The Stolen Child – Finished

Enjoy!

Now that I’m done with it I’m not sure what to do with my Second Life.

I don’t contribute to the economy?!

I was talking with a particularly cynical acquaintance the other day who had some less-than-kind things to say to me when I mentioned going to Marketplace-only with Clover’s Kitchen, and no longer having a prim-and-mortar shop in his estate. Two particularly stinging things he said were that I’m “part of the problem” for going to MP only, and that by not having a prim-and-mortar shop, I’m no longer contributing to the economy.

The Stolen Child – Trailer

Merry Christmas from the Manic Elf

Last night’s get-together at Toot Toots

So I mentioned having to cancel the party I planned last night. Instead I popped into Toot Toot’s Carolina Pub in the sim of Sifton, to pay a visit to my friend Symmetry and the rest of the good crowd that can often be found there. I had my cake dress on and announced that this would now be my birthday party.

I whipped out the camera and nabbed some video. Here it is.

P.S.: Just an added bit of trivia, this just happens to be my 666th blog post.

Finding it fun again

Archimedes and I had a talk about the things we use that make us able to do the things we do that make us who we are. For example, he’s a statistician, and he can’t do the things that make him what he is without a lot of help from the application “R”. When I went from my old Mac to this new Windows 8 laptop, I lost Photoshop, iMovie, CaptureMe, NiceCast, Garage Band… a lot of the tools that helped me “be what I am” so to speak in Second Life and indeed in real life.

So it’s with some frustration that I’m relearning the equivalent tools here. We couldn’t afford the $700 for a new full version of Photoshop (that’s more than the computer cost!) so we got a package with Photoshop Elements (which I don’t even use) and Premiere Elements 11 (which I do, more on that shortly). I have Gimp, and WinAmp, and iTunes but no NiceCast. I tried the free version of Fraps and discovered that I prefer the free version of Bandicam. Not crazy about the watermark on either but what do you want for nothing. I plan to upgrade and get the full version of Bandicam with my birthday and Christmas money. Yes by the way my birthday is coming up, more on that in a bit too.

I’m teaching myself machinima again. I can’t quite do the slick editing that I did for things like The Naughty Chair yet. In fact Premiere Elements is frustrating the hell out of me, because the nice cropped video I see in the preview version of a project is not what comes out in the final exported video. The final exported video has all the controls and watermarks and HUDs that are cropped out of the nice-looking preview version. It’s annoying me to no end.

Machinima is fun, though, and contrary to what the cynic I spoke to yesterday says, there’s still lots to enjoy in SL while using this medium. In fact I got a really fun project in the works and some great people willing to help me out with it too. I’ve done a few burlesque-style shorts (see Naughty Chair, link above); now I’m planning a longer burlesque video with multiple performers. It’s got a seasonal theme but it won’t be ready for this Christmas (sorry!). However I’m hopeful it will be ready to debut with plenty of time before next Christmas. Interested in performing? Shoot me an IM.

And so, yes, I’m turning 39 on Sunday in RL. The weather forecast here in RL land says that I’m not going anywhere so I’m having a party in SL at my good friend Thaddeus’s place, Antique Square. It’s an outdoor skating party with an eclectic mix of music from DJ Noir. There’ll be cake (from Clover’s Kitchen, naturally). I hope you can make it because what I’d like more than anything is to see my friends there. The party is Sunday, December 22nd, at 5PM SLT.

Mistletoe Got a Webcam

Cecil B. DeMistletoe

I’m inspired again.

My friend Thaddeus has taken a new project under his wing and is organizing a Grid-wide Hunt called Antiques Grid Show Autumn Hunt. It will feature 30 merchants offering antique home & garden goods, clothing, and jewelry. And he had the idea to approach me about making a silent-film style video to promote it.

And so that’s what I’ve started doing. I’m blogging now when I really should be making costumes for my Keystone Cops.

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Quick word of best wishes and hopes for a complete and speedy recovery to R. Crap Mariner (or rather, to the human behind the avatar of said), who is awaiting surgery. We’re all pulling for you, except perhaps a certain white-suited ninny who’s probably working on his CRAP DEATHWATCH post as we speak. Fuck him. We’ll try and keep him and Catherine the Greatly Disturbed at bay until you’re back in the ring.