Vacations Rock!

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Shenandoah National Park November 2009

Funny… usually going to visit family in Florida is just that…going to visit family.  Today, however, I was quite amazed how happy I was once on the plane and in route.  Maybe it was because I was in Business Class and got free drinks (bloody mary! Hoo!) or maybe it was the FREE in-flight WI-FI or could it have been the nice wider seat with NO ONE next to me anyway?!?  All I can say is that maybe I just really needed to get away from my house, from my daily mess and to hopefully force separation from my work.  Perhaps it is all of it combined, but no matter… I am happy to be in plane…flying through beautifully smooth skies (shhh… hopefully that will hold out).

I will be in Florida with my mom and her husband for a week.  It should be good to see them.  Last trip was for Mother’s Day back in May.  Since I can’t go home for Christmas for the second year in a row, I appeased my mom with a Thanksgiving visit.  My brothers will also come to her house  for the holiday as well.  So I’d say my mom is probably close to cloud nine.  She rarely gets us all together, last time was for her wedding in September 2009.  Yeah that was an odd reason for us  LOL.

My vacation will really be lame compared to the standards of most and at times, I’ll wish I had not agreed to this.  But all in all, it should be nice.  Maybe a little golf, maybe good weather for nice walks, dinners out and in and then there is the food fest of Thanksgiving.  Yeah, I’ll log in to SL at night when all are sleeping…so it is not a full-out no access holiday, but I am hoping that my plan for no work holds out!  I really don’t want to HAVE to log in any way.

So… in case I don’t get another post in here… Have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the family, the food, the sports and all that goes with your day.  Find and express the things you are thankful for… it can be refreshing to realize just what those things are!

Take care…

~Sunshine

Exploring – Innsmouth

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One night, before Halloween, we were bouncing around to sims that were listed with Halloween events or in the Haunted section of the “Showcase” in Second Life when we happened upon “Innsmouth“.  I found this sim, created by Darmin Darkes and BaileyMarie Princess for Joyous Parkin, to be very well built indeed.

Though Halloween has past and many would not venture to such a sim in the “off season”, you should make an exception and visit.  I went back right after Halloween so that I could explore Innsmouth fully, entering the buildings, experiencing the feeling of an abandoned coastal town.  My visit to this eerie town provided great opportunity for photos as well as a view of a wonderfully creative sim.

Upon entry into the landing point, be sure to grab the note card which provides a little of the origination of the sim …  Innsmouth was created with the stories of an American author, H.P. Lovecraft, in mind.  The locations described by Lovecraft in The Shadow over Innsmouth” and “The Colour Out of Space” were the inspiration.  The town is basically an abandoned coastal town in Massachusetts set in the 1930’s.  Before venturing through the teleportation door, be sure to change your environment settings as indicated in the note card.  The suggestions (“Gelatto”,  “[EUPHORIA] fin de siecle” or “[TOR] HORROR – Dawnbreaker”) each give their own experience, so try these out while there…and any other favorite Windlight settings you might like!

As you explore, be sure to listen to the sounds…the squeaky doors, the steps across the wooden floors, the wind, the sounds of the rain… it all adds to the experience.  Wear a raincoat or take an umbrella… it is rather rainy and wet in Innsmouth… along with the fog rolling in… all heightening the effect of the coastal location.  Wander in and out of the buildings, visit the theater and opera houses… the church and homes… feel the presence of the citizens that seemingly mysteriously departed…  and enjoy yet another wondrously creative build in Second Life.

……………………………………….

All photos taken in Innsmouth
Featuring:
Skin:  Ava – Pale – Halloween 2010 from LeLutka Femme (Halloween gift)
Coat and Pants: Matusalen  from LeLutka Homme (Halloween gift)
Shoes:  Safron Pumps in Black from LeLutka Femme (Halloween gift)
Hat:  Fur Hat from LeLutka Homme (Halloween gift)
Hair:  Seth by LeLutka in CoalMine (Gift from Earlier 2010)
Necklace: Morte by Sentou Yousei  (Halloween 2009 Ghost Hunt)
Earrings: Annah Hoops by Exodi
Eyes:  MadDesigns “Nature” – Green Heat

Exploring – U.S. Department of Energy Island

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So, I was searching in Second Life today for Alaska…and found a sim that has an Alaskan Crab Fishing game, but it wasn’t working…so I decided to look around the connecting sims.  I happened upon the U.S. Department of Energy Island sim.  This island is chock full of information about the Department – their mission, innovative efforts and job opportunities.  There are office hours a couple of times a week and links to visit various US Government websites.  One of the cool things that I did while there was ride the D.O.E.’s model of a Linear Accelerator both in a cart and as a proton particle.  The cart tour provides some interesting info on the system but the proton particle trip was, well, trippy!

When you have some time to kill in Second Life, head over to the U.S. Department of Energy Island and have some educational fun…and the nearby sims have some interesting educational and information sources too… explore the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations sims with tours of a hurricane, weather stations, global travels, etc.

’til another day…

~Sunshine