Another End of an Era

This has been a whirlwind week, ending a whirlwind two months.

I spent a great deal of time on Donner. As a packrat, making myself tear down things and rebuild was a very difficult but important process. I decorated the land for Christmas (added a menorah during Chanukah), Inauguration, Chinese New Year, and Mardi Gras.

I think I did pretty well, even though I didn't sell a single thing and no one came to my shop or gallery from there. I didn't expect to make anything, so no disappointment there.

We got a lot of first timers into the winter marketplace for some reason, so it was fun giving them basics on movement and a lead to search for the NCI for their freebie wall and courses. I found the infohub points on each winter region were random and people had auctioned for parcels with these. Great landing points but what did you have for the noobs? NOTHING! If I'd known, I could have had my dream for two months of an infohub and orientaion spot MY WAY, which would include cultural orientation. btw assorted Lindens have taken interest in this when I brought it up at office hours, so if you start seeing these in the next generations of infohubs, they got the idea from me ;)


Either way it's been a blast, but time to go home. The SS Monkeyshinez has dropped anchor on my front lawn in Anilis and will stay through Mardi Gras. There's no prim space for the noobs, but there will be free beads from Monday night through Wednesday morning in the air around the float. I'll put more up as people "catch" the ones there.

Donner was also a good testing ground for 7Seas custom catches. I made shirts, toys, and deely boppers for assorted occasions. The original Mardi Gras shirts and CNY shoulder pals are currently fishable in Anilis. Many things planned for that.

I was offered a small shop space for a percentage of sales. Hope their hunch pans out! I'll be preparing that the next few days.

This week also marked a few other ends and beginnings. Last week as you know, OnRez (and their ready made vendors) was liquidated and SL took over XStreetSL. I got ahold of some very user friendly vendors which were even easy for ME to customize. I even figured out how to send a cut of a sale to a specified second party, something I'll need to set the shop vendors to do. I GUESS I should add more stuff to SLEx and activate what I've already uploaded.

On a sad note was the unannounced exit of the Simon Joseph House of Healing & Mirth after almost three years. No more Michigan J Frog, peacock garden, free clown noses, or happy rainbow over Anilis. The region has lost a piece of its soul.

Mardi Gras bash tonight!

As many of you know, I aquired a winter holiday marketplace parcel last December in the Donner region of Second Life.

It's been an exciting and educational experience for me: building at light speed and keeping up with a succession of holiday themes. Most of all: learning how not to be a packrat by tearing down and rebuilding.

I also experimented with making custom catches for the 7Seas fishing game. Prizes included shoulder pals, deely boppers, and commemorative tees.

This week it ends and the marketplace lands will disappear. We've been told the 20th is the final day for those in Dasher, Prancer, Donner and Blitzen.

As a send-off, I've made some floats and redecorated the land for a pre Mardi Gras party. Harlequin Noobs will have beads for you (it's PG land so keep your shirts on. Besides, I'm inviting some SL Kids :P ). The water has shoulder pals and souvenir tees for 7Seas fishers, and a Looney Tunes video will be uploaded before the party starts. We can fish and dance our brains out!

The party starts at 8:30pm EST aka 5:30pm SLT

Where? Well, my picks has the location but typing in "Donner" should show a pink events star.
A personal favorite technique of mine as a high altitude resident is to aim on the map for the pool and teleport for a splashtacular entrance.

I hope to see you tonight!