Join Unity Productions at Its February Performances

Since 2010, the faith-based organization Unity Productions has thrilled audiences across the grid with its original productions that bring biblical stories to virtual life! For the month of February, to kick off its 2012 season, Unity is dusting off some of its most treasured productions! Don't miss this dynamic group--check out the schedule below and make sure you're in a seat for one (or more) of the performances! Bring a friend...bring an enemy...all are welcome.

February 4 and 5
Journey Well

Performed at last year's IMAGINE/PEACEFEST, Journey Well is a story of brotherly kindness and selfless sacrifices. This is an abbreviated version (40 minutes) of the two-hour performance delivered at IMAGINE. Times/Location: Saturday, February 4 at 2 p.m. SLT and Sunday, February 5 at 4 p.m. SLT. Both at Unity's Stage.

February 10-12
The Misfits

The Misfits is a modern day exodus story. Seven people determined to die, decide to live and share compassion, understanding and faith--while finding love and peace. PARENTAL DISCRETION WARNING - this performance is urban and contains explicit language. Times/Location: Friday, February 10 at 6 p.m. SLT; Saturday, February 11 at 2 p.m. SLT, and Sunday, February 12 at 4 p.m. SLT.

All performances will be at Unity's Stage.



If you miss The Misfits that weekend, you can catch it at 12 p.m. SLT on Saturday, February 18 at and Sunday, February 19 in France, The Duche de Coeur Sim. The Duche is a 18th Century region of 10 sims (period attire optional). Here's the slurl to France.

February 26
The Metaverse Live Performers Expo

This year, Unity Productions has been invited to participate in The Metaverse Live Performers Expo. The Expo runs from Feb. 22-26, 2012. UP will be the closing the expo on Sunday, February 26th.

To learn more about this event and future UP performances, please contact Pet Karu or Shon Charisma in-world.

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SPOTLIGHT on Earth Nirvana’s BE HUNTED group and The Odd Flake Hunt ~ Shon Charisma Reporting

Back in September, I had the opportunity to talk with Earth Nirvana, the soul visionary and creator behind Earth’s Bangles & Other Creations. You can check out that piece to learn more about Earth.



In the past few months, Earth has been busy conceptualizing and turning into reality two projects: BE HUNTED, a support group for SL businesses and the first event through BE HUNTED, The Odd Flake Hunt that will hit the grid December 11 through December 28, 2011.

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Debut SL Film from Unity Productions' Sisters in Spirit

Sisters in Spirit, the newest leg of faith-based organization Unity Productions, is proud to announce the premiere of its debut film through SiS Films and Charisma Productions: BURDENS. Written, directed, and produced by UP founding member and SiS director (and SLE journalist) Shon Charisma, BURDENS is a short tale that many women will be able to relate to. SiS invites you to its blogsite to view BURDENS and to share the movie with others!

You may view the movie here.

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Spotlight Feature: Deliziosa Vendetta, founder of Gems and Kisses Fine Jewelry ~ Shon Charisma Reporting

I am a lover of creativity and imagination, the ways in which people use these tools to fashion things no one else could. And speaking of fashion, well, we know that I am also a lover of fashions, from dresses to jewelry. When I was asked to talk with the innovative and unique designer Deliziosa Vendetta about Gems & Kisses Fine Jewelry, my heart went all aflutter. Before you even marvel at her jewelry designs, you are greeted with the simple, yet strong, elegant jewelry box design of the store. Needless to say, I emptied my bank account while perusing Gems & Kisses, and was excited to talk to Vendetta about her inspiration, creativity, and Season 1 of Gems & Kisses Royal Miss 2012, which kicks off this month.

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In the Know with Clothing Designer Caelia Bellic

There are many things I like to do in-world, but two that stand out are perform and find hot clothes to wear. As a part of the group Unity Productions, I'm able to do both in our latest production, The Misfits. Not only do I get to dance and strut my stuff on the stage, but I'm also able to wear the grunge-tastic wares of clothing designer Caelia Bellic, owner of Cae.B designs. I was a fan of Cae's clothing before the production, and have spent time with a friend going to Cae's mainstore [slurl] and waxing philosophically about the artistry of Cae's designs. How much do I dig Cae's grunge couture? There is a folder in my invy marked "ALL CAE.B." And it's stocked!

As a lover of Caelia Bellic's clothing, I sought her out to ask a few questions about what inspires her to design her wares...among other things. And she graciously replied...

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Take Five with Jewelry Designer Earth Nirvana

I love clothes. There, I've confessed it. When I'm on the grid, if I'm not working, I am at some store (or on Marketplace) looking through outfits to buy. Clothes and shoes. All the time. But there is another important component to a Fashionista's diet besides clothes and shoes: accessories! The right pair of earrings or set of bracelets or sparkling necklace can set off an outfit. I will admit that in the past, I wasn't as focused on my accessories as I needed to be, but over the summer, I began to appreciate what a little bling on a ring could do for my wardrobe, so I set out to find me great pieces that could be worn with my traditional tee-jeans-sneakers 'fits or my steampunk puppet 'fits or my...well, you get the picture.

I met Earth Nirvana through Facebook. We became FB buddies there and occasionally made comments about each other's postings, and then I realized that she actually was an artist who designed jewelry in-world. Of course, me acting like I had all the money in the world, quickly went to her store on Marketplace and began buying up. Not only does Earth offer great pieces (I so <3 her earrings and bracelets), but she offers these wares at awesome prices. With SL's ELEMENTS Jewelry Fair 2011 kicking off this past weekend, I thought I would talk to Earth about her wares, her inspirations, and her goals for the next year.




Earth Nirvana, born in-world December 26, 2008, is a mother of two and the sole visionary and creator behind Earth’s Bangles & Other Creations, a business that prides itself with supplying SL residents with quality items at low cost. Earth’s Bangles complements all looks from the glamorous to the casual with a $50L or less price tag. Using various shapes, colors, textures and styles, drawing inspiration from everything around her, Earth manages present an array of fashion and costume adornments.

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The Xues Do Photography and Fashion and MORE at Urban Alley

I love clothes. There. I said it, confessed it. I spend a great deal of time on the grid looking for quality deals and cute clothes--and then finding someone to take a great picture of me while I'm in that hot 'fit. With Candi and Makaveli Xue and their Urban Alley Photo Studio & Main Store, I can get BOTH!

And so can you!

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Dive Write In: Olivia's Creepy Diner

As an author in real life and a writer here in SL, I'm always interested in places where I can sit, take out a laptop and get some writing in...or just places where I take in their ambience and

flavor, thereby getting my creative juices flowing and spurring me on to write.

The first time I saw a picture of Olivia's Creepy Diner in the Seokcheon region [SLURL], I knew I had to check it out

for myself. It looked like some seedy dive one might find in a sinister story. Needless to say, the place left me not particularly interested in eating (ever again), but it definitely gave me

enough of a spook factor to think about the type of story that could play out in a location such as it.

Any place with tumbleweed is a place I want to be.

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Unity Productions Wows with I WAS WITH HIM

In the summer of 2010, I was lucky to connect with a few wonderful people on Second Life to form the faith-based group Unity Productions [UP]. Since 2010, UP has performed many soaking worships and has taken part in other SL events; they have also performed two well-received productions: Come Away My Beloved and The Creation Story.


Come Away My Beloved



The Creation Story Commercial



But it is UP's latest production, I WAS WITH HIM, that propels them beyond their past productions and moves them into realms not before tried in SL by faith-based groups and organizations.

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FYI Talk ~~ Serena Numanox & To Write Love on Her Arms

If you've read any of my articles and commentaries here on SLE, then you know I'm a fan of taking part in things in Second Life that move beyond the metaverse and that connect with tangible things in the "actual" world. In the actual world, I am a pen pal to a few young girls who are brilliant, creative, and have great futures ahead of them. It's something I do because I think it's important to connect with our young women (and men) and help them to see that there are positives in life and that even through trials, we can overcome them. In my actual life, I spend a great deal of time connecting with those who need an ear, a word, something that can help them get over the trials that afflict them.

Being this way, it's no wonder that I would finally learn about the incredible organization To Write Love on Her Arms [TWLOHA] and to learn that there is an SL group that helps to foster the mission of TWLOHA.

So, me being me, I went in search of the founder of the SL organization, Serena Numanox, and wrangle some time away from her to talk about TWLOHA and what others can do to help the mission.

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Gibraltar Takes Over the SL Music Scene with Moonlight Music

Over a month ago, SLE's illustrious president came to me and asked that I check out Moonlight Music for a piece. At the time, I had never heard of the company or of the talent that resided within the company. Since that time, I have met the CEO and premiere talent of Moonlight, Wolfie Moonshadow, sat in on sets from Moonlight's artists, and rocked it out on March 27, 2011 as the company joined forces with SLE to bring Spring Jam to the grid.

Moonlight Music CEO Wolfie Moonshadow

Needless to say, I am now a huge believer of Moonshadow's vision for Moonlight, the uber-talented band of musicians that make-up the company, and how this company will spread like wildfire across the metaverse.

When I heard about Moonlight Music and its stable of artists, I was instantly intrigued. Great singers--all from Gibraltar? And not only are they all from Gibraltar--a country that is only 3 1/2 square miles and that sits at the very southern tip of Spain--but also they are all friends who sing from the same recording studio? To me, that sounded like either great fiction or a rare, once in a lifetime opportunity. It seemed that just as The Beatles invaded America many decades ago, Gibraltar was invading the SL music scene in a big way with Moonlight Music and its rising stars.

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FYI Talk ~~ Essence of Ebony CEO and Model Latrelly Flux

As an African-American woman in real life and in Second Life, I'm always interested in learning of people, events, and spaces in the metaverse where African Americans are acknowledged, celebrated, and given support.

Over a month ago, I was at a talk show on the grid where the discussion was on black models in Second Life. Specifically, the hosts were talking to the CEO of the Miss Essence of Ebony Competition, Latrelly Flux, the model VA community manager Kalyabreea Capelo, and Miss EoE 2011 Imani Enzo.

In real-life, as a doctoral student, I'm interested in the ways African American women find, create, and develop themselves in virtual spaces, so the discussion on race, gender, virtual worlds, community, and more fascinated me beyond belief.

It was that fascination that made me contact Flux so that I could sit down with her, talk to her, and learn more about EoE; it is an entity in Second Life that definitely deserves press.

Latrelly Flux

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When the Real World's in Need, SL Residents DO Respond!

By now, everyone knows about the March 11th earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan. Since the 11th, millions of people across the world have given what they can to help Japan during its time of need.

Even in Second Life.

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MOVING Art Experience ~ In the Sweet Bye & Bye

Since I've been in Second Life, I have visited many art exhibits, but none of them moved me as much as the In The Sweet Bye & Bye, An Immersive Memoir exhibit I took in as part of the African-American Experience in Art series with i-Learning Workshops through The Aesthetic Technologies Lab, College of Fine Arts, Ohio University. I took in the exhibit this weekend, and it was, to borrow a word from the series title, an experience for me to walk into the space of the art installation and be taken back into time, into histories of my own existence and make me remember while working through the histories of the artist behind the project, Jacque Quijote (aka Philip Mallory Jones :: website).

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Lingerie, Anyone? EDS Launch Party

On Friday, March 4, I was invited to the EDS Launch Party for their new line of lingerie, and being a person who hardly ever says no to a party invite, I went shopping for a sexy piece of lingerie and headed out to the party--making sure I had enough funds to buy me a few saucy pieces while there.

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Need Some Fun in Your Life? Check Out Pando!

I'm always looking for something fun to do--not only for myself but also for my daughters and granddaughter and the myriads of friends who might stop by, bored, needing something to do.

Saturday afternoon, I had my mind set to go to this one particular place on the grid and ended up on Pando instead--and needless to say, I'm glad for that. There is SO much to do...and it was MORE than fun.

Let the fun begin

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TRAVEL & INSIDE SL - Churches in SL - Shon Charisma Reporting

Fort Augustus Abbey on Loch NessLink to Real-Life Abbey

I like to visit places. It's a big part of what I do in Second Life. Can't get to Paris in real life? Check it out in SL until you get there for real. Want to see the Statue of Liberty? Then take a TP to New York in SL, and in a matter of seconds you'll not only see the Statue of Liberty, but you'll also see the 911 Memorial. When I'm in the mood to have some peace and quiet, to think and not be disturbed, I often find myself searching beautifully crafted churches in SL for solace--and there are many of them--some where services are held and some where just for the beauty of the real life version, they are created in Second Life.

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TRAVEL & INSIDE SL - Virtual Medical Doctor, Part Two - Shon Charisma Reporting...

About three weeks ago, in an SLE article, I told you all about the virtual game VMD (Virtual Medical Doctor) created by MadPea Productions.



The last image I showed you had me at the door that would lead me into the hospital to begin my surgery.



Only this time, I donned my VMD gear.


Shon Charisma, VMD

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TRAVEL & INSIDE SL - Pictures from Art Maze 2011 - Shon Charisma Reporting...

Last week, while traipsing through Second Life, I received a notice about Art Maze 2011. The notice mentioned evil clowns and well, I just couldn't pass that kind of notice up. I took the limo to Art Maze, and all I have to say is wow. Just the parts I meandered through made me feel like I was on a psychedelic trip of epic proportions. The colors, movements, images almost attacked the senses and definitely, at some points, had me on edge--especially the evil clowns. There was even one point where Ms. Charisma had to run...and run fast.

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Eclectic Charisma News - Bringing Fun to Studying Medicine - Shon Charisma Reporting...

When I was a wee thing, I thought about becoming a doctor. As I got older, my ambitions took a complete 180, but now with Second Life, I can immerse myself into the medical world and become a virtual medical doctor. With the very awesome interactive game, Virtual Medical Doctor, I can now feed this childhood dream of mine.

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