Sunday, August 31, 2008

Good Morning

Thoughts and ramblings about our favorite place SecondLife. I am always amazed how updates seem to fix what was wrong for some in the last update and create problems for those whom everything was going ok.

Yesterday, we were laughing about how we missed being RUTHED. Especially when then guys would come in smaller with tits and a bit more subdued until they completely rezzed. Now, we come in between Star Trek (Scottie beam me up) and Casper the Friendly Ghost.

One thing I would like someone to make is a duplicate inventory collector. So we could just drag our files into this thing and it would not show the items. (Example, we could put 1,000 of items away and go find them easily and our inventory count would exclude them.) Right now, I put all my old clothes in a box and after awhile delete the box. I couldn't believe the crap I thought was important enough to save. Freebie clothes, leopard print velor fabric love seats. Copies of sex toys that would never be used.

It would be fun to know the top 5 items we all saved and one day laughed at when we threw away. You know, those little blue dresses we hid in the closet.

Another thing we've talked about many times. My friends list is a mess. I want to sort into Friends, Acquaintances, Enemies but now I want more. I want to create groups. Current Family. I want to be able to create restraining orders so some avatars aren't even allowed in the same sim I'm in. A group of those who know how to dance. Those you don't invite out because their mic sucks, they munch food, tell bad jokes, forget to groom, don't remember your name.

And then a group of GONE AWAY. Friends who've left but you don't want to delete them because you are sure they will find firstlife boring and return to the joys of lag, graphic distortion and skirts that fit funny.

Finally, I want a group of friends who never contact you unless they want something. Oh, my dear friend, could you please come to my rez day part, wedding and other events where bodies are needed. "Please, I can't find enough campers anymore!"

Oooopsss! Another thing. AWAY and BUSY....I want to be able to have a DO NOT DISTURB, but be able to check the few friends I would like to be able to reach me and they wouldn't get a BUSY notice. I mean, what if FedEx wants to make a delivery of the new shoes I bought?

Oh well, Good Morning SecondLifers (yikes that just sounded like a morning call at a 'minimum security facility.' What a joke....call it what it is. A jail with crappy locks.)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Relevance

This blog is both self-promoting and an insight into performing in SecondLife. As most of you know, I've been doing a stand up comedy rountine in SecondLife for over a year. For those of you who don't know, most of the material is self-written (or friends thoughts) about what is funny in SecondLife.

There aren't many comics in SL and I'm not sure if musicians are effected but I do know, less and less people attend one of my shows although the amount of people in my group expands. I also notice that other comics are also having a hard time attracting an audience.

I am attributing this at the moment to Summer but when I log on the number of people is higher then ever. Perhaps most Second Lifers don't like to laugh. Or, none of us are very funny. Either one of those two reasons should be a death blow to comedy in SecondLife.

Now, I haven't noticed any drop off for musicians and I have noticed musicians tips are nearly five fold over a comics. Since I belong in the latter group, I do worry about the possible death of comedy in Secondlife.

For myself, I am going to see over the next 90 days whether the numbers pick up or not. I keep writing plenty of new material (that I hope is funny) and will do everything I can to make a go of this. This is not a cry baby blog. I don't do that. Instead it's knowing where I and other comics stand. I talk to regularly to those comics and we need to know where we are on the 'realization' curve. It's quite possible SecondLifers find comedy a bit lower then camping.

And finally, on Saturday, at 3pm SL time in the sim of IVY FALLS at the theater, I will be doing a show that will also be broadcast into a theater within firstlife in Amsterdam. From what I understand this will also be interactive. If you happen to be around, I hoe to see you there.

Hey, if I'm not funny, there's always shopping for shoes.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Inflation in Second Life?

Have you noticed? There is INFLATION right here in SecondLife. I'm not talking about our land. All of that is subprime. But the price of things are going up and my pocketbook is suffering. However, we cannot attribute it to OIL or other commodities. So the question is, 'What is inflation in SecondLife and how is it caused? What can we do about it? Or, should we just stop buying things

I've been noticing this for quite sometime but it really hit me at the big Hair Show event. Hair that use to cost 100 is now 200Lindens. And 200L is now 400L. So the price of hair is rising. And of course we are all worried about 'avatar rendering costs' and the hair people don't list it.

(Aside, I think all wearable items should show the 'avatar rendering costs' in the label. How do we now how it was made. The quality, durability, Lightweightedness,)

Anyhow....many prices are rising here in SL. Have you noticed Stiletto Moody's boots are now 1500L for a pair. Last year top price was around 1200L. Sure, you'll say they are better made, or they are this year's style, but still they cost more and you know I need them. Therefore less money in my wallet to feed my little girl Lula.

Other things I notice. Musicians are getting larger tips. Instead of those 50L and 100L they are getting 400L and more. Some musicias have actually made easy pay with numbers like 6969L, That's a lot of particles. And I do comedy. I hardly get any tips. I can't do many shows or people will be bored. So Lula goes without shoes now.

The gift shops have raised prices.I saw a wedding dress for 5999L the other day. I was so happy I won't ever be asked to get married. The price of dresses at Blaze is going up. I have to shop over at the Asian stores where, I guess, labor is cheaper and quality is great and the prices aren't rising so fast.

Landscaping prices are rising. Trees I use to buy for 200L are now 400L at Straylight. New ocean waves cost up to 5000L for a package.

Animations are on the rise and so are dances.

But the sad part is my old clothes look like crap and aren't in style so I'll have to throw them out and get new stuff for fall. I haven't had the courage to look at the price of a nice silver necklace and forget about gold, I no longer even think about that. Nor do I know how much the Persian rugs have gone up.

All I know is the Lindens aren't doing anything to help. There are no lunch programs for my little Lula. She comes home everyday hungry. I'm not even sure I'll be able to keep my house warm this coming winter. So, if you see me huddled on a sidewalk somwhere in SL with my little Lula in my arms and an empty coffee can beside me, please, please drop some Lindens in.

Hmmm, wonder how much Linden cat food costs.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Starting Over

Anybody need a new friend? Anyone still need a comedian? Lauren's back and I need to find new work and new friends or I could just go shopping.

I am going to do this show on August 30th (and the machinima part tonight). I will also be making a decision as to whether LaurenLive will take a hiatus. My last show have had very small audiences and just the regulars so it is apparent my material is either stale or something else that I'm not sure of.

And, you knw I don't like being STALE...so I will work on seeing if the following project can be done.

THINK OF YOUR LIFE BEING A PART OF A NEW DRAMATIC COMEDY IN SECONDLIFE.

So, how many different jobs have you had? How many friendships have you burned through in SL and how quickly? Who do you love? Write it down. Don't worry about puncuation etc. that can all be worked later. Who you are and how you interelate in SL. Your joy and tears.

I would like to know if any of you are interested in recounting (by an email document to lauren.weyland@gmail.com) your life in SecondLife. Love, shopping, friendships etc.

Why? Because I want to take these stories and using editor and script writers work them into a dramatic comedy. We live here but no one has ever written or produced a show about our lives. There's tons of Shakespeare, a few original plays with no ties to SecondLife and some adaptation of plays from firstlife.

Only In The Pink was ever about the women of SecondLife but most of the play centered arond their firstlife experiences as a woman (which of course if would have to have) only a few pieces were SecondLife experiences.

Now, I believe something wonderful, unique and electrifying can be produced. I am not saying this is an extravaganza (though I'm not sure the direction regarding sets etc. nor will I direct.) But, I do know men and women have stories of their lives in SL. These lives have interest, especially to others in SL and properly put together could be performed on Broadway.

All, email only, stories (please elaborate in your story...what did you wear? what sim were you in? i.e. we met when I fell on him tp'ing into Club Dance. Or, I sat and cried at the pier in New England sim. Talk about your friends and their lives it you want. We need depth so we can focus.

NO PERSONAL INFORMATION will ever be exposed to anyone and if your story is part of this play you will be contacted to approve using it. However, whatever your story it will change in the play to move the story forward. So, once you are aware we are using it, you must also understand we will not require your permission in how we interpret it going forward.

If you have no interest, maybe you have a friend who does. Hopefully we will combine many stories int a character during development and deliver to the world a product of tears and laughter.

Hugs, Lauren

Monday, August 11, 2008

Friends

One of the most difficult aspects of SecondLife is the emotional tribulation in realizing a friend was not your friend. Or, a lover was deceitful and took your kindness away.

I wonder, for how many of us, this has happened and we can't express the feeling of the void it creates. It's early morning and I have lost a friend. Oh no, she didn't leave SL. As a matter of fact, one of my oldest friends re-entered SecondLife today so I guess you could say I've had a neutral day.

But alas, that isn't the case. The joy from a friend back does not dry the tears or dampen the thunder of your chest heaving and sighing. And a SecondLife friendship, in many ways, is harder to lose then one in firstlife. We spend such emotional time with our SecondLife friends. We invest ourselves into them. And for the most part the investment is worthwhile, loving and brings us happiness.

There are different ways of knowing in SecondLife that a friendship is over.Especially your more casual friends. They just stop saying hello. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes not.

But then there is the losing of a close friend. A friend you've shared deep thoughts. A friend to whose rescue you came many times. One of your handful of friends. Someone you trusted dearly with you soul.

Some of these are those who leave SecondLife and plan not to return. Those tears are hard to dry but there is the smile of the times together and the wish they are happy in firstlife. Every now and then you come across something in SecondLife that reminds you of them. Your lips curl up and you think of the good times with them.

Then the most difficult type of friend to lose. Whose tears cannot be dried. It usually involves some other action. It needs a force to move this to being a lost friend. Other people can make it happen. A project you are both working on can be an instigator. Some external event is usually the catalyst.

And, I guess you can be on either side of this revelation. The weaker side is to need your friend to care, to understand and not to judge at a moment of extreme weakness. Of course you didn't just come to this point in a day and so it is usually blurted out at an inopportune time. Oh yes, you had promised yourself you wouldn't but you ached to long to wait. The fuse wasn't long enough to make it to the right time.

You want them to see their mistake and say, "I'm sorry". The kind of "I'm sorry" that heals the wound you have. Somewhere, you realize they don't understand at all what they have done to hurt you and instead shift the blame to you. Where they never pondered what was happening, you had and others had said as much many times to you. They get frustrated with your seemingly incoherent talk but they should know the difficulty of even speaking one word since it was held so long.

You had weighed the insult and simply wanted it understood and healed. But, the friend's conversation never touches on you or your pain. Instead, your friend defends their actions. You look hard to see if they would have held you had you fallen in battle or in health. Would they need to say, "I was not my fault?" Or, would they have just held you until your eyes closed? Would they think you a burden?

And, then you see they would've have. Their friendship with you had some other purpose and your warm tears fall onto the hot surface of life and vaporize because you know you've lost someone special and you can't come back.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Midsummer Night's Dream

SecondLife Goes Conventional

In just over a month the SecondLife Convention will take place in Tampa, Florida. Your girl Lauren will be there.

One of the big moments will be on Saturday, Sept 6th at ‘Breakfast with Philip Rosedale”. The big question is what to wear? Should I wear my camel hair suit (oh no…probably a furry would complain). Perhaps your girl should wear a nice prim skirt with ‘glitch pants? I can’t wait to see some store in FirstLife advertising ‘Glitch Pants on Sale.”

Then there is the issue of what perfume to wear since my sense of odor is somewhat lacking in SecondLife. Oh, and do I have bad breath? Is Philip short or tall? And underneath is he a griefer or a poet.

And, what should I eat? Since I haven’t tasted a thing in SecondLife will the food they serve be the same bland primladen nourishment in SL? If I do eat will my appearance bar start to slide right and my skirts start to roll my fat over their waistband?

Then there are incredible learning sessions. Which do you suggest I go to?
Morning Session
a. Business Tract Panels
b.Community Tracks Panels – includes
1.REAL support in a virtual world (press F1 instructions)
2.Non-Profit is Non-Profit (how my builds were ripped off)
3.Real Estate (SecondLife is SubPrime)
4.Open Source Technology (why your land is worthless)

Afternoon
a. Business Tract Panels
b.Community Tract Panels
1.Role-Play Fantasy (is this an oxymoron or just moronic?)
2.TV & Film in SecondLife (SecondLife Girls Gone Wild)
3. Finance (why you can’t bank on it.)
4.Real Estate (a new boom will sweep clean)

And guess what? Sunday’s agenda is exactly the same. Breakfast with Philip!Again? (Of course we’ll be on first name basis. You know how, your girl, Lauren can bat an eye and bring down a buffalo.

If you see me wearing mauve you’ll know I got lucky at the Tampa Marriott Plywood Bar. And wow, there will be free shampoo in the rooms which I think is made from the remnants of the liquid dishwasher detergent bottles you throw away nearly empty. Yes the one to the right of your kitchen sink faucet.

Well, I promise you this if they don’t laugh when I’m there I’ll just show them how my thong fits.

LOVE YOU Always.................................lauren

Monday, August 4, 2008

Midsummer Night's Dream

Please take a moment and go to this link. It has some great promo videos and other information on the show I and many others have been working on since mid Spring.

http://ivyfallstalent.com/midsummer.htm