Wonders Of The Orient

It is difficult to talk about my days in SL without having pictures to accompany the text, but I have sent a couple over to Snapzilla, so you might try finding them there. In particular, one of TheYeuxdoux Celebration Hall, as the venue is currently called. The structure is done, the dance machines installed, and Magnatune streamed in as background music. A few more TP's, a few dance balls scattered here and there, and then it will be ready to open! All that remains now is to get some performers to perform!

Melissa managed to spend a few moments out of her busy schedule with me today, and she took me to see the Modern Japanese sim of Monaca. The architecture is stunning, very crisp, very clean, and the coastal setting added to the whole feel of the place. In fact, the only fly in the ointment was me! You see, Melissa is a very travelled woman, whereas I have not been very far at all in my life, so I think today I was more dead weight than adored companion. She is very knowledgable about so many things, and I know full well what a limited intellectual capacity I have. We have all been there at some point in our lives, where we are afraid to open our mouths in case our words betray our ignorance even more than our silence, and if only I had kept my mouth shut today! Perhaps Melissa will forgive me, after all I am only a labourer and a gardener, and so never to be expected to be well travelled or well read, but I fear that today I lost something I will never get back, and I'm not even sure what it was or how I lost it.

Perhaps I am wrong. My RL has been through some major upheavals recently, and the aftershocks are still rippling through my daily life now, so maybe I am just expecting the one thing I never want to lose to come crashing down about my ears as well. Only time will tell, as they say, only time will tell.

Do visit Monaca though, it is a perfectly put together sim, with plenty for the barren Western mind to wonder at and think upon.

To Love Is To Dance Is To Love

Once again I am without pictures for you beloved reader(s) - or a comma it would seem - but at least I have access through this Internet Cafe and it's kind owner Jakob.

Today I have started on the second level of Melissa's venue. All columns and lightness - or at least that is the intended effect! And speaking of my beloved we went dancing together. Something that we have not done for a while. I am very remiss at noticing things like that when I am head down into a project but thankfully Melissa knows me well enough not to chide me for such an oversight. She really is the most remarkable woman and I really am the luckiest of men.

We danced in a fantastic metal structure in the sim of Rivulet. I was without a headset so missed the music. I am reliably informed by my dearest that it is indeed lovely music. We danced under a midnight sky with particles aflutter all around us. Melissa took my hand and spun me away in a Ballroom dance but there are waltzes and tangoes to please all tastes there. If you love to dance - and to dance with your love - then head for Rivulet. I did post a couple of pics to Snapzilla but see it for yourself and be caught up in the dance of life!

Interlude

I must apologise to my regular reader(s) for my sudden absence from these pages last week. There have been some changes in my RL, to the extent that my Net access is now very much curtailed, and will be until around December 16th. Until then, loyal fan(s), I will only be posting infrequently, and without pictures.

If you find you need some quality blogging to read during this coming period, please look over at my beloved Melissa's blog. She has just tweaked the layout slightly, not that it needed tweaking, but being the perfectionist she is, she has improved what I thought was wonderful anyway. Please check it out, and place it in your Favourites, if it's not already there.

The Builder's Muse

Now that the garden is up and running, I have started a new building project. No, not our new house, though that is not far off, but instead a venue for another of Melissa's great passions, music. Yes, I have started to build a concert and art space on land next to where I shall eventually build a house.

This project excites me greatly, for as well as the creation of such a place, the administration of it will be a good learning experience too. The marketing of the venue and its events, the acquiring of acts and exhibitions, the technical side of providing live music in SL, all of this inspires me. My greatest inspiration though comes in the form of my beloved, who today dressed the part wonderfully and appeared as my winged muse!

The structure has now been roughed out in wood, in order to get a feel for the scale and mass of the building, and of the space it contains. Built for performances in the round, I have opted for an asymmetrical arrangement of the tiers, to try and minimise the impact on the residential neighbours yet give adequate screening from the commercial ones. I am also toying with the idea of a tower at one corner, that will connect to our house via a glass bridge. A flight of fancy indeed, but here on the Grid, not only is one given the tools to make such fancies take flight, but they do in fact seem to be the norm, the standard against which all new buildings will be judged. It remains to be seen how successful this particular fancy's flight is, but with such inspiration and support as I have in Melissa, I believe it will soar very high indeed.

Chey's Place

After the mix up in the garden on Friday (Melissa details it here very nicely), I was summoned to a friend's new island. Cheyenne, a dear friend of ours, has taken a step onto the ladder of full Grid residency, and is now renting half an island in the Dreamland sim of Forsaken. I have not seen one of their sims before, preferring to jump straight onto the land-ownership treadmill rather than renting first, but their company name is well chosen! The island is a veritable tropical paradise.

Cheyenne is having a house built in the style of the sim, Pan-Asian, by a seemingly very acclomplished architect. Here you can see it in the housewrights yard, before being delivered and placed in situ. It is hoped to nestle it into the side of the mountain that sits on the island. Did I say mountain? I meant volcano. Yes, Cheyenne has her very own, cute little volcano in her back yard. It could be said to be appropriate that a fiery lass such as she has such a conversation piece in her garden. Apparently it requires the regular sacrifice of virgins, but as you can see from the picture, we were both rejected!

I am very happy for Chey, she has found a lovely spot to lay down some roots and get a feel for the Grid, and having met her neighbours, she couldn't have chosen them better either.

An Award Winner

If, gentle readers, you take any notice of what I say here, you will be avid readers of The Metaverse Messenger, and thus familiar with it's Sim Of The Week Award. I got IM'd today by Enchant Jaques, the renowned horticularist expert and now good friend, who told me that she had won that very award! I tp'd over straightway to congratulate her, and to see the work that had won the award.

I provide two shots, but you need to see it for yourself. Enchant owns half a sim, most of the land under use for her livelihood, The Enchanted Garden Centre, which also sells home furnishings etc. I am not surprised that MM2 has recognised the quality of her work. If you get a chance, pop over and see her designs, and buy something too. Check out the Christmas Mistletoe Kiss she has built as well. Melissa is in for a treat with that one! The article will appear in next weeks edition, but that should not stop you from reading this weeks edition from cover to cover anyway!

Walkin' Hand In Hand With The One I Love

One of the joys of being deeply in love with someone in RL is walking hand in hand with them. As regular readers of this blog will know, I am very much deeply in love with Melissa, and so it seemed obvious to search out a hand in hand walk for us to use together. In fact I managed to find two 'hand in hand walk machines'. The top picture shows us trying out the Intimate Couple Walk, whose creators name escapes me right now, in Riverwalk earlier today. This provides a wonderful stance for the users, leaning in together in true loving couple style, but sadly this unit refused to respond to the controls, and the notecard with the instructions was a bit vague about this. I think I shall have to tweak it a bit, and then see if it works. As a stood pose though, it gives a good result.

The lower picture shows Melissa and I walking through Riverwalk using Abranimations' Hand in Hand Walk. This gave us a better result, although some adjustment of the individual seats will be needed in order for us to properly hold hands. The one problem with it is the need to constantly adjust the height of the 'leader', as even when stationary on flat ground I found myself sinking ankle-deep into whatever surface I happened to be standing on. A better overall product at this time, as we did actually manage to take a walk together.

The one factor both these units have in common is the need for spaces wide enough to use them! On a narrow path, one or either members of the loving couple is constantly being dragged through undergrowth and into trees! Luckily the paths in Riverwalk have been designed to allow for side by side travel.

If you have not looked at my beloved's blog recently, I must direct you there now, to see her fabulous new hair! I don't have a good enough picture to show you the effect today, but it is marvellous how it sweeps about behind her. Possibly some of the best hair in terms of movement akin to realism I have come across on the Grid. And of course, it just makes my darling look even more beautiful!

FuturePerfect

After taking some time for us in the Enchanted Forest, Melissa and I then went to FuturePerfect, in Bliss Basin. Specifically she wanted to show me the concert venue, where she had seen Jaydine ? (sorry, still can't remember that ladies full name, although I do know she is a fabulous performer with a wondrous voice) giving a performance the previous night. I can well imagine how wonderful it must have been, the setting looks perfect for her style of music. Sadly there was no concert at the time we visited today, but I understand it is a regular venue, so do check it out.

Whilst we were there, a young man called Topper Brenham appeared. Only a week old, he was very pleasant to talk to, and seemed as full of enthusiasm for the Grid as I was at his age. Now of course I have even more! Like most residents in their first weeks, Topper was looking to find a way of making some Lindens inGrid, but something that pays better than dance tables or camping chairs. I wish him well in his time here, as I wish all residents well, recent or not.

All good things come to an end, and our time together was running out as RL pressed its inevitable demands upon us. Melissa did have time to take me to The Silver Rose in Caledon, where she was very naughty and bought me a new outfit. Perhaps she was gently telling me to update my look, as women will do? Whatever, she has of course the most wonderful taste in clothes, and so I present here a shot of Man in Lost Gardens of Apollo - West Tower, wearing The Alchemist. Again the meds are hindering my recollection of the designer, but she is very good indeed.

The Enchanted Forest

Building a house for Melissa and I is going to take some time. The plot is a nice size, but such a venture requires proper planning and preparation, if one is to avoid piss-poor performance, so I think a few days will be spent at the drawing board before the first sod is lifted. Which means plenty more time for my love and I to continue our travels about the Grid!

Today, Melissa took me to the Enchanted Forest, a lovers sim in Kokomo. Having built a romance garden, I am always interested to look at other peoples creations in this vein, especially with Melissa! This one is fantastic! Built at the foot of a magnificent waterfall, this sim is more manicured than its name might suggest, but it is very well done nonetheless.


The picture I hope captures something of the waterfall. Complete with rainbow in the mist! There is a fabulous gazebo at the other end of the park (for that is what this really is, a park rather than a forest), which will teleport you to a ballroom, though I've not visited that yet. The selection of poseballs available is good indeed, but they range from the tender to the downright visceral, not always indicated by their titles, so prepare to be shocked if you don't recognise them! In a very pleasant way, I must add!

The third picture I include, as an example of how we can learn of RL things through the medium of SL. This is a noticeboard, advertising gigs at The Old Salt Pub, but including an infoboard about a RL charity. Whether the Old Salt is holding a benefit gig for them I know not, but now I know of a charity operating here and now in our lives that I did not know of before. Habitat For Humanity looks to be an American-based charity, which works worldwide to provide shelter for those with none, or no means to maintain one. Having some experience of homelessness in my past I can only applaud such a venture, for people with a roof over their head are then better able to contribute to their society, and who knows where the next Curie or Einstein will come from? An organisation I will be looking at further, if for no other reason than an interest piqued.

To get back to the Enchanted Forest, I recommend it as a place to take a loved one, although it does appear to be popular, so queues for the poseballs may be long! I can also recommend the tyre swing hanging in the flowering cherry, great fun, especially if you hit 'Stand Up' at the forward extent of its range!

Just Dancing

After the TAPS gig had finished, I went on to another venue, Crazy Sharks in Sonanu, where Rich Desoto was playing a live set. This one was even better than the last. Rich has a great voice, which at times I would compare to Ian Anderson, and he sang beautifully. I left rather hurriedly due to RL interruptions whilst he was playing a Beatles set. His rendition of "Something" was a classic. Again my heart yearned for my lover. Why is it that when you are in love, and more so if you are without the object of your affections, every love song is about you and/ or them? The song "Something" could have been written about Melissa! Although I was missing her terribly at this point, the company of a good friend ensured that I did have something of a good time.

The pictures; top - the venue, Crazy Sharks, and bottom - Rich Desoto making magic on his guitar.

Dancing for Veterans

I was able to spend a bit of time on the Grid last night, late in the evening UK time, and so was able to check out a live concert. The one that caught my eye was Jeff Tully playing a TAPS benefit at the Sunset Pavilion in Memphis. I think that TAPS is an organisation that supports American War Veterans, and I was happy to give to this cause, more so as yesterday was Armistice Day. In my RL I am a great supporter of The Army Benelovent Fund, The Royal British Legion etc, and always wear my poppy with pride. Why? Apart from the family connection to both World Wars, I as a non-combatant have a duty of respect and support to those men and women who do choose to bear arms in defence of democracy and justice across the world, a duty I am proud to fulfil.

Jeff was a great musician, and whilst I cannot now remember the songs he played, he played them very well, and I had a great time. The only thing that took the gloss off the gig for me was the absence of Melissa. I was in good company, but there is just no substitute for my beloved, none whatsoever. I do look forward greatly to the concert we can attend as a couple. It won't matter what is being played as long as I am by her side! The pictures here are; top - a view of the gig with everyone getting down on it, and bottom - a shot of the man himself, with the manageress of the venue, a lady named Circe, though her surname escapes me right now.

Sunset, A Time For Romance

Two more shots of Melissa and I taking in the sunset together on Cheyenne's balcony. Cheyenne excused herself to do some errand or other (thank you again, dear lady), so Melissa and I watched the last dying rays of the day in each others arms. I have said that sunset is our time of day, and I think that must be true for all romantics. As the sun goes down, he takes the heat of the day with him, and what better way to keep warm than in a lovers embrace? Sunset also makes Melissa's hair come alight, and turns her skin to burnished gold. A beautiful woman becoming more beautiful still at her own special moment of the day. I cannot now see the sun setting without thinking of Melissa, and feeling a corresponding glow in my heart. And thanks to the timescale of the Grid, we can share a sunset several times a day!

Thank You, Cheyenne.

In my previous post I said I was glad of the friends I have made so far here in SL, and so I am - one of them, Cheyenne Palisades in particular. I was very wound up by the Griefer attack, and with Melissa offline, I needed a friendly face to talk to. I saw Cheyenne was onGrid, so I IMd her for a chat, and she TPd me to her beach house. There I spent a lovely afternoon in the company of Cheyenne, a friend of hers called Master (Tom) Millgrove, and a bit later on, to my delight Melissa joined us. Just what I needed to restore my good humour.

Cheyenne rents the upper floors of her beach house from Pam and Bill Hardiman, a very musical couple. I did not meet Bill, who owns a guitar store and who created the Beatles Museum that stands next to their house, but I did meet Pam, albeit briefly, as she had to organise a practice with Bill for a gig they were playing later. Apparently the three of them have been good friends in RL for many years, and they have carried that across into SL. A good afternoon was spent in conversation, and then Tom left the three of us to carrying on chewing the fat. Nice lad, but I think he was a bit taken aback by - or taken with, perhaps! - the picture that hangs in Cheyenne's apartment. Yes, that one! She says it's Bills, and who am I to disagree?

Time runs faster on the Grid, so the three of us were able to take in a fabulous sunset from her balcony. With the sea breaking gently on the shore below us, and the clouds turning some spectacular colours, it was the perfect end to the day. I shall be forever grateful to Cheyenne for giving me the opportunity to have yet another perfect moment with Melissa. Sunset really is our time of day.

PvtLeon Adler, Major Griefer!

I had my first taste of Griefing today. Sadly I have no pictures of the incident, but I will recount what happened here.

I was having a look at pre-fab houses, both for inspiration and to see if there were any that I could buy to save myself the angst of self-build. I had just TPd to Hoffman Designs, arriving in mid-air as I had left the previous area at that altitude also. When looking for houses, it is best to view them from above, to better gauge their size and scale. So I arrive, and straightway spot an attack helicopter circling nearby. "Bit close" I think to myself. No sooner had I thunk these thoughts, when the chain gun in the nose of this craft opened up, and I was surrounded by white hot projectiles! The pilot made two attack runs at me, fruitlessly as this was a safe zone, but well worth making an Abuse Report about, I thought. So I got his name from his craft, and sent the report off.

He then returned, and made another attack run. Being slightly miffed at this point, I immediately IMd him, told him what I thought of him, and that I had reported him for assault. He immediately made two more attack runs before ramming his 'copter into me and pushing me across the sky. That is when the verbal abuse started. So I made a second report to Linden HQ, and left the area.

This did not stop the abuse though. He continued to IM insults to me. Well, I say insults. I don't think he can have been much older than about 7, as all he could manage was "gay little girl" and "loser". I got off a comparison between the size of his virtual chopper and his real one, at which he pulled out all the stops with "loser big time". At this point I was getting really annoyed with his harassment, so called on Live Help to listen in. They advised me to mute him, refrain from replying, and to leave it to them. I was happy to do so, I can tell you.

This has been my first experience of Griefing on the Grid, and for a first experience it was pretty major! Whilst no damage was done, and it was simply a case of playground name-calling, the annoyance factor was considerable. Just as loud, drunken violence in the street outside your front door at night can leaving you taut as a drawn bowstring, so did this incident leave me. I cannot imagine what posesses people to do this sort of thing, save that they must have some serious issues with the RL they are leading. My advice to my readers should they experience such an attack is to make an immediate Abuse Report (in the Help menu), give as much detail as possible, and leave the area at once. If they persist, get Live Help involved. I could have calmed the situation by not resorting to verbal mud slinging, but in this case I think it would have made little difference. Thankfully I have friends on the Grid, and I was very glad of them after this, I can tell you!

Art

I had more time today to explore SL, as my RL partner was away visiting her family, and my medication means that I can neither drive long distances, nor sit for hours as a passenger. So it was with joyful heart that I set out to explore the Grid, something I have not done properly whilst I have been working on Melissa's Garden.



My first stop was Spend-Less, run by my friend Natalie Oe. This was the first time we had met face-to-face, and I have to say I was not disappointed. Natalie is as classy as she is creative. Her store is packed with a vast array of items, household appliances, even whole rooms, on the ground floor, poses and anims in the basement. All are produced by Ms Oe herself. I bought a few poses, availed myself of her free animations offer, and grabbed a few texture packs ready for when I begin construction of a house for Melissa and I. Here are two pictures of Natalie at work in her store, preparing a new display of tattoos that she has created for sale. She has her own blog, here. Well worth a read it is too.





I then went on to take a look at the new Grand Gallery, in the region of Gangwon. I think the full title of the place is Smart Art#10 - The Grand Gallery. I was sadly too late to mingle at the opening night party, but the works on display there were well worth the visit. The picture shows two sculptures by Cheen Pitney, the artist whose exhibition opened today, with works by Manu Dharma and kiyotei. Owned by Tony Parrot, this is a quality gallery, stocking a range of works by quality artists. Again, somewhere I recommend for a visit.

Zen & The Art Of Massage

As well as finishing the Rose Garden, Friday saw me enjoying a new experience with my beloved. Melissa took us to the Zen Gardens of Achemon, where we spent a lovely hour or so in each others company.

The gardens are a delightful creation, very much like a Zen garden, all minimal but significant planting, and wonderful Oriental architecture. The top picture shows the building we took our relaxation in. An Oriental bath house, we took advantage of the massage table to touch each other in a loving, caring but less erotic way than usual. Of course, massage can be very erotic indeed, and in fact is one of my favourite hobbies (with Melissa, of course!), but today was centred more on soothing the soul through the body. Not every touch between lovers has to be overtly sexual.

I took my turn first, gently sitting astride Melissa's buttocks, using my weight only when necessary to the massage, and gently, skillfully (like I said, it is one of my favourite hobbies) worked on her shoulders, neck and back, feeling a distinct pleasure at the knots in her muscles dissipating, and her body relaxing under me. Then Melissa took her turn, and I felt a wholly different pleasure as she worked on me. Whilst I revel in the touch of another human being's skin, I am so much a giver than I have never actually been massaged myself. Usually because my subjects have been so chilled they are asleep when I've finished!

This time though I willingly surrendered myself to another's touch, at least this particular other! Melissa's touch was both electrically stimulating and soothing at the same time, my body warming delightfully as her fingers unwound the tension in my shoulders. The pressure of her thighs upon my lower back added a further dimension to the experience. When the session was over, we embraced tenderly, our faces flushed with loving warmth and our bodies all a-tingle, refreshed in a way that only a massage with your lover can refresh. Touch is very important in a relationship, and touching one another in a loving, non-sexual way can bring two people closer in a way that sex rarely can. Not that I'm saying anything against sex, no sir!, but a truly loving partnership should encompass many other forms of human contact than just the obvious. That is what Melissa and I do, and never have I felt so lucky to be with someone.

In short, visit the Zen Gardens of Achemon. They are a delight to the eye and a panacea to the soul, more so if you are in the company of your special someone.

Finished At Last!

At long last, after a few weeks of hard graft and posts to this blog which have no doubt bored my dear readers rigid, the work is at an end and tools have been put away. Melissa's Rose Garden is finally complete!

Located in Huchu at 186,241,57 the Garden can be found in the Search facility under Places, if you type in "rose" or "Melissa" as the search query. I hope that you will all pay the Garden a visit, and should you (and your significant other!) enjoy your experience there, please recommend it to you friends. Created by me to celebrate the love I have found with Melissa Yeuxdoux, it would be fantastic - and not a little soppy - if the Garden became one of the places for couples on first dates. Or millionth dates for that matter!


I am quite pleased with how the project has turned out. In fact I'm surprised how well it has turned out, considering it was ham-fisted ole me who built the place! For those who may be interested, I provide now a few statistics;

Area 2048sqm, 2310 prims.
A total of 395 plants.
9 benches and arbors.
6 fountains.
16 sets of poseballs.
3 bird baths and bird seed vendors.
3 notecard givers.



Because this is a lovers garden, it is a Safe Area, and Push is restricted. Any objects visitors might rez will be returned within 2 minutes, excluding the seed. No scripts are allowed, hence the provision of a range of poseball sets. The seed vendors dispense seed for L1, and watching the birds come to it is a joy to behold. Many thanks go to Laukosargas Svarog for the creation of the nest and feeder system. Plants were supplied by The Heart Garden Centre and The Enchanted Garden Centre, the fountains are from Dark Butterfly Designs. The hedges, paths and notecard givers were created by me. Benches and arbors are from a yard sale(!), and the poseballs variously from M & P Animations, PM Adult and Lostdog Designs. My heartfelt thanks to all those whose own creations have made this garden possible.

The pictures; Top - view of Landing Zone; below that - view of central path; next down - view of corner fountain in the lower area; next down - view of one of the arbors; and bottom - aerial view of garden.

Shopping

As I had stumbled across the shopping area in Apollo (top picture) quite by chance whilst indulging in some amateur photography, I thought I would take a look. After all, I have money to burn on the day after land fees are collected! There are some very nice things there, but unless something leaps out at me and shouts "Melissa would love you to buy me for her!", I am very unsure of my choices, so my wallet stayed firmly in my pocket. I am sure I will return to this mall in the future though,

as long as my lover is with me to guide my choices for her.

Still, the desire to shop had me in it's thrall, so I took myself back to Pixel Dolls - their sale finishs on the 15th of this month, so hurry now whilst stocks last! I managed to get a couple of nice outfits for myself, and more than a couple for Melissa, but when an outfit is down from L325 to only L50, well you can't expect me to pass up a bargain like that now, can you? If you want to know what PDs looks like inside, you will have to go there for yourself, but I provide a shot of the exterior (bottom picture). A wonderful piece of creativity, and part of the stunning sim of Chartreuse. Escher let loose in Notradame.

A Moment Of Vanity

After the previous post regarding the nature of beauty and it being more than skin deep, a couple of shots I took of me (for Melissa) trying out some new poses in Apollo! Well, I am only human (believe it or not), and who can blame me for wanting to portray myself in a glamorous, or at least good looking, light from time to time? Melissa is able to take the most wonderful self-portraits for me, and so I try to return the favour. She is starting out way ahead of me though, due to the nature of our respective subjects!

The Lost Gardens are a fantastic backdrop for this sort of shot, all moody lighting and structures on a massive scale. The threads are from Pixel Dolls, from the Pixel Chaps range, and the poses come from Lostdog designs. I am quite pleased with the outcome for a change, in the top picture I stare wistfully into the middle distance thinking of my lover, and in the bottom picture, there is a great juxtaposition of me, the lone romantic caught up in his thoughts and gazing into the sunset, and the shopping mall at Apollo, with its' garish billboards of painted doxies. Okay, that may be stretching it a bit, but you get the picture! Suffice to say there is nothing garish about Apollo, check it out for yourselves, and you too can become caught up in the mystery and romance of the place.

Another Perfect Moment In The Lost Gardens

Melissa's Rose Garden is almost done! Hopefully I will have it finished by tomorrow. Luckily my lover arrived to stop me working myself into the ground (top picture of Melissa with that hooded, sultry look she knows drives me wild!), and we spent another perfectly perfect sunset together in the Lost Gardens of Apollo.

This is fast becoming one of our very special places, and we lay together on 'our' bench, basking in each others presence, and discussing the nature of beauty in a virtual world. This is a subject that most residents will think on at some point in their life on the Grid (see Melissa's thoughts here, and a good article here on The Winged Girl Blog by Kate Amdahl).

For me, as I'm sure I have mentioned on at least one occasion :-), Melissa is a true beauty, a very rare creature indeed on the Grid, as her skin is not just a factory model, chosen for its current appeal, only to discarded soon after for the next fashionable one, but one which she has made her own, creating a unique and distinctive look that sets her apart from the mass of Barbies that one sees almost everywhere. More than that though, for me Melissa is beautiful because of who she is, her personality shining out from her eyes like beacons in a storm. If you are a Barbie, I apologise, as I'm sure you are a real person too under the plastic outer wrapper, but even if you are, there will only ever be one beautiful woman here for me.

I may be being contentious and dismissive of the vast majority of people I have never even met here on the Grid, but do I care what they think of me? No, exactly. We all are attracted to other people for widely varying reasons, it's just that I have supremely good taste! And more than the Devil's share of luck, to get Melissa interested in me! Thinking on to what I said in the first paragraph, I wonder if indeed most residents do ponder on the nature of the ephemeral in the virtual? Those that see SL as one big playground, full of cybersex and gambling, may well not chew the fat as I do, why should they when their experience is inevitably going to be shallow and desperately unfulfilling? No, as in real life, it will be those who come here to put form to their dreams that will be having the deep thoughts and soulful discussions. And as in real life, whilst the unfeeling masses win or lose vast amounts of money at the tables, it will be us, the quiet ones, the creative souls, who ultimately gain true riches.

Time passed, and soon it came to the moment when Melissa and I would part for another day, thousands of miles apart in real terms, but closer than ever before, thanks to the magic of 21st century technology, and another magic far far older, called Love.

Return To The Rainforest

I returned to the rainforest today, this time sharing the experience with Melissa. A much nicer time than on my own! We took a left at the landing zone, away from the pyramid, heading into the forest proper. I watched with delight as my lovers face lit up in wonder at the scenery before us, just as mine had done on my initial recce. Truly this woman is my soulmate, open as she is to experiencing all the delights of creation the Grid has to offer.

Along the path, we were caught in a rain shower. There can be little as refreshing as laughing in the rain with your lover, watching it splash off her face, and tasting it on her lips. Luckily the builders of this sim have provided ruins and shelters along the way, and it was in one of these that we took refuge.

As the rain passed, we spent the time as all couples on vacation do, taking snaps for the album. I include one here. Then we spotted the poseballs, and the rest of our time there was spent as it should be, in tender embraces next to a fire as the sun set behind us. This is a very fecund place, and love and passion bloom easily here. The rain forest is a wonderful place to visit, alone or in company, but as always, for me being with Melissa increased the pleasure of our visit many times over. Take a lover with you, and experience the fertile nature of this sim for yourself. You won't be disappointed!

Teacher And Student

Here are two pictures I didn't have space for in my previous post. The top one is of the fantastic Rox Arten, teacher extraordinaire. A very personable lady, her way of teaching is just right, as she takes the time to explain things, makes sure you understand the mechanics and the concepts, and then watches carefully as you carry out the exercise. Never tiring of questions, indeed actively encouraging them, she made me feel like I could just do it! I'm sure all my fellow students would agree. If you get the chance to take one of Rox's classes, do so. You will learn a lot, I guarantee it. And have fun while you're at it, too!

The other picture is of one of my fellow students who took up the offer to come check out the garden. Eaon Aldrich is a nice lass from Eire, a peripatetic resident of the Grid, and a painter in oils in RL. She used to hand paint the backgrounds for animations when such things were needed before the days of the PC, and was thus very knowledgable about textures and lighting. I am grateful for her advice on creating an atmosphere for the garden using lighting, and on how to get the textures just so. The more help I can get in making Melissa's garden as perfect as I possibly can, the better.

My First Class in SL

Work on Melissa's Garden is progressing well, with not much more planting left to do, a couple of poseballs to add, and visitors arriving to check the place out, even before its official opening. It is time to provide a notecard giver or two, to explain the why's and the wherefore's of the garden, but where to get one?

Thinking to buy one, I did a search, and turned up a class in how to build one! Run by an organisation called TUi Neo, it was also happening in the morning Grid time, so I could attend! I TP'd in to the assembly area, which was set up for the season, complete with snowmen and the facility to create a snow angel (top picture). As you can see from the next snap down, there were a few of us waiting for this class. The original tutor was nowhere to be found, so into the breach stepped Rox Arten, and we all teleported to the Nobel classroom for a very fun class indeed.

Rox is a fantastic tutor, and I look forward to taking more of her classes in future. She made the suject of building and scripting very accessible, so that I felt able to just do it! I have to admit that I went into naughty student mode, standing at the back of the classroom (where else?) and cracking numerous risque jokes. Rox took this very well, and when I apologised for being such a buffoon afterwards she told me that I hadn't been at all, and that she was glad I enjoyed her class. She even refused the tip I tried to pay her, saying that she taught for the love of passing her knowledge on. That was how she learnt, and now she is paying it back. An inspiration in more ways than one. I have included two pictures of the Class of 110706 (071106 for any Brits reading this). Seven students attended including myself.

The last picture shows my self-made notecard giver in place in Melissa's garden. A small thing indeed, and very basic compared to some of the things that other residents have produced, but I am proud of it, and of myself for creating it. Now I just hope people will use it when they visit the garden!

La Vida Segunda

If you needed more proof of how fabulous Melissa looks in the outfit with the flaming prim skirt when the prim skirt is removed, then I am happy to provide another picture of her in that exact outfit. Wow! is a word that says it all.

Actually, this is a rather cheesy lead in to me telling you to read Melissa's blog, Livin' La Vida Segunda. Whilst it is patently obvious that I am hopelessly in love with this woman, it is not just because she is the most beautiful person ever to grace the face of The Grid - and I am not the only one who thinks so (Hi Loui!) Should you meet Melissa on the Grid, I am sure you will agree, and add yourself to the long line of competitors that I must work hard to keep ahead of. Sadly, with so many handsome men out there, I will have to work very hard indeed!

Enough of my rampant insecurities, I am digressing. No, it is not simply because she is so fantastically gorgeous that I love Melissa, oh no. She is without doubt one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, and marries her brains with a champagne wit (sparkling and dry). Incredibly knowledgable about computers and music, she is also a very warmhearted person (she puts up with me, after all!) who will not hesitate to help out a friend or to back a cause that touches her, as well as urging others to do the same. She would have every reason to be more than a little sure of herself, but this couldn't be further from the truth. It always comes as a surprise to her that others find her as wonderful as she is, deflecting worthy praise with an enchanting self-deprecating wit. I am in love with this woman, desperately so in fact, and I could therefore sing her praises till the cows come home, so don't take my word for it - read her blog for yourself! There you will find observations on life in SL, life in general, and much more besides. She writes of her experiences and her travels in a way that is both informative and amusing. I hope these little titbits of her blog have whetted your appetite for more, bookmark it now and enjoy!

A New Friend

With working on the garden, and a restricted week's Gridtime, my social diary has not been filling up with new names as fast as it normally would - can you be slower than not at all? Luckily my darling Melissa is a wonderfully sociable person, and makes more than enough friends for the pair of us together. Today I met one of them, Cheyenne Palisades, pictured here chatting with us in the garden as it stands so far.

Cheyenne is a wonderfully happy person, and thus a joy to make an aquaintance of. The world needs more such people, if only to counter the stuffshirts like myself. An impeccable dresser, she is a very good friend to my beloved, and so I hereby state publicly, and hopefully you are reading this too Cheyenne, that if ever you need assistance of some kind, and I am in a position to help, then please don't hesitiate to ask for whatever you need. Friends such as you are to Melissa are worth more than a king's ransom, so please, if you need it and I can give it, just ask. It is the least I can do by way of saying Thank You.

Ms Palisades is also a woman of great taste (being Melissa's friend and sort-of-mentor is proof enough of that) so I was more than pleased when she expressed approval of the work I have done to the garden so far! If you should meet Cheyenne on the Grid, then say Hi! from me. You too could make a very good friend.

The Rainforest

Another of the destinations I visited during my search of some of the Grid's forest was here, The Rainforest. The landing zone for the TP sets you down at the foot of a very impressive Aztec ziggurat, pictured here, from the top of whose steps you are afforded a fanstatic view back over the landscape. Inside the temple at the top is - no, not a casino, but a club, complete with dance floor and autobar! The area is a residential one, with some fantastic treehouses on offer for rental, so like anywhere that people live, entertainment is going to be there too.

For those of you who, like me, enjoy scenery as well as dancing, there is plenty of that here too. I took a stroll across one of the wooden bridges in the area, and found myself following a cobble path through a passable representation of the Amazon jungle. Complete with rain at one point! There are nice secluded places for couples to sit in privacy too, and a most amazing lovenest in a giant flower (see picture)! Sitting alone in here (what else would I be doing in a lovenest without Melissa?) the sound of the surf was very soporific, and after I had allowed myself a few moments relaxation I decided to find out where it was coming from, deep as I thought I was in the jungle.


It turned out that the sea was only a short step away, as I would have seen had I but flown over the area, and docked at the jetty was a wonderful representation of a Conquistadores sailing ship. If it was meant to be a facsimile of a particular vessel, then I apologise for not recognising it, and a fly past revealed no name, but the lack of identity did nothing to take away from my admiration for the shipwright. There are tables and chairs nearby which give a good view of the ship and the sea, and a pool with poseballs not far away as well. Overall, a destination I can recommend for a day - or a night - out.

Do They Know It's Christmas?

With scenes like this in early November, I'm sure they knew weeks ago! With RL partner back to work, my travels about the Grid can resume in earnest. Today I undertook a Search under Places using the keyword Forest, and one of the places I ended up was here, Winyah Forest.

The retail outlets have already geared up for the festive season, with some nice gifts and decorations - and why not? Harrods opened their Christmas department in mid-August, as the UK was sweltering in what passed for a heatwave! So early November is fair game for a start to the Xmas merry-go-round.

It was very well done, and one or two things did catch my eye. It wasn't just the shops that were in the swing of things, as the upper picture shows, the whole area was decked out in the colours of the season. Festive tunes are to heard on the audio stream too, all of it adding up to make the experience a highly enjoyable one. Now where did I put that letter to Santa? " Dear Kris Kringle, all I want in my Christmas stocking this year is Melissa..."

L'Utopie

Grid time has been limited for me this week, by reason of my RL partner being home from work, and thus enforcing her ban on my net surfing whilst she is around. Thus it was with great joy that I was able to join Melissa yesterday from an excursion to the region of L'Utopie, next to the Luna Sea (pun intended?).

The first picture is a view back over the landing zone from the top of the hill we flew up, and the second is of the reason we went up the hill. A plain, unassuming building, but which affords wonderful views of the whole area. And what views! The landscape is a riot of colour thanks to the myriad forms of vegetation that cling to this rocky peak. And inside the building? A wonderful collection of poseballs, designed to give visiting couples a great day out. The sim is described as a place for lovers, and I can certainly concur. A playful place for playful people. Visit it if you can, and take that special person with you.