Dio’s 12th year in Second Life Feb 11th, 2019 – Part II

Yesterday, I had my 12th anniversary of joining Second Life.
It has become a tradition for me to write a longer blog post on the occasion of my rezzdays, to have a look back on the last year and to realize the changes in my Second Life as well as the things that didn’t change. Yesterday, I published Part I of my anniversary entry and talked about my closer family and the changes in my family. Today’s part II is about the simploring tours I made in my 12th year.

12 years in Second Life – part II: My simploring tours

Let me start with my simploring tours about art in Second Life. I admire the creativity of artists in this virtual world, I visited galleries like Lyric Art Gallery, La Masion D’Aneli, 20][21 gallery, Rey’s Gallery, Shui Mo Gallery, Milly Sharple’s Fractal galleries, Daphne.Arts and Deva Westland’s Galerie Des Beaux-Arts. I visited and wrote about 7 installations of Cica Ghost, who continues to conjure a smile in my face with every of her funny whimsical creations. I saw fewer art installations since the Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA) is on hold. But some private initiatives luckily provide space or the artists themselves dedicate their own space. Just recently I saw an exhibition of Mistero Hifeng’s art at Valium Creek Art Park. I saw “The Mind Melter” by Thoth Jantzen at VeGeTaL PLaNeT, I saw “Lalawood” by Theda Tammas, Yoon (onyxxe), Iono Allen and JadeYu Fhang at La Maison d’Aneli as well as “Binary Radiation” by Nino Vichan. I saw Twilights Doors by Bo Zano (Bozanonl Resident), “The Outer Garden” by bisou Dexler, “Inferno” by Noke Yuitza, “Avaloir” by Eupalinos Ugajin, Undertones by Oluja (artistik Oluja) and “Delicatessen – Tell Me a Story” by Meilo Minotaur.

Shui Mo Gallery (upper left) / Aneli Abeyante’s art at La Maison d’Aneli (upper right) / Delicatessen – Tell Me a Story (lower left) / INFERNO by Noke Yuitza (lower right)

Since January 2020 the blog has a new category for blogposts about art in Second Life, I won’t categorize old entries though.

I found many cosy and lovely sims where people built their own dreamworld, peaceful and picturesque. You don’t need many prims or a large place for it, Nevgilde Gaard or Black Mire – around hi-cafe are examples for that. Most of these dreamworlds were homesteads: Florence Bay, Authors Point, Secondlife National Park, Maderia Springs, Blaylock Island, Scarlett Isle, Carolina, Broken, Alternate Reality, Fleur Nederland [Dutch], La Digue, Northern Shore – Skärgården, Soul of Dreams … just to name a few. In these sims I spent relaxing hours and enjoyed the views and the peace.

Northern Shore – Skärgården (upper left) / Scarlett Isle (upper right) / Secondlife National Park (lower left) / Black Mire – around hi-cafe (lower right)

Some were really particular. I want to mention Last Dove, a sim like a movie. It’s setting is based on Lonesome Dove, a 1985 Western novel by American writer Larry McMurtry. Last Dove is still open if you haven’t seen it yet. I also liked Kun-Tei-Ner, a sim that provided a scary view into mankind’s future, a place with no land, a city that grew up on a huge mountain of containers filled with broken technological stuff. And just recently I visited the SS Galaxy, the largest cruiseship in Second Life – impressive, in particular when you consider it’s history.

Last Dove (upper and lower left) / Kun-Tei-Ner (upper right) / SS Galaxy (lower right)

Then there were the sims that have a real background, where a place in the physical world was build in Second Life. This way I got a picture, an idea of the real places and my visits gave reason to do a little bit of research. Venice in Italy was one of these impressing places and I spent some time exploring it.
I had never heard about Ukivok before and now I have the feeling that I’ve been there already. I had heard of Huntington Beach before but wasn’t aware of it’s oil industry history. I also had heard and read of North Brother Island, yet I haven’t been there in real life (yet). Now I somehow feel like I’ve been there. I learned a lot about Chesapeake Bay, a place I’ve been to twice in reality already being not aware of it’s history.

Ukivok (upper left) / North Brother Island (upper right) / Chesapeake Bay (lower left) / Huntington Beach (lower right)

I also discovered many places related to my kinky side, to BDSM. That’s another dream you can live in Second Life and I do. Unfortunately some of these places don’t stay long like the Elevate Femdom Lounge, Windhaven or Meadow Rose. Also some adult places, that we liked to visit every once in a while, are gone now like The Apostasy or Angel of Pain’s BDSM island (Remark: Angel of Pain has a successor sim)

Gone: The Apostasy (upper left) / Angel of Pain’s BDSM Island (upper right) / Dungeon at Windhaven (lower left) / Meadow Rose (lower right)

Just recently I discovered Caged Elegance, a club with many member, lots of events and all sort of kinks. I enjoyed my visit to Catena et Cavea, an adult sim that is also really picturesque. Amrum is another place I not only went to for simploring but also for a session with Mistress Jenny when I had a green light. I like in particular the BDSM vacation home there.
We visited The Obliviation Hole RLV Prison of Starbright Wingtips who gave us a full tour. The prison and what is going on there is a regular subject when we chat during our Friday night parties.

Caged Elegance (upper left) / Catena et Cavea (upper right) / Amrum BDSM vacation home (lower left) / The Obliviation Hole RLV Prison (lower right)

Thank you all for building, for creating and for sharing your dreams (kinky or not kinky) with the rest of the community. And please apologize if I did not mention all of my tours, it were simply too many. I did really enjoy all of my simploring tours!

End of part II, tomorrow’s part III will be about the other highlights of my 12th year.

Dio’s 12th year in Second Life Feb 11th, 2019 – Part I

Oh my gooad.. I can’t believe it! 12 years in Second Life!
Today marks my 12th anniversary of joining Second Life. Considering that there’s only one life you can live, the virtual world of Second Life has become a part of my everyday life. And the intention of this blog was and is to keep the memories alive, although places and people simply vanish sometimes. Reading back I’m able to remember, like a journey in my memories. In May 2019 I began a new monthly series in this blog called “Backflash”. In this series I select an old entry once a month and present it here. This way I force myself to browse in the archive and to fresh up a few of the many memories. That’s always quite interesting also for myself! For our readers the new series provides an insight into our Second Life without reading back the many posts and it might also give reason to browse through the archives.

Like every year I write a longer blog post on the occiasion for my rezzday. I’ll have a look back on the last year to realize the changes in my Second Life as well as the things that didn’t change. Like I did for my last anniversaries, I will split this anniversary post – this time into even 3 parts. The part one will be about our family, the part two about my simploring tours and part 3 about the other highlights of my 12th year. Enjoy!

12 years in Second Life – part I: My home and my family

Let’s start with our home. Once again it hasn’t changed. We didn’t make any major refurbisment. Obviously we’re quite happy with it and it does feel like home, just like in the physical world. There have been only some minor changes, some more plants, some new furniture and toys. And my art collection, consisting of sculptures and pictures, which I either bought or got as a present from artists is growing.

Dio’s little art park – some new exhibits of 2019: Humanitree by Milly Sharple and Yes/No by Reycharles

During the last year the family has changed again.
On Tuesday, January 15th, 2019 Mistress Jenny and I collared slave Gwen (gwenney) as Maurer’s slave Gwen. One week after her collaring, slave Gwen sent an offline IM to me that she has some RL issues and wight be off a couple of days. We haven’s seen slave Gwen ever since. 5 months later, on June 22nd, 2019, we released her officially from our Service. We hope she’s doing well. Like all other former slaves of ours, slave Gwen is always welcome at our home.

After we released slave Gwen we had only three official collared slaves for quite a while: Kitty, slave slut cecy and slave Flo. That changed during the Summer. On August 24th, we collared slave Christin and a few days later on August 29th we collared slave Gwendi.

Kitty is doing well and is still adventurous and causes mischief. We still get messages every once in a while from people who caught her or who she had locked up. Mistress and Kitty meet sometimes in our morning and I also met her several times regardless of our not fitting timezone. We stay in touch and this blog is also very helpful for Kitty to catch up with our news. Besides being our collared slaveboy ..ehm … slavegirl, Kitty has become a close friend of ours in addition.

Unfortunately also our slave slut cecy lives in a different timezone (slut is Mexican). Her RL prevents her from being with us most of the time. We see slut irregularly about once a week. slut is very loyal and manages to stay in touch but it is hard to integrate her when she appears all of a sudden. As we don’t want to spoil her short online time with technical stuff we refrained from getting a meshbody for her and we change her outfit only very rarely. The catsuit that she’s wearing right now will become her second skin. It can be colour changed easily to have some variation and it is restrictive.

slave Flo has been a very good slave. Quite often she was our only slave present after slave Gwen didn’t show up again. slave Flo is still enjoying bondage and restrictions. Being our head slave Mistress and I rewarded her and dedicated the slave’s hut “Shangri-La” for her use. slave Flo is keeping our house clean from pixel dust. How can someone show more dedication and loyality than by this sysphos work? slave Flo developed her own status within the family and like Kitty she has become also a personal friend, a fix part of our Second Life and we’re happy and proud to own her.

Christin (Christinvega) began visiting our homesim in Autum 2018. She in every once in a while and in March 2019 we had a first chat with her. We learned that she’s from Norway, that she’s submissive and we could tell that she’s a bit shy at least at first. She attended the next Friday night party and then was absent for several months. She returned end of June, stayed close and and we took more and more control of her. She slowly opened up more and more and as she got known to us she even developed more confidence, she became more bratty and she got a bit closer to slave Flo and Angelique. But she stayed very obedient, patient and not needy. slave Christin began her traditional trial for us on Saturday, August 17th. Exactly one week later, on August 24th, we collared slave Christin as our Maurer’s Norsk Brat Christin. Welcome to the family, slave Christin.

We had noticed Gwendi Dash many times before. She was visiting the same clubs and places as we do and her often shiny or fancy outfit caught our eyes. We also got in contact to her several times, mostly talking about her clothes. That all changed with a short but funny conversation with her about slave Flo and slave Christin on August 15th and I invited Gwendi to join our Friday night party the other day. Gwendi was present when we started slave Christin’s trial and she was with us ever since. She hold company at slave Christin’s trial cell and of course she attended all the conversations we had with slave Christin during the trial. While attending slave Christin’s trial, Gwendi agreed to give up more and more control and I restricted her to our home, her home from now on. It became almost a double trial. Hence Gwendi’s own trial was comparably short but very intense. We didn’t leave her any real choice, actually she was already our’s before she entered the trial cell, she just didn’t know it. We collared slave Gwendi on August 29th, 2019 as “Maurer’s slave Gwendi”.

And there’s Angelique, our niece. She’s not collared by us. Angelique has a very spophisticated and elaboarted wardrobe and is very helpful. When it comes to dressing, she’s our style consultant. She’s also very attractive herself and is irresistable when she’s in a kinky mood. Angelique is obedient and submissve and very loyal. My relation to Angelique cooled down while she was not in the mood for anything for a few months. But then we got closer again, maybe even closer than before. Roleplaying with her is exciting and she still allies sometimes Mistress Jenny against me but still it stays just teasing. Angelique is another fix part of my Second Life.

With slave Gwendi some of her closer friends became close to us as well. I want to mention here in particular our shiny Ann (TransAnn). Ann has always itchy feet and can’t stay still or without roaming around restlessly – nonetheless she and her helpful ways is a real enrichment for our family.

Besides Mistress Jenny and myself the core family at the start of my 13th year consists of Angelique, Kitty, slave Flo, slave slut cecy, slave Christin and slave Gwendi.
The solid base of my Second Life is my relation to Mistress Jenny, my beloved wife, partner and property. We shared these 12 years together and for some we’re seen as one person (DioJen) already. I couldn’t believe it but my submission to Mistress Jenny has even further grown. She made my submission to her irreverible. Nonetheless Mistress Jenny still grants (way too short) green lights where I may tie her up and be in control. I personally think that these role swaps are one reason why our relation stays exciting, varied and gets even stronger.
Mistress insists that I head the family, but to some extent that’s more a delegation as she has grown into the (not very secret) decider in the background. We exchange about everyhting, our everyday life, our Second Life, all matters regarding the family, we tease each other, we try to get enough time for playing amoung ourselves, we love each other.
Besides all the fun I have in Second Life, besides my simploring tours, that I enjoy a lot, Jenny is for sure the reason that I’m still in Second Life after these 12 years – and that it became a part of my life. Thank you, Mistress Jenny!

End of part I, part II will be about my simploring tours and part III about the other highlights of my 12th year.

Simploring 2019 (76) Malaika Park

For my simploring tour on Saturday, June 22nd, I picked Malaika Park from scoop.it SL Destinations. There were already quite some blog posts published about Malaika Park and I read Inara Pey’s post “Exploring Malaika Park in Second Life” before I visited it myself.

Malaika Park is a full region owned by Leroy Voorhees and home for a few people. According to Inara Pey Malaika Park was created by Leroy Voorhees along with Gabriel2009, Wayne (waynenz), Sangi Phaeton and JJ Goodman. The groud level is publically accessible and looks like a Mediterrean town.

Malaika Park – overview

The landing is at the court of this little town, right next to a bar and to the quite large yacht harbour. The relation between the large yacht harbour and the town itself reminded me a bit of St. Tropez in France, in particular as Malaika Park is full of art pieces.

Malaika Park: Heart hands by reycharles and Senza vestito by Mistero Hifeng (left) / Snacks and bar (right)

I walked from the court along the the pier to the snack bar and saw the “Heart hands” created by reycharles, who’s gallery I visited in March (read Simploring 2019 (28) Rey’s Gallery) and one of several sculptures created by Mistero Hifeng that are spread at Malaika Park.

Malaika Park: court (upper left) / Merfolk Maiden by Lucas Lameth (lower left) / Blue and White no. 3 by Jake Vordun (upper right) / La…chiamano realta’ by Mistero Hifeng (lower right)

Close to the court is another large sculpture by Mistero Hifeng, La…chiamano realta’, and a modern sculpture by Jake Vordun (Blue and White no. 3). I visited the cafe and walked to its roof, where you have a nice view over the harbour. On the roof ou find 2 more sculpture from Jake Vordun (Diana and Actaeon). At the time of my visit a big cruise ship laid along the other pier. It reminded me of the current debate about cruise ships in Venice as this one clearly dominates the view on Malaika Park. I assume it is just temporary. The cruise ship is part of SL Pride and use as a big party ship.

Malaika Park: cafe with sculptures Diana and Actaeon by Jake Vordun (left) / SL Pride cruise ship (right)

At the end smaller pier is another scupture of Jake Vordun (Red No.1) and I came across a guitar player from Cica Ghost and I saw two sculptures form Lucas Lameth (Merfolk Maiden and Merfolk Guard). All the art is placed with care and the pieces do fit to their location. The art can fully develop this way and it is a pleasure to see and enjoy it.

Malaika Park: Merfolk Guard by Lucas Lameth (upper left) / paddle boats (lower left) / Boy with guitar anim. by Cica Ghost (upper right) / Red No. 1 by Jake Vordun (lower right)

I continued my exploring tour of Malaika Park and saw many more sculptures. I saw La vita…imparare vorra’ and Dentro corpi liberi from Mistero Hifeng. The later is unusal colourful for Mistero and a nice transition to Cica Chost’s “man 5” who holds a balloon and her matchstick animation “Cica’s Little Boat”.

Malaika Park: La vita…imparare vorra’ by Mistero Hifeng (upper left) / Dentro corpi liberi by Mistero Hifeng (upper right) / man 5 and Little Boat by Cica Ghost (lower pictures)

The colourful town houses are not furnished, but on the other side of Malaika Park you find (surprise *winks*) more art like another modern sculpture from Jake Vordun (Fancy Decor: Grantaire Sculpture). There are two residential home on this sime of Malaika Park, one is on the plateau of a rock overlooking the town and Gabriel2009 has his atelier here. It’s worth a look at it.

Views of the other side of Malaika Park, upper right picture shows Fancy Decor: Grantaire Sculpture by Jake Vordun

I ended my exploring tour visiting the pool and the games area.

Malaika Park: Gabriel2009’s Atelier (left pictures) / pool (upper right) and games area (lower right)

As far as I understood, Malaika Park is constantly changing a little bit. I assume that art is added here and there or that room is made for events like the cruise ship that was there during my visit. I really enjoyed how the pieces of art are placed at Malaika Park. This alone is worth a visit. Thank you Leroy Voorhees and all others involved from creating this sim and for sharing it with the public.

Landmark to Malaika Park
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Malaika%20Park/137/86/30
Inara Pey’s post “Exploring Malaika Park in Second Life”
https://modemworld.me/2018/10/05/exploring-malaika-park-in-second-life/

Simploring 2019 (28) Rey’s Gallery

When I visited the current exhibition at La Maison d’Aneli on February 28th (read Simploring 2019 (30) La Maison d’Aneli March) I came across Reycharles, who is one of the artists who’s work is exhibited at La Maison d’Aneli.

Impressions from Rey’s Gallery (1)

Along with the exhibition Reycharles wrote a notecard about himself and his work:
I’ve been in sl since 2012. I’ve spent a lot of my time traveling around this world. In the real world I work with digital and 3D graphics. I really like creating and manipulating to experiment with color and effect forms both in 2D and in 3D.
This is part of my work in the real world and I thought I’d bring it to SL too, so I’ve just started making exhibitions, I also have a gallery where I exhibit my artistic works, originals and reproductions.
My mind is open to all the suggestions of fantasy, instinct and emotions of the moment. I also love decorative objects, thinking that art and design are a beautiful couple

Impressions from Rey’s Gallery (2)

In particular Reycharles sculptures, be it human statues or geometric forms or fantasy objects caught my eye at La Maison d’Aneli and spontaneously I decided to visit “Rey’s Gallery” the very next day. Rey’s Gallery is dominated by his 3D objects, his sculptures. The landing is at a court in front of the entrance to the gallery building – and the court is used as an extra exhibition area.

Inside I found some of the exhibits from La Maison D’Aneli, like the hand with holes or the ballerina. But most of the objects were new to me. I was in particular intrigued by the “Yes and No” sculpture and by some of the stylised female bodies. As Reycharles predominantly makes scultpures in white or in one single colour the row of 5 apples in different strong colours on the 2nd floor is outstanding also.

Impressions from Rey’s Gallery (3)

All of Reycharles sculptures can be purchased in Rey’s Gallery itself or at his store on the marketplace. I’m pretty sure, that I’ll come across his art again. For sure in my own garden as I purchased the “Yes and No” sculpture.

Rey’s Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/JollyRoger/192/43/22
Rey’s store at the marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/190502

Simploring 2019 (27) La Maison d’Aneli March

I missed the opening of the current joined exhibtion at La Maison d’Aneli on Wednesday, 27 February, but I visited the day after. In March La Maison d’Aneli presents the work of 6 artists: Reycharles, Jeaneos7, Serena Parisi, Rofina Bronet, Kiana Jarman and Oema.

At “La Maison d’Aneli” March 2019

I started my tour through the exhibtion with Reycharles, who is in Second Life since 2012. In RL he works with digital and 3D graphics. He likes creating and manipulating to experiment with colour and effect forms both in 2D and in 3D – and he brings it to Second Life as well. Besides presenting his work in exhibtions, Reycharles also has an own gallery (here). At La Maison d’Aneli we see a variety of 3 D scupltures together with graphics and get some insight into his work.

Reycharles at “La Maison d’Aneli” March 2019

Jean (Jeaneos7) joined Second Life in 2016 and began making profile pictures of friends in 2018. Soon he opened a photo studio named J7Studios, that also serves as a permanet gallery nowadys. Besides portraits he also loves to take picture of beautiful landscapes. At La Maison d’Aneli we see an excerpt of his work.

Jean (Jeaneos7) at “La Maison d’Aneli” March 2019

Serana Parisi describes herself as an explorer in RL and SL. Being in SL for more than 12 years, she still likes the joy, the simplicity, her friends of course and always to discover even more in SL (in this relation she’s like myself). The photography allows her to share her life. In the exhibition at La Maison d’Aneli she shows picture of her journey to Vietnam. She encountered people who’s smile and emotions intrigued her. She’s enthusiastic about the explosion of colours, which she thinks characterises this country. And her pictures serve as a proof that.

Serana Parisi at “La Maison d’Aneli” March 2019

Rofina Bronet is in Second life for 11 years and decribes herself as a dreamer, maker, thinker, crazy, charming, with inner fire, open mindeds and much more. Two years ago she started with videos and pictures, she mixed pictures and video material recorded in Second Life. Her videos contain 3D effects, special effects and supports the music and art scene in Second Life. At La Maison d’Aneli you can watch her video of art installations of other artists like Bryn Oh or from festivals and other events. Besides that you see related pictures of these installations and events.

Rofina Bronet at “La Maison d’Aneli” March 2019

Kiana Jarman also joined Second Life 11 years ago. She simply loves to take pictures in Real Life as well as in Second Life. She says: “Photography is like writing with light, making music with shades, such as paint with time and seeing with love“. The pictures exhibited at La Maison d’Aneli transport a lot of emotions. You can sense the passion that went into creating them.

Kiana Jarman at “La Maison d’Aneli” March 2019

Oema is quite renowed as an artist in Second Life. I visited her sim Enchanted Art back in 2017 where Oema presented not just her art (read Simploring 2017 (34) Enchanted Art). Enchanted Art is no longer existent. Oema said about herself “I am an artist, an art curator, an art blogger and a magazines writer … so I am an art passionate:-). Art is a very important part of my life, one of the best ones“.
The exhibition at La Maison d’Aneli shows the broad spectrum of Oema’s art. She loves virtual landscapes, she tries to make them look realistic and she loves surreal art. At La Maison D’Aneli her pictures are shown in a dark environment, that gets a mystic atmosphere by moving sparkles of lights. Oema also writes about art in her blog Virtuality.

Oema at “La Maison d’Aneli” March 2019

La Maison d’Aneli is owned by Aneli Abeyante. Through her gallery she brings together all forms of creativity in RL and SL and the featured artists come from around the globe. Aneli’s intention is to “put her gallery in the service of artists, so that the world can be better, exchanges and meetings probably contribute even though it seems to be particles.”
Thank you for this new joined exhibtion, Aneli. And thank you to all artists. It’s really worth a visit.

Landmark to La Maison d’Aneli
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Holland/32/40/21
Raycharles gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/JollyRoger/192/43/22
Jean (Jeaneos7)’s J7Studios
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Marble%20Hills/10/154/21
Oema’s blog Virtuality
https://virtuality.blog/