Xavier Theibaud's Farewell Party

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

As a follow up to the interview with Xavier Theibaud I wanted to let you know I was happy to make it to the final showing of The little Prince with Andy Loon (Szerewp Loon) playing the part of the prince and to the after party, all in honor of Xavier. 

 

 

You read the interview with Bixyl the other day. The Little Prince is a fantasy childhood story that has been adapted and presented in at the Royal Opera in Second Life for many years and makes observations about life, adults and human nature.

I was friends with his partner in Second Life and real-life, Raftwet Jewell, and Xavier also, for many years. That is an old photo of both of them from way back. Loosing her was such a shock to all of us and a huge loss to Xavier who was her partner not only in SL but in RL. It was surprising when he called to tell me he was leaving Second Life. I am one of those who told him perhaps he would come back after time passes. There are so many who do that.

Time will tell.

The after party was lovely and I did get a chance to dance with Xavier, perhaps for the last time.

Many friends attended the party to dance the night away. But they were there to pay homage to Xavier’s second life. I hope his real life will be interesting and peaceful and he will live it to the fullest.

 

The A-List will go on and all the art and activities will continue with the very capable well known Ava Jhamin taking over. But Xavier will be missed by so many in his varied interests in art and culture in Second Life. You can see scenes from the party here thanks to Henri Fouquet @ The Royal Opera Garnier.

The last tunes played by the DJ were related to his leaving, last tune “I Did IT MY WAY” 

With a tear in my eye I say Bye Xavier.. you did do it your way.

Gemma Cleanslate

 

"Goodbye Jasmine" - DJ Jazzy's Last Performance (For Now)

 

 

On Sunday January 29 at 5 PM, the Happy Vixen gave a farewell party to one of it's DJs: Jasmime Dawn/ DJ Jazzy. Jasmine has been DJing on and off at the Happy Vixen since it opened over ten years ago. Almost two years ago she was able to do so again on a regular basis. Standing out in a place of foxes, felines, and bunnies in her equine avatar, later on a giraffe, the real-life veteran played a number of country, rock, and pop music tunes at her sets. But she had recently been hired by a company who would pay her more per hour, but she'd have to work more hours. So she was stepping down. But not without one last show at her Sunday slot.

This evening, in Second Life at The Happy Vixen will be my last event. I'm retiring from the stage and moving on to bigger and better things in my life and asking you all to come join me there this evening from 5pm to 7pm SLT     Will be a fishbowl event with a drawing for 3 lucky winners.  Simply come as you are. ALL are welcome to enter  and those 3 lucky 3 will walk away with at least 1000 linden lovings each.  Bring a friend and help me fill the place up yeah?  Help me say goodbye once last time.

 

 

 A few decorations went up for the occasion.

 

 

 There were quite a few party poppers going off: KABOOM!

Someone partied a little too hearty.

 

 But was soon back into action.

 

The theme was Come As You Are. And instead of voting on the board the prize was given at random to three people via "the fishbowl." Initially 3000 L, it rose to 9000, then 9500 L.

The last couple songs were "Take This Job And Shove It" and "The Parting Glass," the former probably chosen out of humor, and the latter for poetics.

The contest was won by three lucky winners, DeniseUnicorn Toonie, Halaliel Zenith, and Kit Shiriki MoonDust (Kit UwU). who split the 9500L prize.

Eventually the set ended and it was time for DJ Squeaks/Brandi Streussel to play the tunes, so Jasmine hung up her headphones for the last time, at least for now. It's probable she'll occasionally DJ on special events, such as Halloween. But DJing on a regular basis, and possibly the Halloween Haunts that have appeared annually for a while, won't be for at least a few more years, "There will always be a place here for you."

The Sunday 5PM slot is expected to be filled in by DJ Frost (assuming all goes as planned).

Thank you again Jazzy, and best of luck.

Bixyl Shuftan

 

The Last Hurrah at Urban Furry

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By Bixyl Shuftan

 After several months of operation, the Urban Furry club was closing down. The decision had been made around mid-January, and the final week saw more people than usual dropping by to get a few last looks at the venue. Saturday night would be the final event, starting at 8PM SL time.

It's a sad duty when it comes to having to announce the closing of a great club. Sadly, Urban Furry will be closing after Jan 30. DJane Maliit will be the closing DJ that night. Please, come out, show support and help Whiskey turn the lights out one final time in a great SL furry club that will surely be missed by all. I hope to see you all there.

DJ Maliit played the music that night, with Brandi Streusel as the hostess.

 A number of people would show up this final night, some regulars, a few coming by to wish everyone well.

The Newser first heard about the venue owned by Whiskey (Thorrin Resident) in Summer 2018. It made news that year for it's "Furry Prom" event, taking part in the FCA Halloween Club Crawl, and it's winter area.

But the club would close it's doors in March 2019. About a year and a half later, it would reopen in July 2020. It would make some news in the winter for it's Christmas globe and taking part in the FCA New Year's Eve Club Crawl.

After the event was officially over, people were invited to hop on stage. Some were sans clothing or topless. So a little covering up was needed for this picture. "Thank you all sooooooooo much for joining us." Maliit would say.

From behind, not so much covering up needed.

For some moments, some hung around and chatted.

Then Whiskey began taking the place down, piece by piece.

Before long, it was down to just one prim left, the floor.

When it vanished, people fell down, or they flew.

And everyone left met on the ground.

And there were some final goodbyes before parting. "Thank you all for being a part of this wonderful place," Maliit would say.

So ended the Urban Furry club. But is it truly the end? I've heard some wonder if Whiskey might bring it back sometime in the future. But this is all speculation. For now, all that's left are documented pictures, stories, and memories.

Bixyl Shuftan

Caledon Llyr Holds Closing Party

By Bixyl Shuftan

Caledon is a community and place familiar to many longtime residents, especially fans of steampunk. The place has a number of sims, over two dozen. But the land area used to be much larger. Much like Second Life in general it has gotten smaller over the years. Earlier this year, the Middlesea sim was closed down. While I heard whispers last week that another sim would be next, I didn't get a name until Saturday: Caledon Llyr. Located on the eastern edge of the estates, it was mainly a large island with a smaller island in the southwest corner and a ship off it's northern coast, water separating it from the adjacent three sims.

It turned out that the sim wouldn't exactly be vanishing but replaced. "It will be renamed, and have a new owner." I would be told later. But it still meant the old land would soon be fading away, "The sim is staying but the name is changing."

The place was permanently at Midnight, and had a spooky air to it with it's misty woods with wolf howls. Where there wasn't woods, there was often tall rocky mountains. The sim had the following description: A wild and magical land on the western border of Caledon; an explorer's last stop before sailing off into the sunset and the open sea, and (if the rumours are true) home to the infamous Black Moon Marauders. Sightings of fae are not uncommon here.

On the night of Saturday August 11, I was told by Cynthia Farshore that Caledon was having a farewell event for Caledon Llyr. But as it turned out, the sim was at full capacity when I got there, so I could only observe from a distance.

 I could zoom in and take a few pictures, though. So I did.

Later on, Cynthia would message me that a few people had left. So I tried again.

And this time I would make it over finally.

There were quite a variety of avatars present at the final salute to the sim.

Andrea Jones was there, sporting her firey avatar from the Burnstock.

Desmon Shang, Caledon's leader or "Guvnah" was also present.

People were of course sad that the place would soon be gone, but took it in stride, one saying, "All good things come to an end.  Maybe a good thing will spring up somewhere else." Tao Mistwalker whom was involved with the sim, responded, "Balance is always maintained. And sometimes things have to come to an end so that they can truly begin."

Jan Stroikavskoi spoke, "My way of saying I'm sad too. Llyr has been my second home since it first started up and it has always offered shelter to those passing through. Sig and I were married here too. ... it doesn't matter who has more.. it's the effect a place leaves us with."

In one of the adjacent sims, a building's owner would hang up a sign in support.

Conversation turned back and forth from jokes, to shopping, to attempts at pirate tales, to the sim being replaced by a new land, "From Des's point of view, it's stayin'. From ours, it's disappearin' and bein' replaced by a new sim." "The new owner will probably e making changes, though. Ya think?" "Well as I said when I first heard about it, everything eventually changes...it's a hard truth."

Eventually, more and more would start to leave. Tao would say, "Llyr has become an incredibly special place over the years. But as I said, that's because of all of you."

And so, Caledon had bade farewell to one of it's lands. Though as the space itself would not be going away, perhaps something special would arise in it's place.

Bixyl Shuftan