Though I have been gone for some time, being a witness to Nita Wunderlich’s accomplishment does nothing but encourage me. This is because Club Lion, a club she has created and allowed to flourish, is celebrating its 10 Year anniversary! In an SL world where many clubs come and go, this is not only an accomplishment, but an important milestone!
Nita Wunderlich, Club Lion Founder (Photo by Rofina Bronet)
Nita is excited about this milestone too, and is well aware of just how awesome this accomplishment is. With this in mind, Nita has been working around the clock to bring the best celebration possible. Incorporating the theme of “Life is a Circus,” Nita has recreated an atmosphere of fun, joy and excitement that features a rideable lion, as well as encourages all patrons to dress in their circus best.
Club Lion is an awesome venue, and it is a thrill to be a witness to this awesome milestone. Though this article is a brief one, it is my hope that it acts as a warm embrace to Nita Wunderlich’s major accomplishment. In the meantime, come by and celebrate this important Club Lion milestone! Here is the LM, and be sure to come in your circus best: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Egret%20Key/185/63/2183
Please take a look at the slide show below :)!
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”108″ gal_title=”10 Years of Club Lion”]
As many may know, I have not been as active in my writings due to Real Life bereavement. I lost my mother on May 24, 2017 and the grief I have been experiencing has been overwhelming. Yet, in the midst of my grief, I want to thank the SL community for being patient with me. I also want to thank all of you for your support during this difficult time…with a special thank you going out to John Brianna and his wife Eles, Hunae O’Neil, Monrocie Core, VP Sandalwood, Mark Taylor, Nita Wunderlich, Luchenpur Darwin, Belyabee and Krystali. There are countless others that I need to thank, so please forgive me if your name was not included in this article.
Though I have not been writing articles, I have been doing a lot of things behind the scenes to create a more inviting atmosphere at the SL Parade Headquarters. One of the things I recently implemented was the creation of The SL Parade game room. This game room features three bowling alleys, an engaging Connect Four game, a checkers board, pool table, and an air hockey table. Though this items are free to the SL game playing public, The SL Parade encourages donations to help with the upkeep of the website as well as The SL Parade Headquarters. Thus, there is a donation box located in the game room, and I encourage all who come by to donate what you can.
In addition to the game room, I have also installed a garden at The SL Parade’s entrance. This acts as a gateway to another feature at The SL Parade Headquarters: A permanent kind of Spring. Because Spring signifies renewal and growth, I wanted to make The SL Parade Headquarters a reflection of all things pertinent to Spring. I have installed two pools–one in front of the new SL Parade Dance Hall, as well as one located in the open seating areas designed for patrons. In addition to the pools, there are swaying trees and other foliage designed to convey the newness often associated with spring.
The SL Parade Headquarters still has an informal cafe designed for upcoming listening parties that will happen via our partnership with SBE/Kulturezine Media, an RL music distribution company that specializes in Hip Hop, Gospel and an array of other music genres. Inside the cafe, there is a small stage, a bar and dining tables for patrons to sit. This, along with an open floor for dancing, allows a more intimate setting to insure full enjoyment of the services offered.
Because The SL Parade has hired Aiden Windlow as our SL Parade Photographer, we have allocated space for his photo gallery and studio. Windlow’s biographical information will be featured in another article, but I must say that I am very grateful and excited that he is on board! Aiden Windlow’s gallery is a few doors down from three stores that are available to rent at the SL Parade Headquarters. If you would like to set up a business at The SL Parade Headquarters, please feel free to contact me inworld or via Facebook.
I also want patrons to notice the element of romance intrinsic at The SL Parade Headquarters. In addition to being all about renewal and growth, Spring is very representative of budding and new romance. Because romance (in my opinion) seems to be becoming a lost art form, I wanted to recreate space for those interested in recapturing what seems to be a lost art. One key element of romance is courtship; the act of taking someone you are interested in out on a date, as well as checking on their well-being, should be a constant fixture between those interested in becoming more romantically involved. To facilitate courtship, I have created spaces on my sim where couples can picnic, dance, and even shop.
Besides the available store space for those interested in setting up business at The SL Parade Headquarters, I planning to set up a flower and novelty shop specifically designed for budding couples. This flower and novelty shop was inspired by two things: (1) The belief that couples should offer flowers and/or other items to convey their love and affection to one another and (2) my personal desire to honor my mother, who loved flowers immensely. In addition to the latter reason, I have personally always wanted to own an RL flower and novelty shop because, like my late mother, I have always loved the smell of flowers and freshly turned soil.
Like the purple-umbrella’d tables designed for virtual dining and conversation, there are two tables by the tentative floral shop that serve ice cream. Those tables are conveniently located at the ice cream parlor connected to the flower and novelty shop. Please note that any donations made to The SL Parade can also be made at the registers located inside the flower and novelty shop, as well as at the ice cream parlor.
All the items featured on the sim were created by a slew of talented creators…all of which will be featured in The SL Parade. I have the interviews completed, and I look forward to publishing them for your reading pleasure. This, along with introducing my newest staff members, will completely be in sync with my intent to create the permanent feel of spring at The SL Parade Headquarters.
Restorative growth and renewal is what The SL Parade is all about. It is my hope that you come by and visit the sim, and partake in embracing the sentiment of Spring. After all, in SL we can create a season of permanency no matter what season we are currently experiencing in RL. To visit the SL Parade’s Headquarters, please click the following link: The SL Parade Headquarters, Cafe and Garden Entrance.
Unity Productions reminds us that we all have a story to tell….
However, what if the stories we tell act as a catalyst for God…a way for us to better connect with Him and to help others better understand not only the world around them, but the Word itself?
pet karu vividly tackles this question via Unity Productions. Founded 8 years ago, Unity Productions specializes in bringing biblical stories to life in SL. pet karu is not only the founder, but the owner of this unique form of ministry. She adds, “We specialize in motivational, inspirational and biblical stories. We also have ‘Soaking Worships,’ which is a form of liturgical dance.”
Liturgical dance is the use of virtual body movement as a means of public worship. In the case of Second Life, Liturgical dance is conveyed through the use of avatars; this, along with the incorporation of powerful, thought-provoking music, acts as a salve that tightly connects Unity Production not only to biblical verse, but also to interpretative dance…all designed as a way to pay homage to God. Please check out some Real Life and Second Life visual examples of liturgical dance here (RL photos courtesy of pininterest; SL photos courtesy of Unity Production’s February 25, 2017 performance):
Prior to the formation of Unity Productions, pet karu previously hosted an hour of “moving prayer” in RL. This, according to pet, was basically a whole body prayer…a means of praying while dancing. In fact, these means of worship was entitled, “Come Away My Beloved,” and it was very active during the years 2009-2010. “In SL…” pet karu explains, “‘Come Away My Beloved’ blossomed into our first play with the same title; it was actually an adaptation of The Song of Solomon.”
“Come Away My Beloved” premiered in SL…and was presented by Unity Productions in July 2010.
II. pet karu Brings A Bit Of Real Life To Second Life
pet karu, Unity Productions Founder and RL Ordained Minister
In RL, pet has been an Ordained Minister since 1997, and began her work as a Minister in a dual ministry ran by a husband and wife team. While at the dual ministry, pet began a woman’s ministry that placed an emphasis on women who suffered from sexual addiction. When asked about her additional RL contributions, pet explains: “I have ministered to women in RL…I did that for 8 years….and ministered in a half-way house as well…in fact, the half-way house functioned as a dual house, because half of the women that lived there had previously been released from prison, while the other half were there because they were given a court order to get clean from drugs…”
pet acted as the head of the dual ministry’s women’s ministry from 2006 to 2007…and has brought her RL experience to SL in an effort to continue her work in not only helping others, but in actively spreading the biblical word via liturgical dance.
She also holds a license to minister from the Masters International Schools, with an emphasis on Biblical Counseling.
III. pet karu: “Unity membership ebbs and flows.”
When asked who else works with Unity Production to creatively hone its performances, pet karu said that Unity membership tends to ebb and flow. She continues, “We have a core group of ten. However, we maintain inactive members, too. We have had a total of 35 members since Unity started.”
pet also relies on members who are not active in Second Life. “My best friend is not a part of SL…” pet explains, “…but she is a very important part of Unity Productions…”
pet’s best friend is one of many who act as an important catalyst in spreading the Unity Production-based word across the grid. For this reason, those who are a part of this production company are very close. When asked what is her favorite thing about Unity Production, pet exclaims: “Easy peasy! We are a family on a common mission and we actually love each other. We cry, laugh, celebrate, cut-up together without crowding each others space.”
With love and fellowship acting as the foundation of Unity Production, pet also relies on the talents of Unity Productions’ active members. She does not believe in forcing Christian doctrine and ideology on her in world members, either. She explains, “Though we routinely and actively recruit cast members, there is no stipulation when it comes to faith; members do not have to practice Christianity–at all…”
In addition, pet contends that rather than try to make the cast do all things related to Unity Productions, she actually hones in on her staff members’ natural talent to better strengthen Unity Productions. She says that each member has a God-ordained job to do, a talent that can act as an instrument in spreading the word about God and biblical verses therein. “Talent…” pet asserts, “…is all about packaging and making it all work…God shows me a piece [of His vision], then shows another person a piece [of his vision], and we work it from there…”
When asked to describe an average, Unity Production day, pet chuckles, then says, “…well between meeting with builders, [and meeting with] clothes designers for the items we need, [as well as meeting with] Venue hosts for those who wish Unity Production to come to their sims[…not to mention holding meetings] to discuss our needs….I am constantly tweaking the stage. I also have the cast members [who also function as] builders come behind me to make sure everything I put down is on the ground.”
IV. “I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding” ~Corinthians 14:15
pet explains that before every performance or staff meeting, Unity Productions prays together. “…before starting….” she explains, “…the staff and I also listen to the music for the show, discuss clothing and who is doing what.”
This routine aids pet and the Unity Productions staff in insuring that all responsibilities are delegated to all staff members involved. “Every member…” pet explains, “…has the ability to animate the cast. So, if someone is unavailable, the show goes on.”
And although all movements and performances are done virtually through Second Life, pet asserts that rehearsal prior to performances is still extremely important. “…we rehearse 3 days a week for one hour. We used to rehearse for 4-5 hours for 5 days….That became too much.”
All hard work aside, pet makes a point to always stress God’s influence in Unity Productions. She describes Unity Production as “combination of theater and the Word of God….this equals Unity Production…”
Via this awesome combination, pet sees great things happening for Unity Production in the years to come. “Oh I see us taking the grid by storm, of course. I see this….by means of the Unity Production group…the promotion of a singular message: that God loves you.
She continues, “It’s how we walk, talk and otherwise interact with others…to demonstrate that being a believer in God doesn’t make you judgmental, critical or accusatory…its a realization that without LOVE, we are nothing!”
V. So…What Time Does An Average Unity Production Show Starts, and Where Do We Go To See The Performance?
Three individuals watch and wait for the Unity Productions performance to begin….
Unity Productions have performances during the following days and times:
8 PM Friday
2 PM Saturday
5 PM Sunday
pet continues, “When we begin a production, we send out notices through various groups, and through our subscriber well in advance. The week we premier, we have sneak previews during our rehearsal times…and our rehearsal time starts at 7 PM SLT…”
Unity Productions is located at Dreamworld; to pay a visit to this venue, please click here: Unity Production performs. To learn more about Unity Productions, please visit the website by clicking the following link: www.genesthai/org.
Please take a look at the Unity Production slide show below:
ReRe Sandalwood pins a first person narrative centering on her discovery of unwanted visitors at The SL Parade’s Headquarters. The Headquarters is not only where ReRe does most of her work for The SL Parade, it is also where her and her brother live…
Though The SL Parade’s Headquarters also doubles up as a home for my brother and I, I decided to open up our home to the public. I primarily did this to not only encourage the public to donate, but also as a way to create a more homey, customer friendly place where others can feel comfortable. Rather they come to drop off a story, write, swim, or just have dinner, I figured that opening my brother and I’s home was a great way to give back to the community The SL Parade serves.
Although the property has been open to the public for some time now, it initially seemed as if visitors rarely came to The SL Parade’s Headquarters. I was content with that, because I knew all things take time. However, upon my appearance on the Pam Live Show on February 19, 2017, visits began to pick up in an unexpected way.
The first unexpected way that visitors came upon The SL Parade Headquarters were as griefers. Specifically, my brother was shot in the living room area of our home while watching television. He wrote about what happened, so if you want the specific details, please go to the following link: Who the f#$k Shot Vp Sandalwood?
Yet, another unexpected visitation occurred while I was at home editing my brother’s essay. I had just rezzed in, and immediately saw two names that I did not recognize; they were about 56 meters away from me, so I immediately got excited and wanted to know where they were so I could help them in whatever way that I could. At any rate, I zoomed in on them, and saw that they were up in my brother’s bed having sex.
I immediately lost my temper; I thought to myself, “Shit, I have never had sex in my house…who the f%#k they think they are?!” Yet in the midst of losing my temper, I was rational enough to take an incriminating picture of them together, as well as get their full names and profiles before I ejected and banned them. I gave them no warning at all either, so they were still naked when I ejected and banned them.
To add insult to injury, they didn’t even bother to donate to The SL Parade! I mean, really…how are you gonna use someone’s home and place of business for your own carnal purposes, then turn around and not even tip the venue where you got your rocks off at? That pissed me off to no end so I am putting both of them on blast: Vitorfr Resident and мэℓเรรล (themaree).
I even got in both of their inboxes and said the following:
My headquarters is not meant to be used for sexual purposes…if you have a story or something like that, i am happy to help you with that but don’t come up in here having sex in my house
мэℓเรรล (themaree), the young lady that was recently ejected and banned from the SL Parade Headquarters…
While мэℓเรรล (themaree) never responded, Vitorfr Resident did. This is what he said:
[22:09] Vitorfr Resident: i don’t know that this place are your house
[22:09] Vitorfr Resident: but ok
[22:09] ℛᴇℛᴇ Sandalwood (rere.sandalwood): well you know now
[22:10] Vitorfr Resident: i will respect your house
[22:10] ℛᴇℛᴇ Sandalwood (rere.sandalwood): you are banned so that is respect enough…I open my home for my publication, not for that
[22:11] Vitorfr: ok men
[22:11] Vitorfr: i just don’t knew
[22:11] Vitorfr: i will never go there again
[22:11] ℛᴇℛᴇ Sandalwood (rere.sandalwood): good
[22:11] Vitorfr: final conversation
[22:11] Vitorfr: good night
Just so everyone knows, my name is specifically mentioned as the land owner in the land’s description section. For this reason, I suspect that Vitorfr knew who house it was, but simply did not care. I would even go a step further and say that he looked at my venue as probably the cheapest way to get his rocks off with мэℓเรรล (themaree) because he was too cheap to get one of those 60L skyboxes. After all, my brother and I often came across pose balls that seemed to have mysteriously been used while neither of us were home.
I say all of that to say this: I now have the security on at The SL Parade’s Headquarters, and will only turn it off when I am having parties or facilitating classes. If you would like to reach me, please feel free to reach me inworld at ℛᴇℛᴇ Sandalwood (rere.sandalwood); I can also be reached at reresandalwood@theslparade.org or via Facebook at either Arreba Sandalwood or The SL Parade’s page.
The SL Parade is still here to serve the community, but it is fair to say that we now have to establish appropriate boundaries to insure that the home my brother and I share is treated with respect.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”45″ gal_title=”rere looks at vps bed”]
VP Sandalwood discusses the day he got shot in Second Life…
On February 20 2017, I was standing in The SL ParadeHeadquarters living room, minding my own business. I remember being a tad bit annoyed because it was President’s Day, and thinking to myself, “Sheesh, this is more like ‘Celebrity President’s Day’ because of Trump being in office.” Anyway, I decided to distract myself from said national holiday by listening to some music on Youtube.
Vp Sandalwood stands in the area where the griefing took place…
I began to relax, and even sing along…that is, until my sister ReRe IM’d me. She got in my box and told me to friend one of her sl friends; I remember feeling honored by my sister’s request because I know how important her SL buddies/business partners are, so I happily added the suggested avatar…which meant that I now had a new friend to talk to.
I was still trying to relax though, so I continued to listen to the music playing on The SL Parade Headquarters Youtube screen. Then, all of a sudden, there were two random avatars standing in the living room! I had never met, nor heard of neither the male avatar standing in front of me, let alone the female one that was standing beside him. While I know The SL Parade Headquarters is open to the public, I never expected anyone to rezz directly in front of me while I was watching Youtube.
For this reason, I initially dismissed their presence as being part of the video I was watching….until they started to independently move away from the screen. I continued to stand there in disbelief, wanting to convince myself that my eyes were playing tricks on me.
One of the griefers that invaded The SL Parade’s Headquarters…
As they continued to move in a haphazard fashion, a million emotions began to baffle me. Like, who the hell were these avis, and how did they get in with the security system up? Though my emotions were going haywire, it didn’t matter at that moment because then, they started talking to each other!
Still in shock, all I could say was, “What are you doing in my house?!” I then froze and stayed silent, but was still slightly curious, not to mention a bit infuriated by their presence.
It felt as if two minutes had went by as I continued to stare at them, but in actuality it was really about 10 seconds because, within that 10 seconds, the male avatar SHOT ME! I didn’t initially realize what had happened until I saw that there was a splatter of red stuff all over the carpet and on the walls.
In the meantime, I continued to stand there, completely confused by what I was seeing. However, I still managed to take a slight step back and was able to better see the red stains on the carpet. It was then that it finally dawned on me: OMG that is supposed to be MY BLOOD!
Yet despite being shot, my initial calmness related to the realization of what had happened instantly turned to PURE RAGE. I thought to myself, “I was just shot in my own sim!”
I then locked my attention on the male avatar, and remembered what ReRe told me a few weeks prior: I have the ability to eject avatars from our home and ban them from ever coming back. I initially doubted my own ability to do this, and asked myself, “….but how? I have never done this before!” Yet somehow, I thought quickly and clicked on the avatar. With I sigh of relief, I noticed that there was an option to eject him in what seemed like a blink of an eye. It was then that I proceeded to eject him first by pressing that handy ejection button. I smiled as I watched his avatar disappear from the sim, and even began to do a mental “happy dance” as evidence of my accomplishment.
I then turned to the male avatar’s female partner in crime; I initially paused for a moment because I realized that while yes, she was this guy’s partner and all, but she had not attempted to shoot me like that male avatar did. That thought must have went through my head for a split second though, because I still ejected her in the same way that I ejected her partner.
Once I kicked and banned them both, the horror and anger slowly began to fade away…not totally, but just enough so that I could regroup my thoughts and alert my SL sister about what had just occurred.
In the end, I realized how precious life is, because a situation like that could very well happen in Real Life, too: like me, a person could be chilling out, minding their own business in their own home watching television. Then, with no warning, criminals can simply bust in and kill you for no legitimate reason at all.
Life is precious and what I hope that if you are reading this, that you will take a moment and tell the people in your life that you love them. This might be SL, but I still take the time to tell ReRe how much I care about her…with her big-headed self.
American Race Car Driver Dale Earnhardt once said, “Its a never ending battle of making your cars better and also trying to be better yourself” (Brainyquotes.com). Though Earnhardt died on February 18, 2001, this quote still resonates with many who devote their lives to building, racing and driving cars.
乃 ïg Š к ïק (skippie1.lemon) sits on the left, while SLP Editor-In-Chief ReRe Sandalwood does a special voice interview to better understand Ride or Die Motors…
乃 ïg Š к ïק (skippie1.lemon) is one such person that not only dedicates himself to building, racing and driving cars in Real Life, but has also dedicated himself to bringing his love for cars to Second Life as well. As owner and proprietor of Ride or Die Motors, skippie1 lemon (Skip) not only hails from Detroit, Michigan’s West Side (which, as we all know, is also known as the ‘Motor City’ because it is home of the three biggest auto industries in the nation), he also hails from a background that believes in strong customer service. In operation since September 2016, Skip recognizes that, although his business is a relatively new one, Ride or Die Motors is handled by Real Life professionals capable of providing in-depth knowledge about all things related to cars. He explains, “Although we are a new business, we are definitely not your average car dealers…..we offer hospitality and great service to go along with quality cars.”
That hospitality and great service includes interacting with an owner that is not only personable, but very skilled in all things related to RL and SL vehicles. One of many skills Skip relies on is customization, where he will willingly create a custom made vehicles for customers. No matter if it is a unique paint job, or a one of a kind engine, Skip will gladly create a vehicle solely for the customer’s enjoyment. Yet, this customization came to him at an early age.
One of many custom made cars created by Ride or Die Motors…
He explains, “I have liked cars ever since I was little…and have worked on cars my whole life…” Because he loves cars so much, he personally built his own car garage in world. Skip adds, “Yeah, I have a huge mansion that I love, but I love being in my garage…its my favorite place to be….”
When asked why he began to create cars in-world, Skip says that his motivation actually came from a bad customer service experience he had in-world, and it was because of that experience that he decided to expand his love for cars by building them in-world.
Yet in order to transfer his love for cars to Second Life, Skip had to learn how to effectively build in-world vehicles from the ground up. Though a seemingly difficult feat, Skip was able to learn from another builder. This, in turn allowed him to translate his Real Life love for cars in-world. Skip continues, “I learned everything from a man that wrote out instructions on how to strengthen my skills as an in-world builder…I usually hate writing and reading IM’s in-world, but what he did helped me out a lot….so much so that I paid him $5000 for the information he shared with me…”
This, along with encouragement from a previous girlfriend, added fuel to an already determined fire that seemed to only burn brighter within Skip. Yet besides having a love for cars, Skip was also interested in implementing his love for great customer service in Ride or Die Motors, too. He explains, “I named Ride or Die Motors after a real life organization of the same name…the real life group is actually a race car club located on the West Side of Detroit….and ’cause I named my business after this real life group from Detroit, I want to show all things positive about Ride or Die Motors…I just do me, and try to cater to a person the way I would want to be catered to…”
Skip adds, “…I was raised to be respectful…brought up in church and all that stuff, so I respect all people…unless they show me something that I can’t respect…”
To get the word out about Ride or Die Motors, Skip relies on word of mouth and friends. Because he has such a generous spirit, it is this spirit that also helps in spreading the word too. However, he is also game to using competition to get the word out about his vehicles. He explains, “I was recently in a car show…and the car show took place at Urban Chaos, which is an in-world role play sim. The car show was competitive in nature but it also gave Ride or Die Motors exposure…I don’t remember what place I earned in the competition but I did have a lot of fun…and got the word out about my business, too…”
Yet, all competitive bravado aside, Ride or Die relies on personalization. With this in mind, please contact 乃 ïg Š к ïק (skippie1.lemon) inworld or on Facebook at BigSkip Lemon.
Please take a look at the attached slide show to see some of Ride or Die Motor vehicles. All vehicles were designed by 乃 ïg Š к ïק (skippie1.lemon)!
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”44″ gal_title=”Ride or Die Motors”]
Note:The SL Parade would like to thank ReneeLove Wolf for referring us to Ride or Die Motor vehicles. Her involvement enabled ReRe Sandalwood to not only interview 乃 ïg Š к ïק (skippie1.lemon), but to also learn more about Ride or Die Motors.
~By ReRe Sandalwood, The SL Parade’s Founder and Editor-In-Chief~
Last Saturday, the girl upstairs flooded my apartment and damaged my mattress, box spring, and linen. She also damaged my leather couch and caused brown, standing water to overflow into my living room, hallway and my bedroom. Though this is not the first time she has flooded my apartment, the third time must have been the charm because the damage was more immense and expensive.
When I confronted her about the damage, she was nonchalant about it…so nonchalant that it took her 15 minutes to answer her door. Once she opened the door, she casually held a blunt in her hand, while she carelessly explained that her washer machine had over flowed and that she would call maintenance. I then told her that I had already called maintenance, and was appalled that she had not done so as soon as her washer machine overflowed.
Though I wanted to lay hands on her, I angrily told her about the damage she caused to my apartment. While she stood in her apartment’s doorway, seemingly high and oblivious to the havoc her carelessness caused, I quickly walked away, fuming. I knew that if I would have stood in that hallway any longer, I would have done something I would regret later.
To this day, she has not not even bothered to apologize for her negligence, let alone offer to help pay for the damages incurred in my apartment.
Be Accountable for You Actions
Though I am still going through this seemingly never ending, damaged-based disaster, it made me realize something: when we do something wrong, we must hold ourselves accountable and do what is necessary to either correct the problem, or minimize it. Had she expressed a sincere apology, as well as offered to come downstairs to help me get the yellow, standing water off my floors, both actions would constitute being accountable for what happened.
Being accountable is not always about admitting you are wrong, either. It is about taking a proactive step toward correcting a situation in such a way where all parties feel as if they won throughout the process. Furthermore, accountability is an action-oriented thing that is meant to offer positive results to all parties involved via self analysis and self growth.
Self growth, according to the Psychologist Anywhere, Anytime website, is also known as self-development or personal growth, and involves the growth and enhancement of all aspects of a person, as well as about the feelings that person has about himself or herself, not to mention their effectiveness in living (Psychologist Anywhere, Anytime). It includes the development of positive life skills and the development of a realistic and healthy self-esteem as well (Psychologist Anywhere, Anytime).
In turn, this self growth allows a person to also empathize with another person’s situation and/or plight, because self growth allows all involved to learn and better understand something from the other party’s perspective. Of course, there has to be a willingness and desire to learn, as well as a desire to apply what you learned to your daily living. In this sense, being accountable also involves being emotionally mature.
According to Coaching Positive Performance’s article entitled, “12 Signs of Maturity,” Emotional maturity refers to your ability to understand, and manage, your emotions. Emotional maturity enables you to create the life you desire. A life filled with happiness and fulfilment. You define success in your own terms, not society’s, and you strive to achieve it.
While I am still learning how emotional maturity co-relates to having a positive life, I do understand how important it is…despite being guilty of wanting to ring the girl upstairs’ neck. Specifically, it took a lot of emotional maturity to walk away from her, rather than physically confront her about her gross irresponsibility and negligence. Yet, as a human, it is not always possible to walk away from a situation where you feel wronged…as I have learned while being an active SL community member.
Is Accountability Needed in SL? YES!
The anger, hurt and frustration I felt toward the girl that flooded my apartment are the same feelings I have felt while playing Second Life. However, my feelings of angst have specifically manifested itself while interacting with other SL community members, specifically with the men inworld. To be honest, there are many men (specifically black men who choose to play Second Life) inworld that view female sl community members as disposable commodities to be toyed with until their personal playtime is over. Protecting their own interests, many inworld will juggle several women at a time; then, when things become a little unsettling for them, they go back to their Second Life (and perhaps their primary love interest) as if nothing happened.
While both the SL and RL communities often encourage men to behave in this fashion toward the opposite sex, it is important to note that being accountable is also applicable in romantic relationships. We are responsible for our own accountability, more so when it comes to infidelity in rl and in sl. This holds true in SL-based situations, as well as in instances like when the girl upstairs from me flooded my apartment.
In fact, one of many ways to be accountable is by being honest of your intentions with others. If you are dating other women, it is important to be upfront about that and avoid tagging a woman along while you enjoy playing the field.
Yet, all dating aside, it is also important to note that holding yourself accountable is a daily struggle we all have to contend with. This is because we are all human, and can often allow emotions to override reason. I guess, in this sense, accountability is also about forgiving yourself when you falter, as well as using that as an opportunity to grow, learn and eventually prosper.
References:
“Balls of Steel: Getting Honest Feedback,” Bowerman, Jeanne Veillette. Script Magazine, November 17, 2011.
From the desk of Morgan Whitfield Mickalobe, Care and Hope Center Owner:
Sometime around July or early August, The Care and Hope Center, along with The SL Parade, will collaborate and have a class discussion on a subject that all of us can relate to…bullying. ReRe Sandalwood and I will concentrate on the topic of cyber bullying since Second Life is an online form of social media.
If you would like to share a cyber bullying-related experience, please send your testimony to either me or ReRe Sandalwood via an inworld notecard. You can also send your testimony via a private IM in Facebook. To do the latter, please feel free to click on our names listed below:
We plan to share your testimony in a supportive, classroom-based environment, and offer you the option to personally present it in a confidential and safe manner. If you would prefer to anonymously send a testimony, ReRe Sandalwood and I will kindly (and anonymously) share your testimony in class. Your name will not be mentioned if you do not want it to be.
We can not stress enough how much we need and appreciate your support. With that being said, we look forward to hearing from you soon!
While on a winter hiatus, The SL Parade had the pleasure of visiting the *~Aphrodite Shop~* Megastore (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shopping%20City/174/96/21). Not only did this venture prove to be therapeutic, it also proved to be fun and educational. If you are interested in exploring your SL palate, then this shop is definitely for you.
What makes this place so special is not only its cozy nature, but its ability to empower customers interested in purchasing their products. Whether you are interested in buying a tent, or are planning a romantic dinner date with a love interest, the Aphrodite Shop has every product under the sun to make your SL experience as authentic and realistic as possible. The products are not only featured on the SIM for patrons to directly sample, but they are conveniently nestled on a snow packed route that seamlessly surrounds a gorgeous pond filled with swans and other wildlife.
Because there are so many products to choose from, the creator behind the Aphrodite Shop offers patrons the option to rezz products that may be a bit too huge to be permanently displayed on the SIM. This, in turn, empowers the patron in making an educated decision about the products they are evaluating for purchase. For instance, with a click of a button, patrons can ascertain how big the product is, as well as how it potentially rezzes atop of their land. They can also take a look at the color scheme, and a host of other things intrinsic in making an informed, purchased-based decision.
Yet, what makes this shop extremely unique is how welcoming it is to patrons. The SIM encourages patrons to hang out there. For instance, during the holiday (Christmas) season, the Aphrodite Shop not only had an Ice Rink, it also featured a dog ran sled and a hearty Santa Claus! The rink, though small, proved to be quite a romantic venture, since there were cuddles and hugs available for patrons to use…as well as an ice skating rink to skate on.
The dog sled was—by far—one of the best features on this SIM because it offered patrons a complete tour of the shop. This cut the exploration time it usually takes to look at all of the products in half, and also allowed patrons to take a break fromwalking from one part of the SIM to the next.
Yet, in addition to the sled, patrons also have the option to teleport from one area of the SIM to the next. This teleportation can come in handy if you are looking for something specific.
Exploring your Palate at the Aphrodite Shop’s Restaurant
Last but not least, The SL Parade also wants to mention the Aphrodite Shop’s restaurant! Though romantically decorated and conveniently overlooking pristine SL waters, patrons have to make reservations to fully partake in the ambiance offered. According to the Aphrodite Restaurant’s Price List related note card:
“To make an ADVANCE reservation, please note, at least 24-hours notice is required. A minimum 50% deposit of your total bill is required at time of reservation, or it will be avoided. The remaining balance must be paid at time of service otherwise your reservation is cancelled and no refund will be issued.
The note card continues, “For Instant Service, 100% of your bill is due at time of service…”
To learn more about the reservation packages available, please IM Marina Ramer or Aradia Aridian inworld.
Other perks of Shopping at Aphrodite
Besides having a gorgeous and close-knit SIM, Aphrodite also encourages customers to give feedback about their products on the SL Marketplace. In fact, upon purchasing any Aphrodite product, a representative will contact you inworld and thank you for choosing their products. This type of professionalism and customer service is very rare in SL, and should be celebrated for this reason.
Once the representative thanks you for your purchase, they encourage you to write a review of the product you recently purchased by offering you a gift certificate once your review is successfully posted on the SL Marketplace. They do not influence these reviews; rather, they encourage customers to voice their own opinions about the products and services offered at their Shop.
Another perk of shopping at the Aphrodite Shop is that if you experience any challenges with their products, a representative will personally visit your land to assist you. This is particularly useful if you purchase any of their appliances.
Let’s Support Businesses that Foster Professionalism
An SL store like the Aphrodite Shop is rare, and because of its rareness, it is very important that we support their efforts in selling products that make our time in SL more authentic and realistic. The best way to support businesses like this is by not only by buying their products, but by regularly visiting the SIM and expressing how much you appreciate the creator’s efforts. Perhaps doing this and more will encourage others to follow suit…
The SL Parade can not exist without your support. To prove this, ReRe Sandalwood is planning a Masquerade Charity Ball, and kindly request your presence there. The ball will take place on October 30, 2015 from 5 pm to 7 pm SLT.
The Masquerade Charity Ball is being held to raise money for all related to The SL Parade…from paying our writers, to insuring that our land’s tiers are paid for, we ask for your support not only during this important charity ball, but also throughout the year!
The ball will be held at The SL Parade Headquarters, and will feature DJ B Smooth and a host to be announced. Because this is a formal event, ReRe kindly requests that everyone come in their formal best, and to be sure to wear a masquerade mask in honor of the occasion. You are also welcome to bring a date to this gala affair!
We accept donations via Pay Pal, as well as inworld via our donation center located outside TheSL Parade’s Headquarters Building. To donate inworld, please pay a visit to Egret Key here: The SL Parade Headquarters.
I gotta say that I am excited…
