Ringing In My Ears, The Names Bond, James Bond!!

Been a funny old week.  Tried to get to two CNN meetings and was late for both, and being that they are only running for half an hour I was very late coming in at the end, apologies to Nicole and Henry!  They have huge crowds there now though, so doubt they missed me much.  I couldn’t really understand what was going on, it seemed at the end of each of the meetings we were ushered over to the car lot to look at someones car there, no idea if he is making them to sell in SL, or simply pleased with it, bit odd for a CNN meeting though, think a lot of the ireporters are newbies as well and they all want to be heard.

I love my apartment in Chelsea and like to go back there for a bit of peace and quiet.  I have my two goldfish for company and they don’t make any noise except for the occasional splash!  Just lately there has been a phone ringing somewhere in the block.  It didn’t go all the time so was hard to pinpoint where it was coming from.  I asked Clive he lives above me but he didn’t know.   Anyway I finally tracked it down to the penthouse suite where a film crew had moved in to make an SL movie.  I had heard them talking about the film, which is a spoof James Bond one, and it all looked like they were going to a lot of trouble and doing things properly.  

I saw the main actor had arrived, his name is Rosco Teardrop, so I asked him if he knew about the phone ringing and he looked around and spotted the phone on the side.   I asked him about the movie and if they had a press release so that I could include it in Virtually London (Lite).  He told me that this was a proper Internet movie and that it would be included in the SL London Festival of Art which starts in SL London today.  He was very nice and later apologised for the phone ringing, I hadn’t minded once I knew where it was coming from.  Someone once left a fruit machine in the flat above which made noises all day, but they did do that just to be annoying.    Anyway, the film is great and you can see it at http://www.pookymediafilms.com/

Teagan Linden and the Gang Give Free Kisses

It’s Valentines day and I wondered if anything was going on in SL.  I logged in and had a chat with Hibiscus and after she left for real life I started to wander around exploring a bit.  I then saw a group conference come up in chat and Natok , a member of the group, told everyone that the Lindens were at an Island giving out kisses.  At first I didn’t bother, but then decided I might as well have a look.  I teleported over and to my surprise landed near the lovely Teagan Linden who I had met before when she showed me and Headburro around the haunted asylum.  Teagan had been really nice and remembered to send me on a Linden bear with a few other bits and pieces, so it was good to say hello to her again.  She had amazing hair that kept changing colour, she was too busy for me to ask her where she got it, but it was really colourful. 

The sim was done up with Valentine Hearts and flowers and stuff and looked great.  Teagan said she had to go off and find a booth where she was to give out her free kisses. I flew around, although the lag was bad, I manage to see her giving out kisses.  Teagan being a Neko, half cat and half human didn’t even mind kissing a large mouse which he enjoyed immensely.

I saw Catherine Linden in the next booth and I asked her if I could have a Linden bear and she was very nice and sent me one, I have quite a collection now, thanks Catherine!!  She too was busy giving out kisses!

Next to arrive was Niko Linden, he looked very cute as a Neko and I did ask him for a bear, but there was a lot going on and he never answered, perhaps he doesn’t have any to give out though.   He stood chatting to everyone and joined the other Lindens to kiss people.

I spotted another Linden I had not seen before, Spike Linden (in the black tee shirt below) and went over to where he was.  He had quite a few people around and I asked him for a bear as well, and he kindly sent me one, thanks Spike.  Sorry though Spike!! I started a stampede as all the people around wanted bears as well then!!

I then got a message saying if I IM’d Cupid Linden I would get a Valentines gift.  So without wasting time I got in touch with her and she sent me some presents.  How nice of her to do that.  I spotted Cupid at one of the booths and decided to ask for a kiss as I’m sure Cupid is a special Avatar and only comes out once a year, I wonder which Linden plays Cupid!!  It was a fun thing for them to do and I got some great bears and gifts, thanks guys!!!

Newbie or Boobie!

Now that SL Hyde Park is a ‘Gateway’ for new people to come into Second Life, I have been going over to see if anything unusual is happening.  Mate Hibiscus Hastings joined me for a chat as we stood on the pathway.  A couple of new people turned up, but one of them, his name was Tomas, had no clothes on.  Not an unusual sight, but I warned him that he had better get dressed or the sim managers would ban him.  Sim managers Brie and Seany have lost count of the amount of nude avatars they have chased out of the sim, so it seems to be some peoples’ idea of a bit of fun.   Tomas was having none of it though, I told him he looked daft and no one was shocked.  He did put some clothes on for a few seconds and I passed him some hair to wear and he put that on without asking how.  So I assumed he was not new at all.

Poor Tomas was not getting enough attention, he took off his clothes again and started to change shape, making himself as ugly as possible.  We were joined by more newbies and one of them, Nat, even commented on nudie Tomas. 

Tomas grew increasingly frustrated and ran around in circles trying to knock us off our feet.

Nothing was working out for him so he started spamming chat, by this time it was clear that he was probably a griefer, so we all muted him.  It’s great when you mute someone like that, they turn all grey and you can’t see any chat coming from them.  We all carried on talking while he stood in the middle looking silly and grey, until he finally gave up and disappeared into the blue yonder to stalk someone else.  He was more like a Boobie than a Newbie!

Krazy in Audience in Live Show and Politicians In SL?

I had a message from CNN reporter Henry Hanks who told me that KrazyKizza Carling, one of our ireporters, is going to be in the audience of the Celebrity Big Brother show.  Krazy is a great personality and has really done well since joining CNN, even makes films in SL and does his own talkovers on them.   I got in touch with Krazy and ask him if he minded me giving him a mention on CNN and I am pleased to say he agreed.  Your can read it at http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-179693

I read in the Daily Mail today (an article by Benedict Brogen) that some New Labour politicians are in Second Life, Peter Mandelson, with contributions from Hazel Blears, Ed Milliband, spin (I take it spin means lies) doctor Alastair Campbell and former newspaper editor Piers Morgan.  Apparently it’s to step up preperations for the General Election.  I searched SL to see if I could find anything about them, I couldn’t, if Mandelson is in here his name is not coming up and there is no clue to an avatar name in the article.  I wonder what all this is about, will they have the bottle to talk to people, I doubt it, anyone could be using their avatars.  Perhaps they will set up a base in SL London, as it’s the main sim representing the real capital.  I had suspected that David Milliband, Ed’s brother,  may have been in SL before, as over a year ago he mentioned SL in a short tv interview, saying whoever he was talking about, might as well apply for an SL job and have more luck, or similar words to that.   You never know who you are meeting in SL and I would like to get the chance to ask them some questions, but I would not really believe that they would have the nerve to talk to people themselves, so I think this is just a load of hype.   Bye the way, thanks a lot Benedict Brogan, you ended the article with a reference to Second Life being known for its dubious moral standards, more newbies arriving asking for sex then, thanks a lot Benedict!!!

Club Fun and Great AKK Ride

Christmas has been lovely in SL, I have been catching up with my friends between real life stuff and there has been lots of fun in the Underground Club.  Hibiscus and I know loads of people there now and we go over to dance quite a bit.  Last night the sim was packed out and I think it’s getting more popular all the time.

Hib went off for dinner and Drax came on line, I told him about the AKK Ranch where you could get a tour around the sim on one of their pretty horses, so we went over there.  It’s such a good invention, it’s a double saddle and you can sit together, usually I’m a lot slower than Drax on horseback and he goes charging off in the distance, so this was nice just to sit and the horse take us round the ranch which has some nice places to see.

We had a smashing time, we went back into the London sim after and met a few new people arriving.  Hib joined us again for a little while but I had to go as it was getting late.  It has been a nice Christmas in SL for me, I had a go at writing my first fiction for the Virtually London (Lite), a Christmas story, which you can read at http://sllondon.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-story.html 

I also posted a story on CNN last night although this is about Christmas in general in SL and about everyone meeting their friends from across the world, it’s at http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-169213  So I have been quite busy writing which I have enjoyed.

Going Japanese In Costa Rica, and Conversation Went So Bad!!!

Hibiscus and I got an invitation a couple of days ago from Kirk Claymore and Maddox Dupont who were having a winter party in the Costa Rica sim and it was to be a Japanese theme.  Hib and I love their parties as they are always spectacular and the people who go always look so gorgeous and well dressed.  Hibiscus went off to buy an outfit and l looked through my many BareRose folders, as I love their Japanese designs and have bought many outfits over the time I have been in SL.  I picked one of my favourites, it’s a sort of female warrior type costume and I put it on while Hib shopped.  She returned with a beautiful bright red kimono which really suited her pale colouring.  Off we went and arrived at the prettiest winter landscape I have seen in SL so far.  There were steps leading down to the deep valley and it was a bit like walking in treacle as lag was so bad, but it was worth the effort.

We started to dance and as I looked around I could see all the fantastic costumes worn both by the women and the men.  Even the hairstyles with the gold combs and slides were just right for the occasion.  I felt a bit under dressed compared to all the kimonos, but I still liked my outfit as BareRose garments are so well made and different to anything else in SL.

There was a large crowd and everyone enjoyed themselves so much, Maddox and Kirk looked great, I loved Kirk’s outfit with the leather breastplate and hat, so much detail in his and Maddox’s costumes, it was so well done.

Thanks Kirk and Maddox for a lovely party and I wish them all a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!!

I went into SL London today (changing the subject) and got accosted by a newbie who had only been born yesterday.  He came straight up to me, and no messing blew a kiss and said the following:

[2008/12/22 6:55]  Rafa : howv much for a quickie?
[2008/12/22 6:55]  Janey Bracken: quickie what?
[2008/12/22 6:55]  Rafa : yes
[2008/12/22 6:55]  Rafa : 🙂
[2008/12/22 6:55]  Janey Bracken: what’s a quickie?
[2008/12/22 6:55]  Janey Bracken: you gone all quiet
He flew off without another word but in his desperate attempt to get away, crashed into all the buildings until he managed to fly down the road to the next sim, I gave chase seeing exactly where he was on the map and landed right next to him, I said

[2008/12/22 6:57]  Janey Bracken: so why are you asking me that?
[2008/12/22 6:57]  Janey Bracken: this is a pg sim
[2008/12/22 6:57]  Rafa : just testing you …
[2008/12/22 6:57]  Janey Bracken: well go and test somewhere else and respect people here

I usually think these people are hilarious, but after you get the same stuff time after time, Hib got a very rude one yesterday!! you just feel like booting them out of the sim, it was funny seeing him bouncing off the buildings in Knightsbridge trying to make his escape though!!!

Great Party at the Underground Club and SL Showcase News

I got a call from the lovely Jura Shepherd, singer Winston Ackland’s Publicist, she had sent me an advert for a job in a great magazine and wondered if I would be interested in applying.  While I was chatting to her she asked me if I had seen that my article on fantastic singer Winston had got a mention on the Second Life showcase page of Second Life.com.  Well it was news to me, and all I can say is that I am delighted and so glad that Jura told me, I had posted Winston’s story about him being signed with 20th Century Fox at  the wrong time on CNN really, as they were in the throws of the US elections, so political stories had taken priority, but this is smashing news that SL has acknowledged how well Winston has done.  It’s at http://secondlife.com/showcase/music/ halfway down on the left of the page.

Last night was the Christmas Party at the London Underground Club, and I had given the ‘do’ as much publicity as I could on the Virtually London (Lite) blog and it certainly paid off, the sim was packed out.   I got there early and the party was well under way, they had the SL Go Go’s appearing and they were really good.

I saw my friend Drax come on line and met him in the street as the lag was so bad inside, I left Hibiscus dancing and enjoying herself.  I told Drax about the party and he went off to change before joining us for a while and we had a lovely time. 

The club had more than 40 people in the beginning dropping to 28 as it got late for the UK then up again to 48 people as our other friends from abroad came on line, so it was a great success all through the evening and night.  Congrats to the DJs, hosts and SL Go Go’s it was a brilliant night!!!

Popular CNN, Win L$4000 and Funny Robot

There has been a lot going on at CNN over the past week, what with reporter Henry Hanks publishing his story on relationships and Nicole has been spreading the meetings across the day trying to fit into people’s time zones.  I thought maybe this would bring less people to the 2pm slt meeting but I was surprised, as by the end of it, it was really busy, so I am pleased that it worked out for them.

After the meeting I went back over to London, it was late, but I didn’t feel like logging off straight away.  I went to Knightsbridge to watch the newbies playing.  It’s getting a proper hot spot there now, the newbies all treat it as a base and you are beginning to see the same names appearing although lots of them look the same.  I was talking to Hibiscus last night too, about what the newbies say, and it seems that a lot of the guys go up to girls and ask them if they want to go for a walk, she told me she had noticed this as well.  We can only assume that if the girls go for a walk the guys feel more confident to tell them what they are really after!!!  Perhaps me or Hib should go with one to record the conversation and see if  its funny, it might be boring though, perhaps they just want to show the girls their battleships or Buzzlightyear dolls.

I saw a robot av along the road brandishing a large gun so I went over for a chat and told him London wasn’t the place to get his gun out.  He seemed to be strugging with it trying to fire it, but of course it wouldn’t work there anyway!!  He did get chatting and told me he had come to London to see if he could meet people from the UK, particulary from the Preston area.  I told him to contact one of the managers who may put out a notice for him, you never know lots of people drop into SL London from all over the UK, so he might be lucky.  With that he took his gun and left in a cloud of smoke (hope his gun didn’t explode!!)

Finally I had met Nik my boss yesterday and we decided to set up a competition for the SL London residents for the best Christmas decorated home in London and he generously made L$4000 as the prize.  I have seen quite a few nicely decorated places so I am hoping for a good response.  I have asked Saffia Widdershins from Prim Perfect Magazine if she would judge the contest and she said yes, which is lovely.  She also suggested another lady from another Magazine as well, so I am waiting to hear if the other lady agrees, but it will be great to have them both on board as they are experts on design and homes and gardens in SL. (By the way Saffia has been nominated for SL entrepreneur of the year which is really well deserved, for those wanting to vote nip across and do so at http://www.slentre.com/vote-here-for-the-2008-slentrepreneur-of-the-year-award-winner-announced-dec-20th/#comment-5907)  If you decide you want to move to SL London or already live there you can find out more about the contest at http://www.virtuallylondonlite.com/

Clive and Helen’s Swamp Party

Clive the Alligator told me that he was having a party in the Underground Club on Saturday as it was his real life birthday.   He told me about Helen his friend, who is also an alligator, and it turned out it was a joint party for both their real life birthdays and Helen’s rez day as well.  Brie the London Director, called me over to give me a preview of the swamp she had created in the Underground Club for the gators birthdays, and I went over to have a look.  Although I missed Brie, I caught up with Clive and Helen and they looked really at home in the great swamp that Brie had made.

I went off in search of something to wear that was ‘swamplike’ but didn’t have much success.  In the end I put on a dress I already had and changed the colour to green, I already had green shoes so that was ok.  My friend Hibiscus came to the club and looked really beautiful, she had a fabulous gown on and had tinted her skin green.  Clive had his top hat and tails on and Helen had a cute dress and party hat, plus her little orange handbag she carries around.

I had spoken to Captive earlier in the day, as she told me about a great place to buy hair that had a sale on.  I mentioned the party and she, Roach, Treasure and Nez came over later to join in the fun.  The place was packed and I think Clive and Helen had a lovely time.  Of course the newbies were still arriving and you got the odd one walking around in his underpants, but that seems to be an ongoing thing in London now.  London manager Seany turned up in a swamp monster av, which was really funny, and there were lots of swampy outfits about. Anyway thanks Clive and Helen for inviting me to your ‘do’ it was a brilliant night.

Meet the Beautiful People of SL

A quick reminder that the grand opening of Cher’s flagship store is tomorrow night at 1pm SLT.  Make sure you get there in plenty of time.  As well as fantastic top SL singer Maximillion Kleene there are many of SL’s beautiful people attending, VIPs who are the style gurus and leading publishers of the entire virtual world.  See you there at Seraphim for a night to remember!!!