Torley Lives

?

Some things get more real, some things get more surreal. I'm going to post?an update now on my eyes in SL. Before I go on, I'll show you a picture.

Alright, now you see what I'm talking about. Real human iris-thingies aren't quite like this. Now that that's been said, I'll tell you about how it was done. It was just a few days ago when I saw HoseQueen McLean again in the Welcome Area. Quite friendly and addressing me as "Mr. Wong" — yeah, public disclosure of First Life name, baaad I know hehe — we soon came to talk about eyes and about her bright?green ones. She made her own.?I was looking for eyes to go even more with my ensemble outfit, and so, what better color scheme then my preferred "neon watermelon"? I made a few suggestions and was surprised how quick Hose got the eyes to me. Had a techy feeling not unlike Hannibal Chew in Blade Runner.

Anyhoo, speaking in the wrong tense, I look at the eyes; they're great, but the pink area is more purply and not as watermelony as I'd like it to be. So HoseQueen painstakingly (I'm assuming) goes through revisions after I suggest for her to look at the pink parts of my pimped-out ride, and we arrive at my current vision today. A most gracious thankyou, HoseQueen… I believe?(both think + feel) that I'll be seeing the world in a different way now!?:D

In the midst of my explorations, that crazy maternal woman with a heart of gold, Madiera Westerburg, told me she was going to officiate at a wedding beginning shortly. Meltsinyourmouth and Malora were getting married, and panicking a bit because I had no formal wear, I dragged my avatar off to a corner behind a bench and retinted myself in black and white before coming back to sit down and celebrate the union of these ladies. Here's how the vows went:

Madiera Westerburg: welcome to the union of Meltsinyourmouth and Malora
Madiera Westerburg: pardon my clumsiness folks im lagging atm
Madiera Westerburg: we are here to witness the union of Melts and Malora and celebrate with them their committment to each other here today in front of their loved ones and family
Madiera Westerburg: Today Malora and Melts proclaim their love for each other to the world and we celebrate with them and for them
Madiera Westerburg: Malora and Melts as you prepare to entere into matrimony please be aware that a marriage is a blessed union indeed and the strength of that bond depends on how much you invest into it….it is not only a symbol, a celebration, a public recognition of
Madiera Westerburg: what exists inside of your hearts, but also a private commitment unto each other.
Madiera Westerburg: The decision to marry should be made with full knowledge that love is both humankind's highest achievement and life's most precious gift…always let love be the star that guides you
Madiera Westerburg: The hand offered today by each of you is an extension of self, just as your mutual love is.
Madiera Westerburg: Cherish this gift of self from each other, for you have now promised to not only care for that person, but also be concerned with their welfare.
Madiera Westerburg: Be ever sensitive to the pulse of your partner, seek always to understand and respect its rhythem.
Madiera Westerburg: As the lord god herself said, let no man tear asunder what the lord thy god has joined.
Madiera Westerburg: Now Malora repeat after me
Madiera Westerburg: I take this woman before me, Melts
Madiera Westerburg: In sickness and in health
Madiera Westerburg: for richer or poorer
Madiera Westerburg: in downtimes and uptimes
Madiera Westerburg: til a permanant crash do we part
Madiera Westerburg: now Melts, if you would repeat after me
Madiera Westerburg: I take this woman before me, Malora
Madiera Westerburg: in sickness and in health
Madiera Westerburg: for richer or for poorer
Madiera Westerburg: in uptimes and in downtimes
Madiera Westerburg: til a permanant crash we do part
Madiera Westerburg: I, by the power vested in me by Linden, now pronounce you wife and wife
Madiera Westerburg: you may now kiss the bride

And then Melts and Mals kissed passionately while a shower of particle roses and bats exploded over the crowd. Awwwwww. <3 I am happy to see more love in this world, and thankyou Maddy for letting me know. Elsewhere in the simscape a few hours later, I came across what appeared to be a rehearsal for another wedding. Not wanting to interrupt, I flew on by.

(Hmph. ImageShack seems to be having much ado about problems again, so if images on this page are loading, I apologize. I hope they can work out their technical difficulties soon, as this has happened several times already. Apparently they're using multiple servers to host images, and while some are up, others are down.)

I've been visiting all sorts of people and places in SL, everything from science labs to art galleries (see a previous entry) to strip clubs. In fact, I visited Club Diamonds last night to play horror movie trivia. Surreal, eh? I was offered a cyber-lap dance and I?politely declined. Here's the event listing for tonight's sex-themed?triv there @ 9 PM, and I'll be seeing if I can make it:

OK SO I HAD FUN LASTNIGHT WITH THE SCARY MOVIES TRIVIA SO I THOUGHT I WOULD TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE AT THE MATURE QUESTIONS….HMMM HOW MUCH DO U THINK U KNOW. WELL COME ON IN AND FIND OUT FOR THE RIGHT ANSWER YOU WILL RECIEVE L'S. EVEN IF YOU DONT KNOW MUCH, COME ON IN AND LEARN A THING OR TWO….. CONGRATS TO TORLEY TORGESON WHO CAME IN LASTNIGHT AND BEAT THE HOUSE AND SHOWED WHO KNEW THE MOST…. WARNING….. THIS IS A MATURE EVENT AND WILL CONSIST OF MATURE QUESTIONS…. LOVE ALWAYS MALYSSA ZANDER <3

No?place is off-limits, with the probable exception of any classical music snob builds. BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BURN! GRRR!!! (I speak from personal experience, having been one.) And now that I've gotten that out of my system, I feel better.

~~~

Like quantum physics, observation figures heavily into techno music. There is a certain system, which may be considered closed — but most certainly isn't to me because of?my?desire to interact?– and after all of the these years of learning and hopefully many more to come, I have come to believe a number of things. One being: knowing more about the music has both diminished and augmented my enjoyment of it at the same time. If this sounds like a contradiction, it is.

Even in my state of hyperacusis, I cannot just listen to music without analyzing it in some way. Whether it is the key it's in, or the chord changes, or perhaps the sounds?&?samples used (recognition of classic drum loops being one, mentally screaming out "SUPERSAW!" another), my aural approach lends itself to these types of observations. I don't find that I'm awfully technical, however. I tend to take a mixed approach of conceptualist ("the knob is woolly!")?and some form of garden variety labrat — that is, if your garden consists of gargantuan watermelons like mine does. A hybridized approach has long worked best for me because I have found any singular tactics lacking in the long-term. I may have?swayed the tides and exaggerated certain elements for the sake of producing a single track or even portion of it, but even in this not-fully-closed system, I feel a type of equilibrium. A type of inner peace.

Ishkur, who I'll namedrop again because his commentary is just too invaluable to the electronic dance music community at large, has noted "techno" to be the following:

The word techno, in this introduction, is used loosely, in the context of how people normally not associated with electronic music identify such music–as the umbrella term for electronic music. Not as the specific style of music arising from Detroit in the mid-80's.

as per this article. I feel that not only is this insightful, it's helpful because it has to do with broadening the reach of what may be an uncomfortably familiar brand of "machine music". It helps open the system up, leading to today's ubiquitous electronica?car adverts. But?even in the now, people are afraid of computers. The article was written a few years ago, and in today's world of trimming soundbites and digestive infocondensation, it might as well be an age already. Again, my personal recurring theme of embracing contradictions comes up, and this reaffirms to me why I believe what I do, and as I expand and develop my technomusical beliefs over the years to come, I no doubt will find further — perhaps synchronistic — instances of this.

What comes your way in life, comes your way. That goes without saying, but since I just said it, I might as well expound for a moment: I see parallels both in techno music and in Second Life, and heck, in First Life of human existence as well. Things rapidly approaching, and sometimes I can reach into that timestream and actively change elements. I see loops of causality; I see simple complexities and complex simplicities; I see only what I can see and take the time to listen to others for their sage experiences so that I may learn more, and build on my pyramid of what I hold to be true. I know that "boring" for me in techno, is often equated with "too repetitive + not enough melody". (But not always.)?I know that anonymity has a place, but it's not the whole pie. I also realize that the same basic tenets can be brought forth into the future while culturing new thoughtlines, not unlike the prominent 909 kicks underpinning a dazzling array of stacked loops, one balancing perfectly and harmoniously atop another, added and subtracted as necessary. An AND situation, not an OR one. In some cases, I know what I know because I have been taught, and in others, what I have learned from my environment has been channelled and contributed to strengthen my core principles.

I am coming to realize that?within a?diversified unity of the central aspects of my life, including my love for my fellow human beings, my passion for techno, and my interest in Second Life, there's an exponentially increasing web of connections. Of one thing leading to another. And another. Catalytic reactions spurred on by suggestions within the community, fed back into the source to grow even stronger as it's grown again in some kaleidoscopic myriad of shades, colors, textures, tones.

I do take this all very seriously, AND all very fun. I'm starting to get emotional here — and for anyone who knows me well, I reserve this emotion for special moments in life. I was born cold, not a really empathic person. Typical of someone autistic. I didn't know what the hell "fun" was, and trying to define it stumped me even more. Other concepts, like "love" and "sharing", didn't come easily. Hugs? A real stumper. (This is my backstory to why I go sooo crazy over Fran and Launa's hug attachment in SL.)?Things have changed. This is why it may seem that I'm so hyperbolic about it now: I'm making up for lost time. Overall, the world is not a happy place. There is drama, there is destruction, there is death. On the flipside, it's amazing how three words like "I LOVE YOU" can totally change realities positively.?But not all things can be expressed, wordwise.

Which leads me to this…… in a confessional of sorts. What I can't explain in words, I leave to another language: music. As I cannot compose in the present, it's all building inside of me, like some bizarro Old Faithful or the pressure cooker in The Shining, almost ready to explode. The music set me free before — this time it is I who will be setting it free. I say "will" like it's some 100% certainty, and I honestly don't know it for sure or if my hearing will ever be restored. I am hopeful. Please bear with me, because I do this for you. I've used music to express myself but I am not a human who says "I made this music for myself and that's the only person who I have to please". Oh NO. I can't relate to that. I make the music for you, and if it puts a smile on your face, puts a little more spring in your step, and has helped you to be happier in life, then it's served its purpose.

"Be most excellent to each other… and party on, dudes!"
-Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

Today, I just cracked open a fortune cookie. Isn't this appropriate?

An update from my First Life: nothing much seems to have changed with my hyperacusis. In fact, it unfortunately seems worse now than it did months ago. I don't know why. I think I'll have to persist with noise retraining at night so my ears can properly hear the right frequencies again. I don't want to be stuck like this forever. It scares me. Listening to music at low levels is fine, but that also calls any precision producing/mixing out of the question because of the level sonic detail I need to "zoom in on". I look over to the side at my gear and it makes me sad I'm not actively using it. On the other hand, I don't have a lot of idle time either, being kept busy with Second Life. What will happen next? I don't know. All I know is that whatever comes, comes, and this sounds cliched but is true: I have to make the best of life.

Briefly, in the news:

• It's nice to know Rod Stewart shares my taste in clothing. LOL.

• Jerry Newport, who has Asperger's Syndrome like I do, is in another news article pointing towards the release of the love story inspired by his and his wife's life, Mozart and the Whale. (I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!)?I can especially relate, in a past capacity anyhoo, to when it says: "He wanted to fit in and have interactions with others - he just didn't always know how to do it." The whole article touches me. I'm convinced there's hope yet. (Hope for what? Hope for happiness in an existence that is so full of pain and suffering at times, certainly.)

I had a good sleep last night. Some rather memorable moments in SL over the day. Towards the end past 3 AM, I started to feel this really surreal vibe, a sort of dreamline state. I had not entered REM sleep yet, but would get there soon. I had a strangely beautiful?dream too. Not sure what to make of it yet — it will likely figure out somehow in hindsight. This aerial shot, as you can see, is reminiscent of the movie The Matrix. This is where I logged off and came back. I really fancy the angle and the whole epic grandeur of the skyline.

I have plenty of travel to get to today, so I'd better get to it! *logs back on to Second Life*

?

Aimee Weber did something really sweet — she built a mailbox and set it up near the Midnight City dumpster, where I sleep for warmth and comfort. As you can see, I like to leave the lights on, even when the sun starts to rise. I smiled bigtime at this, and I'm liking my address! Only thing right now, is I found out that the land has to autoreturn objects, so I kept getting the candles sent back to me. LOL! Or as I could say, pfft.

Fundamentally in Second Life for the past week, I've been putting more of my real life into it, while at the same time enhancing and blurring the lines between these "two existences". HoseQueen McLean?– HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! — pointed me to a particular vehicle which she believed was so me, and you can decide for yourself. Grizzly Dawson built both this "fish buggy" and the boat (which reminds me of something out of Police Academy 5), and I was pleasantly surprised to discover how tintable these vehicular devices are! While something like this?doesn't really exist?on Planet Earth, it sure does here.?HoseQueen also made my new eyes… more enthused joy about that in the near future after she finishes the watermelon factor! Thanx.

Sometimes now, I don an inversion of colors as I fly around — sort of a Bizarro me. Not necessarily evil or anything to that pine-fresh effect, but something definitely feels wrong. And maybe in fact, be wrong. So if you see Torley Torgeson in?the rare?green neon trenchcoat, watchout! =)

(AND THERE IS STILL A HOLE IN THE WHITESTAR CASINO.)

I'm going to talk about wonders now, a sweet new design coming to Second Life that I've been graciously honored to make a few suggestions about. And I've got to say,?"OMG!!! WHAT A TRIP!!!"

Look what Francis Chung came up with. This, Ladies and Gentlemen?and Androids of all sexual persuasions (including asexual), this is the future moving into the present. And it definitely makes me wonder about the wonder. These are the nu models of Animation Overriders — affectionately also known as Franimation Overriders?–?and not only do they feature uberslick design and the appreciative ergonomics of translucent rubber, they've also got Fran's pretty caligrasig on the back. El mucho attention to detail paid. After all, if a script is gonna be in a box, the box had better be niiice. My ever-so-concerned ally, Gwyneth Llewelyn, is doing the docs (write Gwyn write!) and Kex and I had a good time discussing ideas with Fran. You have to see these in motion.

I'm not playing trivia so much anymore. That's because I like to mix things up, so I'm trying a variety of other things. A little building practice here, a lot of product testing in the middle of nowhere, a little more going to social activities at people's houses (and things that resemble houses but in fact are not), and moreso. It's a real thrill, and I'll give you an example off-the-cuff: I was visiting Tony Tigereye's art gallery the other day. (Yes, it was grrreat.) Sort of a bastion of poking fun of artsnobs, but I gotta let you know: there's a lot of eroticnesspornPoRnPORN inside, so if that's not your cup of tea, then you know what to do. I come across this one painting I fancy?titled Crazy Pumpkin Sluts; I find out it's by Gracie Greenacre and Cristiano Midnight. Okay, sure thing, so I IM both Grace, who I'd never met before,?and Cris about it. I hear back from Grace sometime later, and we get on really well — shared craziness. I then find out Grace is at Cris's?place, helping him with photos for his and CrystalShard Foo's new gadget, promoted as SL's Most Advanced Dance Machine. Next thing I know, I'm being photographed for the display and we're all getting our groove on here.

Full-fledged party on the beach breaks out after Cris makes the silhouette box disappear, and soon enough, we're using the dance machine in action — liquid, fluid (isn't that redundant??), and using it in a completely seamless and natural environment without having to really pore over the mechanics of it all. Crystal does some testing and tweaking and the system holds. It holds again. We're having a lot of fun dancing to something called techno music , and more friends like Tony and Lady and Jan?join us. It all comes together like a Zyggie Piggy. I hang out for awhile, but as I'm about to go, a familiar song come on I haven't heard in ages. Lady, the very avatar of h0tn3ss dancing all sexy-slash-dorky in her lilac dress, whispers to me, "Fragma" and I'm like "Toca Me… MIRACLE!"

And yes, as Second Life goes on, this may just be a miracle. The very fact that despite all the bugs and problems and petty forum drama (pfft) — which will look dumbass in retrospect and beneficial to no one's health, I add –?the system of the world works. I will mention the seeming dichotomy of how advanced technology makes us feel?more human, more alive. And yes, as Second Life goes on, this is indeed a miracle.

I feel this time, the loop stands to be broken!

?

Mistress-n-friends are gonna get me for this one… but hah, it was too much fun to pass up. Yup, you heard it rightly implied: Torley Torgeson goes griefer. ?(NO, not seriously, hence the emoticon — Lindens have enough problems to sort out already and I wish them well in those matters!)

What went down in Midnight City — home to some of best retailers in SL, I might add — was that I was visiting with some friends: Lady, January, Kenichi. We first took at stop at Aimee's kitchen. You know, the YUGE one that makes you feel all Honey I Shrunk The Avatars-go-lucky. Lady decided to be her enthused, crazy self and start rezzing some YIPMEN FROM MARS. See, this is why I like her sense of humor. They started appearing in the fridge, where I am assuming their pelts kept 'em warm next to the frozen fishsticks. Laaady went on to blow one up to almost life-size proportions, scaled properly so that the yipman looked alright next to the fuzzy kitty on the floor. (By the way, if you've seen the original Sesame Street skits, you know the yips believe Earth is under domination of microwaves and such. There just happened to be a giant microwave in this kitchen.)

What happened next was that I went outside the enclosed confines of the kitchen, and saw all of Midnight City. I was thinking, you know: great 50s?sci-fi apocalyptic shebang, the whole alien invasion thing! Add to this that the yipmen really are martian, and you can see where I'm going with this. Some notable residents like Lost Thereian of hair extension fame and supermodel Jillian Coral were going about their business, and I didn't want to interfere and really grieve them, so I tried to rez my own batch of GIANT YIPMEN in the middle the town square. A few failed attempts made them plop underneath the road into what appeared to be water. I'd never noticed this before now, as the camera panned down.?Since they're physics-enabled, the giant yipmen must have been really heavy. Go figure.

I spawned like a half-dozen of them, and sent one over to pose at Francis Chung's store. You know, the whole wonder about the wonder wonder. Which makes me wonder about what happened next. A concerned furry was getting annoyed by the yipman, creeped out that this behemoth was making all manner of "yip yip yip uh uh" noises and following around. I assured the furry this was for a photo shoot, and that if it ever got too annoying, I'd del the things immediately. Problems would arise with that, as I'll soon describe.

What happened next was frellin' hee-hilarious! I managed to rez a yip of yipyips and get them to yip around the buildings, yipping (but not yapping) as they stormed and performed their conquest of Midnight City. Towered above the city the way chopsticks are taller than sushi, they snaked their way slowly but clumsily across the roads. And then, all virtual hell broke loose –

GUNFIRE! Rounds of it, multiple, automatic weaponry… rattling off more furiously than a garden hose of rattlesnakes! I looked around, scanned and panned the area — and saw that more furries had arrived in the center of the city, battling valiantly against the force of these alien invaders! They had their weapons fully drawn out, and blasted away as the yipmen sluggishly jittered and bounced.

I was concerned that this had continued for too long. I didn't want to cause any real problems, lest anyone be watching from the skybar above, so I quickly activated the killswitch command. ARGH! It didn't work. I tried again. Again, no results. WTF was happening here? Something was seriously screwed in the system, and I had lost control of my big, beautiful beasts!

But the furries battled on, not yiffing but yipfighting, and as these pictures attest to, it just may be that they saved the day!

?    

And THAT, my fellow avatars,?is the story of when the Yipmen from Mars invaded Midnight City.