Fourth of July Parties At The Sunweavers (And Mieville)

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By Bixyl Shuftan

Last week, the United States celebrated it's official birthday, the Fourth of July. A number of clubs celebrated, including those at the Sunweaver community.

 For Club Cutlass, the celebration came a little early on Saturday, July 2.

Liska was still in her pink avatar from a Relay "Bid Me," but this would be the last night.

Everyone had lots of fun, including DJ Cynthia.

Cynthia added to the fun with a few fireworks. 

The party continued at Xanadu with it's own Fourth of July party. 

DJ Jessie would dance alongside the "Muses" and some of the patrons.

The fireworks would be indoors. 

Club owners Perri Prinz and RECoyote Mindes dancing. Perri's had some rough times recently, but still keeps the club going, as of the writing of this article one official event a week.

The party at the Bouncing Bunny Beach Club on Sunday July 3 was changed to Come As You Are. But some came in red, white, and blue.

On Monday July 4, I heard about a party in the community of Mieville.

DJ Snowy, who is more noted for her sets in the Sunweaver community's clubs, was spinning the tunes for this party, with community manager Wyvvy (Wyvern Dryke) doing the part of hosting.

The "Mievies" are a mostly human community, but the "Flox" or "Floxmonster," as Wyvvy calls himself, is more-or-less in charge when the community land owner isn't around. As Wyvvy's a fun-loving character, it all works out for everyone.

The locals had a few furry visitors among them, many decked out in red, white, and blue.

That night at 6PM, there would be a Fourth of July party at the Happy Vixen, with DJ Khyra spinning the tunes.

A few outfits were from earlier parties. But they worked just as well.

Gil Otaared showed up as the Statue of Liberty.

 "You've got your hair in a bun."

It was a fun Fourth of July. Granted the country has plenty of problems, the news being full of stories of the country factionalizing, people having less faith that those from other political factions will honor commitments or respect them. But the USA has been through worse times, and each time come out in one piece.

Happy Birthday America,

Bixyl Shuftan

*Correction* Earlier I stated the Cutlass fireworks were from Chieftess Rita Mariner. They were Cynthia Farshore's.

The Artistic Fimicloud Memorial Dance

Three years have passed since Artistic Fimicloud (Stephanie Koslow in real life, Fimi to her friends), Second Life resident, Artist, and member of both the Sunweaver Estate and the Relay for Life passed away from cancer. Every year, members of both groups, some of whom are members of both, get together and hold an event in her honor. In 2009 was a candlelight vigil. In 2010, a memorial dance.

On Thursday May 26th, an announcement was made through both groups:


Today, May 26 is the third anniversary of Artistic Fimicoloud's leaving us for her third life. Artist, pink fox, a friend to many . She inspired us to reach higher and try harder. Please come help us celebrate and remember her as we fight back this relay season! We will begin at her beloved Park Galleries with a quiet time, then music she'd love to dance to from 5-7pm SLT, brought to us by Dusk Griswold & Shockwave Yareach. Please join us!


And so before 5 PM SL time, people gathered at the Park sim, both her friends and people whom had joined the groups after her passing on but were inspired by the devotion of others. For some moments, there was quiet reflection, not much being spoken. Samara Barzane was one whom did, “Many of you knew Fimi/Arti, but for those of you who didn't... she was an amazingly brave and wonderful pink fox and artist. We miss her dreadfully. She owned Park Galleries, and I took it over in memory of her.”

And soon, it was time for the music to begin. Dusk Griswold played for the first hour. Around 6 PM, Shockwave Yareach took over, and played his music. As time went on, people whom couldn’t make it at the begining dropped in. This included Sabine McGettin and Daaneth Kivioq. A few hadn’t yet heard of Daaneth falling ill earlier, and finding out wished him well. Daaneth answered that he was slowly improving on his typing. Others who were there included the Sunweaver leader Rita Mariner, club owners Jenni Greenfield and Nydia Tungsten, blogger Treminari Huet, builder Lomgren Smalls, Internet cartoonist DC Rabbit, and others.

Two songs Shockwave played at the end stood out. One was an old favorite of the Passionate Redheads team, “I Run for Life.”


I run for hope,

I run to feel,

I run for the truth for all that is real.

I run for your mother, your sister, your wife.

I run for you and me my friend,

I run for life.


Shockwave’s final song, it took on something of a new meaning in Second Life with it’s people interacting online through computers, “Electric Dreams.” Daaneth called it a “very appropriate song.”


I only knew you for a while

I never saw your smile

'Til it was time to go

Time to go away (time to go away)

Sometimes its hard to recognise

Love comes as a surprise

And its too late

Its just too late to stay

Too late to stay


Well always be together

However far it seems

(Love never ends)

Well always be together

Together in Electric Dreams


At the close of the music, Shockwave thanked everyone for coming. Rita made a few comments, “Fimi was the first Sunnie to actually pass away on us ... Eugene was another. I still miss him a lot, he was a close friend, called him everyday.” “Remember Fimi And Eugene in your prayers tonight,” Shockwave told everyone.

And with that, the people went their separate ways. A few stuck around to look at Fimi’s artwork.

“We miss you, Fimi,”

Bixyl Shuftan

Some Events on the Day Philip Returned

On Thursday June 24, Philip Linden announced his return as interim CEO, M Linden stepping down. The immediate reaction by many, if not the majority, upon hearing the news was to cheer. Group chats were full of people happy to see him back, especially as it meant M was no longer in charge. In private chats, people were more likely to express some caution. But out in the open, it was cheers for Philip and jeers for M.

I heard an announcement about a parade being organized in Bay City, and went over. Arriving there, I saw a number had gathered already. Two people had on duck costumes that I had seen in pictures of the sim's parades. Not really avatars, but parade costumes, “Hey, you’re a duck!” A couple more arrived with tubas, another with a guitar, another came as a Greenie DJ, and others. It wasn’t long before the parade started, Welcome back, Philip!” But with lag hitting, keeping track of the line of people was a problem as they often appeared only as green dots on the radar and not on the screen.

At the same time as the parade, there was a Metanews Panel, which had started at 2 PM. The bulletin I got stated, “With the recent news that M Linden is stepping down as CEO and Philip Linden returning as interim CEO, we will have a panel discussion to discuss what this means for Second Life and it’s future. Join us today at 2PM as we discuss this breaking story. Panelists include Phaylen Fairchild, Chantal Harveu, and Saffia Widdershins.” The two others were Gianna Borgnine and SecondLie Scribe, a self-described “malcontent” of Linden policies.

One panelist admitted she was fighting the temptation to “stand up and riverdance.” “If this were World of Warcraft, the announcement of the change of the CEO wouldn’t be nearly as big a deal.” “Not everything Mark did was a total loss.” One thought Philip had put Mark in charge due to pressure from the board. One panelist had originally approved with Mark when he was first appointed as he seemed more approachable than Philip. Of what this meant for Second Life, they disagreed. SecondLie thought the company really needed to address issues such as content theft, or otherwise it would decline into a niche market within “eighteen months.” Others were more optimistic, one saying that the idea that SL’s best days were behind it was “bull***t!”

The Cutlass Club in Sunweaver Air was the scene of an impromptu party to celebrate M stepping down, with Shockwave Yareach as the DJ. A tombstone with a big “M” had been set up, along with a barbecue grill. It wasn't long before a crowd showed up, a couple people whom hadn't been there in a while. Shockwave's music was occasionally on the mark, such as the ‘70s song “M.” One girl was passing out “M” shoulder pets. Not eveyone there had harsh words for M Linden. A couple people felt he deserved better than the bad rap he was getting.

A few examples of what went on the grid the day Philip came back to his old position as the head of Linden Lab.

Source: Nikka Dreamscape's Journal

Bixyl Shuftan