“Once upon a midnight dreary,”

The Raven is probably known by many people as a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow descent into madness. Perhaps Poe himself was a little mad and he fits right into Halloween, where things are spooky.

I love it when I travel around Second Life and see ravens and crows in a field. They add this element of fright into a scene. Crows are more aggressive and a bit smaller than a raven. Perhaps the differences are not as noticeable at first. Crows make a higher-pitched, lighter noise that sounds like they’re saying “Caw!” A raven’s call, meanwhile, is a lower, more guttural croak.

Whichever you prefer these birds are all part of the sounds and terrors we so love during Halloween.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Let the goosebumps spread and the hairs stand up on Halloween and let the candy fill your dreams.

Happy Halloween!!!

From the Retreat and Basement Club!!!

The Pirates of Monte Likka Hunt will be up and running until November 2ish or so...hurry and find the goodies.

The Boystown Haunted Experience

WAIT!!! DON'T SHOOT!!!

 

If you love scary things and an amazing experience of SL's finest, you stop by and take the Boystown Experience. I love all the sound effects and the entire scene. When you do visit this place make sure you have enough time to get through it all. It does take some time, but it will be worth it. 

A 20+ Minute Experience — This spooky walk-through attraction with interactive experiences is designed to terrify and entertain. Start out at Horror House, where an innocent visit to Madame Ruby’s Fortune Telling turns out to be a gateway to a demonic world with incredible monsters, amazing special effects, and fearful places.

I may go back and take some more pictures as well. So many cool spots to take photographs. Wear a costume I guess that will make it even better.

A very creepy cemetery

Turn your sound on, probably best with headphones, but be aware every step you take may trigger something that will frighten you.

I love all the details throughout the experience. It was very well thought out and deserves more than one visit. In fact, tell your friends and bring them here. This is what Second Life is all about. You step into the haunted experience and become part of it. No worries, you will come out of it alive...I think everybody got out. 

If you do not like clowns, run through this part because they are all over. It seemed that way. You just have to tell yourself, it's not real, it's not real. It looks real, but ok it is not real. (Screaming and running out of there).

Red Balloons reminded me of an old German song of 99 Luftballons, but these here had a different meaning. Makes a note, never to buy red balloons, they are kind of creepy.

So, don't hesitate to get over there today and have a wonderful Halloween. Tell 'em Anjelikka send ya. 

Witches lives matter !!!

There is a misconception about witches. Most of them are portrait to be evil and mean and that is not true. People long ago feared witches because they creates healing spells. The evil witch from Hansel and Gretel is a fairytale and does not exist. Early witches were people who practiced witchcraft, using magic spells and calling upon spirits for help or to bring about change. Most witches were thought to be pagans doing the Devil’s work. Many, however, were simply natural healers or so-called “wise women” whose choice of profession was misunderstood.

Once Halloween was widely commercialized witches are often shown as mean and evil. It all makes sense because horror and gore sell better than a sweet witch trying to heal you. I love how in Second Life you can actually fly on the broom. Just think if we could do that in real life.

Some people are afraid of the color black and that is why witches mostly are shown wearing black and have black cats. Hey, I have a black cat in real life. Fear me now? I am harmless.
When choosing a pet to welcome into your home, please consider, that just like humans, the color of our skin does not matter…it’s what’s inside our hearts that does. The same equality should be for animals.

Let's go, Brandon!!!

We are not scared of some ugly aliens either. In fact, we were sitting here waiting for the parade of fools to pass us by. You just got to love Second Life.

Come and visit: The Deathly Halloween Experience ( it is listed as "Dethly" but as a teacher, I had the urge to correct the spelling, sorry)

The 3rd Annual Interactive Trick-or-Treat Halloween Neighborhood and Carnival are open! Wear your costumes and visit each of the 25 uniquely decorated houses. Explore the fantastic haunted maze, abandoned park, creepy cemetery, spooky carnival, and Halloween-themed mini-golf course created by Solstice and Tales of Enchantment. Teleport in to learn more about the interactive trick-or-treat and hunt.

This is a super fun place where you can take all your Halloween pictures. 

Happy Halloween!!!!!

I see you

Whether it is in Second Life or Real Life people recognize me, which can be good and not so good. It all depends on what it is. For example this past week McDonald's was giving out free breakfast for teachers and I thought well why not drive by my local place and get me that well-deserved breakfast. All you had to do is show your school ID, so that was easy. As I got to the window, the lady that: "Oh you do not need to show me the ID, I know you, you were my child's teacher."  (Those things happen all the time in stores, people see me and recognize me.)

It can be a good thing to be recognized because you must have had some impact on the person, whether it was good or bad. You know that from your own experiences you go somewhere in SL and you see that avatar name that left a bad memory in your head. Ugh!!! Then there are those who were absolutely delightful to see again.

Treasure the people who make you smile and appreciate those who find some joy in your presence as well. Life is short, even in Second Life, so smile and smile often and then smile again.

I see you running, never looking back,
towards the endless sea of nothing,
your hands swing by, back and forth, you look from left to right
never looking back, even once.

I imagine that you smile your dimpled smile
when the passing breeze greets you,
I see you tousle your hair,
you keep walking, going farther to the land of nothing.

My eyes begin to betray my vision,
you grow fainter, smaller but taller,
I see the shadow, trailing behind you,
it grows taller and taller.

I fancy you call my name
to come after you, to live with you
in the land, I will never set my eyes on,
only to realize, you don't belong here.

 

You Matter !

I came to Second Life because the Domestic Violence that I experienced resulted in Post Traumatic Stress. This was my place of refuge, a new beginning, a place of peace.

October was first declared as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 1989. Since then, October has been a time to acknowledge domestic violence survivors and be a voice for its victims. 

Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. Physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior as part of a much larger, systematic pattern of dominance and control. 

Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma, and even death. The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime.

For those who are going through this it seems like something that it will never end, but trust me it can.

If you need help, call for help when it is safe to do so.

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7:

1-800-799-7233

If you are in Second Life and need help you can also come by the Retreat and see me. You have a friend here. Don't wait until it is too late.

Stay calm and breathe and take care of yourself. You matter!

This was me!

The meaning of dying

He was just dying to dance with me and finally ask. Here is one of those phrases in the English language that is perplexing, because I translate it literally. I would not want someone to die over me. However, there is a big difference when someone is dying of something and dying for something. I know you are dying to know more about this.

What is the meaning of death? Is it that the moment we are born we are guaranteed to die eventually. The problem humans have is that we do not know when we will die, but we know it will happen.

Keep death away as much as possible. So, should it not be in the best interest and live each day to the fullest and concentrate on the happiest things? 

Of course, it does. Fear helps protect us. It makes us alert to danger and prepares us to deal with it. Feeling afraid is very natural and helpful in some situations. Fear can be like a warning, a signal that cautions us to be careful.

If I should go tomorrow
It would never be goodbye,
For I have left my heart with you,
So don’t you ever cry.
The love that’s deep within me,
Shall reach you from the stars,
You’ll feel it from the heavens,
And it will heal the scars.

May all my friends and those who do not like me always remember that life is short and who knows how long death lasts. Make every second count until the kiss of death touches your lips.

Smile in the meantime and enjoy Second Life, because you may one have One Life.

I wonder what goes on night and day beneath the surface of a cemetery.

If you love cemeteries as much as I do, you want to come and visit the Retreat cemetery here in Second Life. This part of the Retreat has been around for several years now and it is located right next to the chapel. 

Some SLers have used this particular cemetery for their backdrop for pictures and it is totally open for anyone to use.

"When you're dead, you are just a stone above." Nobody really cares what you looked like, we all end up the same way. 

As a child in Germany, I lived across the cemetery and I often went there to play. I know that sounds creepy, but it was fascinating and very quiet there.

You will find this spot year-round and not just during the Halloween season.

"The only people without problems live in the cemetery."

Right now the place is decorated for Halloween and you may see a ghost or two wandering around there. The "Pirates of Monte Likka Hunt" will also bring you to the cemetery or at least into the chapel for a little hint here. You still have to search for the purple pearls all around. 

I like to hang out here often because I feel the same serene peace as in real life. This reminds me: live now and make your dreams come true. The most buried treasures lie in the cemetery. There lies buried the dreams that never came true, the goals that were never reached, the inventions that were never created, and the books that were never written. Don't be a buried treasure.

Come visit today!!!

I will leave a spot open for just you :)

I feel FREE, finally :)

 

Sometimes you hang on to someone for years and forget that this certain someone does not even care about you the way you care about them. You convinced yourself that he/she will change and also fall in love with you. Let me tell you something, it is not gonna happen if they linger and do not express their feelings towards you and they make you believe that everything that could possibly go wrong in a relationship is your fault. You know that type, right? If not, sooner or later you will experience it too, unless you are the luckiest person and find the soulmate who respects you.

You don't know how liberated it feels when you all of a sudden have seen the light and you are done, because the coward means nothing to you now and you can remind yourself that the person who has him/her has used merchandise that was returned. You also lost that jealous feeling of why them and not you. I am telling you, it feels so good that they are gone and someone else's problem. 

This leaves me to find someone new that I can occupy my time with. Here at the Basement Club people come and go and so many interesting characters stop by. I love this about the Basement, the best thing I ever created, and yes the music is nothing but unique and different just like us.

Don't forget right now the "Pirates of Monte Likka Hunt" is happening at the Retreat and Basement Club. Find the purple pearls and get some free gifts, plus the place is a wonderful spot for pictures.

Halloween Shop and Hop (backdrop)

Besides the great deals at the Halloween shop and hop and the free gifts, I discovered the amazing decor all around that can be used as a backdrop for your Halloween pictures.

I mean seriously, the design team of the Lindens have done a great job with all of this, right? With little effort in changing the windlight settings, you can get some spooky pictures for your Halloween holiday cards or art gallery.

Oh, you don't have photoshop? No problem at all, you do not need to pay any real dollars on the editing software because I edited these pictures with "Picasa 3", which you can download free. It basically just adds some filters to your pictures and best of all you can see all your pictures at once. ( Perfect for not just Second Life pictures which I have millions of, but also your real-life pictures.)

Now, get up and do something creative and use the free backdrops and the free editing software and become of us: The Second Life Photographer.

Once you have your creations upload them to flickr and add them to the Second Life: Halloween Flickr Group., or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, whichever social media platform you use. You are now an artist and you will get better and better at creating something your friends will admire.