Day 72 – That’s not a good look!

It’s rare that I have any big problems with SL. I usually rez really fast, everything around me rezzes really fast, and I don’t lag much. But on the nights where I DO have some problems for whatever reason? Well…it’s pretty funny!!

Still not having a problem moving around, though. So that’s a plus.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Big Bad Blogger Challenge. I kept meaning to run it last year but with all the RL medical issues that were going on, even when I wanted to, I just didn’t know if my schedule would allow it. But now that things here are fairly calmed down and my first trip of the year is over, I’m thinking about doing it this month. I’m wondering if there would even really be a following for it this year because it seems like most of the non-fashion bloggers have either stopped writing, or they’ve moved to just doing fashion and don’t care about writing. But it was so much fun those first 2 years! I figured it would run a little differently this time, starting on a Monday and ending on Sunday [there was some grumbles in 2010 that it wasn’t a 7 day project] and that Sunday we could have the blogger party in the afternoon so that some of the non-US bloggers could join us. The party was a mid-week thing before, back when I was running the Hump Day Parties each week, and not always easy for everyone to get to.

I dunno, still just thoughts in my head, but I really would love to do it again. So we’ll see.

Ugh. I’m still ugly and Aldwyn is still just body parts. I need to go take care of this!

The BBBC 2010 Wrap Up

Well everyone, we did it! We reached the end of another challenge. Some people asked why it’s only 6 days. My answer is… Did you really want to write on a Saturday? :-p Except for the NZ bloggers, who did have to end on Saturday since my Sunday is their Monday. Time zones. Such silly things. Some people are continuing to go because they want to complete all 6 topics but weren’t able to post every day, and that’s cool, too!

I wanted to thank all of the bloggers who participated. We ended with 97 blogs on the blogroll, which is wildly impressive to me! There were 25 bloggers in 2008, and 67 in 2009. We just keep growing as a blog community and I think that is an excellent thing. Your contributions to the SL community are outstanding as bloggers, never never think they are not. I was so happy that so many participated this year! People wrote outside of their comfort zone, they found that they DO have something to say, and they fell back in love with writing. It’s amazing to me when someone who came into this kind of just to do it comes to me and says, “I didn’t realize I had so much to say! I’m going to keep blogging!” I seriously could not ask for more than that.

The blogroll will be up until tomorrow, and then left here for the rest of the year, although under my normal blogroll and of course not as expanded as it is now. The 2008 & 2009 blogrolls are also still here, but they’ll be moved around. I encourage all of you to check out all the blogs on the list at least once. There are blogs that were in the challenge this year that I had never heard of before, but I think they’ll be finding their way into my regular blog reading. We have such a blend of writers in our blog world, with so many different ideas and experiences. It’s simply wonderful.

Will I do this again next year? Oh God, you bet I will. I will continue doing the challenge every June until I’m no longer a blogger. You all give me so much inspiration, I couldn’t imagine NOT doing it.

So that’s my final post on the BBBC 2010. Life goes back to normal now. Well, as normal as things get. 😉 I love you, bloggers and readers! ♥

BBBC Final Topic!

Yeahhhh! Final topic! We pretty much do the same final topic each year, but honestly, I think it’s a great one. The question is the same for both the SL and the non-SL bloggers, but choose the one that is for you.

If this is your first BBBC… What did you get out of your experience? Do you think it will change the way you blog in the future?

If you’re a veteran…. Did you find this year to be harder or easier than previous years? Did you have fun? What did you get out of it this time around? Do you think you’d do it again?

Words & Thoughts

What’s on my mind today…

I’m really worn out today. Again. I suppose I’ll make a doctor’s appointment for next week because honestly? Two weeks of barely making it through the day is starting to get a little ridiculous. I’m moody and tired and I can’t sleep and I haven’t been to the gym in over a week because of all of this. Ree-dic-yoo-lous.

Ulaa and I were talking and she had the idea of a “dig it out” challenge, where we don’t shop for a week and just make outfits using what we can dig out of our inventories. I think it sounds like fun. Last night we were standing around inventory sorting [well, more like inventory deleting] and I was finding all these boxes that have never been opened. Of course, then I got the guilt, because a lot of these were review copies. Damn.

I hate to admit it, but I miss having someone to snuggle with in SL at night.

For some reason, I have the song “Karma Police” in my head at the moment. Gotta say, not a fan of the song. I’d almost rather have “Karma Chameleon” in my head.

I wonder if it’s okay if I go lay down in bed and play Angry Birds. But with my luck, I’d be almost done with a hard level and the phone would ring.

Sophia just text messaged me to see if I want to go with her to find a new house. Prefab shopping? And she has to ASK?

I need a shower.

I really need something to blog for the style blog. I wanted to do a style post a day for the challenge, but I didn’t realize the challenge would take up so much time this year since we have almost 100 bloggers. I can’t believe so many people wanted to do it this year. I’m so so happy about it. This challenge is my baby, and the fact that others want to participate makes me so happy.

Ooh, I wonder if Pretty Little Liars is on Hulu yet.

I wonder if the whole Lindex thingy is going to affect tier next month. I wonder if it does, if other land owners are going to up the rent. I’d hate to do that to my renters, but I could see other land owners doing it.

Hm, I should remember to tell the Bluebonnet residents that we’ll be switching over to a beach terrain in a couple of weeks. I guess if they read this, they now know.

I’m starving. I don’t want another bowl of boring like I had last night. I think I need to figure out something better to make tonight for dinner.

Shower…food…Oh snap, Pretty Little Liars IS on Hulu!

Topic #5 & a party pic!

Huge thanks to everyone who came out tonight to the party! It was SO SO fun!!!

As we’ve done in years past, Topic #5 is an easy one! At least, easy for me. 😉

Topic #5 – Blogger’s choice! Write about anything that’s on your mind!

Eeeee! We’re almost done! 😀

The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.

If you’re looking for the sign up post, it’s over here.

Don’t forget – Tonight is a big Hump Day/Blogger Challenge party!! 7pm SLT in my party ball! My parcel will be closed except for Bluebonnet residents and selected others while I make sure all the stuff is placed properly.

I kind of skipped over the whole relationship topic for myself. Like I’ve said before, you never need to use a topic for the challenge if you don’t want to. Those of us doing the 365 day project could just continue doing what we’ve been doing, you know? I have adored reading some of the posts on the topic, though. Everyone’s experiences have been so different for the most part.

But, the age topic is one that interests me, and I figured I’d go ahead and get my day 4 post out of the way while I have time to write.

A few months ago, I participated in a study about people and their relationships with their SL avatars. The professor conducting the study asked me once, “How old is Alicia?” My answer was, “She’s 32.” Because I’m 32, so it just stood to reason that my avatar was too, as she is me.

But since then, I’ve realized that while I don’t really set an age to my avatar, she is very much like I was in my late teens/early 20s. Quiet, but usually always up for a party. Scared, but never too scared to do something new. In love with life, and love, and fashion, and meeting new people.

So really, if I HAD to place an age on my avatar, I think she’d be around 19-21 most of the time.

Except for tier time. Then she’s all old and responsible. :-p

The funny thing is – I really enjoy being in my 30s. My best friend is about to turn 30 next month, and she was moaning to me on Monday that she can’t believe it’s happening to her. I told her that I felt the same way, right up until my 30th birthday. I was SO happy to reach 30! And even through all the mess and the daily stuff I have to deal with, I LOVE being in my 30s. It’s so much more fun. I don’t feel 32. I feel younger than I did back in my 20s when I was trying to be sooo adult. I hope that never changes, because I really like myself now, and I sure didn’t back then.

Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.
-Betty Friedan

BBBC Topic #4 – What’s my age again?

If you’re looking for the sign up list, it’s over here.

Hey, we’re halfway done! I hope you guys are having as good of a time with it as I am! It’s been awesome reading your blogs! I’m still working on why a few of them are not updating correctly on the blogroll. If any of you have ideas, shoot them at me. I never said I was technical. 🙂

And don’t forget, tomorrow there is a Hump Day Party going on at 7pm SLT! We’ll be in the happy party ball, but there’s not really a theme. Just dress however you want and come up to have some fun. I’ll have the SLurl tomorrow, since I’m not in world at the moment to get it for you guys.

Okay! Topic number four!

SL Bloggers – Is your avatar more or less your current biological age? Do you portray a younger avatar, or older? Why is this?

RL Bloggers – Do you lie about your age? Do you think you act your age? Are you where you thought you’d be at your current age?

Topic #3 – Relationships

If you are looking for the sign up post, it’s right here.

Just as a reminder, we have a big Hump Day party coming up on Wednesday at 7pm SLT. I know, I know, it’s really bad timing for some of the challengers that aren’t over here on my side of the world, but we’re going to try to get one going on the weekend at a better time for you guys.

Okay, this topic was one that we touched on back in 2008, but I think it’s a great one, so here we go. 🙂 And remember, you can choose either one to write about, or squish them together, or you don’t need to write about this topic at all if you don’t want to. It’s just there if you need it.

SL Bloggers – How hard do you think it is to find a relationship in SL? If you have an SL relationship, have you met in the physical world? Would you meet them? Do you think it would change your SL relationship if you met?

RL Bloggers – Would you start a relationship with someone you met online? Would you have a problem telling people that’s where you met? Do you think it’s easier to meet someone online rather than at work or at a club?

Keep it positive

If you’re looking for the challenge sign up post, it’s right here.

If you’re looking for the topic of the day, it’s over here.

Today’s topic came easily to me. It was one that was in my head long before the Linden layoffs, before 2.0, before I had the date set down for the challenge. It was one that I knew would be included because every night when I go to bed, it’s one that I attempt to answer in my head before I go to sleep. Three positive things. There has to be three positive things in my life. If there aren’t, then obviously I am doing something wrong. Yes, ME. In those moments, I do not put the blame on anyone else if I am unhappy. Oh, I could. Anyone could find something or someone to blame for all the mess in their life if they think about it. But in those moments before I fall asleep, and so often I do fall asleep thinking about it, it’s only about me.

I hear the grumblings all the time. Second Life sucks, Lindens are morons, people are stupid… But it makes no sense to me. Why stay? Second Life, unlike our physical world, is not something that anyone is forcing you to do. The last I heard, no one put a gun to anyone’s head and said, “Log in.”

[Although, that sounds like a great idea for a show. Being forced to be an avatar against your will. Shop and dance or you die!]

So obviously if you are still logging in, there is a reason. A GOOD reason. A POSITIVE reason.

Three positive things going on in my SL right now…

1. I feel really creative there lately. I go through phases, as I think we all do, of just not doing much of anything. I log in, stand around, flip through some clothes, IM once in a while, and go. But right now, I have ideas and thoughts and I’m decorating and re-texturing my house, and thinking about projects in the future, and coming up with photo ideas in my head that probably will never happen, but just the fact that I’m thinking about them makes me happy!

2. I haven’t had to worry about the island in a while. Not last summer, but the summer before, I was really really struggling at this time because I had a renter go MIA and still being new to the whole land thing, I let it lapse far longer than I should have. [Anything for a friend, right?] And then last year, I was having kind of a high turnover rate with a few smaller plots, and it was starting to get to me. But for months now, I haven’t had to really worry about empty plots or late tiers. I’m so so happy with the island and my friends who live there. They are the ones who make the island beautiful. If it were just me there, it would probably look like a hot mess.

3. And who can have a positive SL without friends? Sophia came back to SL, much to my joy. Even if we don’t get a chance to see each other, just knowing she’s around makes me feel a whole lot better. I’ve also gotten close to people that I never expected I would. I think we spend a lot of time looking at people on the outside, never really talking to them, and thinking “Oh, she’s a snob, he’s a jerk, she’s this and he’s that…” When you actually TALK to someone, you discover a lot more than you ever realized. You discover that they are just as silly as you are, that they have the same fears, the same thoughts. You kick away those false impressions and you actually make a friend. There’s really not a lot more positive than that.

I can’t wait to read about the positive things you guys come up with! 🙂

BBBC Topic #2 – Being Positive!

If you want to sign up for the challenge, please go to this post.

Also, all challengers have their blog on the blogroll to the left. If you don’t see your blog, PLEASE tell me. With 60+ blogs, I might have missed someone and I don’t want to! A few of the blogs aren’t feeding in/updating correctly, but don’t worry, you’re still listed and I’m working on fixing it. 🙂 We also have some “real world” bloggers joining us this year, so we’ll have the topics modified for the SL and the RL bloggers. You are, of course, welcome to choose from either. Or you can just write about whatever you’d like. 🙂

Now for the topic!

It’s really easy to be negative in your life – first or second. Sometimes we get so bogged down by the things that are bad, we forget to remember all that is good.

SL Bloggers – Write about three positive things going on in your Second Life.

RL Bloggers – Write about three positive things going on in your life.