I missed my rez day

No. of rezdays in SL: 3 (good); No. of rezdays celebrated: 0.5 (sad)
Had been contemplating celebrating my rez day (3rd May) with some sort of party this year. However, turned out that was away from SL that day and realised today that had actually forgotten to celebrate it yesterday when got back in.

Was v. excited about first rez day and contemplated all sorts of celebrations. In the end bought new dress and managed to get Harumi inworld briefly to celebrate (which is the 0.5 celebration mentioned above). As can see from that 3 May 2008 blog post also went to Babylon 5 party. However, do not think actually told anyone in B5 that it WAS my rez day, so not sure that counts.

Note that did blog on 2nd rez day but, as for this year, was day when was expected to do various RL things, namely watching Kentucky Derby and 2000 Guineas (these are horse races) on TV. Another problem is that in RL and SL am sort of person who thinks that if DO organise party NO-ONE MIGHT TURN UP. In SL is partly because most friends are from work-type connections, which makes them no less friends, and certainly does not rule out virtual discos and drinking (far from it) but suppose means that am more likely to invite them to an indepth discussion of pedagogy for information literacy than simply hanging out and chilling. (In RL, BTW, friends are scattered round country, so organising anything would require more Effort than can muster)

Anyway, Now I Am Three, and am sure that some kind of philosophical reflection might be called on, however instead have simply given you a pic of me communing with the squirrel under the magic apple tree and some photos of me and Adra. I was doing a bit of wandering round checking things are ok, and realised hadn't spent any quality time with the squirrel for ages. It possibly now shows its age, but is still cute IMHO, bounding around, chirping and still generating its own nuts.

The 2 pics of Adra and me were taken to go with a paper we have written about teaching library and information science in SL. At first we tried her sitting down and me standing up (see middle pic), but it ended up looking like a still from some play about alienation ("A common room. Adra is seated. Sheila is standing. They both stare at the wall. There is the faint noise of typing. Sheila: "I'm still waiting for things to rez". Adra is silent.")

The last pic is the one we are going with, since at least we are looking at each other. And both look very stylish, I feel.

More hobbiting

Novelty bobbin seating sets bought: 1 (good); Cute postbox with seating animation bought: 1 (cute); Provision jars bought: 3 (good); Rustic seat bought: 1 (good); Terracotta pots bought: 2 (good); Standard lamp bought: 1 (good); Red squirrels bought: 1 (v.v. good); Carrots bought: 2 (good); Rabbits bought: 1 (a little weird, actually).

Have made further embellishments to cute hobbit home, encouraged by interest of North Lamar (who sent me 1st pic shown here, of himself outside same, cool or what) and Peregrine, of whom more when I write up more serious meeting that attended yesterday.

2nd pic shows house at dusk so cannot see all detail of new installations, namely a couple of artful pots with flowers in, the rustic seat for contemplating horizon and postbox arrangement on one of the walls. Can Sit on post, and am shown doing so in 3rd pic.

When sifting through inventory for suitable furniture discovered unused set comprising table in form of bobbin with 6 seats in form of cotton reels, some with pins sticking out to form back of chair. On grounds that if start with Hobbit house then there are few upper limits to cuteness, set out these half dozen stools/ reels and then bought some more so that could use it as fully fledged discussion area (can just be seen behind North in 1st photo). Also bought jars and lamp as decoration and installed Christmas Gluhwein barrel and tea, as appropriate Hobbity beverages.

Hobbit House is near Magic Apple Tree which unfortunately has lost some of its magic since what used to be a seat at the base of the trunk on which one could picturesquely recline appears to have been eaten by tree. Now if one Sits one is aborbed into tree with only feet sticking out. This is what comes of sculpted prims. Animated Squirrel, though, retains charm and after gazing fondly upon its scurrying and chirping for a while decided 2 squirrels are even cuter than one so bought Red squirrel to join Grey one, but at opposite sides of tree as we all know how grey squirrels deal with red in RL (i.e. beat them up and let them starve).

When buying red squirrel in Second Wildlife (advert) also fell to temptation of Rabbit, in fact initially lured in by 15 Linden carrots which one leaves lying around for Rabbits and are meant to encourage them to hop about in lively fashion. However rabbit appears only too lively and frankly rather malformed. Is shown in final pic as blob in foreground, next to carrot. Have put rabbit on hillside behind Hobbit home where sort of blends into landscape, it seemed the best thing.

Identity, meetings, acorns

No of time in last 2 days people tried to chat up S Yoshikawa: 0 (good); No of times in last 2 days people tried to chat up Dimitrova Shostakovich: 4 (bad); People admiring skybox: 1 (good); Pictures taken of Dimitrova with windmill through nose: 1 (amusing, and not just because it's her that people try to chat up, obviously); No of mentions of this blog in Information World Review: 1 (v. good); Misspellings of "Sheila" in headlines of IWR: 1 (v. bad) ;Squirrels bought: 1 (cute, and appears to generate own acorns)

Have made interesting observation, namely that more people try to engage Dimitrova in idle chat than do me, Sheila Yoshikawa. Is this because DS gets about more? Think not, since SY is ever flitting hither and thither adding to her inventory. Is this because Sheila Yoshikawa is comely but faintly whimsical, what with blue hair etc. etc. and lack of matchstick thin legs, whilst alternative avatar (Dimitrova Shostakovich) has no bottom to speak of, waterfalls of dark hair, classic features and a Russian name which presumably some people (who do not know the work of Dmitry Shostakovich) might take to mean An Invitation To Fun and Frolics (rather than an invitation to meditate on death and the futility of human aspiration).

Could be whole PhD-s worth of research in people's reaction to 2 avatars and indeed think people have already got higher degrees from less. Anyway, both avatars took a turn in a splended new sim, Gion (after the Gion quarter in Kyoto, where the geisha are) which is v. lush and atmospheric. There were free fans and windmills, v. cute but all no transfer, and had decided that both avatars would benefit from having them in inventory. Dimitrova took Orange windmill to start with, but decided Red was improvement, when, alack, hair disappeared and 2nd windmill gave bone-through-nose effect (see pic).

This was comedy highlight of day, so can tell rest of day rather lacking on amusement front.

Last night met up briefly with Ishbel, who expressed liking of self-made sky box. Is definitely something v.weird going on when flexi or scultped prims in box, since prim skirt became transparent. Not good. Or perhaps could pretend was deliberate effect of immersive art.

Was taking photos of new animated grey squirrel in office this evening, when saw that Art was creating cool Giant Tree In Globe at other end of complex. After batting around globe, found way in and admired. Had good talk about possible education meetings.

Must also modestly note that this blog features (with information literacy one) in Information World Review, that esteemed organ, where Sheila Webber is featured blogger. Or, in fact is evidently another alt since Shelia Webber is mentioned in article title. Honestly (sighs).


Final pic. shows Art earlier in evening when had spotted him on Eduserv Island but discovered he was, in fact, Away. Would like, BTW, to emphasise have not taken up stalking to compensate for fact that unknown SL idiots prefer slim brunette avatar. In fact had better drop whole topic forthwith.