DarkStar crashes, pouring its light into ashes

Reason tatters
the forces tear loose
from the axis

Searchlight casting
for faults in the
clouds of delusion

shall we go,
you and I
While we can?
Through
the transitive nightfall
of diamonds

Mirror shatters
in formless reflections
of matter

Glass hand dissolving
to ice petal flowers
revolving

Lady in velvet
recedes
in the nights of goodbye

Shall we go,
you and I
While we can?
Through
the transitive nightfall
of diamonds

spinning a set the stars through which the tattered tales of axis roll about the waxen wind of never set to motion in the unbecoming round about the reason hardly matters nor the wise through which the stars were set in spin

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And from my SL sister, Kitzie Lane:

As many of you are aware, there has been what I would call a tragedy at the DarkStar sim complex. It appears that this was an issue where SL bled into RL and caused some major hurt.
Most of us try to keep SL and RL separate, but we are human. Human beings drive these avatars, and we bring with us our personalities, quirks and frailties. We have feelings, and desires and we act on them in both positive and negative ways.
One who is hurting has chosen a very negative way of reacting to their pain. While we in no way condone the actions, we should understand the pain that has caused this response. It is inevitable for our RLs to be impacted by SL, especially if we are not content in our RLs.
I hope the family from DarkStar will find some peace and move forward. After all, no matter what a place looks like or feels like, it is the people who congregate there that make it feel like a home. A new home will be found, for we ARE a family and families move on together. If it happens that the family can remain on Ripple or return to DS, so be it, but the family will be together.
Please keep those who are hurting at this time in your hearts, pray that they will find their way safely in their RLs and that they too will move on in the way that is best for them.

Keep On Going - Just A Mile To Go

For motivational purposes, I am going to keep track of my training and progress for my big ride on the 28th. I'm registered for the 100 mile ride. I'll be honest - I will be incredibly impressed if four weeks of post fracture training and a still sore elbow is going to make it that far. The reality is I would be thrilled if I went 75. That would still be my farthest ride to date.

So...what have we done this week...
Sunday 30 miles even pace
Monday 26 miles even pace
Tuesday 10 miles hill practice
Friday 18 miles sprints
Sunday 45 miles even pace

getting there - but let me tell you by the end... I was moving much to slooooooooow

Wake Up to Find Out...

Its been an interesting week - back to work and back in my usual routine: work, school, carpools, errands, life...it's good. I've been spending more time with my kids. That has been really refreshing. The time goes so quickly. I can't believe I've got a 4th grader and a 1st grader. Where did the time go?
I've been back on my bike - my RL butterfly wings. I can fly on my bike and I get to watch the world flutter by. Now I'm training for my century ride at the end of the month. We'll see how I do... Graeme is a great friend and has been coaching me all along. I want to make him proud.
Balancing between my RL and my SL has been an interesting endeavor. On the one hand, I am really enjoying RL, but on the other, I miss the time I spend with my friends online. I suppose that is what life is about though - juggling and keeping as many balls in the air as you can. I might have too many up there, but i'm trying to keep them from crashing down on me. I am grateful to all the people in my life who cheer me on and believe in me even when I am not sure if I can do all this. They keep me balanced. And honestly, I'm just too damn stubborn to give up anyway ;-)

The Wheel is Turning

And I can't slow down...actually - its time to speed up again. After my end of the year breakdown in June, I have had a nice summer (ok, at times tumultuous) resting, playing, and bonding with friends. Alas...its that time of the year again. Labor day means the start of another school year and here I go.
I've been dreading the start of the year, but I think its time for an attitude adjustment. I've got really cool classes - and small (BONUS!!). I'm teaching algebra II, computer applications, intro to computer science, and AP computer science. I'm also working on my doctoral dissertation and a school project to develop a SL platform on the teen grid for our students. Oh, and lets not forget my own kids and their school work.
So if you see less of me, please understand - I'm really going to try to balance better this year...and if you see me on too much - give me a boot off! Muahh!

Circle of Friends

My very first post talked about the wonderful friends I met here in SL.
Last night was very special. Kitzie asked me, as we sat in a circle of our closest friends, if I would be her SL sister. I am so flattered and honored to have her as a friend.
Good friends are hard to come by - in RL and SL - and I am grateful for the friendships I've made in SL with people I never would have otherwise met.
We had a wonderful bonding experience last night in the lot; Kitzie, Starling, Moondance, JeffGlen, Ceemore, Goonigoogoo, and myself. As JeffGlen said, " it was one of those moments of real cameraderie". I couldn't agree more.

Setting My Hippie Self Free

Some things in life are just to perfect and too beautiful not to share. I had a wonderful opportunity to spend a few days up in Bethel, New York at Yasgur's Farm - Woodstock.
Yasgur's Farm - the farm house is in the background.

The hill on the farm where the original Woodstock festival took place. The stage was at the bottom of the hill.

Bob Weir and Rat Dog and The Allman Brothers played at the magnificent open air amphitheater built on the farm. About 10 minutes before the show a quick rain began (would it be a show at Woodstock without rain?). As Bobby opened the set with Here Comes The Sunshine, the sun came out and with it was the most spectacular double rainbow.



While we were there we visited the recently opened Woodstock Museum. If you have the opportunity to be in New York, this is really a must see. There are artifacts, interviews, and footage never seen before. A world of 1960's history leading up to the event is presented and stories from local residents are shared. The atmosphere is bright and cheerful, the music invigorating, but the museum visitors are somber taking it all in, remembering another time's forgotten space.
So as not to infringe on copyright laws, I do not have original pictures of the museum to share with you...please check out their website: http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/museum.aspx

The next day we continued our journey with the bands to see them play again at Jones Beach. Although not a surreal surrounding like Woodstock, this show made the first one look like a rehearsal. An amazing week. And in RL - go figure!

Now where are those wings...

Lets Talk Pose Balls

Got your attention - didn't I? Good.
Now, lets talk about the pink and the blue. After all, thats what makes life interesting between the music - if you know what I mean. I had an enlightening (and hillarious) experience today - which i will get to in a moment - that seems to have tied a few recent issues together.

The Olympics in Beijing have brought gender to the headlines of most major newspapers and TV news shows. Testing the athletes for gender honesty has proven more of a challenge than the Chinese government would like to admit. The gender lines have become so fuzzy. Defining gender by a simple genetic test is unreliable. Women can have a Y chromosome making them potentially men. Men who have had sex changes and hormone replacement for two years are officially women. And then there is the issue of how you live you life, and whether that makes you a man or a woman. Interesting concepts to ponder.

So what does that have to do with the pink and blue pose balls? Well, how do you know which one to hop on? After all, do you really know if that hot hunkie avi is really a guy? Or that drop-dead gorgeous chick you met is really a chick? Many of know someone who found out too late. And what if you know you are both hunks or both chicks - who picks the color? Paper, scissor, rocks? Eenie-meenie-miney-mo? Or do you go by height? The taller one gets the blue ball. See, who's to say?

So these three hot chicks walk into Bits and Bobs to try out pose balls to use with their respective SL mates (I know, it sounds like the start of a bad joke). Who should hop on the blue?