Wear Gray

The Wear Gray fundraiser starts tomorrow, Sunday, 9/12.  Proceeds benefit the American Brain Tumor Association.  Sanura Snowpaw started the fundraising campaign after she lost a cousin to brain cancer.  This is an important cause.  I lost a colleague to brain cancer.  He was a professor, and he was loved by his students and his colleagues.  He had a way of making everyone feel smart and important, and he made learning fun.  I still, sometimes, when I'm walking into work, think I see him out of the corner of my eye.  His illness came on suddenly during finals week one year.  He just collapsed.  His health quickly deteriorated and he passed away about 7 months later.  We all miss him terribly, and have named a scholarship in his honor. He always used to say, "Psychology comforts the afflicted.  Sociology afflicts the comforted."  How true.

Please support wear gray so no one has to lose a friend or family member this way.  The outfit I'm wearing is called Haleigh's Dress and is a collaboration between Ivey Deschanel of Sn@tch and Sanura Snowpaw of Dreams.  It includes the bodysuit, the skirt, and the socks.  There is also a set of beautiful skins included with your donation.  The "Unforgettable" necklace is from Puarangi Designs Jewelery.  The Anna Broadway ~ 11pm hair with the mask and feather included is from RezIpsa Loc, and the Chapped Vamp skin is from Mango Mango.  All these items are your gifts for donating to the ABTA and 100% of your donation goes to the charity for these items.  They are only available at Wear Gray!

I'm not going to give away the SLURL to Wear Gray yet as it doesn't open until tomorrow.  Please check with their blog after it opens for the location.

BBBC Topic #2 - Being Positive

Today's BBBC challenge is to write about three positive things going on in your Second Life.  Well, now, that is a challenge.  I'm fairly curmudgeonly by nature, so this is going to take some effort.

Positive thing #1:  Operation Squeegee.  I am very excited to get to take part in Operation Squeegee.  One of the hardest things about disasters like the BP oil spill is that there is so little that one person can do about it.  But, if each person does their little bit, together we can all make a difference.  So, having the opportunity to take part in this worthy cause is something that means a lot to me.

Positive thing #2:  Ok, curmudgeonly Isa is already having trouble with this challenge.  I'm sitting here thinking, "Well, I have friends in SL and they're a positive part of my SLife, and I really like my little shop, as lame as it is, and um, I like making stuff and blogging stuff" and all I can think is, "OMG! that all sounds so dorky, goofy, sappy.  Barf!"  So, yeah, I guess positive thing number 2 is all this sappy stuff.   It's all positive.  *barf*

Positive thing #3.  Bite me!  I'm not going to even attempt a 3rd positive thing.  My mind just doesn't work like that.  All of you fluffy, butterfly, sunshine, happy, woo hoo type people with your high 5s and your squeals of joy can have your positive stuff.  I'm going to stick with my curmudgeonly ways.  You can't change me!  *shakes fist*

Credits:

Skin:  Launa Fauna - {Lapine, Pale 1}[Eve]

Eyeshadow:  Moonshadow - 2.0 Face Tattoos - Shadowy

Hair:  Ploom - Kewpie - Coal

Dress:  A Netherworld - Layered Dolly Dress

Collar:  Dreams - Skull Buckle Collar

Shoes:  Animas Designs - Lady Biker Boot

Location:  Macbeth

Poses by Everglow

We Love Our Kitties, Don't We

Pets add so much to our lives.  They comfort us when we're feeling down, they love us unconditionally, they entertain us, and they become an integral part of our family.  This post is inspired by all the pets out there, and to their humans who love them so much.

"Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections,

predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult

standards for people to live up to."

- Alfred A. Montapert

This post is dedicated to Cajsa, who inspires me.  All the best to you and Mariah.  You are in my thoughts.

Credits:
Dress:  Vesna - Kitten Dress
Hair:  Kik - mode-catC(black)
Skin: Gala Pheonix - Moonbeam [Dark] Cupid-Allure 1
Collar: Dreams - Diamond Full Paw Print Buckle Collar
Tail: Dreams - Fluffly Tail Purrfectly Plain in Black Night
Stompers - Nek-o-licious - Black Leather Neko Feet (old hunt gift)
Face Tattoo:  Dreams - Paw Print Face Tattoo
Tattoo: IrUrU - Cat Paws (old hunt gift)
Shoulder Kitty:  Animas Designs - Black Shoulder Cat
Eyes:  House of Ruin - Simple Tonic: Sapphire
Pose by Everglow

Kitty Mew

I had a wonderful time at the Tic Tac Toe grand opening.  There are bargains galore, great designs, and the cutest gifts!

The top and skirt are opening gifts and were only 1L each.  I paired them with the cute little paw collar from Dreams.  It's color change, so you can match any outfit!  The hair is from the Gatcha from Kik.  There are 5 different styles and they are all so cute!  In addition to the kitty hair shown above, there is a stag, a bunny, a bear, and a mouse.  Each try in the gatcha is 30L and each style comes in 3 colors.

Skin -Gala Pheonix - :GP: Moonbeam [Dark]Cupid-Allure
Hair - kik - mode-catC(black) (Gacha 30L each try)
Eyelashes - Sn@tch - Lush Glam Lashes (Black)-
Top - Tee*fy - TicTacToe Opening Gift Feathery Simple top (1L)
Skirt - Mocha - * Tic Tac Toe * Color Mini Skirt [Pink] Skirt (1L)
Leggings - Tee*fy - Oinks (60L)
Collar - Dreams - Diamond Full Paw Print Buckle Collar {NO Bling}
Gloves - Sn@tch - Skully Gloves (Black)
Shoes - Tesla - High Oxford *Black*
Poses - PDA (no longer available)

I remember

I remember a poem I read long ago:

Beloved, lay your hands on my heart in it's gloom.

Do you hear that? Like tapping inside of a room?

A carpenter lives there with malice and glee.

He's building a coffin - a coffin for me.

He hammers and pounds with such fiendish delight,

I can never sleep, neither daytime or night.

Oh, carpenter, hurry the hours that creep;

Come, finish your labor - and then I can sleep.

                                             ~ Heine

Credits:

Eyelashes - Glow - Innocent, eyelashes - soft

Eyes - House of Ruin - Spectrum: Velvet, hollow
Necklace - Grim Bros - neckproteck (Midnight Mania Prize)
Shoes - N-core - 3" Ankle multicolor (Group Gift)
Tattoo - Moloko - Stardust Tattoo
Skin - Gala Pheonix - Moonbeam Frex [light] Cupid - Allure 1
Hair - Analog Dog - Delora Jet
Lip Piercing - Dreams - Pentagram Lip Rings Set (R)
Dress - Kissed by Lithium - Lorcet Black & Pink (R)

A Sn@tch Girl on a Scooter

I rode a scooter all through college and never had an outfit this cool!  Now, I ride a Harley Sportster, a bike befitting of an outfit like this.  This is newness from Sn@tch - Girl on a Scooter.  I chose the red version - to match my bike (which is black with red blood spatter painted on).

I'm also really enjoying my new N-Core boots - a group gift from the shop - they come with color changing leg warmers which you turn off or on.  I also love these nice long, sharp, fingernails, which can also be used as weapons (not really), from Mandala.  They come with some nice chunky bracelets which I'm not wearing, mostly because I forgot when I was doing these pics.

It's too cold in RL to go for a ride, but as soon as the weather warms up, I'll be back - the little goth girl on the Harley - riding around town smiling at small children with my vampire fangs. LOL

Credits:

Hair - Zero Style - * 0 Style *Maya*(Raven)_M
Skin - Ugly Duck - Bella - Redlips - cateye
Outfit - Sn@tch - Girl on a Scooter Single (Red)
Shoes - N-Core - 3" Ankle Multicolor (Group Gift)
Nails & Rings - Mandala - Takara Nail/Black
Necklace - *Dreams* - Heart Locked Buckle Collar
Tattoo - >>> moloko <<< - Stardust Tattoo

ps - I had to use Emerald's extra attachment points to wear both the pant cuffs and the boots at the same time.  We need more attachment points in SL!

Out on a Ledge

In the words of the famous Rodney King, "Can we all get along?"  He was speaking in the midst of the LA riots.  And, Reginald Denny, the severely beaten truck driver, said he held no grudge against his assailants.  The experiences of these two men should remind us that even in the midst of horror, it is still possible to move on from the past.

The anonymity of the internet seems to make it easier to attack others, but I would like to appeal to the rational side of those in the midst of conflict.  Nothing can be accomplished by name calling, rumor milling, and mud slinging.  We all have similar goals, hopes, and dreams.  We're more alike than different.   When our emotions are at their height, it is difficult to think rationally.  We say and do things that we regret later.  It's at that moment when you should take a step back, breathe deeply, and leave your computer screen.  Go out and do something nice for yourself, enjoy your RL friends and family, pet a puppy.  But most of all, resist the urge to lash out.

Scarlett O'Hara provided us all with a good tool for dealing with conflict when she said, "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."  And so should we all.  Responding to conflict with a clear mind in a rational way will always be more effective and productive than lashing out in the midst of an emotional reaction.  Make peace within yourself, then you will be free to make peace with others.

Good luck, take, care, and stay safe.

~Isa J

Credits:
Hair - CriCri - Bon09-B
Skin - [42] - skin embellished_02 pale (42L)
Collar - *Dreams* - Heart Locked buckle Collar
Shoes - A-BOMB - Dolly pumps
Tattoo - >>> moloko <<< - Stardust Tattoo Female
Top - DYN - Britnee Top - Black (R)
Jeans - DYN - Pattern Jeans - Sparkles (R)

Scene - Kabi's cafe&bar - skybox***city02*** (free)

Hump Day Sn@tch

Sn@tch has this beautiful little pink dress for sale exclusively for 69L Hump Day.  The sculpted skirt has terrific movement when you walk and the textures are outstanding.   Ivey Deschanel is one of my favorite designers in SL.  I love her style and her sass.  

I'm wearing some of my favorite accessories with this outfit.  The hat is from tomoto, the skull collar is from the lovely Sanura Snowpaw's shop Dreams.  She is really one of the sweetest people around and very much deserves success.  The sword necklace is from Lostwood and the boots are from HOC.  They are color change and can match just about any outfit.  I am such a fan of these boots!

I took the photos at a lovely sim called Petit Pas.  There will soon be a grand opening within the next couple weeks, but for now, it's a beautiful place to just be a tourist.

Style Notes:
Outfit - Sn@tch - Velveteen (Hot Pink Humpday)
Skin - Tuli - Hope (goth) 08
Hair - Lamb - Bang Bang Bob - Ink
Hat - tomoto - Tartan voile gothique
Necklace - Lostwood - Magical Sword Chain
Collar - Dreams - Skull Buckle Collar
Boots - HOC Apparel - Knee Boots
Eyes - House of Ruin - Spectrum: Moss
Eyelashes - Glow Studio - Innocent, eyelashes - soft
Poses by Everglow