Helping out the Eleanor

There are some very exciting plans afoot (or in my case, ahoof) for the new and improved Eleanor theatre in Phobos with wild talk and speculation about mooring for boats and airships and a coffee shop for folks to relax and chat in. There is also some crrrrazzzy talk about a gift shop – an idea I think is a bobby dazzler.

But what would a mirth-maddened audience member do in the meantime? How would they sate the fever in their brain pan to own a little piece of The Show Must Go On (after all, there is only so much Raoul to go around after Margaux has had her wicked way with the poor simpleton)?

The answer, my friends, is simple. The theatre may not have an official and approved gift shop yet, but there is a small range of take-home goodies on sale in the foyer. From snake chow (for hungry snakes) to human chow (made from real humans) you too can own a piece of your favourite show AND help pay the rent at the same time. And if any of you are looking to experience the magic that ripples between Margaux and her Boy Friday, then why not pick up an officially approved pair of rubber gloves as modelled by the big man himself? Go on, get scrubbing you dirty devils…

 

SL Peeps: Nica Pennell

Ever since I became half-gazelle that fateful day I found the backpack in Kahruvel I have been alone. Before you all burst into tears and organise a benefit concert for me, I don’t mean lonely, just alone. Apart. Singular. The Only Gazelle In The Village, if you will. I’ve longed to meet another of my kind, to have the chance to chat about being part gazelle but long ago feared it would never be. So imagine, dear reader, my delight when I received a pair of hooves and a lovely message from Nica Pennell who, although now a satyr, was once a half-gazelle like me!

The very next chance we got, we met up in-world with Nica TPing me to a lovely rock on the plains under the hanging palaces of delight that make up the amazing stores of Grendel’s Children. Unfortunately I was on my poor, tired old laptop so couldn’t take a great deal of photos (I crashed out at least twice and frequently had FPS of 1-5).

Nica had made the hooves a while back and I think they look pretty darn good on the end of my feet – although I won’t be adding them to my gazelle body but rather to my posh black talbuk-in-a-tux body to replace my smart shoes… after all, hooves are much better than shoes for dancing in

Nica is, as I said, a satyr and if you meet her, you must ask about her family and tribal history as it puts my efforts to write a convincing back story into the shade, I can tell you – it’s riveting!

I hope to go back to the Avarian lands soon, this time on my PC so I can take some snaps and hopefully spend some less crashy time with Nica. After all, we horned ones simply must stick together – there are wolves out there, you know…

 

HBA is back in the building…

I’m back! Well I think I am… I haven’t actually been able to check yet, but at least my support ticket is marked as “Solution Provided”. If all goes well, I’ll see you back in-world later today – thanks to Janey, Osprey and Ryne for trying to help

Edit: Here is Janey’s post on the matter.

Edit 2: Salazar Jack managed to get a shot of me trapped in limbo

 

A night at the theatre…

Tho old indoor and outdoor theatres in Phobos that were the home of The Show Must Go On have gone…

But fear not Shindig fans, the home of TSMGO has only moved over the hill to the bay next to the excellent SL History Museum in Phobos where not only does it have a new base, but also a new name – The Eleanor Theatre! This is a shot of the new look theatre and although it’s not finished I think you’ll agree that it looks great

Pop on over and take a look round – Osprey has added a fun water slide to help folks get down from the road and Salazar and I are going to be adding various parking and mooring options soon. Hope to see you for one of our upcoming shows (dates to be announced, but I’ll let you all now).

 

Backpacking Burro Road Trip 5: Around Mohrr and The Inland Sea.

The question of how to get five people across the water to the small island of Mohrr was, in the end, easy to answer. Speedboat! I had one that comfortably took seven people so I started the engine and we all hopped in*.

The water behind us spewed white foam as we sped off towards the ever burning spaceship embedded in the small tropical island. Once on land, we circled the smoking craft and examined the crash site – it turned out that it belonged to Harry Linden who crashed here back in early 2006.

He must have survived the accident though as his tent and campsite were still there, along with his luggage… which we riffled, of course! Such wonderful freebies he’d thoughtfully left behind for visitors!

After we had relaxed in the sun loungers, my fellow explorers had to leave and as the sun set over the horizon, I found myself alone.

I made camp for the night and resolved to explore the small islands dotted around in the morning before returning to my car.

The sun splashed rose petals across the new sky as I woke and started the motor once more. I took a far more leisurely pace and headed over to the lighthouse I could see rising from a sea in Kremer.

I swung my boat over to the stone steps and set off to explore the small island – all I could find was a few seats and some information screens that told me this was an Linden office where public meetings were held. As I climbed back into my boat, I couldn’t help but think that this was one office with a far better view than mine…

I headed over to the only other small island I could see and found it was deserted but for an empty Linden tee-shirt and collectors card dispenser – for what purpose, I could not tell.

The inland sea offered a myriad of possibilities – the huge lighthouse to the south, the forest to the west, the rivers and inlets to the east or the buildings to the north. I had to choose one and I decided on the architectural temptations of the north and headed across the empty water of Rechleff towards Clementina. The only problem was that I had left my car parked in Bodgea far across the sea in the south…

Yours in Travel. And a speedboat!

HeadBurro Antfarm.
************************

* Well, in truth, while the others chatted on the roof of the Bodega Explorer’s Base, I did a quick search for speedboats, teleported to a few marinas until I found one I liked, bought it, teleported back, discovered I could not rez it up in the water there, spent five minutes flying around for a place where building was allowed, sped back to my friends and hollered for them to leap from the three-storey building into my new boat below. What followed was the amusing spectacle of five people shouting “Where are you?” “Down here?” “Where?” “In the water! Jump!” with avatars blindly leaping off and missing the boat completely. But none of that sounds as romantic as “I had one that comfortably took seven people so I started the engine and we all hopped in…”, now does it?

 

Boom Boom Shake the Burro!

A trip to Murray turned into a headache recently as I found someone has spiked my favourite cigar (Ceeeegaaaar!) with some dynamite! Ohhh, my aching lobes!

Going…

Going…

GONE! The cads!

Here’s Janey’s pictures of my poor wee head popping!

 

The Show Must Go On… Sat 19th April at 1pm SL!

Second Life may well be a creative paradise for many people, allowing them to be whoever (or whatever) they want and to build and create to their heart’s content, but many activities taken for granted in real life are harder to recreate and appreciate in this strange, wonderful virtual world.

Eating for example. In RL eating could not be simpler or more enjoyable but in SL, where there is no need to eat, involves a complex dance of pre-scripted objects and a real leap of imagination to achieve.

Or how about surfing? In RL you just grab a board, run into the sea and lap up the feeling of being in a huge washing machine where as in SL it’s a much less exhilarating affair altogether leaving you more washed up than wiped out.

Surfing too taxing for you? Not your scene? Well how about a night out to catch a show? In RL what could be easier? But in SL… Ahhh, but wait! You mean you haven’t heard about SL’s wide and varied live show scene? Shame! In SL you can see Sinatra sing live on the RMS Titanic; hang out with your favourite bands as they try out new, unheard tracks; you can watch a ballet or luxuriate in a Shakespeare tragedy; you can even see comics do stand up – in here, the world is your lobster my son.

Take, for instance, this coming Saturday. What live show can you catch at 1pm SL time in Dreams sim? Why, only the first, best and only travelling variety show in Second Life; the world famous “The Show Must Go On”! What do you mean you’ve never heard of it? For shame!

The Show Must Go On (or TSMGO from now on, please) is now in its second triumphant year and boasts a whole host of new acts from dramatic dances and feats of daring do, to laugh out loud routines of side-splitting comedy. Yes, TSMGO has something for everyone and this Saturday sees the show putting on a very special sneak preview of the new 2008 line up for charity and you are more than welcome to come along and see it for yourself – all you will need is access to a computer that can stream audio media (i.e. speakers that work and the streaming audio option turned on in SL’s preferences) and a good sense of humour!

Come and gasp at The Amazing Lucita, the first ever ventriloquist act in Second Life’s history! Be amazed at the amazing Cellophane Dancers! Go crazy in the aisles for Madam Crème Caramel’s Trained Humans! Vibrate with delight at the assortment of exotic and beautiful dancers (some involving fans and roller-skates!) from Around The World. Put your hands in the air like you just don’t care for the Synchronised Knitters Precision Unicycle Drill Team! Get ready to shout “Cooking Hell!” at Cooking with Margaux! Thrill to all this and much, much more besides!

Oh yes, there is nothing in Second Life like The Show Must Go On and this is your chance to come along and see this amazing, hilarious, unique show for yourself. Just bring a sewing kit for your poor sides…

Useful links:

• TSMGO website
• Direct SLURL to the next show (Sat 19th April at 1pm SL)

 

SL Peeps: Naughty Nazna!

Ooooo, That Nazna is soooo naughty – I took her to my place to see a big evil looking storm when she decided it would be more fun to ride poor Sally Crab, Squirrel McGrue and even the deadly jaguar that has moved into the jungle… ooo, so naughty!

 

Bareback Burro

Janey has had a horse for ages and ages and has tried to persuade me for about as long to get one as well. I’m not sure why I never did, too busy mostly, but last week I finally got around to it and with Janey’s help I picked out a lovely big shirehorse – he’s massive but in SL I’m well over seven feet tall so I need a big fella to balance me out.

The celebrate, me, Janey and Naz all went riding in the vehicle testing sims south of Murray (Brilliant, Balance, etc.) and we had a blast! It took me a while to get used the movement and I missed the running speed for ages, but once I had it Frank (yes, he is called Frank – problem?) moved like a greased penguin!

Here we are on a peak in Balance…

…and here Frank was rearing – what a beast!

This one, taken in the waters off Murray, reminded me of the scene at the end of Planet of the Apes (the good one, not Tim Burton’s fuck up)

Here is Janey’s post on the evening’s fun

 

SL Crapola

One noun? Trademarking SL? Jesus.

Get a fekking grip, Linden.