Open space

Soon, Linden Research, Inc. will be selling open space (also called “void”) sims at prim parity with regular sims; i.e., for 1/4 of the cost (initial and monthly), you can have a sim with all the space and 1/4 of the prims of a regular sim. The one catch is that open space sims can only be bought by those who already own a regular sim.

I encourage anyone who likes the look and mellow nature of Wyre who is interested in renting such a sim to contact me. I would be happy to consider purchasing and renting out new adjoining sims.

Elle visits Wyre

I had the great pleasure of giving my friend Elle a carriage ride around Wyre. We sat for a while on the bluffs in the northeast of the island and had a good talk. For once, I remembered to take a few pictures!

Royal Orcadian Bank

Part of my end-of-year entertainment was creating the 2007 Royal Orcadian Bank mint. This inaugural minting comprises a one mark coin, a one krone banknote, and a ten kroner banknote. Produced in a limited run of ten editions, the 2007 mint is presented in a keepsake wallet. The series is reproduced here for your enjoyment. (Click on the wallet to see the currency.)

(It should go without saying, but in this time of upheaval in the virtual world “banking” sector I will note that the Royal Orcadian Bank issues currency of no objective worth, which is traded on no financial markets, accepts no deposits, makes no investments, and thus pays no interest.)

New Years Honours

CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD

Aahus, Wyre

1 January 2008

The JARL has been graciously pleased to signify his intention of conferring the Honour of Knighthood upon the undermentioned:

Ancient Order of the Key

Miss nox Pinion, for public service.

Order of Merit of Saint Gall

Mr Gamboge Skall, for services to finance.

Heidrun Award

Mrs Prudence Weatherwax, for services to animals.

Press Summary

Dame nox Pinion, AOK, graciously and selflessly stepped into the role of Estate Manager during a time of need in Orcadia. Dame nox successfully added the first two names to the banned list on Wyre, under circumstances which shall be kept private.

Under Sir Gamboge Skall, OMG, the Ministry of Finance of Orcadia has balanced the books during each year of his incumbency, detailing to the øre Orcadia’s negative cash flow.

Mrs Prudence Weatherwax, HA, a widow of limited means, is kind to stray animals.

Dancing to open a museum

Please help celebrate the opening of the Eulalie Mackechnie Farquhar Memorial Art Museum in Wyre on Tuesday, September 18, from 5 to 7 PM SLT.

Eulalie Mackechnie Farquhar was the paternal grandmother of Hermione Fussbudget, Baroness Wyre. The inaugural exhibit will feature photographs taken in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by Liz Augustine. The museum is adjacent to the fine dance floor in the Wyre fairgrounds. Music will be provided by Radio Riel DJ Diamanda Gustafson, playing her signature mix of “bagpipes and rock.”

Wyre dance floor

Here are a few shots of the large dance floor I built for Wyre Warming Day. These were taken a few days later, when we had an impromptu dance party.

[many photos lost]

I’m very proud of how the steps turned out:

There was a bonfire on the hill above the dance floor:

Paavo came by for a little boating:

Taking a carriage ride along the sea road:

Asha’s home (built from scratch!):

Warming Day party on Wyre

Sadly, I have no photos. But the party was, if I do say so myself, a success! There were never more than about 25 people present, and of course there are still thousands of available prims, so the sim stats only dipped once or twice. There were other forms of lag, of course, which affected several guests (and the host!). I will take photos later today and post them, showing some of the current state of development.

The music was provided by the incomparable Gabrielle Riel, Duchess of Carntaigh, and Radio Riel. The first hour was celtic and traditional music, and then we had ’80s favorites (1980s, that is, for the Caledonians reading this) for two hours (Gabi extended herself beyond the two hours she had agreed to). The dance machine and animations worked out well, a few of the dances apparently new to some of the non-Caledonian guests. Her Grace kindly supplied some couple dances, as I ran out of time preparing and had not purchased any.

I had two conversations at the end of the evening with potential tenants, which was pleasant. One of them actually wants a location in Caledon, so I’m glad he eventually became clear that Wyre is not a part of Caledon. Part of the confusion is the similarity between Wyre and Eyre (which was delivered last night, by the way). While I hope (and assume) that Orcadia, whether it remains the single sim of Wyre or it grows, will always be a friend to Caledon, I do hope people don’t confuse the two. I think the preponderance of guests from Caledon early in the evening contributed to some confusion last night.

Wyre Warming Day

Otenth Haakon Paderborn
and
The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Wyre, Hermione Ælfhildr Heidrun Fussbudget,
request the Honor of your Presence for
Warming Day
Friday, 8 June 2007, 5 p.m. slt
Wyre/25/78/32

Books Through Bars, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization, provides quality reading material to prisoners and encourages creative dialogue on the criminal justice system, thereby educating those living inside and outside of prison walls.

Donation kiosks will also be available for SLRFL: Virtually bringing the fight to cancer’s doorstep.
Books Through Bars

Barbara Hirshkowitz, January 9, 1950–March 2, 2007

These things I know
How the living go on living
and how the dead go on living with them
so that in a forest
even a dead tree casts a shadow
and the leaves fall one by one
and the branches break in the wind
and the bark peels off slowly
and the trunk cracks
and the rain seeps in through the cracks
and the trunk falls to the ground
and the moss covers it
and in the spring the rabbits find it
and build their nest
inside the dead tree
so that nothing is wasted in nature
or in love.

–Laura Gilpin
Siddur Kol Haneshamah,
Reconstructionist Press 1994

Wyre arises from the seas

Today Wyre, the first [only?] island of Orcadia, rose from the [frigid? warm?] waters of the [stormy? rough? tranquil? calm?] seas of Second Life. Still under the influences of [tectonic? volcanic? glacial? sedimentary?] forces, its topography is as yet wildly unpredictable. The digital winds blow wildly over its primitive contours.

What kind of land will Wyre become? Who will settle on its [verdant? welcoming? sunny? harsh? windswept? quaint? magical? majestic? rustic?] shores?

Only time will tell.

Island woes

The Official Linden Blog said recently that “residents will usually get their new island within 4 days of the order being placed.”

NOT.

Update May 7: Sim delivered today. Not so much longer than four days, unless you’re anxiously awaiting a new plaything!