Preview - Wichita Skins

Sindecade will be releasing an update to the Wichita skin line soon.  These skins are hand drawn and come in three skin tones, snow, pale, and tan.  I reviewed these skins today, and they are lovely, with no obvious seams and smooth shading.

The skins include push-up cleavage, lingerie, shiny eyes (see the photos below, they are stunning), tintable eyebrows, and a female shape.  They are 2.0 ready with tattoo and underwear layers with 22 hairline colors, push up enhancers, and pubic options.  Single skins are L$800 and fatpacks are L$3800.

Here is a preview of some of the skins that will be available:

In the snow tone, Candy - Rosebay, Freckles - Natural, Candy - Retro, and Casual - Natural

In the Pale tone:  Candy - Poison, Candy - Retro, 9pm Cherry, and 9pm - Bite

In the Tan tone:  9pm - Ink, Freckles - Natural, Freckles - Spring, and Casual - Violet

Again, the shading on the body is lovely - I especially like the butt!  For the full body shot, I'm wearing my favorite of the series below - the Pale, Candy - Poison.

More information is available at the Sindecade blog and in the Sindecade shop.

Other credits:  Hair by I Love Olive - Emma Jet Black, Poses by PDA (no longer available)

The Suicide's Soliloquy by Abraham Lincoln

Here, where the lonely hooting owl

Sends forth his midnight moans,

Fierce wolves shall o'er my carcase growl,

Or buzzards pick my bones.

No fellow-man shall learn my fate,

Or where my ashes lie;

Unless by beasts drawn round their bait,

Or by the ravens' cry.

Yes! I've resolved the deed to do,

And this the place to do it:

This heart I'll rush a dagger through,

Though I in hell should rue it!

Hell! What is hell to one like me

Who pleasures never know;

By friends consigned to misery,

By hope deserted too?

To ease me of this power to think,

That through my bosom raves,

I'll headlong leap from hell's high brink,

And wallow in its waves.

Though devils yell, and burning chains

May waken long regret;

Their frightful screams, and piercing pains,

Will help me to forget.

Yes! I'm prepared, through endless night,

To take that fiery berth!

Think not with tales of hell to fright

Me, who am damn'd on earth!

Sweet steel! come forth from our your sheath,

And glist'ning, speak your powers;

Rip up the organs of my breath,

And draw my blood in showers!

I strike! It quivers in that heart

Which drives me to this end;

I draw and kiss the bloody dart,

My last—my only friend!

Poem likely by Abraham Lincoln

If you're considering suicide, please call for help.  There is someone out there who will listen to you and can help you, and you do not have to feel the way you do. 

I took the photographs at Creative Fantasy at Raven Hollow.  There, you can find just about any accessory you could imagine for your haunted/spooky land, including the wolves and buzzards.

Credits:

Outfit - Sn@tch - McLovin - Long Sweater/Plaid Ruffle Skirt (Red)

Hair - YunA's Hair - Milk - Black

Skin - Frick - Marie in Peach - Dk brows - frex

Shoes - N-core - Ankle boot - Multicolor 

Necklace - JD Design - Necklace Cross red gems

Eyelashes - Nikita Fride - Long Eyelashes Double Flowers

Poses by Poseur and Leafy

Beware of my cold dark heart

Sangre Noir is another one of my favorite shops in SL.  I admire Noirran Marx's dreamy gothic style, and I have just discovered that she makes the best vampire teeth in SL.  While I normally consider my avatar to be more of a ghost than a vamp, I couldn't resist wearing her wonderful teeth!

Her style is very romantic and you can find lovely long romantic dresses that don't seem too ballroom gown-ish. They flow nicely and have beautiful details.  They're perfect for those of us who are romantic goths (what kind of goth are you?).  Don't I look like a hungry vampire?  You should definitely beware.  It's been ages since I've had a bite.  Come closer.  Let me whisper a secret into your ear.

There are beautiful romantic details in Noirran's designs.  These dresses feature lace sleeves, ribbons, bows, and full length skirts.  I look better when I've eaten, don't I?  You don't have to be afraid of me anymore.  I think I can control my appetite now.

I wanted to feature, close up, these vampire teeth that I love so much.  When you smile, laugh, or growl, the teeth stay set appropriately.  And the lovely Marilyn piercings that go with the teeth set, just add to the image of dark romance.

Even Norrain's more casual designs are romantic.  From flowers on pant legs to bare shoulders and roses on simple tops, there is something to keep all the romantic goths in SL happy, that is, until they get hungry again.  It's funny how, when you're a vampire, your existence is controlled by your desire to eat.  It's just that all of you mortals look so...yummy.

Taxi to Sangre Noir but beware of little goth girls standing in dark alleys.

I also want to mention I'm wearing a number of items from the Alt Fair.  I'm wearing skins from Sn@tch and IrEn, and jewelry from Lolapop. If you haven't been, yet, I highly recommend it.  There are many wonderful and exclusive items available, like the beautiful items I am wearing, that the designers have donated to Nothing but Nets.  It's a good cause.  Don't miss it.

Credits:
Photo 1
Top - Sangre Noir - Antique Lace Tunic Noir (modest)
Skirt - Sangre Noir - Gypsy Flexi Skirt Noir ankle length
Hair - Exile - Mercy/twilight
Skin - Iren - Evangeline ghost_noBT (at the Alt Fair)

Necklace - Lolapop! Blood Lust Necklace

Photo 2
Dress - Sangre Noir - 18
Skin - Iren Evangeline fair_eyeliner_noBT (at the Alt Fair)
Hair - Exile - Shirelle/Twilight
Necklace - Lolapop! Icon Choker Bronze Pearls (Alt Fair charity item)
Ring - Sangre Noir - Gothic Onyx Ring
Photo3
Top - Sangre Noir - Dark Roses Tunic
Jeans - Sangre Noir - Midnight and Roses Jeans
Skin - Sn@tch - Plush Skin (Tone 1-Bruse 2) (Alt Fair charity item)
Hair - Exile - Carly/twilight
Necklace - Lolapop! Bitten Choker
In all photos:
Eyes - House of Ruin - Spectrum: Velvet, Dark
Eyelashes - Glow Studio -  Innocent eyelashes - soft
Fangs/Piercings - Sangre Noir - Fangs and Piercings Marilyn
Nails - Sn@tch - Nail Candy (brick)

Alternative Fair Goodies!

The Alternative Fair starts April 22nd, 2010 on the Sn@tch, Nominee, Pulse, and Kadath sims.  There are over 50 of the best alternative designers in SL participating.  The purpose of the fair is to benefit the charity Nothing But Nets, an organization focused on fighting Malaria.

Many of the designers are donating the proceeds from special edition and new items to the charity, and to entice you even more, some designers have set out some great freebies.  Here is a sneak peek at some of what's available at the fair.

Fair Credits:
Outfit - Sn@tch - Swag Bag (Alt Fair) includes the Satin Latex Pants in purple and The Hunger "Wish I could AStop" top with prim sleeves (FREE)
Skin - Mango Mango - Sepia skin (1L)
Necklace - Lolapop! - Bitten Choker (only 90L)

Fair Credits:
Outfit - Arsenic Lace - Alt Fair Gift Bag - includes Bee Shirt, Gray Striped Socks, and Nemily Yellow skirt (FREE)
Skin - Heartsick - Illusion: Tease (C)
Necklace - Emo-tions - Gift *Hells End Collar (FREE)

Fair Credits:
Top - Wretched Dolls Lavander Maxi Shirt/Socks (FREE)
Skin - Sn@tch - Plush Skin (Tone 1 - Bruise) (200L for Nothing But Nets)
Necklace - Lolapop! Die Like an Egyptian Necklace (FREE)

To get your goodies and to help fight malaria, Taxi to the Alternative Fair!

Other Credits:
Photo 1:
Hair - I Love Olive - Milla Black
Shoes - The Abyss - Stompers (Black)

Photo 2:
Hair - Lamb! - Bang Bang Bob
Shoes - Sn@tch - Platform Gooshers (Flat Black)

Photo 3:
Hair - I Love Olive - Starr Silver
Shoes - Shiny Things - Hyasynths - Black
Skirt - Sn@tch - Glitter City New Eden Exclusive (Black)
Gloves - Sn@tch - Punkables (Black)

Poses by PDA (no longer available)

Fantasy Fair

You don't want to miss the Fantasy Fair.  It runs from April 19th to the 25th.  You can find tons of information about the fair on their blog - Fantasy Fair 2010. For me, the highlight is going to be Nominee's gargoyle avatars!  I blew my budget on it already, and it is absolutely stunning.

This is a complete avatar - 18 pieces total - including a shape, skin, eyes, and all prim pieces including prim hands and feet.  The head piece is amazing and the wings are beautiful.  You can buy gargoyle poses at the Nominee booth as well.  Then, all you have to do is perch on a tall building somewhere and do gargoyle things, like scare small children and fight crime.

Credits:
Gargoyle Avatar - Nominee - Exclusively at the Fantasy Fair
Poses - Gargoyle Poses by Zarabella - At the Fantasy Fair

LOL - it's a short list because I'm a nekkid gargoyle!  Woo woo!

Pink Shirt Day

Today is Pink Shirt Day.  It is a day to raise awareness of the impact of bullying.  I am one of the lucky ones.  While I received my fair share of teasing as a child, nothing rose to the level of bullying.  I did see it first hand, though.  My brother is autistic, and he was relentlessly bullied in high school.  He was an easy victim because he couldn't defend himself.  Back in those days, schools did little to prevent bullying or to protect children who were bullied.

It seems simple to say that bullying is bad and that it needs to stop.  What is more complex, though, is understanding what bullying is and what it isn't.  I know of at least four bloggers who hesitated to blog about Pink Shirt Day out of fear, and I think this fear arises out of some common misconceptions about bullying.  Being outspoken, opinionated, critical, or controversial is not the same thing as bullying.

We have rules in society.  Those rules are called norms, and they operate in our everyday lives.  Norms tell us how we should dress and behave, and what we should believe.  If someone violates those norms, they experience social control.  Social control includes all those things that people do in society to get people to behave.  From police arresting criminals to parents scolding their children, we have numerous techniques to keep people in line.  Norms and social control are both necessities for society to function efficiently.  There has never been and there never could be a society without rules and punishments.  While it may seem trivial to punish those who dare to step outside the norms, it serves important purposes.  It teaches us what the rules are, it builds social solidarity, and it paves the way for society to progress.

Social control includes public shaming, gossip, finger pointing, and teasing.  Those things are a normal part of life and a product of the way society functions. Just like there are norms regarding how we are supposed to behave, there are also norms about what the appropriate punishments are for violating those norms.  Bullying arises when someone goes above and beyond these norms.  For example, it is not appropriate for someone to make fun of an autistic person for being autistic, and it is not appropriate for people to throw things, push around, yell obscenities at, or rape a recent immigrant because she is different or new.  It is never appropriate to use violence, threats, or abuse to get people to do your bidding or to hurt people for your entertainment.

To me, the difference between bullying and engaging in every day forms of social control is clear, and while some bloggers are controversial and outspoken, they should not fear or shy away from taking a stand against bullying.  So, I say bloggers, go for it.  Continue to blog and state your opinion and be controversial.  Engage in the debates.  And, in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson,

"Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood."


Credits:
Eyes: ( DP ) Eyes - Light Blue (slurl could not be found)
Hair: I Love Olive - Betty Hair in Pink Flamingo
Skin: L.Fauna {Lapine . Pale 1} [Eve]
Outfit: A Netherworld - Glory to the Geeks (Pink Shirt Day Freebie)
Shoes: HOC Apparel - Knee Boots Female - Plain colors
Necklace: Lolapop! G33k Keys Choker
Glasses: .:*December*:. Glasses No.42 GropGift Kyouiku-Mama Megane
Poses:  Everglow

While Everyone Else is at the Circus, I'm at the Zoo!

Mustafa and I got along great.  He showed me his kingdom and I gave him a back scratch in return.

The elephants, though, were a bit stinky.  I told them to watch out and not step in it, but they just yelled at me.

They did like my skirt, though.  They said they'd never forget it.

Credits:
Skin: Lara Skin-free*Michelle Goth*
Eyes: House of Ruin - Spectrum: Velvet, hollow
Hair: Tiny Bird - Love Song (short version) - Milk
Outfit - OMFG Le Cirque Edition
Shoes - HOC Apparel - Knee Boots
Hand Tape - SiniStyle Taped Fist & Black Nails (Wrists - Fingers)
Piercing - Lolapop! - Triple Goddess Facial Piercing

Location - Zoo Neunkirchen - der Zoo mit Flair - biggest Zoo in SL

Poses - Striking Poses and PDA

PS. I should mention that I am opposed to the use of animals in circuses.  I think it's exploitive.