For the last couple weeks SunMagic’s handler has been a weak pink pixie fighting nasophryngitis! Nasty, nasty common cold… with a touch of the flu, strained watery eyes and total lack of energy. she’s been remiss of her duties in the realms of Virtual Worlds immersion. I certainly understand now why? the bear hibernates in Winter. It was agony to get up in the mornings, dress, eat, bathe; all the necessary daily activities that prove one’s existence. Hibernating is the ultimate lethargic, sleepy season no bear dares to disturb for a good reason. I presume so our limbs and spirits may rest and restore! What better time to accomplish this restoration state than during the blowing of icy winds while the world’s color is white. If only the common cold stayed away while playing in the colorful pixels of our chosen grids. Ahchoo! 
2015: The year of the NEW and Improved “AAcme City”
We are so eXcited to finally start on a brand new AAcme City located on the 3rd Rock Grid (which is now Hypergated enabled) we can barely contain ourselves. Our last AAcme City, covering two regions on the InWorst grid, was home to over 40 residents and over 75 merchants and shops. I understand they still have us listed in their Index as AAcme City Steampunk although AAcme City was totally destroyed in April 2012 by an fierce Meteor storm created by an evil witch for reasons too ridiculous to mention. Our NEW AAcme City style is what we like to call ‘Industrial Fantasy’. 
3rd Rock Grid was chosen because AAcme Fall and Sunbeam Magic had first cousins (Virtual Builder and Venus Moondance) still residing there who kept telling us to come there and begin anew. After traveling to many many other grids searching for our destiny we finally decided V & V were correct. 3rg (as most call this grid) had kept the awesome wonderful ‘Copper Zepplin’ (thank goodness the pilot was able to safely land on 3rg after leaving during the evacuation of AAcme City, IW. The air ship known as the ‘The Copper Zepplin’ created by AAcme Fall. is a popular tourist destination being toured by hundreds of Virtual World travelers yearly. Admission is Free.
AAcme City is well under way since breaking ground on December 8th 2014. A Grand Opening celebration is slated for April 2015. As with all cities, construction will never cease. To date the NEW AAcme City, AAcme City Southside and Dolphin Beach has roads laid out and buildings rising high and wide . The beach area has a broadwalk, shops, roller rink, pizza shop, coffee shop and plans for a bowling alley are being finalized. AAcme City and AAcme City Southside will be home to Hotels, Apartments, Shops, ‘AAcme Tunes’ Dance Club and many secret passageways and tunnels making AAcme City a fun place to explore and hang out. A new shop, located near the Town Centre called ‘Blogz R Us’ will feature Metaverse bloggers, Hypergrid Business and AAcme City Adventures for all to keep up to date on new and interesting developments written by various Metaverse bloggers such as Minethere Always, virtual christine, Daniel Voyager, Prim Perfect (Saffia Widdershin), Honor Mcmillan, Leighton Marjoram, Danko Whitfield, Oshi Shikigami. ChapTer Kronfeld and Oddje Otoole to name a few. There are spaces available for more bloggers whom wish to be a part of this One-Stop Blog Shop.
Time to don my Construction helmet and get back to work. Feel free to stop by( http://3rdrockgrid.com/) monitor our progress, pick out a shop or home (as always rents are FREE) plan a party for you or your friends at the Dolphin Beach Roller Rink or just stroll around and see if you can find the secret doors. Most of all, just have fun. Our New Year’s resolution and just eXactly what we intend to do ourselves in the year 2015: Have Fun!!!
Happy New Year!
2014 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 22 trips to carry that many people.
Mermaids and Milestones
The Dude and I have taken to ‘real life’ bike riding around our neighborhood since my Milestone birthday in September. Enjoying ‘real life’ fresh air. Yeah Baby! His bike is faster than mine (of course) so I usually end up a half of football field behind him, toddling along listening to the songs of the almost invisible birds perched high on the wires. A far cry from the ocean floors. While cruising along today my thoughts traveled to Mermaids and Milestones. What the heck does that have to do with the Metaverse you say? Well, in my very first venture into a virtual world (good ol’ Second Life) I found out I could be a Mermaid. Yes a real virtual mermaid with tail who can stay under water with out oxygen. Of all the mythical creatures, a Mermaid is what I most desired to be. Mermaids, Irish, sunken treasures, pirates, adventure. If only my Fairy God Mother granted me that wish… and swoosh I’d be a Mermaid. And I was via the Metaverse virtual worlds playgrounds. Fun memories and lots of milestones were made. Like: my first surfing win (3rd place), standing up for my friends at their Weddings, starting my own surf team, organizing a Fashion Show, organizing a Home Builders showcase grid wide, winning my first ‘Builders’ contest, then winning on a German grid (Global baby global \o/), dancing with the Blues Brothers, starting my own event business, publishing my own magazine, being an avid builder and landscaper and a dozen others milestones I’d never dreamed I could do. Then, making the hard decision to leave my surf-team, my friends, my busy vw activities and parties to return to the real world. So I shelf-ed my other “self’s”, as it were. and began taking bike rides in the sun. Another milestone.
Once in awhile I will still log on to Second Life, or Metropolis, or Island Oasis, or 3rd Rock or other new virtual worlds as my Mermaid/Pixie self. Alas, now my toon characters feels shy, awkward, old, out of tune with life in a virtual world. Not like her real self at all which was outspoken, a gesture freak, an organizer, a party gal, a participant, a real player . I remember back to the times when logging on was the most important thought in my repertoire of mindless existence. Oh don’t get me wrong, I had fun! But I also remember the times I couldn’t sleep for wanting to be floating in a virtual world propelling my Mermaid in the most beautiful under water scenes imagined with music tickling my ear drums. I could sit for hours and hours lost in a dreamworld of pixels and colors, always smiling, always happy. I did make true friends too, because real people pilot their virtual ‘self’ in situations and conversations. Conversations that surely will continue through emails or Skype or other means of technology always at our fingertips.
Mmmmh… Mermaids and Milestones and Metaverse. I declare ‘M’ the letter of the day! Enjoy your M’s!
Sun
Falling into October
Slipping Again! (shame on me, its been a month and a day since my last post)
Slipped right into another of my most favorite month > October. Let me tick off the whys 1) Fall colors 2) Falling leaves 3) True L0ve’s Birthday (Happy Birthday Dude/Oct 19th) 4) Halloween .. who could ask for anything more? And let me mention how the heat of the Sun diminishes and Harvest Moons brighten the night skies, another plus! It’s not too hot nor too cold! It’s sweater weather! It’s bicycling mornings! It’s the color of orange in all shades! It’s pumpkin pie time! It’s sugar high time! Now who doesn’t love October too? Bathe in sunbeams! Keep a warm smile on your face! Enjoy October!
Seek Peace, Fly High
Sunbeam
September Morn
Ring for Peace
Its barely sunrise and the coolness of the air finally after months of intense heat day and night and mornings is a relief. September is the most wonderful month to me. Why? you ask? Most likely because its my birthday Month, yay Virgos! Many people feel September is their last chance to head out to the beach for one last summer fling or scan the Internet for some last-minute summer loving. September is the end of summer, scantily clad bodies, cool tan hues on the skin and vacations completed for another year. A sad time indeed.
September also holds the day observed as ‘International Day of Peace’ (unofficially known World Peace Day) falling annually on 21 September. This day encourages the absence of war and violence, a temporary cease fire in combat zones, and allows for humanitarian aid access. Many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples first observed this day of peace in 1982. In 2013, for the first time, the Day was dedicated by the by the United Nations to “Peace Education”, in hopes of prevention of war in our Children’s futures. A noble gesture indeed.
Bells begin ringing, school bells that is, ringing across the world signaling it’s time to get back into the spirit of the education. Then there is the ‘Peace Bell’ , a gift from UN Association of Japan, made from coins donated by children from all continents as a reminder of the human cost of war. On the side of the Peace Bell an inscription reads “Long live absolute world peace”. The Peace Bell is located at the United Nations Headquarters located in New York City. A beautiful sentiment indeed.
September starts off with now fun time Labor Day, originating as a peaceful way to protest for better working conditions and for eight-hour workdays. September also kicks off the football season for many. September is the proud recipient of the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Month. And the end of September is designated for the start of fall, a favorite season filled with colorful leaves and gorgeous weather. If all that doesn’t make you fall in love with the month of September I don’t know what would. So now you know why September is my most special month of them all. Enjoy your September!
June Gloom Lasts over a Year
Wow! I’m ashamed of myself for letting my little blog sit idle for a year and a couple months. Shame on Me!!! The first few months I was just in a funk! Then I went tumbling on a concrete floor and broke some bones. OUCH! Then I started playing a time consuming internet web based game called City Of Steam:Arkadia… I’ve always been a be fan of anything remotely Steampunk. My characters reached the highest level offered on four of the five servers (3 usa and 1 european) … AND I reached the highest level rank in my company guild. Phew! and there my friends is where my days have vanquished into gloomy mist and colorful pixels.
Although, every once in a while I would get a desire to pop into a Virtual World and when I did I had a fine time, especially when I was so honored in Second Life, as my Surfing Mermaid Kohana Schimmer, when asked to Judge at a SLSA Surfing Competition the day I popped in. What luck! What a great thrill seeing everyone and watching the surfers up close and personal. I’d also pop in on my four sims located on Metropolis. Here I have placed a few of my favorite things like unicorns and beautiful flower gardens but alas I never stayed long. My gloom caught up with me.
I don’t know what possessed me to do a post again, and also update my City of Steam page… but here I am typing away like I know what I’m saying.
I still believe the internet and metaverse hold a powerful magic and I still enjoy my time at the keyboard but I think … but still don’t know why gloom is ever present. Perhaps my post today will make the sun shine brighter while chasing away the gloom so mine eyes might see a glorious dawn.
May all your dawns be breathtaking!
JUNE GLOOM
“June Gloom” the term surfers of southern California use to describe the morning hours of the month June as all along the coastline from San Diego to Los Angeles clouds hang low, the sky is grey and misty and the Sun is hiding. I fear I have contracted the June Gloom syndrome in my heart. For the last six week or more I’ve noticed Sunbeam isn’t wanting to be activated and flitter around from grid to grid as any normal Gridhopper would be thrilled to do. Her rl typist has lost the zest… at first she called it her ‘get up and go’ GTG… but as the GTG turned in deep thoughts of self analysis and loss of self confidence we become weary. Tired. Sleepy. At first we denied the feeling… joining a new grid even accepting responsibilities to help build and promote said grid … partying and dancing with friend… tweeking a build and rearranging a few items on SunbeamS region in Metropolis… nothing would shake the feeling of ‘what’s its all about Alphie?’ if you get my drift. I started thinking people were mad at me for no reason at all. I started thinking my builds and videos and events and all I tried to accomplish were labeled ‘mediocre’ and ‘who are you kidding?’ ! It got to where each day I logged on less and less until now its barely three or four times a week. I’m hoping this is just a stage, just a June Gloom experience in the weather of my life and I’ll be sunny and shiny and spreading sunbeams once again … and perhaps bloom.
The few pictures below are of Metropolis, SunbeamS region there, Island Oasis sandbox where my friend Kiko made Sunbeam a unique special amazing beautiful ‘Daisy’ outfit… our favorite flower evah!!! the Daisy! As you can see Sun barely took any photos at all … Sun did do a wee bit of ruins building for Minethere Always newest Freebie OAR… and visited the new grid Velus Universe (no pictures taken there 😦 sorry)
Trying to look forward to a sunny July! Fly high, seek peace and laugh daily!
May Delay
May was an unusal month for Sun … she was not so active (have been feeling ‘out of sorts’ lately) even though she did visit at least eight (8) VW and took tons of photos once again. Sun’s rl counter part was extremely busy not to mention her internet connection was faulty (her cable company sux!) all month. The Cable guy is expected June 2nd to take a look. One of Sun’s favorite grids (Metropolis) was off line for about 10 days doing maintenance and she really missed working on her region there called SunbeamS. Sun did attend the Welcome Back party which was totally awesome once the grid was back up! Pixel Prim built the coolest steampunk venue!
Speaking of Steampunk, Sun started a new game also this month… called “City of Steam“. Its a web based MMO ‘steampunk’ fantasy, one of her greatest loves. Sun is helping to save the world of Nexus (see added page just for this adventure) and is doing a fine job too if I must say so myself.
So although this post is short and sweet, the many photos say 1000 words or more. So ‘they’ say! Hope you E-joy!
New Grid ‘End of the Metaverse’
Fairy Ring on Tundra 3D
Firefly Glowworm Metropolis
Fishing off ship on Tundra 3D
Kiko shows Sun her Rockets Island Oasis
Tshirt and headband made for Lion Ewry IO
SunbeamS region on Metropolis
Welcome Back online Metropolis
Tundra 3D Fairytopia Tree Arch
Guess who?? yep Minethere Always Olantica
Guess who again! yep its Miney! HUGGS
Welcome Back Party Metropolis HOT time in the old town tonight!
Party Venue by Pixel Prim Metropolis Welcome Back
Fishing off the ship Tundra 3D
MAY DAY
The first day of May brings to mind vibrant colors, ribbons, dancing, flowers and butterflies while the smell of a freshly mowed lawn fills your senses with memories of childhood days gone by. The last two weeks of April was a most unusual time for Sunbeam. Why you ask? Well believe it or not, Sun did not make it to one (1) musical event (a first I believe for her) during the last two weeks of April. She had good intentions and had plans to go to a couple events she saw advertised and that looked like fun, but alas rl took precedence and she missed the events.
Even still with missing musical events Sunbeam spent lots of time in her virtual worlds busy continuing builds on SunbeamS, Metropolis; Fairytopia, Tundra 3D; Hidden Glenn, Olantica, the Lost World; and Dry Gulch, Lady K & Lion’s Horse World II Island Oasis. Sun even tried her hand at making an art piece, a Spinning Gold Crop Circle, can you hear the Twilight music playing in the background? She was lucky to visit many friends on different grids and took time out to attend the RFL Fantasy Faire event held on 10 sims in Second Life. OMG What amazing builds and imagination!!!! Plus they raised over 15K $$$ for a wonderful charity. Congratulations!
Sunbeam joined another grid last week called Cloud Party, a web based grid, which is a bit different with their building tools but hopefully we will get the hang of it. Sunbeam popped into Kitely grid, and met her friend Minethere Always. After hanging at the welcome center for a while we explored our friend’s bladyblue bommerang regions, which were chock full of Castles and flowers and glowing plants, all of Sun’s favorite things. Exploring! another of Sun’s favorites things is about the most fun one can have in a virtual world.
While exploring on 3rd Rock grid, Sun found some wonderful creations made by her friend ambiant kukulca/Nicolas Tesla. His Steampunk items are truly awesome! A wonderful creator!!! Sunbeam had the best time car racing with Hans Ingen on his region Ingen Lab on Metropolis. What a fun time and the cars went really fast! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! She may have found a new hobby. She agreed to take a spot of land to build some fabulous city illusion on the track edges. Smiles. Sun did some exploring on Tundra 3D and fell in love with her friend Anan Eebus’ region ‘Unveiled’, its sooooooooooooo cool and icy and swirly and just fabulous!!!! There is also the newest region Stonehedge, on Tundra 3D, a must see! Sunbeam also spent some time exploring on Virtual Highway and marveled at Megan Cline’s Enchanted Mermaid Isle. Then she visited the Na’vi Museum and had fun paddling up the creek.
One evening while putting sit poses in the hotel on Dry Gulch on Island Oasis grid, Steve F called and he showed Sun some darlin’ rides he had made for Abby, Scarlet Rose. We had such fun! It was really great to catch up with the girls on IO too, Kat Ewry, Vickie Day, and a new friend Gracious. Amazing how fast the time flew by. Girl Talk, gotta love it! Another good friend from IO, Kiko Kenichi stopped by the sandbox to show Sunbeam a few of her latest outfits! This girl is just amazing and so talented. She even won some Best in “***” contest at the local pub. (***Black, shorts, hat, mask, etc).
All in all Sunbeam Gridhopped to ten virtual worldz and once again took lots (42) of pictures to share with you my fellow metaverse explorers. See links tab for information on virtual worlds to visit. Happy Gridhopping!
ENJOY! Fly HIGH, seek peace and laugh daily!
Metaverse Magic 