I just had to post this on the Second Life Forums a few moments after it happened:

A friend of mine, Mel ( http://chandrasutra.typepad.com/ ), sagely remarked that looking at someone's Second Life screenshots is kind of like seeing into someone's dreams.

You may have visited my blog lately, and if you have, perhaps you have seen the following picture:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v…napshot_030.jpg

The eagle in question, I am told by Keith Extraordinaire, was skillfully crafted by none other than the Birdman of Avatraz himself, Psyra Extraordinaire.

Well, guess what happened? It had to happen sooner or later, since I am a magnet for the weird… or what seems normal to me but odd to others.

I was just hanging out at Tony Tigereye's Casino in SL and decided to take a walk for some fresh air in RL. Moments later, I was struck — almost literally — with surprise, as I heard and felt something shake the air around me. Panicking, I flailed my arms and did all sorts of nervous gestures like my Second Life does when I say "fun".

When I came around to assess the situation better, what did I see on the path of my afternoon walk, but an EAGLE! That's right, an eagle, had just fallen and almost slammed into me, missing me by very few and landing behind my back. However, unlike Psyra's, this eagle did not continue to go around in a circle, nor was it constructed with warm-n-fuzzy luv out of prims. It had plummeted to her tragic death behind me. It didn't seem to be a very bloody sight, but it was definitely a shocking experience.

I do not have photos but I am trying to find a camera. This bizzare blend of First & Second Life now shakes me up! Will other creations from inworld be appearing at my doorstep? Will I try to script my bed to "change spreads" automatically with a single command? Will I try to levitate and saunter through the air in an effort to sit on a chair on the other side of a room? Will laws of physics go wacky as the two worlds blend into each other?

Only time will tell. It's inevitable!

It's dark here now (as in, "the sun went down"), so I'm going to wait it out until the daylight shines again and then hopefully get some snapshots of the eagle. I've never seen an eagle here before, even flying. My Mum says it's good luck. Really? A few feet away and I prolly wouldn't be typing this here.

As humorous as it sounds, I'd like to seriously say that I am grateful for both my First Life and my Second Life and all the goodness that has come from within. Things could be so much better (my hearing should come back, my ears would stop popping,?and I could make techno music again), but on the other hand, things could be so much worse.

I do have to be thankful for what I have.

~~~

I was just thinking about music genre names. Specifically electronic ones, but all across the board. Each of them has a story behind them, some of them more convoluted and extrapolated from multiple sources than others — "jungle" being a prime instance — but if you really, really think about them,?they can sound silly. And it's even sillier how some people will unfortunately get into long, winding, heatedly clashing disputes and personal attacks over these labels which have been assigned to the clumps-n-chunks of organized sound we listen to… and should ENJOY. It isn't worth beating up and killing each each other over music, but sadly, as has been historically shown, this is what happens. Often, other issues get mixed in like economic concerns or ideological fanaticism tied to a "sonic strain", but it's all connected to the music at the end of the night and the beginning of the day when the sun starts to rise again… and all of the ravers are still dancing, tired but happy — and hopefully rehydrated!

Here are some names that make me giggle with glee. Mind you, I like actual music that falls under these categories, so use the "Would a rose smell… —" rule judiciously, and apply it creatively:

• Progressive House
  Why not call it Mansion?

• Garage
  Okay, so your Progressive House needs a Garage. Would that be, Progressive Garage? Never heard of it (yet) but it's bound to happen. Oh, and then we go down the line to the US and UK varieties, and subvarieties thereof. Funny!

• Breakbeat
  Well, this and "broken beat" go hand-in-hand. I bet there's a "busted beats" out there and even a country-breaks crossover featuring penny whistle, steel guitar, washboard scraping, and b-a-n-j-o. Yeehaw!

• Acid
  Does this have a "base" counterpart, musical?chemistry-wise? If not, why not?

• Acid House
  See above, above, above, above.

• Experimental
  At one point in time, anyway. Another way of saying, "lacks melody, tries to get on your nerves". (And I suddenly see a laughing gas-chromatograph of Ishkur's face.)

• Disco
  What's the origin of this word, anyway? I don't know, so if you know, please let me know. Thank you graciously. Is Disco to DISCOVERY what Techno is to TECHNOLOGY?

• Grunge
  Wait, this is "guitar music". I like the sound. Is there a "grunge techno"? Rocktronica (ha!) maybe??Anyhoo, next.

• Big Beat
  Is there a small beat? Otherwise clinical microhouse mixed with samples of drunken sailors, maybe?

• Illbient
  Accompanied by her sisters, Chillbient and Pillbient.

• Nu Breaks/Nu Skool Breakz
  Yeah, 'cuz in the "new school", spelling's a lil' different.

• Tech-House
  Why not call it "the best of both worlds"? Wait . . .

• Neurofunk
  It's a catchy label and I like it, just like I like all the other labels here, actually. But when I hear it, it conjures up, in my mind's eye, the very vivid visual (V^3) of a brain gettin' down at 170-180 BPM. That must be a good thing, yes? Which brings us to…

• Intelligent Dance Music aka Braindance
  Smile your heart out!

I have more but wanted to select the Lucky 14 that came off of the top of my head……

This is to be taken lightly,?and hey, the bottom line for me is that IT'S ALL TECHNO; IT'S ALL ROCK 'N' ROLL!? It can soothe, it can heal, it can energize, but no matter what it's called, I believe music?should enrich and make your?life better.

Fin du jour.