Nipponophile

I've been a huge fan of Japanese history and culture for years. I have no deep understanding of all of it, and there is a way in which the refinement makes me feel rather like an elephant trying to dance on tulips; in many ways it is the attraction of the opposite, the careful, the regimented and regulated.

One of the places where the importance of cultural norms and refinement might be most seen is in the seeking of pleasure. There are complicated rituals around creating the space for pleasure and release - particularly historically speaking. One of those is the high level of ritual around the Oiran and Tayuu, Courtesans of Edo era Japan.

( For more information on Oiran, please go here for the post which sparked my going to this sim. )


Pose: Alchemy Immortalis, French Boudoir 1910 Stand 7

It is one of the curiosities of the internet in general, this tendency to build what we seek in it's purest form, without the complications and difficulties of reality. Those complications sneak in, though, through our interactions with others within which we replay the patterns of our lives.


Pose: Alchemy Immortalis, French Boudoir 1910 Stand 2

Iwasaki Mineko is a former Geisha who first provided some history for the novel Memoir of a Geisha before writing her own book on her history, Geisha, a Life as an attempt to clarify inaccuracies and counteract the sensationalism she deplored in Memoirs. One of the things which struck me most about her history was the depth of appreciation of others demonstrated through the daily visits and giving of gifts within the community supporting the Geisha.

The negative side of this - the degree of influence and control on others and how that is used to damage and erase individuals - is in many ways as compelling as the positive web of love and support. There are many days I feel isolated, cut off from others through my own nature and the predilections which I sometimes allow too free rein. My attempts to counter are incomplete, fitting within a jumble of days which often feels far too full.


Pose: Alchemy Immortalis, WRC Stand - Daphne

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Charlie - Cream - Sakura
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (copper)
Hair: Magika Hair, Buns - Golden Blond
Hair Roses: G Field, Rose Hairpin - red; Magika, Hair Rose - Red
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings - tinted gold
Dress: Falln Angel Creations, Harumi Gown - White

Location: Shinmachi District
Light Settings: [TOR] NIGHT - Brighter
Water Settings: [TOR] Trandshan

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Eighteen - Ecru

Ecru, like the other neutrals, was a real challenge.

One of my unofficial rules for myself was not to buy anything specifically for the color challenge, but rather explore the depths of my inventory for an item of clothing to match the challenge. Ecru almost broke that rule - I literally had none in my inventory, and ended up falling back on Nude and Cream to fill in for Ecru. One of my favorite, slightly scandalous outfits from Bliss Couture fit the bill nicely, though it took a while for me to find it, even with my inventory organized by color!


I also struggled with staging the shoot. I'm not a huge fan of neutrals, truth be told, so I ended up trolling the Destination Guide and some of my favorite location blogs for likely places to shoot. While doing so I ran across the Bloom project by Sabrinaa Nightfire, who recently passed away. At the entrance is a memorial where people have left lovely notes to her.

The rest of the sim is made up of brightly colored, gently moving flowers. I particularly fell in love with a set of blue flowers (seen below) that let me perch in their midst. The colors are very vibrant and alive, a fitting tribute to someone who sounds like a wonderful woman. My thoughts are with those who loved her during this difficult time.



( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Charlie - Cream - Sakura
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (copper)
Hair: Magika Hair, Cake - Blond Wheat
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings - tinted ecru
Necklace 1: Violet Voltaire, Hot Cocoa Necklace
Necklace 2: Ruro Pino, Snow Slow Glass
Dress: Bliss Couture, Morella Lace Dress - Nude
Bracelets: League, Wanderer Bracelet - Discs
Stockings: G Field, Ruddle Socks - Cream
Boots: G Field, Short Boots - Sand

Poses:
1) Long Awkward Pose, Tingle
2) Long Awkward Pose, Fantasy-Faepose9

Location: Bloom, by Sabrinaa Nightfire
Light Settings: [TOR] SCIFI - Port Skies
Water Settings: [TOR] Liz Taylor

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Adventuring with Pets

I had a great deal of fun yesterday, exploring around Tol Narwa Vire (one of my favorite places for photographs on the grid) on my horse, Azriella. Simply because I wanted to, I brought my bunny, little Keaniez, along with me.

They're both named for the people who gave them to me as housewarming gifts (I love you guys!). Unfortunately, I couldn't bring lovely Saderion with me, as I had only one butt. I'll have to take him out riding sometime later. Azriella is the grey horse, who just became old enough for me to ride her, and Saderion is the giant black, who came to me full grown.


One of my favorite spots on Tol is the giant fish tank. I didn't feel like drowning my two friends (faeries can breathe under water) so we didn't go it, but I did bring them both to see it, and pointed out the mermaid. You can actually get inside of the tank, but it takes some doing. There's also a little hidden room inside that I found during the last hunt (Azriel, of Falln Angel Creations, who built Tol Narwa Vire also does hunts several times a year. When they show up on Tol, well... lets just say you need ot check every nook and cranny. If you can't find the piranha and the dragon, you probably missed a hunt prize!)


There are also little hidden places with wildlife lurking, watchful. I think my all time favorite is the Crab Out of Place, but the moving panthers and the deer seen above are lovely little spots of delight. He's really stepped up the texturing and flowers, too, and is in the process of building a whole new area in a tree house. From what he's said, reworking things to use new and better sculpties have changed a lot of what he's going since it saves prims, which he can then put to new and better areas for us to explore.


Yes, I rode poor Azriella up the stairs into a tree house. In the distance, you can see the Castle on Sanctuary, next door.

I didn't go to many of the hidden places - being a bit too tall - but I highly recommend searching around, falling into holes, and following dark paths to find the hidden wonder in Tol narwa Vire.



( More Pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: Doux Petit, Sad Rainbow
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (tarnished)
Hair: Magika Hair, Paisley - Blond
Wings: Azarelle Wings - tinted white
Necklace: Adora & Abhor, RaveCandy Necklace
Dress: Katat0nik, Clover Dress - Black
Gloves: Sn@tch, Long GLoves - Black
Stockings: Latte, Color Tights - Stripes - Black
Heels: G Field, Flower Pumps "Eve" - white
Horse: Amaretto, Azariella
Bunny: Ozimals, Keaniez

Pose: Horsie Pose!

Location: Tol Narwa Vire
Light Settings: [Euphoria] bergamot & rosemary
Water Settings: [TOR] Subtleties

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Slither Resurfaces in an Unexpected Place

I'm sure most people have the Slither Jewelry Set in their inventory (if you don't, let me know and I'll drop it on you; I adore it - Random Calliope released it full perms a long time ago, so that everyone could enjoy it).

I was startled this morning when I received a notice of a new jewelry for sale from Kiera Seda of Sacred Roses which appeared to use the Slither jewelry but without attribution to Calliope. Hoping there was some error, I contacted her privately about my confusion and she stated that since it was released with full perms, she could use it in any manner she wished without attribution.

When I expressed dismay at what I saw as a lack of integrity - she is, after all, passing off someone else's work as her own - she questioned my integrity and stated I probably "insulted" people all of the time (for pointing out that what she admitted to doing had little integrity, which I maintain it does not).

I had been hoping she would have the gratitude for Calliope's legacy to mention him in her advertisements, and that a private word would bring that about, but that is apparently not the case. As such, I feel it really necessary to speak out about this through the only medium I have at hand - my blog.

I am unsure if Seda is using other full perm items without attribution, but for her "Eve's Temptation" necklace she certainly is, knowingly so, as admitted to me.

Original Slither:



Seda's Re-use of Slither without Attribution:

Black and White

I don't remember how I first ran into The World End's Garden, but it was love at first flutter.

Layers of plants, a few objects placed gracefully within them, light and water and a small amount of land. I was amazed at how so little was used to make so much. There was something at once both spare and lush; both vibrant and hidden.


The new build (sadly, it appears the build I photographed for my Sepia photoshoot is now gone) is an amazing contrast in black and white, with colors used sparingly enough that they stand out without being obvious.

They don't jar, but rather seduce you into the image, into the emotional melancholy of noir et blanc.


The peacock leaves of barbee are here, too - their slight color captivating around the tree section on one side of the area. Waves continually flow over the entire floor, low enough that you can't touch them yet perpetually visible, making this a place you really have to enter to enjoy.

Static photographs simply don't do it justice.


It's worth your while to turn on the music, too. ColeMarie Soleil and tasuku Ghost collaborated in a gorgeous, haunting accompaniment for the view. For a long while after I finished with my photography, I remained in world to listen and enjoy the gentle movement of the water under me.

It was just what I needed tonight - a peaceful, beautiful place with lovely, haunting music.


( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: Curio, Petal April - Rainbow 1
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (tarnished)
Hair: Magika Hair, Paisley - Blond
Wings: Deviance, Rainbow Wings with Fancy Fairy, Azarelle Wings - shrunk and tinted white layered over
Necklace: Adora & Abhor, RaveCandy Necklace
Bracelets: ReTox, Rainbow BoneHead bracelets
Fairy Dust: MN, Rainbow Fairy Dust (hands and feet)
Dress, Hat, and Stockings: The Delectable Doll, White Rainbow
Heels: A Vlodovic, SAH Rainbow

Poses: ImpEle

Location: World's End Garden - Noir et blanc
Light Settings: FSOriginal

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Lucifer

I'm a big fan of the Slacktivist, who is moving his blog - shock and awe! - and he recently did a post which brought up an old memory of mine. Entitled, Team Hell Gets Loud, Fred speaks up about his view on the common evangelical view that Hell is a place everyone who isn't evangelical is condemned to unless they accept Jesus into their heart (No room! I keep my blood there!).

I'm not Christian now, but I was once Christian. Ickle Deokins once carried around a Bible she never read (and I never have from cover to cover! Bad Deo!) and believed God loved her, and bought into the popular conception of Satan/Lucifer (this is pre-knowing-the-Greek, mind) falling from Heaven and being Condemned To Live In Hell and Torment Humans.

Odd as it sounds... when I was in my early teens... I used to wish I could purposefully go to Hell.



This probably sounds odd, and at the time I wondered if I was dangerously close to one of the heresies that would lead me to get sent to Hell, but I used to spend time trying to figure out if I could endure the torment of Hell because I had a purpose. A naive purpose, but still... a purpose.

See, I thought it was wrong that Lucifer was condemned to Hell for loving God more than People. And I thought it was awful that God's way of punishing him was so cruel - to send him away from the person he loved most.

I figured Lucifer was probably lonely, and sad, being away from the person he had loved most. And maybe over time that pain had turned into a desire to invoke pain in others, but that meant Lucifer deserved more sympathy, not less.

So I wanted to go to Hell, to try to cheer Lucifer up. You know, give him someone to talk about God to maybe, or... distract him with something, or just be with him so he wasn't so alone. I figured most people condemned to Hell wouldn't care if Lucifer was lonely and sad, so someone who wasn't condemned should go to take care of him.

However, I wasn't sure I could do it, and I was caught between wondering if wanting to go to Hell to cheer up someone God put there would send me to Hell, or if being so lacking in love that I wouldn't be willing to go to Hell (because it was hurt, and even as a young child I didn't like pain) would make me a bad enough person I'd end up in Hell but then not care Lucifer was sad and lonely so I wouldn't cheer him up anyway.

So then it would have all been for nothing.

In my late teens I left Christianity behind, but I'm still struck by the ethical dilemma I put myself into because I felt sympathy for the devil.


Credits:

Skin: Nomine, Sylvan Latte - pride 2
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (tarnished)
Hair: Deviant Kitties, Eli - Blond
Wings: Boom, Aranel's Wings - Evil Edition Chained
Necklace: PixelDolls, Mes Regretes - Burning Heart necklace
Dress: PixelDolls, Knockout Tutu - Red
Boots: Dilly Dolls, Sonata - Dark Red
Book: Secret Shelf, Twisted Book Red (A Decoy Prize)

Pose:
1) 2010.4 free 1
2) ImpEle, Winged 05

Location: Whimsy
Light Settings: Sailor's Delight

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Seventeen - Electric Lime

Lime week was an absolute blast, and set me catapulting back to a dress I loved the moment I put it on. The Green Caged Dress by Schadenfreude was one of the prizes at Magic of Oz, during one of their earliest hunts.

I adore the hunts at Magic of Oz. Even in the beginning they were unique - hunting for objects for each store all over, with them appearing and disappearing like magic. Now it's easily my favorite place to hunt - not only is it a great deal of fun bouncing about with a basket steadily filling with pretty prizes, but it also allows for fun exploration without the lag which was the bane of the first couple of hunts. Indeed, the only frustrating thing is occasionally having to hunt for the stores!



The location I ended up at was one that's been in my books for a while - Twomoons Island. It seems to be the new place where MiaSnow is now - though to be honest I didn't look much at the stores. I was more focused on the lovely taunt that was the locked off areas - I ended up posing in front of a couple of them, just because they were so incredibly lovely.

I resisted the urge to cam inside, or press myself up against the red lines and whine like an excluded kitty cat, but it was clear the loveliness of the available build extends beyond into private. I can certainly understand why people want to keep places private, but I must admit an entirely childish desire to explore in those places which no amount of rationality can quite quench.



The land is gorgeous, a swooping and curving landscape with heights and waters both. There are some charming buildings I found near the end, and the views in all directions are amazing. There are even some elusive little islands around the edges, sticking out into the water off the edge of the sim and making it seem more like part of an archipelago, than a single square place. There are also some lovely glowing flowers, which stood out well against the green of the ground without killing the eye with glow.

I lit it all rather green, but wandering around after the final photograph was taken I found it responds well to a variety of coloration and seems to respond particularly well to a bright blue sky. The blue of the sky and water set off the teals and greens of the land in a manner which is simply a delight to the eyes.

( Other pictures can be seen here. )

Credits:

Skin: Nomine, Sylvan Latte - pride 1
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (tarnished)
Hair: Calico Ingmann Creations, Seelie - Light Lime
Wings: Schadenfreude, Lucent Batwing - Green
Necklace: Magpie, Lime Cubelet Necklace
Dress: Schadenfreude, Green Caged Gown
Bracelets: Begendings, Bracelets - Lime
Shoes: Katat0nik, Ghostfire Boots - Lime

Poses:
1) Endless Dreams, Kawaii Pose 4
2) Olive Juice, ILY

Location: Twomoons Island
Light Settings: [TOR] SCIFI - Green whirl
Water Settings: [TOR] Chivandria clair

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

New Home

When I first came to Second Life, I was one of those leeches that occasionally bloggers post about wishing they could be expelled from the grid. Freebie account - the very phrase which casts terror in the hearts of mortal avatars.

It honestly didn't take me long to shell out the mulah for shiny things. Twenty bucks in Second Life can stretch a lot longer than almost anywhere else, including Gaia Online and Facebook. Pick the right stores and you're looking at a lot of outfits. My main focus was always clothing, though. To purchase land, either on an estate or on the mainland, you have to shell out regular money, and when I started paying for things it was very much ad hoc and in response to how much I thought I had in the bank.

My first home was on the land of a friend I met through philosophy discussions. We all had little sections, and our mismatched builds clashed gloriously with each other. I did some of my first building there - my ball houses, which have never made it out of my inventory. That land went after a while - land is expensive in Second Life - and I moved into the sky over a Sim I used to regularly go to discussions at. Sadly, these days most of the discussions are at 4am, far outside of any time I could join in, but in many ways I had moved on.

Then I was invited for a while to live with some other friends, but as time passed I felt less and less welcome. It became painful to log in there, to look around and see evidence of a person who now couldn't be bothered to say hello to me but could make comments on a blog about me and pretend he was brave enough to say it to my face (and who could then lie to my face about it being about me despite repeating almost verbatim things that were said in that post). I moved out when it hurt too much, and all evidence points to me never being missed so I can't say I much regret it - but I did regret losing the feeling that I had a home and people who cared if I was around.

A few days ago, as an early birthday present to myself, I splurged and finally took a step I'd been considering for a while - becoming a Premium Member and claiming my Linden home for my own. I chose the elfy lands, a cute little cottage with a generous porch and a room I could make into my dressing room. I was given lovely housewarming gifts - a bunny and two horses - and had the fun of not only decorating it as I wished, but knowing this was my space to invite other people into; my home even when people no longer want me around.



( More pictures of my home here. )

Color Challenge: Week Sixteen - Teal

Teal Week brings me back quite a few months, when Rezzables was leaving Second Life and there was a huge, elemental celebration of Black Swan. Ages ago I took pictures at Black Swan - one of my earlier photoshoots - posing with a lot of the art present.

The Melusine dress came from that celebration, a frothy confection invoking the flow and power of the waves. I love the mixes of colors, how green and blue mix with teal and aqua to create something new.



All of my photography is out at Sims across the grid - sometimes posing in front of things and sometimes trying to insinuate myself inside. One of the interesting things about Second Life is trying to find foregrounds and backgrounds without obscuring the whole picture.

In this case, though, Little Kasipaya forms beautiful, moving backdrops and spots to dance, pose, or romance. I'll admit I remained in just one room for Teal Week, but the sim itself is full of shiny rooms to lose yourself in, images so amazing you end up staring in wonder.



( Remaining Pictures here. )

Credits:

Picture 1:
Eyes: Muriel, Diamond
Skin: GP, Petal [Dark] April - Rainbow 2
Hair: Miriel, Artist Hair - beach
Ears: Illusion, Fairy Ears
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle - tinted pinkypeach
Dress: Zaara, Chaya Lotus
Shoes: Multiple Personality Design, Chunky Heel Shoes - Peach
Necklace: Pisa, Pink Moonstone Diamond Necklace
Ring: Little Boy Blue, Endurance Ring
Pose: Sunflower poses, oh!
Location: Black Swan

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Picture 2:
Skin: De La Soul, Charlie - Sakura
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (tarnished)
Hair: Red Queen, Dreams ~ Blonde
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle - tinted teal
Necklace: Donna Flora, Alda Necklace - Turquoise
Dress: Evie's Closet, Melusine - Seafoam
Stockings: Pixeldolls, Teal Brocade Socks
Shoes: G Field, Rose Bootie "Kate" - Teal

Pose: Olive Juice, Dangerous Curves Ahead

Location: Little Kasipaya * Plants & Art Labyrinth
Light Settings: AnaLu, Studio6

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only

Color Challenge: Week Fifteen - Red

Red Week was a lot of fun!

Usually I go for something saturated, or a funky light setup, but with an already saturated red (and a litany of brightly saturated pictures in my history) I decided to go a little minimalist again - the brightness of a red dress against a nearly monochromatic background. I think the color simplicity and design complexity of the Poe exhibit really suits a Blue Blood Dress I totally adore - especially for the heart cut-out on the chest.


The skin is an awesome Subscribo gift from De La Soul for valentines day.

I might have more to say in the future. Right now it feels like words are piling up behind my lips, but coming out more as a jumble of letters than anything coherent.

( Rest of the pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Charlie - JewelRose Valentine
Eyes: Tacky Star, Pride
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ear - Fairy (tarnished)
Hair: DarkerSide, Vintage Red
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle - tinted red
Dress: Blue Blood, Resistence - red
Shoes: G Field, Rose Bootie "Diva" - Red

Pose: ImpEle, Winged - 04

Location: Empyreal Dreams ~ The Art Anthology

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only