Jan 10 2023

OOPS I’VE DONE IT AGAIN

Yep, it’s been almost six months since I last wrote in this blog. But… I do have justification… smiles sadly. As many of you know me and my rl situation, my beloved Duderz passed away Oct 1st… 2022. He was my rock, my foundation, my soulmate and I had a real tough time holding it together. We all knew it was coming, and he surpassed the doctors timeline for him by two years, those were bonus years I am grateful for, even though he suffered more and more each month. He was such a trooper and still made jokes and made those around him laugh and look at life in his silly way of accepting God’s will. I am happy he no longer suffers and is in supposedly a pain free zone… and I like to think he watches over me still as I continue this journey we call ‘real life’.

I’ve tried to do things that should help me through the process, sometimes when I think about it I say “OMG it’s only been a little over three months since he’s been gone”. Other times it feels like a lifetime of sorrow and grief and I wish it would end! I started a new blog about how to become an elderly widow… especially for those that were together with their loves more than fifty years. I redid the living room, the front porch and am working on the spare bedroom. I colored my grey to a beautiful brown with highlights and got a hair cut. I took a Road Trip and drove over 3,000K miles alone and proved to myself I am self sufficient. I spent Thanksgiving with my daughter and grandchildren and then spent Christmas alone with my memories and love of Jim to keep me warm.

Now what! HOPE! I am planning some fun times in the future… to go and meet friends I’ve had in SL for over 15 years and to see some of our beautiful USA countryside. Maybe do a couple cruises ? and the biggie… visit Europe, mainly Scotland and Ireland where my ancestors come from.

I have eased back into to my Virtual Lives… and am enjoying the escape that Second Life and Open Sim offers. But this time I am trying to keep a good balance between the two Real Life and Virtual Life. I watched ‘Ready Player One’ again the other night and the last words were exactly what I needed to not fall off this Earth and become…. a stat.

“…the OASIS will be completely shut down on Tuesdays and Thursdays, allowing folks to connect with one another in the real world.” Ready Player One… yes I am Ready! Are YOU?

Step in Sunshine!

Come Sail Away With Me!

Jul 18 2021

LAG oh LAG

I’ve been a virtual world participant for about 15 years now. I love the feeling of operating my avatars as they roam around the fantastic world on pixels and viewing the most interesting unique environments. Fantasy, history, modern, futuristic worlds of every imagination brought to pixel life. But the best part… (to me) is meeting other avatars! From all around the globe. It makes me feel like a ‘international jet set’ person!

I have virtual friends in so many different countries, like the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, India, Canada, and from almost every state of the USA. Most speak English, or text English, and if they don’t we have this handy little gadget called a ‘translator’ that will automatically translate any language into English. OMG… sometimes the translations are so funny! and not even close to what we were trying to say to each other, but all in all we can communicate.

It takes a certain personality to learn the ends and outs of a virtual world. How to operate your avatar, how to dress your avatar, how to get from one place to another, how to dance, how to voice and if you are into a more ‘gaming’ like experience, how to operate the combat tools and vehicles available to use. We all like to joke too about how you have got to be “a little bit crazy” to immerse yourself in these virtual worlds. Recently one of my friends said “Lol… they are all fucking crazy!” when we were discussing a recent drama story boiling over and each drama Queen was trying to explain their action and words to us (Admins of the sim).

To me the one biggest drawback in virtual worlds is the LAG. Sometimes when you try to move you freeze up, then a second later you are across the sim not even close to where you wanted to go or you might find yourself in the virtual void tumbling over and over as you fall to nowheres-ville. Sometimes your screen will turn completely black and you see nothing, hear nothing, and can do nothing! It can get quite frustrating especially if you are in the middle of roleplay storyline and others are counting on you.

All in all these worlds still amaze me that they work as well as they do considering there are millions of avatars running around and enjoying their virtual lives. I believe I’ve made lifelong friends and each morning when I awake I wonder what and who I will see that day. I have a warm fuzzy feeling and can hardly wait to jump out of bed and see what’s going on in my virtual worlds and with my virtual friends. Lag or no lag… I’m logging in!

Mar 24 2021

Running Wild Again

Finally, the pain has gone back into it’s hiding place, although every once in a while if I move wrong or twist wrong it rears it’s ugly head and shouts at me! I’m shouting back now and moving on. Smiles.

It’s a strange feeling not to go on-line daily and interact with your friends and foes. Especially when it’s what you do daily and have for the last eight months, almost every morning without a pause. You lie there wondering who is planning what, who is missing you, who hasn’t even noticed you’ve been gone? You want so badly to log in and shout “Here I am!! See me!!”. You’re nervous about going back like you’re now a stranger to everyone or you don’t know what to say or do when you run into another. It’s like you’re a newbie all over again.

You ponder your character and wonder if you are playing the correct role for you. Are you helping others enjoy the second life they have carved out for themselves? Is it worth the time and energy you put into your character and the planning and execution of your plans? Are you spending too much real life cash on clothes and looks for your character? Are you spending too little? Where will you be say six months from now, one year from now? So much to think about while lying on your back pondering your second life!

I want to run wild again! I want to enjoy my second life! I want to enjoy my friends! I want to be part of the ‘in-crowd’! Things change so quickly in second life. Once I read that four hours of second life time equals a full day of real life time. So it’s like I’ve been away for four plus months, not three weeks. I got a lot of living to make up for! Let’s do this… see ya on the inside!

Dec 7 2015

NOVEMBER NOTABLES

November was a HUGE month for notable events that Sunbeam was a part of. Sun started off with the Premiere of the Immersive Edge, a hypergrid story, then on to the celebration of being an avatar at the AvatarFest and then the exciting Grand Opening of Leighton Marjoram’s new grid ‘Lighthouse Point’. There was a Birthday party for Nara’s Nook, Happy Birthday Two Years Old! AND her home grid GCG (Great Canadian Grid) celebrated their Two Years Old Birthday! and Sun and the team of VISIONZ produced their biggest issue ever with a whopping 90 page edition.

Christmas came to our Virtual Worldz with lots of winter regions popping up to explore and Ice Skating parties to attend. Naturally our party girl, Sunbeam, jumped in with both wings! She set up a Free Christmas shop at her friend Linda Kellie’s Christmas region on GCG and she also built a little Christmas scene at the Winterfest Expo on the Tangle Grid.

Of course in between all these notable events Sun went to HG tours, concerts and parties, enjoyed a private tour of her friends’ Anna and Steve Ford’s ‘Pet Gallery’, plus her friend Jessie Campbell taught her how to play the game ‘Greedy’. May of been beginners luck but Sun won both games they played! Sun also did some fun exploring and went shopping and bought some new gowns.

Sun also set up two new shops in AAcme City, one a Mermaid shop and the other Aine’s Statues (Of course all items are free to copy). She did some landscaping around the city (terraforming really relaxes us), added some animals to the forest and cleaned up some areas that were overly primmy. She moved the Halloween graveyard to a new area by the AAcme Airport and ser up her Happy Holidays HO HO HO area in it’s place. All in All November was a busy, fun and exciting month for this little Fae!

A high note in Sunbeam’s life was when she took her friend Scarlet ‘Abby’ Rose to meet Elsie and Anna, Scarlet’s idols, at Fred Beckhusen’s Ice Castle on his Outworldz grid. Scarlet was so excited and really loved riding the dragons. Scarlet was born with MD and is a very special young lady who guided by her nurse and my virtual sister, Kat Ewry finds fun and love in the virtual environment.

A low note in Sunbeam’s life was when she lost her dear friend and virtual nephew, one of the great musicians of our worldz, hunter Montgomery to a heart attack. hunter went peacefully in his sleep; may he rest in peace as he lives on in our hearts. Also there was the world wide tragedy of the terrorists attack in Paris, France. Sun has many friends in the Franco grid and was thrilled to hear that all of them were safe and survived this unfathomable incident.

If I must say what the most notable event that happened in Sunbeam’s journey it has to be when she FINALLY broke down and used her voice. Yes, she does has a voice. Ever since ‘Voice’ came out in Second Life (about 10 years ago) Sunbeam was distinctly opposed to it. Sunbeams’ typist being hard to hear and having ear problems most of her life aslo was against the activating their voices. The awful sounds from the ear plugs and the ear splitting feedback and the confusion of 20 avatars talking at once hurt their sensitive ears. Even though Sun’s ears are huge and pointy, they don’t work well at all! Plus she really liked ‘type text’ where she could always go back and review conversations, maybe something she missed or needed to make note of. One night after a party everyone was chatting and having a gay old time while Sun was typing away and no one noticed. We decided right then to ‘activate’ our voice and early the next morning she went to her friend Daisy Coronet who patiently taught her how to use the voice system. Thank you Daisy!

As has become our custom, here are a few pictures taken during the month of November… please enjoy the slideshow showing the fun Sunbeam has in her virtual worldz with family and friends this month of November 2015:

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As always my valued friends and soon to be friends, step in sunshine! Sunbeam

Aug 1 2015

July Highs

July was a extremely hot month for my rl self, while my vr self saw ‘hawt’ things exploring the Metaverse. Sun attended meetings, some cool parties and concerts (Mr. Mikie String and Torben Asp) and published a great issue of her VISIONZ magazine. She visited the Wizard of Oz (Kitely, Talia Sunsong) and Alice in Wonderland (Franco, Cherry Manga)! She also worked diligently on her contribution to the HG Story, Scene five. There were two tour groups who visited her beloved AAcme City in the month of July (HG Nights and HG Safari). She also went to see her bff’s (Minethere Always) new huge 4×4 var region on Metropolis grid. AND she won first place in a Kayak contest at the Grand Opening of Brantley No. 3 (Kitely, Ruby O’Degee).

Overall Sun had some really fun high times the first part of this summer. Summer means sun and fun. Hope you’re haviing a wonderful Summer so far too!

Below is a slide show capturing some of her adventures. Enjoy and always ‘Step in “Sunshine” with a happy attitude viewing your worlds with awe!

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Jun 28 2015

JUNE BLOOMS

June was filled with magical realism in Sunbeam’s virtual worlds. Sun experienced many magical moments such as being a “Guest Guide” for the HG Tour group ‘Metaverse Tours‘, The group visited Tangle grid’s Kling Kingdom, Aqualand on Metropolis and The River Lands on Great Canadian grid:

She attended the The Hypergrid ‘WIP’ Shows held in June. (Works in Progress)

She magically became a ‘Mermaid’ and watched all the human folks walking on the docks across the water channel to AAcme City’s harbor.

She attended ‘Market Day’ on the medieval role=play regions The River Lands, Great Canadian Grid.

She was a nervous wreck waiting on the tour bus after working all day really hard polishing up AAcme City side=by-side with AAcme Fall to impress the expected visitors from

the Hypergrid Nights tour group. They explored the city then joined us for a magical party held at The Carousel Club (34 Avatars attended) with Dj Darrow Kanto playing some great tunes,

And she published the 4th issue of VISIONZ magazine – Hypergridders Dream.

She was asked to be a guest on the INWORLD REVIEW TV show to talk about VISIONZ and AAcme City. Inworld Review is hosted by Mal Burns.

( since Sunbeam does not have a microphone she asked her VISIONZ Sr Editor and also a AAcme City shop owner, Avia Bonne to appear in her place ) . She watched quietly below the stage area.

She attended her first ‘Writers’ Class’ conducted by Siobhan Muir on Nara’s Nook grid (Sun dearly wishes to became a better writer),

She attended a beautiful virtual wedding of her new friends Daniella and Josiah MacTire officiated by Jaekob Faolan.

She worked on planting even more flowers on her Enchanted Village (for non=humans), Hidden Glenn region located on Tangle grid.

Sunbeam and AAcme attended a ‘Crash Party’ on GCG and danced the night away, no matter how hard we tried the sim would not CRASH! lol 48 Avatars attended, I understand the record is 60.

Sunbeam and AAcme also celebrated over 100 visitors who have come to see our beloved AAcme City and share our joy in driving around the magical roadways, fighting off the zombies and strolling along the boardwalk.

Sun also enjoyed visiting with friends and family and going on many HG tours and trying out the new daredevil jump on our 2nd level roads and overall she had way too much FUN spreading Sunbeams.

June, the sunny month, shiny and as bright as the magic in our hearts ♥As always my valued friends and soon to be friends, Step in Sunshine!

Feb 19 2015

90 Days of AAcme City

Feeling guilty for not keeping up my blog! I read many blogs and love how they know just what to say with style and wit! and then I vow to ‘Add New Post’ to my own but keep getting sidetracked (rl gird and now building 3rg). Today I joined a new google+ group ‘Virtual World Bloggers’ and felt compelled to finally blog again!

Since most of my online time has been spent building building building on our two regions in 3rd Rock Grid, AAcme City and AAcme City Southside, I decided to post some of the photos I’ve taken as we been building. Come see us anytime and if you want to have a home or shop for FREE @AAcme City contact me here, google+, Facebook or inworld.

Step in Sunshine!

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Jan 2 2015

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!

Aug 26 2014

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!

Mar 16 2013

Marching On

The month of March found Sunbeam quite busy once again. She enjoyed some awesome musical concerts at different grids, Russell Eponym @ Metropolis, Melodee McDonnell @ Island Oasis, CelticMaiden Warrior @ Vitural Highway and Torben Asp’s 1000th Show @ Second Life. All were excellent! As far as building, Sun is working on her Fairytopia region @ Tundra 3D, her friend Jillytopaz Wasp gave her a welcome parrot she just loves! Sun is starting on a castle at Fairytopia now. Speaking of fantasy, Sun started a new fantasy region @ Olantica, called Hidden Glenn. Many friends have come to help like Judy Muircastle of famed HOBO Amusement Park. Judy set up a carousel and merry-go-round there. Thank you Judy! Minethere Always has done all the terraforming and donated many many wonderful items. Sun also imported AAcme “Dude” Fall’s Arcadia Asylm’s grunge truck that is redone in Steampunk. Textures were missing so Sun had to retexture before giving the truck to Miney for her Steampunk oar.

Sunbeam is setting up the party area @ Island Oasis on LadyK & Lions Horse World region for the big Barnyard Bash coming up March 19th. While @ IO Sun and her friend Kat Ewry visited the Steam Isles and had such fun, the maze was very very well done! Sunbeam also made some giant fantasy flowers and shared them with friends for free… always feels good to share!

Sun went on the @ Craft world grid and ‘went inside the belly of a live volcano’ (phrased coined by Virtual Christine) hehe. Sun then joined a new grid that is Aurorasim powered (she was a ruth for the first time in ages lol). Sun tried to take time out to clean up her an inventory, a big job considering how many grids she plays! Sad to say she barely made a dent in this work. Sun took a well deserved break at her home on 3rd Rock Grid and did some long overdue reading. Then right back to work!

All and all, the first part of March sees Sunbeam marching on trying new things and keeping the fast pace Virtual Worlds are known for. Sunbeam also started a new page on Facebook, called “Certified Gridhoppers” for all who also enjoy hopping from one grid to another calling many grids ‘home’. OH and Sunbeam designed a new logo for her virtual shops too! Hope to see you hopping around the metaverse real soon. Say Hello if you see this pixie flying around! Spring is almost here, our favaorite time of the year! Hop, hop, hop!