Hat tip to Lord Bardhaven for pointing to Adventures of a well-mannered can-can dancer – Hot 19th century dandies!
Holiday memories
Tomorrow’s salon at Ormsby Hall, Caledon Murdann will be on the topic of holiday memories. I have plans to be at home on the third Tuesday of the month at 5:00pm SLT at least through February.
Which holidays, you ask? Well, isn’t that just the question? Diwali! Human Rights Day! Bodhi Day! Feast of Saint Nicholas! Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! St Lucy’s Day! Hannukah! Christmas!
Do come for a visit and tell us all about it.
Winterfell-Caledon Ball
Tonight it was my pleasure to serve as the Radio Riel host at the Winterfell-Caledon Solstice Ball, organized by Serra Anansi, Seneschal of Winterfell, and Her Grace, Gabrielle Riel, Duchess of Caledon. The ball started out in Winterfell Castle in Winterfell, but the sheer fabulousness of the crowds crashed the sim. In the resultant confusion, we regrouped in Caledon Cape Wrath, a brand-new and mostly empty sim that newly connects Caledon and Winterfell. At times we had more than seventy avatars at the ball. Her Grace was the musical presenter and, if such a thing is possible, outdid herself with the loveliness of the music. It was a triumph, and my congratulations to the ladies who planned it.
After my duties for the formal ball were done, I managed to take a few photos without moving from my place (oh, the wonders of no camera constraint and very high draw distance!).
View of Winterfell Absinthe from Caledon Cape Wrath.
Caledon Cape Wrath fresh from the sea.
Radio Riel: From the Library . . . Luciafest
In addition to being a host for Radio Riel, I occasionally act as a DJ or musical presenter. I’m very excited that later this evening (just before I go to bed, in fact), I will begin broadcastingRadio Riel: From the Library . . . Luciafest, which will shuffle about nine hours of music through the early evening (mid-afternoon, SLT) of Thursday, December 13.
Defender of Murdann
Yesterday the Duchy of Loch Avie celebrated St. Andrew’s Day in fine style, with festivities throughout the day. A highlight for me (and the only portion I was able to attend) was the tourney of arms between Duchy Champions. I was honored to be represented by the Protector of Caledon, Lady Whoop-ass, Diamanda Gustafson, Defender of Murdann.
Lady Dia and I confer before the contest of arms.
The state of social dance in Second Life
A most surprising occurrence last night at Radio Riel at the Rock. Lady Protector Diamanda Gustafson was DJing. (I missed the audio on the first half, as I was also watching the end of a movie—but I can vouch that the second half was fantastic!) The conversation turned to various forms of social dance not yet available in SL, such as the polonaise, the quadrille, and even a short English Country Dance set (not mentioned, though no doubt also desired, would be a square dance and a contra dance set).
Currently there is a relatively short list of couple dances from major animators: waltz, tango, salsa, and ballroom. Alexicon Kurka, however, produces a polka, and has recently introduced several Greek dances, including a hasapikos (or perhaps a syrtaki, but it is called hasapikos by Mr Kurka) that can be coordinated in a line:
Left to right: Hotspur O’Toole, Searra Weatherwax, Gabrielle Riel, Eladrienne Laval, Annechen Lowey, Otenth Paderborn, Myfanwy Davies, and Iason Hassanov (I’m not sure I have Miss Davies’ name correctly, and I would be happy to receive correction.)
Victorian decorative arts
Mr Expedition Offcourse and Miss Persephone Gallindo were kind enough to give a presentation Saturday evening on the Victorian decorative arts. It was held in the Gaiety Theatre in Caledon Penzance, which was designed and built by Miss Gallindo. The event was held in voice, occasioning a bit of technical difficulty at first, quickly overcome. (It is clear to me that practicing with the voice function of the client should be on my list of tasks.) Mr Offcourse had a series of technical misfortunes, but he skillfully covered in such a way that participants were not inconvenienced.
Mr Offcourse outlined the broad artistic movements affecting Victorian decorative arts, showing an example from each movement and explicating some of the distinctive elements of each. Miss Gallindo then spoke about the process of building in SL, encouraging her listeners to be constantly looking, both in SL and in FL. Mr Offcourse then gave a short practicum on creating custom textures and sculpties.
Live celtic music
On Friday I attended my first live music event in Second Life, the grand opening of Smuggler’s Cove in Caledon Wellsian. The band was Keltish, which apparently has been playing in SL for some time, at the Blarney Stone. It was great fun. Although the sim was doing okay, I had terrible lag, what with several dozen people in one small space. I managed to camera over and get a shot of the band, with images in the background of the live audience the band was playing to in a RL house concert.
Interview with the librarian
Baron BardHaven discovered lacunae in his knowledge of the Caledon Library system:
I set out in a quest to find out more about this mysterious library.
Thank to position and repute, I was able to quickly find the right address for my questions, that being the Director General of the Caledon Library, Miss Scandaroon Beck.
The result is an entertaining and informative report, Library Cards.
Victorian Shopkeepers Association
I am happy to announce the creation of a new group in Second Life: The Victorian Shopkeepers Association exists to enrich the 19th-century communities of Second Life—Caledon, New Babbage, Steelhead, Antiquity, and other sims as appropriate—by helping shoppers and shopkeepers alike mitigate the 25-groups limit.
For discerning consumers, a mechanism to consolidate notices of new products and specials in a single group.
For shopkeepers, a way to reach a wider audience through cooperative effort.
Open enrollment. Business owners, please IM me to be added as a shopkeeper.
The Rules
Shopkeepers may send up to one notice fortnightly (*subject to review) announcing new products or sales. No general advertising.
No chat.
Rules strictly enforced.
Group owners as of 28 October 2007: Kamilah Hauptmann, CoyoteAngel Dimsum, Otenth Paderborn. Officers: ZenMondo Wormser
Please feel free to spread the word of this effort.