Color Challenge: Week Forty-three - Liver

Evil, evil, evil Liver! I hates the liver! I ended up not finding anything called liver, so going by the swatch and ending up seeking out the gray. This is the second dress I tried, since the first was no-mod and set to fullbright! And no way to turn it off!! I tried every windlight in the book and couldn't find one that worked, much less one that altered the gray in the manner I wanted it altered.


The eyeliner is a new gatcha prize from Lolapop and I got ALMOST every color and started giving away my duplicates! Have I mentioned lately how much I love cosmetics in SL? LOVE THEM. The hair is from Exile, though not a color I bought. Don't tell anyone! I tinted it GRAY! To try to match my dress in the weird light. I was trying to make the gray almost a purple gray, but matching across hair and wings and clothes was a real challenge! The necklace is from Eclectica, and I love the triad design on it and how it dangles low, but not too low (recently I've been getting a lot of to-the-belly necklaces and they can be a trial to photograph!). The dress is an uber old one from The Delectable Doll, most likely an impulse purchase or a lucky board but I'm so glad I shook it out of my inventory, especially when my first choice from WhoNose didn't work out. The boots are from my everpresent G Field collections, a set of boots I haven't matched stylistically much before this and I forgot how much I love the dual layering of them.


Liver's one of those things that everyone says is good for you, which is only appealing to very strange people like my mother. Packed full of vitamins and stuff, like vegetables, but ick ick ick on the taste (though I like vegetables a lot more now). Recently has been a lot about distasteful things I don't want to do and don't enjoy now. A lot of emotional upheaval, goodbyes and endings, reasons for tears and fears - and in my fantasies it would be so much better if I could womanfully face down my trials with a brave face and a true heart! And discovering that in these hard times I most often act like a whiny, spoiled child who shirks my responsibilities and hides behind pretty pictures, and watching television shows, and pitying myself.


( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: De La Soul, Roomee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 05
Eyecolor: Lolapop, La Llorona - black
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Exile, Gina - Roots Holywood tinted grey
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: Eclectica, Irridescent Glass
Dress: The Delectable Doll, Starlight Dress
Stockings: Vextra Messing, Opaque Stockings - Grey
Ring: Alchemy Immortalis, Nestling Finger
Shoes: G Field, Open Boots "Vilda" - grey

Poses: Studio Sidhe

Location: Nexus Prime
Light Settings: TOR, SCIFI Awesome Atmo 1
Water Settings:

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

They Speak To Me

The Lucky Boards.... they TALK TO ME!

Tarts

The Queen of Hearts,
She's sometimes Tart -
Especially on a Summer Day.

The Knave of Hearts
He likes his Tarts
So together they will play.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: De La Soul, Roomee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 05
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: D!va, Nanako - cat's Eye
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Dress: Violent Seduction, Checkmate
Crown and Scepter: Dilly Dolls, Darkened Queen of Hearts
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps "Eve" - silver

Pose: Glitterati, 024

Location: Tekkon Tech
Light Settings: CB, Rouge 5
Water Settings: Snake

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Satin Swamp

The V Tattoo Store cracked tattoo and eyes were a lovely prize from Peasters Castle Hunt (yes I'm still opening them up!). I've also gotten some lovely gifts from creators - namely hair from Wasabi Pills (she totally spoils me!), a dress from SL Couture which is a gorgeous, satiny mini-dress, and some fantastic poses from Studio Sidhe.


One of the odd side effects of my moving form a life where I had more straight television to a nearly perfect online existence, is my increasing intolerance for advertising. I'm not just talking about the obvious commercials - though my intolerance for those is catastrophically high - but also the people who try to "sell me" something even if the context isn't overtly advertising.

I'm a great lover of Korean Dramas, and one of my pleasures is to watch episodes on a free streaming website. They have ads every fifteen minutes or so (one of the real weaknesses of modern advertising is not recognizing this as a new phenomena and making limited time 'drama' series of ads so it's not the same ad fifteen times in a row) and one in particular has convinced me to never buy Nutragrain bars again. I actually like them; I used to buy them, but watching the blatantly insulting insinuations that people who eat potato chips have worse moods and poorer marriages than people who don't just pisses me off. This isn't a boycott as such, but honestly every time I think of the bars now I'm just vaguely annoyed and irritated, and I don't need that in my kitchen.



Another example is on a streaming radio station I listen to, kpfk. Multiple times in the year their fund raisers go, and the 'cure cancer with diet' and 'processed food isn't good for you, now eat my powder made from 100 world fruits and veggies' nonsense dominates the station for a while. I tune out for a couple of weeks, catching the shows I know will be on, because the emotional manipulation just pisses me off - yes, genius, sugar does feed cancer cells. Of course, sugar feeds all the other cells in your body, too! And shockingly, when you eat non-sugary things... your body breaks it down into - you guessed it! - SUGAR. You could stop eating, which would kill the cancer with one slightly inconvenient side-effect that I leave as an exercise for the reader.


Of course, this makes the first paragraph of this post hugely ironic, or is that hypocritical? I, before bitching about advertising... advertise. On the one hand, I've been deeply grateful to creators for giving me things (and making things, since I purchase most of what I wear in these posts) and I want to share them with others in case they'd like them, too.

On the other hand, until earlier this week I thought of the advertising I did as more of a side effect to a greater purpose of exploration and photography (if you can't tell from my history, I'm prone to juxtaposing avatar and sim while trying to create something artistic without being too snooty) but the reality that some of the free handouts are dependent on producing something was really brought home to me. I'm currently on the fence about what I'm going to do about it - whether I'll remain on the gravy train because the things I get are awesome and I'm introduced to stores I wouldn't normally wear, or whether I'll drop out and go back to buying most of what I wear. Well, buying and/or shilling lucky boards and midnight manias.

Part of me thinks I'm taking this whole thing a bit too seriously, though.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:
 
Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: V Tattoo Store, Black Eyes
Eyelashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 05
Tattoo: V Tattoo Store, Cracked
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Yumi Hair - Grass
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: La Petite Morte, Ribbon Choker - white
Dress: SLC, Party Dress - white
Bracelet: Kyccie, Hopeful Flower - Diamond
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingback Shoes - white

Poses: Studio Sidhe

Location: Ebony Coast
Light Settings: Kunming
Water Settings: Default

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Peaster's Jester

Peaster's Castle is an amazing hunt. You start in the Castle Build - which I photographed earlier - hunting for different symbols hidden all over. Clicking a symbol lights it up on your HUD (bought for 100$L) and gives you both a clue and a landmark. You follow the landmark to a store, then hunt in the store for a key - finding both key (which then lights up on your HUD) and getting a gift. Then you return to the castle and hunt for the next clue. Once you get to the end of the hunt, find all the symbols and the keys, you get a very entertaining lights show in the middle of the Castle and get taken to a super secret hiding place for more prizes!

The hair I'm wearing, from Calico Ingmann Creations, the dress, from a new-to-me store Lilith's Den, and the tattoo, from Fallen Gods, are all prizes from this hunt - along with an entire bevy more. A lot of them are rezzable things - graveyards and suchlike - and I've only gone through the first fifteen or so keys. I think it's only going on for a few more days, but I highly recommend putting in the effort! Not only is the build adorable, but the prizes are well worth it.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyelashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 05
Lipstick: Skinthesis, Liquid Heat - Red Hot
Tattoo: Fallen Gods, Legend Tattoo - flame
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Calico Ingmann Creations, Amie - blond
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Dress: Lilith's Den, Peasterina Jesterina Dress
Shoes: G Field, Square-toe Shoes "Sophie" - red

Pose: Long Awkward Pose, Fantasy-Faepose12

Location: Angeleno Heights
Light Settings:
Water Settings:

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Contradictory Fear

When you're afraid of success, when your fear is of succeeding, there where does that leave you? Even more than being behind, the gnawing fear that you might actually not fail - it's a contradictory thing. It shouldn't be so. The fear of being visible even while the craving for it exists, the fear of being seen, of succeeding, of making a name for oneself - all inexplicably terrifying and anxiety provoking.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyeliner: Adam n Eve, Hepsut
Eyelashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 05
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup - Red Lips
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Calico Ingmann Creations, Audrey - blond
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Collar: Favole, Prolific
Dress: LeeZu, Oxford Dress - red
Stockings: Kuri Style, 64 socks
Shoes: G Field, Square-toe Shoes "Sophie" - red

Pose: Glitterati, 243

Location: Siden Survival Horror
Light Settings: TOR, SCIFI Shilarto
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Teeny Meeroos

A dear friend, De La Soul's creator, asked me to take a few pictures with her meeroos purse, using my little meeroos to style it. Here are Clover and Viskain, two of my many babies. Clover is a 0.0 Teacup, and Viskain is a 1.75 Teacup - so they're pretty tiny in meeroo terms.

I took the pictures in Isle of Amras, my new roleplaying sim.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyeliner: Adam n Eve, Hepsut
Eyelashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 05
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Eve Hair - Rye
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Jewelry: Eclectica, Victoriana - jade
Shirt: De La Soul, Cozy Turtleneck - Emerald
Bag: De La Soul, Meeroo Purse
Pants: De La Soul, Leather Cross Jeans - Sunny
Stockings: G Field, Layered Socks - Black
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingback Heels - Ice Green

Pose: Glitterati, 159

Location: Isle of Amras
Light Settings: Default
Water Settings: Default

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Tears in Tokyo

Rue is back! And her texture testers are a glorious set of flowered unicorn horns! I totally fell in love, especially when one matched this group gift from Blue Blood. I've been bouncing form thing to thing today, and I'm feeling a bit discombobulated, and a little more achy. I'm wishing for sour cheese and asparagus soup with celery. I have cereal and cocoa, and they will suit until the morrow.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyeliner: Adam n Eve, Hepsut
Lips: Skinthesis, Liquid Heat - Brash
Eyelashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 05
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Horn: Rue, Horn'd/Innocent - Copper
Hair: LeLutka, Nicole - Glucose
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Dress: Blue Blood, Tears - Brown
Ring: EarthStones, Eternal Blossom Ring - Bouquet
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps "Eve" - chocolate

Pose: Glitterati, 019

Location: Neo Tokyo
Light Settings: TOR, NIGHT - Under a Yellow Moon
Water Settings: Murky

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Midnight in the Garden of Broken Dreams

I don't often go to adult areas, but this sim looked beautiful and so I went to check it out. The view is gorgeous, and I adore the treatment they gave to all of the water. I rarely take pictures on a night setting, but this sim seemed to call for that level of drama.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyeshadow: Adam n Eve, Forest Deity
Eyeliner: cheLLe, Cleo Called Black
Lips: Mock, Agua Gloss Lip in Blood (Veronique II)
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Rosy Mood Hair, Appreciation - custard
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: Wretched Dollies, Pearls & Gold Quartz
Dress: Wishbox, State Fair - Yellow
Ring: EarthStones, Eternal Blossom Ring - Bouquet
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps "Eve" - white

Pose: Glitterati, 195

Location: The Slave Gardens
Light Settings: A-9PM
Water Settings: TOR, Atomist 2

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Forty-two - Chartreuse

Chartreuse Week was totally easy. I rarely say that, but this time I plugged in the word and this gorgeous bathing suit from Ingenue. I don't know when I got my hands on it - I don't often buy bathing suits - but the little butt ruffle is totally the cutest thing ever. I'm even pleased with the little spots of light on it; normally I'm not the polka dot type, but between the wide-strapped style and the cute ruffle, this seems like a stylish modest bathing suit pulling from the fifties in style!

The hairstyle is an old one I bought from Tekeli-li, and I thought the swirling seaside style would work well with a beachy feel. I followed that through with my favorite sandal set from Deviant Designs - one of my real splurges since I picked up every color, but I think you can see that it is simply perfect for any breach-front day of pleasure!The cosmetics are my usual mix - Adam n Eve offering some floral designs with cheLLe layered on top, and an addition of a new lipcolor from Mock that I think really rounds out the look.


I also added a ring from Earthstones as part of my default look. Default looks are kind of funny - my skin and eyes from De La Soul, my ears from Illusion, my wings from Fancy Fairy, my shape, and now this ring show up in almost every picture I take. When I switch from one to the next, it's a total switch. Unlike clothing and hair, and now cosmetics, they comprise what is my central "look" in Second Life. This brings up the fundamental irony of Second Life; while I have a solid and unchanging identity as Deoridhe, every part of my look is not only freely available but also the creation of someone other than myself!

It also brings up the irony that while these creators help define me, by doing so they work themselves out of being fiscally supported by me. Unlike the places where I buy cosmetics, or clothing, or hair, I purchase skin rarely, the wings I wear are literally my first purchase in Second Life (no exaggeration), and the ears are the second version of the first ears I ever bought! If you take into account that Siyu saw me wearing her ears and gave me some money, you can even argue that I made a net win on the ears. In fact, only the skin and eyes have changed a lot and almost always within a similar theme and - in almost every case - with rainbow cosmetics or to a skin made by a friend.


In order to make money consistently, you need either the same people buying things multiple times, or a lot of people buying things once. This is often done through tapping into a "need" a person has, or creating it. I remember watching the "need" of teeth whitening grow over the nineties through television adds. One tooth paste company started marketing their teeth as "brightening," then there were the faux-scientific tooth color tests, and lots of pictures of people given makeup so their teeth changed in color (want really white teeth? Wear really red lipstick; does it every time). Now every toothpaste brand has teeth whitening types and we're back in the downswing of 'get everything in one ultimate toothpaste' again. You can watch the same movement of adds with cough syrup, another product everyone uses where adherence to a brand is created by creating positive feeling toward that brand rather than due to being unique.

In Second Life, creators often do a similar thing. They can create a cult of personality, or have a style which draws a lot of people in, or create a sense of need for their product. In the day of makeups only being on skin, skin creators could make a lot of money with a variety of similar makeups with variations of lip and eye color. With cosmetics, a lot seemed to fear money loss due to people sticking to a single skin and changing their cosmetics (which I do) but didn't count on the amount of money that could be made with a wide variety of cosmetic styles that could then be mix and matched. I'm far more likely to spend 500$L on a pack of ten makeups that I ever was on a single skin (and skins tend to be twice that), and I feel like I can't be alone in that. Often one closed opportunity opens up a wealth of new doors; that's something I always try to remember.


( I wanted to take a picture in the little house in the distance there... but it had a security orb and I got kicked away. Woe. )

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyeshadow: Adam n Eve, Forest Deity
Eyeliner: cheLLe, Cleo Called Black
Lips: Mock, Agua Gloss Lip in Blood (Veronique II)
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Tekeli-li, Undine - Honeyblond
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Bathing Suit: Ingenue, Bathing Beauty - Chartreuse
Ring: EarthStones, Eternal Blossom Ring - Bouquet
Shoes: Deviant Designs, Beach Baby - Mint

Poses: Long Awkward Pose

Location: Surf Braata Beach
Light Settings: Abracadabra2
Water Settings: Blackwater

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Burnt Hope

There is a subset of Jungian Psychology centered around Alchemy. A lot of people now dismiss alchemy as pseudo-science - which it is now. That doesn't change the fact that alchemy was part of the basis for science and chemistry, however false it's conclusions at the time were.

Jung, however, approached Alchemy not from the sense that it was testable and provable, but more from the assumption that what people create often reflects their inner reality and goals in life. Alchemists, he theorized, inadvertently wrote about the purification of the spirit in an attempt to transcend base matter and achieve holiness and perfection. Their writings could be used as a complex, multi-level metaphor for the human mind/soul (when Jung was writing, the German word for both was the same word).

All of the work in Alchemy happens within the container - the retort or vas. Pressure builds within the retort as heat is added, causing changes in the internal contents. Sometimes the top needs to be unstoppered to release some of the pressure or the retort will crack.

I found one of my ways of unstoppering the retort. Unfortunately, it leaves me really sore.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: Adam n Eve, Winter Garden
Cheeks: La Malvada Mujer, Simple Line Blush
Lashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 5
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Raspberry Aristocrat, Jes - Blonde Bashful
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Dress: Le Momo, Allure - Donate for Japan Relief
Ring: EarthStones, Eternal Blossom Ring - Bouquet
Shoes: G Field, Knot Wedge Sandal - white

Pose: Just A Pose, Forever Alone - Know No One at Party

Location: Darkness Falls
Light Settings: TOR, DUSK - Burnt hope
Water Settings: Murky

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

How NOT to pick up a chick in Second Life - Ew Interlude

Guys, guys, guys, do NOT randomly teleport someone where you're having sex with a woman and have the only thing you say be "trio". It's not just disgusting, but it's incredibly rude.

Just don't.

I need a shower. I might have gotten some sleaze on me!


On a more positive note, my friend Tomoyuki talked me into trying some lashes. I have to admit I'd always dismissed them as unnecessary and rather annoying; how many times have you watched someone teleport in with giant gray blobs over their eyes? Having fitted a pair, though, I have to admit to being a convert. These Flugeln Bris lashes were only thirty linden! Three! Zero!

More closeup pictures with more helpful hair, I promise! I just have been totally in love with Wasabi Pills. I keep getting huge folders of hair, and I put it on and I squee, and well... you know how it is.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Cosmetics: Mock, Princess Peach Mizu Makeover
Lashes: Flugeln Brise, Eyelash 5
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Yumi Hair
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: EarthStones, Chocolate Box Necklace
Dress: Evie's Closet, Melisande - Red
Ring: EarthStones, Eternal Blossom Ring - Bouquet
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingback Shoes - wine

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Japan Tempura Islant
Light Settings: Dusty
Water Settings: Glassy

Stretched Out

These pictures took over three days to do.

My computer had issues. Flaws on the harddrive issues. And then the issues of trying to run chkdsk when the dsk (in this case the C: drive) was running. And, of course, setting it to run on relog either crashed everything or it skipped past.

Until today.

When it decided, after a long day, to start up and take three hours to run.

Gods today sucked.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup Inked Lips
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Exile, Audra Roots - Nectar Mix
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Jewelry: Falln Angel Creations, Talyia Autumn
Dress: LVS & Co, Southern Charm - Orange
Shoes: G Field, Bow Strap Shoes "Kate" - orange

Pose: Glitterati, 176

Location: Peasters Castle
Light Settings: Default

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

How NOT to pick up a chick in Second Life - Episode 3

My latest Second Life Lothario was not only naked, with penis out, in a Moderate sim, but also felt the need to speak to me. Quite a while after I walked away from him, not saying anything, I was contacted.

[2011/08/15 12:47] Mr. McPenis: hi
[2011/08/15 12:47] Deoridhe Quandry: Hello.
[2011/08/15 12:47] Mr. McPenis: you are a beautiful fairy
[2011/08/15 12:47] Mr. McPenis: bit clumsy though
[2011/08/15 13:00] Deoridhe Quandry: Thank you. I think.
[2011/08/15 13:01] Mr. McPenis: I do love a clumsy fairy.
[2011/08/15 13:02] Mr. McPenis: So are you dating anyone?
[2011/08/15 13:02] Deoridhe Quandry: You certainly are direct.
[2011/08/15 13:03] Mr. McPenis: Why beat around the bush
[2011/08/15 13:03] Deoridhe Quandry: For one thing, it shows a certain amount of social skills. For another it's a lot more flattering to show interest in the person rather than their availability, as if we were replaceable - which I'm sure to you we are.
[2011/08/15 13:09] Mr. McPenis: You are taking this a bit too serious I think. I am interested in you. Please dont th ink otherwise. I am actually a very friendly guy in SL and love to get to know people.
[2011/08/15 13:10] Deoridhe Quandry: If you're interested, my availability or lack thereof isn't relavent. ^.^
[2011/08/15 13:12] Mr. McPenis: So where are you from?
[2011/08/15 13:14] Deoridhe Quandry: Azure Springs is my home - a little cottage a short walk from the sea.
[2011/08/15 13:17] Mr. McPenis: I am from Florida. That is in the Continental United states. east coast. Daytona area to be exact
[2011/08/15 13:17] Deoridhe Quandry: I'm happy for you.

Here's a word of advice, Lotharios of Second Life - if you can't check enough down someone's profile to see that they indicate offline information is not forthcoming - asking for it (and offering it) is really not a good idea.

And yes, that was the last I heard from him. Yay! Apparently my lack of enthusiasm for information I never asked for was discouragement enough and overcame his desire to get to "know" me (by me, I mean my physical location, of course, and my single status - since he showed interest in nothing more).

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eye Liner: Adam n Eve, Hepsut
Lip Color: Skinthesis, Liquid Heat
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Eve hair - Ethereal
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Dress: Likka House, Sakura White
Shoes: G Field, Flower Pumps "Eve" - white

Pose: Glitterati, 250 2

Location: The Nest
Light Settings: Places, District 8
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Strawberry Girl

I love strawberries, especially with whipped cream and tiny chocolate chips. Last month was strawberry month - two pounds for four dollars for well over a month. I indulged many times, piling them up. My food processor worked to great effect - chop chop chop! Piled up on top of cake, melting into golden goodness, brilliant red against pure white and little drops of brown. Pure heaven.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eye Color: De La Soul, Pastel
Eye Liner: Adam n Eve, Hepsut
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Mochi Hair - Grass
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Choker: Rebel X, Strawberry Necklace
Necklace:Concrete Flowers, Streawberry Necklace
Bracelets: Silent Sparrow, Chapiteau Wrist lettes
Dress: katat0nik, Strawberry Sailor Dress
Stockings: Silentsparrow, Strawberry Girl Knit Socks 1
Shoes: G Field, Knot Wedge Sandal - white

Pose: Squeek, winged pose 2

Location: Alirium
Light Settings: Places Cornfield
Water Settings: Pond

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Forty-one - Jazzberry

Jazzberry was simply NOT in my inventory! I ended up with a myriad of shades of fuchsia instead - picking through my "to be photographed" folder and Evie's Closet's dress fell out.


I love this dress - from the rope trim to the flow of colors through the texture. It simply makes me happy. After pestering my favorite chat for a place to take pictures, I ended up in Alirium and ended up making... a slightly embarrassing discovery.

There are lots of layers to Alirium.

I had only found one, before... *blush*


Sadly, on most of them I can't use my PoseAnywhere hud; I ended up teleporting back and forth to set poses, but it wasn't the same. I'm going to have to go back with non-hud poses sometime, but I didn't have the patience to do it this time! I can understand keeping scripts off to protect against griefing, but wow does it make me sad when I can't use my HUD now! I love the fact that I can randomly bounce through all the options until I find what I really want; it's made me lazy!

I'm still looking for the eye-manipulation hud that doesn't require one to rez anything on the sim... but I can't find where I put the link! Woe. You don't care about that, though, I bet! You're interested in... THE CLOTHES!


The dress, as I said, is the gorgeous Aria dress in fuchsia by Evie's Closet. She's been a favorite store of mine for a long while. I actually found her store back when she was doing group gift presents in little apples - it was Halloween, and the dress was a gorgeous long one in black and orange. I was a long time store gift and lucky chair aficionado, but Evie's Closet was one of the first limited edition items I picked up. I fluttered back multiple times after that, and it wasn't long until I was picking up my favorite dresses.

The necklace is from Silq'waggi - which I have no idea how one pronounces - and I have no idea what auspices i got it under! It ended up being a perfect match for the dress - the gold tying in the rope detailing and the little pink stones picking up the shadows of... well... jazzberry! I finished off the look with Wasabi Pill's Trish hair, with one ponytail. I love how the hair is long and loose, just as if you undid a ribbon and let it fall. The color is Jellyfish, which was one of the first Wasabi Pills colors I tried on simply because I had NO idea what color it would be! It turns out to be a delightful shade of hot pink!


( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Smoke Lips
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Trish Hair - Jellyfish
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: Silq'waggi, Rippled Pinkpixellite
Dress: Evie's Closet, Fuschia Aria
Shoes: G Field, Square-toes Shoes "Sophie" - camel

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Alirium
Light Settings: TOR, DUSK - Strummer

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Hap

If but some vengeful god would call to me
From up the sky, and laugh: "Thou suffering thing,
Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy,
That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting!"

Then would I bear it, clench myself, and die,
Steeled by the sense of ire unmerited;
Half-eased in that a Powerfuller than I
Had willed and meted me the tears I shed.

But not so. How arrives it joy lies slain,
And why unblooms the best hope ever sown?
Crass Casualty obstructs the sun and rain,
And dicing Time for gladness casts a moan. . . .
These purblind Doomsters had as readily strown
Blisses about my pilgrimage as pain.

~Thomas Hardy

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Smoke Lips
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Exile, Aroha - Goldrush
Wings: ni.ju, Glow Dragon Wings - Cyber Web
Dress: Bare Rose, Arue Black
Shoes: G Field, Square-toes Shoes "Sophie" - white

Pose: Glitterati, 180

Location: Faery Dust
Light Settings: TOR, FOGGY - Sad Purple
Water Settings: TOR, Meridian verde

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Dwelling

I pray. I bring the bottle to my lips. I pour. I pray. I bring the bottle to my lips. I pour. I pray. I bring the bottle to my lips. I pour. I leave it in the hands of the gods.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Faerie Pastel Lips
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Truth, Eden - golden
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: Axiom, Antithetical Concept Necklace
Dress: Evie's Closet, Fable Gown
Belt: De La Soul, Isle of Amras Healer's Belt - High Master
Shoes: G Field, Short Lace Boots - Blue

Pose: Dare, Whatever...

Location: Snuggles Forest
Light Settings: Places Las Legunas
Water Settings: TOR, You're In Luck

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Ro-chan's New Dolly

BDSM is a sometimes used but seemingly not often understood term in the world. Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism, Masochism. While all these terms are encompassed in the term, those who fall under it's umbrella often embrace only a subset - sometimes very specific and particular. To be submissive is an odd thing; to enjoy the moment of being told what to do, of being outsmarted, of being knocked off balance and kept there but to know, at the same time as one teeters uncertainly, that one is safe. It can be sexual, but the urge to serve, to obey, to trust often extends far beyond sexuality.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Blush: Honey Kitty, cheeks 01
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: W&Y Hair, 168 - blond
Ears: Honey Kitty, Bunny hair Band
Flowers: Natural, Hana B
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: Axiom, Antithetical Concept Necklace
Shirt: Blue Blood, Piper - white
Dress: katat0nik, Le Cupcake Dress
Bloomers: Sn@tch, Bloomers - white
Gloves: Creative Kaoz Designs, Chantilly Lace - white
Purse: G Field, Heart Bag - pink
Stockings: Blue Sugar Stripes Socks
Shoes: katat0nik, Kita Mary Janes - candy

Pose: Glitterati, 043

Location: Legacies 1891 Dark Victorian Fantasy Roleplay
Light Settings: TOR, EUPHORIA Natural High

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Profile Deoridhe

There are new profiles on Second Life - semi-facebook style. Honestly, I find it mostly useless - though maybe I could link to my blog posts from there? - but I would love it if could get group notices through it, and maybe some way to mark if I've read the notice. I get so behind on my notices, and they clog up my inventory so much, that having a way to manage those easily would be nice. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to communicate with anyone in Second Life; to an extent it makes sense to keep out the hoi poloi, many of us who will have nothing useful to say, but it'd be nice to share a "wish list".


At some point, though, they changed the animation speed of the girls walk - or is it just in Firestorm? The duck walk was a result of speeding the animation up until then was ridiculous; now when I walk with my AO off it doesn't look good, but it doesn't look ridiculous either! I wish there was a more seamless way to work with poses for pictures and AOs, but right now I do a lot of turning on and off - made easier by the bottom button bar on Firestorm.


I have a card I give out to low-day avatars - a newbie notecard, if you will. I find I use it more when I go to some of the places at the destination guide. I also find that's where I run into people chatting to themselves in Voice through SL, or yelling at me to "go away" from a public place. It's a very odd thing, to place oneself in the path of strangers and see how they react. Questioning whether I should be friendlier, quieter, go closer or stay away. There isn't really an etiquette of how to deal with strangers in Second Life when you have your own tasks - it's rather like a small town, filled with strangers.


Lots of people have insecurities. Sometimes, the people I value most have major ones - like I do. There was an interesting TED by Brene Brown about people who have real happiness - the commonality for all of them is that they feel they deserve love. The need to be vulnerable, to leave oneself out to be hurt, being necessary for true happiness and connection with others is still an amazing challenge for myself.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: Adam n Eve, Frosted Forest
Eyeliner: cheLLe, Cleo Called Evergreen
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Illusory, Kimmi Streaked - Golden
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Necklace: Earthstones, Chocolate Box Necklace
Dress: katat0nik, Tall Dall Dress - green
Ring: Earthstones, Eternal Blossom Ring - Bouquet
Shoes: katat0nik, Kita Mary Janes - candy

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Garden of Dreams
Light Settings: EUPHORIA, Rotton melon
Water Settings: Listeryne

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Forty - Apricot

Apricot week was rather difficult for me because most of my apricot was more orange or brown! I ended up settling on peach instead (it's a similar fruit!), swinging around to one of my favorite stores of all time, Blue Blood. A while ago, Ghanima started making whitegoth styled clothing as well as standard gothic clothing, and it's really been a wonderful way to extend my Classic and Sweet Lolita styling.


This dress also comes with a black checked vest and skirts to match, but I liked the paler color for this challenge. The delicate ribbing is very sweet and adds some texture to it. I paired it with G Field shoes; the square toe and simple band is meant to carry over the simplicity of the dress. The outfit was rounded out with a set of pearls from Wretched Dollies that I simply couldn't resist (someday I will return and buy them ALL!).

I went with simple cosmetics to match - eyes a combination of two Adam n Eve designs, a peachy blush that I thought suited, and a very dark lipstick from Rue. It's a little dark for Sweet Lolita, but then I'm not your average Sweet Lolita! The hair is a Hair Faire purchase from Raspberry Aristocrat, and they may be on my list as a new store to check out semi-regularly. I love the bits of hair flying loose, which makes the whole style look casual and natural.


I've really been grateful for my friends this week - complementing me, teasing me, listening to me whimper and complain, worrying about me, and giving me advice. When things are hardest in my life, they always seem to be there to cheer me up and make me feel like I'm a valuable person. It encourages me to take care of myself - something I'm not always the best at. Indulging myself, yes. Taking care of myself... not so much.


I don't know if all the exploring and picture taking counts as taking care of, though. it's definitely distracting. When I'm cursing shattered unicorn horns for being so hard to find, I'm distracted from the pains in my life. When I'm impatiently waiting for my auction spot to go, to see how much I'll make, I'm distracted from the pains of my life. when I'm trying on new clothes, or sorting my inventory, there isn't room in my mind to fret over the many things I could fret over.



( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: Adam n Eve, Winter Garden and Hepsut
Cheeks: Honey Kitty, X'mas Cheeks 3
Lips: Rue, Cold Kiss
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Raspberry Aristocrat, Jane Hair - Blond Honey
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings 
Necklace: Wretches Dollies, Pearls & Diamonds
Dress: Blue Blood, Piper - Peach
Shoes: G Field, Square-toe Shoes "Sophie" - white

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Enchanted
Light Settings: TOR, MIDDAY Why So Blue 1
Water Settings: TOR, Atomist

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Land of Smoke and Sacrifice

I'm currently addicted to a new series, the first one is called Thirteen Orphans, the second is Nine Gates, and it's a fascinating series based around the language and symbolism of mahjong. Part of what I find so charming about it is that not only are the female characters varied, interesting, and not stereotypical, but there are also multiple races represented despite the basis of the stories being ancient China.

The characters originate in a place called the Land of Smoke and Sacrifice - and going to this China sim made me think about that image, about the impermanence implied by brushed ink creating a world. The centrality of language for the Thirteen Orphans is also very familiar; words are central to my religious and spiritual life and their power weaves through the entirety of my experience. To find it reflected here, in such a beautiful and evocative manner, is really a pleasure.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup Faerie Pastel
Lips: Skinthesis, Liquid Heat - In Denial
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Illusory, Yew - Streaked Purple
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Dress: Falln Angel Creations, Melyna Dress Purple

Pose: Glitterati, 011

Location: China
Light Settings: Places Pathfinder

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Murder, LLC

This is a creepy and wonderful sim, and only around for a little while longer. Go and enjoy it while you can.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Eyes: De La Soul, Charlie Makeup Inked
Lips: De La Soul, Charlie MakeupRed Lips
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: dDx, Briannon - Ash Blonde
Wings: Favole, Fallen
Dress: SLC, Party Dress
Gloves: Eclectica, Swoon ebony
Stockings: Violent Seduction, Lingerie Masquarade
Boots: Favole, Wraith

Pose: Glitterati, 123

Location: Anna's Many Murders
Light Settings: Default Sim Settings

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

ptotally pterrific

I have to make a note about !Right, which has shown up in a few of my posts. I've been getting their blogger packs for a while, picking through and dragging out what I liked the most, and it's really been a pleasure! I'm new to this whole "People give you things and don't even expect anything" thing, but I have to admit it's taken me to stores and places I likely wouldn't have gone on my own. I don't like all of !Right's work, and it's off to one side of my style, but I've loved pushing the envelope into a new area of style.


It's been interesting watching the push and pull here and there about whether people should mention they're getting review copies or not. Some view it as bragging - which honestly surprised me since most of the store owners sending me things are not personal friends, but are rather acquaintances. Friendly acquaintances, but not close friends. Most of my close friends who are store owners, I sometimes blog but I purchase a lot of what I blog. One recent exception was the Gemini skin from De La Soul, but given how many of her Charlie skins I bought... I was grateful for the gifts! And I've picked up some additional cosmetic sets to add to what she gave me. Now and then something shiny will be dropped on me as a present, but more often than not I'm spending money.


There are some stores I get free things which I simply don't blog, too. I pick through for what I want - and some stores are closer to my personal style than others. I will admit to feeling some guilt about getting free stuff, though, and my general free-seeking behavior. It's hard economic times, and I'd like to spread my money around, but I'm trying to pick carefully where that money goes and how much goes out. Things are tight here, too. Really, at the end of the day, all I can offer is my gratitude for generous creators, and the equal positive feelings from those who enjoy my blog and pictures.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Tattoo: silentsparrow, Birdie Tattoos - cherry
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Red Lips
Eyeliner: cheLLe, Cleo Called Black
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Curious Kitties, Cindy
Wings: Terho, Elda - Red
Dress: !Right, Leona - black
Jewelry: Little Boy Blue, Clara Yule
Bracelets: Ezura, Lolita Crown - Red
Shoes: Purrfect 10, Summer Rose

Poses: Terho

Location: pteron
Light Settings: TOR, BIG SUN - Slips Through Walls 2
Water: TOR, Arakissed variant - tinted red

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Bewitched Beeswax

An important piece of information - outside of Second Life, I'm fat. Not chubby, not voluptuous, not big boned, not any of a thousand piddly terms for it. Fat. Comments claiming I am not, or giving diet advice, will be summarily deleted.

Today, at a meeting while I was working, a stranger shook my hand, introducing himself. He did that weird two handed shake, trapping my hand. He leaned in. He said, completely out of the blue and unsolicited, "Every woman should look like you. You're beautiful." It took me a few seconds to get my hand out of his; I left with my companion, pretty much saying nothing in response.

I found this man deeply creepy.

Part of it was the completely unsolicited and unwanted comment on my physical appearance. I don't often get that these days, and to be honest I prefer it that way. Good, bad, if we're not interacting on the level of dating I really don't care if looking at me makes your eyes bug out and your bile rise, or makes your libido inflate like a clown's poodle balloon - that's your business.

But the other part which deeply creeped me out was the implied insult toward all of the other women in the room - me being the largest. One of the nastier things used to pit women against woman is our worth publicly judged as appropriate eye candy (If you don't know what I mean, take a look at any tabloid in the grocery store. Ironically, one side effect of people realizing that Anorexia Nervosa fucking KILLS is that now women in the tabloids have about a ten pound window in which to be attractive - go above, you're a tubby fat ugly chick who shows celluloid in public (quelle horror!). Go below, and you're obviously a helpless, mentally ill child who needs to be tut tutted into eating two tubs of cottage cheese instead of one, maybe with some peaches.) One of the nastier aspects of the Big Beautiful Women movement, at least as expressed by some men and women, is a corresponding insult toward any woman who happens to be thin, slim, or even OMG skinny.

Fat, thin, I don't care. Weighing women's worth by their weight is the problem, not the number we summon when stepping on a scale.

Also, fsking creepy guy.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Faerie Pastel Lips
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Kiki Hair - Lemon Tea
Hair Decoration: Purangi Designs, Hair Lily - orange
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Dress: Nemesis, Monday Dress - beeswax
Necklace: Earthstones, Tree of Life - Autumn
Shoes: Deviant Designs, Beach Baby 2 - Sienna

Pose: Glitterati, JFTG Pose 1

Location: Bewitched
Light Settings: TOR, MIDDAY - Cheery
Water: TOR, Showing Age

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Forest Hunting

I had the most fun doing the quests in Chakryn Forest, which had been recommended to me in an earlier post. It's essentially an in-sim hunt, looking for shiny and sparkly things, and really the shiny and sparkly things are what you are hunting - if it glows, click it!! The prizes are really cute, and about the only frustration I had for the entire thing - for even hunting is a pleasure in a sim this beautiful - was the lag which seemed to grow now and then as I went.

I had a lot of fun staging and taking pictures as well, gradually adding my prizes as I went. The necklace is one of the things you get, and there are a couple of gifts hiding here and there, too. But really, in the course of enjoying yourself across the sim you're likely to find most of the hidden nooks and crannies, unearth the secrets, and make your offerings to the different characters in Chakryn Forest.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Kei Cream
Cosmetics: De La Soul, Faerie Pastel Lips
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Ears: Illusion, Mystic Ear
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Kiki Hair - Rye
Hair Decoration: Split Pea, and with bees in her breath
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings
Shinies: Andrek, Chakryn Spirit Cluster
Dress: Purple Moon, Nine Gown in Black
Necklace: Andrek, Heart of the Forest
Shoes: G Field, Bow Strap Shoes "Kate" - black

Pose: Glitterati, 128

Location: Chakryn Forest
Light Settings: Magic Hour

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only