Fixing My Mistakes - Featuring 24 Squared With >Asset< and Blacklace; Featuring - DE Boutique from Designer Showcase

This week I've been away, on vacation, and happily soaking up the sun. Perhaps the sun addled my brain or perhaps I did that all on my own. Either way, I've had a terrible time with focus and details. I've sent apologies to the designers that were effected by my loss of focus. I'm glad they were thoughtfully forgiving. I'm glad that I'm allowed to be human and err from time to time. I'm ready, however, to get my balance once more. I'll be returning home tomorrow.

Items I have to share include two items from the 24 Squared Event that begins on September 5. It's a Siren Productions event, and will include a variety of designers including the two represented by this blog. Within the time frame, fashion shows, live models, and post show parties are scheduled.

Blacklace offered this bustier and shorts combination, along with multiple colors not showing in the photograph as part of their 24 Squared elements. The variety allows for all sorts of mixing and matching and makes it easy to style.

>Asset< and this slicked back hairstyle, offers this exclusive Vono Megapack at 24 Squared and only then, will you be able to purchase it. It will not be in stores after the event. Also, a limit of 25 per color and 25 fatpacks will be sold, and then they will be gone for good. If you love it, you should haste to grab it while the gettins' good.

I thought this image would be a good way to close this blog. It's a little bit like how I feel. The Wild West event has been mentioned in a previous blog showing the Saloon Pose set. This pose comes also from IE from it's Slain set. Once in a while, when we over do it, we feel like falling out on the floor, and taking a nap... A N Y W H E R E. So I think I will.

Featuring BlackLace from 24 Squared - Brandy Chapagne Set

Featuring DE Boutique from Designer Showcase September - ss14 Chester Fille Heels Essentials Pack

Featuring >Asset< from 24 Squared Vono (Unisex) Hair

1. Pure Poison Eve Style Necklace

2. ~Snake People~: Belly Piercing

3. *AE* Peace Silver Earrings

4. Lip Piercing *Onyx Paw*

5. SLink: Elegant 1 Hands

-- Mid High Female Feet

6. Moondance Boutique: Stalking Tiger

7. Kyxe Skins & Shapes: Lily Skin Tone (Hannah)

8. Maxi Gossamer: Swallow Wings Red & Black Worn

9. KMADD/Moda: Mesh Eyes

10. Image Essentials Poses and Props: 1) Graceful Elegance Pose 

and 2) From Wild West Compilation Slain Pose

The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss -- Featuring [[Masoom]], MADesigns and Kyxe Skins & Shapes

Many of you have heard the story of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. It's a holiday classic. Most of you may never have heard of The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. This story has a completely different focus but one that's so incredibly important. It tells a story of the haves and have nots. This is a story we've likely experienced at some point in our life.

When you're on the side that has value in your culture, it feels really really good. If you find yourself on the side that doesn't fit in so well, it can be very bad, depressing, and maybe push you to the edge of sanity. I can't think of a single instance where this doesn't happen. Someone thinks their way of life is the only way or the best way and tell others that the way they behave is wrong. It's a constant for humans.

The thing is, we believe it. We don't believe it when we're offering others advice. We tell others to blow it off, not to worry, not to get upset if they don't have a this or a that. But when we're the one missing that special thing, we grieve it. I've noticed this in the macrocosm of our wide world and in the microcosm of our Second Life. No group seems immune. You can be a Furry, a Neko or a Vampire, and you face the same thing.

I work hard on the concept of acceptance, open mindedness, and tolerance. If I want others to accept me just as I am, with my flaws and idiosyncrasies, I know I should extend the same. I don't always, however. I fail. I falter when it comes time for me to step up to the plate. I don't do it every time, but I repeat it often enough to know how fragile this sense of place and order in society is to us humans. As I spoke to a friend, to encourage them not to give up in the face of similar struggles, I thought of the Sneetches.

You'll see why if you take the time to read down the blog. I'll print a small portion of it and a link to the remaining part of the poem for you to read if you have time. I hope you take a deep breath as you read it and remember to Live! Laugh! Love!

Featuring [[Masoom]] Glam Mood Dress

Featuring MADesigns Mia

Featuring MADesigns Merge Hairbase

Featuring Kyxe Skins & Shapes Special Geisha Alabaster Skintone

1. MADesigns:

- Eyelashes Photoshoot

- Eyes Attention Ancient

2. Kyxe Skins & Shapes: Evening Splendor Metallic Mint

3. *AE*: Gold Beads and Chain Set at J&A Expo

4. Poses in Studio at The Creative Loft
5. Candy Nail: Rosey Gold

The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss

http://www.barnabasministry.com/quotes-sneeches.html

Now, the Star-Bell Sneetches had bellies with stars. 

The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.

Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small. 

You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.

But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches

Would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”

With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort

“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!”

And, whenever they met some, when they were out walking,

They’d hike right on past them without even talking.

When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball,

Could a Plain Belly get in the game? Not at all.

You only could play if your bellies had stars

And the Plain-Belly children had none upon thars.

When the Star Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts

Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts,

They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches

They left them out cold, in the dark of the beaches.

They kept them away. Never let them come near.

And that’s how they treated them year after year.

Then ONE day, it seems while the Plain-Belly Sneetches

Were moping and doping alone on the beaches,

Just sitting there wishing their bellies had stars,

A stranger zipped up in the strangest of cars!

“My friends”, he announced in a voice clear and clean,

“My name is Sylvester McMonkey McBean. 

And I’ve heard of Your troubles. I’ve heard you’re unhappy. 

But I can fix that, I’m the Fix-It-Up Chappie. 

I’ve come here to help you. 

I have what you need. 

And my prices are low. And I work with great speed. 

And my work is one hundred per cent guaranteed!”

Then, quickly, Sylvester McMonkey McBean

Put together a very peculiar machine.

And he said, “You want stars like a Star-Belly Sneetch? 

My friends, you can have them for three dollars each!...

"So This Is Christmas, What Have You Done?" - Featuring *AE* and AIDORU from J&A Expo Plus Carrie's Lingerie, and EMO-tions

Happy Christmas (War Is Over) seems to be an odd name for a song. Its origination came from somewhere unexpected and yet has become a Christmas Carol staple played around the world each holiday and covered by bands since it's singles debut by John Lennon in 1971.

I find it intriguing that people take messages and read what they want into them or glean what they want from them. When this song was written it was definitively done so as an anti-war song protesting the Vietnam War. John Lennon notably said, "Now I understand what you have to do. Put your political message across with a bit of honey."

Projects he took on outside of his work with the Beatles (and often including his new wife Yoko Ono) often had a political message, but his voice was heard best when he sang his protests. He wanted to write a Christmas carol with themes like unity and peaceful change, keeping the song positive and optimistic without creating something of sappy sentimentalism others associated with holiday tunes.

Times have changed. I served in a war as a member of the United States Navy in 1990-1992. I recall the very different sense of support of the military at this time. It was obvious to me that a country had learned to separate their support of a military member from a government's war. That change affected hundreds of thousands of troops at that time and to this day. Maybe protesters, the people who matched into Washing D.C. and those who use their voice like John Lennon had a part in that altered viewpoint.

Putting politics aside completely, this song came into the world with one purpose yet over time, it became a part of a culture that had nothing to do with its original meaning. The lyrics are simple. If you listen to the first recording or find a cover, it's easy to understand the message. Only the last stanza of the song reminds us of war, or peace, or a people who found themselves at war and preferred peace. I prefer peace. I may be naive to think it could ever exist, but I don't mind my naivete. I have hope.

Featuring *AE* Peace / Siver Exclusive from J&A Expo

Featuring AIDORU Exclusive Elite Pumps #2 from J&A Expo

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Webhost/123/125/21

Also Featuring Carrie's Lingerie Mia Copper VIP

Also Featuring EMO-tions Harley

1. MADesigns: Eyelashes ~ Lush Lash

2. MADesigns: Eyes Confidence ~ Subtle Ocean

3. Kyxe Skins & Shapes: Orchid

4. Manifeste Poses

So, this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong

And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

War is over
If you want it
War is over
Now

Read more: John Lennon - Happy Christmas (war Is Over) Lyrics