Summer

Summer with the biggest probability has already ended, at least here in the north hemisphere. Even if so called “beldam summer or St. Martin's summer or St. Luke's summer” has come, nevertheless the long and slow rains and cold had come. It is this one what is getting behind your nails, just autumn and its sleet. In spite of that, our so called “frog ladies” promise us more “beldam summer”. Maybe.

Footnote 1: “Frog ladies” is some familiar name of the nice ladies that make the weather forecast on TV. It is linked with some species of frog – tree frog, in Latin Hyla arborea. Historically, it is famous as some barometer, because it reacts to the change of pressure, which varies usually before rain. This frog begins croaks after that.

Footnote 2: “Beldam summer or St. Martin's summer or St. Luke's summer” (or ecological year period called as late summer) is name of long-term dry, sunny, warm and not so much windy weather at the end of summer or at the beginning of autumn. This phenomenon arises at the European continent. During this period, one can often observe free floating webs of the small spiders. In past, these webs suggested gray “beldam” hairs to people. The name of this period originate from thence.

Unlike our world, the weather plays no role in Second Life. The weather is given by the builders of the given sim. In our power there is only to change daytime, respectively to change the sky and water as possible as can be do it to our own idea.

It is only about it to find a suitable sim, where some party takes place, for example by the pool. An then to sink into cool water, take a beautiful woman in the arms and only to have a rest and to enjoy. Other people are coming and leaving, party is in full swing and a pleasure music is playing.

Sun is overcoming the highest point of its orbit and the it is slowly bending down to sunset. Soft see wind is bringing a relief after the hot day. Gradually all people are disappearing. Only I am staying and listening the singing of wind and far see. Sun is drawing to the end of its daily orbit and it is undergoing subsidence into the see as a great light cataclysm.

Summer never ends.

Meetings

So, do you know such a feeling too that you have been anywhere here? Or do you know her/him? Frenchmen have for that nice collocation, actually it is a literal translation – already seen – déjà vu. So, I still experience such feeling in Second Life. But maybe it is thanks to go to the same places.

However, just there are those right people, you can find there everything you want or everything you long for. Yes, sometimes it is a people crowd. Some other time, you would like to arrange your thoughts an to be alone. Alone and lost in the never-ending space of SL, lost in never-ending time depths.

Nevertheless, then you come back to the same places, you meet same people or you meet some new ones and you enrich your second life. Like me just now. I am writing this contribution now and in the same time I am talking with somebody that I have randomly in my friend list on Facebook and she is from Brazil. First, she has been trying in Portuguese, me in English and finally, she has been talking to me in Czech. But what Czech? Omg, a mad internet translator! Sometime it is sidesplitting, but she is trying hard.

It is not only about that to watch the sunsets or sunrises or a sky studded with stars.

It is not only about that to sit and to meditate somewhere,

It is not only about that to be.

It is about a life

It is about a friendship.

It is about a love.

Just there is no difference between this world and the other one, at least for me.

And what about you?

Long Way – Point Eleven – Photography

After long time, I have decided to continue in article series, which I had named Long Way. Only for reminding, my second birthday in SL was an impulse to begin and surprisingly now it is my third one again on 11.07.2010. The year passed and there are many flocks of changes, new and old friends, extinctions old places and births of new ones in this world of Second life.

Today I would like to write about photography. I take pictures in my common real life too. I have abnegated still to take pictures on a classic film, so then this agreeable waiting for these pictures from a photolab. Will they bad or good? So this feeling is just irreplaceable, On the other hand, there is really the digital photography boom nowadays and one can simply buy a camera from a common compact to the high advanced digital reflex cameras. Nevertheless, it has not caught me.

Actually, I have taken pictures in second Life from my existence begin. I have taken everything possible around me, not only an environment and countryside, but also people around me, my friends. Many of these pictures have been created before I had begun to write this blog. Much of them are of course private and non-publishable. After begin of my writing, the photography frequency had been increased. Sometimes, there were the pictures only to add to a text, sometimes, they were its inspiration.

On the other hand, the photography in Second Life could be considered as some form of the digital photography. To the intent that you can produce such pictures in huge amount as long as you have enough place on your hard disk, and then you can sort and delete them or possibly changes them using different graphic software. It is same as by RL digital photography.

However, what cannot be done in RL is the possibility of some immediate change of environment. Since SL is dynamic world, it is possible immediately to change Estate Time and with help of Environment Editor Function also what kind of sky, clouds and water will be; all this can be done either manually or using already made templates from the SL creators. And provided you have already the last viewer version, that you can achieve another amazing effect with advanced options. The possibilities are plentiful, but sometimes more is detrimental and sometimes it cause the fall of all the viewer even all computer, because the hardware requirements are enormous.

So by my wandering, these my small fragments of virtual existence in Second Life arise. They are stops on the coast of endless ocean, sittings in its changing nearness and in light flashes from the nearby club on Groove sim. It is fantastic and big ABBA party at rezz day of one avatar in Club Arsenal or only usual party in sim Cafemar or in the shadows of Beachwood.

There is relatively a lot of these pictures, but I was sad did not show them. My former works you can find here on Koinup.

The photography has become my integral and essential part that I cannot already imagine that I could not take pictures in SL.

SLurls: Beachwood, Cafemar, Club Arsenal, Groove

Groove

The word “groove” has many meanings in English. It could be the groove on a gramophone disc, but who knows it today in the era of CDs, mp3, mp4, etc. It is also a term for music rhythm in pop, jazz, funk, rock music, power groove, vision or soul. Or it is a synonym for "cool". Sometimes we say: "It was a groove." This last meaning of “groove” in verb form is that I have in my head. To rejoice in something, to be happy and contented, to be enthusiastic about something.

However, sometimes we need some silence and humility. The world around us and inside us is accelerating with such high speed that we do not feel in everyday life. The small church (or is it a chapel?) is shining in red sun and is luring to visit. I have also succumbed to temptation, have entered and have sat on one of the banks. The sunlight has penetrated through the high gothic windows and I did not want to leave.

Nevertheless, I have stood up and have gone to explore the new terrain. Longer stony road has taken me to a vast castle, of which sharply cut features have come into view against the sky. And if the dark has fully descended, so only vague silhouettes of small houses in castle neighborhood have flashed there.

Next day I have wandered on long and empty plain. To my surprise I have seen some building in the light of the new sun. It has stood there lonely in the middle of nothing such a solitaire in a big garden. I have let it with its calm and loneliness and have continued forward.

Sun has achieved the highest point of its way and I have settled for a small shade and cool touch of the breeze form the see. Maybe the lighthouse will switch on its big light eye and will allure …

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But now back to the reality, respectively virtual world. This babblement here at the beginning has some base in homonymous sim in Second Life. Although it is called Groove, generally we call it “The City by the Friends”. It offers several possibilities of an economic character, an accommodation and an entertainment like the other sims in SL. You can rent some shop space, room in a hotel or in one in the old cold castle with some fireplace to warm or some house with two floors. Enjoy also the local gallery, the movie theater or the dance club.

"To be, or not to be there, aye there's the point? And where? And how much is cost?", if I paraphrased the Shakespeare’s text of Hamlet.

So:

SLurl: Groove

SLurl: Hotel
Equipment: two rooms and bathroom
Prize: 50 L$/week
Number of prims: 50

SLurl: Castle
Equipment: one room with style bed and fireplace
Prize: 50 L$/week
Nember of prims: 35

SLurl: House
Equipment: two rooms, security system
Cena: 75 L$/week
Number of prims: 50

Shop rent (the most shops are located in the middle of sim)
Prize: 50 L$/week
Number of prims: 30

IM contact: albus Alex