The Sunbeamers At Relaystock

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

 

 Among the annual events during the Relay for Life fundraising season is the "Relaystock." Taking place every year in May, this event is hosted by the Relay Rockers team, and is a tribute to the Woodstock festival that took place in 1969.

 

While this may be a Relay Rockers event, the Relaystock is open to any team that wishes to take part, whether it's one of the time slots for the stage, one of the numerous campsites, or both. While there would be no drugs and no sex, there would still be three days of rock n roll, Friday May 10 to Sunday May 12. And of course the mud. Lots and lots of mud.

 

Trader Whiplash and Arizona Ballinger, the co-captains of the Rockers, were around.

The various teams soon had the campsites all set up. 

 

 By avatars of all kinds. 

One thing that was new this year were those stone "peace" statues. 

Hippies had something of a reputation for being dirty and smelly. Maybe that's why there were shower stalls here, the water coming from barrels on top. They might be a little chilly for some, though.

Running at the same time was "Bid the Lindens Bald."

This fundraiser was in one corner of the sim, where five teams of Lindens and Moles had kiosks to donate to. Details of the event are in this article.

Events would keep me away on Friday. But on Saturday was the Sunbeamer's set, at 11:30 AM SL time. I arrived in time to see the last of Team Phoenix Productions' DJ Kyla's tunes. "Yay Phoenix! Well done!"

 

And in the back, DJ Cynthia and members of the Sunbeamers who would be part of the dance troupe were getting ready, all of the ladies in much the same outfit, fitting of the time period,  "... left side of the stairs when we go up."

 

 

Due to a "Bid Me" event, I was feeling a little "squirrley."

Not all of the Sunnies would be on stage. Brian, who was in his pink in a tutu look from a Relay Bid Me, was in the audience. "Brian is going to be in the paper," I joked. Snowy went, "You look good in pink Brian."

        

And at 11:30 SL time, they got onto the stage. Lady Ren Flow (Ren Float) from Roos With A Dream, was with them. "Do I spy a roo that snuck on stage?!" Liska joked, "No Roos hre, pay no attention to the Ren in front of the curtain."

The background would change as time went on. Shockwave Yareach would later comment, "And the background is something only the Sunbeamers have." Cynthia would muse, "Only the Sunbeamers have cause no one else wants it." "It is Tunable BlackLight, my invention.  Only rarely causes mutations.  Makes some bunnies fly."

 

Shockwave, who was the lone male on stage, called out, "OKAY PEOPLE!! Let us take you back in time!! A time at peace.  With love everywhere...." Someone called out, "What year?" The wolf laughed, "Like that ever existed. But in 1969, a bunch had a wild idea -- ONE WEEKEND with no stress or strife." "WOO WOODSTOCK!!!" "WE are going to take you back to that time now... "

 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, give (it) up for... THE SUNBEAMERS!!"

 

And with Cynthia playing "Aquarius" by the Fifth Dimension, the Sunnies started to dance. "Age of Asparagus?" "Wow, look at them dance!!! who knew sunbeamers were trainable?!" "Groovy outfits!"

 

Shockwave continued, "And remember why we are here.  To raise money and make Cancer a distant memory, too! And, as a special treat... our expert DJs have guaranteed every song was not newer than 1969 (smile)"

"And Remember:  Don't smoke the brown acid -- people will look like animals if you do." That comment got a number of chuckles from the mostly human crowd watching a stage full of furries. "Too late," Cynthia mused. "BUNNIEEESSSSSSSS!" someone called out, "I love bunnies! And adorable hyena!" "Talking animals?" Liska mused, "I musta got some bad stuff." "OH GOD I'M SURROUNDED BY TALKING ANIMALS!" "Lots of bunnies on the stage, but it's not all bunnies. <3" "Sorry didnt see. (I) was gushing over the floofiness on stage."

One in the crowd would say, "Love ALLLLLL of these people!! so groovy!" Shockwave joked, "Let the sunshine in!!  We have SPF 15 for sale."

Rita would announce, "Also a Sunbeamer treat, I will match any donations no matter how big or small." Someone immediately plunked in 500L, "Here's another five hundred! Match me if you dare!" " I got 100 if someone wants to match me!" "C'mon everybody! Let's get that thing up to 20 K!"

Someone would express their regrets their spouse couldn't be there, "Sorry, real-life." Shockwave would comment, "Real Life is boring. Second Life is more fun. Where else could I be on stage with these lovely ladies?!"

 

Alison shouted, "if we can get the kiosk to L$17,500 we will help provide 1-free night’s stay at a Hope Lodge community for a cancer patient or their caregiver." Shockwave responded, "And if you get it to 25K?  I'll wear a nighty!" There were chuckles, then he added, "Not that I'm worried.  You guys don't wanna see a Wolf in a white cotton nighty." A certain reporter quipped, "Well, do you see anyone wearing a little red riding hood?" Brian would shout, "Are you sure Shockwave? Look what they did to me?!" 

Then someone shouted, "Here's another 2K Shockwave." Then Alison commented, "Yes we do, Shock!" Purple Tears' captain Wateru Kohime responded, "Pfft. We're gonna get you a scarlet red one to wear Shock." Shockwave chuckled, "You gotta pay 35K to see my little scarlet number. Some things only my girlfriend gets to see (grins)." "Oops! There goes another 1000L!" Shockwave matched another amount, "Hey, wait a minute! I just contributed to having to wear a nighty!! No no no no!" that got some chuckles, "What a good sport"

And it wasn't long before the Sunbeamer's wolf was in a grandmother's clothing. "I'm so embarrassed," he commented. Snowy went, "It helps to wear it irl Shocky you get used to it." "No comments on my bod please." Cynthia "screamed like a goat" before realizing she was an anthro nanygoat. Liska grinned, "The better to cure cancer, my dear." Snowy quipped, "I need to take a picture of Shocky just like I did last year." The result was Shock blushing even more. Cynthia looked out into the crowd as she heard a certain reporter take some pictures, "Oh crap the Newser is here, you're dead Shocky."

"Alison," Shock mused, "Now you just wanna see me in nightwear... Naughty (grins)." Alison responded, "I just want to see you face turn red, Shock!" "I'm told I need a shave (grin)" "Does that go with the nightie?" Rita joked, "The song will be 'Walking Around in Women's Underwear.'" Ren mused, "You thinnk anything embarrases Shock?" Snowy commented, "Yes I know what but won't say." Brian joked, "He'll have to shave his leggs for that night."

One Sunny in the audience asked, "Do we need some carrots and cabbage for the cute bunnies on stage, and Rita too? (grin)" Snowy responded, "I'll take some lettuce cause I always said Lettuce Prey." "Sorry Rita, just kidding." "Sure you were, I am just an old grey hare." One guy started to leave due to real life, *drops another L$100 for all the pretty Beamers on stage (plus Shock :P) while walking past my computer on the way out the door.*

Eventually the Bid Me events came up, "We've had a few Sunnies in some Bid Me events recently. 'Bid Me Bald' just isn't the same on a furry, so, we improvised (grins)." Snow remarked, "This Bid me has me thinking to go back to my old bunny hybrid OC. Old OC was something I called a Bunnox." "Would a bunnox be hopping after chicken?" 

 

Liska commented, "My Bid-Me has me purpular until after Relay weekend." Rita looked at the purple vixen, "Your so pretty in purple Liska." Snowy commented, "Liska looks good in Purple all the time." 

At one point, balloons came up, Shockwave saying, "We USED to ahve a balloon in the sunbeamer camp." Someone in the audience mused, "Up up and awayyy in my beautiful balloon..." Someone then joked about Shickwave's title in the Sunny group, "Let me guess only a 'High Sunbeamer' could operate it, and in this event, people got confused over what a 'high sunbeamer' was?"

Then the song "Sugar Sugar" by The Archies was played. That got some reactions from the audience, "Yer song Sienna!" Nula started singing, "Sugar sugar, ah honey honey, you are my candy girl ..." so was someone else, "and you got me wanting yooouuuu .... " Shockwave mused, "Okay guys!!  Turn to your sweetheart, hold her in your hands... and lick her neck!" Nula mused, "THE best song ever written.. right Sienna?" Ren Float commented, "How can anyone NOT sing along?" Nuala commented, "You just have to be happy hearing this." Shockwave went, "There are no problems in the world for the next hour! Be happy!" "Pour a lil sugar on me honeeey!"

 

Snowy would comment, "I used to have a lava lamp in real life, till the wax went bad in it. I might get another, but it looked very much like the one on stage. (I) used to go to sleep in bed watching it." Liska joked, "Go to Iceland, Snowy, you can get one with real lava." 

After another comment about the paper, Shockwave chuckled, "Nobody believes anything Fox News says." "SL Lewser," Liska joked, then chuckled as well. "Fox News is gospel to many," Ren remarked. To that, Shockwave commented, "Hear that Bix?  You're Gospel!" "Wrong Fox News," Cynthia quipped, "We're not talking about Farce News." One red wolf in a steampunkish hat went, "Hyuk, wuzz th' mattah w fozes sayin th news?" Snowy would say, "SL Newser is the only news I would read and believe. All other news sources are wrong (smiles)." I would say, "Thanks for the kind words everyone ... I get my RL news from multiple sources ;-) "

Then came the song "California Dreamin'" from "The Mamas And The Papas." One resident started singing, "La la la... sha la la la, sha la la la, All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray." Alison commented, "I love this tune!" Shockwave commented, "The good old days, when the music could be sung in your car." Snow mused, "Well in your car no one knows how badly one would sing." "I'ive been for a walk, on a winter's day. I'd be safe and warm, if I was in LA. California dreamin', on sucha a wintes daaaaaay..." "Beautiful music for a less than beautiful time," Shockwave went on. 

Then came a clip Cynthia had that wasn't a 60s song, but a recording of part of an Animaniacs cartoon about Woodstock, labeled "Slappy And The Who." That got plenty of chuckles, "Oh my GOD! (Laughing Out Loud)" "Love it! Ha ha ha ha - he he he!!! =D *laughs so hard, she almost falls off the bus*" "REally good parody of 'Who's on first' (laughing out loud)" Shockwave would comment, "This was done for a cartoon. Nobody writes them like this any more. Now, show our DJ, Cynthia Farshore, how much you loved that!" Someone responded, *breaks another piggy bank, got 500 looking for a match* Shockwave and Brian both matched her. Cynthia followed up the skit with a Who song, "Pinball Wizard," someone musing, "sure plays a mean pinball. ... I saw The Who reunion tour in 89." Liska joined in, "I majored in pinball, with a minor in pinochle." 

 

Shock added, "I told you!!! Cynthia Farshore spent a WEEK curating this list!" Cynthia would say, "All tunes are 1969 or before in spirit with Woodstock." "Yes!!  We are PURISTS!" Someone called out, "My mom saw The Beatles in the early 60s, 

While the place was muddy, apparently someone decided there wasn't enough and brought out a fire hose to make more. Actually, what happened was Shockwave quipped, "Oh oh -- the gals are too hot and the stage is on fire!" Alison yelled ''Beamers are burning the place down!" Brian quipped, "Hey, when your hot, your hot." Shock went, "Throw some mud on the fire!! Quick!" Someone went, "These guys are lit?" And that's when the hose was used. "The mud needs to be a lil more muddy though."

There is no truth to the rumor that Liska had a flare gun on her, or is there?

But the hose wasn't truly needed for mud as it soon started raining. Shockwave would comment, "And of course, you can't have Woodstock without rain!" "The mud needs to be a lil more muddy though." "It'll get muddier as the day goes on probably." "With some standing water in the mud puddles." "Good thing I'm down to just my shorts with all this rain and mud." "Gotta take off my shoes so mud can ooze between my toes."

Then Cynthia started playing the song "Hair." Or as some would call it, "The Fuzzball Ortega song." Cynthia remarked, "Looks like we have made a rather hairy situation!" Shockwave remarked, "And a rare recording -- this is from the BROADWAY performance!!!" Someone remarked, "Alison waatch the dread locks please." Ren commented, "Ironically doing a two-step to hippy song." Shockwave mused, "Sunbeamers arent big on consistency." Brian responded, "Nope they specialize in fun." I commented, "You're a consistent punner." Cynthia would comment at the end, "As per that tune I played Hair, there were lots of hairy creatures running around then."

Shockwave then called out to everyone, "Who here misses the 60s? Back when we had to know how to play to make music." Someone commented, " I wasnt born yet, but I do. I didnt come along til the 70s" "I dunno, that wuz so longs agho, I's forgot 'em." "I've been told... by a reliable source... if you can REMEMBER the 60s, you were never really there." "So.. since I can't remember the 60s.. that measn I was really there, right? (grins)" Shockwave mused, "Its almost like you were actually at Woodstock!  Wtih furry animals and colors."

Then Cynthia was playing "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)." Shockwave called out, "Here it is people!!! The ANTHEM of the 60s!" "Woooooooooooooooooo!" "YAY!" "TUNE!" "Love it!" *dances in the rain and sings along in real life* "I'm siiiiiiiiiiiiingin in the raaaain." Liska mused, "Anthem of the 60s, lyrics from a couple thousand years earlier." Shockwave responded, "Couple thousand years before, they didn't have the recording gear.  And all they could play was ROCK music. Hehhehheh."

With "Somebody to Love" by Jefferson Airplaine, someone was singing along, "Dont you want somebody to love, dont you need somebody to love, wouldnt you love somebody to love, you better find somebody to love ..."

Liska joked, "First wind turbine asks, 'What kind of music do you like?'  Second wind turbine answers, 'I'm a huge metal fan.' "

 

 

Eventually Brian asked "Hey Shocky what would you do for 30,000L$ on the kiosk?" Shockwave answered he would wear his "little red number." "Come on... you people don't wanna see me in that little red number.  Do you?" Wateru commented, "Something tells me Shock actually wants to wear that little red number and is just looking for an excuse." And eventually the kiosk reached the ammount, the wolf oing, "Oh geez... *blushes as bright as his britches*" Liska commented, "Mark Twain said, 'Man is the only animal that blushes.  Or needs to'." Wateru mused, " I keep proving that wrong with all the blushing I've been doing as a fox lately." 

Eventually, the kiosk would reach 35,000 Lindens, "Shocky the kiosk." The wolf commented, "I'm already IN my little red number! Can't wear less without being arrested!!  Or tagged."

As time went on, so did the songs, and the humor in response to them. When "I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends" was played, Shockwave mused, "I get by with a little hemp from my friends." When "Green Tamborine" was played, Liska joked, "Now listen while I play on . . . my green trampoline." Someone else went *beats her tamourine to the tempo of the song*

Wateru mentioned his team Purple Tears had a Steam game auction, "I should have put up one for just RelayStock."

As the second to last song played, Shockwave Yareach: Like all good things, our show is about to end. ... We've loved revisiting hsitory with you all. ... You know what history I wanna dance to?  CANCER being history! We are the Sunbeamers! Our leader is Rita Mariner, and your expert DJ this evening was Cynthia Farshore!!" Liska would say, "Our choreographer was borrowed from Roos With a Dream, Lady Ren." People from the audience cheered, "Loooved seeing you all perform!"

 

Cynthia was then about to play her final tune, "Ok we thank yall for pitching in the donation and I leave you with this tune Goodbye to Cancer."

Shockwave would say as the team was getting ready to leave the stage, "Thank you ALL for making the Sunbeamers event a roaring success!!! We are happy you are here, jamming to the music and trying to make Cancer a memory like Woodstock was. We will see you next year!! Party on, and GO RELAY!!!"

Just as the last of the Sunnies were leaving the stage, Alison glanced at how much Cynthia and her dancers had raised, " ***Wewtwewt *** 50K!. Sunbeamers are awesome!!!"

The singer up next, Hunter (HunterOfMen Zarco) called out as he was getting on stage, "This is the American Cancer Society's 20th year in Second Life and our all time fund raising total stands at nearly 5.5 million dollars and in 2023 our event was ranked 8th among more than 2600 Relay Events Nationwide."

Backstage, we congratulated ourselves. Once again, the Sunbeamers had pulled off a good event. 

There would be one more big Sunbeamer event between Relaystock and the Relay Weekend, the Renaissance Festival in Caledon. It collected come cash, and the donations kept coming, the team ending up at Ruby level for the second year in a row. 

 

It would be a while before I would finally finish this article, a little over a month and a half. Yours truly has been busy, not only reporting other stories, but also in real-life. But I wanted a good account of the fun we had that day, so I took my time.

It's been about eleven years since the Sunbeamers were formed, the successor team to the Passionate Redheads which raised money for six years. While formed by Rita Mariner, the team is much more than her. Numerous individuals both from the days from the Redheads such as Shockwave, Lomgren, Dusk, Nydia, and others made their contributions, as have those who joined after such as Snowy, Cynthia, Mattie, Charlee, and more. Sadly, some have left. Alleara and Jessicabelle would pass away two years ago, and this year would be Zorro's last Relay, him passing away this spring. While no longer with us in avatar, they are still with us in spirit. 

So what will 2025 bring? We plan to have the air show again, and send another DJ and set of dancers to next year's Relaystock. We don't know exactly what will happen, but have every intention of raising a lot of cash, and having a fun time doing it, ourselves and those around us, bringing the day when inexpensive cures for all cancers will be here for everyone a little closer.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Kowloon Locker Festival: A Virtual Spectacle of Creativity Second Life

 

By Klaus Bereznyak

 

With the event running until the 14th of February, there's still time to explore the unique celebration of tiny spaces and creativity that is the Kowloon Locker Festival. It's an eclectic collection of decorated lockers contributed by Second Life residents and showcasing some exceptional flights of imagination.

Easily found to the left of Kowloon's main gate landing point, the festival features around 30 lockers, each one modded according to the tastes, interests, and imagination of participants: from crowded rooms to fan tributes and minimalist spaces. Participation was open to any avatar from January 26th as explained on the Kowloon's Wall blog. On joining the group for a small fee, Magnum Yoshikawa, Kowloon's caretaker and "chief carpenter", gave each participant a simple locker as their canvas, and the challenge was to unleash their creativity however they felt inspired.

Surely invoking the joy of having a small space to personalize that many of us may have had at high school, the result is a fascinating array of lockers, each reflecting the diverse interests and talents of its maker. This is what SL is really good for (in my humble opinion) and the variety of themed designs, sculptures and imaginative interiors offers a glimpse into the vibrant creativity of the SL community.

Many of the lockers demonstrate not only the way avatars can step up when artistic freedom is offered but also the sense of humor we bring to our second lives. Some of the modifications include some impressive applications of scripting, likePyo Igaly's rocket locker, which gives visitors a surprising ride into the sky for a bird's-eye view of the exhibit.

The sim, Kowloon's Gate Reborn, is commonly referred to as just "Kowloon", and it will likely be familiar to long-term residents of the grid, having stood the test of time. It's a homage to a little-known classic PlayStation adventure game from the 1990s, which draws on the neon-drenched, shadowy aesthetic of Hong Kong's infamous Kowloon Walled City. It's quite possible to get lost in its immersive maze of narrow, overhung streets, lined with shops and dark alleys and shady characters. Life here goes on with events such as the Locker Festival as well as hunts and games organized throughout the year.

Art, technology, humor, in a setting that celebrates ancient and modern culture, it's all here, inspiring us with the potential for innovation and connection in virtual spaces. What would you put in your locker?

SLURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/kowloon/147/11/24
Blog: https://kowloonswall.wordpress.com/

Klaus Bereznyak

 

Scenes From Burn2

 

 By Bixyl Shuftan

 

 

Last month from Friday October 7 to Sunday October 16, the Burn 2 art and music festival took place. A virtual reflection of the yearly Burning Man event that takes place every late summer in Black Rock Nevada, it's been one of the more notable yearly events here in Second Life. It's been taking place for over a decade, following the change from the "Burning Life" festivals that were sponsored by Linden Lab but stopped in 2010.

 

The theme this year was "Waking Dream."

 

 

 As usual, there were greeters near the entrance during the hours most dropped in.

 

 

There were numerous parties at the sims. 

And there were numerous art exhibits.

Among the artists there was Moya, who has gotten the attention of the Newser a few times.

There were vehicle rezzers from the Department of Mutant Vehicles, including smaller ones for tinies.

I noticed an arena in the grounds. 

Some of the grounds around the middle of the area looked fairly empty.

The most noteable and important of the builds was "The Man."

Inside the base were a number of pictures.

The other very notable build was the Temple.

I would see one dance being carried out there.

Which included one tiny participant.

Speaking of tinies, the wee folk of Raglan would have liked this exhibit.

 

 

 

 

Marianne McCann, better known for her Bay City events, would hold one party at Burn2 on the night before the burning of "The Man."

A smaller "man" would be burned down at her event, the "Mini Man Burn."

Saturday October 15 had the Man Burn, preceeded by a Lamplighter show by iSkye Silverweb (iSkye Silvercloud).

Standing over the people watching, The Man remained as it had throughout the event, for a time.

I had my attention turned away for a moment, and it returned to see The Man ablaze from his legs to his chest.

It's left arm lowered when the flames reached the shoulders.

And it was soon completely on fire.

Eventually, the flames started turning the wood to char and ash.

And it was falling apart.

Fire doesn't travel down as fast as up. But the base eventually was ablaze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And "The Man" was eventually just a pile of burning char and embers. 

Eventually the all clear was given, and people went to walk and dance on the remains. 

The burning of The Man would be recorded on Youtube (link).

 

 There would be one or two other burns of The Man. The following day was the Temple Burn, which I was unable to attend.

 

 I would explore a little more on the last official day of the festival on Sunday the 16th.

There were a few last-minute events, plus a few impromptu unscheduled ones in the following few days, plus a "Thank You" on Saturday the 22nd.

Burn2 was a good event, but not all was well. Maybe it was the empty space, but things seemed a little smaller. I didn't notice as many of the whimsical porto-potties as before. And some of the optimism I saw at previous events, "It was better next year" was tempered. What is known that a number of artists over the course of several months before the event either left or were dismissed from the Burn2 groups. Many would have their own event that began just as Burn2 was finishing, the "Renegade Burn."

Still, it was an event like no other, and looking for the one next year.

Bixyl Shuftan