 Delight by sachi Vixen for Adam n Eve

I had put off getting it the exam done because I feared the discomfort and the embarrassment. And deep inside, I feared finding out something negative—my grandmother had breast cancer. It was very quick and easy and my test results were normal.

Many of you out in the metaverse are doing what I did—putting off this very important and easy exam. Why? I told you it’s not bad. (Really! It’s not!) The person doing it was very experienced and very helpful. And while my insurance paid for it, there are many places that offer this exam for free in the US. Not having insurance or the means to pay for one is NOT an excuse! Click here for more information about free mammograms in the US.

Pulse Skin Dance With Me-M1 by Lorac Farella for Pulse; -tb- {Light} DU Echo’s Meadow – Dark Thick Brows by Julliette Westerburg for tres blah; [dekade.] SKINS -Brooke 2- Sunkissed/Hair/L Brows/TDR by Kira Ahn for dekade; LaVie Mark Chin Beard Hair Base Normal by KaoZ Kobe for LaVie

I know the mammogram is not the sole means of detecting breast cancer. I do frequent self exams and also visit my doctor for an annual exam (while I get my annual pelvic exam and um, yeah.. I won’t be blogging THAT). I am also aware of my risk for developing breast cancer. Being female and past a certain age (*ahem*), it’s already increased. Do YOU know everything you need to know?

There is so much more to say that I can’t cover in this blog, but at least I put out something of substance and value. Want to know more? Click through on these links:

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

National Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Page

Mayo Clinic

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Stranger in a Strange Land

If you’re wondering if I know this good looking guy, I sure do. Bram Ellison has been a friend of mine for quite a while, and while his avatar’s attractive, it has more to do with his personality than how is avatar looks. Generous, kind, intelligent, and gentlemanly to a fault, Bram is the kind of guy you are honored to have in your friends list. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eye ;)

“I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until finally I became that person. Or he became me.” ~ Archibald Alexander Leach, aka Cary Grant

On September 19^th, 2006, I logged in to Second Life for the very first time. Until the exact moment my avatar appeared I had never heard of a virtual world and had no idea I had just entered one. I thought I was signing up for an online class. Surprise!

Since part of the purpose of the guest blog is to talk about how we developed our persona, I thought you might want to know just how embryonic I began. I had never even been in a chat room! So the realization that all around me were 3D representations of real people talking and interacting in real time was a bit overwhelming. “Dude. You are sooo not in Kansas,” pretty much summed it up. But I decided to stick around to figure out where the heck I had landed and if there were flying monkeys involved. Turns out there were, and one of them was me.

 

My first take on the place was that you weren’t supposed to be yourself at all, and I was shocked when people kept asking personal questions. I mean look at the name: “Second Life.” It practically screams, “Try something new!” So I set out to define who I wanted to be in my second life. That was too lofty a goal, so I settled for WHAT I wanted: a boat, and to not look like I was begging for bananas.

I got a small boat to live on and was a happy lil’ Jimmy Buffett-blaring simian for a while until I began to get handy with the shape tools. There are 77 selections in 9 categories and there’s a bit of work involved in getting to know and use them well. But you have to start someplace, and the person I picked to emulate for physical cues was Cary Grant. The man just oozed style, and the better I got at shaping the more I appreciated his taste and grace. I started paying more attention to clothes, skins, accessories, and hair. (I also found out you could buy shapes! Oh well.) But through all the Cary channeling, I always came home to the boat, beach, and Buffett.

What you are seeing in these pictures is my culmination of the two styles. Flick Carlucci took these photos at very cool sim called “Virtual Decay.” She’s got a great eye and is fun to work with. No matter what I wear from tux to tennis shoes, I’m all about the best possible design and texture. (Read, picky as hell.) I like simple classic colors and styles with a casual slant and the shirt/jacket combo and the jeans from AOHARU fit the bill nicely. The boots are my favorites from Jeepers Creepers. The shape is still my own creation and I think the Redgrave skin suits it well. The hair is from Truth and I totally dig it. Oh, the sweet Rickenbacker M330 guitar is from Nortique Guitars. Now here we are four years in. I’m still on a boat and I know who I am. Jimmy Cary Grant Buffett, aka Bram Ellison. Or maybe he’s me. ;)

We are the people our parents warned us about. ~ Jimmy Buffett

Hair: Elysium, espresso by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH<

Skin: Cruz, deep tan by Emilia Redgrave for Redgrave

Eyes: Rainy Day by Pompeja Rossini for Damiani

Shape: Bram Ellison for Bram Ellison

Jacket with Shirt: Black with white shirt by machang Pichot for AOHARU

Jeans: Vintage dark by machang Pichot for AOHARU

Necklace: Stone Cross by JesseAitui Petion for AITUI

Tattoo: Northwest Spirit by JesseAitui Petion for AITUI

Boots: Oslo, black by Eponymous Trenchmouth for Jeepers Creepers

Guitar: Rickenbacker 330 Guitar by K1TTY Munro for Nortique Guitars

Photography by Flick Carlucci.

Photos taken at Virtual Decay.

Hair Ball

Customer: Waiter, there’s a hair in my soup!
Waiter: Shhhh.. not so loud or everyone’s gonna want rabbit stew!

Harper’s 10+ Tips for a happier Hair Fair (fight the lag!):

1. Remove all scripts (including AOs). (Result: reduces sim lag.)

2. Fly between tents so no one notices your waddle. (No one’s looking at you anyway.) (Result: reduces personal embarrassment and paranoia and gets you around faster.)

3. Wear system clothes only. (No you don’t have to be naked or looking like a freak.) (Result: reduces arc and ergo, client side lag.)

4. Barefoot is in these days–no shoes or prim feet ;) (Result: reduces arc/client side lag.)

5. Wear a skin with a hairbase and skip prim hair. (You won’t look bald.) (Result: reduces arc/client side lag.)

6. Get a bandanna and look stylin and Hair Fair fashionable. (Result: reduces arc/client side lag, makes you look fashionable, AND helps Wigs for Kids.)

7. Do not try on demos AT Hair Fair. Grab everything that intrigues you and take it home for trying on. You’ll just be frustrated standing around trying them on and waiting for them to rez. Besides, someone else is trying to get into the sim! Better yet, join the Hair Fair DEMO group and get all the demos from notices and try them on before you even go. (Result: reduces client side lag, potentially sim lag, and your frustration.)

8. Realize that they built the Hair Fair sims in tents (you’ll see what I mean when you get there) to decrease your exposure to new textures in your distant view. Walk through walls to get around–most are phantom–if you get lost or frustrated. (Result: reduces client-side lag.)

9. WAIT a few days and go later and enjoy leisurely, less-lag shopping. You’re not gonna die because you aren’t wearing that brand new hair from Maddox DuPont just yet. Believe me. (It’s open from September 4-19!) (Result: reduces sim lag.)

10. Do not lecture others on their arc, scripts, demoing habits, etc. Mind your own business and don’t be a drama queen. Besides, running that arc indicator thing increases YOUR personal lag. (Result: reduces your personal tension and adds to your and other’s personal shopping pleasure time.)

11. Read my blog starting Tuesday, August 7, when I will start previewing my favorite pieces. (Result: reduces personal shopping frustration and makes you look super fly!)

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Who said you can’t find decent hair in SL? The Hair Fair for 2010, which opens today, will prove anyone wrong. For once virtual hair will do more than just cover our virtual heads–it will support the creation of hair pieces for real children. All donations from the Hair Fair will be given to Wigs for Kids, a non-profit organization that provides wigs for children who have lost hair due to illness.

As part of the Hair Fair, the organizers asked creators and bloggers to make bandannas which can be worn throughout the fair to decrease arc. Proceeds from the sales of these bandannas will benefit Wigs for Kids. I have created two bandannas to be sold at the fair in the hopes that my small effort will help one child feel more comfortable after going through probably already traumatic illness. Please buy one! :D

The textures are completely mine (though I am hopeless with graphics programs); the sculpty was made by Damien Fate. It includes my personal stamp of approval ;)

Please feel moved to donate a small amount more by purchasing hair at this year’s Hair Fair from sponsored vendors or by donating directly. The creators participating have donated a considerable amount of this time for this cause and while they want you to purchase their creations, they also want you to donate generously as they have.

Bandannas: Hair Bandana–Harper Beresford–Men’s and Hair Bandana–Harper Beresford–Women’s, available exclusively at the Hair Fair in various locations on each of the four sims. TP here to get started: Hair Fair

Skins: LAQ ~ Julie – 02 [Peach] Glow skin (red hairbase) by Mallory Cowen for Laqroki and 04b Dark-Tan Skin -Tyson-/goatee+base+nobodyhair  *REDGRAVE* by Emilia Redgrave for Redgrave

Earrings: *Fyreworks* Diana Earrings in Seagreen by Harper Beresford for *Fyreworks*

P.S. Thank you again, Chatty, for conversion of the photos. You saved my bacon (mmm… bacon) once again!