Why I relay

Today I had the opportunity to get my photo taken as part of the “Why I relay” campaign in the lead up to the Fantasy Faire opening later this month.  Catelina Staheli has very kindly offered her services in support of the cause and you can slip over to her Flickr here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/81538244@N05/ to see the photos she has already created. The messages are all personalized in that you share your own reasons why you relay for life.

Also here is the link for  The Fantasy Faire web page, with lots of information : https://www.flickr.com/photos/81538244@N05/

Catelina offered me the chance to photograph a second picture, and I grabbed the opportunity to share a fantasy themed styling in the spirit of Fantasy Faire.

There are many very personal reasons why people get behind supporting RFL fundraisers, such as I shared in the first photo, but also more widespread general wishes and hopes for the eradication of cancer.

When I looked at my second picture I thought for a moment.. why did I choose to capitalize the word cancer in my answer? Am I making it too important, making it dominate , giving it focus.. but as I thought about it I decided it was how it feels to me.

Cancer is not a cold, it is not a case of chickenpox – yes there are possible complications from these things, but cancer- Cancer is invasive and unpredictable. There is no set reason why one person gets Cancer and another does not. There are different circumstances that may increase your chances at getting a Cancer ( for example in my father’s case a farmer who worked much of his life in the outdoors with little sun protection he has an ongoing battle with skin cancer). There are different things that people can do to increase their chances of successfully handling the treatment , and side effects of the treatment, but there is no guarantee it will be 100% successful.

Cancer deserves a big letter, not so that we give up when we run into it ( personally or through family and friends) but so that we don’t. So that whether we have personal experience of Cancer or not , we make sure that we don’t forget about it, that we don’t give up . That we, as part of human kind, all fight together with whatever knowledge, wealth, strength, passion, belief and hope that we have individually and collectively so that Cancer shrinks, that it becomes a thing of the past. So that one day we can only see the word in our history books and not in our everyday lives.

These are some of the reasons I relay. They are personal and they may not be yours, but please if you don’t already relay for life I ask you to think about it.

 

PS I will blog about the second outfit in this post on another occasion but if you want any details ( about either photo) just drop me a note.. or wait patiently for the upcoming post 🙂

Say it with a smile

Strawberry Singh’s Monday meme challenges are back, beginning with a happy theme, a smile. In SL it can be really hard to achieve a simple smile even with animators and tricks, so I decided to go for a simple smile. The inspiration behind the photo , as originally posted by Strawberry here: http://strawberrysingh.com/2015/01/05/second-life-yearbook-smile-challenge/, is the yearbook photo. In New Zealand we don’t have individual year book photos, though we do have a book compiling class photos and photos of special events throughout the year. In the last week of the school year ( which for us is in November/ December – depending on exams) the yearbooks are given out and everyone scrawls messages or jokes as a reminder of the fun times you shared that year.

I took a little of my RL to influence my “yearbook photo” I always had a fringe at least partially over my eyes especially in the teen years, we wore uniforms for school but otherwise I chose very neutral/dull clothing – trying to blend into the background maybe? I blushed so easily and didn’t like my dimples so never smiled very large, which worked in perfectly for my SL photo lol. The hint of my teeth ( PXL) was enhanced by a slight tweak of my lip shape, my favourite skin Megan from DeeTalez, is pinked up with a blush layer which was buried deep in my old folders. My pose and blue background is courtesy of the Yearbook prop from oOo Studio. Oops I didn’t make a note of my hair or shirt… I will have to update those details sorry about that.  Anyway like my message says.. “Keep on smiling”

 

Ice , ice..maybe

I am sure most people with internet access have seen multiple videos of the ALS ice bucket challenge. Even more so once celebrities got on board and started tagging each other via facebook. Then it hit SL.. and of course my friend Vicky Coronet tagged me. Now all I can say is thank goodness it is in SL, in RL it’s a cool winter morning here and I am not touching ice if I can avoid.

But in SL it’s easier to get a bucketful of ice and dive into the challenge.

Brrrr, even just looking at that makes me feel cold.

Now that you have read this consider yourself challenged, unless you have already done this chilly challenge. It is up to you whether you do this in SL or RL, but it would be great to see some SL photos, perhaps paste photo links ( blog, flickr, fb) in comments. Keep spreading the word ! If you don’t know about ALS- which I didn’t,  this is the perfect time to google it and find out more, meanwhile for those who are thinking this challenge is just a pointless social media craze, consider how many people are now learning about this neuro-muscular disease who had never heard of it before. Knowledge is the first step to making a difference.

Details:
Skin: Grace C88 Med 2 Br, -Belleza- ( @ current c88)
Hair: dry style- Hathaway hair – Dark Brown 1, ~Tableau Vivant~
wet style-NATSUME , *ARGRACE*
Eyes: Horizon Eyes v2 – Dark Antique , IKON
Swimwear: sydney.buttercup , coldLogic bikini
Extras: Slink casual hands and high feet
Pose prop: ALS Ice bucket challenge photo prop, Animated Living- FREE http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Discovery%20Bay/172/65/29

(the towel is from Ruca tease as part of Day at the beach swimwear).

 

Save the last waltz for Walt

After much delay I finally managed to put together my final look in following the SL Disney Challenge. Fittingly the last inspiration is Walt Disney himself. I took the style and softened the colours going for more cream and brown for a sepia effect like in old photos. Then scroll down for details and one last “bonus ” Disney picture. This has been a lot of fun, despite my tardiness , and I have loved seeing the looks created by other bloggers.

.. and yes I do think the hat needs to be tipped at such a “rakish angle”, but now a close up without the hat.

Details:
Skin:Ellie Gacha 14, -Belleza-
Hair: The 3th year Anniversary hair(Wood Bark), *Dura*
Eyes:Destiny Eyes – Maya , IKON
Makeup: “Falsies” Eyelashes, *MC*
Candy Lips Nude 1, Blacklace Beauty
Outfit: Who Shot The Go Go Dancer, [LG] Boutique-[ FALL-13] ( part of the 55L specials , Liv Glam is the spotlight store this round so LOTS of 55L items to check out)
Extras: Slink elegant hands, with polish from Hello Dave, and slink flat feet
Poses : Hat Pose-white leather, plus poses, BehaviorBody
Shoes: Odette Heels (Slink Feet Add-On) :: Copper, Ingenue (@ current Collabor88)

Last photo:
Ally Off Shoulder Long T-shirt S_2,[Chloe] ( @ Stuff in Stock)
Knee socks, pink, Izzie’s
.. and now it’s time to say farewell to the SL Disney Bounding challenge..

Subject dysfunctional

The Writers Block Challenge  week 5 , link to main page here http://simplydou.com/2013/10/01/the-writers-block-chapter-five/. Originally when I Looked at this weeks themes I thought I wouldn’t write anything as none of them drew an image to mind. Then last night out of nowhere appeared this story to write. So first thing this morning here I am writing away , posting an uneditted shot ( which I think captures the feeling) and hopefully getting it to The Writer’s Block Blog in time for the close off for this week. The theme that struck me in the end : Dysfunctionality.

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Name: D

Gender: Female

Age: Unknown

Family background: Dysfunctional

Behavior: Dysfunctional

Language: Dysfunctional, selective mute?

White room, white walls, white face, white coat, white paper. Soft scratching sounds of a pen making marks, making decisions. Clock ticking quietly, pen clicks ,once, twice..silence.

White voice asks , “What colour is the sky?” Staring eyes. Blink, close eyes, a kaleidoscope of images. Deep black at night, a tumultuous purple  before a storm , followed by a cold slate grey as it pours with rain,  jade green when I see it reflected in a slow moving river, delicate yellow when the sun first rises and muted pink as it sets, a flaming red when it is bonfire night, orange when I squint at it from behind my fingers and an intense white when I look too close to the sun… white , white, white….

Tick , tick, tick… click-click. Open eyes, bright white light, silence. Pen scratches against the paper making dark marks on the white surface. Making a mark in a box. Putting me in a box, a white box … label it dysfunctional. Click -click silence….

Now I ask you… “What colour is the sky?..

——————————————————————-

 Details: The pose prop is Blind from the now closed store Glitterati,( note poses are inbuilt but I used another) Hair is Lucy wet style from Catwa, Skin is Amaretsu -lait from Essences. Slink flat feet . Clothes aren’t really visible but its a plain white ribbed tank from Maitreya and dirty denim shorts from sb ( spoiled brat). Windlight ,Nams Optimal Skin and Prim.

Belle the book lover

A rather subdued Belle and rather late, must be because she has her nose deep in yet another book. That or the fact that the internet was not kind over the last couple months now. I have certainly learnt not to take the ease of this technology for granted ever again. The small reading nook is a hunt prize that has been in my inventory for probably a year now but some things , like books, are classics and something you want to hold onto and return to over and over again. Although I would have preferred to be able to change the textures of the seating it is still a great little hideaway something any book lover can appreciate.

My next SL Disney Bounding Post is the final one, finishing with the late great Walt Disney as inspiration, but for now I leave you with the details for Belle’s look below.

Details:
Skin:wixson t2 M3, .la petite morte.
Hair:  Story – Brown 08, [e]
Eyes:’Sunrise’ Eyes – Bleached Blue, IKON
Top:Liten Shirt White , [ SAKIDE ]
Skirt:Satin Skater Skirt [Sapphire], :Sugar:
Shoes:Cotton.Mary Janes- Black.Tie,fri.
Prop: Bookworm Book  (wear me for reading anims), LISP
Furniture: Time to read hideaway, Hanaya ( past hunt prize)

Happy in my own skin

Chapter 4 of The Writer’s Block Challenge

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Closing the door with a soft click I let my bag drop to the floor, fingers deftly loosening my coat. Slipping it off I hang it in the closet near the door, before stepping out of my shoes and walking across the empty living room . Standing before the window looking out over the city , crossing my arms over my chest my fingers splayed as I rub lightly up and down my forearms as if cold. Staring out at the lights I catch sight of my reflection and still my movements, looking closer , staring , peering as if to see something that is hidden from plain sight. Resting my forehead lightly against the glass not aware of the coldness just the stillness and the quiet. After the fast pace of a day at work the scrabble to meet deadlines, the harsh sounds of voices arguing, debating pointlessly , figures recited , paper shuffling , chairs scraping , data being processed faster and faster, recalling facts, blunt statements, people racing around ,a blur of colour , rushing,  always something more to do. But now stillness, quiet , just me..alone with the light.

 Looking at my face reflected in the pane of glass as if it is that of a stranger, dark hair pulled back severely, red painted lips drawn tight, my blue eyes piercingly cold.. I blink and turn away. Walking towards the bedroom I wonder over what I had seen in that cold visage. Was that who I had become , or was that always who I was? Hands reaching behind me lowering the zipper of my dress , slipping it off and hanging it automatically on a hanger closet ready to take to be cleaned.  Moving to stand beside the hamper as I remove my underwear placing it inside before turning to look in the mirror. I look.. I stare… with the fingers of my left hand stretched out I touch the perfect, smooth metallic surface. Tilting my head I look at the slight smear left on contact with the silvered image. Raising my other hand I remove the clips that held my hair.. restrained it throughout the day, letting the strands fall free to rest around my shoulders. Then I raise both hands and slide them through the silky tresses lifting the weight as I ease my hands up and away from my scalp carefully placing the well made wig upon the specially designed stand.

Soft skin silent on the tiled floor as I move into the adjoining bathroom , reaching for the packet of cleansing tissues I remove the makeup in several wipes, dropping each one into the waste basket. Taking a small container from the cabinet I remove one coloured lens after the other placing each one carefully into their own compartment, everything in its place. Turning away from the mirror without another look I return to the bedroom , pausing beside the pristine bed my fingers trail lightly over my skin, so smooth and so perfect ..so alien to me now . Since the accident and subsequent operations I was no longer the person I once was. Finding the joins I peel back this layer that looks so delicate and fragile yet was made especially for me with ground breaking technology. Slipping out of my skin easily as I had done this for days,months ..almost a year now. Placing it upon the bed ready for the morning when I would dress again in a skin that would make those around me more at ease, more able to forget , more able to pretend that I am the same as they. They do not wish to see my true skin..

Turning off the last light in the apartment I return to look out  the large window in the living room. This time as I place my hand against the reflective glass I admire the way the city lights reflect in its surface. This body, this skin of mine that allows me to continue my life , protects my delicate organs, to others it looks cold and unfeeling. To me it pulses with life and colour  perhaps it is only seen that way by eyes that can appreciate the beauty of differences. I raise my chin resolutely,  I no longer feel sadness ,nor fear, no concern for how others see me, I feel only pity for them and their desire to all be the same. I am different … I am happy in the skin I am in.

                  ———————————————————————-

Details:
Skin: Lilith – Jamaica 12 D HB, Glam Affair
Hair:Siri – Walnut, Maitreya
Eyes:Eternal Eyes – Floe , IKON
Dress:Posh Dress [MESH] -Raw Silk, DRIFT ( includes a hud with 10 colour chocies)
Extras:Slink elegant hands and mid feet, worn with Flair polish
Shoes:Jane.Heels (Black), fri.day ( oops I didn’t show these in either of the pictures included .. but they really look great with this dress)

Alternative look
Skin: Android skin, silver , female, Nomine
Eyes : blank black included with android skin from Nomine

Say it with me .. *Drag-on*.. not lizard

Yes another round of SL Disney Bound.. with Mushu declaring himself a fierce dragon , not a lizard.. and for this look I had fun with red and gold, the cool gold collar brought this look together but since I can’t log onto SL atm I don’t have the specific details about where I picked it up or who made it. Internet speed…. please please please get sorted soon! Like tonight!

Details:
Skin:Aria Skin Collab ~Pure~ Lover (black thick), .Birdy.
Hair:* SEMIRAMIS*/darkbrown, .:EMO-tions:.
Eyes:’Sunrise’ Eyes – Bleached Gold , IKON
Top:Molly Ribbed Sweater (Red-), :::Sn@tch:::
Pants:coated denim  (yellow), ISON
Jewelry:Celeste Gilded Collar (bright)
Shoes:Hucci D’Ann Pump Exotics – Orange Creamsicle, ::HH::
Background: Sakura set2, KaTink
Poses: Bonnie, IOS

Up , up and away

I managed to stay on SL long enough to get a few pictures styled and taken to catch up on the now finished SL Disney Bound challenge. Yes it’s finished but I’m still going to post my efforts.. so here is my take on the young Ellie and Carl from the movie Up.

 

 

Details:
Carl-
Skin:Nathan – tone 7 – brown, ~Tableau Vivant~
Hair:TYLER -Dark, *REDGRAVE*
Eyes:Eternal Eyes – Dark Brown, IKON
Glasses:K_gs Sofian Mesh sunglasses
Jacket:Men’s Grunge Jacket,Grey stripe [mT] ( past group gift)
Shirt:Cotton Striped Shirt – Collar – Olive, A ( past Menstuff lounge gift)
Pants:Linen Summer Shorts, [ SAKIDE ]
Shoes:Trail – Men – Black & Green , [ h ]

Ellie-
Skin:Leila Arcade 12, -Belleza-
Hair:Soft – Blonde 07, [e]
Eyes:Destiny Eyes – Nymph, IKON
Top:Missy top- ( will add more details when I can log back on SL)
Pants:Anika Baggy, %.:EC:. ( also includes top- with lolas applier, not worn)
Shoes:Player Kicks  Black, Razor ( gift in the hunt at AB)
Pose and prop:Balloons for Couples Pose , + Pose in first picture {what next )

Love letter

Chapter 3 for The Writers Block Challenge, and I have chosen the theme : If I could go back in time , I would change.

I wrote .. well not quite a letter, not quite a poem.. but definitely fiction. Here’s the link to the main post to see the rules, guidelines and other writer’s works: http://simplydou.com/2013/09/01/the-writers-block-chapter-three/

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Sloth- PXL

My love,

If I could go back in time I would change what I said and didn’t say. I wouldn’t let you believe the lies

I would still my lips and let you see the truth in my eyes.

You would see my tears as I faced my fear, instead of letting you think I didn’t care

I would not hold back and cling to my pride.. such an empty gesture

Our love was worth fighting for and so I would fight.. for you , for us, for our future.

If I could go back in time I would change what I did and didn’t do

I would always keep my heart and arms open to you.

I would not turn and walk away rather than hear the things you wished to say

I would let you know that you are in my heart and mind constantly

that loving you and being loved by you sets me free.

Our love was intense, deep and pure

I would cherish you.. us .. our past , present and future.

But I can not go back in time , I can not change the things I said or left unsaid,

can not undo what was done or enact the dreams in my head.

I can’t change the hurtful things of the past

but I can make changes to the now to ensure those wounds do not last.

I will let go those pain filled words and memories, and declare our love true

I will fight for our future.. for us, for me , for you.

Our love is strong and so are we

so when you are ready, open the door

and find me .

————–

Talk about a last minute posting,but I have kept hoping for the state of my internet to improve. The support person from my internet provider is very apologetic but seems unable to tell me when it will even be resolved.. though at least they do admit it was the provider’s  error and they have offered some credit on my account to make up for the fact that for more than 2 weeks I have had reduced speed, so slow I can not log on SL. The exception is for a few hours around my 7am so I managed to snap a couple pictures but then ran out of time before the idea for this post came together, so please forgive the re-using of a past photo ( original post : https://serenestyle.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/its-okay-to-cry/).