The 2017 Relaystock

From Friday May 12 to Sunday Evening on May 14, the 2017 Relaystock took place. Both DJs and live performers sung on stage in this tribute to the famous music festival in 1969. This was the fourth Relay season the event had taken place, the first in 2013. The Friday performances started at 3PM.

Later on was Fuzzball Ortega, who whipped out "The Hair."

 

Sometimes there was some virtual rain, as shown here in the Saturday afternoon event.

At times, it could get a little crowded, and a little laggy, such as this crowd, which despite a few minutes of rezzing, many were still half grey in my viewer.

Avatars of various shapes and sizes, such as furs and micros. Hopefully the little guy didn't end up in s deep spot in the mud.

Although the Sunbeamers have been the largest mostly furry team, there have always been furs on a number of others. But this year I noticed more.

While the biggest concentration was at the theater, sometimes team members would gather at campsites, such as some of the Sunbeamer team at our tent.

Sunbeamer Gil Otaared brought her pet ringtail "Mini-Me." With the shortage of porto-potties, hopefully she avoided stepping in where the hippies relieved themselves.

Probably the most touted act on stage was live singer Keeba Tammas and her Tiny Maniacs band. They were among the last of the events performers, playing from 2 to 3 PM SL time.

 Bain and Panza Fitch, dancing while avoiding the deeper parts of the mud.

After 3PM was the Relay Rap, with the Relay Committee all dressed up in 60s garb.

In the final event, Trader Whiplash and his "Time Machine." It was an event in which people were free to request their team's kiosk on stage.

 Trader looked like something out of a "Sgt. Pepper" picture. His partner Arizona Ballinger, who organized the Relaysotck, was in period wear as well.

Many teams did well in the event. The Sunbeamers went from below 170,000, to Silver rank, and past 200,000. As of the writing of this article, they were at 204,000 Linden dollars raised.

With the Relaystock over, the Relay season is now in it's second half, with events next weekend including the annual Castle, Home, and Garden event, and the Team Sunbeamer Air Show.

Addition: Ishtarkiss would upload more pictures on her Flickr account.

Go Relay!

Bisyl Shuftan

Scenes From The "Bid The Lindens Bald" Party

By Bixyl Shuftan

On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, the conclusion to the "Bid the Lindens Bald" occurred at 2PM SL time. On March 29, was when the event was announced with twenty-eight Lindens taking part. This would be the first time any Linden had taken part in a "Bid Me Bald" event, let alone so many.

The Lindens involved were split into three teams, Customer Accounts, Concierge, and Land Ops/LDPW. A few, such as Boris Linden, seemed to have gotten unusually hairy for the event. Nuala Maracas commented, "Oh my God! It will take an hour cut Boris's hair." Even Tommy Linden remarked, "Wow Boris, that hair! You need this shave! (laughter)"

Donations were small at first, even though on occasion Lindens could be found at the kiosk area at impromptu parties. and as one can see in the picture above, they weren't above a little funnery. In the last days of the event, thousands of Linden dollars were pouring in.

People began gathering at the area at 1PM SL time. By 2PM, there were a few dozen in the area.

A look at the minimap showed twelve to thirteen Lindens, identifiable by their blue dots.

Besides the Lindens, there were a variety of other avatars at the event.

Including some small ones.

"Resistance is futile."

When the three kiosks that the Linden dollars were donated to were closed, Customer Accounts had a total of 719,182 Lindens.

The Concierge team had gotten a total of 352,485.

And last but not least, Land Ops/Linden Department of Public Works, which had gotten 399,735 Linden dollars. A total of 1,471,402, almost a million and a half Linden dollars had been raised. Trader Whiplash told everyone he was throwing away his calculator, "it's smoking and sparking anyway!"

The ten members of Concierge had come out third place, and thus due to lose their virtual hair. Nuala Maracas told everyone she "brought a case of Turtle Wax  .. I mean head wax .. to polish all those heads." Ami Linden guessed, "Apparently I'm not good at math.. it's 295 days bald (gasp). So that means Thursday, April 8th, 2018 we'll start to see some hairs on the Concierge team again." Tommy Linden remarked, "That is a good long time!" Someone remarked, "That is awesome, almost a whole year (laughter)."

Trader Whiplash of T-1 Radio, and the organizer of the Bid Me Bald event was there.

Solo Linden, to my left in this picture, went Away From Keyboard.

A number of other Lindens, and Moles, dropped by to watch the event.

Governor Linden, who sported a hamster avatar, was the one with the shears for the haircuts. One person asked, "(I) wonder how a hamster is going to cut hair?" "With scissors of course," Trader answered. Someone remarked, "Fangs of Gov. They dangerous." "Governor Linden has the most evil and ferocious looking avatar here," someone else commented. A third commented, "I can't help but wonder what would happen if Governor was actually on the concierge team." Sue Peregrine mused, "If you are all teams, doesn't that mean you have to go bald Governor?"

Whitney Linden was the first to get the haircut, followed by Boris. "For this one you may want to use the katana Governor," someone suggested. Ami Linden asked, "Are those scissors gonna be enough?" But away went his ginormous afro.

Next was Madori Linden, who was sporting a colorful haircut, "Wow what a mowhawk!"

Next was Vix Linden. Despite the name, this Linden's appearance was un-xivenlike. Ami grinned, "Vix! Ready for the barber?" "Hi," he nervously spoke, "I'm here for the victory parade?"Tommy Linden went, "Oh yeah Vix, we got a special victory lined up for you!" Ami Linden asked gleefully, "Who here thinks the beard must go? (big grin)" "The beard must go!" someone answered. "The beard is like 70% of it," concurred another.

And the deed was done. "And there goes the hair!" Ami Linden announced, then mused, Right? Less hair to maintain (big grin). ... Look, now you can go swimming with ease! And you won't feel too warm with summer on its way (grin). ...Who's next? (big grin)"

Bianca Linden was dancing to the music, not worried about losing her hair, or was she? Dee Linden commented "I've been pullin' my hair out for over an hour now! ,,, Wait."

Jadia Linden, not being on any of the teams, was not required to take part in the haircuts, but did so anyway as a shot of support. "Where is this great haircut I'm supposed to be getting?" she asked, and was shown the barber chair, Governor Linden saying, "Have a seat, Jaida (smile)." Tommy Linden encouraged, "Go Jaida! Best haircut you will ever get." Governor Linden asked, "Are you ready?  Do you need something to bite down on?" Jaida Linden answered, "I guess I'm ready, just snatch it out." Jaida Linden then cried out, "Nooooooooooo!"

Once the deed was done, Tommy Linden told her, "Look at you Jaida! You look fantastic!" Governor Linden commented, "Gorgeous!" Vix Linden went, "It's not so bad Jaida," then ran back a distance. Jaida Linden commented, "I guess, laughing one moment, then wondering if she should run home to cry the next. Ami Linden gave her a hug. Sue Peregrine, "You look great Jaida!" Trader commented, "Jaida looks good bald! ... Makes your eyes stand out!" Jaida Linden then left, "Take care, I have to find a hat (giggle)."

"Anyone else?" Governor Linden asked, "You don't have to have been on the losing team." Tommy Linden asked, "Are you trying to convince the rest of us to shave ours too Governor? (laughter)" Sue Peregrine responded, "I think that's a GREAT idea Tommy!" Governor Linden answered, "just saying anyone here can if they wish (smile)." Tommy Linden went for it, "Alright Governor, I will let you shave me, so I can show my support!" Governor Linden commented, "I feel like I need a stepstool to stand on here. ... Ready Tommy?" "It's not like you got much anyway," one resident encouraged.

And soon the deed was done. Trader thanked him, "Tommy, thank you so much!  You put in such an effort!" Tommy Linden answered, "It's the least I can do, at least I have the choice to grow it back!" Trader commented, "Just think you all will get your hair back intime for NEXT Baseball season!"

Then Dee Linden hopped onto the chair. Sue Peregrine encouraged her, "Woot!!! Dee!!" So did Tommy Linden, "Yay Dee!" Governor Linden asked, "Ready Dee?" "Ready!" Dee Linden answered. Then came the .

And Dee Linden joined the shaved heads. Whitney Linden went, "Woot!" "So purty!!" told Ami Linden.

Keira Linden while watching all this had been knitting. Tommy Linden thought it was funny, "Keira, I love that you are knitting while all this is happening, (laughter)."

She decided to volunteer as well. Sue Peregrine went, "Yay Keira!" Governor Linden asked, "ready Keira?" "Ready!" she answered. 

With Keira Linden joining them, there were quite a number of bald heads. "I better get to knitting hats!" she commented. Dee Linden asked, "can you knit me some hair?" Sue Peregrine smiled, "That's what knitters do ." Keira Linden answered, "Right after I knit my own, Dee."

Trader encouraged the group, "I have been bald for a year .. twice! ...  saves time in the morning ! lol  comb with a washcloth! ... No blow dryers!" Dee Linden was keeping a brave face, "fyi, my hair grows really fast." Tommy Linden laughed, "Dee, you using 'Miracle Grow'?" Keira Linden mused, "One less accessory I get  to shop for.  Sorry hair designers!" Sue Peregrine laughed, "but good for your wallet." Tommy Linden mused, "And here I thought this meant more shopping as we try out new styles when it grows in! (laughter).

Sparky Linden headed out about this time, "Later everyone!!! Thanks for all the love and donations for such a great cause!" He then proceeded to perform a move that reminded me of a "Dragonball Z" powerup. Trader wished him well, "Thank you Sparky!!!" Sue Peregrine did too, "Thank you for being here Sparky!"

While some were starting to leave, some such as ZenGardens Resident were joking around, he turning into a tree. That sparked a few jokes and puns, "feeling 'tree'mendous?" "I guess you 'leaf' no one behind?" "Or is your 'bark' worse than your bite?" ZenGardens Resident responded, "Oh boy ... I wood participate in these puns but then I may be asked to leaf."

While there was quite a bit of joking around, there was one stunt that one Relayer didn't think was so funny and requested I post as an example of what not to do at a Relay event: smoking. Smoking, whether it's tobacco or marijuana, can lead to cancer and people are asked to stop.

Before long, more people were leaving. Ancient Mole waved, "Bye everyone! Thank you for that wonderful event!" One resident hoped, "Hopefully this becomes an annual event so we can say this is the first annual shearing." Trader told everyone there would be another event at the location soon, "Don't Forget Relay Stock 2017 Right here Mothers Day Weekend    Fri- Sat - Sun   Featuring Keeba Tammas and the Tiny Maniacs!"

Nuala Maracas told everyone, "Thank you for your generosity to support the American Cancer Society !  You have  helped fund part of a Research Grant !!      Thank you to all the Lindens for their time and great sense of humour"

And so, the "Bid the Lindens Bald" event was over. It's unknown whether or not there will be another such event next year. But it is hoped this is not the end of Linden participation in the Relay for Life.

Bixyl Shuftan

Memorial Service For Catt Gable

By Bixyl Shuftan

It was Saturday September 3 in which news reached Second Life of the passing of a member of the Relay: Catt "Kala" Gable. She had been a member of the Relay Rockers. Two weeks later on September 17, there was a memorial service to her. As 5PM approached, people began gathering under a large tent at the Relay dAlliez sim. There was plenty of seating available, and more than forty people were present. Some had the title "Relaying for Catt." There was music playing, including, "These Are The Times We Will Remember."

Did you know that before you came into my life
It was some kind of miracle that I survived
Some day we will both look back
And have to laugh
We lived through a lifetime
And the aftermath
This is the time to remember
Cause it will not last forever
These are the days
To hold on to
Cause we won't
Although we want to
This is the time
But time is gonna change
I know we've got to move somehow
But I don't want to lose you know

A number of people had a some words to say. Among them was Nuala Maracas, "I first met Catt, she will always be Catt to me, even though she changed her name to Kala, … I first met Catt back in 2006.....almost 10 years ago....40 years ago if you go by Second Life  comparison.   When you have known a person, face to face, for that length of time, you get to know their nuisances,  you can see their face when they speak, but most importantly you can see their eyes... their windows to their soul.    In the virtual world, we rely on our emotional gut feelings.  We hear the inflections in their voices.  We hear the caring, the trust, the honesty, the empathy, and the playfulness within their words.  And these traits are amplified 100 times when words are not spoken often.

"Catt Gable was one of those people.   A caring, honest, empathetic  soul, whose words, when spoken, spoke volumes.  When Catt spoke, she let you see into the windows of her soul through her voice.

"In November 2014,Catt had been through a serious medical emergency. She had had respiratory failure followed by cardiac arrest several times and kidney failure. She was missing from Second Life for a couple months until she was able to get access to a computer and get in touch with us.She remained in the hospital for several more months, but, with her laptop in her hospital bed she walked the Relay Track with her team once again in July 2015.   She got to go home in August.  While she was in the hospital more tests were done and reviewed and only 1 week after returning home, she was called back to her  doctor's office….. she had cancer.

"Now, I had never met  Catt in person, but  I knew she was a proud person, a private person.So when she shared her diagnosis  with me last year, I knew it not only must have been difficult for her to share something so private, but that is also must be  serious.  I recall her saying, a few months back, “ I want to share my story sometime. It might help others.”  To hear that coming from Catt was like someone took a mega phone and stood next to me and yelled in it.  It was serious….. It was Stage 4  uterine cancer with some metastasis.

"Never once did Catt stop taking care of others.  She tended to the Memorial Garden on ACS Island, she comforted those who needed comfort, never letting her situation overshadow that of someone else's.   Few even knew of her diagnosis until almost 7 months later when she shared her story at the Relay For Life kick off.  Cat became the curator of the Memorial Gardens at The American Cancer Society and helped many find the special place for a photo of their loved one.  She spent countless hours in the gardens talking to whomever happened by, whether for just a peaceful place to be or to pay respects to a loved one.  There is no better way to express what the gardens meant to Catt….than in her own word from her speech at the Relay For Life Kick Off last March.

"Catt had a fantastic sense of humour and loved finding the good and fun in everyone and everything.  To this day, I still haul out these bagpipes she had me playing at her wedding many years ago.  I sounded awful...just as if she had given me them in the non virtual world.  But I played those pipes every chance I had over the next couple years and laughed hard each time. 

"We has a lot of good laughs when we organized It’s Raining Men Date Auction for the Relay Rockers.  I think she had more fun auditioning the men than actually running the event. And The Chip N Dale Dancers, she had a wicked sense of humour when helping to organize that event.

"Her sense of style was to be envied.  She was not a model in Second Life but she could have outlasted and outplayed any top model in here …..why?  Because she had grace.

"I learned something about Catt, after she had passed, that shocked me.  She LOVED heavy metal music...she was a metal head!  Never in my wildest imagination would I have put Catt Gable and Heavy Metal Music in the same sentence.   But apparently she did do just that as she was wrote music reviews for a magazine in Los Angeles in the 80’s.     I wonder if she had the leather jackets and spikes and that wild hair that was the style of the day back then.

"I will forever miss our chats.  We talked about nothing and everything at the same time.  We had catch up time every so often . She had always found a new area to explore, new people she met, or just reminisce about some fun time from the past 10 years.

"I am so glad Catt was able to make Relay weekend this year.   She walked the opening Survivor Lap, and she walked the final lap of relay to the closing ceremonies. She logged off for the last time at the end of Relay.   I can’t think of a more fitting way for Catt Gable to leave this wonderful Virtual World ...doing what she loved… Relaying."

Christina Georgina Rossetti offered a poem: "Miss Me, But Let Me Go......"

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul set free!
Miss me a little, but not for long,
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love we once shared,
Miss me, but let me go!
For this a journey we all must take,
And each must go alone;
It’s all a part of the master’s plan
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,

Chipnonk Zhong offered another after a few words, "Hi I'd like to share a memory of Catt. she was such a wonderful person and when I first came into SL, she is the one that found me and we got talking about Relay for Life. She is the one who got me on the Rockers team and helped out Diamond and Denimas do events. And she was such a great friend to me. I will miss her dearly and here is a little something for all of you that was written to bring us comfort on such a great friend."

I took a stroll down Memory Lane,
A journey that should have been fun.
What I found was hurt and pain,
Over things that couldn't be undone.

Thoughts - Slide back to the beginning,
Each memory - A vacation in yesterday.
No way to change the ending,
The happiness has gone away.

The Moon has lost its silvery glow,
The Sky has lost its comforting hue.
No magic left in the Rainbow,
To make the wishes come true.

The death of a heart happens so slow,
Shedding off the hopes and dreams.
Like a million flakes of winters snow,
and evaporating like a cloud of steam.

Doubts and fears invade my mind,
The obvious no longer apparent.
Happiness and Joy so hard to find,
When you lose a child,spouse or parent. 

Another poem was from Peachy Sassoon, "Life."

                      I sit here watching as
                      friends and family pour
                                 in
                     I look into those deep
                     beautiful eyes of yours
                     and start to ask why oh
                               why
                    Wiping my tears I listen
                     to my heart and hear
                     silent words spoken
                               here
                    I come here not to mourn
                    your death but to
                    celebrate your
                               life
                    You take with you on
                    your journey a part
                    of each and everyone of
                              us
                    In return we keep a
                    part of you within our
                             Hearts

Trader Whiplash had a message from Panza Elide, "When the thought of where I wanted to wed Bain hit me, I knew it had to be on ACS Island.  We had been to the memorial garden many times, visiting and remembering lost friends.  I wanted those friends at my wedding also.  Catt was our resource to contact, and she was so instrumental in contacting Sting and making sure our having a marriage ceremony there would be okay.

"That is my most precious memory of Catt.....her part in making my dream come true.  A beautiful, gracious soul who was always there to help others.When the thought of where I wanted to wed Bain hit me, I knew it had to be on ACS Island.  We had been to the memorial garden many times, visiting and remembering lost friends.  I wanted those friends at my wedding also.  Catt was our resource to contact, and she was so instrumental in contacting Sting and making sure our having a marriage ceremony there would be okay.

"That is my most precious memory of Catt.....her part in making my dream come true.  A beautiful, gracious soul who was always  there to help others."

With the statements and poems over, people began to talk freely, "I look up and smile, knowing that Catt is watching us." "She was a beautiful soul."  "Here is love for Catt from all of us." "May she rest in peace with Alliez." "She's probably already Relaying with Dr Klatt and crew." "There's not a doubt in my mind on that." "Fitting that the Lighthouse we all landed in so many times is outside the tent.""Alliez was her first friend in SL. I am sure she was there to greet her and show her how to use her wings." "Can hear Catt say I know how to wear those wings." "Catt earned her wings along time ago." "We are all that much better for having known Catt."

A number of people expressed their condolences to Catt's friend, Woodstock Burleigh, "Woody, we're here for you and share your loss, brother." "She smiling at ya Woody" "We love you Woody."

"Thanks for this memorial." "Thank you, Trader and Rockers, for sharing Catt with us." "Thank you for having this for us.  Catt will never be gone from us as long we hold her in our hearts."

People were then invited to, "Please feel free to wander out back and see the memorial. You won't fall in the water." Many of the people walked down a series of stone steps, which concluded with a cross standing over a circle of flowers, with a stone in the middle, with her name, time in Second Life, and a quote from the Bible, "My heart and flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever: Psalm 73:26." The stone's last words were "Relayer, Guardian, Friend."

"We will leave it here for awhile until we have the permanent home and will let everyone know," we were told about the memorial. Someone dropped a pink pony, "Rosa Pony! I still have mine somewhere in inventory." "The pink pony that you so laughed at Morgan and us." "I will ride my Pony Rosa once around the track at the next Relay for Catt." When it was brought up there were pony avatars that could be made pink, some responded they just might get one and do a lap around the Relay track next year in Catt's honor.

Eventually, people began going their separate ways. But they would keep on remembering their friend.

This is the time to remember
Cause it will not last forever
These are the days
To hold on to
Cause we won't
Although we want to
This is the time
But time is gonna change
I know we've got to move somehow
But I don't want to lose you know

Bixyl Shuftan