SLE Valentine's Poetry Contest Winners

And here they are, our three winners for our 2017 Valentine's poetry contest...

Three very different poems.  Thank you to all of you who entered, we appreciate the support.

First Prize Winner:

Written by shortfoxwife in dedication to her husband and beautiful children.

I'm sure this is something you have heard, 

"Love is more than just a word."

When I think about what love means to me, 

Its not about what I hear, its what I see.

My smiling husband, full of pride,

As he gives our son a piggy back ride.

It's singing songs on some old back road,

Living for today, no fear of growing old.

It's painting a picture with my little girl, 

And staring in awe at her cute, bouncy curls.

That ecstatic moment when your man takes a knee,

Promising to love you for an eternity.

Watching movies, making love,

Saying your prayers to The Man up above.

Next time you're brightening someones day,

Remember it's your gestures, not just what you say.

Second Prize Winner-

POEM by Sizzelle

What cliche betrays the heart of the needy, the timid, and the weak?

The silence of the bold is the passion I seek

Heart shaped bubbles and chocolate truffles, empty calories won’t fill the soul

And, if a diamond ring makes your heart sing,

Then you’ve sold yourself for a drop of gold

Oh the impetuousness of youth they say

But the grey and the restless also play

Little games on clever phones

The lucky lovers roll their bones

They turn and turn until the grave

Then gladly go their separate ways

I will not settle for fear of silence

Or tolerate the video violence

The games … the films that you adore

In which you are hero and I am whore

I pity those players trapped by your rules

I pity those brainwashed media tools

Who propagate the Book of Lies

‘Till all we trust withers and dies

They sell the roots of their family tree

For fifteen minutes on TV

My love is mine and all I need

My love is mine in words and deeds

My love is secret and I will not share her name

… For money or for fame

Third Prize winner:

To you  - by Laurel B

It was instantaneous

You blew my mind

How did it even happen?

But there you were

You wandered away a few times

I should have known better

I couldn’t let go as much as I tried

The magnetism was too much

Time went by

I loved you more and more

I tried leaving you

But our friend said you needed me

Then you left

I knew she existed

But it was supposed to have been me

You said we were soulmates

You were supposed to rescue me

But you went off and married her

Then you came back

How could you?

Our love was intense

Our love was ferocious

But was it all a lie?

Was it even real?

We called it a day, it was inevitable

The colour to life has faded

I think of you everyday

My broken heart is yours forever

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Fine Dining on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a special time for couples. It is the one time of year for romance and demonstrating your love for your significant other.  Showing your partner you care should be an every day event but there is something about this day that makes loving someone even more special. Time is the most valuable thing we can give.   It’s not about expensive gifts, it is about the quality of time you can give each other.

In Second Life, you can find plenty of things to share with that special someone. Here are some great  fine dining ideas to add to your day.

Fine Dining

Avatars are notoriously known for not having to eat to survive but why limit yourself from the roleplay of sharing a romantic candelit dinner with the person you love? Second Life has resturants with breathtaking views and it give you the chance to get away from the crowded club scene.  Dress your best and share great converation in a relaxing atmosphere with a glass of virtual wine.

Seaside Restaurant & Lounge

Enjoy an intimate dinner for two at the Seaside Restaurant & Lounge.  Fresh seafood daily and mouth watering entrees from around the world.  Seaside is a unique restaurant in SL were you are in charge of your dinning experience without any cost. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ghambt/13/224/22

The Terrace

The Terrace Restaurant Lounge & Grille offering a full service realistic dining experience. Whether a romantic dinner for two or a family gathering, you are assured of being served by a unique team of professionals.

IM Jorden Andrew for reservations.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Canaan/74/197/41

The Willows Restaurant

The Willows restaurant  was founded by Legacy MacPherson and Myket Ebonyrose in May 2015. Please respect all staff and guests. Our honeymoon suites are available for rentals as well. IM SloaneMarie for reservations.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MistyFalls/82/43/22

However you decide to spend Valentine’s Day, The SL Enquirer wishes you a wonderful and love filled day.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

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THE APHRODITE FESTIVAL WITH THE PINK VAMPIRE FEB 13TH 7 PM SLT AT ORIGEN'S HOLLYWOOD VENUES

This is the first of Origen’s new spectacular events in Hollywood's new schedule. It will be a Valentine’s eve show, titled “The Aphrodite Festival,” starring The Pink Vampire. And what better way to spend the night before Valentine's Day than with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The stars and Moon will shine the light of romance around us. The voice of Aphrodite (The Pink Vampire) will arouse those deep desires and passions in us, casting her enchantments over our hearts; as she did in ancient Greece. It is time to fall in love all over again, and the Aphrodite Festival is the perfect place to do it. Bring that special someone, or find someone new at this star-crossed event.

The set designers at Hollywood Studios have gone all out creating a Mt. Olympus style venue, based on the very bad, but fun and popular Hercules and Sons of Hercules movies of the 1960’s; which started such favorites as Steve Reeves and Jane Mansfield.

This event will allow either formal or costumed attire. Guests are welcome to come in togas or as their favorite Greek God, Goddess or Greek Hero. The part of Aphrodite will be played by the Pink Vampire. This event is expected to fill up fast, so guests are advised to come early to dance and to explore this fabulous full sim build.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/0%200%20Acajou/164/94/1983

Contact Information

Venue Owner: Origen Resident

Group The Hollywood Ballroom & theater

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrigensHollywoodBallroom/

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Kultivate Spring 2017 Fashion Event February 11 to 26, 2017

Slurl:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water%20Haven/63/131/2802

Kultivate Magazine is pleased to announce it’s very first Spring Fashion Event! The Kultivate Spring 2017 Fashion Event will take place February 11 to 26, 2017.

This event will feature over 50 designers and creators,  a variety of fashion shows, a shopping area with exclusives, two special hunts, entertainment, and more! The Fantasy Angels will also present a special themed show as the finale on February 26, 2017.

The modeling company that will produce the fashion shows is Amazing Impressions Modeling (AIM) and the charity partner for this event is Feed A Smile. Feed A Smile is the charity of Live and Learn Kenya in Second Life. This nonprofit charity raises funds to provide educational opportunities for the children of Kenya. Visitors will be able to help raise funds for Feed A Smile via their official kiosks and by buying tickets to a special raffle.

Participating  merchant sponsors are: Alpha Tribe, Bliensen + MaiTai, Blueberry, Chiffon, Chop Zuey Couture Jewellery, Closer to the Heart Fashion, DE Boutique, Dot-Be Fashion, EGOISME Milano, Emerald Couture, Entice, Feyline Fashions, FlowerDreams & Nile Karas, Gabriel, Ghee, GiluliaDesign, Mahlberg Tailors, Prey, Prism and Prism for Men, Sachas Designs, Snowpaws, Sonatta Morales, Spyralle, Sweet E’s Designs, Tameless, Tayren’s Fantasy Fashions, The Bohemian Underground, Virtual Diva, White Room Couture, Zibska, & Zuri Jewelry. Other participating merchants include:  .:Jullytobe:., {Aluetia}, *DBS* Designs by Soosy, AnyB Poses, Balderdash, Cosmos Boutique, EED Home & Garden, Get Frocked, IT! (Indulge Temptation!), Just Ordinary, Mara’s Mysteries, Moonstar, Pink Ice Boutique, Pin Up, Portofina Stile, ProPose, Steelhead Outfitters, Stone’s Works, Sweet Dreams, Sweet E’s Designs, TASHI, TRS Designs, & Winterwood.

The Kultivate Spring 2017 Fashion Event has the following media partners, all who have generously agreed to promote this event: ModelS Magazine, Model’s Workshop, Port Elysium News, Radio Riel, SL Live Radio, The Miss SL Organization, The SL Enquirer, The SL Parade, & Virtual Diva Magazine.

About Kultivate Magazine:
Kultivate Magazine is a publication about the cultural aspects of Second Life. The goal of Kultivate Magazine is to support art, culture, photography, music, and fashion. Kultivate Magazine consists of the magazine, The Edge and The Edge Gallery, The Windlight Art Gallery,  The Red Gallery,  The Bailywick Gallery, The Kultivate Select Gallery, Ristorante Ivanna, & The Tribute and Crown Pub. Kultivate Magazine is proud to be the media partner and primary sponsor of Team Diabetes of Second Life, an official and authorized team for The American Diabetes Association.

For more information:

https://kultivatemagazine.com/spring-fashion-event/

https://kultivatemagazine.com/spring-fashion-show-schedule/

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RELAY FOR LIFE OF SECOND LIFE TEAM REGISTRATION OPENS FEBRUARY 12, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Second Life Residents Invited To Participate in the World's Largest Virtual Fundraising Event!

Relay For Life of Second Life Team Registration opens at 6 am SLT on Sunday, February 12, 2017.

Led by Event Leadership Team chair Nuala Maracas and co-chairs Leala Spire and Grace Devin, the 2017 season kicks off March 5th and continues through Relay For Life Weekend in Second Life on the 15th & 16th of July. The theme for the 2017 Relay season is “Passport To Hope".

Team Registration Details

•    Captains may register their teams beginning Feb 12th by visiting http://relayforlifeofsecondlife.org/    

     and clicking the TEAM REGISTRATION button.

•    Teams are recommended to have at least 5 members

•    Captains will be asked to set a goal for their team.  

•    Teams who meet the minimum fundraising levels will be eligible for a campsite and for real life prizes and awards.

A new Supporter category has been created to give credit to non-team entities who in the past have

raised funds for Relay using General Donations kiosks.These businesses, clubs or organizations can contact PrettyKitty Gumbo in world to be assigned a “Supporter” number and receive fundraising tools.

"This year we are not just going to think outside the box," said  event Chair Nuala Maracas. "We are going to Break The Box! Together we are going to make a difference. Together we are going to help our American Cancer Society finish this fight!"

About Relay For Life of Second Life

Relay For Life is the signature event of the American Cancer Society and has been active, and continually growing in Second Life for 13 years. In 2005, the first Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL) was attended by a few hundred avatars and raised almost $5,000 US dollars for the American Cancer Society. As of July 2014 RFL of SL ranked number 17th in donations received among more than 5600 relay events held worldwide. As of January, 2017 RFL of SL celebrated raising 3 million US dollars to support the mission of the Society to 'Save Lives, Celebrate Lives and Lead The Fight for A World Without Cancer!

About the American Cancer Society

For more than 100 years, the American Cancer Society has been working to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays and is the world leader in the fight to end cancer. Together with our global partners and millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society carries out its mission to Save Lives, Celebrate Lives, and Lead the Fight for a World Without Cancer.

For More Information:

www.relayforlifeofsecondlife.org

www.cancer.org/involved/participate/relayforlife/second-life

WEBSITE: WWW.RELAYFORLIFEOFSECONDLIFE.ORG

For More Information Contact Serina Juran

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Misfit Dance & Performance Art - "Misfit Follies" Showcase - Sunday Feb 12 at 7 pm SL

This week at the Misfit Forest Theater

Sunday Feb 12th at 7 pm SL

Misfit Dance & Performance Art presents :

  " Misfit Follies  ~  a Showcase of Theater Dance Art "

Show time is 7 pm SL with pre-show music starting at 6:30 pm  SL

Please arrive early to guarantee your seat

Another fun and engaging Playbill of fun dance art performance which includes:

"Queens of DeNile"        

"Peeping Tom"

"Banzai Samurai"

"Sleepless Sheep"

"Go Fish! "

"RoadTrip Memories"

"Cinco de Julio"

"DayBreak"     Jungle animals welcome a new day!

Misfit Dance & Performance Art  ~  Prepare to be delighted.

Contact JenzZa Misfit for more information.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Metanomics/53/174/3073

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Grand Opening of Hard Rock Garage on Feb, 12th 2017 at 9.30 am SLT

Starting with DJ Zan around 9:30am SL Time
10am SLT Wolfie Moonshadow & Gabriel da Silva Dual Stream
11am DJ Zan & Gabriel da Silva
12pm Savannah Coronet & Gabriel da Silva Dual Stream
1pm DJ Zan closing

New biker orientated club !

* Live Rock Singers, Musicians and Bands Worldwide
* Presenters / DJ's - Classic Rock, Hair Metal, AOR
* Single and Couple poses on our bikes to watch the show in the garage
* Radiocast Stream Digital Quality for ALL Live Shows
* Live Video Shows
* Exclusive Dual Streams abroad
* Exclusive HRG Merchandise and Giveaways!
* Fun lounge games 24/7 !

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Urban%20Paradise/78/192/22

fb: https://www.facebook.com/hrgclub

Contact inworld: Sannita Cortes

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Imperial Arts Presents Dance of the Lantern Festival, A Chinese Ballet Feb. 10th at 6pm SLT

Join us for a night of beauty, wonder and the soft glow of red lantern light, as we share with you the final glimpses of China on the last day of the New Year celebrations. The Dance of the Lantern Festival is a Chinese ballet production, where the dancers will move seamlessly from traditional dance to modern ballet, and back again.  

Imperial Arts is an inclusive group which focuses on providing East Asian themed performances, educational opportunities, and cultural experiences for its residents and guests. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sea%20Escape/186/171/25

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SL Enquirer Valentine’s Day 2017 Poem Contest

Whether it’s the memory of Love, Love that has stood the test of time, or the rush of young Love, that’s what we celebrate each February 14 on Valentine’s Day. What could be more romantic than to express through your own poetry about that special Love for your loved one to read (and for our readers). So it’s time to send us your poem about those tender feelings and romantic thoughts to our poetry contest.

Express your love – in 250 words or less and tell the metaverse what makes your Valentine special!

Write a poem about, or to your Valentine and submit it via email to lacy.muircastle@gmail.com or lanaijarrico@gmail.com

Be sure to include your avatar name and for whom (fiancée, spouse, parent, child, lost love, etc.) your poem is written.

2017 Prizes:

First prize is Linden$ 5000

Second Prize is Linden$ 2000

Third Prize Linden$ 500

Lanai Jarrico and Lacy Muircastle will select the winners.  Entries must be received by 12.30 pm SLT February 12, 2017. The winners will be notified on Monday, February 13, 2017. The winning poems will be published in the SL Enquirer on February 14, 2017.

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Be my Valentine - Lacy Muircastle reporting...

February 14 as a date became a day for love, and it was all thanks to Chaucer.

“Be my Valentine” - the word’s that make the heart beat faster and the world seem dreamier.  I remember at school (back in the day…) how we bought pink cardboard cut-out hearts and wrote a little messages on the back.  Then we’d wait in excruciating anticipation to see if we’d get a heart ourselves on the day.  It was always a successful fund raiser even if it left a few bruised souls in its wake.

 Chaucer the author of Canterbury Tales wrote a poem in 1382 entitled “Parliament of Fowles,” , the birds:

“Birds, take heed of what I say; and for your welfare and to further your needs I will hasten as fast as I can speak.  You well know how on Saint Valentine’s Day, by my statute and through my ordinance, you come to choose your mates, as I prick you with sweet pain, and then fly on your way.”

The popularity of Chaucer’s poem, which likely stems from a pre-existing general belief, at least in medieval England, that February 14 is the day when birds choose their mates, is what truly cemented the idea that Valentine’s Day is a celebration of romantic love.  This belief may have been recorded in medieval bestiaries, popular early books that compiled stories about animals, mythical and otherwise.  Never mind that not all birds mate for life.  Penguins do, as do geese and falcons.  But ducks, for instance, do not—yet the Mandarin Duck is a Chinese symbol for fidelity.

The first known Valentine Card, and reference to someone as a “valentine,” date to only a century after Chaucer’s popular poem.  On 14 February 1477, an English woman named Margery Brews wrote to her love, John Paston of Norfolk:

“Right reverent and worshipful and my right well-beloved valentine, I recommend me unto you full heartedly, desiring to hear of your welfare, which I beseech Almighty God long for to preserve unto his pleasure and your heart’s desire.”

Renaissance images of amorini (little love gods) or cherubic putti were also shaped by Classical images of Eros figures and contributed to the gorwing tradition. Of course, much of the Classical tradition of a winged Cupid or Eros – as seen above in the Romantic Era Cupid sculpture in the Louvre by Antoine-Denis Chaudet –  a prankster often shooting love arrows into unsuspecting humans has also been absorbed into modern Valentine’s Day imagery.

At the British Postal Museum, the first known heart-shaped card is preserved, a sheet of paper from 1790 that folds, origami-like, to literally break apart the painted heart-shaped exterior.  Outside, the card reads: “My dear the Heart which you behold/Will break when you the same unfold/Even so my heart with lovesick pain/Sore wounded is and breaks in twain.”  When the heart is “broken” open, one more line of text lies inside: “My dearest dear and blest divine/I’ve pictured here thy heart and mine.”  These antique valentines, from 1477 and 1790, do not sound so far removed from modern-day Hallmark cards.

The general heart-shape that we now associate with love and Valentine’s Day, which does not look much like a real human heart, may be found in Renaissance art, including Donatello’s relief sculpture, Miracle of the Miser’s Heart (1447-50), as Oxford professor Martin Kemp notes in his recent book Christ to Coke: How Image Becomes Icon.  A Catholic cult developed around the Sacred Heart around the Counter-Reformation.  A burning heart came to be associated with Catholic mysticism and the supernatural phenomenon of “incendium amoris,” the fire of love, in which a worshiper has an out-of-body experience (ex stasis, from which comes the term “ecstasy”) and literally becomes burning hot with spiritual love for God.

While variations on the heart image have been around for centuries, it was not until 1977 that the cartoon heart image was codified by designer Milton Glaser, as part of the “I (Heart) NY” campaign, wherein the heart-shape acts as a rebus, an image standing in for a word or idea.

This Valentine’s Day we hope your hearts desires come true.

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Imperial Arts hosts a Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony Feb 9th at 5pm SLT

We humbly invite you to attend a traditional chanoyu tea ceremony performed by one of our artists. Traditional or formal attire is recommended, but not required. 

Imperial Arts is an inclusive group which focuses on providing East Asian themed performances, educational opportunities, and cultural experiences for its residents and guests. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sea%20Escape/186/171/25

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If your clothes could talk - Lacy Muircastle reporting...

If I were to take a peek into your wardrobe, what would it tell me about you?  You can learn a lot by a person’s clothing.  Things like your age, social economic situation, personality, and more.

If a woman walked into a room wearing a fuchsia dress, for example, you can be pretty sure that person is not a wallflower. We’d deduce that she liked attention, and was confident just because of the colour of her dress.

What you wear can inform passers-by of your type of employment (well not so much in SL), as well as your ambitions, emotions and spending habits.

And now it's even launched a whole new type of psychology.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner literally wrote the book on this phenomenon, which she calls the "psychology of dress." In "You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You," she explains not only how psychology determines our clothing choices, but how to overcome key psychological issues your wardrobe might be bringing to light in your everyday life, or even at work.

"Shopping and spending behaviors often come from internal motivations such as emotions, experiences and culture," says Dr. Baumgartner. "You look at shopping or storing behaviors, even putting together outfits, and people think of it as fluff. But any behavior is rooted in something deeper. I look at the deeper meaning of choices, just like I would in therapy."

How We Use Clothing as an Aid ... and a Weapon

Clothing is used as an economic and social indicator because generally speaking in this day and age there aren't official marks of rank such as a caste system or aristocracy.

Dr Baumgartner explained "When you don’t have a specific system, people come up with their own." It's what "helps you figure out where you fit in. Especially now, with the economy, with people losing status, maintaining a sense of who we are becomes even more important. Our clothes help place us where we think we want to be. "

She cited the Real Housewives TV series as an example: "Look at the way they focus on money. When they fight, they use logos and designers as a way to put each other down. They're using clothes and accessories both as a tool to know where they fit in and as a weapon against others."

Clothing That Projects a Good or Bad Image

There's no one piece or style that makes a person look successful. Dr. Baumgartner recommends the basics when trying to project a positive image: the little black dress, the blazer, the pumps. "With classics, history has done the work for you. It has lasted throughout time, so you already know it works," she says. And what is it that makes a classic a classic? "It has multiple functions, and it's appropriate for different age ranges and body types. It became a classic because it works no matter who you are."

On the other hand, there's no one piece or style that makes a person look unsuccessful. "Anything where it looks like you didn’t take the time or make the effort comes across badly," says Dr. Baumgartner. "The worst clothing is the kind that tries to undo, ignore or hide where or who you are, or the kind that shows you didn't pay attention to your body/age/situation ... Any clothes that prohibit you from doing your job well send the wrong message."

What Your Clothes Say to You, Not About You

A study by the Northwestern University examined a concept called "enclothed cognition." Researchers define it in their report as "the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological processes," meaning what your clothes are saying to you, not about you. And how they make you feel.

The researchers distributed standard white lab coats to participants, telling some that it was a doctor's coat and some that it was a painter's smock. All participants performed the same task, but those wearing the "doctor's coat" were more careful and attentive. Their actions were influenced by their clothing.

The same may be true of you. When your friend dragged you out of the house and told you, "Get dressed up! You'll feel better!" after your last breakup/failed interview/lousy day, she was onto something. "When you dress in a certain way, it helps shift your internal self," explains Dr. Baumgartner. "We see that when we do makeovers, and even actors say that putting on a costume facilitates expression of character. That's just as true for everyday life."

Enclothed cognition gives scientific proof to the idea that you should dress not how you feel, but how you want to feel. Which clothes make you feel powerful? Sexy? In control? Wealthy? The clothes you choose are sending a message to those around you, but also to you, yourself.

In "You Are What You Wear," Dr. Baumgartner features some of the most common wardrobe and perception problems. Do you recognize yourself in any of the below?

If you …	You might …	Consider:
Keep every piece of clothing you've ever owned	Be clinging to the past through the sentimental value of your pieces	Adopting the Golden Wardrobe Ratio: Get rid of 2 out of 3 items you own, including anything too big/small, ripped/torn or outdated.
Wear only neutrals, largely devoid of accessories	Be stuck in a psychological rut, too comfortable to shake it up, or too afraid to draw attention to yourself.	Deviating from your routine in small ways (a different route to work, a few new spring accessories--like these inexpensive ways to incorporate trendy polka dots--to jog your brain into feeling excited
Dress in clothing too large for your body	See your body differently than others see it, or as a reflection of the way it once was.	Bringing an honest friend shopping to find out what looks great on you, ignoring sizes and getting used to wearing clothes that really fit.
Have been told you're dressed inappropriately or too sexily	Consider the same outfit appropriate for every occasion (i.e. clubbing and family barbecue), or be looking for the wrong kind of attention.	Consider the image you want to project in given situations (at work, on the town) and choose outfits based on cues from those around you
Dress too young (or too old) for your age	Be trying to express the age you feel you are, but getting caught between your actual and internal age	Gearing your outfits toward your goals (like getting a promotion, meeting a significant other, traveling the world), rather than a specific age.
Are always in work clothes	Value yourself primarily through your work and work-related accomplishments	Recognizing your talents outside of work (great artist, compassionate, fun to bring to parties, etc.)
Covered in designer logos	Think you need to broadcast wealth in order to be treated well by others	Practice wearing "blank canvas" pieces and only accenting with logos to emphasize that people value you for more than your labels
Live in your "mom outfit" of jeans and a hoodie	Put the needs of your family before your own	Take more "me time." Remember: When mom isn't happy, nobody is.

What messages are you sending out into the metaverse and how do you think you can use your wardrobe to change how others perceive you—and even how you think about yourself?

You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You - Jennifer Baumgartner

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