Contents
34.
Through the Lens
80.
At Home With...
112. FeverFete
68.
Proust Spotlight
98.
SL Fiction
126.
Grace, Taylor & Tempest lend us their take with a view through their lens of what a summer beach is to them.
Teaming up with the Blogger & Vlogger Network, we shine the spotlight on the talented Kimmy Ridley!
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For this month’s feature, Autumn invites you into the magical home of her roleplay character, Denna Glaus.
Paired with our “At Home With...” piece, we share a moment in the life of Denna and Rylan.
Inspired by real life music festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury, we introduce FeverFete.
Beta Omega Iota Zoo
Whether by yourself or a group, this incredible zoo is a definite must to add to your places to visit.
s
ECLIPSE Magazine is dedicated to not only offering an aesthetically pleasing publication, but to also be considered a platform that offers rich and relevant content. Each month, we showcase residents and groups that have taken the concept of “your world, your imagination� to such great heights that they have impacted the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community.
52.
Cover Story Cajsa Lilliehook Cover Photographer Lessthen Zero
138.
Voices from the Grid
166.
The Tour of Homes
190.
The Wayfarer
Writer Gidge Uriza
Each issue ECLIPSE Magazine asks residents a question, see what they have to say.
One of our newer features, residents open their Linden Homes for visitors.
Join the Wayfarer on a journey exploring the beautiful Copper River. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 11
executive team
Trouble dethly
cajsa lilliehook
Taylor Wassep
autumn rose
Publisher
Copy Editor
Creative Director
Creative Director
tiffany parkin Assistant Editor
the c
writers
photographers
Autumn Rose Cajsa Lilliehook Grayden Foxe Novaleigh Freng Oema Taylor Wassep Tiffany Parkin
Autumn Rose GraceOMalley June Fallon Lessthen Zero Novaleigh Freng Taylor Wassep Tempest Rosca Wicca Merlin
stylists Autumn Rose GraceOMalley June Fallon Taylor Wassep Tempest Rosca Wicca Merlin
guest stylist & photographer GraceOMalley, Taylor Wassep & Tempest Rosca
interested in advertising with eclipse? have an idea for a great story? looking to start a new career in second life? email trouble.dethlysl@gmail.com
contributors
The past few weeks I have been working on freeing up my time in Second Life. I want to be able to spend more time with my girl and my friends. Autumn and I have never even fully decorated any of the homes we’ve had together. And while I don’t believe that friendships need to be babysat, I would like to hang out with my friends more often, as well. RP’ing is also something I enjoy doing; however, this past year I haven’t had enough time for that either. My last publisher’s note, I mentioned that I was actively looking for an Assistant Editor, and I hired Tiffany Parkin. She happens to be a friend, but also someone who truly understand what ECLIPSE Magazine is meant to be. You will learn more about her next issue! For this months cover story, it is titled “The Storyteller’s Tale.” Cajsa Lilliehook has written over 4 dozen of my cover features, and I am thrilled we were able to invite her friend Gidge to share Cajsa’s story. We figured it would be strange having her write her own. I am so lucky to have someone like her working with me. Her dedication, talent and insight are unmatched, and I am incredibly grateful to have her with ECLIPSE Magazine. For “Through the Lens” and “SL Fiction,” it is a paired dual feature showcasing the home of the character’s in the fictional story. It was something I truly enjoyed doing with Autumn. On the topic of homes, we have more Linden Homes on this month’s “Tour of Homes.” I do hope you visit them. We have a total of 10 pieces this month, so happy readings!
letter from the publi
isher
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through the lens styling & photography by graceomalley, taylor wassep & temp
Each issue, ECLIPSE Magazine invites the many talented photographers from Second Life to collaborate. With this piece, they style, create and share a glimpse through their lens. For this addition, Grace, Taylor and Tempest showcase their most ideal beach time.
s
est rosca.
Photographer: Taylor Wassep Featuring: Taylor
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Photographer: GraceOMalley Featuring: Scarlett Isle Page 40 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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Photographer: Tempest Rosca Featuring: Grace and Ziggy Sixpence & Tempest Page 44 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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the storyteller’s
photography by lessthen zero. written by cajsa l
s tale
lilliehook.
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I have had the privilege of being friends with Cajsa Lilliehook for more than a decade now. I’ve been witness to her creativity in photography and writing, her passion for promoting our community and her selfless sense of friendship when those she loves are in need. She’s true north for those looking to set their compass on the best citizen of the grid they can be. Some people wonder how she got to Second Life in the first place? Many years ago she had an accident that required she stay off her feet for a few weeks. She was politically active and had organization and committee meetings three or four nights a week that she could not go to and was bored out of her mind. Eventually she had watched as much mindless TV as she could stand so she went to the Apple Free Downloads page and downloaded a bunch of demos to try out. One of them was Second Life. She was immediately hooked. She says that all these years later, she is still friends with the people she met first in Second life, including me. Our friendship has kept her tied to Second Life even during the time she didn’t log in for a year. When discussing what is was that initially surprised her in second life, she replied “Just about everything.” She had never played an MMO game at all. Of course, Second Life never seemed like a game to her.
She held a job cleaning up prim trash and her boss always said it was a game, it was not real, on and on. He clearly protested too much because when his SL girlfriend died, he fell apart. SL is a community building platform, not a game, and it is as real as the emotions we invest. She’s the founding member of It’s Only Fashion, one of the longest running SL fashion blogs around. It came to life when Maht Wuyts and she had a photo studio called MDR Studio, named for the way all the French folks at Vicious Studios kept saying “mdr” all the time. It stands for “mort de rire” and is just the French way of saying LOL. She thought blogging might help publicize the studio a bit and she loved the shopping and fashions. Blogging Project Runway’s one season had Santino Rice who made up this song “It’s Only Fashion” in the workroom. It amused her, because of course, fashion was everything. She stole his song title and soon invited her best friend (me) to join her and the rest, as they say, is history. Choosing who to blog is intensely personal for Cajsa and she never capitulates to requirements or demands that she doesn’t care for. She has to like what they create, obviously. Sometimes she won’t blog something when it comes out, but will a month or two later. She has no shame about reaching back
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in time. Classics are classics and good design remains good design even three years after their release.
mature. They were for women in their thirties and forties as well as their teens and twenties.”
One of the most exciting changes, according to Cajsa, in our fashion world is Bento. She loves how much more fluidity and reality we have in our movements. But she also loves and hates mesh. While she’s glad to say goodbye to the triangulated alar crease that plagued every avatar headshot, on the other hand, getting dressed is so much more work than choosing a skin. All the appliers, the mesh bits and pieces that all need to be added and their skin and makeup applied. For her the challenges of so much complexity taxes her computer, which is an issue for many Residents.
As an endless advocate of community and creating positive interactions she looks to others as her own inspirations for these same traits. She counts Sasy Scarborough whose tremendous work ethic and blog standards as top notch. She draws creative inspiration from Cassie Middles’ innovation with her game shows and such. For pure blogger inspiration, Gogo is a long time favorite because she writes for her reader, not to please designers. She enjoys my storytelling blogs and thinks I’m one of the funniest bloggers on the grid (She’s not wrong).
She’s a woman who also wears Her sense of fashion has always many hats and has been writing for been timeless and with a nod several years for various magazines toward classic sensibilities. I asked and blogs, making her one of the her who were the creators in our grid’s favorite interviewers as she community that she misses being has a gift for making her subjects with us, whether they’ve just retired relatable and engaging. Over the or passed on. “I miss Dark Mouse, years she’s written for Avenue, New the jewelry store. Her vintage pieces World Notes and this publication. were so great. Digit Darkes! OMG, She began trying other things by we were both such fangirls for her writing on the long mothballed stuff. Of course, I miss Squinternet all Shopping Cart Disco by writing the time. I miss MiaMai and Paper her column “What I Like.” She Couture. It seems as though so much began the “What I Like” column of the fantastical in fashion is gone, as a response to a long-retired SL replaced by clubwear and casual creator who would do a “WTF” plurk wear. PXL Creations still exists, but I post every morning, picking out a wish Hart Larsson were still making few photos from Flickr that sucked skins as much as he used to. I loved his and explaining why they sucked. skins not only because they were more She thought she (the creator) was matte, but because they were more doing something useful, in a way,
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giving good advice on taking better photos, but then it was also hurtful to those whose pictures were featured. A friend whose picture was critiqued was devastated, so much she thought about quitting blogging. One of hers was featured, too, with the suggestion that the background and the dress should never be a similar color. She was confident enough to disagree, publicly. However, she knew that giving positive feedback was also a way to help people grow - and “What I Like” was created.
Funnily enough, one author whom she gave a fairly negative review wrote that it was his favorite review. More recently, another book that she criticized for a bad metaphor elicited a note from the author telling me he wished someone had told him that before it was published. She has always loved to read, so it makes sense that she would blog about books. She started the book blog in 2015, a few years before her 2018 hiatus.
In 2011, she started a cooking blog called Single Service Recipes. It’s She decided to offer a different probably suited for the confident approach, choosing pictures she cook more than a novice because liked and explaining why they she says she is a terrible recipe worked, focusing on the rules of blogger. She only takes one picture composition. While not an expert and they aren’t that great (her on art by any means, but she was words not mine). She expects taught art and composition in people to know how to sauté and school and won a full scholarship for chop, dice, and otherwise prepare her entry in a national high school food. She began it in 2011 to focus art contest. She didn’t take up art on preparing high-protein foods in college, but continued to remain because she was anemic. Most of interested all her life, going to the recipes are healthy, but not all. galleries and museums, and reading They are mostly new dishes she magazines like Art in America. She invented because she had this or thought focusing on the good and that thing on hand to cook with. explaining why it works is just as While no longer anemic, but she effective of focusing on the bad and does rely on Harvest Share (a food why it doesn’t work. Also, people bank for produce) and figuring out love to be praised. ways to use the seasonal veggies can be challenging. When you get She also started a book review blog ten pounds of radishes, you need to Tonstant Weader Reviews, which is go beyond cutting them into flower named in honor of Dorothy Parker shapes. to remind her to be, like Dorothy, true to the reader, not the author. We discussed her hiatus which So yeah, if a book disappoints, you was unplanned and definitely will know, and you will know why. unexpected by many of us. She
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feels that a combination of many things that had nothing to do with her other writing projects created the space that required her to take time off. Her sister died two days before Trump was elected, happy to have voted for the first woman president. Since she was unlikely to live even two more weeks, she was glad she missed the great betrayal of democracy when people chose a man whose only platform was racism, but she still misses her terribly. Then in 2017 she was diagnosed with cancer and while it was probably the shortest cancer in history, the uncertainty remains with frequent checkups to see if she remains cancer-free. She has had chronic pain for years, but somehow her strategies to sublimate the pain became less effective, so she had less energy. She feels she was probably depressed because she was sleeping a lot, her go-to depression strategy. Some of it, too, was frustration with how complex SL blogging was getting, not just with mesh and appliers, but also the addition of Blogotex. While fully understanding Blogotex from a designer standpoint but regretted the loss of the personal connection between bloggers and creators. Having become friends with so many designers over the years and Blogotex seemed to sever that connection. The demands of new designers were also getting ridiculous. She was just not applying to anyone to blog for them because
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she could not commit to blogging every release. It had been about two years since she had applied to anyone new. She felt stagnant. Looking to the future, she’s making her way back into the fashion waters on It’s Only Fashion was well as continuing her writing gigs. She and a friend have talked about writing a book in real life about incorporating anti-racism into community organizing campaigns, a critique of sorts of the Alinksy method and a guide to utilizing organizing tools and strategies in new ways to promote not just the issue your organization is working on, but how to leverage that work to address systemic racism. Another book they have talked about is writing a book on how to build a multiracial community organization. She is currently talking with another friend about organizing a project to amplify model anti-racism policies, ordinances, and legislation. Considering her health at this time, she hopes getting the idea, the framework in place and passing the work to someone with more energy. Before we closed our conversation I asked her,“If you had to choose one positive from your time with Second Life, what would it be?” “The friends I have made. Second Life is nothing without friendship.”
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Of the fifty-three issues of ECLIPSE Magazine, Cajsa Lilliehook has written forty-nine of those cover features. Her talent with words is only matched by the depth of her understanding of the human condition. Those she interviewed ranged from creators to bloggers to community leaders and everything in between, but the one common denominator is that they embodied what Second Life truly is about. It is about taking “your world, your imagination”, and each cover story has done this to such great heights that it has impacted the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community. Without Cajsa, their stories would not have been told with the insight and understanding that she conveys with each article she has written. Without Cajsa, ECLIPSE Magazine would be but a shadow of what we endeavor to be. Without Cajsa, the Second Life community would be a far poorer place. Thank you, Cajsa. I truly do appreciate your hard work and dedication.
“I first met Cajsa in February of this year when I was asked to be interviewed for the anniversary article on being transgender in Second Life. As I completed my interview, and had discussions with Cajsa following the interview, I have developed a deep admiration and respect for her...both personally and professionally. She is a talented writer and as I step into my new role with Eclipse, I cannot wait to work with her in this new capacity. But the more personal discussions we have shared...those have meant the world to me. She is a woman strong in her morals and willing to stand up for them. She is not afraid to take on the tough issues. And she, and this means the most, helped a very nervous and scared woman find a voice when she interviewed me for the February article. You are an amazing woman, Cajsa. I adore you and am so grateful for you <3.” Tiffany Parkin - ECLIPSE Magazine February 2019
“I was super impressed with the article about me. Cajsa’s talent is in taking the snippets of information she’s given and melding it together with her own research to really bring what the person said to live and give the readers a sense that they know that person better after reading the article. She gleaned so much information from my answers and did it so accurately considering we never actually spoke face to fact. That’s some mad skills.” Kess Crystal - ECLIPSE Magazine August 2016
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“Casja took the time to offer me a platform to tell the story of my Second Life, she took my many ramblings and crazy tales and turned them into a succinct and legible article. That in itself makes her an bona fide MVP, so thanks Casja! You rock :)” Chucky Hollak - ECLIPSE Magazine March 2019
“When asked to be in a featured cover article for Eclipse, it’s both an exciting and daunting moment. Cajsa had an amazing ability to settle any nerves with her humor and warm approach. She displays a genuine interest in the people she works with and what I think about most is how she makes you feel good being around her!” Divos Titanium - ECLIPSE Magazine October 2017
“I’ve always loved stories. Cajsa helped me tell my own story. Sometimes I struggle with expressing myself via dialogue, but the questions Cajsa asked me were utterly thought provoking. Not only did they help me in telling my story, but they transported me on a mini personal journey, as well as gave me an opportunity to relive memories along the way. I was thoroughly impressed by her completed article, and I truly felt she captured an essence of myself that I would not have been able to portray without her. Even the poetry quotes she included captured who I am and could not have resonated more with me. Thank you, Cajsa.” Autumn Rose - ECLIPSE Magazine November 2018
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“I have known Cajsa Lilliehook for many years now, and admired her for all of them. It is funny that this came up today as I was only thinking about her last night. Cajsa and her partner in crime Gidge Uriza came as a breath of fresh air to the Blogging world, the dynamic and fashionable duo if you will, but that extended so much into the community that being part of their reach is really truly an honor. Cajsa is always there for others in whatever capacity she can be, she encourages, she inspires and she has a way of bonding with people that make them feel very special and lucky to have her in their lives. Whether she is DJing (she is very good and I wish timezones didn’t mean I missed her gigs) Blogging or doing something for the community, she is all encompassing, and even as a voyeur of her work, she is noticeable, and deserves this article bringing attention to her. I fully believe that Second Life grew overall when Cajsa joined it, not only in heart but our vocabulary definitely improved.” Sasy Scarborough - ECLIPSE Magazine January 2016
“Cajsa has done more than anyone I know to curate and promote Second Life’s many talented image artists on Flickr, and she does it with great and wide-ranging taste,. I’m so lucky that she’s been writing Cajsa’s Choices over the years.” Hamlet Au - ECLIPSE Magazine February 2016
“Casja has always come off to me as one of the most eloquent , thought provoking , writers in secondlife. She weaves stories even from the most rambling nonsensical interviews (ahem the ones she did with me) making each article hard to put down and a true joy to read. She is truly a joy to work with, and really made me feel like someone special with her written word. Thank you so much Casja , for all that you do and I hope to continue reading more of your wonderful articles each and every month.” Cassie Middles - ECLIPSE Magazine December 2018
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“Casja is such a lovely talented person, it was so easy to work with her on my article for ECLIPSE. I was so impressed of how she was able to tell my story through the questions provided by her. Thank you Casja!” June Fallon - ECLIPSE Magazine September 2018
“Cajsa is an incredibly talented writer, and really understands how to reach a person through the written word. It was a pleasure to be interviewed by her recently and I really enjoyed the passion she showed with the article I was a part of. The article was a fantastic read and it really showcased the lives of myself and five other people in SL, and it flowed together seamlessly! <3” Caitlin Mirabella - ECLIPSE Magazine June 2019
“Cajsa Lillehook wasn’t a new name to me when I had the opportunity to have the cover story of Eclipse in August 2019. I was very excited when Trouble told me, that Cajsa would be the one doing the interview with me. From her personal blog “It’s only Fashion”, where she shares fashion and useful tutorials or tips and tricks, as well as from the “New World Notes” blog, where I had the great pleasure to be interviewed from Cajsa the first time. She is so nice and sweet and even if you take a day longer to complete your questions for interviews, she will not chop your head off and still be polite and just amazing., I adore the way how she writes. While I as a German need like 1000 words to describe or answer something she needs 10 and hits the nail on the head. I enjoy the style of her writings and that is probably why I follow and read her blogs and posts :) To me she did magic with my interviews - I am always scared writing things about me in English as a German as I know from many experiences, that things can be understood wrong so quickly, but if I know Cajsa is doing the interview... I am never scared anymore as I know she understands my “wild Dinglish” and will always make sure to make it sound right and correct. What I was allowed as well to discover is, that she is a very awesome person to chat with about non usual things or literature. I love reading a lot and she gave me a few super cool tips about new books or authors - the last one was Robyn Ryle I guess. She has so many facets and I feel very honored each time we meet and work of chat together :)” Wicca Merlin - ECLIPSE Magazine August 2018 ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 65
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the proust spotli
photography by kim
The Proust Spotlight is our monthly feature where we highlight one of the many creative residents of Second Life®. Utilizing the Proust Questionnaire, whose namesake comes from the late 19th century French writer, we will offer a glimpse into what makes them tick. ECLIPSE Magazine has teamed up with the Blogger & Vlogger Network, so each month the blogger we showcase on the Proust Spotlight is a group member. The group member we feature this month is the talented Kimmy Ridley. She shares, “She’s the whole mix tape. She’s so complicated. That’s the way God made her sunshine mixed with A little hurricane.” That really is me in SL and RL to be honest. I feel that some days I am very much the person people go to for a smile, but I do have days that my OCD takes over and the hurricane begins. Even in SL, I have moments of such strong OCD that I reorganize my inventory while sitting in a calming sim and listening to the music playing in that sim. I try to always see the positive even in bad days and though that is not always possible I am so blessed that the sunshine does come out sooner rather than later.”
ght
mmy ridley.
What is your ideal of perfect happiness? Perfect happiness would be a life with my fiance on the Isle of Skye with a cup of good coffee and a brilliant book. I want to retire there. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? I would love to come back as a wolf. A warrior and a pack member. That would be so cool. How would you like to die? Honestly, it would be an accident. A silly one. Like I hit my head on a cupboard door or a door knob (that happened once when I came home from a long run). Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Shit. In two languages. What do you most value in your friends? Their time. Even just a few minutes between exams or a walk to the shop. I also know that time is precious and a lot of the time we have to make the time to see the ones we love, so yes, their time is one of the things I most value. What is your motto? I have two. Stole the first from my fiance when we first met. “Work smart not hard.” The second one is “Why walk, when you can dance.” That one has been in my life since I was 11 years old and saw The Baby-Sitters Club for the first time. Has stuck with me all through high school, uni, and adult life. In fact, I take tap classes weekly to keep it going:) Connect with Kimmy on her Blog and Flickr.
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at home with...
styling and photography by autumn rose & troub
ECLIPSE Magazine explores the long underappreciated and overlooked world of home and garden design. The flourishing diversity and abundance of choice since the mesh revolution has led to a bold new world of creation. For this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feature, Autumn Rose and Trouble Dethly showcase their roleplay characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magical home! While not fully decorated, they invite ECLIPSE readers to visit.
ble dethly.
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SL FICTION
written by autumn rose. photography by autumn rose & troub
Second Life is rich in roleplay opportunities, and ECLIPSE Magazine’s newest feature is dedicated to telling each character’s story. Taking the concept of “a day in the life,” we invite our readers to SL Fiction. Autumn Rose shares the story of her character Denna Glaus with a guest appearance from Rylan Worthington.
ble dethly.
“I just don’t understand what you see in her,” Sim said carefully. “I know she’s charming. Fascinating and all of that. But she seems rather,” he hesitated, “cruel.” I nodded. “She is.” - Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind Denna stood on the footsteps of the old farmhouse - behind her outstretched a field of golden sunflowers. Amongst the sea of gold, wandered a silvery unicorn that shimmered beneath the late afternoon sun. Denna was not a stranger to magic... She was after all a witch. Though the sight of the unicorn brought a whisper of sorrow to her young heart. Exactly two days ago, Rylan had gifted her the mystical creature. Rylan was Denna’s boyfriend - and the most recent victim of her nature. The floorboards of the old farmhouse creaked softly as Denna stepped inside. Two days ago she had been gifted the unicorn, and two days ago had been the last time that she had been inside the house. It was Rylan’s nan’s cottage and she had given it to him. It was to be the place that Denna and Rylan were going to stay over the summer until they returned to Hogwarts in September for their seventh and final year. They were both now 17, adults in the Wizarding world. Not to mention that they were in love, so it seemed like the perfect thing to do, moving in together. Except to Denna it had seemed a cage. There is a reason why you should never try and tame a wild thing - their nature is not to be changed. Though Rylan had never tried to tame Denna, he only loved her. But perhaps in some regards, that is worse. Page 100 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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Denna walked past the fireplace, through the dining area and into the kitchen where an assortment of flowers and plants decorated the window walled room. Denna loved flowers. In a lot of ways, Denna was like one... People were drawn to her, perhaps by her beauty or charm. But while some flowers, like roses had thorns to keep others away, Denna had no visible warning of the pain that she could inflict. And perhaps that was one of the most dangerous things about her. In the corner of the kitchen was a small table, on the table was a bowl nestled full of strawberries. Denna walked toward the table before she plucked up one of the largest and reddest of the lush berries. She brought it to her mouth and devoured it whole. The strawberries had not been here when Denna left. Rylan must have brought them, it made sense... Strawberries always reminded him of Denna. In Hogwarts, it seemed as if her lips were always stained the color of strawberries, and when they had kissed they had always tasted nearly just as sweet. Denna left the kitchen to wander upstairs, the old grandfather clock on the stairway landing ticked the time half past three-thirty. At the top of the stairs was a loft their bedroom. It remained exactly as Denna had left it - completely filled with her things. Even a pair of her knickers lay strewn across one of the chairs, and a pair of little white socks were on the bed. She had left it all behind, that night that she ran away.. Her socks, her knickers and a pretty runaway smile. There was only one thing that was missing... ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 103
And that was Rylan. The entire fight was now a blur to Denna. Even the pain had slowly begun to fade, though she imagined that the scars might always remain. Silently, she brushed her fingertips across her neck where a silvery spiderweb of a scar still kissed her neck. It was from her 5th year at Hogwarts when she had been attacked by a werewolf - the witch that Rylan had been seeing before her. Why was something as beautiful as love so dangerous and cruel? Then again, why was Denna? Perhaps Rylan had a craving for wild things. Denna had certainly not meant to hurt him, she never meant to hurt him. But it was just her nature. She was cruel. Simmon watched me expectantly, finally said. “What? No defense for her?” “No. Cruel is a good word for her. But I think you are saying cruel and thinking of something else. Denna is not wicked, or mean, or spiteful. She is cruel. Denna is a wild thing,” I explained. “Like a hind or a summer storm. If a storm blows down your house, or breaks a tree, you don’t say the storm was mean. It was cruel. It acted according to its nature and something unfortunately was hurt. The same is true of Denna. “ - Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind The old grandfather clock struck the hour - eight chines. It startled Denna awake. She now lay curled upon their bed, the sheets still smelled of her mixed with him.. It was intoxicating and it had lulled her into her first sleep in days. Stirring, she now made her way back downstairs, where she paused at the raised steps of the entryway. A pair of dirty sneakers and a map lay forgotten. The map was akin to the Marauders Map, though instead of showing Hogwarts and its passages and occupants... It showed every place in the world that Denna wanted to go. It showed many places. The sky was now the color of tangerine and strawberries as Denna stepped outside and onto the front porch. Summer sunsets were late and beautiful. The sunflowers reflected like magic dust beneath the waning sun... On the pathway up to the house, there was movement. Page 104 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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Denna scrunched her nose as she shielded her eyes against the sun in an attempt to make out the shadowed figure that now moved toward the house. It was Rylan. The boy shuffled a bit as he anticipated Denna’s reaction. He wanted to go to her, to run toward her and hold her. But he also knew that wild things were often unpredictable, you had to approach them with caution lest he wanted to scare her away. “You grew sunflowers?” Denna’s voice came as cool as morning dew on blades of grass. Rylan nodded “I know they are your favorite.” - Denna tilted her head at him quizzically. “How did you get them to grow so fast? It’s like magic.” Rylan shrugged. “I was crying when I scattered the seeds.” “Why?” “Because I love you.” Denna ran. Only this time she didn’t run away, she ran toward him as tears burned down her lightly freckled cheeks. She was enveloped into a hug by the boy that had her feel safe and for the first time like she was home. Denna buried her nose into him and whimpered “I’m sorry.” - Rylan lifted her chin as he tilted back her head, his thumb coming to press against the plush of her bottom lip. “You don’t need to be sorry.” Rylan whispered. “You are a bird, you were only trying to fly.” Denna shook her head, sending trellises of blonde hair dancing across her teary eyes. “Even birds need a place to land - or else they will never know what it’s like to fly.” She looked to the field of sunflowers that surrounded them. “I think if wild sunflowers can grow from your love for me, then so can I.” And they kissed in the sea of wild golden sunflowers that bloomed from a boys love for a girl. Like magic. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 107
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highlight: feverfet
written by tiffa
te
any parkin.
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No matter what part of the world you come from or the culture you were raised in, one thing that always brings people together is music. Every culture, throughout recorded history, has always had music as one of the foundations of who they are, how they identify themselves to the world around them, and the lives they lead. Music has helped to unify mankind. Not only has music brought people together, but musical events have often been a time where people from all walks of life put their differences aside to get lost in the melodies as they share a common love. To witness the true power of music to bring people together, you only need to attend a large summer concert or music festival. At these events, you will often see individuals from every class and social status intermingling in a way that is magical. People who may not typically speak beyond a customary hello in routine daily life will often be found arm in arm, singing, dancing, and sharing the stories of their lives. The love of music breaks down social barriers and class distinctions. It unifies people by casting away the boundaries we create between each other. Events such as Woodstock, Lollapalooza and Coachella are perfect examples of how music crosses all socio-economic boundaries. If you are unable to attend one of these events to witness this first hand, just peruse the parking lot at a Jimmy Buffett concert and observe the “Parrothead” following fraternizing without any concerns about of SL’s clubs and venues to bring us one of the who works for which company or who most diverse collections of musical genres graduated from what schools. imaginable. And with SL having a truly global reach, artists can be found performing almost Fortunately, for Second Life residents, we every hour of every day. don’t need to attend a concert or music event in real life to experience this feeling of cohesion found in our shared love of music. Second Life has an incredibly diverse and active music scene filled with incredible talent. Musicians from all walks of life and with varying levels of skill grace the stages Page 116 | ECLIPSE July 2019
Two of Second Life’s residents have taken notice of the impact music has on the SL community. Inspired both by their love of music and by events like Coachella and Glastonbury, Will Corrigan and Trouble Dethly have taken it upon themselves to create a live
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music event for SL’s residents and it kicks off on July 17th. FeverFete will feature a wide variety music tastes and genres, as diverse as the Second Life community itself.
A resident of Second Life for 11 years, it is doubtful that Trouble saw himself organizing events and being such an integral part of the Second Life community when he first joined SL. Originally joining SL as a student on an educational sim, it didn’t take Trouble long to begin exploring the diverse experiences we
have all come to know and love. Trouble recalls making the decision to explore SL beyond the confines of the educational community, “I was a very moody teenager, so angsty… and during a particular bout of angst that at the time felt of epic and tragic proportions, I signed up for a regular account in like mid-2009?” Since then, Trouble has grown within SL, taking on many different projects. He has given back to our community to help others have a rich and full experience like he has enjoyed. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 117
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Will has been a contributor to our Second Life experience for some time as well. The owner of The Fourth Wall and previously of Builderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Box, Will has a great deal of experience in working with events. While most may know him more as a creator, both his involvement as a participant in SL shopping events and his management of Builderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Box gave Will a unique skill set and insight into how to organize and collaborate on large scale events. As a team, Will and Trouble are no strangers to organizing themed events and you could say their partnership was destined to happen. Even though FeverFete will only be the third event organized under their brand Basic Boyos Events, they have had great success with their first two shopping experiences they produced. The World of Magic and The Last Winter, inspired by the Harry Potter and Game of Thrones series respectively, showcased not just their abilities at organizing successful events. These events also showed that many of our fellow Second Life citizens enjoy immersing themselves into the pop culture themes they enjoy in their real lives. The almost cult followings that Harry Potter and Game of Thrones developed lives on with their fan base, many of whom grace our Second Life experience. While music will obviously be a core focus of FeverFete, our talented designers will be a part of the event as well. Music has always inspired fashion and lifestyles. We only need to look back to the influence of Madonna, Nirvana, Marilyn Manson, and Tim McGraw and the styles inspired by boy bands, K-Pop, and Hip-Hop to see that the fashion industry and music have always worked symbiotically to influence our lives. In this same spirit, FeverFete has brought in designers who will take their inspiration from the multitude of musical genres. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 119
This isn’t always easy. Trouble notes that one of the challenges they experienced with The World of Magic and The Final Winter was finding creators whose styles fit the theme of each event. Despite these challenges with their first two events, the more expansive influence of music genres on style and fashion should offer creators a great deal more flexibility with their creations. Having had a brief peek at some of the designs being released for FeverFete, it appears the challenge has been accepted by the creators and there should be something available for everyone in the shopping venue.
Will and Trouble insisted on designs that were authentic and true to both storylines. FeverFete will be no exception as they seek to create the authentic feel of a summer music festival. From the stage to the vendor area, expect to feel the summer heat on your skin and the electricity of waiting for your favorite performer to come on stage. For you avid shoppers, let’s just hope the lines at the vendor carts aren’t as long as they typically are at our favorite concerts.
It’s important to note that organizing a large scale event is a team effort and requires the support of many people. While Will and With FeverFete opening for shopping on July Trouble have collaborated to organize and 17th, the sim build is already well underway. manage FeverFete, Trouble is also quick to Part of the unique experience of Basic Boyos’ note that an event such as this would be previous events was the detail they insisted be impossible were it not for the assistance of incorporated into their builds. Seeking to allow others in the Second Life community. Along our community to immerse ourselves into with the creators and build teams, for whom the feel of Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, Trouble shared a deep level of appreciation
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and gratitude he was also quick to point out those who helped him find the musical talent who will be performing the weekend of July 27th and 28th. He notes that Troy Nelson and his team at Music Speaks Management, as well as Laurie and her team at The Keys, helped him identify musical talent who would be an excellent fit for the live concert and the diverse music genres they seek to have represented that weekend. He also notes the assistance of both Grace Sixpence and Toxie Darkmatter as being integral in filling some of the spots for the concert weekend. While a huge fan of live music himself, one of Trouble’s goals was to ensure more artists were represented than just those he has seen perform himself. With the help of these individuals and others, he believes he has achieved this goal. When you create something unique and special, it can be incredibly difficult to hold back your enthusiasm. This is evident with Trouble and his excitement over FeverFete. Almost like a kid on Christmas morning, he
is certainly ready for FeverFete to open. His joy over being able to combine the level of musical talent scheduled with the skill of the creators was evident in every word uttered during his interview. With opening day right around the corner, he won’t have to hold back his excitement much longer. Fortunately for us, we won’t have to wait long for another event from Basic Boyos. They already have a fourth event for the year in the planning stages, though Trouble won’t give us any hints as to what to expect next. Right now, he wants the focus to remain on FeverFete and the talent they have acquired for this event. In his own words, “It’s going to be lit.” FeverFete will run from July 17th to August 3rd. The live concert will take place on July 27th and 28th. Teleport to FeverFete. Check out FeverFete on Facebook. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 121
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beta omega iota zoo
photography by tempest rosca. written by novale
o
eigh freng.
Summer is the perfect time to take the family out and explore. This is true of both worlds, but perhaps even more so in Second Life, where the weather is always perfect for a day out. However, even in the virtual world, it can sometimes be difficult to find new and engaging activities that the entire family can enjoy.
in the country, and Second Life provides a creative outlet from that stress. “I was honored to be named head of the building team for the zoo,” he told ECLIPSE. “I had so much fun with this build and was inspired to map the zoo out in the likeness of a zoo that I visited frequently as a child in real life. I remember looking down into the tiger habitats, or pressing my little Enter the gentlemen from Second hand to the thick glass of the gorilla Life’s Greek fraternity, Beta Omega enclosure and hoping one would Iota. The frat is known throughout mimic me from the other side. I Second Life’s Greek community wanted the zoo to be interactive for throwing some pretty fantastic and to pull you further in with each get-togethers, but with their latest new exhibit and each new bend project, they set their sights on or turn. I built hidden pathways, something different: A zoo. back doors, and bridges - like the one between Asia and Africa- to Sergio Castellanos, Sr. [Seriouslly symbolize how connected our world Resident], head of Beta Omega is. I hope that came across well.” Iota’s building team for this latest attraction, says that the idea was The zoo is a must-see While it’s born initially because Beta Omega likely that you anticipated zoo Iota wanted to create a positive, field-trip day as much as I did family-friendly environment for as a kid, Second Life gives its the rest of the Greek community users the platform they need to enjoy. “We tend to isolate as to take the ordinary and make Greeks,” Sergio explained. “The it extraordinary. This is exactly current state of the event exceeded what the boys of Beta Omega even our own vision and manifested Iota did with their zoo. The zoo into something that has touched so is complete with everything many people in Second Life.” you’ll need for a fun day out, plus a few fabulous extras that we Sergio explained that he works a can only appreciate thanks to demanding career with some of the imaginative people here in the most vulnerable populations Second Life.
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“The dragons, mermaids, and unicorns are a must see!” said Sergio when he talked about Fantasy Island, his favorite part of the zoo’s build. If mermaids aren’t your thing, there’s tons more to see. Fantasy themes, geographically themed areas, and more. “The Beta Omega Iota zoo is more of a destination than an event,” Sergio explained to ECLIPSE. “It has been open for more than three weeks now, and hundreds of people have passed through its gates. Unlike events, there is no set start or end point. Even the layout allows you to get lost in twists and turns. You may start in Asia, and the next thing you know, you’ve wandered into the mystic underwater caves. The Beta Omega Iota zoo has something for everyone!” While Sergio wasn’t keen to reveal any juicy fraternity secrets, he did explain that planning such an attraction was not a one-man job. The boys of BOI worked together to make the project what it is today, building, organizing, and promoting it to the community. Hard work, no doubt, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive, both inside and outside the Greek communities in Second Life. Like most large projects, the Beta Omega Iota zoo did have its challenges. There are always
difficulties in getting a large project off the ground, and Sergio admits that the zoo was no exception. “The most challenging part was managing people that wanted to take a positive experience and make it negative. When you set yourselves apart and do something positive for the community. there are always people that will attempt to take that positive energy and misconstrue it. Handling these incidents in a professional way while still maintaining dignity and respect, even for those that move to discredit us, was by far the most challenging part.” And the easiest part? “The easiest part was opening the gate,” Sergio said. “Watching the faces of the patrons as they gleamed with excitement. Having the community, in its majority, appreciate the gift we gave to them.” If you haven’t been to see Beta Omega Iota’s zoo yet, check it out while you still can. It’s sure to be a day that you won’t soon forget. Teleport to Beta Omega Iota Zoo. For more information on Beta Omega Iota and news on upcoming events the fraternity is spear-heading: their website and Facebook.
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Voices from the g
Voices From the Grid is a monthly survey of opinions and ideas of Second Life® residents on the salient issues of the day. For this issue, ECLIPSE Magazine asked residents to share “What do you most value in your Second Life friendships?”
grid
Photograph provided by Ai. Page 140 | ECLIPSE July 2019
A
i [aikesek Resident] has been a resident of SL since 2011. She is a photographer, and owns two stores: Fanxy, a pose store, and [illionaire], a script store. She spends most of her time in SL working, or hanging out with her small group of friends while working.
SL friendships are like all friendships; sometimes they work out, sometimes they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, but the ones that do work out are amazing. I am an introvert in general, so my group of friends is small. However, they are all brilliant people and have kept me in SL for many years.
ai
My friends are all amazing in their own ways. I naturally gravitate towards people with talent, so all of them are photographers or creators, or both. I love what I do, and thus I value the same in others. Together, we make a remarkable collaborative of people that help each other achieve more than we could have alone. Some of our accomplishments include Fanxy, my store, which is a collaboration between all of the residents of Uganda sim. Uganda is an achievement in itself, a beautiful tropical sim that is one of the crowning jewels of SL, with beautiful nature areas representing each of the four seasons, as well as a space station. Friends make my SL what it is, and while I do not actively go and meet new people, I am grateful for those I have met and are in my life. All of you enrich my life in one way or another. Long live Uganda! Check out her personal Flickr and Fanxy Flickr.
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Photograph provided by Gwen. Page 142 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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gwen
wen [Gwendolyn Beverly] has been in Second Life for over ten years. One constant in her SL life has always been fashion, whether attending shopping events, hitting sales, or grabbing only the best freebies. In January of 2018, she started taking one photo a day to challenge herself and watched herself improve and grow as an SL photographer. Those outfit of the day shots slowly gave way to blogging. Gwen is a huge advocate of photography as therapy and has sometimes said it turns off the noise in her brain and reactivates that sleeping creativity. I consider my online friends to be just as valuable as my RL friends. For me, this means so much more because I am disabled in real life and tend to be bedridden a lot of the time so almost all communication that I have with my RL friends is online as well. My Second Life friends don’t judge me by my RL appearance, or age, or my disability. They see me as the person I really am inside and that alone allows me to be more like my real self. The platform of Second Life is just enough of a filter to help SL friendships become as deep as any other friendship. I also value the ability to use groups to find support and empathy from their own first-hand knowledge of what I am going through. Sometimes my RL friends tell me they are sorry I’m dealing with a certain problem (divorce, loss of a job, grieving the loss of a loved one), but they don’t know what I am personally feeling. Having someone that has been through it all before can help you feel more understood, and it’s so easy in SL to find those groups using the search feature. Check out her Flickr and Blog.
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Photograph provided by Hills. Page 144 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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ills [Hillspirit Tuppakaka] has been in SL since 2005, after she saw a RL friend playing it. She was already a keen online gamer so Second Life became an instant hit. Hills is passionate about music, fashion, dancing and photography, and has managed to combine them all in her jobs as hostess at some of her favourite clubs. She loves getting dressed up in formal gowns when she visits some of the ballrooms on the grid and she blogs about her fashion passion and showcases some of her photos on her Flickr gallery. Hills also enjoys exploring beautiful picturesque sims and riding her Bento horse. I love meeting up with friends at clubs and just having a fun time. We can laugh, dance, listen to great music, and be silly if we want to! I think tolerance and honesty are important because the internet has opened up a whole new way of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;meetingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and interacting with people from all corners of the globe. With this in mind, we all need to be tolerant of our differing views, different languages, and the way we express ourselves. Real Life can get in the way of our Second Life and plans may have to be changed at short notice, there is no point getting in a tizzy about it. Relax, chill, and go shop! I also love how SL brings people from all walks of life together, no matter what age, sex, religion, nationality or disability we may have. I have met amazing people from all over the globe, and the chances are that we would never have met in RL. How cool is that? SL is a great leveler. We are all the same, regardless of what or how we are in RL. I am pleased to say that I have had very few bad friendships over the past 13.5 years on SL. I am still in RL contact with one of my very first friends from SL. We all need to find our own sanctuary, and SL can be that for many people. There is room for everyone to explore, create, and build their own fantasy world! Check out her Flickr, Marketplace, Blog and PixelVR Page.
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Photograph provided by Wicca Merlin. Page 146 | ECLIPSE July 2019
C
hloe (Chloe6Li) is a quiet, reserved and at times appears to be a lonely figure but if you chip away, slowly and methodically you will be surprised at the layers that start to expose themselves. The introvert will open to show that she can be witty, intelligent, sensual and very mature for her age. As she has grown in Second Life, she has grown in confidence, from the diffident apologizer to a relaxed and confident woman. Her Flickr photostream is more than pretty pictures, but rather an emotional exploration of her thoughts, experiences, her pain and her joy. Many photos include a poem, including a series of poem that express the emotive power of color. She also has a few movies that do more than highlight a venue, but tell an emotional story through video and text. Be sure to check out her Flickr for a deeper introduction to Chloe. When I saw the question for this month ‘What do you most value in your Second Life friendships?” I thought I could not have got a harder question to answer. OMG ..Friendships!
chloe
I know I am not always easy to get along with and I am mostly on my own. This is mainly because I enjoy doing what I now do in Second Life, shopping (as always, all of the main events) and creating at my home, scenes for photos and videos. Those are what I enjoy in SL but I will then at times feel lonely and sim hop for a chat with somebody and that chat may lead to a friendship. I joined Sl because I was lonely and a guy I knew said how about joining SL. He had been in it a while and he was my first friend, but it soon became clear why he had asked me to join!!. My first two real friends are what valued friendships are about. Shortly after joining SL, I really didn’t have a clue what I was doing or what it was all about, this lady saw me as a newbie standing in London and we chatted. She offered me so much advice but she also said be careful and don’t accept anything from anybody. She let me make her home my home and for the first week in SL I did not move from there until she logged back in. I was too scared to move! But I valued her support, her caring and her willingness to help. Since then, many, many friends have come and gone, you become friends because you have a chat and get along but the next time it is empty and you have nothing left to say. I value honesty, openness and being able to trust is so important. In SL I am me….. just me… and for me to trust in SL is very difficult because I have experienced people using two or three or maybe more avatars to friend me for whatever reason, maybe they thought it would be entertaining, or character destroying… I don’t know their reasons, but it was very hurtful. Bullying really. I value people giving me space and knowing that I may not teleport over and give them a hug (I’m known for my Chloe hugs :blush:) but still just saying hello is special and shows that they are there. I’m sorry to say that my blocked list is actually more than double the size of my friends list but part of that is due to my fear of vampires, my friend did warn me not to be bitten… (she has scarred me for life). I often smile to myself, as I said before, I joined SL because I was lonely but at times (time zones don’t help) it can be very lonely in SL. It is so weird. Maybe what I value most in my Second Life friendships is my own company Check out her Flickr. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 147
Photograph provided by Gem Henly. Page 148 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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em Henly joined Second Life in 2008 coming in on the CSI sim. At that time modeling was a big thing in Second Life and it seemed like an interesting thing to do. She also loves to shop which is necessary when you model, so her blog began in 2013 to showcase these items. She was with many fashion agencies, participated in fashion shows and was a store model at couture houses. Her goal as a model was to compete in Miss Virtual World and she did so as MVW Greece 2015. Real life forced her to take a two-year hiatus from SL and she came back at the end of 2017 and resumed her blog Gemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finds. My friendships in Second Life are extremely valuable to me as I form close longlasting friendships. I have always kept an extremely small and loyal circle of friends in Second Life. My friends know who I am and what I am about. They know the nitty gritty of my real life and I know theirs. For me there is no veiled cloth that keeps Second Life separated from my real life. We support each other in Second Life and real-life through accomplishments and challenges. We laugh and cry together. We offer each other advice and an ear to listen. I bounce ideas for blogging and photos off of them. They keep me sane some days as I stay home and raise my two little kids in a remote lifestyle. Some days they are my only connection to grown-ups. Of course, we shop our hearts out while dancing through the stores and hit up great places to dance. Life happens where people come and go through SL and after all these years my friends still keep coming back. Some are on often and others I see twice a year. Even with all the time in-between we can always pick up where we left off. Check out her Blogspot, Wordpress and Flickr.
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Photograph provided by Murilo Tempest.
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murilo tempest
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urilo Tempest began to know the world of SL in 2009. Since then never stopped looking for ways to have fun and work. Has done a little everything, estate agent, promoter, dj ... Currently is joining his two passions: photography and decoration.
Throughout the years I was able to participate in SL, I met people of all possible styles. I also had some disappointments from which I learned and encouraged me to grow inwardly even more out of the game. Today with the maturity that time brings us, the essential thing for me in a friendship is loyalty and dedication, people who inspire me to always be better and who I can count and have a lot of fun. Currently a part of my circle of friends have come into my RL, where we made it a point to meet and strengthen these important ties by bringing respect and fun. Check out his Flickr and Blog.
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Photograph provided by Moustique Heartsdale. Page 152 | ECLIPSE July 2019
moustique heartsdale
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oustique Heartsdale has been in SL for almost 12 years now. One night, she was watching America’s Next Top Model on TV, and she thought: “Ok. That’s what I’m going to do in SL!” … She created a new avatar, who was going to become a model. After 3 years, however, she decided to take a break from SL. It would take her 5 years to find her way back, and when she did, she started as a designer, with her own MP store. That’s also when she started to get interested in SL photography, and she basically became her own blogger. As she got more experienced and skilled she also started to experiment with other photography themes and techniques, until fall 2017 when she did a series autumn pictures which were pretty successful, given that she didn’t have that much followers back then, followed by a series of winter pictures for which she asked friends, but also established bloggers to pose for her. That’s how she came in contact with blogging, and in November 2017 she got her first sponsor. Ever since then she has been blogging for numerous creators and brands. It became almost a fulltime job, while the design work became less important. Occasionally she still does some client photography – when asked – but it’s not really a priority anymore either. Her main focus now is blogging.
It may sound odd for somebody who’s been this long in a virtual world that is supposed to be a social adventure, but what I actually value most in my friendships is that they leave me alone. I think many bloggers, and probably also designers and creators, can relate to this, and just like for them, SL is more of a creative outlet, rather than a social platform for me. I often get the question: “What do you do for fun in SL when you’re not working?” And every time the answer is the same: nothing. My pictures and blogging are my way of having fun in this virtual world. For me, it really doesn’t need to be more than this. So, you will rarely find me at parties, in clubs, etc. Most of the time, I’m on my platform or taking in-world pictures. And when I’m not doing any of those, I’m most likely not even online. The friendships that have lasted the longest are also with people who know why I am in SL and respect my view on things here. I’ve had and lost friends who could not understand why I never had time to do the “fun stuff”… I understand, but me and them simply had a different idea of what SL should or could be: for them it was a platform to party 24/7… for me, it was basically just a “virtual camera”, a tool. Nothing more. Check out her Flickr, Blog and Facebook.
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Photograph provided by Sheree Honeyflower.
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sheree honeyflower
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heree Honeyflower [LifeOfSheree Resident] joined Second Life in December, 2013 as an explorer. Her first public space was a recreational park. Sheree currently owns a quirky cafe, ‘Cafe on the River’ at East River Community (Sansara) and she has a destination and events blog ‘Virtually Sheree’ has an office located at Second Pride. Sheree has long practiced nudism in Second Life and she is open about her lesbian pride. The most difficult side of Second Life when we are new to SL is finding friendship with people with whom we can relate. It’s important for me to say for the benefit of new Second Life adventurers that beyond the great wall of sexual frustrated persons waiting for new members to enter the virtual world is a large yet small organic virtual world for us to meet people as we explore the many creative minds who share their intellect with us. Through exploration of Second Life, I have met innumerable people. Some I met and spoke with once or twice. Some became part of my Second Life for a short time. Some became long held friendships who I adore and treasure. Some were friends, some lovers, a brother and two very special women (Aurora and Onyx) dear to me whom I swore loyalty to under the symbol of the collar but more important, an important emotional connection which always, always comes before any form of D/s binding. Just as important to me are those who I share Pride with. This Pride community’s bond forms a support base for many and a bond of friendship which is important to me just as it is for countless others. This Pride, I was lucky to share stage with one of my favourite Second Life DJ’s, DJ Vixen at Second Pride where I hosted for her, dressed as Pizza Girl. Vixen another whose friendship I treasure. With some friends I share a love of boating. Some I share a love of aviation. And some I share a passion for exploring Second Life as we watch this virtual world construct and evolve with awe as it constantly changes organically. My friendship with people who we share interests is an important part of being friends. Some virtual communities succeed in developing and maintaining a community spirit such as Bay City, a community I miss since having closed Cafe Sheree. However, I try to participate in activities to keep this connection and hopefully, I will have a new venture in Bay City when the moment arises. There is also an energetic community at the new continent of Bellisseria which I hope continues for a long time to come. While I, like many, keep my Second Life and physical life separate, in many ways they are connected. This connection has worked as a support for me. At times my virtual friends have been important during the marriage plebiscite here in Australia which was a source of pain for many. Being able to air my grievances with my closest virtual friends is one example of how Second Life friendships are important to me. Along with all the positives that come with this kindred spirit. These support bases are values of Second Life friendships which are important to me. They’re as real as our physical life friends are. Check out her Flickr, Blog and Office. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 155
Photograph provided by Fallen.
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fallen
allen (FallenAngel Blackburn) spawned into the metaverse eleven years ago and was soon fascinated by this ever evolving world where imaginations collide, finding an open field to express her creativity and learn many new things. As a former roleplayer, she enjoys the endless possibilities offered for character creation and immersive storylines. When not roleplaying she spends most of her time taking and editing pictures or exploring the wonders of the grid. I’m not of the very sociable type, feeling more comfy in my own bubble than in crowds and I don’t bind easily but I was gifted here over the past decade with some people I can truly call friends. A very few of them managed to cross the frontier of this virtual world, I know there’s others who never will but every one of them is precious to me. Those who are still here and those who aren’t anymore will forever have their special place in my heart. What they have in common and I value the most is their respect for my wild side, understanding my silences along with their capacity to grab me out of my comfort zone and turn me sometimes into an outgoing creature I didn’t expected I could be. The way they make me laugh, help me learn and grow as a person, support unconditionally every weirdness popping out of my mind , share pieces of their own virtual dream with me. They’re all a real source of joy and inspiration and I’m proud to call them my friends. Check out her Flickr.
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Photograph provided by Arqit3ct.
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arqit3ct
A
rqit3ct [JaySon93] is the Aqit3ct of your dreams. He joined SL just eight months ago. He enjoys bringing versatile style to the pictures he creates and spends a lot of time with his better half. He enjoys blogging.
Since I joined Second Life I have met a lot of people or rather I came across a lot of people. Even though many people consider this virtual platform a game, I don’t. I love to be around people who are comfortable with themselves, who are real, honest, and genuine; people I can talk to. I can say I have found my best friend in SL, she isn’t just a friend to me, but in her I have found all I have been looking for. I give everyone a chance. It’s on them what they do with that chance . Most of all I value truth. Just be who you are, and we are good . Check out his Flickr and Instagram.
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Photograph provided by Bisou. Page 160 | ECLIPSE July 2019
bisou
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isou Dexler joined SL in 2010 and he opened The Outer Garden in 2015. The Outer Garden exhibits some themed areas for a limited time. In 2016, he reopened the garden at the current SIM with his partner aki69. The garden welcomes many visitors ever since its opening.
I think people in SL, who live in various cultures, gather and confirm each other by invisible vibrations of “feelings” through their monitor. We accept differences in values among friends to widen our knowledge, and we can develop comfortable relationships if we always respect each other. This world, where there is no physical object but only emotion and sensibility, is full of joy to know what we don’t know. When I see my friends foster a new budding interest while we live our days as we like, it seems as if plants grow up vividly in bright natural light. It increases what they can do and the interest becomes pleasure. I applaud their efforts and enjoy the pleasure together. What I’d like to say is, we share joys.
There constantly happens good things and sad things in turn in our life. But for now, from the bottom of my heart, I’d like to congratulate and honor my neighbors’ efforts which achieved the crowning success, and appreciate those who encourage me to think it’s my turn to make efforts. Check out his Flickr, Blog and The Outer Garden.
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Photograph provided by Teej. Page 162 | ECLIPSE July 2019
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teej
eej [Timaaj Resident] joined SL in 2016, spending around three years enjoying Second Life and learning from it. She did a lot during this time from exploring SL as a noob to owning a business. Lately, she enjoys her time being a photographer/blogger. She finds photos to be the expressive side of her creativity and hopes her messages of acceptance reaches others. Her favorite things to do in Second Life other than photos is to chat with people. She likes to have deep conversations with people, to landscape, and to decorate. She will dance in SL but finds it silly and funny to have avatar dance. Honestly accepting people for who they are is what I most value.. Everyone is different in their own special way and friendships click for various reasons. Also being different is what makes them so beautiful and unique. When a person is accepted for who they really are than that friendship feels like ‘home’. This comes from being honest to yourself and others. Honesty doesn’t have to come at the cost of privacy in my opinion. I say this because that scares a lot of people, to be honest about ‘real self’ (doesn’t mean RL just means you as an individual). But that’s what I personally value in friendships; the courage to be just you. Once a trust is established the friendship becomes real…I mean beyond avatar. To me, friendships have no barriers of any kind whether it be distance or differences. We learn to respect that someone has a different opinion...we find common ground and thrive on that. I am fortunate and blessed to have such friendships in Second Life. They are my solid ground in Second Life. Check out her Flickr and Blog.
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the tour of home
photography by TAYLO
The Tour of Homes is a semi-regular ECLIPSE Magazine feature dedicated to showcasing the homes of residents. With the introduction of the new Linden Homes, this will be our first focal point. ECLIPSE Magazine readers are invited from now until July 29 to explore the featured homes, so gather some friends and begin your tour! If you would like your Linden Home featured, please contact Trouble Dethly.
es
OR WASSEP.
Teleport to Astrali Page 168 | ECLIPSE July 2019
iaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 169
Teleport to Minnie Page 170 | ECLIPSE July 2019
eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 171
Teleport to Bibbit Page 172 | ECLIPSE July 2019
tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 173
Teleport to Epifani Page 174 | ECLIPSE July 2019
iaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 175
Teleport to Raith Page 176 | ECLIPSE July 2019
hâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 177
Teleport to Rubyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Page 178 | ECLIPSE July 2019
â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 179
Teleport to Sylvia Page 180 | ECLIPSE July 2019
aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 181
Teleport to Caitlin’s Linden Home.
Teleport to Ellen’s Linden Home. Page 182 | ECLIPSE July 2019
Teleport to Katie’s Linden Home.
Teleport to Bryce’s Linden Home. ECLIPSE July 2019 | Page 183
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THE wayfarer...
photography by temp
“The Wayfarer” is a monthly feature showcasing some of the most aesthetic places in Second Life®. With a slight stumble, the Wayfarer landed upon a desert world though not absent of any greenery. Nestled in the valley of mountains with a river and waterfalls, Copper River seemed a world frozen in time. His footsteps tread along paths that others might have walked to parked decades old cars and buildings. And in his journeys, he found none though solitude was what the Wayfarer often found the greatest peace and solace in. Immerse yourself in Copper River.
est rosca.
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