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Saturday, May 23, 2009

The gawd-damn domino effect

Uh . . .

*waves sheepishly*

The next time I write a big damn dramatic blog post -- complete with wince-inducing poetry -- about Never Blogging Again, um, just go ahead and blow off the wolf cry. 

Shoot, I'M HOOKED ON PHONICS! *wails*

It could be worse though. I mean, it could be . . . crack or something, right?

And hey, I think I at least lasted 48 hours this time! WOOT!

I blame my backsliding on something I like to call The Second Life Domino Effect. It goes a little something like this:

(Speaking of getting a bunch of fashion bloggers p*ssed at me -- WHOOPS! -- but gosh, THANK YOU for the group invite!) . . . it all started with a desperate struggle for the technical terms to describe THIS WEDDING DRESS for a real-life bridal mag article:

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[Yeeks, I wonder if I'm allowed to reprint that pic here? "Photo courtesy of Redcouch Photography" -- honestly one of the more talented wedding photographers I've seen in the RL South (USA), and I'm not just saying that to stay out of trouble. And HEY fashion writers, I still don't know how to describe the bodice. Or the . . . thingy around the chest. Or the . . . bottom. And actually, the bride doesn't know how to describe it all either. Some help please? Oof.]

OK. Here go the dominos:

- So if I wasn't standing with my face smashed against a giant writer's block, I wouldn't have tried to ease my throbbing temples by taking a mental vacation and checking out some SL blogs. DO NOT EVER DO THAT if you're trying to kick a Second Life habit. It'll throw you off the wagon so fast, you won't know what hit you.

- If I wouldn't have been checking out SL blogs, I wouldn't have read about this juicy polka-dot goodness in Luxurious World's 30-minute camp chair:

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(We will get to that RAWKIN' Arabian bedroom in a minute.)

- If I wouldn't have suddenly developed a craving for juicy polka dots, I would have never logged on to camp for that dress.

- If I wouldn't have been trying to kill 30 minutes while camping, I wouldn't have read every group notice I have, including the news that Lorac Farella of Pulse has "hidden" four $100L Pulse Climax skins (usually 1200L) to commemorate the grand opening of Envy Designs' new main store, Ultra Nightclub and Legacy Management. Look for the skins in boxes around HERE. Look for more hunt boxes -- also not free, but with great deals on cute things -- HERE as well. A notecard at that second location will show you pics of most of the prizes.

- If I wouldn't have read that notice, I wouldn't have run to grab those skins -- because when I'm not raving about The Obscene skins, I'm usually raving about Pulse skins. I think I own about 25 of them. Well, make that 29 now:

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I think it's called Ultra. Or Ultraviolet. Shoot, I suck. But you can't really miss this skin (in four skin tones, one per box) in four giant purple boxes. No cheat sheet necessary. And laugh, laugh, laugh, it was only when I zoomed in to take this pic that I realized there are PURPLE SWIRLY THINGS around the eyes. COOL!

-If I wouldn't have been looking for that skin, I wouldn't have swung into the Legacy Management Rental Office and discovered a new living concept (at least to me): a menu-driven skyhome. Change the WHOLE LOOK of your fully furnished home with the click of a menu button. WOW! (<-- easily entertained) 

- If I wouldn't have been kind of fascinated with a skybox that is um, as FLEXIBLE as my moods, I wouldn't have TP'ed to a demo and then decided to become a real estate-renting mogul (laugh) and rent one, even though I also rent a perfectly great beach house.

But check it!

Arabian Nights option (you saw the inside up there):

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Gothic option (fireplace view):

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Jon wasn't with me when I made my spontaneous rental decision. He e-mailed me later and said, "We are never using that Gothic version." 

Sheeeeeesh, Jon. Somewhere inside of you, there IS a dark side that wants to frolic under a picture of a blood-drenched rose. I just know it.

"Redrum" option:

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(C'mon over, Stephen King!)

Or you can turn your whole plot into a garden of low-prim love:

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Maybe I could have adjusted my Windlight settings for that pic. Oops.

And yeah, just about everything in every version is animated. It's a veritable smorgasbord of sexy poseballs in there. On the downside, the skyhomes are all at the same altitude and feel like they're about one inch apart from each other. They don't have privacy walls either, so it's reallllly easy for me to cam into everyone else's place and watch people doing the nasty, if I feel so inclined.

Which I don't.

I DON'T, I SWEAR!

Uh, you can rent one for a minimum of *cough* two hours (for 69L, haha, how appropriate) to up to a month (899L). I paid for a month. Then I'll probably give it up. It's taking up a precious group slot.

- So if I wouldn't have gotten a new dress, a new skin and a new vacation home, I wouldn't have felt the urge to share the joy in this blog.

AND THERE'S MORE. (But if you're exhausted, I totally don't blame you if you wanna stop here.)

- If I wouldn't have been reading SL blogs, I wouldn't have seen the smokin' dresses currently in the Ivalde lucky chair and wandered over there in my new polka-dot dress for some quality stalking time while I waited for some Ambien to kick in. (That's a sleeping pill, by the way, for those of you who aren't hip to the prescription-drug lexicon. I'm a chronic insomniac.)

- If I wouldn't have been wearing that polka-dot dress, I maybe wouldn't have started talking about clothes with Taryn Gartner, who happened to also be at that chair and said to me, "Hey, I camped for that dress too!" I don't know Taryn very well, but she's over there on my blog roll. She's new. I like reading what new people think, before they get sucked into the jaded madness.

- If I wouldn't have been under the influence of Ambien, I probably wouldn't have agreed to accompany Taryn to her favorite store. No offense to Taryn. I'm just REALLY shy "in person" and not in the habit of spontaneously running around with strangers. HOWEVER, I do think I need to seize the day a little more and run around with strangers more often. It usually turns out to be fun.

-- If I wouldn't have run off with Taryn, I would have never discovered the really amazing (and perhaps a little over-the-top opulent) store, Sonatta Morales Weird Couture. Lots of gorgeous period clothing, as well as some fantastic exotic costumes on the top floor and vintage hairstyles on the bottom floor. The designs are amazing, intricate and inspired.

To be fair and balanced, the textures on some of the gowns aren't for me, you've gotta be able to work a system skirt with many of them, and some of the seams don't line up perfectly, but you're still going to turn a lot of heads in these stunning gowns. It's extremely evident that mass quantities of love, research, planning and hard work went into them. Actually, Taryn posted a more detailed description (with pic) over on IHeartSL right HERE.

I bought The Drama Dress (800L) as well as a fat pack of this hair (yeeks, I don't have the name at the moment) for 150L:

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OK. I suck at modeling.

And hell yeah, my house is also available for rent as a photography studio. I know you were wondering. The animals serve as your awed audience.

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Boom boom pow! Actually, I'm frustrated because it looks a little drab in my pics. I can't do it justice here. 

And lookit the back!

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Oops. I need to adjust the shoulder pads. But the pattern is really cool. And that hair is in a retro hair net. A less lame photographer would have gotten the brilliant idea to include that in the photo.

OK. That was a long string of dominos (or "dominoes" -- you can spell it both ways!).

Let's get back really quickly to that wedding dress up at the top. Honestly, if you know technical fashion terms beyond "cool" and "boom boom pow," please HELP ME describe it! I'll make it up to you.

And HEY if your RL self wants to be Facebook friends with my RL self, send me an e-mail at emeraldwynn3 [at symbol] gmail [dot] com (yeah, I spaced it out to avoid spam) and maybe we can reveal our secret RL identities. I don't really talk about SL on my Facebook page, but that's kind of the point.

I'm still trying to keep one foot in the real world.

9 comments:

JM said...

1. Glad you are back(ish?) and 2. I think I love you, mostly because you bothered to check the proper way to spell "domino" in the plural, then gave us the helpful tip that it is proper both ways. /me sighs dreamily. Oh and 3. perhaps "pleated" describes the top of the dress? Oh hai, I did a wee google and found this: http://www.ehow.com/how_2091041_understand-use-wedding-dress-terms.html - does that help?

Emerald Wynn said...

Yes! Thank you, Owly!!!!

I had originally described it as an "accordion pleat" but then I got worried that people would imagine squeezing the bride's boobs like an accordion . . . and plus, I don't think that's a real fashion term.

I got the bright idea to CALL THE GOWN DESIGNER, but she's on vacation.

"The bride wore a really pretty wedding dress with an empire-ish waist line accentuated with a cool sparkly thing on a ribbon, from which a bunch of funky, bunch-up layers cascaded."

LMAO.

*Emerald waves goodbye to her latest freelance gig*

I wish I could get paid to write about SL.

Anonymous said...

Well as many times as you say I am leaving blogging I say OH I AM PARTNERED LOL. Yes I got dumped but oh well. I wish Ceru the best. Hugs.

Emerald Wynn said...

wait . . . wha???????????????????

*logs on*

Casandra Shilova said...

Em, I am glad you aren't trying to make your living as an RL photographer, unless you're holding out on us.

Great find Owly!

Not a great pic but from what I can make out, it looks like box pleats in an ivory organza.

hmmm....strapless ivory gown with an over layer in ___ patterned organza.

Crystals/rhinestones are scattered over the skirt (my guess for the tiny gray dots)

The A-line skirt features an organza overlay with pickups. It was super hot a couple of years ago and is holding it's own nicely.

the empire waist is accented with a taupe/toast satin/velvet ribbon embellished with a hand beaded applique flower flanked by leaves of silver lined seed beads and crystal rhinestones. Guessing here, can't see it well enough to be certain. Silver lined cost more, wear better, and give an added richness to any beading. If they are Swarovski crystal rhinestones, be sure and say so.

Hopefully this helps just a little. Obviously smooth descriptions are not my strong point. lol

Unknown said...

ZOMG was that long. LOL!

But truly, you could write a series of novels for each entry and I would gladly read every word, since I adore your writing style so much.

Good luck with the dress article. Cas - you are GOOD! It always amazes me what a richness of resources people in SL are. They just have such a wide range of skills and interests!

Emerald Wynn said...

OMG CASANDRA!!!!!!

*bows down*

Casandra Shilova said...

Bridal/Special Occasion isn't my department, but it is our second most important one. I have learned enough to receive a compliment from the manager (who has been there forever).

Beading is something I do, although it's usually Byzantine.

Peter Stindberg said...

Where's the fishtank?