Altruism - Featuring Air Shen Zhou, Bbarbie, Digital Eyes, KMADD, Baboom! and FINESMITH

In my corner of the US it hasn't been on yet this holiday season, but when it is (tonight at 8!!) I will tune in to watch Merry Christmas Charlie Brown for my 40-somethingth time. I love the simplicity of it; when the music by Vince Guaraldi and the story by Charles Shultz were paired together, it exuded the very essence of Christmas for me.

I don't care for Christmas for a lot of the reasons Charlie Brown shares in this story. At one point, he was sitting with his personal 'shrink' Lucy, trying to explain why he was blue at this time of year, and at some point in the conversation Lucy interjects, "Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you're the Charlie Browniest."

I think that phrase could be rewritten with my name in there instead of his. I often get blue and disappointed and focus on some of those negative things that can really pull any of us down. Stress. Money. Who needs what? Am I doing this right? I feel so vulnerable. There's even a commercial on that talks about being the Gifter, and out-gifting your friends. That's just not Christmas to me.

I wish there were some way to reset the switch like Linus did, and find the altruism of the holidays, boiled down to the most pure possibilities. I think that some of the essence of the holiday might be shared with ANYONE from any corner of our world. Whatever your faith, I will still share my joy and love abundantly. In any setting, I will put your needs ahead of mine. I know I'm not perfect, so my altruistic efforts may fail at times, but I give it my all.

I'm so happy it's December 2. I'm happy I have friends from all over the world who do and believe and think and live differently than I do. I hope that my readers, my friends, my supporters understand how much I want to pour out back to your world, filling your cup til it flows over, setting your cornucopia so it's abundantly filled with all your needs. I do think I'm the Karyn-iest... Caryn-iest.

Live! Laugh! Love!

Featuring Air Shen Zhou (Hair Accessory) from J&A Expo

Featuring Bbarbie Queen of Hearts Earrings *Used as hair lights for wreath hair from J&A Expo

Featuring Bbarbie Vintage Emerald Earrings *Used as hair lights for wreath hair from J&A Expo

Featuring Digital Eyes Mesh Animated Fan from J&A Expo

Also Featuring MADesigns Hair - Zoe

Also Featuring Baboom! Exclusive Black Rose

Also Featuring FINESMITH Fall in Love Set

1. Kyxe Skins & Shapes

- Kyxe Alabaster Skintone

- Kyxe Demure Cotton Candy Eyeshadow

- Kyxe Glamour II Berries and Cream

2. MADesigns Eyes Confidence Evergreen

3. Gaeline Mesh Lashes: Starlia

4. FINESMITH: French Nails

5. Manifeste Poses

"All The Who's Down In Whoville..." -- Featuring {WearMe}, EMO-tions, Enfant Terrible, Essenz @ J&A Expo Plus KR Couture

I love the beginning of "How A Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss. We get introduced to this group of people who could be you or me. Whoville represents everyone. In Whoville, the people got excited about Christmas. They prepared for a fanfare of amazement on that special day in all sorts of ways. Dr. Seuss had a way with fantasy words, elements from wild musical instruments to special gadgets.

Those Whos, whoever they are, had an antagonist in their world, not too far away, and he didn't care much for the Whos or their holiday season. At times, I feel more like I could identify with that old grumpy Grinch. Life throws all of us curve balls and sometimes they're really big. I think it could be easy to deal with the stress of the world around me and my hope shrink in the process.

*A side note here, I don't believe Dr. Seuss went to the nth degree to define Christmas as a purely singular faith type holiday.

The Grinch takes it one step further than I think I ever could. I definitely have moody holidays some years, but I don't look around me and try to take that away from others and their sentimentality. I'll go through the motions of the holiday and not feel it at times, but I wouldn't hurt others by taking away their stuff. The story says, "It came without packages, boxes or bags..." because the Grinch had decided that he could take Christmas away from the Whos by taking all their stuff.

I know that there are times when I'm disappointed that I lash out and tear into someone else, and when I'm done, for a little while, I feel bigger and better than they are. It's silly, mean spirited really, and so human. I've noticed that the competitive nature of the modeling and fashion world brings this Grinch out of us, and we use words instead of a pool stick, and we make others feel small instead of tapping all the Christmas decor into a sack.

There were Whos, and they could have been any of us. There was a Grinch and I guarantee that we've all had our grinchy ways. Every time I see the holiday special, I find I identify with Max as well. He's the very small dog who ends up being super-dog, drawing the sleigh. He's stuck, under the care of the Grinch. I think of him being the one who had no choice in the matter; not mean like the Grinch, and not sweet and innocent like the Who. He was just Max, stuck in a moment.

I prefer to have some control over my life. I have felt stuck like Max at times. I know the story was written primarily to amuse and entertain, and it does. I also think Seuss had a message in many of his stories and this one just makes me feel a lot of emotions. Live! Laugh! Love!

Featuring {WearMe} *Feel* StarDustClassical Nail from J&A Expo

Featuring EMO-tions Fairytale From J&A Expo

Featuring Enfant Terrible Vintage Girl Brown Fur Hat from J&A Expo

Featuring Enfant Terrible Vintage Girl Ring from J&A Expo

Featuring Essenz Santiago Wedge Heels with HUD Color Changer from J&A Expo

Also Featuring Kastle Rock Couture Gabriella Top (Silver)

Also Featuring Kastle Rock Couture Gabriella Skirt (Rose)

Also Featuring Kastle Rock Couture Seamed Hose

Also Featuring [Mirror's Enigma] Freya Peach Skintone (Natural/LightBrow)

1. Kyxe Skins & Shapes: Magical Shadow - Gold

2. Kyxe Skins & Shapes: Glamour Lips - Bubble Gum

3. MADesigns: Eyes Confidence - Subtle Ocean

4. Face Paint: Black Liner

5. Gaeline: Divina

6. Manifeste Poses

"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

It's a Golden Day -- Featuring EMO-tions and Belle Amie from the J&A Expo also Featuring Featuring Romance Couture and [Underscore]

I love the old version of Willy Wonka, the one where Gene Wilder played Mr. Wonka. I liked Johnny Depp's twist on the character and admired him for stepping into such an iconic role when he did it. The earlier version felt differently, something I can't quite finger point but it did.

This scene from the movie, and the song in particular, shares the energy of the most perfect thing that could possibly happen to a little boy and his grampa. A golden ticket meant they were on their way to see Mr. Willy Wonka.

As I think of the various people I've gotten to work with this year, and the continued support of some amazing sponsors, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Most recently, I've begun to blog this Jewelry and Accessory Expo, more easily abbreviated J&A Expo, and many of the items are fantastic bits of treasure. It's a golden day!

Jewelry and accessories are things I get most concerned about in Second Life. Everyone 'plays' differently and each of us have different ways we make the currency of the Linden work for us. Since I don't import Lindens, everything I use comes from something I do somewhere in Second Life. It gives me a sense of success to have some financial stability but when I have the privilege of working with an expo like this, I just feel like Charlie, the boy with the golden ticket.

When I style for gown creators like Romance Couture, I want to have all the right pieces, modern, new and fresh to add to their work, so I might show it in the most glamorous way possible. That means new hair styles, new jewelry, shoes and every other twinkle and sparkly. By adding a few sponsors here and there, with items like this, I feel so much more able to put together an apt look for each blog. And this expo... it's icing on the cake.

I couldn't say thank you enough times to each of the people out there who've helped me build into the model/blogger I enjoy being today, but I am thankful. Every day should be a day for thanks but when a holiday nudges us, I reflect in joyful earnest. Live! Laugh! Love!

Featuring EMO-tions *VERTIGO* Facemask Golden from the Jewelry and Accessory Expo

Featuring Belle Amie ~Anguinam~ Jewelry Set (Earrings, Necklace and Ring) from J&A Expo

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

Featuring Romance Couture }RC{ Fauve Gold

Featuring [Underscore]: Victor

1. MADesigns Eyes Confidence ~ Intense Depth

2. Kyxe Skins & Shapes Glamour II Butterscotch

3. [Mirror's Enigma]: Sofia Dusk Skintone

4. Face Paint: Midas Touch Bronze

5. Manifeste Poses

I Have To Remind Myself Sometimes -- Featuring KL Couture, J&A Rock Culture from Jewelry Expo Also Featuring Evolve, EMO-tions, & Kyxe

It's especially enjoyable to me to work with designers who are already my sponsors and have them appear on the list of designers for special events. This happened yesterday for me, with more than one designer, but in this case, I'm referencing KL Couture, and KL Couture has a couple of items for the Jewelry & Accessory Expo.

I really like the girl who makes the items for KL Couture. I liked her instantly when we met and I love her consistency. It's the single greatest trait I rely on for people in Second Life. If you're simply you and consistent in behavior, action and voice, you have my support. Kyria makes amazing clothing, and when I saw she had some pieces of jewelry for this expo I was thrilled. The large photo of hands here shows the intricate detail she put into her pieces. These repeat beautifully at the ear and throat as well.

The other over sized and close up photo shows you J&A Rock Culture's heelsp, a pair of hot pink or are the crimson... they take on the color of the moment in my opinion. I've had a chance now to work with J&A Rock Culture as I've blogged a few events. I like the diversity of things I've seen contributed to the various venues because I know it means a wide variety awaits you at their main store.

There aren't enough words to convey the person behind Evolve. I should say the people behind Evolve. Not only does Reign Congrejo create item after item, she makes sure she has a staff of awesome people present to help you find just the right look for you. The dress from Evolve does not come from the Jewelry and Accessory Expo, but is a new sale item this weekend for Evolve and goes well with the other items!

Last but never least, I have to share the joy I found late yesterday when I spoke to Ms. Mirja Mills, then her blog manager about returning to EMO-tions as a blogger. I have missed Ms. Mills classy creativity. She creates styles that run the gamut from costume and frill to updo and elegant to calm to the wildest elements possible. This particular style, Edith Ombre is mesh and part of a Gacha set, with Ombre being the rare.

New items to share from the Expo, consistent designers, creative and complex artists, and a return to a sponsor whom I cherish. How could it get any better than this? Live! Laugh! Love!

Featuring J&A Rock Couture Peeptoe Heels from the Jewelry & Accessory Expo

Featuring KL Couture Winterland Set Platinum from the Jewelry and Accessory Expo

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

Also Featuring Evolve's Gorgeous Pale Pink Dress

Also Featuring EMO-tions Edith Ombre Ultra Rare at Gacha Fling

Also Featuring Kyxe Skins & Shapes Glamour II ~ Berries And Cream

1. Kyxe Skins & Shapes: Orchid Skintone

2. Kyxe Skins & Shapes: Devine Eyeshadow ~ Magic

3. Gaeline: Fantasia

4. Face Paint: Black Liner

5. MADesigns: Eyes Confidence ~ Intense Depth

6. Manifeste Poses