Actually, there IS such thing as a free lunch here

Um, so I'd like to retract the whole "giving up SL for Lent" statement I made last night.

That Ambien will sure put some crazy notions in your head.

(HA HA HA! I told you.)

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she wailed.

Today is the one day that I have no moving appointments, and tomorrow I have to spend the day standing in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles and sharing some quality time with a pair of rubber cleaning gloves and a bottle of Lysol. So there's some fun stuff I want to do today. 

Like continue to go head-to-head with this DAMN CHAIR at Cup of Crown.



I WANT (stamps foot) that Goddess of the Mountain Mist gown in green. I would buy it if I could. But instead I stand, day after day, glaring at this chair that has no concept of the letter E and keeps putting the red version of the gown in its wildcard rounds. (I have four of them now.)

Hey chair, didn't you know that red = angst? Otherwise, you'd be a different color.

I think CoC designer Emperor Oyen is quite genius. I own one of those Ruined Ballgowns to the left of the chair, and it is awesome.

Emporer is giving away a free pair of "Boots Wif Teeth" right now . . . and as soon as I, cough, re-download the SL app from the Second Life Web site, reinstall it on my computer and log on in shame and defeat, I'll take a picture of the whimsical boots and also make sure I'm spelling Emperor's name correctly.

{Insert future photo here!}

This talk of Lucky Chairs makes me want to talk about PANHANDLERS, specifically how at least one of them manages to find me a day and how DAMN irritating they are. For instance, this conversation went down during a mini hunt this week. And HELL YES, I'm running this chick's name. If you see her, clutch your lindens to you tightly:

[10:12] Jessyca Ying: hi
[10:12] Jessyca Ying: 20 l$ please
[10:12] Jessyca Ying: buy boots
[10:12] Jessyca Ying: =[
[10:12] Emerald Wynn: Hello - I'm sorry - I have no money
[10:12] Jessyca Ying: okay
[10:13] Emerald Wynn: There are free boots on the wall right next to you.
[10:13] Jessyca Ying: Not those
[10:13] Emerald Wynn: Well, beggars can't be choosers
[10:13] Jessyca Ying: 20 l$ please
[10:14] Jessyca Ying: I want some boots

GAHHHH! I realize there's a language barrier, but I hate the SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT in that conversation. "20L please. Buy boots. I want some boots."

Bitch, I want some boots too. Do you happen to have 1,500L?

Here's why I cannot stand it when people hit me up for money -- you don't NEED it in Second Life. Hell, you can live like a QUEEN for free and not a soul would know how broke you are. 

On a daily basis, some of SL's finest designers are giving out gifts or putting them in lucky chairs. Even Eshi Otawara, who has her own entry in Wikipedia for crying out loud (whoops, never mind, where'd it go???), has a lucky chair. Famous gown designer Nicky Ree currently has a gorgeous free Orange Satin Shine gown available at her store. Kunglers gives out regular and beautiful group gifts. 

And not a day goes by when I don't hear the word "hunt," with esteemed stores such as Tuli, Fleur, Belleza, Flirt, katat0nik, Pulse, Baiastice and MiaSnow participating in them, to name just a few.

Hell, just seek and ye shall find.

I have a folder in my inventory called "Info for New Residents." It contains lists of resources and notes with basic information. It's got the copyable and transferrable Jill in a Box and Jack in a Box starter avatar kits. (I picked mine up at Calla.) Hell, it even includes a set of free "I'm Not the Only One" jewelry by famed jewelry designer Random Calliope. If I notice that one of these panhandlers is only a few days old, I thrust the folder on her/him, even though, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's probably an alt.

I'd like to add a list of freebie blogs to my "Info for New Residents" folder. There are some fantastic ones out there, and hell, I check them myself a few times a week.

Granted, I realize that if the majority of SL panhandlers are so lazy that they choose to spend their days bugging people for 10L, they're probably not going to be industrious enough to get online for some quality READING.

Authentic new residents, however, might actually appreciate this list.

If you too are on a budget, the following blogs will point you in the direction of all the clothes and skins you could ever need -- all of them stylish and almost all of them 0 or 1L:

The Freebie Telegraph -- My favorite, and it's updated frequently throughout the day (which is why it's my favorite).

Lucky Kitty Crew -- has useful information (particularly a great list of Midnight Mania boards) and also supplements its in-world group of lucky chair stalkers, although Serenity Semple has now closed the group to her friends only. *bows to Seren-sensei* (yeah, that didn't follow traditional honorific format; you brainiacs don't have to chime in on that)

Baking Cupcakes -- Another favorite. I love these gals, and their cute, personable blog is always fun. They are beautiful souls as well. I'm proud to call them my friends.

My Second Life on the D-List -- Yet another one of my favorites. Great pics, great authors.

This Doll has Handbook -- I don't even speak the language and I still consider this blog to be one of my essential reads. Look at the pictures and harken back to your Latin root words . . . or use the blog's translator. I am so jealous of the design, too. Please come make my blog pretty too, Welmita.

Karla Scorbal: Imagination Unbounded -- Another extraordinarily creative format. I don't speak the language fluently, but you really don't have to. And it's currently featuring a goodie from one of my favorite stores, Royally. *claps*

I Started the Joke -- Don't worry. This one also has a built-in translator. 

Free*Style -- No explanation necessary. It's famous. Look for the Free*Style stores in-world too (listed at the bottom of the blog).

Fabulously Free in SL -- Cute.

Second Life 24h -- Clean, simple, helpful and fun. Nuff said.

SL Good Deals -- by Gabi Fitzgerald, formerly of Free Second (and I believe Free Second is closed now?)

Love/Hate -- It's new. I'm not sure if I love it or hate it yet. Ha ha ha!! Keeding.

Second Life Hunts -- no cheats, just info (damn)

Virtual Freebies -- Honeybear's blog isn't as selective as some of the others, and the pics are small and sometimes nonexistent, but hey, I still check it out frequently!

Cait's Finds in Second Life -- Free stuff, affordable stuff, fun stuff, Midnight Mania stuff, sometimes shocking stuff (I still want those canary shoes, Cait!) *squeals because my blog is on her blog roll!!!!*

Chic at Phil's Place -- I love Chic Aeon. I love her blog.

The Bargain Bin -- Holy blog posts, Batman! The Bargain Bin is back! For some reason I thought this blog was dead! Wow, I missed about a month of posts, too. One of the best, as far as I'm concerned.

Free Finds For Men -- Hey guys, there's something for you too! And I heart blog author Eliza Wrigglesworth. (Her personal blog is closed to invited readers only though -- boo.)

OK, I'm officially exhausted now. What am I forgetting? Probably something really obvious. If so, I'm sorry. I need to neatly divide my SL browser bookmarks folder into subcategories. And hey, if anyone knows a site that showcases free furniture or home decor finds, please let me know.

A FEW OTHER THOUGHTS

-- If you're not into blogs or have an anti-freebie attitude, you could also become a Zyngo wizard like me -- there are some simple strategies on YouTube that'll raise your game level. At one point in my SL life, I was making anywhere from 300 to 3,000L a week just from KICKING ZYNGO ASS.

-- Or, here's an idea, you could -- GASP -- narrow your inventory down to 5o essential items and STOP CHASING "STUFF." (Ha ha, like I'm one to talk.)

Sometimes I love the irony that we're often so hungry to constantly acquire things in a non-material world. So if you're broke, forget shopping: There are some amazing things to SEE in Second Life, you know. Here are five Web sites to wake up the explorer in you:

New World Notes: Hamlet Au's thorough, versatile and journalistic site was the first Second Life blog I found. (I take that back, Second Life Fix was my first love. I'm a quiet fan of its laid-back author Shauna Vella.) Anyway, the former journalist in me really responds to NWN's reporting style. Hamlet does a great job introducing his readers to new places and people. He's got a great lineup of regular contributors, including Chestnut Rau, who'll give you plenty of activity options for the week each Thursday in her column "Chestnut's Choices."

Koinup's Second Life Places: Check out the week's most buzz-generating and photo-worthy sims on this stunning site.

SL Things to Do: My friend Bon told me about this Web site when I told him I was getting boooooored in SL. I like it and use it often now! Thanks, Bon!

Krissy Lately: I admire my friend Krissy's blog for its explorer theme and its admirable lack of egocentricity. (*whistles and looks away from my own blog*) She's always checking out new places with her friends and giving it to you straight from the perspective of an ordinary SL gal. Well actually, she's quite EXTRAORDINARY, but you get what I mean. She wants nothing more than to share new worlds with you so you can find joy in them as well. Bravo.

Eureka: I see that the Lindens have launched a travel blog. I'm withholding judgment for the moment, but let's watch and wait!

And you know what, there's always the Showcase tab in your SL Search engine. It's actually improved! Seriously!

Tired. I worked hard on this blog post. It's Miller (Lite) time!

I'll leave you with this fascinating picture:



Yep, I watched this lucky board for a while the other day because I thought the prize was hair with a little cat in it. And yep, I'm the type of gal who thinks hair with a little cat in it is appealing. When I finally won the damn thing, it wasn't hair at all. It was just a small cat that attaches to the top of your head like a hat.

Hell, my own cat'll do that in real life. :\

Happy almost-weekend,

E