A question of aestheitcs.

I have been looking into a new base skin. Not that there is anything wrong with my current default, but there are times when I would like a different look. A recent addition to the skin market has been the "better hairline".

The demo I picked up at League for the Misty is wonderful, save for one thing.


Why are these lashes so prevalent? There is not a single skin in the demo pack that does not have these mascara streaks. Why do people *want* this sort of thing? I have heard someone actually asking for skins with this addition, so someone does want it. A great pity, because that is the one thing I did not care for in this line.

After all, look at this hairline:

This is lovely, as are the eyebrows. but the mascara still looks smeared and too heavy. The sad thing is, this is the "Pale Natural Dark Hair". Mascara is not natural, and I have given up on having Pale mean the same thing to more than one person.

An example of my usual skin:

Note that I keep my system lashes at zero, and do not wear prim lashes on a regular basis. The skin is also paler than many "pale" skins, but not wraith-white. This image was originally collected to document the earrings, but it also shows the eye details of the (CS) Vogue Skin - Pure (Summer - 1).

It brings up a point in many skin designs. Not everyone needs or wants to look made-up all the time. I do have different makeups in my skin folder, but I keep returning to the Pure skin. Yes, it is pale, but I am not one to seek the sun. No, it does not have heavy makeup, because that is not who I am most of the time.

I suppose I should count myself lucky to have found this skin when I did.

Concerning Fashion

No, I have not decided to turn this into a fashion journal. I have taken some time to document my clothing, but not to the degree that the serious fashionista bloggers do. For instance, this outfit was purchased over a year ago.


I am just now preserving an image of it, because I wore it to the Orient Express Ball this month. It also documents how much I have learned concerning in-world photography.

This image pre-dates the 18 May 2008 creation of the album of fashion plates. Any skill in this shot is entirely serendipitous.


I had just discovered the Tesla facelight, a welcome change to the blinding lights I had seen before. No, I do not wear it all the time, only when actively taking pictures. I find it distracting when others wear lights capable of washing out the features of everyone around them. Digging further, you could track my abilities by icon images, and no, I am not going to dig those up for you. They are there, I know they are, but I choose to ignore them.

Sometimes, I will reshoot, as in the case with the Lady Flora. The velvet textures are quite nice, but did not show properly in the washed-out midday did-not-stop-to-check-the-graphics-settings picture I deleted. This one is much better, I think.


As I do not have Photoshop of PSP, or even GIMP (despite Miss Davies's wailing and gnashing of teeth that it is free and easy to use, but I simply do not have the disc space) these have not been touched or even cropped. You might notice that unless I am assisted by someone else (usually Miss Tanarian), I try to not use water as a backdrop. That is my most noticeable failing. I do not have the best of graphics cards, but try to work around them. Most of the time that means risking crashes while I pump the graphics as high as they will go and hope the backgrounds rez in less than a day.

Then there are times when I have wanted to document an ensemble because it was assembled for a specific occasion, such as the Midsummer Grand Tour for RFL,

or the Relay for Life itself.

Due to my problems with rez, it is unlikely these shots were taken at the event. so it either will be shot in the studio, or the event site itself if I am able to access the site when it is deserted.

Do not worry, this will not be a regular occurrence, only perhaps when I wish to share a designer's works, or in the unlikely event I have nothing else to do in the office.

New Neighbors

Steelhead is growing.

The area to the east of the civic plaza had been largely ignored, until recently. It seems a somewhat... unsavory element has move into the area of Steelhead. The view from the pier in Port Harbor has changed rapidly.


The cliffs behind the Kokopelli, deemed too unsafe for building in years before, have sprouted new buildings, eastern architecture said to be able to rest lightly upon the earth...

Though this Unfortunate View from Miss Katt's garden does not seem to rest that lightly. I am glad there is a deep channel and steep cliffs between her and whatever lairs in these shacks.

Surprise!

I had thought yesterday would be a repeat of years past, and at first, it was. Unsuitable gifts from my brother and notes of well-wishes on my birthday were normal. Then in the evening, the Baron took the time to go sailing about Blake's Seas and invited me along. If you have the time to sail, do go. I noticed a few race course buoys, and we explored an island that seemed to be a smuggler's point.

He then had things to attend on the other side of the keyboard, and suggested I go dancing at Club Gearz, and he would be along later to go dancing. I had considered turning in early, but he made sure I would stay another half-hour.

Then, a few minutes to 2000 SLT, Tanarian left a note on plurk about the party.

Duchess Gabrielle Riel had organized an event in New Toulouse with the help of the Baron to get the invitations out without my knowledge. It was rather shocking that this many people could show up on a late weeknight. I danced with four heads of state while the fifth played my favorite music. People said embarrassingly nice things about my work and sent gifts. It was a lovely evening.

Thank you to everyone who made the night possible - Miss Genie, who made everyone aware of the date, even though she could not attend due to her typist's schedule; Duchess Gabi, who is capable of putting together a fantastic party with little notice; Caladon Rae, who made the IM rounds to invite everyone without using the groups, so it would be a surprise; Tanarian, who apparently rifled my files for Caladon; Kara and Miss Harbinger, who brought the cakes; Miss Anna Darwinian, who made party favors for everyone; the Baron, who made sure I would not miss my own party, and everyone who attended made it a very special night.

Shirtless Against Breast Cancer 2010 Calendar

October is Recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in America, and back in July 2008, the staff of the Consulate was knocking about fund raising/awareness ideas, and the idea for a calendar came up. During the discussion, a Shirtless O'clock reference was made, and one thing led to another... and this is the reason why you do not want to miss a General Staff Call - they are almost as interesting as Steelhead Town Meetings.

The shots not selected for the calendars will be included in the 2010 book, and your inclusion in either depends on the submission fitting the technical requirements:
1) Submissions should be 2048 x 2048 SQUARE PNGs.
2) Submissions are to be e-mailed to consulate.lackey@gmail.com not sent in-world.
3) Please keep the composition TASTEFUL - Art, not smut, please.
4) No Minors. Diminutive adults, fine - but we wish to stay legal with this. Legal-age avatars only for values of the American legal system (18 years old or older), no exceptions, not even for time travellers.
5) Submissions are to be sent to Annechen Lowey BEFORE 1800 SLT on 1 September 2009. Late Submissions will not be considered.

A Last Look at Drottningholm Old Town

Too late to tour the Palace once more, I wandered in Old Town, and chanced upon a resident. Mikk Graves, who carried the title of "Drottningholm | EO", and had the description of his character "Keefman" in Swedish in his picks, spoke at length of his view of the end. He reported Sanders had left all of the groups and sold the Drottningholm Palace sim. This move was apparently swift and unexpected for many of the residents, with their first notion that the sim was sold being the return of their objects.

The nicely detailed builds show the time and energy the builders put into the sim. This was the site of one of the grand courts, and one hopes the heritage can be kept alive by those who remain. While it is not the end of the Enlightenment Age sims, it is a loss. One hopes that another might raise the banner of the Swedish court another time.

Architecturally, both sims were excellent examples of Northern European 18th century building styles, and Miss Tanarian Davies and I spent the evening touring Old Town. This was her first visit to the sim, and it was unfortunate that we could not see it earlier. The images here are her work, as my vision does not permit me to capture the beauty of the sim.

Midsummer Grand Tour for Relay for Life of Second Life

Soon, I promise - Once I have my wits about me again, I shall post about the Tour - all 32 hours of it.

Yet again, I neglected to take snapshots, as in the last hours I was busy trying to keep the dratted out-world agent awake.