The Creations of Random Calliope

Pause

2010-04-30T00:52:00.000-06:00

Fallow To Phase

Mirrors and Dreams

2008-07-01T17:47:00.006-06:00

The strangest thing happened. I felt the need to have an Ode hunt to see what would happen and felt that I would know when it did. At the hunt I met Tammi McMillan and we talked briefly, but enough for us both to anticipate talking more very soon.

Later I learned that Tammi is a very accomplished lucid dreamer. Should I have prefaced that with "in RL"? I don't think so. That is the point of the rest of this post. Initially, upon hearing Tammi's story that was shared with me in such an intuitive way at a time when I wasn't willing to listen, the persistent non-dreamer in me kept asking "so what does all that talent get you?"

Really, what advantage does the dreamer have who can see extreme detail and perform feats in dreams that very few others in known humankind can?

Answering that, or rather letting the question answer itself, became "Mirrors and Dreams".

(Mirrors & Dreams Ring)

First, and I don't think it is at all unrelated, Tammi is also empathic. I know this not because she said so. I know because throughout our collaboration she would tell me what I told her in her dreams the night before. In *every* instance the words I said and thoughts I gave her in her dream were the very words and thoughts I intentionally did NOT tell her in our "real" conversations.

So what is real?

In Tammi's profile she has what she calls "Seuss' Law". It is a quotation that goes something like "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss". I had seen that before but as simple as it is I honestly don't think I really understood all its nuances.

So all along Tammi is giving me lessons about the "say what you feel" part, which is something I don't do enough in my SL or in my RL. She's doing this with those dreams telling her what I feel. She also did this more directly when I asked her to step onto a rather strange dance ("apple" by sinewave) and it transformed that instant of time into one of the most intensly fulfilling and memorable moments in all my or her SL. In that instant we validated everything - the direction, the purpose, the process. All on an odd little dance that at first blush is just an over-kicked tango.

(Mirrors & Dreams Earrings)

Everything. Very few words were said. At that point we communicated almost entirely with only our avatars and our thoughts. I really don't know if this lasted hours or minutes.

Also in that instant I somehow wasn't communicating with Tammi, and I wasn't communicating with an avatar, and I wasn't communicating as a man to a woman or she as a woman to a man. Somehow, in that instant the person behind the screen on my end was connected via modulated bits and bytes passed electronically over a network to the person behind the screen on her end as we went beyond pondering the over-tangoed interaction of cartoon avatars.

Imagine that.

You've done that. Admit you have. Your scene may have been intimate or just joking around with a dance partner while you fed off each other's comments. Even when you fell silent you were in "sync" with one another. Such is the human connection. Are you in a virtual world dreaming? I mean is that really happening or are you imagining it is happening? Both. I choose to concentrate on the imagination part.

Now what is real and what is dream?

Can a person's avatar possibly be a better reflection of who they are than their physical-life body?

Yes.

That is my well considered, qualified and undebatable (because I'm not going to debate it) conclusion.

(Mirrors & Dreams Bracelet)

When concluding this I am not looking at the physical world; the hazy and distant stars at twilight, the clearest moon, the misty moving clouds, the jagged rooftop skyline, the living trees, the tightening swirls of my fingertips, the porous tip of my nose or even the acid-trip-like lavalamp surface of the back of my eyes when I push on them with curious hands.

Go deeper.

I am looking at who I am inside. I am looking at who you are inside. I am looking at HOW "who I am" knows "who you are". I am looking at how your mind touches mine in a way you only partly determine, and at how mine touches yours if it can. That's the perspective of my conclusion.

Lately, in my second life, as well as my first, I have come to question my dreams. I think it is natural then when anyone starts doing this to themselves they initially think that's not a good thing, as it seems to be an indication that "all is not well".

I want to clarify that I did not say anything about comparing one's dreams to one's reality. Should one's reality even mimic one's dreams? Let your reality reach for your aspiration, by all means. But let your dreams remain free and unencumbered, unexpected - just happening as they will. "Dreams" and "aspirations" are vastly different.

Imagine - dream, if you will - how utterly liberating a dream must be if it has none of the trappings of aspirations.

Immediately, having taken away these value measurements, I find myself still asking "of what value is a pure dream?"

Then I met Tammi. Then I went from "talent dreaming has no value" to "talent dreaming has the extraordinary value of connecting our conscious minds to the possibilities of being alive". Isn't that really what Second Life does for us?

My Second Life avatar is a 7 foot tall, well proportioned almost bald man with a very well groomed mohawk (thanks again Tigerlily Koi!) who dresses impeccably at all times because that is what I have made myself to be. I am *NOT* a 70 year old man in assisted care sitting behind a computer with a shaky hand on the mouse and a greater knowledge of prosthetics, the evil side of mankind, and the cruelty of circumstance than I would ever care to admit. I'm not, so please don't ask or comment about it. No, what you see and come to know in SL is a much, much better reflection of who I am.

(Mirrors & Dreams Necklace)

I am not my aspirations. If I were that would be like saying that my profession defines me. I have very few aspirations. But oh I do have my dreams. Leave me my dreams and don't attempt to take them away from me. My dreams connect me with all lives and are very much who I am.

The Pearl

2008-01-15T19:08:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I'm an idiot.

One of my best friends, whose time I can't seem to get enough of, is Italia Villota. Tali is an energetic DJ seeking opportunities to do what she loves. She and I have grown closer as friends over the months, and I thank Jacks, her boyfriend, for being both understanding and trusting about that.

In early December 2007 Tali came to me excited with some news. She said she was SL pregnant! She said it in such a way that I knew she was very excited, but also tentative. Her friends began giving her a hard time about it. Tali has never been a mother in RL, although she has dedicated her profession to children.

Just like everyone else in SL, I have been in groups where SL fetuses announce to the world that they are pressing on their mommy's bladder, or want apple juice, and I found it as annoying as the next guy or gal. My reaction to Italia's news was exactly what she didn't need. It was not the reaction of a friend who understands her excitement, rather one who prepared to be annoyed by chat messages from her belly. Tali was understandably upset with me. She had already become very sensitive as one after another she received the same reaction from her "friends". She stopped communicating with me. I mean she stopped really communicating. Although she would speak with me she stopped sharing her thoughts like we had come to do.

I knew I had some growing up to do.

Why, I asked myself, would a young lady want to be SL pregnant? What is it about the experience that is so important to them that they'd risk snide comments from friends and strangers? The moment I asked myself the question the answer was obvious. By nature's way a woman's entire body is dedicated to the creation and nurturing of children, of course their mental mechanisms and instincts would be also. This is an aside from individual choice and circumstance, of course.

SL is a place to try what you haven't ever experienced in RL. I immediately made my apologies to Tali and let her know that I not only understood, but also deeply respect her decision. She accepted my apology, but it didn't go far in helping me make amends to myself for my immaturity that caused a friend discomfort.

Although I realize that as a man I can never quite fully comprehend the pregnancy experience (nor would I want the reality of it wreaking havoc on my body), I began talking with my friends who have young RL children about what it's like to make a life.

Harper Beresford gave me an outstanding explanation I listened to intently and thought about for hours. Alanna Vantelli created an experience on the posing stand as we talked about the instincts and feelings she has for her son, and what it was like for her to be pregnant with him. How the work connected to its self took shape. My main goal was to try to capture the glow that women have when they are building a life. As Alanna stood there she mentioned that her mother knew she was pregnant before she did by the glow in her eyes. To me, the glow is pearlesque, which shines from within and only appears through the surface.

While I built the piece, I tried to describe both men and women, the emergence of matriarchy from novice motherhood as love matures into pride, the constant evolution and hand-over of generations, the glow of the woman whose entire being is made to create what she is creating.

The necklace was modeled to exactly match the dip of the collar in front of the neck where the heat from the body uplights the face from the hearts within. Over the shoulders, looking back on generations, are individuals become anticipating couples. I draped the necklace to highlight the shoulders there, which take on a new softness of their own during pregnancy. In the back the necklace ends with two more glorious pregnant bodies lying down across the back of the shoulders at such an angle as to bring attention to the curves of the back. In this way, hoping to explain that a woman's entire body - front, back, top, bottom, mind and soul, are designed themselves for the task of creating life for us all. And they glow naturally, even when there's a tiny elbow pressing on their bladder.

There is no ring or bracelet. She would only have to take them off because of the swelling.

Tali, I understand and not only respect your decision and your new experience, but I also hope your SL pregnancy has given you the experience you are looking for. Thank you for clearing my mind up on the topic of SL pregnancy. I think now I understand better.

Tali's and Jacks' baby is due tomorrow :)

Amandote! - Celebrate Yourself

2007-12-21T16:43:00.000-06:00

Hello. My name is Random Calliope and I am a workaholic.

Long ago I learned that it doesn't do any good to analyze people. Free will, bad days, good days, happenings, reactions, and the general moods and attitudes we're all free to have and change always make any prediction from analysis completely unreliable. For this reason I have long been in the habit of analyzing myself too much.

There are times - long periods of time - where I think all of us fall into a funk of self-analysis. For some people it takes the form of melancholy, for others such as myself, these periods manifest themselves in the form of quiet contemplation.

From August until the beginning of December I've been in such a funk. I learned a lot, but it was time to come out of it. Unfortunately there aren't many ways to bring yourself out. Someone has to throw you a rope. If you're ready to take it you will.

Jacqueline Magne threw me a rope. I took it.

It is at this point I have to say I have always felt a strong attraction to the "que sera sera" cultural attitude that is prevalent south of the US-Mexico border. Life really isn't about getting things done. It's about living life.

One cold, hard fact is that if everyone in our lives were gone tomorrow and replaced by other people, we would care as much about the new people as we did about the first. True, there would be gaping holes of yearning and emptiness, but for the lucky among us (i.e. those who let it happen) the right people would eventually fill those as well.

This migration of very special people in and out of our physical lives happens to all of us over the span of our years of living. Our memories are full of faces, situations, and things we've been told or that have happened to us that make us smile - or that make us hurt inside or doubt ourselves. This migration is a slower transition at times than it is at others. In SL our hearts and our minds move so swiftly as our lives are touched by many and various individuals it is often startling.

Through it all, although we must always search for more, the only constant we have in our lives is ourselves.

Ouch.

So, Jacqueline threw me a much-needed rope and took me dancing. It was, in the grand scheme of things, quite a surprise when she took me for a salsa dance and, as we danced she described in stream-of-consciousness style the meaning of the dance and the meaning of the words to the songs that were created for the dance.

"Hearts synchronizing to one beat as the music lays in the background. You're so lost in each other's touch that you neglect to notice everyone's left you two on the dance floor. Eyes penetrate beyond the body flirtacious and sensuously wondering "how can this dance become so intimate..so addictive?" It's a mixture of the right ingredients: emotional, spiritual and physical alignment all in one passionate moment of bodies dancing to one rhythm.

"Small decription of what salsa represents for me. I imagine dancing in the heat of the dance floor.. you know.. rising through your body , a tiny drop of sweat sliding down my back. My hair in my face, red dress that...

"So as Jacqueline dances.. all these thoughts go through her head... He pulls her closer to his body, feeling the warm skin against his his hands slide down the sides of her legs, outlining her curves as they move to one, as they move as one, his breath on her shoulders... She feels the tingle rush down her body, her hair in his face... The intoxicating smell of passion arousing their bodies, their senses. He has the urge to pull her closer, making her part of him. It all just blends perfectly like the moon between the sun and earth in an eclipse.

"She smiles. Closes her eyes and pictures this perfect moment being symbolized by something. It strikes her. It strikes him. Celebrate your flaws. Celebrate defeats. Celebrate yourself. Awaken your senses."

It was a metamorphic moment of realization that it's about the celebration of yourself because all the above insists *THAT* is what people must do because que sera sera, what will be will be.

Amandote! is one of those pieces that, when it was complete, and when it became to say what I had learned, and when it became to illustrate the coming together of the individuals with much to give and needing much to take, and when it became to show the anticipation and filling and fulfillment, and when it even became to celebrate its own "flaws" I did not intentionally put there (and intentionally did not fix because I needed those flaws because analysis must be defied), tears happened, as they sometimes do when I feel something become so absolutely right for me.

Somewhere in the dreaming during the creation I felt the only right way to give this was to gift it, as Jacqueline, as Skinkie, as Tayzia, as Alanna, as Harper, as others had gifted me with shared dance to refill and remind me as the piece was created.

I told Tayzia that its cost would be a hug. It was a decision I made halfway through its design. In this it would be a gift anyone can give as reward for reminding us: Even though ourselves are our only constant, there is deep love and appreciation for those who pass through our lives and touch us.

Tayzia sent Desdemona Enfield my way. Desdemona appeared, spoke techie to me in such a way that it touched my man-parts (the mental ones), then she went away and, within a couple days, came back with a working hug gifter server thingy! She so believed in the idea that she contributed the means by which the whole world could share Amandote! So Desdemona, in turn, has given much to me and to you.

I made the hugger and put Desdemona's scripts in it.

The hugger, when worn, by default attaches to the left pec and sits deep inside the left breast. The design is inspired by the heart of a friend that was in my safekeeping because it had been hurt too many times. And do you see also.... "Oz didn't give nothing to the tin man that he didn't already have" - America. I have always believed there is valor in letting someone know they're loved. So the hugger itself is, to me, trust, protection, giving, needing, taking.

Tomorrow December 22nd, 2007 , the day of the night of the winter solstice, from 8am SLT until 10am SLT, I will be over at Popeyes club hugging everyone I can get my hands on. Each hug will gift one random color set of Amandote! It may take people 30 hugs to get all 18 colors, but all the better. Popeyes, which is managed by my dear and scrumptious friend Skinkie Winkler, will have the first available hug kiosk that gives free hug attachments that gift Amandote! to those who mean so much to you today. The jewelry can be transferred, but not modified or copied. The huggers are no mod/no transfer, so the only place to get a hugger is from the kiosk.

After the event at Popeyes I will put in my profile the location of hugger-distribution kiosks, which will likely only be available at WorthWhile in Ode.

Since I have done a terrible job here by fashion blog standards I want to save grace by mentioning that Nicky Ree is creating salsa dresses inspired by Amandote! I have no doubt they will be amazing for us all.

When eventually you are gifted with Amandote! I hope you take a moment to rejoice in the lessons of past pains, smile at past joys, embrace who you are today, and just let tomorrow happen to you as it will while you Celebrate Yourself.

I do wonder if maybe I'm a "good" type of workaholic, if there is a good type. I don't think of any of this as work at all. Would you?

=-=-=-=-=-=-

Tagged umpteen times so here are my 8 facts about myself.

1. Diet Coke

2. The salmon orange-pink of sunrise

3. 90 wpm with 9 fingers, 45 with two thumbs

4. Astigmatism

5. 74, 13, 18 1/2 and if I remember right 11 and 7 1/2

6. Just one gold stud earring when I feel like a rebel.

7. A swooping winged man on my right, no... my left, no... right shoulder.

8. None. Well, maybe Buddhism, but none really

Rendezvous #10 - Feed The Children

2007-12-14T07:35:00.000-06:00

URGENT NOTICE - The last Rendezvous jewelry set (#10) I've been holding onto will be auctioned to benefit Feed The Children at the Oasis Benefit auction on December 15th, 2007.

Please give like lives depend on it, because they do.

Rendezvous

2007-09-17T08:43:00.000-06:00

People will talk.

I could rightly say I am not a very practiced flirt, but I can also say I have seen some of the best in SL in action. In a world famously proud of its sexuality that is saying a lot. I do hope I can pay back the favor with the unmistakable innuendo of this piece called Rendezvous.

As with all my work all the prims of Rendezvous are naked; without paint, without covering, without shielding of any kind; completely vulnerable and fully in view and ready for touch. It is the only way to let the light tickle them just right. The prims are intertwined to mimic positions of bodies in the act of understanding and accentuating the other in a rocking rhythm all the way around. At most times only small portions of prims are touching each other. Still at other times they are surrounded by one another just being what they are for the sake of their partner.

When I asked a model to show Rendezvous to me on her body I was pleasantly surprised at what she suddenly offered. When she slipped the necklace around her neck and laid it across her bare breastbone the sun seemed to actually writhe and wiggle up and down the length of the piece. I stared. The deeper she breathed, the more rhymic the glisten. The faster the strobe the more hypnotized I had become. By wearing it she had given it a white hot life of its own.
The room key heaved up and down, up and down between her splendid breasts and I could swear I saw her heartbeat in her neck. I wanted nothing other than to insert that key into its lock.

The model raised her chin, in my mind offering her neck. When she did the earrings purred with light dripping from her earlobes. Her tapered fingers tightly grasped the ring of bright white diamond which I realized suddenly encircled her wrist as a bracelet...

"Random? Random?" she called to me...

Naughty boy.

For a long time now, people have been asking me for a diamond necklace. Unfortunately, prim limits on a single linked item, such as a necklace, have prevented it. The baguette diamond is new, and at 9 prims it allows me to create, finally, a diamond necklace. What does a diamond mean? How much sensuality is really in a diamond? I have decided that a diamond is not only pure sensuality, but also magnificent sexuality.

Detail below

WorthWhile

2007-07-06T13:37:00.000-06:00

For those who have been speculating, WorthWhile is not a piece of jewelry. WorthWhile is a gallery where the building itself is untextured sculpture. It is named from Harry Winston's famous quote "People will stare. Make it worth their while."

So let's do that.

At 7pm SLT, July 6th, 2007 (that's tonight) I am opening the doors to the WorthWhile gallery. It wouldn't be a strange thing, except that I've always had my work in a single vendor, which has been complained about, sometimes adamantly, by many because it is not user friendly.

But WorthWhile is more than that. I didn't want to create something just part way.

I have realized that my $L2,500 pieces in my vendor in the past have set somewhat of a trend. I had followed the recommendations of those who follow my work. They wanted the prices higher, so I brought them higher. Is it worth more? Maybe. Does more work go into each piece? Probably. Is it valued higher? Definitely.

But please hear me out. Before I introduced extreme detail jewelry to Sl for $L1800 a set most jewelry was $L50-$L250 throughout SL. When I brought my prices up and kept them there most of the jewelers in SL followed after a few months. Unfortunately they (some, not all) kept their prices up and did not improve their quality. So all of SL has become accustomed to expensive jewelry of very poor quality.

So... I am going back to the pricing of my days in Olive where you could get a nice set of jewelry from me for $L250. The quality will remain very high, but the prices are anywhere from $L25 for a nice pair of earrings to match your Wish set, to $L1000 for a full set of Ice Queen.

There are some pieces, like Little Jimmy Brown, which will be put out in another location later off by themselves.

But right now it's back down to earth for you, Random old boy. Remember your beautiful cave in Olive.

Welcome all to WorthWhile. I hope you enjoy the new styles that have just opened up to you.

Wish - The Constellations Jewelry

2007-07-02T11:13:00.000-06:00

The creation of Wish coincides closely with the debut of the long awaited (and belated) "Worthwhile", which will soon be unveiled. Another announcement is pending which I will discuss later in this post.

THE CONCEPT
First, and most important, I want you to know how this came about since it has actually been a couple of years in the making. In August 2005 Karamel Madison approached me when I had my studio in Olive. She had become familiar with my limited concept creations such as The Eboness and The Kiss Within the Cup. She sent me an IM one day, explaining that when she was a little girl she used to wish upon a star and it had become such a part of her that if I could do a piece on that concept it would be wonderful.

I tried. The concept in my mind wasn't quite there, and even if it had been, I don't think my skills were where they needed to be. I understood exactly what she was saying, but that isn't enough. Inspiration was needed. Inspiration is that which fills the gap between an idea and ability to make that idea into reality.

I did make the Andromeda earrings and the star on that idea, but that was as far as I could go. That is why the Andromeda earrings have always been there with nothing to match them. As much as I do like how the Andromeda earrings came out, to draw a 5 pointed star is in no way the same thing as having a star to wish upon. The Andromeda star says nothing about wishing, whether it is a nice piece technically or not.

It wasn't until about 2 months ago when Amelia Balczo unintentionally handed me the answer. It came in the form of an energy. It is almost impossible to explain, but I will try. Some of you are aware that when I build I usually go and build and don't come up for air for quite a while. I had been working on "Ode to Caledon" and had finally finished the complete set. What I needed was a break. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I was positive I didn't want to build any more that day. That can only mean it's time to go dancing!

None of my preferred dance partners were online.

When it comes to dancing there are limited places to go. I have gone to great lengths in the past to find a place to dance that suits me. Which place I go to generally depends on my mood and who I am with. Phat Cats plays a whole lot of the Rod Stewart-type jazz, which gets old to me, but not in a good old-timey sort of way. The Blue Note plays a better mix of the old-timey jazz and the new music too, but there is almost never anyone there who is available to dance, but I do go there and hang out as the stand in piano player once in a while; just me and the slim cat. Jade's Jazz Lounge plays an excellent mix of jazz and contemporary soft music, mixing some of the up-beat contemporary in there here and there. To summarize; Blue Note is where I go if I want to continue to be alone and just sit at the piano while I catch up with IMs, or I actually have a date. Jades is where I go if I have a date and want good music. And Phat Cats is where I go if I just want to be in the middle of a crowd and take my chances at the random dance partner. Before asking anyone to dance I always read through their profile carefully, making assumptions about them by the groups they belong to.

I ended up at Phat Cats asking Amelia Balczo to dance while she was AFK. She didn't answer, of course. After asking I'm not going to go ask someone else until they answer, even if its an hour wait. That wouldn't be right. I had read her profile carefully (as most discerning men do) and made all my assumptions, which I was curious if she would verify or prove wrong. I decided it was worth the wait and had a seat next to her while she took care of her RL obligations.

When Amelia came back she accepted my dance offer on the stipulation that she may go AFK once in a while while we danced. That's an opportunity for me to catch up on my IMs or rummage through my inventory or go a little AFK myself, so I agreed.

Amelia turned out to be a very interesting woman who is sharp and ambitious. But there is more to her than meets the eye. Without going into much detail, suffice it to say that our discussion on more etherial topics just hit me and made Wish obvious. I wasn't looking for it, and the whole subject of "wish upon a star" hadn't entered my conscious mind for months, although I had tried to fully understand Karamel's request for almost two years. In truth, it is as if Amelia sent it to me intentionally when both our guards were down.

I really can't thank the two of them, Karamel and Amelia, enough. I feel as if I have received my own wish.

THE BUILD

There isn't much to say about the actual building of Wish, except to explain that hours upon hours went into experimentation of how to get exactly the right intensity of light from each star in the piece to match the stars in each real constellation. As expected, there are no textures, with the exception of invisible, in the piece so I could play with the light as I needed to. Looking into the sky at night it was obvious that it had to look like a very simple piece. It is a simple piece, but how it turned out simple, and not a jumble, is rather complex.

The necklace contains different constellations than the bracelet, and no zodiacal constellations on purpose. This was not to be a "zodiac" piece. Below on the star map are photos of the constellations themselves as I made them that were built in.

The bracelet was to contain none of the same constellations as the necklace, and also no zodiacal constellations:

The earrings, which people get to choose, come in four non-zodiac constellations, but are available in every zodiac constellation, for a total of 16 variations.

I will point out that with the earrings there is little difference between the left and the right ones. I did this intentionally - not to save work, but because I realize that any constellation looked at from behind no longer exists. So keeping as close to reality as possible I kept the constellation intact so the wearer knows that they are displaying a merger of both science and art. This is something I have only done with one other piece - Vincent's Unified Theory (below), created for a physicist I once met.

Another piece was added, long after the rest was completed. it is the corona. The corona contains constellations previously created.

I suppose it is here I should mention that there is a dark matter version of Wish, or "Wish Antimatter".

For those reading my blog I will go a little further into detail of recent happenings now that Wish is released before WorthWhile and why that happened. Credit must be given where credit is due.

THE RELEASE
Some of you have noticed that Nicky Ree and I have been testing our ability to collaborate. She had done such a perfect job with her spring collection to match "Ode to Caledon" that I explained "Wish" to her before I made it. She began formulating her own ideas for it. Since she hand-paints her own textures she has a lot of leeway for her own creativity and inspiration.

When only the Wish necklace existed she tested it and found it to be light and delicate and an inspiration for the most extreme elegance in gowns. She worked hard to create exactly the perfect gown for the jewelry. I think she succeeded admirably.

Decked out in her Wish gown and jewelry she then talked with Tigerlily Koi, of Calla Hair while she waited for me to open WorthWhile. I am very slow and deliberate and don't hurry much of anything, unlike the pros like Nicky and Tigerlily. But in the gown and jewelry Tigerlily instantly "saw" the hairstyle she knew she had to create.

When Nicky and Tigerlily were ready, I had to admit it was time to release Wish. It can be found next to Tigerlily's display at Calla Hair, and also next to Nicky's Wish dresses. I recently put it on the wall next to my vendor in Kandinsky too.

I noticed that Nicky has been calling it "Constellations". That is all right by me. I call it "Wish" because that is why I made it for Karamel and why there is a falling star on the necklace right where it needs to be. It's never just about the jewelry.

And just to see who is looking closely, in Nicky's photos of new releases she also shows another piece of my jewelry I haven't announced or released. Can you spot what it is? This was also brought out at Nicky's Fashion Show on Sunday, July 1st where a good time was had by all, including myself, until I crashed right at the finale.

Another mention is that during the big Ode hunt on IBM's SOA Adventure Island a couple of weeks ago I placed one set of Wish jewelry in one of the thousand or so butterflies on the island. The lucky Ms Aradia Dielli found it. :)

RFL Heart & Soul

2007-06-20T05:55:00.001-06:00

Compassion is contageous, I believe. I also believe compassion is a trait we share with our animal cousins. With this I feel that the ability to organize ourselves around this deep feeling within ourselves is also a shared instinct. Being human, being humanitarian, gives us the unique ability to organize with intelligence and a network of complexity that allows truly amazing things to happen; "Miracles", of willpower can win over the odds.

When we, as a species, are confronted with, and each personally devistated by, an affliction such as cancer, acts of seemingly random compassion take place in villages, towns and cities around the world until we are each touched and inspired by them. Individually we yearn to do something about it and we reach out until we find the collective that can and will have the greatest impact.

This collective is Relay For Life.

To expand further, the phenomenon that is Relay For Life in Second Life, brings out the best in a new world teeming with individuals who do not fear admitting they love one another, and thank each other daily for being part of one another's lives. One can only imagine the impact such shared emotion can have if we all contribute, just a little as we can.

The RFL Heart and Soul jewelry set is my contribution, appealing for your contribution so that you and I and *WE* together can make a difference. Aside from its brooch, which is for all to wear to show their support, the only means of obtaining the jewelry is to contribute to Relay For Life where your contribution will go toward fighting the affliction of cancer which touches us all in some way.

Contact one of the RFL representitives, starting with Tayzia Abattoir, to learn how you can contribute and show your dedication to this cause by purchasing the full RFL Heart and Soul jewelry set.

In the meantime, feel free to display this symbol of hearts and souls coming together in wonderful ways by wearing the free RFL Heart and Soul brooch. Compassion is contageous and never out of season. You never know who you might inspire to the cure, and who you might inspire to live.

HUGE Ode Hunt at IBM Adventure Island

2007-06-15T08:27:00.000-06:00

I am adding to the previous post (below) to try to describe the incredible weekend I had, but this one photo of the lovely Chelsea Grigg sums up what it was all about. I can add no more but my heartfelt thanks to everyone! A special thank you goes to Anita Cassini, our hostess, and the work she and her team at IBM put into making the SOA Adventure Island the perfect venue.

(adding to my post as the day goes by)
And here is another photo of beautiful Babydoll among the butterflies. I gave Babydoll a headpiece in Salmon and Peach so she can remember:

A chart of all the colors of Ode was requested during the hunt. Here it is for anyone who wants it:

There was a lot of joy.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((PREVIOUS POST BELOW)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

*IMPORTANT NEWS* I had mentioned Ode in a previous post the creation of a set of jewelry called Ode to Caledon. On Saturday the 16th of June, the IBM SOA Adventure Island (http://slurl.com/secondlife/SOA%20Adventure%20Island/217/216/23) will open to select groups. The RC New Jewelry Hotline group will get a 15 minute head start at 6:45am SLT. Here are the particulars from the organizer of the hunt:

One SIM, 368 pieces of jewelry hidden in ButterfliesGrab your net - Find them all - Trade - Build a set

ODE to Caledon Butterfly Hunt
In IBM SOA Adventrure Island WebSphere, we have hidden 388 pieces of jewelry in butterflies. Three sets each: ODE Amber, ODE Amber and Crimson, ODE Amber and Emerald, ODE Amber and Rose, ODE Crimson and Golden, ODE Crimson and Scarlet, ODE Emerald and Rose, ODE in Navy, ODE in Navy and Emerald, ODE Navy and Crimson, ODE in Salmon and Pink, ODE Lavender and Rose, ODE In Twilight, ODE in Living Ivory and one set of ODE In Shade of Golden.

Each buterfly has on piece of jewelry (Necklace, Pendant, Brooch, Bracelet, Ring, Earring (L), Earring (R) and Hair piece. Catch as many butterflies as you can. Use them alone or trade with others and build a set.

This is a sneak peek of SOA Adventure Island - WebSphere which will offiicially open next week. IBM SOA Adventure Island (216, 213,23) will only be open to Ode Butterfly Collectors, RC New Jewelry Hotline, SOA Land, Eightbar, Independent State of Caledon, Nicky Ree, and Ballroom Club groups. Join now.

There is also a collectors group called "Ode Butterfly Collectors" already started by one of my great and longtime friends Rhyme Gardner. It is her vision that people in the group can trade the bits and pieces they get of their sets to complete their collections. The group is open and free to join.

I hope everyone has fun :)

The Mata Hari, The Gatsby and The Grand Ballroom

2007-06-05T06:47:00.000-06:00

*there are no puzzle spoilers in this post* :P

In the fall of 2005 SL had very little to offer in the way of organized entertainment for those who enjoy the polite companionship of another. Clubs were almost exclusively the kind where "Howlzzzzzz" are shouted, the music is hard, and the particle emissions and lag are extreme. I had searched the existing metaverse far and wide for somewhere I could simply dance with a lady.

At that point my land was in Olive which was home to an exceptional build created by Oliva Delvecchio, one of the most visually creative people I had or have ever met in Second Life. My studio was a cave beneath a tranquil pond. Its entrance was on the side of a cliff overlooking the bay in Slate. I had the beginnings of a gallery on the land, but preferred creating jewelry over setting up the gallery. I loved my location and I miss it still. Shack Dougal took some very good photos of the build and they are here, including a photo of the ballroom in mid-build.

One of my longtime friends at that point was PetMe Petunia, a highly intelligent, desirous, and rather exciting woman with the special gift of social ingenuity. Pet had always urged me to continue creating beyond the level I had ever gone before. To me she personified the existing club scene. She was also an avid collector of everything I made.

At the same time I realized the type of soothing venue that was missing for me, I met a beautiful friend named Feather. Feather is the creator and purveyor of The Garden. Search for it and enjoy. She and I shared our mutual love of the emotional journeys mapped out by Enya, Clannad, and other like musicians. I also have a deep respect for Spanish classical guitar and various classical piano pieces.

It was inevitable that the creative powers began to flow. When that happens permanency doesn't matter anymore. All that had been before were sandcastles for the waves. I stripped my land of the beautiful build Oliva had created. My studio was no more. The land was flattened and on the top of the cliff overlooking the bay of Slate I built, and Feather textured and influenced in many ways the RC Grand Ballroom.

I believe it was the first Grand Ballroom in SL, although shortly after its opening others appeared, some of which are astounding in their beauty. I like to fool myself into thinking this one inspired theirs, if only slightly.

The opening of the ballroom, which took 3 months to build, was anticipated for between Christmas 2005 and New Years day 2006. We had work to do.

For the ballroom opening I created the exclusive Gatsby necklace, earrings and bracelet, which set the mood for the venue. Everyone who attended the opening, male and female, received a set. Once the ballroom had been built and we were working on the landscaping I spent hours just looking around the building and soaking it in. The ballroom and its anticipated elegance inspired The Gatsby.

But I wanted content. A building and a piece of jewelry did not meet my definition of deep content. For this I looked to PetMe Petunia who had a way about her that could inject sensuality into even the most steeled minds. There was once a living woman who was well known for the same talent. She had made sexuality a whispered high society open secret. Her name was Mata Hari.

The more I studied Mata the more I saw the parallels between her and Pet. To this day I don't believe Pet knows she inspired the entire set. She holds Crimson Mata Hari #1, but feels I gave it to her because she had watched others receive a #1 even though she and I had been very good friends for a long time. She felt she was due. How Mata Hari like of her. :) #1 has always gone to the muse. If she reads this she'll probably hate me for saying this.

As an aside, I am of the opinion that Mata Hari was not at all guilty of spying. I came to believe she was, instead made a scapegoat for the failings of the French government during the war. And for bringing sexuality out into the open she was considered a threat to decent society. Her high profile life and media-exploited execution accomplished three things: 1) It put fear into any potential spies. 2) It put fear into any potential threats to decent society. 3) It made the French citizens think their government was doing something about the war - although it is questionable whether they actually thought that. I also think she liked to have high powered men at her whim and had no real political leanings. But that is just my take on it. I believe people see the truth, even if they don't dare whisper it.

I have to apologize to Feather here, since when I was creating these two sets and the puzzle, I was not able to give her my full attention and the well earned praises we had both come to enjoy during the ballroom building period. She was, and always has been, only gracious about that. She has always understood and accepted me at a very basic level.

The puzzle behind the Mata Hari became a bit of an obsession for me. The dates of the original letters are the be read in order, and I hope the fear I felt about her possible fate can be heard in the background. Also in the background I hope those who follow it can see that Mata had become a muse of the most untouchable kind and my hopeful romanticism, even a the risk of making a fool of myself, is glimpsed.

I did not want the puzzle to be easy. I did not want it to become impossibly difficult either. If a piece was found it had to be felt like it had been earned. This was not a free set at all. I don't think anyone but me has ever called it "free".

There has been some concern by solvers that the puzzle seemed to deviate somewhat from the original story. I have had many opportunities to change that but always come back to the thought that the puzzles themselves were between me and Mata, so they shouldn't reference anything but themselves, as their origins were between she and I. So I never changed it.

I should mention, before I confuse anyone further, the Mata Hari puzzle reward jewelry comes in silver and black and is unlimited. The limited Crimson Mata Hari, of which the entire set is limited to 10 in existence, comes in crimson and black. To me the crimson reveals the fate of the woman.

When the puzzle was created and "installed" in the ballroom, Feather helped make sure the permissions were correct. I placed it such that someone who just wandered around checking the contents of all the prims in the build probably wouldn't find more than a piece or two. Having never hosted anything, I was quite nervous and not looking forward to the opening night at all. I had invited everyone on my friends list at the time, which was about 100 people. I feared too many people would show up and I feared too few.

Dances at that time were mostly the kind where you held on to one another and spun in a circle, rather than actually moving across the floor with the stepping of the dancers. A couple of those existed, but not many. I spent day after day scouring SL to get as many and varied dances of appropriate action for the ballroom.

Tayzia Abattoir had provided me with the Grand Piano that stood on the stage at the far end. Classical paintings lined the walls.

When the night came I was delighted that the turnout was just right. Everyone had arrived in their suits, tuxedos and some of the most beautiful ballgowns ever created. It was truly a grand affair of high luxury and excitement.

From the stage I welcomed everyone and had three announcements to make which I had told almost nobody about beforehand. Thus the "There be surprises" statement on the invitation shown below. Those who came were there because they wanted to support the concept, not for any reward.

First, I gave every person in attendance The Gatsby as a memento they could enjoy long after the night was over. If an original Gatsby is in someone's hands today it is very likely they were at the ballroom opening that night.

Second, I announced the existence of The Mata Hari Puzzle built into the ballroom.

Third, I announced the recipients of the first 5 Crimson Mata Hari sets and I gave them out.
Then we danced like we had never been able to dance in SL before. :)

It was not long after opening night that the waves carried away the sandcastle. I donated the ballroom (with some major modifications to suit the alpha sim Taber) to Tayzia Abattoir to house her long operating Crescent Moon Museum, the oldest resident run museum in SL whose quality and rarity of inventory is rivaled by no other. To this day the Crescent Mooon Museum still holds a Sunday Night Formal at 7pm SLT and the Mata Hari Puzzle within enjoys a wide following of puzzlers who, surprisingly and wonderfully keep its secrets to themselves for others to discover.

Feather, PetMe, Oliva, Tayzia: each in your own way are loved and regardless of all else will always be remembered fondly for your contribution to that period in my life.

It is almost never about the jewelry at all.

Some reviews of The Mata Hari Puzzle and its unique concept as a virtual reality puzzle in a virtual reality world, and about the frustrations and rewards of taking on its challenges can be found at:

Cross-Media/Transmedia Entertainment

I want to thank the bloggers and the magazine writers, thinkers all, for their interest and their praise.

IBM SOAlution

2007-05-21T11:31:00.000-06:00

RL Random is such a geek, and very proud of it. Read on.

For those of you who aren't aware, IBM has a big conference in Orlando this week called Impact 2007. I've been privileged to have been able to contribute my little bit to the content here in SL.

Sit back and I'll try to explain as best I can what this is all about as far as what I've been working on.

SOA stands for "Service Oriented Architecture". It is a means of setting up software so it doesn't require multi-millions of dollars worth of programming every time you want or need to change something.

My RL background has been pretty diverse, including electronics, programming, and some other stuff that's on my resume you don't get to see. But those two pieces of experience helped me come up with something that describes, in jewelry, the evolution toward SOA, which is a product I believe in.

Part of that background includes some understanding of boolean logic, binary, hexidecimal and miles and miles of flowcharts I've worked with over the years. It all came together in the pieces I'm about to show here.

First, the SOAlution set is a freebee. That is to say you can have it for free, but you have to do something to get it - similar to Mata Hari, but not similar to Ode. It will be standard fare at IBM's Adventure Island when it opens in probably about a week. Your point of contact for that is Anita Cassini.

Now into what this is:

Here is the SOAlutions watch. I wanted to start with this on the blog because I made an exception to my "no scripts" and "no textures" rule. The script is a clock script. The texture is the hands on the clock. These aren't BIG exceptions, but they're exceptions. The only other time I've done this is when I created the Jett Set watch in the past. But I want to be up front about it.

It's a cool watch, and this picture is upside down. hehe. At the top of the face is the number 12 in binary, and at the bottom is the number 6.

You'll see a theme as we go along here.

On the band of this watch next to the shovel-looking things are the letters "IBM" in binary translated from hex, with a twist. I'll let you figure it out. There has to be some mystery.

Those "shovel" looking things are actually boolean logic symbols. Boolean logic was invented back in the 1800's and is a way to say "if this AND that or that BUT NOT this" then.. It's just a means of explaining AND OR BUT NOT, etc. It's used in electronics and computers at their core all the time.

For those of us who are purists there's also an unscripted, untextured bracelet.

The symbols coming out of the boolean "shovels" are binary. Translated to ASCII (text) it says "SOA".

Binary is the basic language of "on" and "off", represented as 1's and 0's. With enough contortion, as computers do, they can express just about anything. It's a base 2 numbering system (there are only 2 numbers in it). Since it takes so many digits to express higher numbers we usually use Hexidecimal, or a 16 character numbering system. The well known symbol for hex is "oX" (yes, a little Hug and a big Kiss!), which is what the binary leads into on these pieces.

Here's the necklace. You can see it follows the same pattern. IBM, boolean logic, binary "SOA" followed by the symbol for hexidecimal. The hexidecimal flows into some flowcharting logic. Basically, if you follow the flowchart from the hex you run into what's known as a "nested if". A nested if is simply a way of saying "if this AND if this, then you do that". Nested ifs are notorious for their potential complexity. In this instance you get caught in a dead end data function (the trapezoid) or an infinite loop until you get to SOA - the honeycomb symbol.

The honeycomb symbol works quite well because with SOA you actually plug reusable modules of software into a whole like fitting into a puzzle, filling in blanks. The stars represent business, so as a whole you can see how IT holds up and shapes business. Yes, I'm still as full of symbolism as you've come to expect.

At the bottom of the SOA solution honeycomb pattern you find the "end process" flowcharting symbol, basically saying "done" or "I've found it" or "that's all she wrote".

Geek jewelry! How rare is that? :)

The bracelet, watch and necklace all come in male and female sizes. I did create two sets of earrings. Some of those professional types don't care for the longer earrings, so I made short ones too. Here are those:

I'm proud to say that one of the keynote speakers at the conference actually mentioned the SOAlution necklace! Thanks, Sandy!

Cozcaapa and an Ode update

2007-05-14T07:34:00.000-06:00

Too much time has gone by since I posted what I've been doing. When that happens you can pretty much bet I've been pretty busy. What I have been busy on is a multi-answer question.

#1. When I was working on Ode I had spoken with Nicky Ree, the fabulous clothing designer, and shared the concept with her. She had wanted to do some work with butterflies herself. She hand painted her textures and has now introduced a butterfly inspired collection as part of her Spring Romance line that perfectly suits Ode. You may notice that on her blog in this photo of her Spring Romance line she is wearing Ode:

As you may recall, the only way to acquire Ode is to visit one of the Caledon Civic Society sponsored Butterfly Hunts. The first butterfly hunt for Ode was arranged by them and was an impromptu success. Autopilotpatty Poppy, the hostess of the hunt, had placed Pieces of Ode around her property - including in mini-prim butterflies that were flying around - and the hunters got to try to find them, catch them, and keep the pieces for their collections. Patty did a wonderful job setting it up and making sure it ran smoothly.

As far as I know that is the only hunt yet staged by the Caledon Civic Society for Ode. It is also the only way to get the set. So if you want it, contact the Society and demand more hunts. The Pieces of Ode are free. Caledon appears to be at war at the moment and so protests may be the only way to get their attention on non-war matters.

#2. Aside from the goings on with Ode, an individual I have been working closely with on a professional basis (whom I shall not name unless she permits that I do - if I would but ask) has been presented with one of probably only 3 individual one of a kind pieces I've ever done on merit. It is named "Cozcaapa" and consists of a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet. The only photo I ever took of it before presenting it was this dramatic teaser I took during its creation. As with Tayzia's "The Only Ever", I generally just don't photograph these highly specialized and personal pieces. But I may start because of this blog.

I like the photo so there it is. She (the unnamed in the background) sent her photo intended as a tease. This photo I took, although I never sent it to her, was intended to be as much a tease as she intended hers to be. The necklace changed only in that I completed it and that the princess diamond was moved to the top.

In the sacred texts of Mexican mythology Cozcaapa is the "Water of Precious Stones". It is said that the enchanters of Tezcatlipoca tried to take Quetzalcoatl's secrets of founding silver, of working precious stones, and woods, of painting and of feather working and other matters. Quetzalcoatl refused them and cast all his treasures into the fountain of Cozcaapa. (reference is here)

This piece, Cozcaapa, contains so many of my own techniques, many secret, that it is suitably named. It is also suitably owned.

#3. The WorthWhile surprise mentioned on the top of my blog for the past two months or so is in full swing. I have been working hard on that. Much of it is still design work, which takes longer than building. But I am happy with the results so far. I intend to announce its completion and availability in the 2 weeks-to-one month timeframe.

#4. Another project, which is almost completed and has been taking much of my time, is one I will talk about after the fact on here. It is quite different than my usual work. But I hope every piece is different than the last.

Rarius

2007-04-17T06:20:00.000-06:00

Hmmm. How much should I say about Rarius? It is not new. I am catching up on my chronicle of work by posting this now. The chronology can be seen in the list on the right of the blog. Top listings are recent. Bottom listings are oldest.

First of all I should mention that since I lack the ability to role play (I'm just one of those "what you see is what you get" people) I am immediately disqualified from being Gorean. I can't pretend to be one so I am not one. It keeps me out of the whole "joining" aspects of most genres. That's why my avi is just a guy; not a beast of the forest, not a warrior, not a prince, devil, merman, dragon, faerie, beam of light, Mr. Spock, the Tick Tock Man, samauri, demon (succubus or otherwise), caveman, greek god, roman god, lightning rod, water sprite, private eye, king, queen, knight, one quarter of a barber shop quartet, slave, member of the militia, evil scientist, or teapot short and stout. I'm just me.

I still am curious about all the above and what makes someone want to do these things. I like to listen and pass no judgement. I like to understand. Gor is probably one of the most misunderstood, so I had to know. After reading the first couple of books their fascination with beauty fascinated me.

I met an outstanding woman by the name of Emily Darrow who helped me learn. She was open to every question I had and gave me insightful answers. Most importantly she did not judge me for not understanding and she did not fault me for my lack of role playing ability. She is a rare person, I think.

Through reading the books of Gor and through Emily's tutilage she and I concluded that what is missing in SL Gor is cherishment. She had gone through enough false masters - those who wish only to abuse another human being - that she was on the verge of disillusionment. Gor, for those who haven't read the books, cherishes its slaves and holds their beauty in high regard above all other beauty. Gor is a savage world, but slaves are beaten or abused no more than most people on Gor, and they are never humiliated. It just isn't done.

As I listened and learned I began to understand. We surmised that what SL Gor needs, aside from the education of the populace on what Gor is, is a cultural artifact they can call their own. The artifact should express what it is to be Gorean. It should express beauty as Goreans see it.

The word "Rarius" means "Warrior" in the Gorean language. It is one of the five high castes. The color that represents the Warrior caste is red.

The picture here consists of a pair of cuffs on the left, earrings in the middle, and the collar on the right.

Slaves don't wear earrings so I haven't made these generally available.

The Gorean symbol on all these pieces is a pearl, representing the counter-earth planet, a drop of blood coming from it to represent the brutality. The brutality rains upon the castes, with the exception of the highest caste. The priest kings are represented above the planet, as are its three moons of differing orbits. A stylized "G" accompanies.

The dina, or slave flower, adorns the collar, as does the double kef symbol hanging from the collar. As has been supposed, yes there are hidden meanings and much more subtle symbolism throughout. The kef and "counter" kef are one example to consider.

Spanning the front of the collar and linking sword hilt to sword hilt is a sturdy chain, probably too small to see in this picture. It arches over the worlds as a reminder of how high the calling of servitude is on Gor.

Rarius, the collar, although it is handsomely priced, has enjoyed a very small but devout following of those who actually cherish another. For their understanding of what Rarius is I am grateful to them. The cuffs and collar come without scripts but are modifiable so anyone can add their favorite scripts. They also come without textures, as you might expect from me by now.

My short foray into Gor cost me a couple of dear friends who are anti-Gorean. It was their opinion I shouldn't "dabble" in that with which they disagree. Although I am sad to have lost them, I guess they have a different idea of friendship than I do and I wish them well.

I am very happy that Rarius exists. I thank you Emily. It could not have been so without your patient ways with me.

Ode to Caledon

2007-04-08T20:43:00.000-06:00

To continue my previous post, "Beginnings of an Ode", I'd like to show some final photos. The set comes in a rainbow of colors so I'll show pieces from various combinations.

If you're interested in having some, well they're free. But you have to go to Caledon and talk with either Desmond Shang or Pym Sartre to find out how to get them. :)

The set still has a black and white version.

The butterfly shown here comes as 1) a brooch 2) a hair ornament and 3) as a spinal attachment pendant to the chest-attached 240+ prim necklace. The butterfly is 100 prims. The high primcount is very much because of the inlay I used and explained in my previous post.

I like the way the individual pieces turned out. They look a lot better in-world. Here's the necklace (Amber version):

The bracelet turned out a little different, and is pretty unique, I think.

This is the rose and amber version. Again, all these come in a huge variety of colors. I think I have 8 color combinations done so far. Six have gone to Caledon already. The new ones will follow as I get every four or so different combinations done. But each takes a while to recolor. Occasionally, pretty much intentionally because I've looked very closely at both butterflies and flowers before, you'll notice an odd coloring malformation - a very slight genetic glitch. I carried that over and had fun with it.

The earrings turned out pretty cute.

These are part of the navy and emerald set, obviously.

I think the ring is all that's left to show. Here is the amber version:

It's going to be hard to tell how many different colors they'll eventually be in. I'm really not going to say. I think it'll be a blast for anyone to try to collect them though. :)

Remember - Pym Sartre and Desmond Shang. They're the only ones who know how you can get these free pieces of jewelry.

This was very much fun to make. I'm more relaxed now and even shed my suit and wore coveralls for a couple of days.

I don't know yet what I'm going to make next. I guess it's time to go dancing.

Beginnings of an Ode

2007-04-03T06:01:00.000-06:00

I started on this this morning (about 5 hours, since I went to bed very early last night and got up very early this morning). It is going to be the centerpiece of a necklace.

This piece has been waiting too long and was by request of a very dear friend back in January. Or was it December? Not only have I been feeling somewhat guilty of neglecting my dearest friends for the recent goings on, but I also needed a bit of levity myself.

On one hand there is the beauty of gold and ivory. I have been lost in that for quite a while now with Little Jimmy Brown then with the tiara. Another matter entirely is the beauty of nature, which is where I have decided to get lost now. I already decided on a name for this piece with the butterfly, which will also be its theme.

The name will be simply "Ode".

It is still very early, but I think if I can make it nicer than the black and white you see here, then by the time I add color to it, it should be even better. At this moment, as little as I've thought about it, I intend to make it available in a multitude of colors because I think colors will be an obvious highlight.

I have some butterfly collections in frames I got from an oddities shop. I layed one down under my worktable and made the worktable semi-transparant so I can have a constant reminder of the anatomy of a butterfly while I work. That is the shadow you see in the background. As you can see I may or may not follow it, but it's nice to have there anyway just because.

A technique I am using in this, which I've used before but haven't seen anywhere else, is inlay. One prim is cut the exact size as the opening in another prim and used to fill the gap. In a simple sample of inlay, each of the ovals you see here are actually two or more - one inlaid in a cut in another. I kind of like the way it can be used to create highlights, as in the more complex "spiral tails" of this butterfly. As the piece progresses (it is nowhere near done) I will take advantage of that and create some much more detailed inlays than I have in this first pass. For a long time I have wanted to see what could be done with the technique in the SL building engine. That is where my mind will be for a little while - and also lost in some beautiful music that will be telling me how to lay out every next prim.

One thought I am grappling with is whether or not to leave the butterfly at two dimensions (flat) or if I should raise its wings. I trust I will know when I need to know.

Some may ask if it will be limited or unlimited. Generally, almost always, if a piece is inspired by a person then that piece is limited. Little Jimmy Brown and Trapeze were the exceptions. This one is inspired by Nature and therefore will be Unlimited.

It will probably end up unpurchasable. That is to say "earned not by money", as is another set I have out there somewhere. I will let time reveal what I mean by that, or you can ask one of the scholars of my work what it must mean.

Miss SL L'Oreal Paris 2007 Tiara

2007-03-31T04:27:00.000-06:00

As has been strongly objected to by some nice people and again by some other very nice people, I concede to the actual non-existence and relative short lifespan of SL and anything in it, as well as the fact that all time we spend in there is really just temporary arrangement of a variety of ones and zeros on some hard drive on some server in San Francisco or Dallas. I persisted with this creation with the full realization this isn't worth more than perhaps a cardboard cube anyone can make. I put some time into the tiara anyway and want to let those of you who enjoy my primwork and read my blog get a first look - even before its unveiling tonight (Saturday 3/31, or 31/3 depending on your local method of expressing dates) at the Miss Second Life L'Oreal Paris pageant.

My Profit = $0,
Expense = 3 weeks on the diamond, a week and a half on the tiara
My reason = The Art and the principle of impossibility

I created it in five layers, so to see what's going on in there really takes seeing it in-world. I did take 1024x768 pics of it though so you can get some detail and try to pan around it like I do when trying to get a better look at pics on the web, only to realize it's just a pic on the web and there's no such thing as panning. :)

I am VERY curious to find out which of the lovely women will own and wear this tonight; very curious. I wish each of them the best of luck. I am certain karmic forces will make the correct decision.

Comments welcome.

L'Oreal Paris - Miss Second Life Pageant

2007-03-26T07:43:00.000-06:00

To keep you posted on why you haven't seen Little Jimmy Brown in the group notice, or anywhere else for that matter I will share this link with you.

I have been busy working hard on the tiara mentioned in the link. I would like to congratulate everyone on the list of finalists, some of whom I know and some I don't. I have many friends who were in the competition trying to get to that top 20 list.

A week or so ago I had the pleasure of meeting the charming Bianca Darling of ASpiRE magazine who is bringing the pageant to us. I was thrilled and probably ran away quicker than I should have.

I have also been working on the WorthWhile surprise. When that rolls out I don't think there's anyone out there who won't be happy with the decisions I've made to make it possible, or the work I've been putting into making it happen. A tremendous amount of work has also been going into it by my dear friend Anita Cassini. As a result of events found elsewhere in this blog I have teamed up with her and am trusting her implicitly about things she knows very well and I know very little about.

Back to the title of this post... The tiara itself, although not part of the Little Jimmy Brown set will certainly go well with it. I have it about 75% completed. I was almost done with it, but Anita had the idea to "test drive" it. I called my long-time friend Ashen Coalcliff who helped show me that for this event, where the wearer will be on a runway, I needed to do a few more things with it. After a few days digesting the new information I have decided just what I'll do. I don't know what I'd do without Ashen's and Anita's help with things like that.

As a side-note, I also started experimenting with possibilities for the Great Gatsby, also mentioned in an earlier post in my blog.

Again, Congratulations to the top 20 contestants of the L'Oreal Paris - Miss Second Life pageant.

Little Jimmy Brown Preview

2007-03-16T05:29:00.000-06:00

*SPOILER WARNING* - I want to wait until something is released to see it then read no further. Close your browser and go do something else. Thank you for dropping by.

I want to make sure that those of you who actually read this blog are getting what you came for. My reason for starting the blog was to keep those of you who are interested informed about my current work, even before it is released. Please keep in mind that this is just a preview of my current work, not the final version. I always adjust, sometimes dramatically, before putting anything out for anyone wear and (hopefully) be proud to call their own possession.

My last post sent you to a link that contained an old folk song officially titled "The Three Bells". The song is the story of a man by the name of Jimmy Brown (written and sung by Jim Ed Brown), whose life inspires three events of the ringing of the chapel bells in his little valley town; once at his birth, another at his wedding, and the last at his death.

Without going too far into the "who" or the "why" of my SL motivations for even thinking about creating a piece inspired both by the song and by the style of someone who has touched my mind, I do want to give a preview to those of you kind enough to point your browser and your interest in my direction.

Here is the earring, which made me think that to continue with it as a full set would be a worthy undertaking.

Last week we had an impromptu party for Fayandria Foley, a wonderful woman and survivor who was celebrating her first SL birthday (rezday). She was the first to receive these, and nobody can take that away from her. We love you, Fay.

Yes those are three chapel bell events in the earring.

When I showed this to the woman who inspired them (it isn't Fay, although she is worthy), and gave her a pair to help her understand why my head is often buried deep in my work for weeks at a time just to produce a single item such as this, she was somewhat startled. She had never mentioned it, or anything like it, but it happens that her grandfather used to sing this song to her when she was a child. I'm glad I was listening.

I do have the necklace started, but it really does take weeks - most of it in the design process of trial and error - to come up with something I am satisfied is the vision in my head. Although this will change completely I've decided to post a preview of the necklace also.

I am happy with the chain, and I am happy with the cross (including it was a conscious decision) but the triple bells may have to go away. I do not like the "batwing" effect of their being where they are. Perhaps there are just too many. I don't know what I'll do with it, but I know that as it is, it is too complicated looking from a distance. The overall effect hasn't been achieved in this as it is - not even close. I need to put the headphones on with the right music and lose myself; adjusting this and that, trying this, trying that, letting it tell me what it should become without my analyzing it to death. That's part of my challenge to myself.

Of course there will be a bracelet, and there will probably be a nice ring to match, but don't expect an armband, headpiece or navel ring. It just isn't going to happen with Little Jimmy Brown.

I do need to mention that there are changes in the air that I believe are very, very worthwhile. I do not know if this will eventually be a limited piece or not. I will have to explain that in a later post. Some of you may have noticed I have also been working on somewhat of a sculpture.

I am interested in comments, even anonymous ones, about whether you feel I should preview my work like this on the blog. Does it ruin the anticipation for you, does it intensify it, or does it even matter?

Have a beautiful day.

=-=-=-=-=-=

Added 3-19-2007

The Little Jimmy Brown necklace is done. It doesn't look like the above. I told you so. :)

New Piece Started

2007-03-13T10:54:00.000-06:00

I guess there is no lower limit on the size of a post to the blog, but I did promise to indicate my current work here on the blog. I don't have a picture for it, but I am currently working on a piece called "Little Jimmy Brown". After clicking that link I can't imagine what must be going through your minds.

My Gallery Is Gone

2007-03-06T06:47:00.000-06:00

I wanted to say something about Passie Vuur today. It is probably one of my 3 favorite pieces I have done. I discovered I don't have a picture of it downloaded so instead I'll answer the question about why my gallery is gone.

Yes, I tore it down. It was confusing people and making them irate.

Right now, if you follow one of the landmarks out there that came with Slither you'll tp into a small yellow room that has my only vendor in SL.

I suppose I should try to list all or at least some of the different things I have dipped my finger into that may still be rustling around out there.

*10% of every purchase of more than $L1 from my vendor goes to support the continuation of Yummie Olson's Primtionary. Because Primtionary so impressed me when I was young in SL I am a fanatic fan of this game, even though I seldom find the time to attend.

*When I have idle time I like to happen upon new people coming to SL, teach them how to shop, buy them their first few heads of hair, a high quality shape, a high quality skin, and a few sets of the best clothes out there, give them some jewelry and set them free.

*In my house, when I have one, I have a chest of drawers that contains all of the unlimited pieces I have made. There are four people in SL who have access to that chest of drawers and can take anything they want out of it and give it away. These are people whose judgement I trust dearly.

*In the fall of 2005 I built a very large grand ballroom. Into the build itself I created the Mata Hari Puzzle. Shortly after its grand opening, during which was announced the semi-limited necklace called "The Gatsby", the full limited set "Crimson Mata Hari" (one of which the M2 learned had sold for $L50k),

and the Mata Hari Puzzle, I donated the ballroom itself to the Crescent Moon Museum in Taber. The Mata Hari Puzzle continues to have regular questers.

I said "Bannister", not "bannister". There. That ought to cut down the IMs. ;)

There's more, but I prefer to ramble right now.

So yesterday a friend sent me an IM asking me if I had plans for tomorrow (the 6th) to go celebrate my birthday. Then she realized that my rezday was today, the 5th. I hadn't even noticed or remembered. Being the early-to-bed type (I get up at 3:30am to get ready for work) I only had about an hour left online.

I had just sent an IM to an architect whose services I am in need of, but he wasn't online. Then I heard from someone else that he'd be on in a little while. Since the architect's services right at this moment are pretty critical I didn't want to have to leave a rezday celebration dance in the middle, so we made plans for the 6th instead.

While I was waiting for the architect to show up I went over to Artstock and contemplated some of the work. I was learning quite a bit about myself and humanity at one particular display when some of the artists showed up. What beautiful enlightenment they were able to provide! I thank them for fully handing me a piece of the puzzle. Now I am rightfully contemplating my own life, the love I have to give, and how I give it. I believe powerful art should do that.

If you ask me what the new picture on top of the blog is about I probably won't tell you. I guess I didn't tell you why my gallery is gone.

I told you I felt like rambling. I know this feeling. I feel like something is close to happening.

Round Brilliant Cut Diamond is Here

2007-02-27T06:07:00.000-06:00

I started this blog because people wanted to know what I am working on at any given moment. This morning I finished the untextured, unscripted, pure prim Round Brilliant Cut Diamond.

I believe diamonds are not dead and stagnant crystals, but in the light should be alive, even in Second Life. So I spent a couple of weeks experimenting with refraction, such as is possible in the Second Life environment.

Shown are multiple variations. The diamond, on the bottom right is a 24 prims, 25 facets (including the table), brilliant cut white with an approximate 33 degree pavilion. I do need to upload some means of exactly measuring degrees of angle and add it to my jewelers ruler.

The Brilliant White is copied up and colored to a sapphire with the same stats. This picture was taken at sunset, as evidenced by onyx background I used, but also as seen in the reflection within the gem itself. I like how the sapphire and the diamond each have their own way of coloring the light coming from them. This is the SL equivalent of refraction. In the diamond the sunset is orange, in the sapphire it is appropriately purple.

The ruby to the left in the photo is a modified brilliant with the same stats except the pavilion is at 45 degrees. I am experimenting to find the optimum pavilion angle for the SL environment and suspect, after seeing the depth of this ruby, it will differ with the type of gemstone. I am floored by the ruby and how it treats the same sunset light.

The amethyst is a different gem altogether. In physical life the brilliant cut is an 8 sided cut, as with the other brilliants shown in the photo. This amethyst is a 16 sided cut, consists of a 45 degree pavilion, 33 facets (including the table), and 48 prims.

What these diamonds do not share in common with physical life is the girdle. I did make one with a girdle but, frankly it was ugly. It is a case of too many prims spoiling the light. I believe the level of detail available to us in Second Life today is not adequate for girdling a diamond. In 10 years or so I'll put another one together, or if significant environmental upgrades are made. I think we're still living in the original environment, as beautiful as it can be, but without upgrades.

There are two other cuts I need to complete before I move on and turn them into my phase 2 jewelry, unless someone changes my direction, which has happened in the past. Those are the emerald cut, which is about half complete, and a teardrop crystal cut, which I haven't started. I am very much looking forward to the arrival of the teardrop crystal cut. For those familiar with my phase one, special limited pearl necklace and set called The Gatsby, imagine soon - this year - The *Great* Gatsby with the new gems. My day, that day, will be filled with unimaginable glee.

The Gatsby as she is today.

A Glimpse of Marc Loves Cleo

2007-02-22T08:03:00.000-06:00

I don't have much in the way of photos of Marc Loves Cleo. It is one of those pieces that just surprised me coming out. I hadn't dwelled on it much as it was a purely visual thing.

My dear friend Neit Tackleberry had introduced me to her friend Kaffe, whom I mentioned in my post about Elizabeth. In guessing something Kaffe would like I handed her the unlimited Lady In Waiting necklace with the Matriarch pieces. Kaffe started looking for the right thing to wear with it right away.

(The Matriarch Set Picture is Below)

She sent me a photo of herself wearing an amazing outfit. I didn't even notice she was wearing Lady In Waiting with it. The dress was a real piece of work and I hope Kaffe comments on here and tells everyone who made it.

I barely stopped to think, I just started building. Obviously this was accidental on my part, on Kaffe's part, and on the dress maker's part. There was none of my normal stewing over the design aspects, it just happened. I remember shooting for something in onyx and pearls.

When it was almost complete I realized the necklace was scarab-esque, which also wasn't intentional. I didn't mean to make an egyptian sort of piece and almost never go into creation with a niche like that in mind. What becomes simply becomes.

The first time I really stepped back and took a look at it I realized a few things:
1. I wasn't sure I liked it.
2. It was probably too erotic.
3. I could have made something more complex.

I tossed #3 aside because often simple is better and I ignored #1 and #2. I guess that means I ignored all three. I've since heard someone said it is the shape of an angel, so I suppose it's all in the eye of the beholder. So #3 and #2 have been pretty much squashed. I still wasn't sure I liked it.

The name, Marc Loves Cleo of course refers to #2 and is referring to the Marc Antony/Cleopatra affair.

I made it available to the RC New Jewelry Hotline Group for silent auction. That really bothered me because I don't like the silent auction concept. In the past simply announcing to the group something was available to the first to respond meant that many die-hard fans of my work didn't know I had something new until they were gone because they didn't log in within an hour of my announcement. RL comes first, always, as you know. So the silent auction was the way I handled it.

Well, I don't care for the "auction" part of it because it's not about money. But then I don't know of a better way. I mentioned to someone that maybe an essay contest would be better. I come to suspect that people feel cheated out of something if they don't get to pay for it. Maybe we can get to the point where we take public bids here, but then just because someone doesn't have enough money that doesn't mean they shouldn't have the work. I don't know. I'm pretty much at a loss for a better way.

In the group the bids that won were between $L7,000 and $L13,500. It was a long, long time before I considered doing anything with the "public" availability of Marc Loves Cleo - probably a month while I worked on Elizabeth. That's when I was made aware of Ayeshe's Angels. When I took the two others to the Ayeshe's Angles auction the winning bid was $L20,000 or so. That was just for the necklace. The rest of the set is unlimited.

During the auction Neit Tackleberry unveiled her excellent work on the graphic for it, which features KaffeBean Doowangle wearing the same dress that inspired the piece. I was so happy with Neit's work. I am indebted to her deeply.

Here it is:

So Marc Loves Cleo #10 has been in my inventory unowned for a couple weeks now. I had agreed to donate the last Marc Loves Cleo to a fundraiser to keep a group up and running that benefits so many causes and organizations that it boggles the mind to think about it by informing us all about the need and introducing us to the people.

During all the above I met someone at a blues club whose wit has been engaging me on and off. But Tall Poppy Syndrome? ROFL. That's exactly the kind of thing I needed to know about at exactly the right time.

I had started hanging out at a blues club because I wanted to do something with sapphires. SL really needs some good sapphire work. I know that it's odd I'd think of the blues and sapphire, but it was a start and strangely accurate.

This person I met, who shall remain nameless, and who is NOT familiar with my work at all and whom I have never seen wear jewelry of any kind (I believe jewelry only calls attention to the real beauty, the bare neck), came to Lucas' jewelry shop where Lucas has some very creative designs and good prim work. I think it's the first time my friend and I had been in the same sim at the same time for a couple of weeks. We talked. She told me the kind of jewelry she likes, but only because I asked. Of all the pieces in Lucas' store she was only interested in the dragonfly earrings. So I went on to ask her what her criteria is. I was taken aback that she pretty much described Marc Loves Cleo. She had no idea it even existed.

Right at that time I got an IM telling me that some kind hearted soul had donated $US1,000 to the benefit I had promised the last necklace to and it wasn't needed any more. How's that for cosmic alignment? Someone ought to write a book on that phenomenon.

While my friend and I were agreeing that she would not look into my work, and we did agree (I remind her in case she's reading this although she shouldn't be) I gave her Marc Loves Cleo #10 registered in her name, which at this time I'm not divulging because I'm a stinker.

At the moment I passed it to her she crashed. She didn't know she crashed. She thought I did. She said that while she was hanging out in that eerily quiet "I don't know I crashed" world she put a broomstick in my arms. Ok.... I won't be surprised if I get a picture of that later.

So anyway, she doesn't have it (Marc Loves Cleo) yet, but she will, unless it's in her lost and found folder. Furthermore it must stay in her inventory and never be rezzed or worn because she said she wouldn't look into my work. No tainting of our conversations is allowed by such a blatant act of going back on your word.

The point is that Marc Loves Cleo is now officially gone. They're all owned. It was an interesting piece and I look at it now and I like it. I like it a lot.

Bye Marc.
Bye Cleo.
Thank you for your adventure.

Preliminary Thoughts on Virtual Diamond Standards

2007-02-19T12:29:00.000-06:00

Much has been going through my mind lately on the standard for diamonds in SL. Whether one likes bling or not one has to admit that any physical-life type diamond will have to compete with bling for how the diamond calls attention to itself. It is my belief that any realistic diamond of supreme quality in Second Life will not have to compete, but will stand alone as its own phenomenon. Isn't that what a diamond is anyway; a phenomenon?

It is not just the diamond that is a phenomenon in physical life and in Second Life, but any gem. When I speak of diamonds below I am including all gems in my thinking, except in the specific physical characteristics list, the same rules apply.

I would like to concentrate in this entry about Second Life qualities, not physical life qualities of gems and how we, as a virtual society, can create rules to determine what qualifies as a diamond and what does not. The physical qualities of a diamond are:

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DIAMONDS:
(from http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/elements/diamond/diamond.htm)

Color is variable and tends toward pale yellows, browns, grays, and also white, blue, black, reddish, greenish and colorless.
Luster is adamantine to waxy.
Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent in rough crystals.
Crystal System is isometric; 4/m bar 3 2/m
Crystal Habits include isometric forms such as cubes and octahedrons, twinning is also seen.
Hardness is 10
Specific Gravity is 3.5 (above average)
Cleavage is perfect in 4 directions forming octahedrons.
Fracture is conchoidal.
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals are limited to those found in kimberlite rock, an ultramafic igneous rock composed mostly of olivine.
refractive index is 2.4 ( very high)
dispersion is 0.044, fluorescent.
Notable Occurrences include South Africa and other localities throughout Africa, India, Brazil, Russia, Australia, and Arkansas.
Best Field Indicator is extreme hardness.

Again, these are PHYSICAL characteristics and we will have to determine which apply and which do not as well as providing VIRTUAL characteristics that do not apply to the physical world.

Color - applies in VR, but is easily changed. With caveats.
Luster - applies in VR, but is less easily changed than color. With caveats.
Transparancy - applies in VR, but is less easily changed than color. With caveats.
Crystal System - Does not apply
Crystal Habits - Does not apply
Hardness - Does not apply
Specific Gravity - Does not apply
Clevage - Does not apply
Fracture - Does not apply
Streak - applies in VR, but is less easily changed than color. With caveats.
Associated minerals - Does not apply
Refractive index - Applies, but with changes
Dispersion - Applies but with changes
Notable Occurrences - Applies
Best Field Indicator - Applies

So the above are PHYSICAL characteristics of diamonds in general. We need to create definition for those items which do apply in a virtual world and add those which are not applicable to the physical world such as "base prims".

On to specific diamond grading. If you're familiar with "The Four C's" of diamonds you'll understand what I'm actually attempting to define here. The four C's of physical-life diamonds are:

Cut
Color
Clarity
Carat Weight - 144 carats equals one troy ounce

A good, understandable brochure of these is at http://lgdl.gia.edu/pdfs/4cs_brochure.pdf. If you are interested in an extended definition I recommend http://www.tradeshop.com/gems/ as an intermediate level resource.

These are all good, but they're a generalization. I prefer the categories used by the Gemological Institute of America, or GIA Diamond Grading Report. You can see one and an explanation at http://www.4diamond.com/Anatomy/.

Here are the major categories from which the four C's are derived:

Shape and Cutting Style (Cut)
Measurements (Carat)
Weight (not applicable, however "size" is) (Carat)
Proportions - (Cut and Carat)
Finish - (Clarity)
Clarity grade - (Clarity)
Color Grade - (Color)
Flourescence (full bright) (Color)

I should stop here and propose the formation of a group of individuals who should assess and come to agreement on the attributes of an SL diamond. The charter of the group would be to:

A. Identify the characteristics of virtual diamonds (see Physical Characteristics above)
B. Identify the definitions of those physical characteristics which continue to apply in a virtual world.
C. Provide a body of oversight for diamonds released in virtual worlds and a GIA-type grading report for each for use by potential consumers.

Once A and B are done then C would be the on-going chore for the GISL (Gemological Institute of Second Life), except during cases of reassessment of the characteristics and quality criteria which may have to follow upgrades in the SL environment itself on occasion.

Feedback is welcome. Please IM me in-world with the names of anybody you feel may qualify for membership in the GISL. They would not have to know how to make a diamond to identify what it should be.

Current Work - Assassin Collar

2007-02-15T05:10:00.000-06:00

Aside from a piece I really, really want to do that is giving me a hard time because there simply is no inspiration for it in my SL life right now, I have been creating a Gorean work. It is a collar for an assassin's slave.

Before you say it, no I'm not Gorean. If you've read the books you'll learn that the whole slave thing is just something that is on a very basic level on Gor. I'd compare its base existence with something like our desire to have clean bodies on Earth. Slavery is just that foundational on Gor. The way John Norman, the author, describes it's reason for existence is actually pretty brilliant. It makes one wonder about humanity, but to do so one has to toss aside all their prejudices and sit down and do some serious thinking.

That said, if one twists their mind around the culture described in the 20+ books in the series there is actually a LOT of untapped artistic fodder that in some way expresses a feeling we all have. So if you see something coming out of me relishing the "glory of the kill, capture or whatever" then that's my mind attempting to understand what it would be like to be such a one. I'm not such a one and have no desire to kill, capture or whatever, but it is an imaginative exercise of emotion and expression.

One of the problems with SL Gor is that most of the people who role play it haven't even read the first book. They have no idea what they're doing. Newbie men will go in and grab a love slave and treat her like a dog he hates. Gor isn't about that. It's more about the appreciation of beauty of the human form and desires. I'd guess that only about 10% of Goreans know that, so SL Gor is somewhat disappointing. It could be much better.

A while ago I was speaking with a Gorean friend about all this. We had the thought that perhaps if SL Gor had some of it's own original culture aimed at injecting a pride of Gorean beauty into the world then the number who actually understand what Gor is about would increase. That doesn't mean they'd read the books, but they would have a means of actively cherishing their slaves like they're supposed to do. Yes, Goreans are supposed to cherish their slaves and not kill or hurt them unless they deserve it (I know, "who deserves that?!?" All I can say is it's not Earth).

Okay, so, I'm working on a Gorean Assassin collar. It's nowhere near finished, but here's a picture of what it isn't going to look like when it's done:

As it is it is too busy and not nearly as stealthy as it should be. With assassins it's all about gold and the knife. There is nothing else. Their training includes killing their friend, so what more can there be?

No, I don't like assassins and no, nobody else does either. Goreans just get out of their way and hope they're not the target. Assassins don't kill for the fun of it or to torture anyone, ever, they kill for gold and that's all. So the collar is all about the knife and the gold. Nothing more.

This was requested as a one of a kind, but I don't do custom pieces. So it was suggested as a limited piece. I don't think I'm going to do that either because, frankly, limited pieces are pieces that express a picture inspired by a person I know. This collar is just an imagination thing, not an inspiration thing. What I will do though, because nobody likes assassins and because I can't fathom being ultra nice to someone who would kill their friend, is I'm going to put a $L10,000 price tag on it as an unlimited piece just to be a shit in my own way. If they want it they can use some of that blood money and suffer a little bit themselves. I don't care if anyone buys one. The price isn't anti-collector, it's anti-assassin. The collectors that I know won't transfer them can come to me and get one, probably for free.

See how it works?

In the meantime there are quite a few other things going on. I am keeping my eye out for the inspiration for a piece describing a particular part of nature.

Oh, and nobody is reading this blog, so I'm being pretty unselfconscious about what I say.

Farewell, Elizabeth

2007-02-12T06:28:00.000-06:00

The fund raising ball for Ayeshe Millions was last night at the Stardust ballroom. It was a stunning success. The thought that is foremost in my mind is a warmness for the generosity of those who attended. Many of us were crashing left and right and coming back anyway. The sim crashed HARD and still they came back to give of themselves. Donations were going into the fund all evening from everyone in the crowd.

It is moments such as those that make me realize humankind's sense of humanity is the pinnacle of wonder, beauty, and is the very definition of the right way to be.

http://richpalmer.com/richdesoto/?page_id=28

Welcome Elizabeth

2007-02-08T07:36:00.000-06:00

Last night was certainly a busy evening when I got in SL. Aside from a visit from an old friend and a new one too, an article in the M2 (Metaverse Messenger) was published. With that (and the list here on the blog) Elizabeth was "out of the bag".

I announced to the RC New Jewelry Hotline that they may bid, in a blind auction, on Elizabeth sets #5, 6 and 7 between now and Saturday at 7pm SLT by sending an IM to me with their bid. Sunday will see the sale of #8 and 9 at public auction with the proceeds going to charity. Before anyone asks why THAT charity (see the M2), think "acorn".

I'll talk about auctions, first come first serve, set prices and all that in some other post. It's a dilemma, but I'm doing the best I can at the moment.

I rather like Elizabeth though. I want to talk about her this morning.

Concept

Elizabeth has been a very interesting experience for me. Initially she was born as a puzzle piece, similar to the Mata Hari, and throughout her build that is what I had in mind. I wanted to make her to exacting specs since she would be enjoyed by many. That's the overall view.

The Inspiration

The ruby in Elizabeth is a new technique I was trying out last month and it turned out surprisingly well for the piece and helped inspire the whole set. What is different about it is that it is actually a full-bright ruby inside a non-full bright ruby. I didn't use any of my old gems for it. It was a new one. The day/night effect was so calming that I thought it was exactly right for the period piece. I built wrought iron around her as earrings.

When the initial earrings were done I asked Kaffebean Doowangle for a huge role play favor. I gave Kaffe the first draft earrings and she went shopping. She found the perfect outfit, at Rebel Hope I believe, and then gave me a call. In the meantime I dressed up in the only period clothing I had. It was from Vindie Vindaloo.

When Kaffe tp'd me to her place she was sitting in her parlor at the piano dressed in her finery, wearing the earrings. She had no other jewelry on. I watched. The earrings were on fire. The shimmer moved so fast across them I was amazed what was happening to the wrought iron from the new ruby and the daylight on black. These weren't the quiet pieces I had supposed they might be. Resting, unmoving, yes they are, but worn they come alive.

Kaffe played the piano and I watched. I imagined what a necklace to suit those earrings might be like. Visions of gas street lamps, the industrial age, graceful manners and the emergence of decorative iron as an art form filled my brain. In silence I watched as the Elizabeth necklace formed itself in my brain following the refined curves over her shoulders and clavical coming to rest exactly where it should and how it should.

At that point I knew what Elizabeth had to be. That is what she became.

I thank you Kaffe. It is amazing to me the vision you sent me to channel into Elizabeth that day. I hold to the idea that the art lies not within myself, but within those to whom I listen, if I would but listen to the voice with which they're speaking.

The Build

The building of the work was a separate challenge. I modified the earrings to be what they are now and went to work on the necklace. The gyroscope around the ruby was first. Imagine if you will a piece which grows itself by itself. Each prim knew where it had to go and was telling me. I wasn't telling it what had to be.

When I got to the shoulders on the necklace I asked Kaffe to join me in my studio. She did, and I was thrilled to have been able to arch the iron over her shoulder as it is. This was a first where the prim conformed rather than a series of angled prims. She was extremely patient and I wonder what someone does when they're being built upon and not burdened by the busyness and concentration of the building process itself. It helped to have her there and brought out the original "piano" vision of some days before.

I completed the necklace in that sitting.

The tiara happened of its own accord. I hadn't planned it, I just made it without really realizing what I was doing. So much so I can't say I actually remember doing it. It just came into existence.

The ring is quite different. I began by trying something as I had with other slim prim pieces and really didn't like it. The problem was that I was telling it what to do. I let that thought go and made the ring as it is now. I asked the question about whether it matched and honestly the design simply told me that it will, but wait for the bracelet. What an odd thing for Elizabeth to tell me!

I spent days just stewing over the bracelet. There was no way she would not have one, but I had two nearly different styles here with the slim wrought iron necklace and earrings and that darned bulky ring. It's not really bulky to those who hadn't just spent a week on wire thin prims. I didn't realize that. So I gave it some time and and stopped making false starts. When the bracelet wanted to come out she would.

The day it happened, perhaps a week later, it happened exactly like you see. On a technical level the bracelet, I believe, is one of the most difficult pieces I've ever done. I did not feel the pain of that because on a stylistic level, when she stepped out of me and revealed herself, I became enamored by her. I still am.

Welcome, Elizabeth. I bow to your grace.

A Dreaded Realization

2007-02-07T04:56:00.000-06:00

Please excuse the rant if that is what this becomes. I am simply bothered, perhaps needlessly, but probably not needlessly. I hope someone finds this blog and reads it so they aren't taken in by what I'm about to describe. I name no names and I quote no materials intentionally. If you're the one perpetrating the scam described below just stop. You are abusing people's trust and stealing their money.

It pains me to find a course called "SL Master Jeweler Career" course in SL that isn't led by a master jeweler. I know of only two in SL and I am neither of them, but my work is passable and respected by those masters I look up to.

A friend IM'd me because she was having issues with some of the terminology they're using. They are teaching "snap to grid" (in a "master's" course!?! Get real!). My dear friend had points take off her score because the jewelry box she made didn't have a script to open the box. More points were docked because her logo wasn't up to par. Puhlease! What does any of this have to do with becoming a master jeweler? Master marketer, perhaps, but it is so far away from being relevant to being a master jeweler that it's ridiculously insane.

But how would the uninitiated know this?

The syllabus ranks the levels of jewelers as Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, Black Belt. Uh... there is no such thing as a "Black Belt". Either one is a master or not, and Master doesn't follow Journeyman. Expert might, but Master is above that level.

But how would the uninitiated know this?

So I had to go see the store of the instructor, whose name I had never heard of. I kid you not, I was dropped into the middle of a store with most work containing fewer than 20 prims, heavily textured and extreme bling scripts galore. I felt my gut wrench.

Not all the work in the store is by the instructor. Some students have displayed work as well. Looking around I rated all the abilities and came up with "Beginner" to describe the majority of the store owner's (the Master class instructor, mind you) work and "Intermediate" for the work of one or two of the students. For $500 per two hour block of class they're giving out "Master Trained Seal" certification... for beginner to intermediate level skill?

But how would the uninitiated know this?

I teleported a dear and knowledgeable friend over and showed her the syllabus. She looked around and was as flabbergasted as I. Guess what she said to me...

"Do you see now why you have to market, Random? People don't know any better than this."

Resignation. I had to, in the face of obvious fraud and deception, admit she is exactly right.

We shall see where this goes. I don't now yet. But I do know someone has to do something. There are way too many people being scammed, misinformed, and dispossessed of thousands of their linden dollars.

The Random & Tayzia Story

2007-02-06T07:31:00.000-06:00

While I'm working on downloading pictures and figuring out what I have to say about each piece I thought I'd say a word about me and Tayzia Abattoir, the curator of the Crescent Moon Museum and the NMC Museum. Occasionally I'll google my name and see what's being said and I was surprised to see our names connected with one another on one blog out there.

I also read into the post the misconception that we're business partners in a sense. I can certainly see how some might think so, since Tayzia sometimes posts my work on the SL forums. It is sometimes odd to me how everyone is so used to the predominantly vendor society we've created that they assume everyone is a business. Oh well.

Back when I did the RuGarDi tiara, which was shortly after I made my first gems, the final product seemed like something a museum might be interested in showing. I wandered around looking for a museum and happened upon the Crescent Moon, which at that time was located in Montmarte, a peaceful sim then owned by Mae Best. There I met Tayzia. As it turned out the Crescent Moon was the oldest resident run museum in SL. According to my travels up to that time it was the ONLY museum in SL that was actually a museum showing works by somone other than the owner. The rest were one-artist galleries, really, if I want to be truthful about it. Since then some wonderful museums have cropped up and I love every one of them.

There was something about Tayzia though... I watched. I watched how she not only encouraged me, but other artists. I watched how every one of us felt she cared about our work. I watched until I realized she was and is entirely sincere about it. Not only does she rave about the artists, but they rave about her too.

So we struck up a friendship. I registered the RuGarDi tiara to "Museum" and handed it to her. From that point on I reserved a copy of limited pieces for the museum and gave her one for display. Doggonnit, but she really did display the stuff and raved about it. The funny thing is that she wouldn't wear it.

It was when I gave her the museum version of Kijakazi-Eupe that it dawned on me why she wasn't wearing any of it. She's just THAT HONEST! I'm slow sometimes. :)

So she and I had a conversation and I told her she could wear it. Frankly, it's one of the best things I've ever done. Let me count the ways:

1. She was just ecstatic. Well, that made me beam because I could tell she had been sincere about her praise of my work at that point. I felt great about that! I knew why, for certain, I'd be doing what I'd be doing at that point in SL.

2. Frankly, I'd never seen my work worn much, except on my mannequin avatar, which doesn't really get out of the dark room studio much - and maybe on someone far away at a tringo game. I really started to notice the shimmer of the untextured prims. An avatar doesn't ever really hold still unless it's commanded to do so by a pose, so every "breath" movement she made while wearing the work really brought out the shimmer. hmmm... I wondered if I could control the direction and intensity of that...

3. I realized that if the work isn't worn it isn't worth squat but a bunch of technical prim mumbo jumbo.

It was at this time that I realized the meaning of "Value". That's fodder for a different post, certainly.

So Tayzia and I have been great friends since, well, the beginning. I think she's irritated that I don't advertise. I don't build so something will get sold, so it makes sense to me not to advertise. I build so something will exist, be worn, and be appreciated. I fail to see how "exist, worn, and appreciated" ties in with advertising.

I do respect her opinion though and I think her raving about my work has pretty much put my name out there. I am loathe to use the term "biggest fan", but she's right at the top, shoulder to shoulder with some others, and she does say my name a lot when I'm not around.

But I do respect her opinion. I give her permission to rave and post pictures all she wants. She's even putting together a huge invitation-only charity event for next weekend where a new piece will be auctioned for charity. But I don't feel good about her going through all that work. She says she's having fun with it. She's a museum curator, not my personal marketing person. I really don't want her to be what she isn't.

I just want to design and build and not be bothered by all that businessy stuff. Tayzia has jumped in and filled in a gap she sees missing. I'd hire a business manager and marketer so she'd stop being concerned about it if I found someone I trust as much as I do her and who is capable.

So anyway, there's the long version of the Random and Tayzia saga and what's what. TMI? Probably. Are we partners? Well, no, not really. Are we friends, you bet we are! I, among others in SL, am very proud to count myself among her biggest fans.

Layout and Content Ramblings

2007-02-05T16:05:00.000-06:00

I ramble. Thanks for even attempting to follow it and for excusing my eccentricities.

It is too tempting to add information nobody really wants to know, so I'm chewing on the question of what, exactly, to put here - on the blog. I put out an in-world almanac in notecard format with pics for the start of 2007. Do I want the blog to be a complete almanac? If so then there will be some days while I get it up-to-date with past work.

I envision this as a place where I'll just talk about what I'm currently working on, but two years of past is a lot of work to not cover since I'm positive I'll reference it.

Heck, it's dynamic. I'll go with my gut and can always rip it out later. For anyone who might possibly ever read this just tell me what you think and I'll roll with your ideas if they're not more work than I can manage.

Thanks to arraiin Grayson for making me think through even considering a blog.

Welcome

2007-02-05T15:02:00.000-06:00

Blog opened by request of interested parties. Under construction.