Never once in my formative years did I suspect I would be covering the social scene of a rich and thriving community some years later. It may be digital, but real people are having real?fun. (And isn't that just?damn really redundant?)?I can't wait until the crossover points get increasingly blurred and people are flailing about on their comfy office chairs with the mocap suits of the future… or something. For historical purposes, it must be stated that while I dipped my toe into the party-pond occasionally out of curiosity (not knowing how much of an ocean it'd lead out into), my original intent to be a hermit-slash-loner has not panned out well. Thankfully, for me, that's a good thing, enjoying good times with good people on Second Life. WHAT?!? YOU'RE NOT ON THERE??? GET INFO AND SIGN UP NOW!!!

Also,?it?seems to me that I can link things thematically — not because I deliberately arrange them that way, but because that's the way it just happens. (More rippleshock at work and play?) I've been in celebration of some… er… many great friends in the last few days and I'd like to take the time to blog about them now. What follows is unbridled enthusiasm for the Second Night Life in the daytime . . .

First up, we've got the first Cartel de Juarez party thrown at Darko + Paris Cellardoor's new home. This is the same house I featured before when Juro had it pegged as a WIP, and guess what? It still is — he was still tweaking when I last checked on him! This party was?a tremendously fun birthdanniversary megahybrid, and the Sim FPS dropped faster than the Planet Earth through some cosmic, big-ass basketball hoop. Swish! Like the best parties, it's a good kinda lag. Kinda coming full-circle but chugging straightahead… Darko's own take on the aftermath can be found here. Delish… puff puff positivity. ONE LOVE!!!

And then, it came time to celebrate Aimee and Munch's (aka Aimunch) 1st rezday. It started off at Hawthorne as you can see, where this fashionable duo had their first apartment (awws), but because of GREEFER KIN and a passively vicious lag attack and several other reasons, everyone soon headed to the new-and-improved Club Midnight and packed the house. Midnight City and Indigo Crews were representin' and familiar faces were everywhere to be found. (By the?way, I don't know why money's on the street in that photo. Must be a Trump?NY thing.)?Many people showed up for the bash, including "El Presidente" of LL, Philip Linden himself, and there are tons more great pics and the scoop on the antics right here. Make sure to check out Aimee's updated profile too. It's *PREEN*alicious. Are little butterPhil chimeras coming next? Stay?ch00ned . . .

I'd put this one in the Misc. filing bin but that'd just be an obstinate insult, so here goes: BEL MUSE R0X0RS AKA KICKS ASS AT TRINGO!!! See, at first, I wasn't gonna post this, but then I found out she did it on her own site, so bwahahaha. What is this venerable oldbie doing playing such a popular game??Isn't she supposed to be whining and bitching about how newbies have invaded her turf? Nahhh… clearly, I admire Bel for being her own person: shattering labels and laying the smackdown on the "party line". Beware, equipped with an entire av upgrade (oh puleeze don't just go up to her now and tactlessly?say "Hey Bel, something looks different about you!" or she'll come clobberin' me — not that that's a bad thing!) she will rearrange your shapes. BEL IS ARMED AND DANGEROUS AND ADDICTED TO TRINGO.

Ch-ch-ch-Chinatown! Can you hear the singsong music and smell the rain yet? Hear the sound of John Wooesque doublegun fire and the sharp clink of a fresh clip??It's-a-comin'! Hung out today for a bit with those Bedazzle progsteppers Foxy, Jimmy, and CrystalShard. There's gonna be a club in Chinatown?for the opening ceremony festivities called China Doll, and the lighting looks purty already. Keep your eyes assert to the Bedazzle website for mo' info. In approximately two weeks from now, the bulls will be in the china shop, and they'll be armed with Seburos!

Braniac Battlebots are jostling with each other like bulls in a china shop in this makeshift arena in Gibson. Constructed by cyborg love in the space of a few days, several cyberpunks have already set up their droids to engage in unholy war of the pixels with each other. When are we gonna get a hug attachment for these heavy metal dudes? While I wish there were more lasers and cool disintegration effects, seeing the bots bodyslam one another around — and in particular, watching Talila's spaz out more spazzily than a club that got 100,000 ex-dwell — excites me greatly. I took a seat and enjoyed the ride. And now, I must vomit. And where do people vomit? I'll answer that in a zigazaroo.

Finally fer today… HOLY MOTHER OF RUTH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETE FATS <— said that many times already, here I go again. This ole' timer celebrated his golden birthday (which I actually didn't know what that was until I googled it) and the lot of us got down to Welsh for the festivities. A lot of Pete clones, a lot of beer, and… one very stinky portapotty. The answer is: if you could vomit, you'd vomit here. It was only a matter of time before this long-john got stuffed to the gills with more avatars than a club that got 100,000 ex-dwell, and it was only a matter of time before Jill Linden had to be summoned to rescue us from this "Fats Fate" of alcohol (which I didn't drink but kicked), slime drones (with talk of ants!), and the FARTED INNER CORE. As Wu-Tang Clan say, "BRING THE RUCKUS!"

The avies stuffed the stall one by one, with firstborn Resident Steller Sunshine — who also recently got a?beautiful av makeover, I might add! — —crumpling up into a tiny little ball to wedge herself midway between the seat and the wall, and in the process setting an honorable example for a green such as myself. Disturbing sounds were triggered, flames and flatulence blasted and blastered their way out of the vertices like a sssnake in the ass – um, GRASS! — 'n' I have to ASSume that the party is still going on, right now!?A voting booth?was soon placed on top of the?portapotty portaparty, and the familiar "dee, dee-dee!"?could be heard ringing out in the?fetid air. Following that, a well-endowed plunger came to pump us out. A time came for me to bring out my tritely cliched watermelon and park it on the floor. (I wonder what watermelon beer tastes like?) As of this writing, I have not had several items autoreturned to me yet. Time may tell, but the parties go on!!!!

I now present to you a?chat log excerpt of?one moment that?happened, may the Community Standards have mercy on my granular soul:

Spider Mandala runs the sink for great justice
Fearless Leader: Thanks, P3+3!
Jade Lily: we didn't go anywhere
Jade Lily: lol
Torley Torgeson: Jadey let's do it again
Torrid Midnight: eww!
Lit Noir: wrong on so many levels, like an Escher print
Torley Torgeson shouts: THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF SECOND LIFE! FULL CIRCLE, FO SHIZZLE MY AVATIZZLES!!!
Pete Fats: fo' rizzle
Zalandria Zaius: what in the world
Dave Zeeman: oh man i love that
Torley Torgeson shouts: REPRESENT!
Spider Mandala: its sad that the spirit of SL is in a toilet

I'll close this sermon of Second Spirituality with a quote from the book of Zeeman:

"SL is the ever-evolving online society that… well… rocks."
-Dave Zeeman

And there ya have it, folks. If you're on the outside lookin' in, why not give?Second Life?a spin for yourself? 7-day free trial, outhouses and watermelons, you can fly, c-u-s-t-o-m-i-z-a-b-i-l-i-t-y, and…

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SECOND LIFE: IT'S A HEALTHY WAY TO CONVERT YOUR YEARS OF BOTTLED-UP, REPRESSED RAGE INTO PARTY FUN!
AND NO, THIS AD WAS NOT FUNDED BY LINDENS!!
I SAY IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE!!!
HALLELUJAH, AVATARS!!!!

photo credit goes to Jade Lily, who is the seaweed on my sushi. :)~(: