Spring: The season of new beginnings

 

Time to finish all that Easter Candy and go outside. Spring has begun and it looks lovely, well at least in Second Life it does. I hope where you are on the planet also shows some new beginnings.

I don't really have to explain Spring because most of us know what that means. In German, we call it Frühling and it is such a happy time and reminds me of many walks in the forests and looking for newborn animals.

Johann Strauss wrote the Walzer called Frühlingsstimmen and I know when you listen to it you will want to go run outside and feel the new beginnings as well.

Take a listen to it and then visit some of the beautiful sims there are to explore in Second Life.

It is so amazing how the residents here create such pretty landscapes and you will feel the seasons all over you. I think one of the things to do besides working on my own parcel is to visit other places in Second Life, especially as the seasons change.

The lark rises into the blue,
the mellow wind mildly blowing;
his lovely mild breath revives
and kisses the field, the meadow.
Spring in all its splendor rises,
ah all hardship is over,
sorrow becomes milder,
good expectations,
the belief in happiness returns;
sunshine, you warm us,
ah, all is laughing, oh, oh awakes!

You can't help but smile and forget about your troubles, at least for a little while.

Look at these playful goats, it is like you can feel their joy as they jump and embrace Spring.

Even in Vivaldi's Four Seasons can feel the joy of spring. The masters from long ago knew how much fun it is to welcome the new beginning. 

So if you are stuck at home go out there and visit some of the marvelous Sims in Second Life all blooming with the season of Spring.

It has given me something to smile about as I sit at home sick with some food poisoning I acquired. 

2nd Anniversary of the SL Book Club

 

I was so lucky to be able to attend this and see different sets of the Book Club. It is really cool to see that so many people are interested in books and the authors. As a teacher, I value books as great resources and also entertainment.

I was wondering what kind of boots Draxtor was wearing and if there was going to be flooding in any of the sets? He did not explain, that was for sure, so I had to let my imagination run wild.

Books are essential in a variety of ways that go beyond enriching your mind or entertaining you. They have stood the test of time as reliable references for centuries. They stimulate your senses and promote good mental health. Other benefits include enhancing your vocabulary, allowing you to travel through words, and inspiring positivity through motivational literature.

While the internet and television are useful in their own ways, nothing can compare to a great book. Books ignite your imagination, give you new ideas, challenge your perspectives, provide solutions, and share wisdom. At every stage of your existence, you can find a relevant book that will add value to your personal and professional life.

There were so many sets to look at. I can't really decide which one is my favorite. They all had so many impressive building skills behind them. A book has the power to change or reinforce how you feel about your surroundings. It is a therapeutic resource that can equip you with the tools you need to stay on track and maintain a good attitude. Whether you want to learn a new language or delve into the intrigues of nature, there is a book for every situation.

You can watch the entire tour in this video...

Thank you Second Life for having the book club, I am wishing for many more anniversaries to come.

One More Light

 Travel back in time when life was simple and yet it had that certain glamor.

I really enjoyed the ride in this oldtimer up to the hotel. It is a beautiful place where you can relax and take pictures as well as enjoy the art gallery. 

The One More Light destination provides immediate immersion back to the roaring 1920s to a romantic and historical era of the U.S. with a region themed around The Great Gatsby. You will immediately be immersed from your car ride to the Gatsby estate with period architecture, rolling gardens, and stone paths. With indoor and outdoor pools, theater, art gallery, bar/restaurant, and an incredible hotel, you will be swept back in time to old New York glitz and glamor.

I will most definitely come back and take some more pictures here. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful sim with all of us.

Don't let the aliens drink

When I build the Basement Club, I always had outer space in mind. However, I did not want to make something that was not like ourselves but perhaps integrated and welcoming to all visitors. I am truly grateful to all the people who have stopped by the Basement Club and for some miracle found it. I believe those who have passed by will find it very pleasant and tastefully done.

If you have not visited yet, why not take a quick teleport and drink some alien liquids from the bar, just don't let the aliens drink. I do not trust them 100% yet. 

The Basement Club plays a variety of music with live DJs M-F starting at 6 PM SLT. Always unique and always different and all are welcome.

Our eyes prefer to suppose...

...That a habitable place
Has a geocentric view, 

That architects enclose
A quiet Euclidian space:
Exploded myths – but who
Could feel at home astraddle
An ever-expanding saddle?

I love outer space and always get excited when I see it in Second Life. In Real Life, I have always been interested in the space out there and as I learned more and more about it, I knew my fellow Germans were fascinated about this just like me. 

Did you know after the war Wernher von Braun ( he was born actually in a small village not far from where my father was born) started working for NASA? Early on he had a vision for people to explore Mars. He is also responsible for the Saturn 5 that brought astronauts to the moon.

Wernher also believed that we are not alone and that there are other beings from far away worlds who have visited Earth.

A starship in System Shock 2 was named the Von Braun.

One of the characters in the tutorial of Kerbal Space Program is named "Wernher von Kerman". I can see this happening right here in Second Life.

We are now in a new era of outer space and the mission to revisit the moon and explore Mars is still being pursued.

 

A stranger here
Strange things doth meet,
Strange glory see,
Strange treasures lodg’d
In this fair world appear,
Strange all and new to me:
But that they mine should be who Nothing was,
That strangest is of all:
Yet brought to pass.

Hans-Jörg Königsmann, another great German aerospace engineer started working for SpaceX and helped create the Falcon 1. We are one step closer to the moon and the world beyond.  In the meantime, I will continue to explore the worlds that you can find in Second Life.

I hold it true...

 If you ever feel lost, find me here and we breathe the same air. Don't just exist, live! This shall be my new home. Yes, it is just a shed, but the shed can be turned into something beautiful.

“I hold it true, whate’er befall;

I feel it when I sorrow most;

‘Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all.”

- Alfred Tennyson

I feel the same about taking pictures and writing this journal. It is better to write lots than have nothing on paper. Lucky for me that Second Life gives me so many choices to start again and again until I like it and feel good about it.

When I am here, I do not have to worry about my blemishes of humanness. I can create little marvelous spaces and refresh my soul. 

Don't feel spiritless when you can compose poetry out of prims. I love this. I can do it all by myself and it brings me peace. It will launch new ideas and new dreams. So live a little and love what you can create. 

It was a wonderful experience to be part of this...Danke!

An amazing film by Draxtor about people around the world and their ways to cope with the pandemic in the virtual world way.

"I was so fortunate to be part of this and express the anxiety and fears of a regular teacher. Some people in my field never experienced the option to teach virtual and have children engage while their parents supervise this. Teachers went from heroes and were praised for the jobs they did in everyday settings and then they became zeros when parents wanted them back. We were called lazy and parents forgot when the pandemic hit, Teachers are people too, and our lives matter as well."

No matter what you do in your real life, this film will give you a better understanding of what people who are connected to the virtual world created and how they coped. This is something we can all do, no matter what age, and frankly age does not matter in the virtual world. My favorite quote from the film was that "time is never wasted when you are having a good time." 

Most important be "you" and help others who have difficulties finding themselves. It always pays off in the end.

Thank you to all the participants and of course Draxtor and the research that went into this. 

To teach the world...

Second Life offers that sense of safety and security for anyone to be anonymous and not reveal their true selves. I think the hardest part for me is to see myself as who I am and that triggers insecurities of course. Will they like me, will they judge me are the questions one asks. Of course, it does not matter, but deep down inside it always does matter.

How do I teach the world about me? How can I be vulnerable and share my fears?

Second Life has helped me in so many ways to do things that I would never do or try, like being a DJ and playing the music I like, and hoping that others like my choices. That is always a risk because people will say you suck.

Showing my drawings and photographs as a self-made artist was another risk I took and I do like the comments and critiques I get for my art. This makes me want to do better and I become more artistic. 

The opportunity to use this virtual world to learn about yourself and slowly reveal peel by peel who I am not for others but for me. I truly appreciate the fact that I have learned to love myself in so many ways and it is ok to be me. I have seen people who struggle daily in their real lives here in second life and I am so blessed they have shared those fears and insecurities with me. I do not feel alone because of that. I know these valuable people have struggles like me and are trying to overcome them just like me. We are so much alike but different. I am grateful today for being able to grow.