5 Best Places to Spend your Lindens this Holiday Season for a Good Cause! =LilyLaceWing Reporting…

I have some strict standards when it comes to Charities, because often times most are not what they seem. One of my standards, happily met by Live and Learn, is their willingness to donate 100% of their received donations directly to the children who need it to help pay for their food, clothing, schooling, medicines, and to fight against child prostitution and child brides.

Live and Learn in Kenya/Feed a Smile

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Feed%20A%20Smile/44/26/23

The charity, based in Germany, also employs a German based medical/dental partner organization, called "Arzt- und Zahnarzthilfe Kenya." They provide medical and dental care for hundreds of children, including quarterly wellness check-ups, and vaccinations. With a project called “Shared Joy” they are able to feed nearly 500 children a warm lunch every day.

http://www.llk-selb.de/

(On the bottom right, the English link will give you the page viewable in English, on the bottom left is German (Duetch.)

Fair Play-The Forgotten Game

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hubunny/96/89/3995

If you want an avenue that helps support many different charities, check out Fair Play, The Forgotten Game. They support Second Life’s Relay for Life (American Cancer Society,) and Team Fox as well. In their shop, they sell a variety of items that, depending on each item, donate between 10%-50% directly to charity, with two direct donation jars for each charity resting around the circle of vendors. So if you don’t find anything there you like, but still want to make a charitable donation, Fair Play is a good place to check out.

War Child

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Music/64/225/38

“War Child is a small international charity that protects children living in the world's most dangerous war zones. We currently work in Iraq, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.” This is a place where you, admittedly, can only shop if you need a DJ system for home/work, but it’s still a great place to donate extra lindens this holiday season to help protect children living in very dangerous parts of the world. Imagine if your child had to grow up, it’s whole life, under the constant threat of war and imminent, painful death. I cannot imagine what that must be like for a child, how that must shape their world.

Creations Park

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Creations%20Park/87/162/39

 This is an amazing place, one I’ve mentioned before, and will mention again! Creations Park, constructed by Fran Serenade and her daughter Barbie Alchemi, is a combination hangout, underwater hang out, art gallery, Peace Nation Native American, and Winter Wonderland (see my other article this month about fun places to hang out in a Winter Themed area for more info about WW.) Creations Park donates 100% of all donations to Team Fox for Parkinsons’ Research, the charity Michael J. Fox heads up. A lot of the stores in WW also offer percentage donations of items purchased to Team Fox as well.

Bliss Designs- Mind Body and Soul-May You Be Happy!!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Arcata/44/72/3601

This is a neat store where all profits are donated to a group of charities (see list and links below.) There is also a direct donation box for Web of Life. The store carries lots of items, clothing for men and women, complete avatars and lots, lots more! They also sell ‘starter kits’ to begin your own store, full of prims and items you can modify and manipulate. There is also a free photo studio for anyone to use!

The Tibet Fund: www.himalayan-foundation.org

Web of Life: http://www.wole.org/

Heifer International: www.heifer.org

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: www.seashepherd.org

‘Tis the season to be generous, folks, for while you enjoy your hot cocoa covered in a blanket watching the latest Marvel movie with your honey, there are thousands out there who are starving and in need. Also, to make a difference with real life dollars/goods, consider donating to your local food pantries and homeless shelters so everyone can have a great holiday season this year! Food pantries and shelters save lives! 

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Wayne Davis Rocks!- LilyLaceWing Reporting

Talented SL Blues/Rock artist rips it up in RL, too!

One fine SL day, while sitting in my minimalist apartment, I got the pleasure of viewing one of SL’s most talented musicians, live streaming on a massive “TV” in my living area. While enjoying a beer, and a joint (hey, it’s MY house,) I watched this talented individual perform a nice array of blues, southern rock, and few dirty, hilarious originals, as well as a lovely rendition of “Purple Rain” by Prince just for something a little different. This was not the first time I’d seen Wayne Davis perform, in fact, I’ve been to many of his shows. As a fan of metal, sludge, and blues, his is a style I can sit and truly enjoy, and with a rare talent like his, it’s worth the teleport every time and then some. The man can play Stevie Ray Vaughan… And not only pull it off, but make it look easy in the playing. As any SRV fans know, that’s no easy feat. I was lucky enough to ask him some question about his music, both in SL, and his live touring in RL. So sit down, grab a cold one, roll up something, and listen into this addictively slimy music.

LL: Who are some of your influences/favorite bands?

WD: Jimmy (Hendrix), Stevie (Ray Vaughan), (Steve) Vai, BB (King.)

 LL: I was told to ask you the story of Tater, can you tell me that story?

  WD: Actually, the story of Tater is kind of funny to some, and seen as possibly mean by others. At any rate, as we long timers in SL have all ran into those who are… let’s just say, not willing to read the instruction manual before running about,(hopping up on stage, insulting others, begging for money, ect, ect…) Tater, who would be one of those, came around my home one day and was found by many to be just plain annoying, and/or insulting. So long story short, he was hounding me, and my friend Velk about how to make money in SL. So I made a box and gave it to him, made a simple pose, and gave it to him. I told him to put the box on his hips, wear the pose, and go stand in a public place and tell everyone he was Miming for $L! (laughing) We couldn’t help but get a giggle out of the poor feller, whom we nicknamed Tater.

 LL: How long have you been playing music, both in RL and SL?

WD: I've been performing live as my main source of income since I was 16 years old, about 25 years now come January. My first gig was opening for the band Black Foot, who was famous for this song; (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBP15lRprPs) during which time I took the stage for the very first time. I looked out over the crowd of over 5,000 onlookers, I turned around and said to the rest of the band, "I'm sorry, but I quit!" (laughs) After some talking to, then chugging a beer and puking, I took the stage and played the first song, Sweet Child Of Mine by Guns and Roses. The crowd went crazy and cheered wildly, I've been on stage ever since, opening for bands like Skynyrd, .38 Special, Mr. Rock N Roll Hoochiekoo himself, Rick Darringer, and most recently I was hired by the David Allan Coe Band as the lead guitarist as can be seen in this video; (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtua5xjUBTM)  I've been performing in SL for about five years now, when I’m not in the studio in RL, or on the road touring.

 LL: Strangest song request?

WD: It’s raining men. (LL’s Thoughts; Seriously?? Had they ever heard you perform before?)

LL: What are your goals musically, both in RL and SL?

WD: Currently I’m working on my latest CD, it’s full of Dirty songs that were co-written with David Allan Coe while on the tour bus.

 LL: What's your favorite gig that you've gotten to perform in SL, such as charity events, really amazing shows, etc?

WD: I love every show that I perform in SL the same for one reason, the great fans that partake in the fun!

LL: Thanks for your time, Wayne, and good luck in all future gigs, musically or otherwise!!

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SL Dating HORRORS! A Weird Love Triangle in SL- LilyLaceWing Reporting...

A brief passage into madness…

Everyone knows that dating online can be a gamble, with varying levels of danger involved depending on how close you get to someone and how much personal information you share, but everyone hopes, and wills, that that won’t be the case for them. So people get lucky, and find their soul mates online. Others, well, they’re sometimes not so lucky. The worst stories, we’ve all heard on the news, can end in things like rape, murder, identity-, or SL copyright (of individually made marketplace items) theft. Often times, tales get even…weirder, especially when you factor in Seconds Life’s penchant for being greasier than Vegas, sexually, and some bizarre things can happen to a single woman exploring the grid. I met some such woman whose luck wasn’t so good.

 At first, it seemed like a good idea. On recommendation of who she thought was a good friend, Kelly* decided to give that handsome fellow Sheila* pointed out to her, calling him a ‘great guy’. He was her Second Life ‘Brother’, but not a real blood relation. Sheila spoke highly of Greg, trying to convince Kelly to date him, since she was single and kind of looking in Second Life. So Kelly decided to give him a chance, and romance quickly blossomed. Sheila, of course, approved, and encouraged Kelly to ‘tell all’ when asking for details about dates and rendezvous they had. Kelly told her everything, delighted to have a friend to share her new love’s stories with.

 Things seemed to be going great, and so the new couple decided to build a club together in Second Life, one which Kelly put a lot of hard work into with the help of Greg and his ‘sister’ Sheila. The relationship continued, and as it did, it grew more serious, to the point where Kelly and Greg exchanged wedding rings through the mail, so solid was their commitment to each other. Then little red flags started to pop up. Sheila would ALWAYS side with her ‘brother’ if Kelly and Greg had a disagreement, even if her brother was clearly the one at fault, and the incident took place in front of Sheila. Kelly, not wanting to lose an otherwise good man, would eventually move on, and focus on putting work into their club.

 One day, though, in open chat, Sheila called her ‘brother’ something a bit…incestuous… She called him ‘baby.’ Kelly thought it was odd, and a bit inappropriate for ‘siblings’ refer to one another as baby, so she did a bit more homework on her ‘friend’, and ‘boyfriend.’ Thanks to modern advances, like the very internet through which they met, Kelly was able to ascertain that Sheila was actually Greg’s WIFE. Not just a good friend and SL ‘Sister’, but his real life wife. As soon as Kelly became aware of this, she immediately broke off contact with the both of them. But they had her real life contact info, so they would send gifts to her grand children, and always make attempts to get her back into their fold, which were met with Kelly’s staunch refusal.

 Twenty Months, one nightclub, and so much emotion, all of it wasted on two people playing a sick, possibly kinky game on her, and using her for her club building skills. As of now, the couple who lied to her still own and operate the club, whereas she gets to go the therapy for the traumatic experience. This is why, boys and girls, the internet in general, but for sure Second Life, can be dangerous at times. Always be cautious who you give your info to, or you could end up like just like Kelly, or worse, one of the stories that make the headlines in RL.

*Not their real names.

Facts: 20 months. Married couple, posing as brother and sister, lure in single woman looking for love, they build a club in SL together, and then she finds out ‘sister’ is actually WIFEY in real lifey, oh shit, now what? So she decides to just not talk to them ever again, and goes about her life But they have her real life info, and send gifts to her grandchildren. Oh yeah, and the wife?? Wife hunted out chick for them, coaxed her into “hooking up” with her hubs, for reasons beyond my comprehension. Why? Was it kink? To make her do all the work of building the club? They still want her to be a part of their lurid threeway love triangle, but she wants nothing to do with it.. The whole thing made her need therapy it was so traumatic.  Holy crap, right??

Also, the wife’s always asking about their ‘sex life’. Exchanged wedding rings via mail (why the bleep?!?!) Wifey grooms victim as friend before pushing  them into the arms of her hubs. This story is nuts! So let’s write it up all sexy and murder mystery like, shan’t we?? :) 

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A Love Story…From Second Life to Real Life- LilyLaceWing Reporting…

How one couple overcame over a thousand miles, and are still going strong today!

It was no easy task, but I finally found love in Second Life!! No, not for me, silly! I have love of my own in SL and RL (same person, of course.) No, what I was looking for, was a couple who’d gotten their start in SL, then moved successfully into an RL relationship! Let me introduce you to Laney* and Bob*.

Laney is a 34 year old young woman from California, who found the man of her dreams in Bob, 42, an RL mechanic in Florida. The two met one night at a mutual friend’s rez day party, and immediately had a connection. They spent the next six hours straight online together chatting, exploring, and generally trying to get to know one another before Bob had to head off to work. Laney found herself wondering when he’d be back online. Laney is disabled due to MS (multiple sclerosis,) and uses SL as a way to explore without taxing her RL body. She never expected to make a romantic connection in SL.

 Nor did Bob, who was recently divorced, quite nastily, from his ex wife Diane*. Diane got the kids most of the time, and he got to keep the house for his half of their visits since Diane’s family was well off and could help her get into a new living situation, whereas Bob would be left without a home, having no living relatives he could call on for help. But after that party, they were inseparable, spending as much time in SL together as possible, and lots of time on the phone together.

Finally, after about 4 months, Bob saved up enough to meet with Laney in person. “When I first saw him, I just knew everything was going to be great. He had this smile to him that was warm, and somehow familiar. I knew then that I was head over heels in love with him.” They spent two wonderful weeks together, before Bob had to return to his home state of Florida to go back to work. It was torture for them, being apart so much, so Bob would fly Laney out to visit whenever he could afford to. “She was so great with the kids, so natural. I was relieved to see them get along so well, and my little ones take to her so quickly. When she’d come, she’d often visit for up to three weeks. After about five or six rounds of doing that, they decided it was time to think seriously. Did they want to take their relationship to the next level?

 About 5 months ago, Laney moved in with Bob full time, and now spends her time with her best friend, his children, and their combined dogs, hers a German Shepherd, his a bulldog. “It’s funny to watch them play together,” Says Laney, “Nat (the shepherd) is so careful with Sully, it’s like she’s adopted her.” And while Laney says her illness always makes life a rollercoaster ride, this time at least she can enjoy the ride.

 I want to thank the real “Laney” and “Bob” for sharing their story with me, as I mentioned before, it was hard to find a story with a happy ending, but so far, at least, Laney and Bob are doing well with their happy ending. I wish you both the best of luck, and a bright future!

*Not their real names, I find anonymity allows the story teller to be more open, and was granted this story on the condition of it. 

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Strangest Things Going On in Second Life Part 2- LilyLaceWing Reporting…

 Homeless in Second Life (where you don’t…need…a home…)

Let’s begin with Homeless hangouts. These are place where homelessness is literally a title you can choose to have. I checked out a few of them, and for sure, they look like what you’d expect from a homeless hangout. Giant trash can fires and gritty old mattresses discarded haphazardly against concrete half walls.

 I assume people who roleplay being homeless want to experience it virtually, and if that’s the case, then I somewhat get what is being done. I think of the irony that people who are role playing being homeless while sitting in a house, or at the very least, an apartment with internet. My thoughts are, the reality of being homeless is devastating, and yet it is a rich environment in which to role play? It is confusing but that is just my own opinion.  This would have to be a case of  ‘to each their own”.

I cannot fathom the idea to be homeless. I’m not saying it’s wrong to role play in such an environment because I’m not in the business of judging folks for how they play Second Life, but I must admit to a complete lack of understanding about this particular role playing game.

 What is the attraction, honestly? Using what little I know of homelessness, I’d imagine you spend your days scraping for money and food, trying to secure shelter, or perhaps substances that make the pain of homelessness less intense while trying not to get murdered or raped.  Let’s face it. This is desirable?  I’m sure the homeless in the real world wouldn’t find it amusing at all. Here are some places I found that cater to Homeless Role play.

Hobo Railroad Infohub

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Calleta/98/214/28

Hobo Haven at Virtual Railway Consortium (VRC) Headquarters

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tuliptree/103/207/30

Yoga, Tai Chi, and Acupuncture?

Ladies and gentlemen! Bring your mats, your water, your incense, and get in touch with your inner…uhm…avatar!! Second Life offers many a venue for Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, and Acupuncture. These are great places for those of us who’d like to learn more about Yoga, and the other disciplines mentioned above, there’s just one issue here.

Yoga is a discipline meant to connect your soul to the universe through sacred movement. When your avatar does yoga, does it connect it’s Prahna (life force energies, like Chi or Qi,) to the complex and divine designs of the Metaverse, rather than the RL universe?

Is there a Metaverse consciousness that avatars doing yoga can tap into to seek out their peace, or their wisdoms? Wouldn’t that be rad? As for the acupuncture aspect, this one’s a big “Why?” to me as well, since you most definitely need an actually body to benefit from acupunctures therapeutic applications. Tai Chi, again, you can learn a lot about it by visiting these sims, and I can see how one might benefit from watching their avatars do Tai Chi if they physically cannot.

 Engaging in Tai Chi can assist in meditation, so I can see why you could benefit from it through your avatar. The Kundalini Awakening Center really cracks me up, because you absolutely need a physical body to benefit from Kundalini Awakenings. (Google Kundalini Awakening and you’ll see what I mean! It literally REQUIRES you to have a body, I promise!)  If you are curious about how it is done in Second Life here is a link.

Hot Springs Buddha Center Yoga and thai chi

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Buddhism/188/217/50

Kundalini Awakening Information center

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kundalini%20Mystic%20Isle/141/238/21

Drug Dens?

Now this one I get, but I revel in the strangeness. If so desired, one can role play being a crack addict, or junkie of any kind, at The Crack Den. I’m sure you can also role play a cop, a prostitute, or any other type of urban low-life you desire!

There’s also a rad opium den, if sedative drugs are more up your avatars alley! This place offers a free opium pipe at the door, and comfy ‘racks’ (cots) to lay on while your avatar indulges in some of China’s Finest.

 I attempted to infiltrate the Crack Den, but being so new, no one spoke to me  so sadly, I can only comment on what I’ve seen thus far. Everything looks appropriately dirty, dingy, and haphazard, with rusted out cars on fire, tagged buildings, and greasy little alleys in which all kinds of nefarious business goes down.

 For pure scenery, I prefer Octagium’s Opium Den, a beautiful open aired room filled with firelight and beautiful tapestries hung on the Romanesque walls. I’ve visited the place a few times, and so far, I’ve always been the only one there. Pity, I’d love to listen in on the types of conversations that would happen in an opium den or crack house, all from the safety of my own living room!

Crack Den

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hathian/190/128/2605

Octagium’s Opium Den

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Octagium/38/119/1505

Second Life is full of strange yet interesting places that mimic the real world. If you are looking for something a little off the beaten path, I am sure you will find it.

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Strange, Taboo and Unusual Things in Second Life, Part 1- Lilly Lacewing Reporting

I took on this assignment because I love a good challenge, even more so when said challenge is also entertaining! Picking up the virtual rocks to see the virtual bugs that scatter from underneath, I took a few looks into some of the darker and stranger corners of Second Life, and what it has to offer. Before I get started, though, I want to say nothing here is meant to offend anyone, merely to express awe at things unusual that I found lurking through the grid. If I offend anyone, I apologize, it is not my intent.

First up?

Maternity and Abortion Clinics!

Firstly, let me say, I understand the Maternity aspect of this very well. Lots of women cannot have children in RL, and through HUDs like Mama Alpa, and others, a woman can kind of get to experience having and raising a child. While, obviously, it’s not the same, I see the draw there. What I cannot understand are the clinics in SL which also perform abortions. Wait, abortions??

 I thought SL would be a perfect place to engage in the mom game, but do ‘accidents’ really happen in SL like they do in RL? Why would someone need to have an abortion in SL? If you buy the HUDs to breed, wouldn’t it then make sense that you WANT the child more than anything, as evidenced by how much a person is willing to pay for the HUDs (which, mind you, have a realistic odds system for getting pregnant build right into it,)? I’m not claiming to know all here, I genuinely don’t understand. Please, if you have a story about an accidental pregnancy in SL, feel free to share your story in the comments and help me understand!

Next up?

Church, in Second Life!

 This one is only strange to yours truly because of how scarily similar to RL churches, SL churches can be. I got to listen in on a service, and it gave me goose bumps and flashbacks to being a too curious for my own good creature, slowly suffocating in her nylons (it’s a sensory processing issue, can’t stand their texture, makes my skin scrawl.) While SL churches provide an AMAZING service to those who cannot get out of their homes for their RL Sunday worship (or Saturday, or Friday, religion depending,) to those who are mobile enough, but just need their dose of God even in SL. Hooray for community! However, Second Life churches, to those who do NOT have a need of their services, are undeniably creepy places. Avatars dressed either as angels, or in virginal white, sing hymns, while preachers tell you Bible Stories and pass around the virtual collection plates (some things never change, from RL to SL. Sigh. Since when does God need money?) Anyways, back on point. SL churches, while greatly helpful to some, give nightmarish flashbacks to others. Catholics, I know you’ve got my back on this! For an even stranger twist, some of these churches worship the Gods of Sex, if you catch my drift. So whether your needs are simple, non-denom Christian, or any other standard religion, you can find a church for you in Second Life. And if you worship Sex Gods? Well, there are plenty of churches for you, too, that are infinitely more fun, I’d wager.

Next up in our sideshow circus?

Rape Sims and Gangbang Shows

 Now, this is the ultimate winner in the tableau of weird, strange, and bizarre things that SL has to offer. There are places, where if you have the right HUD, you can engage in what I like to call the Rape Games. You go there, turn on your HUD (maybe more steps, I’m not sure, I don’t have a RAPE HUD,) and then let the games begin. Being a diligent little Avatar, I went to go check out one of the places where folks hang out for the Rape Games. Almost immediately, an Avi started following me. I moved, he followed. I moved, he followed. You get it. I immediately told a safe white lie that I knew would end the conversation I knew was coming. “Dude, I have a massive (BLEEP), you want that? Keep following.” Naturally, it worked, and I was free to snoop again, however by that point, I’d felt I’d seen enough to know that it’s a creepy, bizarre scene. Not judging those who engage in the play themselves, but there are a lot of rape victims in the world. I doubt they had fun with it. To me, making a game out of something others experience as an unwanted, violating, horror in their life, others role play it because it tickles their proverbial toes. But still, I found worse… The Gangbang shows.

 Yeah, you read that right. There are places in SL where you can go watch a Gangbang show. And that’s exactly what it is, a show, where a bunch of usually dudes, gang up on one usually chick, and go to town on her, while being verbally degrading to her as well. The only other Avatar I felt safe while there was my tiny fly. Not that you can’t see me, or find my nametag, but thankfully as a fly I was safe from approach. This wasn’t a bestiality sim, after all (though I saw one of those too and I now know, not that I wanted to, where to go if you want your Avi to get it on with a horse.) I can’t really go into any more detail without this suddenly becoming an X-rated column, but for those of you out there who just NEED some weird, feel free to seek out your bizarre sex churches (and traditional ones as well,) your Rape Games or your Maternity clinics, where you can birth prim babies and also satisfy a milk maid fetish at the same time.

Ahh, SL, it’s always been your intrinsic weirdness that’s stolen my heart. Go on, Avies, fly your freak flag hard, explore and tell us about the strange things you’ve encountered in Second Life.

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A Haunting and Addictive Art Sim by Storm Septimus- LillyLacewing Reporting...

At first, I was almost afraid to review this amazing display of SL talent, because there’s just so much going on there. For that very same reason, I knew I had to. I will try to my best to do it justice.

  A giant metal woman springs from the water logged Earth, kept upright by barbed wires wrapped tightly around her sternum, and sank deep into the ground. I recommend spending some quality time here so you don’t miss out on the details you may not notice at first.

There is a broken, exposed dome covered in tree roots, and it in itself is worth a thorough traversing. There’s a fountain, seeming to provide the water to this soggy landscape, and it’s face is that of a lion, vomiting forth the water in which you stand.

 A pair of open, welcoming hands have a swing dangling from a caressing finger. All over the sim you find these doors, like the one where you landed, that have a small piece of a story about the Gray Child, an ominous creature who seems to take from, control, and abuse the person telling the story. Well, here’s the person, to tell her own story.

Interview with Storm Septimus

 Inspiration, what inspired this beautiful display?

SS: **The Gray child is here , my emptiness, my nothing , my death.  (continue reading: https://nudgesavage.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/the-grey-child-by-storm-septimus-this-is-not-mine-ladies-and-gents/ )

The words above were the inspiration for the sim. I have had depression on and off for as long as I can remember, and I thought it would be an interesting, if not very challenging, idea to try and make into a visual physical display. 

SS: I used the first line of the above bit of writing as you enter the sim as it is I think it highlights the overriding feelings of depression.  Death was a strong choice as it could be read in a few ways, obviously the suicidal way, but if read another way depression can feel like a kind of death of its own. You do not function, you are numb.

 Have you done other works and displayed them here in SL, if so, what, when, where?

SS: Oh god yes!  I adore making sims, though at the time it may not sound like I do to my friends with all the terrible moods I go through. My first was a wasteland sim called “The Last Stop,” which I kept open for quite a while! Usually my builds have a short shelf life because I get the need to try something new.  After I closed that I did my first LEA , which was called  ‘The Void.’ That was a very, very, dark build dealing with insomnia.  When ‘The Void’ closed, I had a bit of a break before making the last place before ‘The Gray Child.’ That one was called ‘The Chamber Library,’ and is one place I was so very proud of. It was beautiful, and actually useful, as it contained hundreds of short stories from both classical writers, and the residents of SL!  It was hard to close that as it was well loved, but I'm sure so many are singing the same tune when I say the cost of keeping a sim is ridiculous now.

 Who is the "Grey Child" and what causes its failure to thrive?

 SS: When writing my little thing about my feelings, (there is more I just focused on for that particular paragraph for the build,) I wanted to give my emotions a form, and that came as a child.  In my mind, there were a whole series of children walking with me through life. Sometimes they were hiding, or dragging behind , sometimes right beside you holding your hand, so it just felt right.  The ‘failure to thrive’ part was oddly a completely separate thing to begin with. I was having a hard time with the design, and lots of heated discussions with a friend about how things were shaping up.  He suggested I try something different, and I begrudgingly did, claiming it was pointless, I would fail at what he was suggesting, and it would never grow into anything. So as a bit of a go fuck yourself, I named the sim ‘Failure to Thrive,’ knowing next time he stopped in he would see it, and know how I felt.  After a while I realized it was actually the perfect thing to keep, because when dealing with depression you are in fact, in a way, failing to thrive… emotionally. Thus it stayed :)

Anything you want to share with people seeing this display, maybe certain things you're hoping people take away from the visual experience?

SS: Oooh, that’s hard! (Laughs)  I never really set out with a goal, in that respect. I mean people make their own minds up about what something means, and what they want to take from it. That, however, is one of the things I love in doing these places is being able to see it through others’ eyes. I love reading the blogs, and seeing all the pictures and videos… It’s amazing how many different ways one thing can be seen. 

 Anything in the works? New projects you're a part of? Events? etc?

 SS: I think when the sim closes I will have another of my possibly long breaks lol. I enjoy that time with friends who have to put up with being on the sidelines for a while whilst I'm busy. Luckily I have a good set of friends who know the drill and support me.  Also I  need to WANT to do something new, I completely suck when it’s a forced thing lol. Right now I can’t think of anything I  MUST do, so I'd say  there’s nothing in the pipeline for a while. I'm looking forward to making some additions for the holiday and holding a masked Halloween party on sim. 

Failure to Thrive [ The Gray Child ], LEA15

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA15/175/39/25

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A Surprising Lack of “Accessibility” for the Disabled in SL- LillyLacewing Reporting.

Empty Halls in the Orthopedic Shops, and Disability Hangouts.

In a world where everything is accessible to those with physical limitations, I’m very surprised to see there aren’t more places dedicated to the disabled. With the exception of the A+A Orthopedic and Disability Hangout, all other inquiries either lead me to a landmark that traps me under the disability hangout’s actual floor (highly inaccessible, or places that are more like stores that sell a cane or two, here and there.

   With so many across the world suffering from debilitating and chronic illnesses, I’m sad to see there aren’t more places for those who are ill to gather together in a friendly, supportive community. The aforementioned shop seems to only host the occasional camper, and despite my exhaustive searches, I find nothing in the way of events for the disabled…unless you count the fetish type events. In this case I don’t, no offence meant to those with the fetish, but as a young disabled woman, I would love to be able to find a place where I can chat with those who not only understand my stories, but can share their own as well. That being said, I’d still gladly cover said, (and other,) fetishes in future articles!  ;)

A+A Disability, Orthopedic Shop, and Hangout: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kilmarta/15/132/22

  For a world where everyone can find something to enjoy, once again, those with disabilities, just like in RL, are highly under represented. One stunning example of a place I cannot believe isn’t more heavily trafficked is Park Art at Frantastica. Park Art is a location for those suffering from Parkinson’s to share their art. Before visiting Frantastica, I never realized that one of the facets of Parkinson’s, a painful and debilitating movement disorder, included a strong creative, and artistic drive.  This is often exacerbated by their medications.

Slurl for Park Art at Frantastica:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Frantastica/141/39/22

  One example of a location I wish had more little green dots when I hover over the mini-map? Virtual Ability, one of the most detailed, and resource heavy disability locations in SL. They feature classes to help disabled newbies learn the ins and outs of Second Life, and host a “garden” where you can find large amounts of art inspired by all types of disabilities. I’ve been there a handful of times, and am always the only one there.

Virtual Ability:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/128/128/23

  After much hunting and searching I came across a place called The Haven, a club for the disabled, and home to the Crip Chicks Club, a club for wheelchair bound/disabled women. Both the main dance floor, and the CCC were deserted. As was Taupo Aquatic Center, and Club Access Elite, an aquatic sports center for the disabled. After taking a quick, easy, therapeutic dip, I gave up my search for the day, disappointed to be the only soul present at all these places with such great potential.

The Haven:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Turtle/142/113/22

  For such a large community, we sure do seem to be overlooked so easily. That being said, I obviously have not explored ALL the options out there, because not every one is easy to find via the usual search term buzz words. If I’m wrong, and some of you know of places that are bouncing and wiggling, (because we won’t be jumping, and running…) please IM me to let me know all about your disabled hangout!

Taupo Aquatic Center and Club Access Elite:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Taupo/138/44/22

 For now, though, I’m simply grateful that places like Second Life exist at all, because I couldn’t just pack it on up, and go to the beach in RL without it causing me massive pain, let alone climb up the mountains, surf, ride the horses, carnival rides, and many, many more activities I’ve missed in RL and can now happily do again in SL.  

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