Diary of a Second Life

You were afraid...

2011-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

Song du jour: Something for a grey day...

2011-12-17T12:26:00.000-08:00

"False Alarm" K.T. Tunstall

I'm trying to put this thing to bed
I've drugged it in its sleep
There aren't many memories
I'm comfortable to keep

This ball keeps rolling on
It's heading for the streets
Keep expecting you to send for me
The invitation never comes

Each time I turn around
There's nothing there at all
So tell me why I feel likeI'm up against a wall
But maybe it's a false alarm
Every answer sounds the same
Just colours bleeding into one
That hasn't got a name
Maybe I can't see
Maybe it's just me

Now the curtain's coming up
The audience is still
I'm struggling to cater for
The space I'm meant to fill

And distance doesn't care
No, distance doesn't care

Each time I turn around
There's nothing there at all
So tell me why I feel likeI'm up against a wall
But maybe it's a false alarm
Every answer sounds the same
Just colours bleeding into one
That hasn't got a name
Maybe I can't see
Maybe it's just me

I'm trying to put this thing to bed
I drugged it in its sleep
Remember what you said
Are you comfortable to keep it?

Keep it.

Quote du Jour via Purple Poetry

2011-12-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

I stole this image from @purplepoetry77, a wise poet I follow on Twitter. Words here I need to remember when I get into morose moods like the one I feel today....

Today's Song: "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys

2011-11-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

A musical present for a man who will probably never see it, who never looks here, who has been gone now for as long as he was here. I keep trying to walk away from from him, from the memories, but I still think of him every single day, I will miss him t we had every day for the rest of my life.

It has been a long time...

2011-05-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

Haven't felt like blogging much of late. April was a rough month in RL. Way too many funerals. Early May just reminded me of all I have lost in SL and in RL. I turned 4 years old in SL on May 13th. Four years ago at this time I met a man in Second Life. Falling in love with him was one of the most intense and beautiful things I have ever experienced.

Our "anniversary" is coming up this week. I loved him. Still love him. We had an amazing couple of years together, but our SL spilled over into our RL and he left me. I still am not sure what went wrong. We tried being friends instead of lovers, but he has drifted farther and farther away and now I never hear from him anymore. I still think of him every day. And every single time I think of him I still feel the cold empty ache of that loss.

Mostly that's why I have not been in SL and why I have not been blogging.

As he used to say: It is what it is.

My poetry choice for today... and for D

2011-04-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

If My Voice Is Not Reaching You
by Afzal Ahmed Syed

If my voice is not reaching you add to it the echo— echo of ancient epics And to that— a princess And to the princess—your beauty And to your beauty— a lover's heart And in the lover's heart a dagger

from Poets.org

Quote du Jour: from "Epilogue" by Mark Tredinnick

2011-03-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

   There will come
   a morning
I don’t wake and think first of you.
   But that day can wait.

See the entire poem here at Terrain.org.

Winter Ball in Steelhead Nevermore

2011-03-08T12:33:00.001-08:00

Winter ball in Steelhead Nevermore_007, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Steelhead Nevermore is a steampunk sim with a bit of gothic flavor. You really should go see it to believe this lovely build: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead%20Nevermoor/128/128/27

A Song of Love & Longing for Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T08:08:00.000-08:00

Josh Ritter's "The Curse"

A poem for a Lost Love

2011-02-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

When We Two Parted
by George Gordon Byron

When we two parted In silence and tears, Half broken-hearted To sever for years, Pale grew thy cheek and cold, Colder thy kiss; Truly that hour foretold Sorrow to this. The dew of the morning Sunk chill on my brow-- It felt like the warning Of what I feel now. Thy vows are all broken, And light is thy fame; I hear thy name spoken, And share in its shame. They name thee before me, A knell to mine ear; A shudder comes o'er me-- Why wert thou so dear? They know not I knew thee, Who knew thee too well-- Long, long shall I rue thee, Too deeply to tell. In secret we met-- In silence I grieve, That thy heart could forget, Thy spirit deceive. If I should meet thee After long years, How should I greet thee?-- With silence and tears.

--shamelessly ~~stolen~~ borrowed from www.poets.org
(check out all their Valentine's Day poems at: Love Poems

Lady Antibellum - "need you now"

2011-01-30T21:03:00.000-08:00

Song for a New Year: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele

2011-01-03T09:16:00.000-08:00

The scars of your love, remind me of us.
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling...

We could have had it all....

Song du Jour: Regina Spektor "The Call"

2010-12-13T17:22:00.000-08:00

It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word...
I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye
Just because every thing's changing
Doesn't mean it's never been this way before...
Now, we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes
You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye....

Sad Song for a Sunday: "Calypso" Suzanne Vega

2010-12-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

My name is Calypso
And I have lived alone
I live on an island
And I waken to the dawn
A long time ago
I watched him struggle with the sea
I knew that he was drowning
And I brought him into me
Now today
Come morning light
He sails away
After one last night
I let him go.

My name is Calypso
My garden overflows
Thick and wild and hidden
Is the sweetness there that grows
My hair it blows long
As I sing into the wind
My name is Calypso
And I have lived alone
I live on an island
I tell of nights
Where I could taste the salt on his skin

Salt of the waves
And of tears
And though he,pulled away
I kept him here for years
I let him go

My name is Calypso
I have let him go
In the dawn he sails away
To be gone forever more
And the waves will take him in again
But he'll know their ways now
I will stand upon the shore
With a clean heart

And my song in the wind
The sand will sting my feet
And the sky will burn
It's a lonely time ahead
I do not ask him to return
I let him go
I let him go

Song Du Jour: Placebo "Running Up That Hill"

2010-11-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

If I only could,
Make a deal with God,
Get him to swap our places...
You don't wanna hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder.
There's a thunder in our hearts, baby.
So much hate for the ones we love?
Tell me, we both matter, don't we?

Strange Dream

2010-11-15T05:57:00.000-08:00

I had the oddest dream with D in it last night. I was in a house that was full of people who were having a secret meeting--I was pretty sure they were industrial spies. Some had come dressed as pirates. They all brought their own folding chairs. I had to stand because I had no chair. The guards on the front porch had guns. One of them told me D was across the street in the darkness, but I couldn't see him. I was thinking that I wanted to see him so much. To see his face, his real face. Then the police arrived and in the chaos D grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the house. He was dressed in a black jumpsuit like a ninja. He looked like the picture he'd sent me long ago--with beard and mustache. But his hair was very short and dark. He didn't say a word. I asked for a kiss, but he wouldn't kiss me; he just shook his head, took my hand and we ran. We ended up at a rocket ship about to launch. On board there were a lot of blue canvas hammocks full of people. Only one empty hammock was left. The captain was a tall white-haired elegant woman. She told me D was wanted for questioning but I knew if we left on the ship now we wouldn't be stopped. D never said a word but we got into the one hammock left and strapped in. I was thinking that I liked sharing the hammock even if he wouldn't kiss me. I was so happy to be in his arms again. I woke up as the ship warmed up for take off.

I woke at 12:41am thinking this dream was so vivid I just had to write it down. Bizzare, huh? I haven't had D appear in my dreams in almost a year. But then it was just a year ago this week that he broke up with me. Exactly one year ago that he abandoned Valis.

Wonder who's living there now.

Wonder what he was dreaming at 12:41 am last night.

Auri and Thor at Phat Cats

2010-11-13T19:01:00.001-08:00

Auri and Thor at Phat Cats 03, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Here's Aurelia Lionheart and Thorgal McGillivary dancing at Phat Cats last Sunday. Aren't they a scrumptious couple?

Dancing with Starman at Phat Cats

2010-11-13T18:58:00.001-08:00

Dancing with Starman at Phat Cats 01, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Sunday afternoons I go to Phat Cats, a lovely dance ball sim. Mostly to listen to my friend Thor DJ and hang with friends Molly and Aurelia. The last couple weeks I have found myself watching more than dancing. I'm not looking to hook up, just like to meet people from all over and chat about our SL experiences.

This last Sunday I was pleased to hear from my friend Starman, who popped in for a few minutes to catch me up on his current projects. And we got in a couple dances as well.

Sunday's song: "Bring On The Wonder" ~ Susan Enan

2010-11-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

Quote du Jour: Philip Linden on love

2010-10-20T04:07:00.000-07:00

Love is the most subtle and complex emotion. It can be experienced at peak intensity only with the full power of the human intellect and in the calm of a fearless and lucid mind. The direction of evolution is toward love. --Philip Linden, founder of Second Life and of Lovemachine: http://www.lovemachineinc.com/tao-of-lovemachine/

Philip is talking about the impetus behind his new company, Lovemachine, a sort of cross between a Twitterish feed and a merit/kudos employee reward system. In effect it acts like in-house LinkedIn recomendations. A nice idea. But what he says here has a great deal of merit.

Love is complex, and uncontrollable. I'm not talking about lust here--that is the unpredictable response to biological stimuli, I am talking about the internal feel good you get from loving someone. Love doesn't have to be requited to be real. You can love someone even when they don't love you. Then again, when someone loves you, really loves you and demonstrates that love, over and over, it is difficult not to love back.

Love does not take place in the groin, that's lust. And lust is a fine thing, too. You got mutual lust going with someone, go ahead, have a great time. Love, however, is that feeling that you can't live without knowing that the other is happy. Their well-being takes precedent over your own. Lust is about you. Love is about him, or her.

Just as Philip says, love needs a lucid mind. Love is when you see the other clearly--all their flaws, all their faults, and you still love. Love happens in the heart, and in the head. The very best sex ever is not love unless your head and heart, your mind and soul are engaged. And to be honest--the best sex involves the head as well as the heart. The imagination as well as the body. When both the heartt and head are involved it is so much more than just sex. It is that perfect connection between two people that transcends everything. If you find it, cherish it. It is priceless. If you lose it, you will know it was love by the unfillable hole left behind.

Song du Jour: "Undo it" Carrie Underwood

2010-10-06T03:11:00.000-07:00

This song is for Silver. Keep singing this, Baby, & it will be all right.

I should've known by the way you passed me by
There was something in your eyes and it wasn't right
I should've walked, but I never had the chance
Everything got out of hand, and I let it slide

Now I only have myself to blame
For falling for your stupid games
I wish my life could be the way
It was before I saw your face

You stole my happy, you made me cry
Took the lonely, and took me for a ride
And I wanna undo it

You had my heart, now I want it back
I'm starting to see everything you lack
Boy you blew it, you put me through it
I wanna undo it

Now your photos don't have a picture frame
And I never say your name, and I never will
And all your things, well, I threw them in the trash
And I'm not even sad

Now you only have yourself to blame
For playing all those stupid games
You're always going to be the same
Oh no, you'll never change

You stole my happy, you made me cry
Took the lonely, and took me for a ride
And I wanna undo it

You had my heart, now I want it back
I'm starting to see everything you lack
Boy you blew it, you put me through it
I wanna undo it

You want my future, you can't have it
I'm still trying to erase you from my past
I need you gone so fast

You stole my happy, you made me cry
Took the lonely, and took me for a ride
And I wanna undo it

You had my heart, now I want it back
I'm starting to see everything you lack
Boy you blew it, you put me through it
I wanna undo it

You stole my happy, you made me cry
Took the lonely, and took me for a ride
Boy you blew it, you put me through it
I wanna undo it

Thor and Aurie at Phat Cats

2010-10-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thor and Aurie_002, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

I know. You are used to seeing me dancing here with Thorgal while he is Djing. I do love to hang with him in Phat Cats. I get to hear new music from everywhere, we talk about our respective loves, about life, the universe, and everything. Always a relaxing thing on a Sunday afternoon. Yesterday when I showed up for his DJ session I thought it would be like any other Sunday, but no.

There she was on the dance floor the lovely Aurelia Lionheart. I don't usually see Aurie here. She is the proprietor of The Noob. (Come by on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Karaoke and hear Thor sing! Yes, a man of many talents.)

Now I could never even attempt to cut in on Thor dancing with Aurielia, first because she is a friend, but also because she is his SL partner and one true love. I couldn't help, however, but admire them both for being beautiful, young, and for being in love. So I took this picture.

Meanwhile, though I did listen to Thor's (always excellent) music choices, I was stuck across the room in chat lag hell with Molly Lempton, a couple other friends, and an Elvis lookalike who didn't speak much English. I still had a good time. Made a new friend. Got nostalgic whenThor played me a Sting song that is an old favorite.

Thorgal & Aurielia, I count myself lucky to have you both as friends.

Knowing When to Walk Away

2010-10-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

A long time ago a friend told me that I try so hard to pour oil on troubled waters that I end up polluting them. Something in me always seems to wants to fix all the broken things. Make all my friends happy. Make the ones I love love me back. Please everyone and at the same time be pleased by everyone. Balance my RL with my SL. I guess there has to come a point where you finally say to yourself this is just too broken to put it back together.

Sometimes I suspect I spend too much time trying too hard to recapture a moment that is lost rather than making a new moment. Sometimes it is someone else who has so many filters that he only hears and sees what he expects to see. I think I did that pollution thing again today. I shouldn't have talked to him. I should have let it be. I keep coming back to try to start over and all I do is rip the scab off the wounds I thought were healed--both mine and his it seems.

Sometimes I wish I knew why this one broken thing is so important to me. Sometimes I wish I didn't care. I guess I have finally come to the point where I know I have no choice but to let go.

He would say I am seeing only black and white--stay or go. But what other option is there? The fact is, he always played his cards so close to the chest I don't know what the best path is. I had no clues so I always blundered about believing the best. And I seem to have hurt him, been hurting him, keep hurting him. Could I hurt him so much if he didn't care at all for me? The dumb thing is I don't even know, I truly do not know what it is I do that he calls drama and emotion.

Two weeks ago I said hello I wasn't angry, wasn't emotional. A little sad, a little hopeful. But not expecting anything. Just wanting to tell him I still care. Not asking him to take me back. Just wanted to say I hoped he was well and happy. Do I say to much? Wear my heart on my sleeve? Probably. He brought up the things I said last month. I wanted to clear it up. I should have said nothing. Should have walked away and let it go. How did my being hurt by his new relationship cause him so much anger? If he doesn't care for me, should he even give a damn what I think? If he does still care for me, shouldn't he want to talk? To meet halfway and find a place we can at least be friends? All I ever wanted to do was to make him happy. All we ever do any more is hurt each other.

He used to call us star-crossed lovers. But then he dumped me. Nearly a year ago he walked away, said it was too much and he had no time for SL and that he didn't want me any more because I was messing up his RL, and RL was too important. Okay. I can buy that. RL has to come first. Hell, I came close to trashing my RL because of the intensity of my feelings for him. I needed to refocus, too. I have been putting that back together, slowly, only because my RL love has also made an effort. But then that's what RL is about. Being real to each other.

So how dumb am I for chasing a man in SL who won't talk to me, won't listen to me, doesn't believe me, and clearly doesn't want me?

I have spent the last year wandering lost. Thinking about him a dozen times a day and learning how not to cry. And then still crying. Pouring over old emails and chats and pictures. Getting my hopes up on the rare occasions he spoke to me or was friendly. Falling apart when he smacked me down and was cold. Trying to find my footing in SL again without him. Half a dozen times I have thought about deleting this avatar. About starting over. I threw myself at other men, but in the end no one else was him. I made new friends, good friends, friends who were a distraction. I went dancing, flirted, had fun. But never could get him out of my mind. Never got him out of my heart. I still looked for him online. Me still being Stalker Chick.

You know what is funny? The first year he loved it when I blogged about him. The second year he said I was putting pressure on him. In the end he said he hated my blog--I deleted it, then I resurrected most of it but took all mention of him out. I still can't bring myself to say his name here. And yet I can't stop thinking, and writing, about him.

Last night I did it again. Sent him another email that he will not respond to. How dumb am I?

Quote du Jour: Anonymous FB Friend

2010-09-22T04:02:00.000-07:00

"You don't fall in love by choice, but by chance. You don't make love last by chance, but by work. You don't work on love by chance, only by choice."

I found this on a friend's Facebook page. It rings very true.

About Those Silences

2010-09-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

This morning I reached for you again.
Gave in, past all the grand silences,
past patience, reached
for you through darkness
and distance. Stretched past
my roller coaster uncertainties.
Fingers pushing against
the electronic resistance
of your duties. I can't let go
of the thought that I have
missed you in the night times,
that we've passed each other blind
two pale ships in the blank metaverse,
while you reach for her.

(with apologies to David Ray for taking license)

Song du Jour: Milow "You don't know"

2010-09-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

"You don't know, you don't know,
you don't know anything 'bout me...
Tomorrow you'll be gone...."

Doesn't that sound like so many Second Life romances?

Friending & Unfriending: What Does "Friendship" Mean?

2010-09-05T05:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I don't think the word "friend" means what it used to mean anymore.

When I was twelve one of my teachers explained it like this: You have three circles around you: first friends, fence friends, and fringe friends.

Your first friends are the first people you turn to. These are people you can count on the fingers of one hand. Your lives are intertwined. They are your sidekicks, you are theirs. They are your confidantes. You can tell them your deepest darkest secrets and they still love you. They are the ones you turn to when you hurt. You are there for them when they hurt. They are tied up in all your best memories and even if life takes you in different places, whenever you come back together it is like you were never apart. They are closer than family. When you are apart you miss them. They are your best friends, sometimes better than family. You love them.

Your fence friends surround you. You meet them at school, at work; they move in all the same circles you do. You have a dozen or more of these friends. Life throws you together and you find you have stuff in common. You invite them to big parties and your family events like graduations and weddings. They have been to your house and you have been to theirs. You see them now and again and have lots of fun with them, but they have their own lives as you have yours. When they go their own ways you don't miss them, though you do occasionally wonder about them. They are just friends. You like them.

Your fringe friends are on the outside edges of your life. The people you say hello to at the library, chat up at the supermarket. The guy who fixes your car. The mailman. The neighbor across the street. The teachers at your school. You see them at the book club or the history society or at the coffee shop you frequent. They may know you by name, but you probably would not tell each other details of your lives. They might help in an emergency, but they likely would not seek you out for counsel. If you never saw them again you might not even notice. They are friendly acquaintances. They seem to be nice people.

So there is the mindset I grew up with. And all my life people I met fit into one or more of these categories. Best friends. Friends. Acquaintances.

Then came Facebook, and Twitter, LinkedIn, and Second Life. Now my "friends" number in the hundreds. I have friends I have never met. Never spoken to face to face. I have virtual coffee in Twitter every morning with a bunch of people I really like from all over the world. I have gotten close to some of them in Second Life as well as Twitter.

My SL friends range from virtual lovers (or ex-lovers) to people I bumped into at some virtual event once. They have been in SL from my beginnings and Some came into my life with an intensity that left me breathless. And left leaving me feeling hollow. Are we still friends if we never speak?

Friendships in virtual worlds come and go so fast I no longer know how to place them in my life. Should I trust the intensity of my feelings for someone who is liable to disappear without a trace in a year, few months, days. How are we to be friends if I never know your real name? We friend and unfriend as our moods and tempers wax and wane--the emotions are certainly real. But what does it mean if you can discard me or I can discard you at the click of an "unfollow" button?

How can we be lovers without that real touch that first friends have in real life? Do I really mean to you what you say I mean to you or are the connections we make in a virtual world as much a fiction as the alternate reality itself. Isn't it a commitment to a virtual friendship just as deep as a real one? We are, after all, real people behind these avatars.

What does it mean when I am falling for you, have fallen in love with you, and suddenly you are gone? I don't think I know any more. And sadly, because of the strangeness of SL friendships that have gone from sweet to bitter in a matter of days, I don't think I can ever trust "friendships" like I once did.

Sometimes it feels like all my friendships have become emptier.

My Song for D: "Having Wings" Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals (Live @ XM Studios)

2010-09-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

I heard a street singer play a song I knew
It brought me closer to you
I heard a street singer play a song I call my own
It brought me to my childhood home

Did you go back from where you came?
If I get there, will they have my name?
If they don't, I'll only have myself to blame
For all these things, true happiness is having wings

Life is a blurry-eyed, heavy-hearted whirlwind of a storm
Some things just hurt too much to cry
Memories are like shadows the light won't make disappear
I still see you smiling with your eyes

Did you go back from where you came?
If I get there, will they have my name?
If they don't, I'll only have myself to blame
For all these things, true happiness is having wings

If It Feels Real: Sex, Harrassment, & Rape in Virtual Worlds

2010-08-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

This week a friend of mine got griefed/harassed in Second Life by a woman who thought he was a man who had harassed her. The whole thing got so out of hand that he ended up filling an incidence report on the incensed and abusive woman who was herself a victim. Turns out the actual original harasser of the woman had a name a couple letter off of my friend's SL name. Ironic, no? The whole thing reminded me of a post I wrote back in February of 2008, so I thought I would repost it again.

February 2008:
A while back there was an article in Virtually Blind about the Belgian police investigating an alleged rape that took place in Second Life last April. Now the first thing that comes to mind is that SL is a computer based user-controlled environment, is any sort of "rape" even possible? GameGrene has a very good article by Shataina on the issue of "Rape in RPGs" that everyone operating sexually in any virtual world should read.

One of the things I find most fascinating, though, is the wide variety of opinions that are still being generated on virtual world forums (the most recent response to the Virtually Blind story was just last week, the responses to Shataina's article in GameGrene went on for over two years with the last only a couple months ago). Why does the idea of rape or even sexual harassment of an imaginary figure push so many hot buttons for us? Most of the responses to this issue point out that the avatar is controlled at a "safe" distance, that there is no reason the person behind the av can't just tp out, mute the assailant, or turn off the computer and walk away. Other responders point out the strong identity connection to the av that the real person behind the controls has and how such an assault could disorient the real person behind the av.

The fact of the matter is that there are clear cases of sexual harassment in SL. I've met male avatars (thankfully not a lot) who have launched into graphic descriptions of what they "are doing" to my avatar--descriptions that involved graphic sexuality up to and including forcible rape scenarios. My response to that kind of behavior--if they don't take the initial response of "No thank you! I am not interested in having virtual sex with you!"--is generally something like: "are you such a lousy lover that you find it necessary to force yourself on women like this often?" My second response is to mute them. But I can see how, to someone who is young or insecure or (worse!) someone who has been a victim in RL, such an "attack" does in fact feel like rape. Is it prosecutable? Probably not. But you can report it and maybe even get an "attacker" banned from SL for such behavior (see: How to File an Incident Report).

The bottom line is that this issue is real. While it may not be rape, it certainly is rude, and that is ultimately not acceptable behavior. And lest we not forget, ladies, this door swings both ways. I'm heard from men in SL, too, that they have been put off of virtual sex because of pushy or aggressive women (all too often these are escorts looking for business). Many times in RL sexual assault cases turn into "He Said/She Said" debates. The point here is not to debate the issue, but to adhere to some standards of polite behavior to avoid such conflicts in the first place. Here are a few simple guidelines:

1. First and foremost, be certain the person you are chatting up is really interested in sex with you BEFORE launching into aggressive or sexually graphic chat. Ask not just once, but 2 or 3 times: "Say I'd like to make love to you . . . would you like to come back to my place?" If he or she says "no," that's it. Game over. No means no.

2. Pay attention to the cues they are sending you. Are they really responding to your flirtations? Or are they making polite non-committal noises? Much of the innuendo and inflection of real conversation can be lost in the use of IMs. Don't assume everyone is into virtual sex. Don't rush anyone into bed, don't let anyone drag you there against your better judgment. (An addendum to this one for escorts is that if you have not negotiated a price UP FRONT before the deed, then you don't get paid. Extortion after the fact is just as unacceptable as sexual harassment.)

3. If you are not comfortable with what someone is saying when they are flirting with you, tell them to stop. Tell them you aren't interested. If all else fails stop talking except for typing an an emote in the public chat like: "/me SLAPS YOU HARD ACROSS THE FACE". BTW, gentlemen, even if that person harassing you is a woman who doesn't want to take no for an answer, you can go ahead and slap her, too. Sometimes someone gets so caught up in the role they are playing they forget that not everyone wants to play along. You need to get your assailant's attention to make them stop.

4. If you are in a public sim, like a club, appeal to the owner or host for assistance. Sometimes a third party can get the attention of the assailant who is just lost in their own fantasy. At the very least a sim owner deserves to know what is going on so he or she can ban such a person from the sim and stop them from harassing others there.

5. If all else fails mute them, leave the area, or log off.

Sex, whether in SL or RL can be a wonderful mutual connection, a joyful coming together of willing lovers, of consensual adults. It should never be one-sided or hurtful. Being aware of your potential lover's real wants and needs, their stopping points and their go-aheads, is part of the learning curve of love. Take the time to do it right.

New Toulouse Bayou: a Voudoun Sim in Second Life

2010-08-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Deep in the back woods and waterways of New Toulouse Bayou you stumble across a ramshackle building. Strange smells, incense, candles, the sound of the water, crackle of a firepit. It's Burke Benoir’s B&B Spiritual Supplies. You need a brightly colored voudou doll? She has them in all colors. How about a Hand of Fatima for protection? Candles? She’s got candles for all purposes! St. John the Conqueror for house blessing. Uncrossing to rid you of bad luck. Even candles to call up Marie Laveau, the bad-ass-est witch of all times! Check out the boney-legged altar table. Locks and keys and bottle trees. Wish bones and lucky elephant statues. A piggy for prosperity. Dried spiders, evil eye beads, and fairy crosses. A chicken foot or a rose quartz crystal. You need it, Burke’s got it. Come by, too, for the dancing under the stars on the Sabbat. Have a drink to Baron Samadhi and toast the loa on the full moon. Come do the circle dance on the edge of the Bayou.

You can visit New Toulouse Bayou in-world at http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse%20Bayou/21/117/22

Another Sunday at Phat Cats

2010-08-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

Here I am once again dancing with the most Eye-Candy DJ in all SL, Thorgal McGillivary. Every Sunday from 2-4pm SLT he is spinning the tunes (like the beautiful song from Luka Bloom that he closed his set with and which I just posted below) at Phat Cats.

Tonight he played "Fields of Gold" for me. Come by next Sunday and he'll play a song for you, too.

Song for Sunday, and for Thor: "Love is a Place I Dream of" by Luka Bloom

2010-08-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Song du Jour: "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston

2010-08-05T16:23:00.000-07:00

". . . I never knew love like I've known it with you. . . ."

Le Mont Saint-Michel in SecondLife: Official Cafe Open!

2010-07-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

Le Mont Saint-Michel in SecondLife: Official Cafe Open!
(reposted from http://le-mont-saint-michel.blogspot.com/)

The cafe opened on the hillside in Grande Rue.
You can enjoy coffee, tea, and snacks here :)

The waitress is waiting.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mont%20Saint%20Michel/222/95/27

Song du Jour: Damien Rice: "Delicate"

2010-07-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

We might kiss when we are alone
When nobody's watching
We might take it home
We might make out when nobody's there
It's not that we're scared
It's just that it's delicate

So why'd you fill my sorrows
With the words you've borrowed
From the only place you've known
And why'd ya sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you
Why'd you sing with me at all?

We might live like never before
When there's nothing to give
Well how can we ask for more
We might make love in some sacred place
The look on your face is delicate

So why'd you fill my sorrow
With the words you've borrowed
From the only place that you've known
And why'd you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you
Why'd you sing with me at all?

And why'd you fill my sorrows
With the words you've borrowed
From the only place that you've known
Why'd you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you
Why'd you sing with me at all?

Draven came by to visit

2010-07-23T20:20:00.001-07:00

Draven came by to visit, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Saw Draven tonight. He showed me an outfit he'd made. I took him to Burke's place on the Bayou and then showed him my new land. We danced. It was nice.

Joshua Radin just one of those days

2010-07-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

Celtic Night at The Noob

2010-07-10T13:14:00.001-07:00

Celtic Night at The Noob (1), originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Aurelia Lionheart has a new club called The Noob with a great sort of uban-grunge industrial look; and last night at the grand opening, a bunch of the Second Life Twitter crowd showed up to dance to the DJ stylings of my friend Thorgal (that's him in the center in the sexy kilt next to Aurelia). The theme and the music was Celtic/folk, so I wore my favorite white Celtic gown (from Suki's Silks).

More Celtic Night at The Noob

2010-07-10T12:59:00.001-07:00

Celtic Night at The Noob (2), originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

The couple getting hot and heavy on the dance floor are Finn and Winona, a couple of my Twitter friends. Aren't they cute? You can follow their romance on Twitter--look for @FinnPoitier & @WinonaWiefel!

Gorean Slaver Bird of Prey Designs

2010-06-30T21:46:00.001-07:00

Gorean Slaver Bird of Prey Designs, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Draven weaing one of his new dsigns for Bird of Prey. Though we are just good friends this man always makes my heart beat faster.

Gorean Slaver Bird of Prey Designs

2010-06-30T21:44:00.001-07:00

Gorean Slaver Bird of Prey Designs, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Fashions for men of Gor by Draven Sautereau, Bird of Prey designs. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fountainhead/221/3/56

Gorean Male Fashions Bird of Prey designs

2010-06-30T21:42:00.001-07:00

Gorean Male Fashions Bird of Prey designs, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

New outfits for men in the Gorean traditions. Find them at Bird of Prey Shops: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fountainhead/221/3/56.

Celtic Maiden Warrior in Concert at Stonehenge in Heritage Key

2010-06-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

Heard about a concert going on today in Heritage Key's beautiful Stonehenge Sim (thanks to Twitter friends @rivenhomewood & @xlent1).

The singer (/guitarist/drummer/awesome musician) was Celtic Maiden Warrior, and she played some marvelous old favorites as well as more modern songs by my favs Stan Rogers and Loreena McKennitt (one based on the beautiful Alfred Noyes' poem "The Highwayman"!).

To get to Heritage Key I had to recreate my Second Life Avatar on the OpenSim grid. This has been interesting to say the least. I am not yet ready to desert SL, but it's nice to know I now

exist in many places, SL, ReactionGrid, OpenSim. New places to explore too! If you ever find yourself in Heritage Key, look me up, we'll go shopping! (If I can find any shopping--or money! *grins* )

Song for a Rainy Monday: Delain's "Frozen"

2010-06-28T05:18:00.000-07:00

With special thanks to Thorgal. . . .

Misty windows hide your empty eyes
Every moment, every whisper
Seperates you from me
I've been screaming, won't you let me in?
Let me see a trace of the places
Hidden under your skin

Answer me
Until the day that you do
I'll be one step behind you
Answer me
Until the day that you do
I'll be waiting here for you

Needles stick me when you look away
And your silence sounds like
Deafening screams to me
I've been waiting, won't you open your heart?
And let me in
Please let me in

Free your mind from doubts
All you have is now
Free your mind from shame
It will only bring you pain

xkcd: Suggestions

2010-06-26T07:09:00.000-07:00

To my Twitter and Facebook friends:

xkcd: Suggestions just pushed all my giggle buttons this morning! Hope you chuckle too. Let's "reconnect" (/me winks).

Sex With A New Guy

2010-06-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Cosmopolitan magazine, every girl's guide to life, the universe, and everything, has a great article on Sex With A New Guy that gives a lot of useful pointers on sex in the real world:

"Getting intimate with a new person can be clumsy," says Chris Fariello, PhD, director of the Institute for Sex Therapy, in Philadelphia. You aren't completely comfortable with each other yet. Plus, there's so much at stake the first time — if the sex is bad, you could second-guess the budding relationship. These four rules will make it completely enjoyable.

Good advice here, and both men and women can benefit from it. But for those of us who like sex in virtual worlds as well as real, those who seek quality passionate moments in Second Life, the rules are a bit different. Here are my adaptations of those same "four rules" for SL.

Rule 1: Don't Jump the Gun
Foreplay is just as important in SL as in RL. But in the virtual setting the foreplay doesn't just begin in the moment that you jump on those pose balls, it starts from your first conversation. Treat every potential sex partner as you would like to be treated from day one, from that very first flirtatious exchange. If you go slow, the build up of desire and anticipation even before you get to the main act can be what takes you from ho- hum mutual masturbation to a mind-boggling connection.

Once you have (mutually) determined that you will hit the (virtual) sheets together, take a second or two to send little daily IMs (even if he is not on) just letting him know how much you are looking forward to the encounter. Emote things like I am imagining your hands on me right now, I want to whisper my fantasies in your ear, or When I see you log in my breath catches and heart begins to beat faster. The rule here is subtle. You know those explicit emotes the stripper on the pole in the club is throwing out at all the guys--you don't want to go there, yet. Save those for when you are at the main event.

And when the time comes, take the time to verbally undress for your partner and to verbally undress him (/me slips warm fingers into your waistband and unbuckles your belt. /me slips my blouse first off one shoulder then the other.)

Foreplay in SL is the verbal repartee that lets your partner know you find him (or her) desirable and can barely bear to wait, but also that s/he is worth waiting for.

Rule 2: Acknowledge Awkward Moments
In real life this is when the biology fails us. Nervousness makes hard things soft and wet things dry. In SL that is not where the problems arise (no pun intended). In virtual sex there are no biological failures, you are touching you and he is touching himself. However, communication is the key here and, let's face it, when we get excited we can often barely type, let alone spell, and there is no time for spell check in virtual sex! Then there is the issue of typing one-handed. Planning this scene out in your head beforehand can help. Even having a list of cut and paste emotes may be useful.

Using voice solves a number of those problems, but can raise others. One or both of you may be intimidated by dirty-talk out loud. If voice is no problem go for it, but be willing to do text if your partner expresses any discomfort. And if you finally do get to hear that sexy fellow's voice be prepared that it may not match the avatar! If you are going to get into voice keep it low and slow: you can cultivate a sexy voice even if you weren't born with one.

Through it all remember: you have to be willing to go with the flow! If all your emotes are about tying her to the bed and she wants to be on top, neither of you is going to have fun. This is a two-way conversation or you might as well be watching porn and doing it alone. Take some time to talk her (or him) slowly into your fantasy (see rule 1!). Let it develop for your partner by giving them time to react and respond. And listen--really listen--for your partner's reactions.

Rule 3: Say Something Nice
Let's face it, half the joy of good sex is when your partner gets off on it, too. It's the ubiquitous question: Was it good for you? We all want to please as much as we want to be pleased. (If you are one of the few to whom that doesn't matter you can quit reading now and go back to masturbating all alone.) For most of us feedback is a good thing, but on a first encounter you should always keep it simple and positive.

In SL, where you can't see facial and body reactions, feedback becomes even more critical. Tell your partner what you liked. Yes, you can also talk about what you each didn't like (later), but how much easier--and more pleasant to focus on the good. "OMG, baby, when you said _____ I had the most amazing _____" may be a bit over the top. Or not. Know your audience I always say. But a simple basic "I love that you are/said/did" lets your partner know that s/he is more than cartoon porn to you. In a virtual world we have to sometimes take an extra step or two to be "real" to each other. And we need to remember that orher cartoon in the bed is a real person with real feelings as well.

Rule 4: Hold Back from Getting Crazy Acrobatic
Now here is where SL really breaks away from reality. In SL you can be as bizarrely creative (and I have seen some bizarre pose balls) as the animations allow. But for your first time together, keeping it simple is a good idea. (Remember paragraph three in rule 2 above!) Take time to learn each others likes and dislikes, take time to talk about your desires, fantasies,and take time to learn your partner's tastes before you buy that vampire sex swing with the cream pie attachments.

Since genitals and sexual equipment is also virtual (as well as detachable, resizable, and available in a variety of species) there are some creative things you can do in your SL sex play. But again, for that first encounter, you may want to leave the 6' penis and the giant butterfly shaped clit in your inventory and just go with normal genitalia. Go slow. Once you get to know each other better there will be time for all the crazy sex games you can dream of. After all this is the place to do those things that are NPIRL (Not Possible in Real Life)!

That's it. Hope this advice has been useful. And I also hope you are having all the SL sex fun you can grab with both hands. Where else but in Second Life can you meet beautiful people, with whom you can connect on an intimate level of the mind, as well as having some good old fashioned sex-play with no RL biological consequences? So play nice, kids and share the toys!

Song du Jour: Pink "Glitter in the Air"

2010-06-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

Famous Courtesans: La Dame aux Camélias

2010-06-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

"Marie Duplessis (January 15, 1824 - February 3, 1847) was a French courtesan and mistress to a number of prominent and wealthy men. She was the inspiration for Marguerite Gautier, the main character of La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas the younger, one of Duplessis' lovers. Much of what is known about her has been derived from the literary persona and contemporary legends."

"Marie Duplessis was born Rose Alphonsine Plessis in 1824 at Nonant-le-Pin, Normandy, France. Her father became her de facto pimp when she was about 12 years old. At the age of 15, she moved to Paris where she found work in a dress shop."

"Duplessis was evidently an extremely attractive young woman, with a petite figure and an enchanting smile. By the time she was 16, she had become aware that prominent men were willing to give her money in exchange for her company in both private and social settings. She became a courtesan and learned to read, write, and to stay abreast of world events so as to be able to converse on these topics with her clients and at social functions. She also added the faux noble "Du" to her name."

"Duplessis was both a popular courtesan and the hostess of a salon, where politicians, writers, and artists gathered for stimulating conversation and socializing. She rode in the Bois de Boulogne and attended opera performances. She also had her portrait painted by Édouard Viénot."

"Duplessis was the mistress of Alexandre Dumas, between September 1844 and August 1845. Afterwards, she is believed to have become the mistress of composer Franz Liszt, who reportedly wished to live with her. Throughout her short life, her reputation as a discreet, intelligent, and witty lover was well known. She remained in the good graces of many of her benefactors even after her relationships with them had ended."

"Marie Duplessis died of tuberculosis at the age of 23 on February 5, 1847. Two of her former lovers, Swedish Count Von Stakelberg and French count Édouard de Perregaux, whom she had briefly married, were by her side. Within a few weeks of her death, her belongings were auctioned off to pay her debts. Still, her funeral in Montmartre cemetery was said to have been lavish, and attended by hundreds of people."

"Dumas' romantic novel La Dame aux Camélias appeared within a year. In the book, Dumas became 'Armand Duval' and Duplessis 'Marguerite Gautier'. "

"Adapted for the stage, La Dame aux Camélias premiered at the Theatre de Vaudeville in Paris, France on February 2, 1852. An instant success, Giuseppe Verdi immediately set about to put the story to music. His work became the 1853 opera La Traviata with the female protagonist 'Marguerite Gautier' renamed 'Violetta Valéry'."

"In the English-speaking world, La Dame aux Camélias became known as Camille and sixteen versions have been performed at Broadway theatres alone."

information from Wikipedia

Dancing with Thorgal in Phat Cats

2010-06-09T17:34:00.001-07:00

Dancing with Thorgal in Phat Cats 010, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Thorgal McGillivary is a DJ to die for. Eye-candy, I call him. He was working at Phat Cats the other day and when he IMed and asked if I wantd to come along to dance, How could I say no? Eat your hearts out, girls!

A song for the man I still love: Matt Nathanson's "Come on, Get higher"

2010-06-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Drown me in love... everything works, in your arms.

Song Du Jour: Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

2010-06-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

How NOT to make a Good Impression on a Woman

2010-06-02T09:07:00.001-07:00

Phat Cats (1), originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Went to Phat Cats on Monday because my friend Thorgal sent out an invite. Lovely place, great music, and elegant (if laggy) surroundings. Since Thor was busy dancing with Molly, I jumped on a pink ball with a nice looking fellow named Lawrence (for reasons you will see below, I am leaving off his last name, but just let me say he must be related to a certain Godfather). His profile gave his rez day back in 2006, so this was no noob--even though he acted like one.

We introduced ourselves and took a few sweeping turns around the floor when he asked: "How old are you?" I made some non-committal noises about never asking a lady her age, but next he wanted to know vital statistics: Height, weight, hair color, cup size. This took me a bit aback and at first I started answering: "Yes, real blonde, longish hair, 5'3" ... C cup, if you must know...." but he wouldn't stop. Wanted the age. Wanted the weight. While giving out those is not generally a problem for me it just bugged me that he kept pushing.

Hell, I had already handed him an RL photo of me that I have tucked in my SL photo album, but due to the lag he said it wouldn't rezz for him. I pointed out that this questioning was rude behavior in SL where many people prefer to keep RL info private and we are all an illusion anyway. I mean WTF?

I thought I might convince him that there is more to a person than looks so I told him I wanted answers to a couple questions, too. Asked about his favorite authors, books he's read, movies, music. Shared my own tastes in those departments--something he did not seem interested about at all. But he kept returning to age. Now I was getting pissed.

Eventually I said okay. Told him I was "born in the year of the Dragon." Took him a couple minutes to Wikipedia that, but then he came back with the date ranges for YotD over the last century and he wanted to know which Dragon: Fire, Wood, Water? By now I was so done with this that I told him was I born in 1904. And he still wouldn't quit pushing.

Finally I told him: "Assume I am either 1) Young, moderately pretty, and grossly overweight or that I am 2) older than you, gorgeous, and thin as a rail. You pick which you prefer." (Just for the curious, I do not fit either of those profiles--you can think of me as average!) That, too, was not good enough and he persisted with the questions. I finally thanked him for the dance, told him it had been interesting--because I had learned so much more about the man he was by his questions than he had learned from me. Jumped off the pose balls and left.

I am sure I will be back to Phat Cats, but you won't catch me dancing with Larry there (or anywhere else) ever again!

Phat Cats (2), originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Song du Jour: Pat Benatar "Love Is A Battlefield"

2010-05-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

My New Outfit

2010-05-17T15:54:00.001-07:00

new outfit Indira-Dove mashup (5), originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

New dress! Midnight Dove blouse from Bird of Prey, Indira skirt & corset from Emo-tions.

Song du Jour: Ingrid Michaelson "Maybe"

2010-05-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

I don't want to be the one to say goodbye
But I will, I will, I will
I don't want to sit on the pavement while you fly
But I will, I will, oh yes I will

Maybe in the future, you're gonna come back, you're gonna come back around
Maybe in the future, you're gonna come back, you're gonna come back

The only way to really know is to really let it go
Maybe you're gonna come back, you're gonna come back, you're gonna come back to me

Monday's song: ALO Big Appetite

2010-05-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

Why can’t we be happy with what’s happening
Instead of always running for the door
When ambition is starting to sting
It keeps us always wanting more

Well hey, hey alright, we got a big appetite
Oh,oh my love, when is enough enough

And when it hits you, happens so fast
Sometimes it’s hard, hard to keep track
I could tell you what you already know
But I can’t tell you what it is to let go

Hey, hey alright, we got a big appetite
Oh,oh my love, when is enough enough

Cause it’s never been easy to let what will be just be
And when we’re looking at the love all around us
Does it blind us or is that what this whole thing is for?
Our love might be boundless but we always need more

Hey, hey alright, we got a big appetite
Oh,oh my love, when is enough enough
Hey, hey alright, we got a big appetite
Oh,oh my love, sometimes it’s never enough

Cause it’s never been easy to let what will be just be

A song for Tuesday: Broken Bells "The High Road"

2010-05-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

We're bound to wait all night
She's bound to run amok
Invested enough in it anyhow
To each his own
The garden needs sorting out
She curls her lips on the bow
And I don't know if i'm dead or not
To anyone

Come on and get the minimum
Before you open up your eyes
This army has so many heads
to analyze
Come on and get your overdose
Collect it at the borderline
And they want to get up in your head

Cause they know, and so do I
The high road is hard to find
A detour to your new life
Tell all of your friends goodbye

The dawn to end all nights
That's all we hoped it was
A break form the warfare in your house
To each his own
The soldier is bailing out
He curled his lips on a barrel
And I don't know if the dead can talk
To anyone

Come on and get the minimum
Before you open up your eyes
This army has so many hands
are you one of us?
Come on and get your overdose
Collect it at the borderline
And they want to get up in your head

Cause they know, and so do I
The high road is hard to find
A detour to your new life
Tell all of your friends goodbye

It's too late to change your mind
You let loss be your guide

Places in Second Life: Athan Selidor

2010-05-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

There are places in SL you go to hang out with friends. There are places you go to shop, or dance, or role play. And then there are places you go to to just be. To stand on a beautiful shoreline and breathe in a sunset, watch a wave crash on a rock, explore the corners of an ancient library. These are the beautiful places. The places that take your breath away, make you want to just stop and stare. Or sit and meditate. To, like I said, breathe. And be.

This is Athan Selidor. An island. An ancient building. A library of obscure wisdom. A refuge.

I was first shown this place by my dear friend, Draven. An artist and a builder, he has a talent for finding beautiful places in SL--and I am always delighted when he shows me some new place he has discovered in his travels.

There are many tiny islands in Athan, but one large main one. On that is the library. Or maybe it is a temple.

It has the feel of antiquity and peace that go with ruins, and yet it is not ruined. Balconies and galleries like a castle, even a tiny chapel in the bottom. Then again, castle, temple or library, what does it matter.

It is what it is.

In the basement of the large building on the main island, is the library, Liber Obscurum. While visiting here I have met few people. One wandering vampire, and the man who tends the library, Talisein Llewellyn.

If you have questions he will be happy to answer them. There are notecards about as well, with information on a number of arcane topics. Me, I like some things to remain a mystery.

I like to think of this as an kind of abandoned Atlantean outpost. Perhaps a beautiful and wise people once lived and loved here. Then one day abandoned their paradise because whatever serendipity that drove them pushed them in a different direction.

I can almost see their ships pulling away, taking them to new horizons.

Will they return? Who can say. Only time and the tides can tell.

Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart"

2010-04-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

There are days when outside your window,
I see my reflection as I slowly pass
And I long for this mirrored perspective,
when we'll be lovers, lovers at last
You gotta spend some time--love,
you gotta spend some time with me
And I know that you'll find--love,
I will possess your heart

Dancing with Thorgal McGillivary

2010-04-27T12:47:00.001-07:00

Dancing with Thorgal, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Thorgal is a hot DJ who hosts the Freaky Friday Xperience in SL (SLFFX) every Friday afternoon at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Das%20vergessene%20Tal/105/65/24.

There are fun trivia contests (yours truly has won the Sex Trivia contest 2 weeks running now!), great music and friendly people.

If you want to know more follow #SLFFX or @mcgillivary on Twitter.

A Song for Draven: Citizen Cope "Healing Hands"

2010-04-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

...Turn the tape recorder on
He just left Jackie O for Marilyn Monroe
We're all bought and sold
For tobacco, firearms and alcohol
What's a pocket full of gold
Without a woman that you could hold
Can't afford to be on the back burner no more
Now I got a lot of places to go

Well I don't know about your right and wrong
I got a muse from the east to the west
All I know is if I never said it before
I'm going to say it with my last breath....

I will never forget your healing hands my love
I thought my heart had stopped
I swore I had given up
I will never forget your healing hands my love
You gave me daylight you gave me sunlight

I will never forget your healing hands my love
I thought my heart had stopped
I swore I had given up
I will never forget your healing hands my love
You gave me daylight you gave me twilight

Never forget...

xkcd significant other

2010-04-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

xkcd on significant others (or what used to be called "commom law"?).

Permalink at: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/boyfriend.png

Song du Jour: "Run" by Snow Patrol

2010-04-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

Slower slower
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads

Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Quote of the Day: Bertrand Russell on Caution

2010-04-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

“Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.” ~~Bertrand Russell (English Logician and Philosopher 1872-1970)

Bertrand Russell was not only a man of great intellect, but also a man of great passions and Utopian vision. At seventeen he married his sweetheart Alys Pearsall Smith, despite the objections of his family, but their love did not last. He had passionate and often simultaneous affairs with a number of women, including Lady Ottoline Morrell and the actress Lady Constance Malleson. His most serious lover was Dora Black who traveled with him to Russia and China. When Dora became pregnant Russell divorced Alys and married her. Black was an advocate for women's rights and may have influenced Russell's positions on equity and social justice. She--as did so many of her generation--had realised the extent to which the laws regulating marriage contributed to women's subjugation.

In her view, only parents should be bound by a social contract, and only insofar as their cooperation was required for raising their children. Implicit was her conviction that both men and women were polygamous by nature and should therefore be free, whether married or not, to engage in sexual relationships that were based on mutual love. In this she was as much an early sexual pioneer as in her fight for women's right to information about, and free access to, birth control methods. She regarded these as essential for women to gain control over their own lives, and eventually become fully emancipated.

Black and Russell founded a school in 1927 called Beacon Hill School in which they tried to teach children to leave behind superstitions and irrational views of previous generations. Russell eventually left Black for one of his students after she had two children by one of her lover, Griffin Barry. She went on to write extensively on the right of the individual to be happy.

Russell throughout his life campaigned for human rights, social justice, peace, and nuclear disarmament. His lasting legacy as an advocate for peace is carried on by the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation.

(information on Russell and Black excerpted from Wikipedia)

Love Sometimes Sucks

2010-04-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I hated amusement park rides. That awful sinking, kicked-in-the-gut feeling that you get as the rollercoaster heads down from the peaks, the slammed against the wall feeling the as the tilt-a-whirl throws you from side to side unexpectedly, and let's not forget the carousel. I actually liked carousels until I realized that you are always trapped going in circles and, even if the ups and downs aren't painful, you still can't get off the damn thing and it goes absolutely nowhere.

Now that I am all grown up not only do I still dislike amusement parks, but I find love is an amusement park, too.

Only now the kicked in the gut feeling is more like kicked in the heart. A hard burning knife-like pain. The heart is a pretty strong muscle, but it seems to have a very short memory sometimes. And any euphoria you felt a few minutes before can come all crashing down with a few nasty words. So not only do you feel pain, you also feel the urge to inflict pain back. And not only do you spiral down and get slammed against the walls that you each have put up, but you both lash out. You make it worse.

Here's the thing, if you want to make it work, make it last, and make it able to weather the ups and downs of the human emotional rollercoaster, you need to remember three rules:

Don't assume the worst. Talk. Get answers, and correct info. Then talk some more. And listen, listen carefully. Then talk again, and be honest. Communication will go a long way toward solving the problems that cause pain--especially if you meet your partner half way and can compromise where you conflict. Conflict will always happen--that's human--it is how we deal with it that conflict that keeps love alive.
Never get so caught up in your pain that you forget your partner is probably hurting as well. Sometimes when we get hurt we lash out at each other and the resulting damage escalates badly back and forth. If one of the two of you has the courage to say "I will not seek revenge," there is hope. If you each can say that, well then, there is real love there. And you will survive the down turns.
Say you are sorry. To paraphrase a famous quote: Love means always having to say you are sorry. And accepting that apology as well. Someone once told me that "sorry is a coin that wears thin over time." That is true. But it is also the best coin--maybe the only--coin you can spend when you are in the throes of pain and anger. None of us are perfect. We tend to make the same mistakes over and over. If you love, really love someone, you will give them the chance to say they are sorry and mean it. You will say you are sorry and mean it, too.

If you are luck enough to have found real love, true love, then you need to work on keeping it. Don't settle for anything less.

Quote of the day: Chinese Proverb

2010-03-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

"Distant water won't quench your thirst"

Tuesdays Tune: "Boys With Girlfriends" by Meiko

2010-03-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

I should know better....

Quote du jour: On Being Loved

2010-02-24T04:42:00.000-08:00

"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves." --Victor Hugo

Song du Jour: "White Blank Page" - Mumford & Sons

2010-02-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

Can you lie next to her
And give her your heart, your heart
As well as your body
And can you lie next to her
And confess your love, your love
As well as your folly
And can you kneel before the king
And say I'm clean, I'm clean

But tell me now, where was my fault
In loving you with my whole heart
Oh tell me now, where was my fault
In loving you with my whole heart

A white blank page and a swelling rage, rage
You did not think when you sent me to the grave, the grave
You desired my attention but denied my affections, my affections

Lead me to the truth and I will follow you with my whole life
Lead me to the truth and I will follow you with my whole life

Bored now.

2010-02-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

Had a lazy day, lolled about sleeping, played in Plurk. When I finally got up enough steam to head in-world and see what was up, no one was around to play with. *pouts*

Is it the Olympics? Everyone watching TV?

I had a ping earlier in the day from Ins who was at the airport in my town on his way to Vegas. But he didn't have enough time between planes for me to hook up with him for coffee.

Chatted up Spiff briefly in-world, but then he had RL things to do.

Spoke to Thorgal, too, for a couple seconds. But I didn't want to bother him, he seemed busy.

Got a nice note from Jamesen. Maybe I'll see him for coffee, but not until later in the week.

Bored now. Think I will wander off to bed with a good book. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Anyone know where I can get a large economy sized package of Motivation?

Song du Jour: The Guild - "Do You Want To Date My Avatar?"

2010-02-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

OMG! ROTFLMAO!

Profound Moments in Romance from XKCD

2010-02-14T20:05:00.000-08:00

Original online at: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/why_do_you_love_me.jpg

Visit xkcd for more webcomics of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.

Quote du Jour by Sam Keen from Amira Adored

2010-01-29T04:48:00.001-08:00

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." --Sam Keen.

Thanks for this quote goes to Amira Adored who shared it on Twitter. (Follow her @Amira_Adored). Wish her joy on her upcoming SL marriage.

Song du Jour: Blue Lips by Regina Spektor

2010-01-22T17:42:00.000-08:00

Places in Second Life: Innsmouth, a New England Coastal Town 1930

2010-01-20T17:55:00.000-08:00

Stumbled on this interesting sim while looking for rain animations. The flavor and the imagery is truly marvelous. You can find Innsmouth at: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Innsmouth/215/197/28.

XKCD and the Controversy Du Jour!

2010-01-18T12:54:00.000-08:00

I love these guys! Go check out xkcd! Do it!

And if you need practice hunting for that g-spot *winks* come see me!

Quote du Jour: On Waiting

2010-01-17T18:25:00.000-08:00

"The opposite of talking isn't listening. It's waiting." -- Fran Lebowitz

Second Life places: Matanzas Island, home of Skate Foss

2010-01-16T19:13:00.000-08:00

Had a lovely time tonight visiting my new friend Skate Foss (who I met through Twitter) on her beautiful sim: Matanzas Island. Skate has several lovely places for rent there for anyone who wants a tropical island refuge for their second life home. She kindly gave me a tour of the public areas for residents, as well as her own beautiful home.

We began the tour in the greenhouse, a place for residents to gather and enjoy quiet conversation, perhaps over a cup of herbal tea grown from the herbs right there.

Just outside the greenhouse is a lovely waterfall, and while the climb up the waterfall is a bit treacherous and slippery, it is well worth the surprise at the top!

Right at the top of the hill is a sheltered nook that holds a tropical rain forest complete with brightly colored birds and even the occasional rain shower.

Skate's own lovely home built of glass and stone is on the beach below. It has a marvelous view of the ocean.

If you stop by to visit Skate, you will likely land in the public dock area for residents. There are boats for sailing and a nice beach area for swimming and for beach parties. Ask Skate to show you the homes she has for rent; each is different and all are surrounded by sand dunes offering privacy from neighbors. A peaceful and tranquil place to live. No griefers or rudeness allowed!

Matanzas is a beautiful place to see as well as a great place to live. I am delighted to be able to call Skate Foss a friend, and was honored to be invited to visit her there!

Trivia Friday Night at Callahan's

2010-01-16T15:24:00.001-08:00

Trivia Night at Callahan's , originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.
I like to spend Friday nights at Callahan's Crosstime Saloon. Last night it was the usual crowd: Talvin, Dianna, Cisop, Hring and some new folks I hadn't met before. Amanda in a new Victorian gown, Bess as Queen E. the 2nd (which was the theme for trivia). And Spiff joined me when he popped on, too. That's us at the table on the right.

Friday nights are always fun at Callahan's you should come by if you are free. It is always at 5:30 SLT at http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Conch%20Republic/242/172/11. oh, and Tuesdays are Pundays, and that's fun, too!

BTW, Hring won, and in 2 weeks (January 22nd) he will host Trivia on "Books and Authors," so mark your calendars!

Today's Song: "Bring on the Wonder" by Susan Enan

2010-01-16T11:16:00.000-08:00

I can't see the stars anymore living here
Let's go to the hills where the outlines are clear

Bring on the wonder
Bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long

I fell through the cracks at the end of our street
Let's go to the beach, get the sand through our feet

Bring on the wonder
Bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long

Bring on the wonder
We got it all wrong
We pushed you down deep in our souls for too long

I don't have the time for a drink from the cup
Let's rest for a while 'til our souls catch us up

Bring on the wonder
Bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long

Bring on the wonder
We got it all wrong
We pushed you down deep in our souls, so hang on

Bring on the wonder
Bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long.

Dancing with Spiff

2010-01-13T19:04:00.000-08:00

Dancing with Spiff , originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Spiff Whitfield, a friend I haven't seen in ages, took a moment to come see my new digs, and we danced in the sunset there.

Beautiful places

2010-01-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

places I've forgotten where, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

Found this gorgeous sci-fi-ish sim ages ago and forgot to label the picture with the SURL! Now I don't know where it is! Anyone recognize this?

A Song for a New Year: Amanda Palmer "Hurt" Boston Pops - NYE 2009

2010-01-07T12:24:00.001-08:00

In her introduction to this song Amanda Palmer says everything I have been feeling for the past three months:

Amanda Palmer: "It's been a really hard year for a lot of people and for me in a lot of ways... I am a firm believe in that there is no darkness without light and no light without darkness... If you can't go to the really dark places then you can't really have much joy... I have lost other people this year... I want to dedicate this song to putting everything in this year behind us...."

Virtual Romance takes a dive on XKCD

2009-12-29T12:19:00.000-08:00

Visit xkcd: a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math and language!

Song du Jour: Kool and the gang "Too hot"

2009-12-29T10:15:00.001-08:00

I remember how we made our way... so long ago you were my love... but what about the good times we shared?

I remember the fever ... in our hearts and our minds....

Quote of the day: Kahlil Gibran

2009-12-28T15:46:00.000-08:00

"Ever has has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." --Kahlil Gibran

I hear the fat lady singing...

2009-12-28T03:22:00.000-08:00

This has been a week of weird reflections for me. Thinking about the end of things. We are winding down to the end of the year. It is the end of the semester in school. In real life I am dealing with a death in the family. But--and here is irony for you--it is the end of a love affair in Second Life that has hit me hardest of all.

I have avoided talking about all this in my blog here, because he never liked being the object of public discussion. He used to read my blog everyday. We used to chat everyday, we used to email, call, share our SL and RL lives. Then again, he used to love me. Ah well, things change. He doesn't read my blog any more (Google Analytics shows that to me). And he doesn't talk to me anymore. Not really. I get polite emails from time to time. Those friendly emails can hurt more than when we used to fight just because they are so polite, so cool. Distant, emotionless.

This week I realized (I have had some very long hours in the car thinking about stuff) that I have been spending most of 2009 waiting for "things to get better"--when all that happened was things got worse.

I could just count my blessings. I met him fell hard and fast, and had a glorious, wonderful, romantic nearly two years. Most of 2007 we were like (he used to say) teenagers in love. He was my obsession, and I was his. We couldn't keep our hands off each other.

All of 2008 we built our life together in Second Life. I gave him land in Valis for his rez day. We had an Italian villa he designed for me. He made me a studio to write in on the second floor. Then we bought airships and moved high in the sky. He had his shop on the ground. I was--still am--so very proud of his designs. We talked, laughed, had fun together. Couldn't bear to be apart for more than a day at a time.

Real life had demands on both of us. Real life came first we always said.

I remember once, after a fight, when we both went away angry and both immediately turned back around, he pointed out that we really were not capable of walking away from each other. He said: "I can't leave you. I always come back to you."

Here's a question: do we fall in love with a person? Or in love with the feeling of being in love? Or are they one and the same? What makes love go away? Do we just get tired of each other and the little annoyances become too much? How do you get around that? How do you make love last? Is it even possible?

And how do you let go when you don't want to let go? How do you by the one who left when it is a constant knife in the heart? Is it easier if you end it in anger? Because I can't be angry at him. I just hurt. All the time.

He said "Do you think we are the only star-crossed lovers that ever were? It will get better with time."

He was wrong. We are the only star-crossed lovers I ever was part of, and it isn't getting better.

The Absinthe Gown

2009-12-21T12:44:00.001-08:00

Looking for something to wear to that holiday party? Check this out:
Tsai wearing Absinthe, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

The dress is called "Absinthe" by Bird of Prey Fashions. Comes in green and taupe. Torn black lace over-skirt and cape have tiny silver absinthe spoons as clasps. Comes with bandeau top in lace or solid, camisole top in solid, matching glitch pants, matching gloves, and lace thong. It moves like a dream.

What the peacock is wearing is his own business.

xkcd -- a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language -- just go read it

2009-12-15T10:21:00.000-08:00

I have starred in this movie, I swear!

Go to the XKCD site to see this in all its original glory: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/suggestions.png

Then read all the comics there. These guys are bloody brilliant!

Marry him, Sophira!

2009-12-09T04:32:00.000-08:00

I was cleaning out my computer folders this morning and found this screenshot I took of the map in SL exactly one month ago. It feels so far away now. You see I was in-world moving my stuff out of Valis. It was the end of my home there. The end of everything Draven and I built together. The end of his love. The end of my world.

You can see my blue "home" location in the top left of the picture. You can see the yellow dot that is me standing there. That was the day I went in to take all my things out and leave the place to Draven. He had told me to "delete" his stuff and keep the place. Told me he was leaving Valis, maybe leaving SL, leaving me. I am still not entirely clear in my head where it all went wrong. We both had real lives that had to come first. But, oh, it was good--for 2 years it was so good. This last year, I don't know. It just all went wrong.

Valis was the first place in SL I could call home. I bought the land for Draven, for his birthday in 2007. Added to it so we could build on it. He used to yell at me for buying more and more land. I wanted more for more prims for him to build with. I so loved watching him build, seeing the gorgeous things he could create. He made me an Italian villa, and a gazebo full of stars, we had waterfalls and airships, boats and beautiful gardens on the land and in the sky. We talked about someday owning a whole sim . . . I would have given him a continent if I could have. But he was never comfortable with my gifts, I don't know why. I don't think he every understood that those were just things. The had no real value, the only value in the gifts is just to show someone how much you care about them. And I cared. Loved him. I still do, god help me.

So it was ironic to me that as I was dismantling my life in Valis with Draven--perhaps the most painful thing I have ever had to do--there on the map was this sim, Minacci, just to the south, covered in a marriage proposal. I think that might well be the sweetest thing I have ever seen.

Someone--someone very much in love with Sophira--wants to build a life with her. And he took a whole sim to spell out his love for her in letters of a dozen prims each. On a multi-prim platform in the sky.

I say marry him Sophira. Tell him you love him every single day. If you can't live with him in RL then live with him and love him in SL. Love every moment with him as if it is the last.

Hold onto him, Sophira, and don't ever let go.

Jamesen and Tsai

2009-12-06T11:29:00.001-08:00

Jamesen and Tsai, originally uploaded by Tsai Jie.

It has been a rough few months for me. In RL, I just lost my father. In SL I lost a man I loved with all my heart, and with him went my faith in what I thought we ever meant to each other.

Jamesen has been with me through all of it. Listening, holding me when I need to be held. Being a shoulder to lean on. Real friends do that, they are there for you. They listen to you even when it is painful or opens their own wounds.

Thank you, Jamesen, for being my friend.

Song for a strange Friday: Never Too Late

2009-11-25T22:27:00.000-08:00

This world will never be
What I expected
And if I don't belong
Who would have guessed it...

Even if I say
It'll be all right...
Now and again we try
To just stay alive
Maybe we'll turn it around
'Cause it's not too late
It's never too late...

The world we knew
Won't come back
The time we've lost
Can't get back
The life we had
Won't be ours again...

And I have left alone
Everything that I own
To make you feel like
It's not too late
It's never too late...

Song from Jamesen for Tsai: "Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places" by Johnny Lee

2009-11-25T18:43:00.000-08:00

Missed a date tonight with Jamesen (insert sad face here) because an RL function ran too long. But sweet man that he is he understood and sent me the lyrics to a song. This song:

I've spent a lifetime looking for someone
Single bars and good time lovers, never true
Playing a fools game, hoping to win
Telling those sweet lies and losing again.

I was looking for love in all the wrong places
Looking for love in too many faces
Searching your eyes, looking for traces
Of what.. I'm dreaming of...
Hopin' to find a friend and a lover
God bless the day I discover
Another heart, lookin' for love

When I was alone then, no love in sight
And I did everything I could to get me through the night
Don't know where it started or where it might end
I turn to a stranger, just like a friend

I was looking for love in all the wrong places
Looking for love in too many faces
Searching your eyes, looking for traces
Of what.. I'm dreaming of...
Hopin' to find a friend and a lover
God bless the day I discover
Another heart, lookin' for love

Memories...

2009-11-24T04:43:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last few days... well, the last week or so really, ever since Valis disappeared, collecting all my memories of it. I have always been a SL shutterbug. Problem is I have photos scattered across at least 4 computers/laptops (and let's not talk about the many flash and portable hard drives). The thing is SL is just so damn pretty. And in SL we are so damn pretty. And there are all those magic moments.

It is hard to not get caught up in the magic of Second Life, in the "SL effect"--that sense that the things that happen in the virtual world are sometimes more real than your real world. It is true, it can be dangerous and even painful to expect too much from a virtual world. To believe in the game. But here's the thing: in SL we are real people, too. I don't want to think of SL as a distraction from my real world--I like my RL. I think of SL as a beautiful addition to my life. Enrichment. I have met more people that I would never have had the chance to meet. I have learned how beautiful it can be to love someone in SL. I refuse point blank to believe that love is ever a bad thing. Or that happiness, however fleeting, is bad either. I refuse to think that time spent with another person, caring about, getting to know that person, intimately: mind, body, and soul--no matter what ever happens in the long run--I refuse to think that kind of connection is ever a mistake.

So I have been gathering my memories, of Valis, and of Firefly before it. Of Draven. Of Heron and Wren, Hawk, Mal. Of Dabrin, and of Jinara, Jhai, and Noir. Of everyone who came, and so briefly lived, and loved someone at Valis. I am gathering all my pictures--all my memories. And putting them up in Flickr.

Right here... where I can look and remember. And never regret a single moment.

The Good / The Not So Good

2009-11-22T16:57:00.001-08:00

It has been an odd week and a half for me. Some good, some not so good.

Not good: I lost my best friend. We'd had fights before. But I guess I always had faith that the friendship would survive. We'd blow up, then we'd talk. This time? Not so much. He's gone.

Good: I discovered some things about myself. I am an incurable optimist. I still believe that love and friendship can survive anything if both sides are willing to try. I still hope that someday we can be friends again.

Not good: I lost the only place I ever called home in SL. I should have known it was coming. I did know. But it still felt like getting a rug pulled out from under me.

Good: I found new land in Zindra, in McGavet. I was only half-heartedly looking, but I found a parcel that the previous owner had named "Serendipity Cove." I figured that was too serendipitous to pass up. And the price was right. The tier was, too. So I bought it.

Not so good: I have no one to share it with.

Kind of good: Another thing I discovered about myself this week is that I am at heart a nest-builder. That will be no surprise to anyone who knows me in RL. I am forever making over, rearranging, remodeling, and shopping for my RL home. When stressed I tend to head for Pier 1, Bed Bath & Beyond, or Home Depot. Even changing the colors of the bathroom towels and soaps can make my day. So it should be no surprise that rebuilding in a new space in SL was fairly theraputic as well. And I needed that therapy.

Neither good nor bad: There is some irony in the fact that I (once again) made a romantic spot to hang out in SL. Dancing, cuddles, and even sex animations. Waterfalls, pools, and gardens. I did mention that I am an incurable optimist, didn't I? And even if the man I would most like to share it with is no longer interested in me, well, at least perhaps I can make a nice place for other lovers to visit, to play.

So keep watching, I'll post pictures as I change the seasons at Serendipity Cove and redecorate regularly. Feel free to come by with your loved one and enjoy the facilities, make yourself at home.

Siren Synapse in sick city

2009-11-17T04:01:00.001-08:00

Saw this first on Harper Ganesvoort's cool blog. Of course it is a Torley Linden video... Now I wanna explore sick city!

Bettina's Back -- Straight from the pages of Wagner James Au's New World Notes

2009-11-17T03:14:00.000-08:00

Bettina's Back: Second Life's Art Maven Returns To Blogging, But Better Than Ever

When Bettina Tizzy announced she was suspending her NPIRL blog a few weeks ago, there was understandable sadness, for the woman near single-handedly catalyzed a metaverse art movement from hundreds of disparate talents. As it turns out, however, she's simply upgraded her blog into a better form:

Behold Bettina's new blog: Not Possible IRL - A Digital Shoebox

As that name suggests, it's a compilation of short and punchy posts (using Posterous), mostly devoted to art created in Second Life, but also OpenSim and other medium. Frankly I think it's a more ideal use of Bettina's tastemaking talent, than the old text-heavy, post-light blog. Though it's not even a fortnight old, it's already bursting with tasty posts. Just go forth and read already, and be sure to RSS on your way out.

Pictured: Kikas Babenco and Marmaduke Arado's wearable art.

Reblogged from New World Notes

Song for a silent Sunday: The Engine Driver by the Decemberists

2009-11-08T23:33:00.000-08:00

And I am a writer, writer of fictions
I am the heart that you call home
And I've written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones

I am a writer, I am all that you have hoped on
And I've written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones
My bones
My bones

Poetry on a Daily Basis

2009-11-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

Found this poem on Poetry Daily. Something about the imagery, and the metaphors evoked, just touches me. I remember too clearly the feel of "salt-sewn eyes." You probably do, too.

You can find the original poem in the Georgia Review.

I love my Blackberry

2009-11-04T03:41:00.001-08:00

So I got a new app for my BB. Cellspin. And now I can blog from anywhere--even my bedroom.

This is just a test run to see if it works!