Halloween at the Retreat, the video

 

Missing Melody

What is a Missing Melody? It's that song in your head that you can't get out but not sure how it really goes. It's that temptation you want to have in your life so you can fight to resist. It's that place in your heart that is always waiting to be filled.

 

It was really interesting to visit this place. There is lots of water and you can find some cozy sitting places where you and a friend can relax. I suppose you can also meet people here like this guy in the background. I have no idea who he was but he was enjoying the place.

"O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,
Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed..." ~Percy Bysshe Shelley

Autumn is also known as Fall, mainly by Americans, but either way is correct. I like to use autumn, it sounds more sophisticated, lol.

The "Skeleton" Retreat

If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet,
you’d best teach it to dance.
— George Bernard Shaw

It's a dead man's party alright here at the Retreat. Come and stop by and get a sneak preview of all the bony characters lurking around here. There is a bunch to see and perfect for the coming Halloween season. I will add a few gifts in October.

Skeletons somehow have become part of Halloween decorations as we think of death and horror. Did you know that the skeleton inside of you is very much alive? 

Skeletons like to hear about scandals—
They love to watch them on the TV.
They enviously and greedily want to know
all about blemishes on the skin—
sclerosis, eczema, warts, carbuncle, hives,
or even just tiny tales of ringworm.

I found out that it is perfectly legal to buy and sell a human skeleton in the United States unless it is Native American. Until the 1980s most skeletons for medical education were the real thing and students often bought some bones to research on. Not much anymore. 

Some people have a fear of skeletons and it is a real phobia called Skelephobia. Right down to your skeleton. You seize, You freeze, Knees turn into gelatin. Skeletons in your closet refer to a secret that you may keep from the world for whatever reason, that is where the fear comes in. Have you ever worked with a skeleton crew? I am sure you have it refers to the minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shutdown, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.

I promise you will be safe here in Second Life and the Skeletons here are friendly and will not frighten you at all. You may make a friend or two, you never know. 

I once saw a husband and wife skeleton shopping together.
The husband kept picking up different colored shirts
and holding them to his rib cage. Each time, his wife grimaced
(she was always grimacing). Finally, there was a whisper,
it doesn’t matter what you wear, you’ll still be a skeleton;
They left the store, and I haven’t seen them since.

22 years later (we shall never forget)

“We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down.”

― Winston Churchill

9/11 Memorial - Always Remember, Never Forget 

A Tribute to The Victims & Heroes Who Lost Their Lives on September 11, 2001

The story about "John" comes up every 9/11 anniversary and it still haunts me today and makes me wonder what happened and where is he.

About 12 years ago I wrote this story, which was based on real life, about what I remember on the day the World Trade Center came down and the events before and after it. I was really honored when it was published on Yahoo in their Yahoo contributors section about 9/11.
People like us who are in Second Life are somewhat geeks of technology and before Second Life even happened I was part of this world.

The story about John started when around 2000 a community of people played on the platform Gamespy, I was part of Starfleet Command a very popular game based on Startrek. People who played this game formed a fleet and I happened to be a fleet commander. Being one of the girls who played this game was kind of a rarity because most guys did not want to have the fleet commander be a girl and be told what to do. We met online daily just like you did here in Second Life conducted meetings and then flew our battles against other fleets. Nobody knew each other's names in real life. We revealed little about each other and only a few details, maybe where we lived or an email address to get updates for fleet meetings. 
One night John revealed to us how happy and excited he was to get a job at the World Trade Center. He worked in finance and this was his dream job that finally came true. He would tell us how beautiful the view from up there was and how cool it would be to maybe one day have a reunion of all of us meet at the World Trade Center Windows of the World. You could tell how much he wanted that and we all thought how very cool this would be if we all could meet there.

Then it happened, 9/11 and suddenly the World Trade Center was gone. That night we met in our group on GameSpy and talked about the horrors and shock we all experienced. John wasn't there. We figured since he lived there he may not have power or internet services to give him a day or two. One of the guys who lived in New Jersey across from Manhattan would tell us how he could see the smoke go on for days. We heard nothing from John. 
It deeply hurt many of us, because we never knew to this day what happened to John. All we knew was he worked there and now he was gone. All I hope for if he did perish is that he is fighting for the Federation along with Mr. Spock and the others. Live long and Prosper, John!!!
John would absolutely love Second Life where he could explore and fly into space.

It's a dead man's party...

 ...coming soon to the Retreat and Basement Club. Every year I try to think of something that will get you hunting for treasures. From pirates' pearls, DB Cooper's money, Grimm tales mysteries to this year's Dead Man's Party.

 

Like every year this event will be free and provides you with many photo opportunities.

The hunt will be announced in a future blog entry, it will be some bone-chilling gifts. (Well, things always look better than they really are, blame the boneheads for that) 

Fall and Halloween are my favorite season and every year I tell myself no you will not go all out and spend your hard-earned Linden dollars on stuff. I was lying, I am decorating and you know you cannot always use the same old stuff. I am looking for skeletons, so if you know some cool shops either on MP or Inworld let me know. Maybe you even want to donate some or let the Retreat rent them from you (free rent is best). 

Either way, it should be fun and my goal is to make people smile. I am not competing with those places that go all out, I am just going for fun and photo-inspired. Stop by the Retreat and get familiar with the setting, the skeletons will come out one by one.

I am a skeleton
Bare bones and air
An unlively specimen
With no reason to care.
My soul has long left me
Just here all alone
Under a tree, I am buried
My grave is my home.
You’re welcome anytime
I’d sure like some guests
Please pardon the grime
And all of the pests.
My soul is off haunting someone, somewhere
I don’t mind, the flowers make it seem like you care.