Saturday, July 8, 2017

Garrett & His Ass

My friend Garrett is strutting about in the new male mesh body from Belleza (The Jake). It has a delicious ass, but here is an instruction if Garrett should ask you about it.

Five Naked Guys In A Pool x 2 (NSFW)

I was hanging out with Tomais, JJ, Wayne and Garrett today and we ended up in the pool at Wayne's & JJ's home.

This is my snapshot from the event.
Five Naked Guys in a Pool
Snapshot by me
And below the fold you will see my brother JJ's version (NSFW) of the same event. Only click "Read more" if you are willing and prepared to see male nudity.

The Southern Belle

As you all may know already, my husband Tomais is an avid collector of SecondLife machinery and vehicles of all and any kind. I wouldn't go so far as to call it an addiction - yet, but...
Happy Tomais
Anyway! Two and a half years ago we visited the wharves of the Bandit store and saw that Analyse Dean was building a ginormous riverboat. Tomais at once said "I want it!" and I, in a moment of codependency and weakness, told him I would get it for him as a present.
Nice ass!
When I checked in with the creator Anneliese for information on when the boat would be released, she said it might happen after that summer. Well that was two years ago, and Tomais has been taking regular trips to the wharf to check on how things were proceeding.

For a long time nothing happened, but then finally, about a week ago, Tomais told me that the boat was now released and that he was going to buy it. I reminded him of my promise and told him i would reimburse him when I got inworld, because he told me he simply couldn't wait for me to get there to buy it. (Addict much, eh?)
The beauty herself
Tomais has been happy as a ten y.o. with his new toy since he got hit. Learning how to work it and re-texturing it to suit his purposes.
I am the proud portmaster of the boats home port
I have enjoyed a couple of trips on The Southern Belle also, despite the fact that the captain makes me work my way over the Blake Sea (there is no Mississippi river in SecondLife), mostly in unsuitable gear.
My preferred manner of travelling
My actual manner of travelling

Friday, July 7, 2017

Memorial For Dano

A week ago we all learned that the man behind the SecondLife avatar DanR Raymaker, in first life known as Scott Spencer, had passed away after struggling with a painful disease for a long time.
DanR Raymaker-Mirabella
(a.k.a. Scott Spencer)
March 19, 2007   June 30, 2017
I knew him as Dano and first met him at Boots Gay Beach in 2007 (when he looked as his profile picture above).

Dano was one of the most charming, kindest and caring men I have ever met, with a weird sense of humor and a contagious joy of life. Being around Dano, meant you had fun, whatever mood you were in when you got there.

Even his last post on Facebook bears witness of his amazing sense of humor despite the pain and adversities he was struggling with in first life.
Dano was also one of a handful of non-Swedish avatars who dared take part in my blog-series "Naked Avatars in SL" in 2010. You can see his beautiful contribution in this post from May 21, 2010.

Yesterday I was invited to, and took part in, the memorial service for him and the celebration of his life. We were about 20-22 assembled, under the guidance of Evan Greymyst and Ezzie Mirabella. I am sure we would have been many more if people didn't have first life responsibilities to contend with during a weekday, but I am happy I could be there.

As I understand it, Dano had in length discussed with Evan Greymyst how he wished his memorial to be conducted. It was a memorable service.
Evan Greymyst conducting the memorial
Dano's husband Nibz and their two sons

Rest in peace, Dano, you will be sorely missed!

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me



I heard a snippet of this song today, and since then I cannot get it out of my head. It's wonderful and haunting in its defiance, and being made in 1963 it must have been one of the earliest expressions of the women's liberation movement.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Thank You, Board & Volunteers of Second Pride 2017

The fountain and the globe
I have just finished reading LLedge Eames closing statement for the 2017 Second Pride Festival. It begins like this (For the complete statement please go to The Second Pride website (url)):
"Thank you for an amazing 2017 Second Pride Festival!
As the sun sets on yet another wildly successful and my last Second Pride Festival season. I’d like to take a moment to say some thank yous. I am so grateful for this years outpouring of participation not to mention I had the pleasure of working with some of the most amazing talents from across the grid.
Our 2016 – 2017 Second Pride Board. Jak Calcutt with his outstanding builds and designs, creating a feast for our eyes, Marge Beaumont for her behind the scenes accounting, Tootsie Nootan and her security team (Levi & Kit) keeping us all safe, and Viktor Sandman for all his patience scheduling and wrangling our performers. To our volunteers. Kahvy & Garrett Smith for undertaking and creating some fantastic social media buzz along with all those bloggers. Lee McKay and his webmaster skills that put us back online."
The shopping mall
After thanking the sponsors, vendors, performers and others that contributed to making this one of the best festivals ever, he goes on to thank the attendants and then finishes
"On more than one occasion I was greeted by complete strangers and then thanked for providing them with such a true and wonderful pride experience. It was comments like that and many more that told me we had hit our mark. I can’t begin to thank this team enough. You ALL really outdid yourself and should be proud of all you accomplished.
As I mentioned earlier this is my last year as Chairman. It has been such an honor to be involved in this organization. As much as I am ready to step down, I will miss it and all the nuances. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to bring my hope and joy to you all through this wonderful outlet."
The Japanese Garden, a permanent exhibition
Well, I would in turn like to thank the board of Second Pride for - yet another - amazing and enjoyable festival. This Second Pride festival is up there among my top three all-time favorites since I first started going to Pride in SecondLife in 2008.

I can hardly imagine all the hard work and dedication our board and the volunteers put in to this venture - and all the work they did the rest of the year - for the LGBT+ community in Second Life. 

It is even harder for me to understand why the boards dedicated work throughout the year has sometimes been met by criticism by fringes of the community, especially those who do not lift a finger or support the efforts in any way whatsoever. 
The memorial chapel
Second Pride must exist first and foremost for the LGBT+ residents in SecondLife, to be an inworld presence, to offer support to other smaller LGBT+ organizations, and to represent our community to the surrounding community and to Linden Lab. All else must, in my not so humble opinion, be secondary to that.

I am saddened that the present board say they doesn't wish to continue, although I do understand their position. Hopefully some of them can be persuaded to continue, or at to return after some rest and relaxation from these responsibilities. 

My deepest gratitude, again, goes to the board of 2016-2017 for a job well done!
The main stage
All the pictures in this post show the wonderful work that Build Director Jak Calcutt did for this years festival-venue. I have them in a folder named "The sim that Jak built".