Happy New Year Second Life

 As the end of 2014 approached, various places in Second Life would mark and celebrate the event in various ways. Lauren Live, the weekly stand-up comedy show at 5PM SL time on Tuesday Dec 30 had their event in a New Years theme, cracking jokes about various events, in both SL and real life.

After a while, Lauren offered the stage to anyone else with a few wisecracks. Catboy Qunhua took up the challenge and got up on stage for a few moments.

Later that night at 6PM SL time, The Vinyl would hold it's "New Years Eve Eve" event. The DJ planned for the event was unable to come, so Cynthia Farshore stepped in. The prize was a whopping 2000L on both the mens' and women's boards, most of each donated by a generous friend of the club.

Tonight at the Vinyl, it's our "New Years Eve" Eve Party. We say goodbye to 2014 with a series of rockin' tunes. Come dressed formally, in something that you think represents the year, or just come as you are. However you come over, be sure to come for a great time.

The event was won by Lewis Oanomochi, and Jenni Greenfield.

On New Years Eve, Dec 31st, one place would hold two events that day. In the Roma sim, they would celebrate as the New Year came to various time zones across Europe.

 As always, ROMA will be celebrating the new year across European and American time zones!  The party starts at 2pm SL time as we celebrate the new year with dancing and fireworks at 3 and 4,  and then resume at 8pm for fireworks at 9, 10, 11, and 12.  Come join us at the ROMA basilica!

Every hour, a ball there would drop, and when reaching the ground lights and fireworks go off. To the side were a few goodies to sample. After the last time zone in the Old World hit 2015, they took a break for a few hours, then began partying once again when it was the Americas' turn to celebrate.

At 6PM SL time, Club Cutlass would began it's New Years Eve Party. Like the Vinyl, they had a larger than normal prize, starting at 1000L on each board.

It's been a long 2014, and time to begin a new year. Come out at 6 PM for an extended party with music by DJ Cynthia. The contest will run the usual 2 hours, but the party continues well into the next year, so dress up for the big party, grab your party horns and other noisemakers along with your 2015 hats, and come celebrate.

DJ Cynthia spun the tunes for the party, appearing in a robe with an hourglass with the number 2014, representing the old year. This would not be a normal music session for her, but a marathon lasting more than six hours. This would be the third time she had done so in Second Life.

 There was some confusion as to the theme of the costume that night. Was it formal, first avatars one had as newcomers, or just something special for the occasion. Miyuki Naidoo decided on the later with her Felicia.

The contest, boosted to 1500 for each board, would be won later by Dusk Griswold for the girls, and yours truly Bixyl Shuftan for the guys (don't worry, I gave the DJ a generous tip). At 9PM SL time, or Midnight on the US East Coast, Cynthia changed out of the robe for a smaller two piece cloth outfit, with the top having the number 2015, with a rattle, representing the new year.

Cynthia would play for a little past Midnight, ending the event with "Old Scottish Waltz" and the New Year's classic "Auld Lang Syne," both by Andy Stewart, "Happy New Year's to all."

At Bay City, they would celebrate with their version of the ball drop: the Prim Drop. Here's the tower a few hours before the event.

Second Life Newser was not able to attend the actual event itself, but Marianne McCann sent a couple pictures. As the minutes to Midnight SL time ticked, the crowd there waited in anticipation.

And at 12 Midnight SL time, fireworks were launched as the New Year officially was rung in on the Grid.

Happy New Year Second Life.

Bixyl Shuftan

Christmas Displays at Devon Dream

Longtime fans of the Giant Snail Races may remember Devon Dream as having once been the location for the wacky obstacle course for those huge avatars as they slimed their way to the finish line. Today, the races have moved on, but the sim, owned by Safra Nitely, is still here. This month, she gave it a Christmas winter look and invited me over to take a look.

In the biggest area of builds, next to a frozen lake was Santa's Workshop. There were a couple reindeer resting outside, next to a cart with a few presents. Inside, were animated figures of Santa and his elves, moving around a bit. The elves were working away on more presents and decorations while Santa  himself was checking over a list.

Elsewhere were more decorations. Not far from Santa's place was a manger, with Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus along with the Three Wise Men and the Angel. In the other direction was a tall Christmas tree, with a number of presents underneath and a sleigh. There was a wooden road leading away from the pond with lightposts with wreaths helping to light the way. The roads led to a few places, including a holiday themed bumper car ride. There were other builds around the sim, though I didn't get a close look at them all.

December 20 was when Safra held a special party at the sim. A number of her friends were invited over, including Saffia Widdershins of "Designing Worlds," and myself. A DJ set and lots of colorful lights were set up at the frozen pond, turning it into a dance area. Chatting with Safra, she told me, "Well the deal is, once a year I put on a huge concert to say thank you to my friends and family for all their support for the year as a big Christmas present. (It) costs a fortune, but worth it. ... it's the only way to say thank you properly in SL."

Safra's friends, a combination of human, neko, furry, and other avatars would dance away for a few hours. Eventually, the party would soon end. But the displays would remain. "This location will stay open for a month," Safra told me.

Bixyl Shuftan

The Newser Christmas Beach Party

On Saturday December 20, a number of the crew of Second Life Newser and their friends met up at the Happy Vixen Beach club at the Sunny Beach sim. Grease Coakes was the DJ for the event that began at 12 Noon SL time.

Among those there was Alynna Vixen (Alynna Trypnotk), the owner of Club Fur and the recent owner of all of the Sunny Beach sim. Here the normally vulpine Alynna sports a pink kemono avatar. Behind her is her partner Spike.

 DrFran Babcock showed up still in a winter gown from an earlier event.

GoSpeed Racer, whom had performed as a DJ for Bay City's party some days earlier, was also there.

Grey Lupindo has been busy in real life lately, but she took the time to show up for the party. Fyphfoko Yifu trotted out in front of the camera as the picture was being taken.

Gemma Cleanslate was there too, still wearing the hat from her volunteering for the Christmas Expo.

Nydia Tungsten, the manager of the Happy Vixen, dances away in her Christmas outfit.

 Any1 Gynoid, whom recently started writing again after a long break.

DrFran later switched to another outfit, with a few accessories in hand. Wesley Regenbogen dances away to her left.

There were a few stunts pulled at the party, such as the "evil snowman" that was passed around, occasionally getting it's wearers to panic and run around in circles all at once. Gemma also had a larger, more harmless looking snowman.

There was one sad detail. This would be the last event held at the Happy Vixen, at least at this location. The club and surfing spot was taken down shortly afterwards to make room for new construction. But everyone had a good time at the party, with some wondering when might be the next time the news crew could throw a bash.

Bixyl Shuftan

Serious Request

By Wesley Regenbogen

Serious Request is a Dutch charity/fundraising event that collects Linden Dollars for a real life project. Every year there’s a different real life project behind Serious Request. This year’s project is “Hands Off Our Girls”, which is a project against the sexual abuse of women and girls in countries where there are conflicts. The project started on December 13 th, 2014 and will go on until December 21, 2014.

This real life project behind Serious Request is interesting, because it makes people aware of the problems in real life and they collect virtual money in Second Life and they donate it to the real life project after the event is done.

During the eight days 24/7, the DJs that volunteer for this project take requests. But in return they ask you to donate Linden Dollars for Serious Request. Once you donated the amount you wanted to donate, the DJs will play the song that you requested. The DJs stay the whole 8 days within the Glass House.  Every evening ( Dutch/Belgian time zone ) there is a live artist that performs at the stage behind the Glass House ( Glazen Huis in Dutch ). But aside that they also have auctions and contests and much more. All for a good cause in real life.

The sim that is created for Serious Request is called “sim Limburg3," created and owned by Quistis Shippe. It’s a Dutch sim, so the language spoken is Dutch, mostly. But also if you speak English, they will speak English to you, so don’t worry about it.

In my personal opinion, this event and the whole project is awesome and I will donate the Linden Dollars that I get from this article and an interview that I will be doing with the creators of the event. Although this is a very well known event by the Dutch residents in Second Life, I hope that more people get to know this event and the project behind it.

You can find the Glass House and the Serious Request location here :

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Limburg3/129/114/21

The website of Serious Request is only available in Dutch, though, it can be found at :

http://www.seriousrequestsl.nl/
A full list of the team behind Serious Request can be found here : http://www.seriousrequestsl.nl/organisatie/

Wesley Regenbogen

Volunteering For The Expo

By Gemma Cleanslate

 For the past two weeks I have been a volunteer “elf” in the Christmas expo sims. I have been skating around all the   sims trying to help with any preparations I could before the opening. The builders have done such a marvelous job to make the regions just glow with the winter settings and the lovely marketplace shops. It truly looks like a German marketplace ready, filled with goodies to buy from furniture to fashion and fun things for the stockings. Merchants have out done themselves filling their stores and stalls with all kinds of enticements. I am not only shopping already but also picking up the gifts in the naughty and nice boxes placed in many of the shops (sorry to say I guess I have been  naughty ... but will try again later , since we get a second chance).

Along the snow covered roadways there is a trolley running all the time so you can hop on and off at many stops in all the sims. Get yourselves into the centers of the sims too. Christmas trees are for sale in some of them so take a look before you leave one sim to go to the other. The entertainment area is all set up ready for the many shows and dancing and Santa has a place there too. I have already attended a couple of skating parties with great music! Over on other side of all the sims are the breedable regions where you can take your pick of all types of critters. There will be auctions for some of the critters and a myriad of other items . RelayVendors with donated items from the merchants are hung on the walls in all the shops and when you buy these items you are actually donating all the money to the Relay so look for them.  

I applaud all those who have worked so hard to make this a success, the planning committee, the builders, the sim coordinators, who have worked (sleeplessly I think), and the many other volunteers, the Merchants who participate with great generosity and especially the Sponsors of the event. Those who love hunts don’t miss the bells, there are signs around to remind you.  

It is fun being an elf. I get to see all the progress as it unfolds. Look for me ... I might be near Santa at times in the entertainment sim unless I am skating from sim to sim to help, or shop! Check the website for all the information you will ever need! http://slchristmasexpo.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/2014-sl-christmas-expo-winter-breedables-fair-guidebook/

Gemma Cleanslate

Scenes From the 2014 Christmas Expo

Tomorrow, December 4, marks the start of the Christmas Expo, also known as the 2014 Christmas Expo and Breedables Fair. From then to September 15, the event will raise funds for the American Cancer Society through sales at shops and stores at temporary areas around the ACS sim.

Yesterday, Second Life Newser got a sneek peak at the Expo grounds, and so took a look around. The area was well designed, the scene looking like a snowy winter day, with the sun barely showing through gray skies.

The shops are required to have at least two new and exclusive products in which 100% of the cash paid for them goes to the Relay for Life in Second Life. 100% of the cash donated to the purplish Relay for Life kiosks goes for cancer research.

Each seller is also taking part in at least one of the following: Hunt for the Bells Hunt, Silent Auction, Raffle, Christmas Tree Lot Donation, or Ornament Silent Auction.

There was a trolley one could get on for more rapid transit to other sims in the Expo grounds.

Breedable ranches were in their own sims seperate from the more conventional looking shops selling non-pet items

A couple of pet wolf cubs on display.

Taking a snooze in the cold.

 Chop chop!

 Not every single ranch was covered in snow. This one for critters in the tropics and savana stood out.

Not all pets appealed to ones sense of cute. For these wolves, they didn't have prepared meat. The pig was the dinner.

Oldesoul Eldemar, in a tiny av, was one of the staff present.

Breedable dragons, which Xymbers Slade wrote about some time ago, "Mind if I smoke?"

These are just a few scenes around the Expo grounds.

For the list of sponsors of the Expo: http://slchristmasexpo.wordpress.com/expo-sponsors/

For a list of the merchants and exhibitors: http://slchristmasexpo.wordpress.com/exhibitors-a-to-z/


For more information about the Relay for Life:  http://www.cancer.org/involved/participate/relayforlife/second-life

See you at the Expo

Bixyl Shuftan