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“Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds.” This is a quote I have on the front of my SL profile. It was said by the character Emma Peel to John Steed, as parting advice just before she left the 60s TV show, The Avengers.

The bowler hat has become an item of fashion, so quintessentially associated with us Brits. To me it goes hand in hand, or on-head-in-hand the umbrella. I don’t mean the clever, small ones which collapse in on themselves to fit into even the tiniest handbag. I refer to the long, walking-stick-sized item with a point at the end.

I am often to be found in SL wearing a bowler…. which perhaps says a lot about the presence of stress and diabolical masterminds… haha. I am also very fond of umbrellas, proper ones. After all… they are most useful when it rains…. or the shit starts flying, but you can also whack someone with them, if needed! *grins*

 

CREDITS:

Bowler hat : Deadwool

Umbrella: What Next – with pose built in.

Hair: Stealthic – Ascension

Romper: Blueberry – Nikita

Boots: Gos – Ariana

 

This year has been a really hard one for me.

 

Then again, it seems I arrive at the end of each year on my knees, glad to wave that old year goodbye. They never seem to get any easier at all.

For me, the past few months have seemed like one disaster, followed by another. I have tried not to let any of them stump me, have stumbled a little, but kept on going, but last night, I felt I had reached the end of my tether with many things. Have you ever got to that point where you can’t even form the words to say goodnight? I was completely empty, a stunned and silent shell.

When things affect me like this, I withdraw into myself. I try really hard not to inflict my mood on others. This morning still found me in an uneasy vacuum of self-imposed silence. I neither wanted to engage with the day, nor people.

Like a zombie I logged into SL but didn’t want to be completely alone. I wanted to be around people, yet not really in the middle of a crowd. I turned to one of my hiding places and people-watched.

As I waited to see if coffee could revive my spirits at all, I got into conversation with someone new. This was someone who asked about my artistic side. I was reminded that the thing which I love the most about SL… and always have… is the creativity which the place is dripping with. I love that everything in it has been built or made by someone there. It still has the power to amaze me.

It attracts creative people. It gives us a whole new playground, somewhere to add overlayers to our lives and experiences, a place which sprinkles pixel glitter onto our RL arts.

The conversation was of two halves, I spoke of RL art and SL pictures, and the other person spoke of bringing RL music into SL and collaborating with others.

Somehow, somewhere in the mixing and swapping of ideas and experiences, my mental fog was cleared for a little while.

Some of the magic we spoke of sneaked in and blew glitter through the clouds of  my unhappiness.

I was reminded that to create anything, be it a picture, or to sing the simplest song, I have to step momentarily from the mire in which I find myself. I can leave all that behind and step free. It is to focus on something else. In looking forwards, I leave where I am now.

Something to throw into the mix of my morning, we spoke of January and the strength of one month. We mused on what it is that makes January such a powerful and magical force which can bring about an energized new start to all who seek it?

Well my humble take on this, is that January has no more power than any other month of the year. What it actually does is spark something in ourselves. It lets us step out of ourselves a little and look forwards. We can blame the month for the renewed strength and power we find in ourselves to take even the smallest step to a newer time and a fresher mind.

I hope that January sprinkles glitter-like positivity into your lives and reminds you that you are worth much happiness and peace.

❤

Credits:

Pose : Gingerfish – Cinema Verite

Hair : Analog Dog. – Soca

Glasses: SteinWerk

Cardigan and Jeans: L&B Swear.

Boots: [Gos] Triumph

Rings: Yummy – Winter Solstice

Fireplace, Books, Patchwork Rug and Bookshelves: Apple Fall.

Bench: Cheeky Pea

Round Cushion: Revival

Round Rug: Junk

Tea Tray: Tres Blah

Clock and Musical Box: Fancy Decor

Sketch Book: 7mad;Ravens

Diary: 8f8

Whippet dog: Foxes

Kangaroo Plushie: O.M.E.N.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ever try to read late at night, and find that all you ever do is end up re-reading the same chapter over and over… night after night and all because you started off too tired to take it all in?

Ever feel like you are stuck repeating the same chapter of your life, over and over?

 

 

Credits:

POSE: Word Lust : Gingerfish. – Available at Sad November event.

SHIRT: LIT Flannel : Vinyl.

CHAISE: Amelie Swan Chaise : Trompe Loeil.

Pile of vintage books : Nutmeg

Haran Console : Lark

Harrogate Grandfather Clock, Books Occasional Table and Enamel Teapot, : Apple Fall

Gabriel’s Tin Houses : Kalopsia

Gramophone : C L A Vv.

Half-Moon Table : Fancy Decor

Lantern : .:Bee designs:.

Farmhouse Candlestick : {What Next}

Pillow Ottoman : Dust Bunny

Rustic candle holder : [ Kunst ]

Boxed cookies and coffee : Artisan Fantasy

Can you feel it?

It’s as if the world senses it’s almost time to put the year to bed, that twilight feeling of seasons moving. A time when mist mingles with wood smoke to cocoon all in a duvet of memory.

Let the crispness of air drive you inside, where the smell of fresh-baked food wakes your senses with a thirst for comfort. Light the fire, and let its glow spread round your home with the flicker of candles.

Bolt the door and shutter the windows. Banish the dark and cold. Leave them with the remnants of the year past. Cast off that of you which has died and rejoice for that which is yet to come!

I admit… that I try and avoid the news these days. I don’t manage to succeed at it though, as it seems to creep into all areas of media and life. There is so much happening which has me at best shaking my head. Too much in the world seems in turmoil, or sadness, and for someone like me, it’s too easy to get bogged down in darkness and despair at it all.

So much is often made about the empty narcissism which can often fill such places as Facebook. We seem to live in an Age Of Entitlement. So often I witness an almost competition of who can shout loudest about how amazing they themselves are, that saddens me.

BUT….

LOVE is a buffer to that.There’s nothing so powerful as witnessing the love that people have for each other. I am not referring to the intimate and romantic love which exists between the lucky, oh no… for this, I am talking of the caring and deep warmth of love and friendship which exists in good times, but even more in times of hardship! That love and those people form circles of love, almost as a barrier to the darker side of life.

My faith in love has been boosted in the past few hours. I knew about the “For the love of the Devil” event which was being planned. If you don’t know about it, let me share a link to give a little more information:

https://www.facebook.com/For-the-love-of-the-Devil-186995291869902/

I heard about it from friends who were busy promoting this event which had been brought about to help a friend. People putting themselves out, giving their time to help. I saw many creators offering their items to try and help in any way. It’s the second such event in the past couple of months that I have seen…. and then shopped at. When I TPd to the event this morning, I spent a couple of moments with my mouth open, stunned by how many people were shopping there, but also just… how… many… creators had offered their crafted items for sale, just to help another.

It gave me much to think of as I shopped…

As much as times can be dark, no matter how many hardships we face, there are far more people shining their own lights, then uniting with others, to push the shadows even further away.

People… are wonderful! 😉

 

I am featuring a few items from the event in this picture:

 

Boots: Ariana Thigh High Boots – Cynful Collection by [Gos}

Dress: The Oh! Dress – Devilish Purple by [Cynful]

Pose: Devil I love 3 by Gingerfish.

Backdrop to photo: 05 Hype-Beast Backdrop by [Bad Unicorn]

All are available at ‘For the Love of the Devil’ at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Los%20Angeles%20City/130/215/42

Why not indulge in a little shopping 😉 ❤

 

It feels as if the last month was almost a time of everything being thrown up into the air. I tried to catch what I could, but came to the realization that some things I simply had to let fall.

I always go through times of deep introspection when milestones in time approach. Sometimes it can be a good thing.

Today is the tenth anniversary of the day I joined SL. I have known it was coming up, and whatever else has been going on, there’s been a part of my brain reflecting on how those ten years have changed me.

I was able to rake over memories, and focus on the best parts of my SL now, as I put together my SL art exhibition. Sometimes the memories brought warmth and joy, but others have touched wounds that I thought had healed, but still showed sensitivity.

I have always found SL to be an excellent way for me to examine myself. I soon discovered how scary it can be at times, to be confronted by the words I ‘speak’ appearing on the screen. How shocking it is to see how many different ways they can be misread…. and how often they are.

In a way my SL has been a place of re-inventing my virtual self, but through exploring the many facets of my real self. It’s been an amazing way at times, of creating a space of peace in SL when RL has been so hard. It’s given me respite, and allowed me to breathe, then return stronger to RL.

I have been lucky enough to experience so many things in SL over the years. I guess one of the first things was as a ‘helper’ in a centre which helped newcomers to SL. That was where I was first encouraged to learn to build, which I LOVED. That sparked a building career which only stopped once Mesh took over. I am not sad though, I LOVE what mesh has done for SL! 😀

I guess the next big part of my time in SL was when a friend and I got hooked on learning to use weapons. What started off with swords soon migrated to horses and lances. Damn, we women made good jousters! I still have some wonderful and lasting friendships formed over the times we would throw flasks to each other, smile and laugh, then try and skewer each other. Happy times! Haha

The love of weapons and a joy found in RPing grew from there. I was at a slight disadvantage, in that I had only ever RPd in SL, but for all the OOC drama that often hit us in Eternity, we did weave some impressive tales. I RPd as a human knight there. I have also RPd as a fairy for many years too. Each role I have had carried a fair amount of my reality into it. Right now I can’t see that I will return to RP. There have been too many upsets for me to want to step outside of just being wholly myself now. That element of fantasy will just be for pictures from now on, I think.

Ah… picture-taking. It’s always been such a pleasure for me in SL, as it mirrors my RL joy in drawing and painting. Capturing a visual memory is such a magical thing. To be able to look at one and remember the mindset, the thoughts… and the feelings of that time, is something beautiful. My words and pictures in SL are all honest pieces of me, and my heart. They show my past, and my present.

For all my mistakes and heartaches during the past ten years, by far the most amazing thing I have found is how much smaller the world can seem. How wonderful to be able to sit and share, even virtual coffee, with someone real-time, while they sit in a whole other country, or even continent. My true friends are those who mean as much to me as they would if I were able to sit in a coffee shop and natter for real. Either side of the screen they are real and loved friends.

Where else can we all meet at whatever time it is in our timezone and go to a concert together. Where else can I go and listen to amazing live music dressed in my fluffy bunny PJs? 😉

To all who have been present in my life over the past ten years, whether: bringing joy; or an important lesson, whether still part of it, or not… I offer my heart-felt thanks. I am by far a better, stronger and happier person now than I was back in 2007.

😀 ❤

 

 

 

 

It takes bravery to open up to someone else, whether in friendship, or something more.

 

If you are as open as I am (rightly, or wrongly), it can be like taking all the pages of your life and throwing them in the air to be read. All boxed secrets are emptied in time to be exposed and scrutinized.

 

I never know how someone will react to me though. So often once someone gets to truly see, or know me, they either run away, or spend time making me jump through hoops to convince them to stay in my life.

 

How wonderful it is to sit and speak with someone, and have them nod and tell me they totally understand, then swap some deep-held part of themselves which matches, or overlaps. How much joy those people bring!

 

I lament those who back away from me. Those shared secrets cannot ever be boxed away again, or forgotten. My life’s pages cannot be bound back into their book and the cover closed. Each day brings new possibilities in life, and it’s always hard to see lost chances, especially which have come from some aspect of me which is too much, too deep, or just too muddled to be understood.

 

I treasure those who match me in bravery and am strengthened and made richer through their friendship.

 

❤