Blogs. Grammar nazis. Editing. Stuff.

Life's busy. The real one, as in earning a living and running a house and having a social life. So, of course, now that SL works again, my brain tends to have shut down by the time I log in.

Bah.

Bad me. But this is cyclic, and my SL to a large extent depends on how much work I have in (ah the freelance life), so it is - I hope - due to swing a little towards the 'more time for me' end of the spectrum.

My daughter just sent me this image and... why of course I look like Nicole Kidman. Or actually no, I look like a female version of the one at the bottom right. And the bloodshot eyes and caffeine in the face of deadlines applies to all I do, translations and the rest. Heh.

I have, in fact, just churned out a honking great report (as in written it) and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with an equally honking great translation (while hoping it's not another train coming, and am hence taking a break to rant write something that I don't get paid for).

(If you're bored with this stuff, sorry... I do predict a return to dodgy SL photography and plugging my builds and stuff before 2013).

Get to the subject, woman.  Here it is.

I skim lots of blogs over the daily triple shot of expresso early in a morning, however busy I am (and read news after dinner, and books before going to sleep: I am a creature of habit).

(If you write / edit / translate for a living, you need to read. Widely. Simple as that.)

Since I figured out Google Reader, the blogs I read regularly range from food, decor, SL blogs and a smattering of more random things I discover in various ways (waves to a friendly physicist whose non-physics blog often makes me smile - AND he can spell and punctuate... heh).

Now, I don't expect blogs to be literature. Some are, but most are just fun or fascinating in other ways. Also, I can hardly look down my nose about personal blogs being less than polished considering the typos spread liberally around in this one and my ongoing battle with dodgy photos.

OK, and the rambling. I do know I ramble. It's the liberating thing about my unpaid writing. Live with it ;)

So, as far as I'm concerned, fill your blogs with anything you like (pale pink text, droopy mouthed models, fashion I'd not be seen dead in, recipes I'd avoid like the plague, histrionic self-congratulation and navel-gazing) and I'll decide whether to read it. Attract my interest, good or bad, and half the battle is won. I can ignore misplaced apostrophes. Really I can. Sometimes.

So far, so good.

One blog in particular, however, has made me half chuckle and half groan lately. It's one I always read with a sort of train wreck fascination for various reasons, and one that made my eyes roll when I first stumbled on it via another SL blog a while back, since the writer calmly stated 'I hate editors because they ruin my superb artistic expression' (paraphrased but you get the gist).

Hmmm. I'll get back to that.

However, this person's latest project is quite entertaining. She has decided to teach people about "writing for a profit". Apparently she does, and kudos to her. Sort of.

Considering I've been living off my ability to line up words since the Stone Age, I'm all for people offering sound advice although you'd never catch me attempting to teach it because I am too old and cranky.

Whether it's writing, translating or editing, my daily bread is all about being able to string words and phrases together with a certain degree of style and accuracy, and preferably enjoying it (mostly, I do enjoy it although we won't mention translating pension fund regulations). It's also about keeping clients happy despite impossible deadlines. Oh, and finding the clients in the first place.

No sh**, Sherlock. I'm also pretty talented at stating the obvious.

(This is a family-friendly blog, by the way, so interpret the asterisks. Thanks).

There are worse professions, even though I always fancied being a fighter pilot.

Yes, seriously.

But.

(Yes, of course there's a but).

If you're going to generously bestow your knowledge of writing on others, it would kinda sorta help to learn about apostrophes (and spelling, and a few other things). And it would help even more to avoid statements about hating editors, considering the said blog is supposedly a showcase for the said blogger's writing. Oh, and to stop with the fancy schmancy pale pink text bits that I am too lazy to highlight so I can read it. But that's a detail.

Some editors suck, I quite agree. I had a (professional) line editor for a book who was imposed on me a couple of years back, and who seemed to know less about it than I know about nuclear physics. But he did pick up (some of) my typos and a few inconsistencies.

However, some can be quite useful (understatement), and not just for sorting out your grammar.  I have a couple of editors / correctors who may well see me as the kid in the photo above but mostly we enjoy the synergies (I get mortified, argue, but am usually desperately grateful. And when I have my editor's hat on, I also aim for collaboration not dictatorship. Not sure whether I succeed, but I try.).

Although editing your own writing is possible if you have a sharp eye and can take the necessary distance, a fresh view can identify things your own brain refuses to see or grammar issues you haven't mastered (is apostrophe use really so hard? I do wonder sometimes). 

It is just too arrogant to consider that editors ruin your writing, though. Bad ones do. Good ones make it way better and way more 'saleable'.


Maybe I'm a grammar nazi. I don't think so, because my take is that if you (or your client or readers) really don't care about such 'details', then that's fine. Really. But it says plenty about a client if they don't care, and it speaks volumes about a wannabe writer if they think they're too good to be edited, despite not mastering punctuation or spelling. 

In an ideal world, as in when you get to be courted by publishing houses, you get to choose your main editor, who gets to the nitty-gritty of the structure, the architecture, lots of things - and who is not necessarily a line editor but I'll spare you yet more rambling on types of editors and editing.

In reality, until you have proved yourself, you don't get to choose. Which is why I got idiot-face line editor to deal with, who decided to change official terminology, 'correct' quoted extracts, misuse semi-colons, and apply a totally inconsistent capitalisation system. He was a doozy, and arrogant with it. The series editor? He was / is a gem and I soaked up every suggestion and frantically rewrote parts because he was right.

Maybe, just maybe, some writers have enough talent to get away with basic errors (and enough humility to know that you need somebody to pick up your typos and misplaced apostrophes at the very least), but today, in the real world of publishing and paid writing, sloppy copy usually means immediate rejection.

And cranky old broads like me laughing at you over her morning coffee.


There, I ranted. And I should go build something, right?

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Was it the Linden who took over my avatar (and found nothing wrong)?

Was it the remote update to my ADSL box?

Was it the third complete uninstall / reinstall of SL?

Was it kind people crossing fingers and thumbs for me? 

I dunno, but it works and has done for 48 hours. After 3 weeks of **** frustration.

So...

Permit me a brief period of just sitting and grinning at Vent du Sud, and being able to tp and explore and chat and -

- I shall be back with newness.

(and I am sitting on my 1L bench beside the greenhouse, should you be tempted - couples / singles). Which in turn is beside the Mas (which is a 'massive' 50L).

Forgive me. I am just so pleased I want to plug my stuff and change clothes again and... most of all BUILD.

 

(and I am wearing Exile Monika hair and Zaara jewellery and HOC wedges a top by PBD from 2008 and I need to go shopping also).


Except I have to get on a train tomorrow and go away for a couple of days - lousy timing -but apparently earning a living is useful.

In fact, if somebody would pop over and do my ironing and finish up a chunk of legalese, I would start shopping building NOW.

No?

OK.

Dear Linden Labs - a letter from a nobody

 Dear Linden Labs,

First, I'm no geek but for the last 30 years (you know, since we had floppies and parked our hard disks and I was incredibly avant garde for installing and using a 2400 baud modem) I've been handling my own PC issues and rarely needed outside help.

I have been earning a living on my PC plus my Internet connection for 25 years. I buy fairly good machines, too.

Second, I love SL and have done since 2007. I don't come anywhere near to meeting my tier, but I enjoy designing and building and chatting to friends, and try to pay it forward a bit by selling my stuff for 1L.

Putting money in monthly is OK because a) I can (within reason) and b) it's my hobby.

So when everything changed overnight and I couldn't stay inworld without crashing, it was something of an unpleasant surprise (understatement) and I did everything I could to find out why.

For three weeks now.

But that's all beside the point. Call it background. Let's get back to facts.

So, SL stopped working properly for me (as in it crashes sporadically but regularly, and kicks me off the Net), and after I changed nothing on my machine or settings.

Since then I have checked stuff, double checked stuff, and read up about stuff until I have frankly run out of ideas.

Your Live Help? Pleasant enough but despite asking politely to be spared the blurb about dealing with lag and clearing cache and uninstalling (done all that twice, thanks), I got... the blurb about doing just that. And was told to file a ticket.

I did. With basic information on my system (model and graphics card). It may not be a gaming monster but it's 2 months old and a pretty fast machine that had absolutely no problems with SL (on the recommended 'high' settings) until January 15.

None. 

I've now tried setting it on 'medium' and nothing changes.

Oh, and I've been checking my connection speeds and fluctuations, temperatures, and event logs. They all tell me everything is dandy. Your lag meter shows green everywhere. My fps is magnificent (up to 48, when I'm connected).

My network card says it's very happy thank you. I flushed my DNS cache also, just in case it was that. It wasn't.

This happens on whatever viewer I try (the official one being by far the crashiest of all, just so you know). It all started when I was on one particular sim (which I named), and if I try to go there I crash immediately which could indicate lag but other busy, primmy, scripty sims are fine. Sometimes. But I also crash on empty sims.

Mystery.

But... that comment today on my ticket about whether my machine met minimum requirements is pretty damned stupid.  I did send the FULL configuration this morning, in return, to save you Googling for the specs (which quite honestly would have taken you less time than writing that comment on my ticket in the first place).

I did say I had no problems (yet?) on my own connection and using another (fancy schmancy gaming) computer, thus indicating the connection is fine... but that does not make my normal machine some sort of wheezing, elderly, below-spec one.

No, my idea was to suggest it could be a problem with SL and my system DESPITE the fact it is well over the minimum needed, and hoping you had some ideas about that.

And if it affects me, it could well affect others too (and for days if not weeks, I have been hearing about people constantly crashing so I suspect there is some sort of a conflict going on with one bit of equipment and your code - and stupidly thought you might want to investigate that).

But no, you just trot out 'check minimum requirements'. Bah.


This does not make for what you would call a "Good User Experience". In fact it makes for a pretty crappy SL experience, including with your 'customer assistance'.

I've spent 5 years standing up for SL, despite its - um - quirks and shortcomings. I've found far more good than bad.


But... I'm sick of this. Really, really sick of it.

I'm not even sure whether it's worth trying to continue (and no this is not emotional bribery for you to magically fix it because you couldn't bear to lose me - it's just a fact).

How long will I  keep trying? Not sure, but not very much longer.

Please, LL, I WANT MY TOYS BACK

I was so much hoping to have a jubilant I AM BACK post, complete with photos of a brand new build and some fashion shots.

(You can imagine them if you like).

But, you lucky readers you, here is another whiny rant.

I have no idea why (and once again I have changed NOTHING), I appeared to have stopped crashing on Sunday, having sent in a detailed ticket on Saturday.

Optimism reigned. I even changed clothes. I considered cancelling the ticket but thought OK, let's wait and see.

I went up to my building platform and started just pootling around with a build and was SO SO HAPPY.

Then came yesterday.

Logon took forever. Then one of those 'moved into nearby region' messages where people were showing up one after the other.

I was halfway through typing 'is anyone else having login issues' when I crashed.

Checked grid status - nothing.

Logged in crashed logged in crashed logged in crashed (while checking to see if there was a response to my ticket... of course not).

Saw an SL friend on MSN and said 'is Graces down?' Mind, this seemed unlikely because in the brief moments I was logged in, I got a purchase message from Vent du Sud.

Nope. He logged in to his home location, and crashed. Then got to Graces, and crashed.

He is not in the same country but nothing was working for him on his very smart, very fast machine either.

Meanwhile I logged in, found myself in a sort of underwater environment, attempted to TP and... crashed.

And all this while watching connection speeds (fine), frame rates (fine) and fan / heat levels (fine). And after Yet Another Clear Cache.

So I went and cooked a meal and drank perhaps one too many glasses of wine.

Later on in the evening I managed to log in normally. Nothing on the grid status about earlier, but hey, it worked and the fact that all hell seemed to be let loose in the UK and France was not worthy of a message. 

I walked around. Went up to my building platform and... all was fine.

But, dammit... I am just so behind that every time I do log and disappear and reappear, I get friends checking up on how it's going (badly), the odd client wondering if I'm still in business (believe me, I'm trying), and a group owner grumbling because I'd forgotten to put the inviter up (justifiably: it's now up).

And then... I was so weary of the whole thing I simply... crashed out. In front of the television. Grouchy and miserable and wondering what else to try, or wondering if by some mystery it will clear up, after well over two weeks now.

I am at the point where I am just so sick and tired of all this I feel like screaming. I have studied every possible reason for the crashes / net failures on SL, meaning hours and hours and hours of reading stuff, trying stuff, and... nothing works.

The worst thing is that I am even finding myself reluctant to log on simply because of the sheer and utter frustration of crashing, Net going down, rinse and repeat.

Bah. I really want my toys back, LL.

Did you flush? Tales of a not-geek

Yes, I did.

I am sitting here with half an eye on those little bars that show the internet connection. The ones that have been intermittently coming up with the yellow exclamation mark on and off all week, whatever I've been doing but particularly so with SL.

At the moment, it looks good.

Because I flushed my DNA cache, having read eleventy million articles on what might be wrong and finally came up with that as the last in a long line of attempts to fix it.

Ah, IT-speak. Dontcha love it?

I am praying it has worked, after perusing event logs, cleaning the registry, cleaning the fans, kicking the laundry basket (I had to kick something), forcing myself not to strangle Mr RL when he said the inevitable "well my machine is fine, so it has to be SL"... 

... and generally, y'know, getting weepy and sleepless because I had to WORK with all this going on (sociology, medicated animal feeds and a contract, if you are remotely interested). All of which required much Googling (connecting... connecting... yellow sign, swear and curse, ah it's back, no it's gone again, rinse and repeat). 

At this moment, I am too tired and too scared even to try and log into SL.

What a coward.


But I'm all flushed now.

No little yellow 'limited access' signs for half an hour. I feel almost giddy.

IMAGINE A PHOTO HERE PLEASE

because by the time I found the 'snapshot' button on the new viewer I installed as one potential solution (and crashed, and restarted, and waited for the little yellow sign to go away) my eyelids gave up on me until 7 this morning when I resumed my IT adventures.

So if flushing was the solution, I may actually get to build something in 2012.

Fingers crossed?  

(With apologies to anyone who was hoping for a post about building, decor, or SL fashion).

Return from chaos?

Hey people....and no I have not fallen off the planet.

Trip to Vietnam (work), washing mountain, sick computer, massive backlog of other work. Oh, and a large chunk of garden, meaning pruning (very cathartic, pruning) and otherwise putting stuff to bed for winter.

I mean it's always busy at this time of year but this has been much worse than usual.

(For a change, as as I have nothing new to plug, have a photo of Vietnam)

Virtually no SL, sadly, because no time and / or no energy except to sneak in for a few minutes and usually to drop off to sleep in front of the screen while trying to hold a conversation. Not ideal. And building? Er... that requires coherent though and I was fresh out of it.

I did, thankfully, manage to save my photos (and work stuff!) before the HD finally crashed - and this on a 7-month old machine.

Not impressed, and telling me "well you know travelling isn't good for them" does not make me happy. In fact it makes me rather cranky as the poor guy at the PC shop might just have noticed.

(Lots of cropping and fiddling to do yet, and to upload a few onto Flickr but one thing at a time, eh?)

However, Vent du Sud is still there, even if part of Rett's store went mysteriously missing (but I did find time to put it back).

And as of this weekend, or thereabouts, there will be new stuff and breathless subscribo messages etc. etc. etc.

As long, that is, that nothing else breaks down, blows up or falls apart. Mr SL broke the chainsaw this morning but that doesn't count, really. I draw the line at chopping down branches (or chopping up bodies).

Back soon then, and hugs all round from a VERY tired Ari...!

The perfect saleswoman? Also, wenge and CARS.

Good morning / afternoon / evening. May I help you sir? Madam?

Heh. One saleswoman in wenge. Read on...

I actually get quite worried about what to say to people on the sim sometimes. Do I say hello?

If I do they sometimes run away (even if I am quite incapable of the hard sell, honest). And if I don't, they may think I'm snooty or something.

Difficult. 

But before we get carried away on philosophy, however, I am practising my saleslady techniques because I want to get people to come and see Menthal Oh's cars.

I mean seriously, LOOK at this car (and the jacket, but we'll get to that).

Not only do they look fabulous, they drive like a dream and have exhaust fumes and lights and all the fantastic car-type gizmos AND are low-prim: usually around 30.

Oh dear, I would actually be pretty useless at selling cars because I know nothing about them in RL except that these are arguably the best I've ever seen in SL and they are, of course, at Vent du Sud right on the main square.

Lots of cars, in fact, with a rezzer too.

And not only lots of cars but there are some *cough* special versions with *cough* pose balls.

Menthal and his co-builder Alheana have been really busy (and no, I am not referring to the pose balls). Some really outstanding building and scripting and I am, basically, in awe.

I think they've come up with something quite unique in SL (again, they really do drive like a dream, come with instructions and even a car-challenged person like me can drive them. Sort of, although the problem is not with the, um, car).

See? Lots of cars. I even have my very own with a Vent du Sud logo on it (thanks, Menthal but yes this is a hint... he does custom versions too).

(No, I spared you a picture of that. Be thankful. I got it stuck in my mainstore last night because I am... not good at SL driving).

Aaaaaand, as we announced weeks ago, there will be a competition to win one but Menthal is up to his eyeballs in virtual axel grease and needs to be prodded about that.

*Prods*.

But he's having fun, which is important, no? And I'm not very good at prodding either but I really do want people to at least GO SEE THEM (and buy up my decor and builds while they're at it. Not that this is a plug or anything). 

So yes, colours (which is also the reason for this post).

Wenge is lovely, and having found a skirt that worked, I pounced on the new Allegra jacket from Mimikri. And then cursed because my viewer was doing the 'hide the details' thing on the jewelled details so had to redo the photos.

But it was a chance to take one more of a car...

Credits
Hair: Tram. I love this hair. It is gorgeous hair.
Jacket: Mimikri Allegra. Wonderful
Skirt: SYS Sorrow skirt
Top: Michami bustier
Shoes: Enkythings Talyna from Enky at Vent du Sud
CARS: Menthal Oh, EM motors, Vent du Sud 

Rocket science, and why slow is good. Also, free new house to win

Put a little thing out at Vent du Sud last Sunday, of which one is free (and the others 1L). At the 'new' area in Vent du Sud. 

Now, much as it's easy to pop something into these, it's a fiddle to get it out unless you are very good with the camera or unlink it, so I made the glass part slide up and down when you click.

Rocket science, huh?

(To skip the rambling below and get straight to the 'free' part, scroll on). 

(And no, nothing world-shattering about a 2-prim cabinet, of course, except it goes with last week's one-prim corner cabinet, except I am still in awe of the sculpt maker).


Quick, look at the aforementioned matching corner cabinets, and we shall shortly get to the point but hey, we're not in a hurry, are we?

See, I am a slow builder. And I like it that way.

When I've made something slightly more complex than a 2-prim shelf, part of the pleasure is in the pottering. The tweaking. The walking around it and finding fault with it and changing stuff... and getting distracted without feeling guilty.



Which is why a new and very nearly-finished Provençal house still isn't out because during my SL time at the weekend - and since - I have:
- spent an hour fiddling with a texture I'd made (fun)
- stopped to gossip with a friend (nice)
- spent another hour looking on the marketplace for something (which wasn't delivered so notecard, etc. and chat to the creator)
- got distracted for a dance (also nice)
- decided to improve on  a cute extra feature on it (much trial and error and a little cursing)
- stopped to gossip with a friendly stranger who came to Vent du Sud (very nice also)
- decided it needed a different sort of floor tiles... (pending)


... at which point it was time for RL wine, cooking, and a wander around the (RL) garden. Upon which I decided that this house should probably have a few plants thrown in.

Did those yesterday, but I decided to add texture options so you can change the flowers.


And you know what?

(What, is she finally getting to the point?)

All that  'slow' is just fine.*

It's called 'enjoying SL'. 


Right. Here we go. Here is what is apprently called a teaser.

And the free? GET ON WITH IT, WOMAN!

Well, reply to this post (it's moderated, so nobody will see) and tell me why you'd like one of these houses (for yourself or a friend). The three that make me smile most... it's all yours. If there are more (hell, let's be optimistic), the others get the planter and the lavender.

You have 3 days, as I really will have it done for Sunday morning my time.

(Oh, and it's 35 or 37 prims as the jury's still out on a room divider / bench seat. With? Without? Not sure. Thoughts?)

And the plants will come with it. And it has a roughtly 20 x 20 footprint, so it's smallish, two airy rooms and a patio.

If I hadn't forgotten to link the divider bit and when tweaking it hadn't sent it into orbit somewhere up above Vent du Sud... and then got distracted with a weather vane (yes it has a weather vane)... it would be out already.

But by Sunday, it will be. So get commenting!

*It would be finer still if I didn't have to pay tier but hey, nothing's perfect.

Khaki. Go away world. Mistakes.

Khaki makes me think of safaris or hiking in deserts (or pottering around Vent du Sud in a vaguely Lara-Croftish sort of way).

I mean you don't have a khaki evening dress, do you? You'd have it in 'moon beige' or 'pale crème brûlée' or something.

(How profound, Ari).

Anyway, khaki came up when I was in one of those 'go away world' moods.

(It hasn't. It's still there).

Digging around for something suitable, I stumbled on this superb T-shirt that says 'Wise girl profits by her mistakes.

Interesting, if a little preachy. 

But it did get me thinking (but not so much that I forgot to take a photo without the sweater and belt hiding it).

However, as a fashion blog is most definitely not the place for wailing and beating breasts and existential rambling, let's cut all that short right here.

Yes, I make mistakes. Of course I do.

I sometimes admit to them.

And sometimes I don't, let alone profit from them. And I go off doing the 'go away, world' thing.

Meaning mooching around and thinking instead of building, socialising or exploring.

However, as mooching doesn't get me anywhere, I'm ready to rumble again.

Off to make more mistakes, no doubt.

No, this is not cryptic. It's just me thinking too much. I do that.

Have another photo and be warned that I shall be back to plugging Vent du Sud forthwith.

Credits;
Hair Melody, Elikatira
Earrings Ahi, Miel
T-shirt from BareRose Snow Smile outfit
Belt and sweater Coco designs
Shorts Gisaci 
Socks freebie from somewhere
Shoes Lazies in Desert, Kookie

A little helpful advice, Monday laugh, and how to identify a windmill

For the delightful person who decided to trash me and Vent du Sud because I dared to call you out on some spluttering* (and who considers herself to be some sort of journalist / Voice of Reason)

First, thank you. For the publicity (that is, supposing anybody reads your blog to select decor and builds).

Second, trashing me is fine. Trashing Vent du Sud is fine. Free speech is fine. But, um... getting facts right sort of helps if you want to be taken seriously.

First, this is not a windmill. Hint: large beam of light, lack of sails. But never mind.

This is not a French farmhouse (whether you hate the roof textures and the angles is your business, I agree but really, these things do have names...

THIS is a French farmhouse). Not that I would know about that as I only live in rural France.

And while we're at it, the particle effects are not made by me so try checking 'creator'?

This, below is not (even faux-) Middle Eastern style and nor is anything else on the sim (but hey, you probably don't know the difference). Hint - they have flat roofs there, not tiles, and stuff like domes and keyhole arches and, y'know, oriental stuff? I did, however, make a Moroccan lamp in 2007. It was crap.

(And as an aside I don't do Fifty Linden Fridays because my houses are 50L all the time). Fail again.

If this is poorly textured, you may want to think about a new graphics card? Also it is not new, but I think about a year old. Full marks for observation. It is 6L for the set (pluggity plug) here.

And last but not least, if you have spent "thousands" at my place, not under your main avatar you haven't. And that is one hell of a lot of 1L items. Or even if it was over a year ago when things were (a little) more expensive, furnishing your office with stuff from Vent du Sud can't have cost you more than a couple of hundred.

Except I don't do office furniture. But hey... maybe you were into 'faux Middle East', or thought you were.

I make nothing new, you say, but you don't read my blog (because the feed you read it on no longer exists, fair enough). Uh-huh. Your journalistic research clearly didn't stretch that far or you would have seen the releases. And I don't think you are on the groups I advertise on, either, but there I could be wrong and admit freely I am not going to go and look.

But once again, thank you. You are a superb advertisement for lousy journalistic accuracy.

And you made me laugh on a Monday! 

So, unless you, dear reader, want Middle Eastern or windmills, please do drop into Vent du Sud. Which, by the way, means 'Wind from the South'. The South of France (again, the language might just be a hint). 


*No, I am not advertising your blog. And there will be no Second Thoughts about that ;)

Liars, soapboxes, spluttery tantrums and a very special freebie

Yesterday, a rather infamous person on SL decided to state on a certain forum that I hadn't put anything new out at Vent du Sud for "months and months".

Eh?

So I decided the only way to handle that was a little humour.

So I got building (as I often do, as this blog rather tends to prove).

And I made something that involves spluttering, scowling, foot stamping and general arm waving.

I give you the Tantrum Soapbox, named after the source of inspiration. And free.

... And I do wish I knew how to film in SL because it deserves it.  Not easy to capture on photos, but I tried.

LOTS of foot stamping and scowling and thrashing around. And much hilarity as we tried it out.

So do come and try it for yourself and pick up your (did I say FREE) one right on the Vent du Sud square, by the subscribo (3 prims, mod/copy). You can, of course, donate if you like *cough* but only if you find it suitably cathartic.

(For info, the delightful person involved is (gasp) even going to remove my furniture from her office because I laughed at her (how devastating), so perhaps she could replace it with this? Would probably be more useful). 

See that scowl? Heh.

Should I send her a copy?

(Note: the anims are full perm and from an extremely valuable and legal source that is, I believe, no longer around on the Marketplace but... fantastic. Read more here)

All about Insight (in which Ari fangirls her favourite source of textures)

My name is Ariadne Korda and I'm a texture addict.

So today, I'm going to ramble on about textures (and my favourite place for them). Read on!

Glass textures (and forthcoming new line from Vent du Sud) (yes bad photo, sorry)

Texturing is the bit of building I like best of all, to the point I have to force myself not to start tweaking offsets or even applying them until a build is (well, nearly) finished. 

Striped textures, with shading (Vent du Sud curved settee, texture change, 1L)

My inventory is bursting with them. I picked up so many cheap or free ones in the early days, only to start worrying, later, whether they were obtained legally... so those ended up in trash and I started looking at merchants who clearly stated they made their own. 

And I found one. Insight Designs.

And I was hooked. This is somewhere that  really understands what builders need. Packs with great options, sharp, varied, and most of all different.

And boy, I hammer those textures to death because they are just so versatile. Wood, plexiglass, cement, stucco, and gorgeous fabrics. So something for fashion designers too (I keep sending my designer friends there and the response is usually "WOW").

Vent du Sud beach cabin,  50L with superb wood panelling textures

My first direct contact with Amisha March and Insight Designs was when a set I wanted had been, y'know, inexplicably detained by the Marketplace. She sent them right away, we had a great chat, and I went away and drooled over stucco... as you do. 

If you are me. I drool over concrete and wood and fabrics too, I admit it.

Then she turned up on Plurk (or rather I turned up on Plurk and cheered happily over her new releases). And Lubo too, her parner in crime was there too!

To my utter amazement, she has sent me a couple of new packs as a gift (to some embarrassment because I had been whining about being broke somewhat down on funds, which is an ongoing theme that my poor Plurk people have to suffer).

Vent du Sud Tree Haven, 50L, and LOOK AT THAT WOOD!

So, with apologies for taking my time to get around to it, here's a public thanks and a huge pat on the back to INSIGHT DESIGNS for making this texture-addicted builder extremely happy. 

(And it is so NOT a subtle hint for more freebies because I have two enormous sets I still have to play extensively with yet.)

Baskets from Vent du Sud, 1L each, again fabulous textures (ooops the deck texture didn't rez but it's not from Insight!)

Advice to all builders and fashion creators, though... go check them out. You won't be disappointed.

Oh, and a PS: go look at her blog too, including free texture grabs regularly.  Marketplace? Find her here.

Time out, with digression on new skin, nicotine, and apricot

Deep philosophical thoughts, lately - probably because work is slightly less insane.

You know - things like "what am I doing here" or "is it time to make big changes" rather than "I have to meet this deadline, we're low on wine, the ironing mountain is getting out of hand and the cats need their annual shots".

Thing is, it never seems like a good time to make changes. Well that, or I'm a coward. But a little thinking time isn't a bad thing.

Ah, enough of all that. Life is good, basically and counting blessings is not such a bad thing. And I did buy wine, did the ironing, and the cats were dragged screaming to the vet. And I met my deadlines.

And what, pray, has this to do with Vent du Sud?

Well, not a lot (but hey, APRICOT).

But one last Deep Thought. Among other things, it's not only my creative outlet, a place where I can enjoy my friends, but it's where I can sometimes lean against an old stone wall and watch the stars, watch the waves, sneak a cigarette, and ponder on whether I need a new skin or what to build next.

Do I need a new skin?

 Shallow? Stupid?

My Second Life has been described as both but I disagree, which is why I'm still here. And why I intend to stay here for the foreseeable future, rambling on as I do (oh you noticed?) .

Taking myself away now, with the credits (and motivating myself to get some new things out, which no doubt will be extolled in a future, shallow, "buy my stuff" post). Without philosophy and nicotine.

Credits:
Maitreya Green II hair
Tuli Audrey skin (dammit she discontinued it and can't find anything I like better)
Decoy top
Corset part of Armidi shorts (happy accident when changing, once)
Skirt from an old, old gacha (cheapskate Ari strikes again)
Necklace from Leezu (free, see "cheapskate" above)
Yay Wedges from HOC (colour change, beautifully done)
Poses from my Taisaya AO and some PRICKLE smoking freebies (get them at Vent du Sud)

In which Ari is dyslexic

Or more precisely discalculate (I only get numbers wrong).

Soooo the link to PRICKLE is now fixed... because I inverted two of the co-ordinates.

But it means you get another look!

Fly me to the moon? Patriarch and shifting furniture (52 weeks of color)

I needed a break from moving stuff around in Vent du Sud, so I rummaged around in my inventory a bit, having vague memories of some of my BareRose stuff coming in a nice patriarch-y purple.

And HEY PRESTO - there it was. Fly Me To the Moon.

So I went around being dramatic and diva-like, humming away "Fly me to the mooooooooooooon, let me swing among those staaaaaaars"...

Lots of fun.

I'd just got to this one... (a roof seemed like a good place to stand, at the time)

... when a friend rolled up.

"Ari what on earth are you doing up there? And what are you doing dressed up like that? And I thought you were sorting out your sim?"

Clearly, I don't do silly often enough. And I never wear evening dresses to build, I admit. Well, usually. Just call me staid.

But I did (reluctantly) give up the idea of being SL's next cabaret sensation and got back to moving stuff around.

See?

So do drop into Vent du Sud - I'm basically moving a few things and retiring others, and making room for some new stuff. 

Meaning that it could be time to grab a few Vent du Sud 1L decor items while you can?

And no, I won't sing to you. And I will probably be in jeans.

Credits:

BareRose "Fly me to the moon" (comes in 4 colours, sculpt top)

Cinch belt, part of Frid.day romper suit

Stilettos, Talyna by ENKYTHINGS, available at Vent du Sud

Hair, Afterglow by Cake

Location, VENT DU SUD!

One thing at a time, and in which Ari nearly goes shopping

I had to start somewhere after doing so little in SL for so long.

The temptation, of course, was to go on a shopping spree for new clothes and hair and shoes and skin and jewellery and poses....

... (and I am so behind on the 52 weeks of colour but I'll get there too).

But first, I told myself sternly, it was time to tidy up / improve some of the sim builds because by popular request  (don't exaggerate, Ari) somebody asked for them. And they badly needed tweaking.

So I retextured, tidied up and (I think) improved them. 

First up is the revamped MEDITERRANEAN PATIO which I am fond of - perhaps because this July in the south of France is turning out to be like a particularly drizzly April.

I use it as part of the mainstore layout, but it is particularly good as a lovely, roomy outdoor space (hey, maybe you need the Mas du Soleil, my French farmhouse too?), with lots of pots of flowers, seating, lighting.

So I threw some of those in (Vent du Sud is like that).


So you get the patio (15 prims), the seating (20), the gas lamp (1) and the planter (5), all mod / copy  and all for JUST 50L.

Buy it at the sim or on the Marketplace
 
Add your own dances, a barbecue, an outside eating area... and you're all set for those warm Mediterranean evenings. Whatever they may be (excuse me while I stare outside and frown).

So, it was nearly time to get shopping. But  the Marketplace was having a Bad Photo day so a little coaxing was necessary. .

Maybe tomorrow?

In praise of antibiotics, breedable shellfish, and the Marketplace

So where was I?

Ah yes, whining about a long trip and a sprained ankle.

Better skip the gruesome details of ear and chest infection then (Mr RL and me). Which has not been funny, let's leave it at that.

Meaning that building attempts have been a little like this.

And 52 weeks of colour? A little like this

(spot the trainers and denim).

I did celadon for the 52 weeks of colour. But what I called it or where I filed it, I have no idea. Probably under 'snapshot' in my 2007 archives.

Worryingly, I have also been translating (slowly, amid whimpering) narcotics legislation all week. And rather wishing I had some handy because antibiotics and my insides have never been the best of friends (and you can't drink). Proofreading Monday. I fear the worst.

BUT... I finally dragged myself up by the scruff of my neck this morning (while thanking the Tylenol gods) and got some more builds on the marketplace, including the summer cabins (wow look link to the Marketplace).

So now you can shower your friends with gifts such as farmhouses and lighthouses and CABINS, all for 50L (and come check them out at Vent du Sud first).

You know, I felt so crappy I nearly went a bought a Meeroo. But I'd probably have starved it or lost it or bored it to death with my whining. Or renamed it, forgot the name, and filed it under 'miscellaneous' (now there's a scary place).

Next week, however, is back to building and being dynamic. Really.

And please remind me I can't afford have a Meeroo anyway. I have half a dozen sets of textures I want first, and by the time I've got those, people will have moved on to breedable ... whatever nobody's thought of yet. Shellfish? Complete with pearls? (Remember you heard this here first).

(PS: I am not fishing for sympathy. There are far worse things than ear infections (for instance man with ear infection). And I am so looking forward to finishing these pills tonight and hauling out the wine tomorrow).

(PPS OK maybe I am fishing for sympathy a bit).

Ode to ice packs, travel, chili and security checks)

It took 30 hours and limping through 4 airports to get home from a Very Long Way Away, and all that for 2.5 days of work. I lost count of the security checks. Ugh. 

See, I sprained my ankle on the way OUT there, meaning it's been both a painful and net-deprived few days. (Note to self - look at ground when hopping on airport buses).

So this morning, with a confuzzled body clock and glorious technicolour left foot, I have been gazing at landscapes both virtual and real and...

I am so glad to be home.

Once I feel halfway human, I am looking forward to diving back into Vent du Sud and making stuff again (next long-haul trip is end October - phew). And catching up with 52 weeks of colour posts.


This post, however, is a brief RL - SL sort of post to say:

- My cats wish to express their thoughts on their staff going away
- I am still alive (although kicking could be painful)
- Ice packs are wonderful things.
- I could get used to copious amounts of rum (it mixes beautifully with painkillers, to the point I sailed through the jet lag that end)
- Go buy Enkythings amazing Talyna shoes at Vent du Sud (quick plug but ouchhhh the very THOUGHT of heels right now...)

 - Oh, and great chili place at Miami airport but, um, CHILI followed by long plane journey...? (I had salad). 

... and all things considered, I prefer both RL and SL France to hot tropical places that require endless treks through airports.

So see you soon at Vent du Sud.

(Where you don't even need a security check to discover the place).