Events of Second Life

~~The Winter SOLstice Celebration~~

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YULE by Corinne Whitby

Winter returns,
Bringing short, cold days and long, dark nights.
But all around us,
Bright against the dark background of the season,
Moments of light abound.
The warm glow of a fire in the hearth,
Candles in the night.
The pale but welcoming brightness of the winter sun
hanging low in the sky.
The moon.
A star.
The bright radiance of a child’s face lit up with a joy that holds nothing back.
An inner glow of satisfaction as I recall a bright memory to treasure forever.
A spark of light at the thought of a friend.
I wish for you Bright Blessings of many such moments of light this winter.

Join us on Friday, December 17th at 7pm SLT to for an early celebration of the
Winter SOLstice in the Northern Hemisphere.  Our sims have been completely
recreated into an arctic winter blast!  Dress warmly as we will party on the ice as
DJ Azu Catteneo lays down some awesome beats.  And be sure to turn your
environment to “region default” or set to 9pm or midnight before you arrive.

Before, during or after the party, experience the Arctic Surf in SL…surfing with the
orcas as the icebergs drift around you…Show us your spins on the iced over lake…
Hop on a sled and zip down our sled hill onto the ice.  Explore and share the freshness of winter with the animals as they graze and watch from around the sims.

We hope you will come experience Winter SOLstice with us and look forward to
seeing you here!   Please feel free to invite your friends, the more the merrier!  🙂

JOIN US!!

Awareness…

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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  During this month, people come together to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research, Treatment, Awareness Programs, etc.  We are reminded to schedule mammograms and encouraged to do self examinations.  We hear phrases like “Save the Boobies”; “Squish a Boob, Save a Life”; “Save the Ta-Tas”.  We wear Pink Ribbons and other things pink.  We are offered even more pink related items in an effort to raise funds for the cause.  Is it important?  I say, HELL YES!  It is estimated that 1 in 8 women (around 12%) will have breast cancer.  In 2010 alone, the American Cancer Society estimates that over 204,000 women in the US will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, with another 54,000+ diagnosed with the non-invasive carcinoma in situ.  And… over 34 thousand women in the US will have died of breast cancer in 2010.  Early detection is KEY!   Though breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer, the death rates have been in decline over the past 20 years.  It is thought that increased awareness and early screening as well as better treatment have contributed to this decline.

So…I am sure while most everyone has had a family member or a friend or a co-worker who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, we still need to bring awareness to all.  In my real life, the company I work for holds info sessions and raises funds for Breast Cancer Research during October, as I am sure many others do.  Well, Awareness Campaigns know no boundaries and in Second Life the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign is going strong.  Currently there are two events this week raising funds for the BCA that I want to encourage you to visit.

One is the BCA Art Auction which has been extended until the 10th of October.  This event held by the Pool of Hope Charities along with the art community in Second Life is being held in a fantastic build high above the sky.  There are pieces up for auction by artists such as Bryn Oh, Fingers Scintilla, Meilo Minotaur and CapCat Ragu, Don Hosho, Stephen Venkman, Rebecca Bashly, Sira Abizu, Del May, Sennaspirit Coronet, Feathers Boa, among many others.  It is a great place to experience top-notch artistic creativity of Second Life residents in one place…while possibly bidding on an awesome art piece that you just can’t live without!  All the while knowing that the linden raised will  benefit the Susan G. Komen, 60 Miles in 3-days, walk for a cure.

BCA Art Auction 2010

BCA Art Auction 2010

BCA Art Auction 2010

Also this week… until October 9th…the “Fair for a Pair” – SL’s Top Designers for Breast Cancer Awareness is being held by the Garden of Absentia Pool of Hope on Mystic Atlantis.  This event is being held on a beautifully built sim with a castle in the sky and trails through a magical forest.  As you follow the pink cobblestone paths, you will find vendors from some of SL’s top designers/shops such as Geryn Sloane, Sanura Snowpaw, Callie Cline, Donna Flora, Miel, Exposeur, Exile, Just A Pose, Wishbox among quite a few others.  The walk through the forest and across the ‘bridges’ is so pretty that you just can’t wait to see what is around the next bend.

BCA Fair for a Pair 2010 at Mystic Atlantis

BCA Fair for a Pair 2010 at Mystic Atlantis

Check out both of these events this week.  And anytime you are in SL and would like to find out more about cancer and what you can do to help, visit the American Cancer Society sim.  There is info about cancer prevention, statistics, support groups etc… you can also find a kiosk or two here to donate to the ACS campaigns as well.

Be Aware, Be Supportive, and don’t forget to Tell Others too!

~Existence~

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Truly surprised, absolutely honored…

Earlier this year, one of my photos was chosen as the winner of the Surfwatch photo contest in Second Life.  It was awesome to be recognized and it was my first.  As part of my prize, my photo was to be shown in a future show with Laval Photography Gallery.  Well, time goes by and one day in July, Bobbi Laval, the owner of the Gallery, contacted me and asked me if I was ready.  I was taken aback when I realized that she was asking me to show MORE than just that one contest winning photo!  Not only surprised… my next thought.. oh my hell…whatever will I show AND more importantly, why would anyone come to see?!?

I swallowed my fear (somewhat) and asked more about this invitation… Bobbi told me to just “give her a date” as to when I would be ready!  I was in the middle of the final weeks of the Relay for Life of Second Life campaign, so I suggested early August… and selected Sunday, the 8th.  Then I realized… OMG!…I need to produce some new photos too!  So… I did just that!  Luckily, there were some awesome builds at the Relay for Life sims, so that got my butt in gear to capture some shots before they disappeared.  Unlucky for me, at the same time, my real life work was blowing up with huge volumes and technical issues which required a lot more of my time than norm…but “such is life” as we say.  I have now just about pulled everything together, finishing up a few more items, and am preparing for the opening at Bobbi’s gallery.

Just a little about me…I do not consider myself naturally creative, it is something I work to be.  I am not educated in photography in the real world, merely a casual photographer that always fails to upload images or get film developed!  I picked up Photoshop and thought… ohhhh I can make a greeting card or sign for a friend…but hadn’t thought to develop skills beyond that.  In Second Life, I have always been a “snap shotter”, saving most to hard drive, because I didn’t want to pay upload charges for such random shots, LOL.  I still do this and probably have 1000s of images sitting there begging for review.  In spending time with friends that are much more naturally artistic and following the work of others via Flickr and gallery displays…I was encouraged to experiment with my snaps in Photoshop and try to learn new ways of enhancing … to create a mood, capture a feeling, etc.  I then began to take snapshots at times with more thought – lining up my view, using windlight, finding cool places, etc.  I have worked at developing my sense of Photoshop and what it can do, but I am still very very much the novice.  I enjoy creating images of beautiful and interesting places.  I don’t explore as much as I should as I often save places to explore with a friend, and in waiting…I miss out on places and events.  I enjoy capturing memories of events, people,  activities, but my true inspiration is the “art of the build” –  actual structures, sim creations, environments, landscapes, water features,  etc.

My goal is to provide a view into my Second Life…my ‘existence’ while ensuring that places aren’t forgotten, events don’t get discarded, and memories are founded.  I hope that in some ways I can inspire others to visit places, encourage creativity, support the creators, enjoy their second life, explore, experiment and learn.  My skills will hopefully continue to improve, my eye for the ‘shot’ will be enhanced, my desire to learn will not waver and I will continue to find inspiration and amazement in the work that others produce.

Every time you visit a gallery or tell someone else about a gallery or some work that you admire…you are showing your support and encouragement of the creative world.  I am constantly in awe of so many of the creations I see in both the real and virtual world…and believe that the sights and sounds of all worlds should be treasured.

The work that I have chosen to display for this event includes captures from Lumeria, Relay for Life 2010 Designer Builds, SL Surfing, my home and a few other locations around Second Life.  The opening will be held on Sunday, August 8, 2010, at 12:30pm SLT with Clairde Dirval entertaining us at 1:00pm SLT.  The Laval Photography Gallery is located on San Gabriele sim.  Bobbi will also be showing her work upstairs in the gallery and OldSurferDude Danitz is displaying his original work out on the deck.  It should be a fun event, and if you have a moment, I do hope you can stop in.  If not, I’d be honored if you have the opportunity to stop in after the event as well.

Thank you… for your interest and support and always for your encouragement 🙂

~Sunshine