Sunday, January 24, 2010

THE FUTURE IS NOW

Waiting just inside the gates to the flight deck. Duty calls me to fly with her imperial majesty's guard on a diplomatic mission. Her ship is still being fueled.

Yes, I fly light. I wear body armor, and my electronic personal assistant. In the military, everything else I need is provided. Meals and rack included.

The Bare Rose "Orphion" is one of two offerings that they have presented at Rezzable's "2010: The Future is Now" exhibition. This outfit is intended to be the men's version. Often men's armors require radical refitting if you have substantial breasts, but this armor did not need anything more than basic resizing. Be careful making your adjustments: like most Bare Rose outfits it is "No Copy/Transfer", so if you destroy it you will have to buy another.

Outfit: Bare Rose “Ophion” (men's version)
Hair: Red Queen “[rQ]Anger”
Skin: Frick “Geisha Sakura”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Poses: by ImpEle and Snooky’s

Love,
Serene

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

MY NAME IS BARBARA

"Please don't call me Barbie", she said with discernable acid in her voice. I nodded and smiled at her. The smile was a nervous reaction. Thing is, she gives me the creeps. Always perfectly coiffed, a little too fond of pink. I think she must sleep in lipstick.

Don't laugh! What do you really know about her? She always has a new model of pink sports car, even though she can never hold down a steady job. One year she's a Malibu Surfer, Stewardess, Policewoman, Astronaut, Race Car Driver, Paleontologist, Doctor, Gymnast, Fashion Model, ... on and on and on. Was she fired? Did she quit? Are these jobs just for cover?

Who is she really? A drug dealer? A spy? A mystery shopper? A dishonest debutante with a rich daddy?

Damn. I knew it.

Jacket: Aoharu “BT Leather Riders Vest”
Suit: Pink Outfitters “Socialite Romper”
Weapons: Breach “Sawedoff Supershorties”
Scarf: Ibizarre "Rosa Flower Lace Scarf"
Earrings: GField “Pearl Rose”
Bracelets: Second Wave Apparel “Asian Bangle Rose Quartz”
Boots: Surf Couture “Elsa Boots”
Hair: Truth “Anya” (tinted)
Skin: Frick “Rosy Goth”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Poses: by Long Awkward Pose and ImpEle

Love,
Serene

Monday, January 18, 2010

HOPE

Let's be real for a minute. Before the earthquake landed on Haiti, HOPE was already pretty thin for the people who were living there. Now tens of thousands of them have died, suddenly, and many more are going to die less suddenly and less kindly. I cannot imagine what it is like: the fear, the days of waiting, trying to help without tools, watching as the fear and stress brings out the best in some, the worst in others. Waiting for big governments and organizations like Unicef and the Red Cross to bring help. Hoping it arrives soon enough with water and rice for the children to live.

On this end, I feel helpless and powerless. I can write a check, but that doesn't really feel adequate. I turn back to the television to watch footage, or say an embarrassingly short prayer.

I grew up in the Caribbean. Since moving to the United States as a young woman, I have been frustrated at times by the lack of awareness shown by governments and news outlets to the problems of our close neighbors: shocking stories about earthquakes and hurricanes are the rare exceptions. I love this country my country, but I am afraid that after a few weeks, the survivors of this earthquake, after the horrible funerals and circles of starvation and disease, will join the ranks of other forgotten causes. They will go back to their accustomed poverty quietly.

So may I issue a challenge?

Yes, participate in this week's heroic fundraising efforts. There are several reliable organizations moving aid to Haiti while the rest of us are asleep. But the horrible problems coming to Haiti are not going to be fixed in a week by these quick aid packages. Some organizations (naming no names), while very good at initial front-line aid, are notoriously poor at following through with long-term care. In the months to come, please do your homework, and look for other organizations, perhaps not as large or well funded, who will be doing the long term work, and help them. In the months and years to come, after the media have all gone home and are sitting behind big desks sipping coffees, a few will continue working, finding homes for orphans, rebuilding schools, and helping people restart destroyed businesses.

(Yes please visit the Red Cross Fundraiser in Second Life ... our fabulous creators have generously provided quite a lot of cute things, designed to appeal to a range of tastes, all proceeds to benefit the Red Cross. I am wearing one of the Reek shirts and Tiny Bird hair.)

Love,
Serene

Monday, January 11, 2010

TROLLBRIDGE AT SUNSET

Sunset is the wrong time of day to cross a Trollbridge. It's the time of day that trolls and other Wild things come out to eat.

I realize I don't LOOK dangerous. That's part of the plan.

(This is not a gratuitous butt shot. I wanted you to see the specially made belt with the tail guard. As well as the cute little birdie and ... okay it was still a gratuitous butt shot. ... These pants are knee length breeches with lovely bottom cuffs that I will have to show you in another post.)

(And the new Steampunk-styled Minotaur Legs from Cats of a Feather. Please click on it to go look at the larger pic and see the lovely detail. What you can't see in any still shot is how the animated steam pumps through the glowing tubes, or how a little steam escapes here and there from the works. These legs also come in cyber Chrome so if you buy, make sure you are selecting the ones you like best. And try on a demo first.)

Be careful. If you look into the eyes of something Wild, you will never be the same. And ... I am quite hungry.

(These Poetic color eyes are available in regular or blackened eyewhites. I couldn't help but buy both. The packs include regular eyes, eyes with gold rings around the pupils, and eye lights that give a reflective surface which reflects back at you even in the dark.)

Helmet: Hat Mechanic “Gruff”
Cyber Legs: Cats of a Feather “Steam Minotaur Hooves” Platinum and Leather
Eyes: Poetic Color “Fairy Tale Witch Dark” with Gold Ring and Eye Lights
Skin: Curio “:GP: Bean [Dark] Elf-Snug 2”
Tail: Rez Fantazy “Capran Black Avatar Tail”
Scarf: Argrace “Long Stole Shirring”
Pleated Collar: Silentsparrow “rustnoir pleated collar” (limited edition unavailable)
Shirt: Miel “Cali Top w Hood Down”
Pants and Belt: Tokushi Threads “Steam Swallow Pants”
Gloves: Tokushi Avatars “Le’Strap Gloves”
Poses: by Lost Angel Poses and Diesel Works
Location: Osterberg

Love,
Serene

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

RUMORS OF WAR

We may yet have a few days before battle, but most of the soldiers have been posted near the fore of our defenses ... just in case. Within the castle is unnervingly quiet. Most of the courtiers excused themselves and fled to the countryside at the earliest rumors of war. A few of us still pace our appointed rounds within. My walk is a little more than one thousand paces in its circuit, around the courtyard garden and its windows ...

and through the chapel, winding through corridors and staircases. The metal plate on my boots and shin guards is heavier each time around.

What is that noise?

Shouting from the parapets! The battle is about to begin.

Outfit: Bare Rose “Lady of Lioness” (includes armor in three colors, parti-colored long shirts in five colors, pants not shown here, and a non-scripted axe)
Pants: Adam and Eve “Catwalk Leather Pants”
Sword: Harbinger and Stormie Designs “Rarius Fate Gladius” scripted with HUD
Hair: Maitreya “Moon”
Skin: Curio “:GP: Acorn Defeat [Light] Battle Royale-Shiner 2”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Location: Mont St. Michel

Love,
Serene

Monday, January 4, 2010

HAUNTED PINUP

I don't model lingerie much, but the new silentsparrow "Fledermaus" tattoo inspired me! The playful bats and frothy curlicues frolic all over. Use your imagination, or go get your own. ha. ... The package also includes a second tattoo without curlicues, just bats.

I gushed about this MiaSnow skin before, and it's still gorgeous. There are several other versions of the "Dahlia" skins with different makeups and damage. This "Nephra" hair by Gauze is similar to their popular "Destroy" hair but fuller, messier and less symmetrical.

I love contrasting this cheesecake pinup pose and modest lingerie with the devilish hair and wings.

Tattoos: Silentsparrow “Fledermaus” tattoo set
Wings: Illusions “Chibi Demon Wings”
Undergarments: Violent Seduction “Hate” Corset and Bloomers (gift at Love/Hate HQ, modded a little)
Hair: Gauze “Nephra”
Skin: MiaSnow “Dahlia 9”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Pose: Long Awkward Pose

Love,
Serene

Saturday, January 2, 2010

MECH INVASION

Crap.

This toaster is going to kick my titanium alloy butt down the block.




This Mechsuit is S.I.C's Winter Choice gift. If you haven't gone already, don't miss it! The suit comes equipped with an automatic fire weapon on the left forearm, an energy blade weapon on the right forearm, and a HUD (heads up display) used to control your weapons and power the suit on and off.

Mechsuit: S.I.C “MC775_White” Creators Stamp Rally Winter Choice Gift
Skin: Curio “:GP: Acorn [Light] Battle Royale-Shiner 2
Hair: Gritty Kitty “Hellogoodbye”
Eyes: Poetic Color “Night Rain”
Location: S.I.C49

Love,
Serene