No I haven't forgotten my blog.
The past few days I have been focusing on one happy thing in RL and something upsetting in SL, but it cuts too deeply right now. I need a some time to pass before I can talk about it.
The happy RL thingy: A few of you know that my husband and I have a roomie. This weekend was her graduation ceremony for her doctorate! I think I may be excused for saying "Finally!"
Now don't get me wrong. I went to college, four years for a bachelor's, taught a year, back for graduate work, finished - 1 year for this particular program. Started on a master's course for art and couldn't pick the exact medium I wanted to work in (no decision? they didn't want me), back for an accounting class, tried art again (same thing), tried to locate a college/university in the region that would design a Masters of Fine Art for me for hands on historical fiber (forget the exact wording - nope), 2 years part time for a paralegal certificate. So yeah, I believe in schooling, learning, hitting those books and studio time.
She's been in college for a solid thirteen years! Wow! Determination and will power were very much in evidence. My applause at the ceremonies yesterday was loud and long - only eleven getting their doctorate in Biomedical Sciences. She is in cancer research, slightly different area of study than anyone else as far as she knows. She has been published three times and has had her work cited in other peoples' papers!!
YAY!! Cas jumps up and down and claps wildly!
So this weekend in RL is almost totally about her - the ceremony, gifts, cards and then what she wants to do: a nice dinner out, a couple of movies that she wants us to see too and then me running out in the cool wind and rain to pick up food from a place that doesn't deliver. She deserves it. She wanted to quit several times when the administration in both the college and the medical school (two different institutions joint program) had a major lack of communication and failed to do whatever was scheduled that particular time - usually affecting finances or credit hours or scheduling.
Happy Thursday late again. If you don't like to read about RL, stop right here.
What makes me happy? Second Life makes me happy.
In many ways really, but this post is about the break from real life, the relaxation and autoimmunity it offers.
One of my co-workers looked at me yesterday and said "I'm not under the stress you are" It surprised me to hear that from a man with a young child, a not great heart, and a wife with that brings home more money than he does and pressures him to go to college so he can get out of what he enjoys and make more money. However he was talking about our responsibilities at work. He's the buyer for the home decor department and consults on fashion fabric purchases.
I'm the manager and buyer for the largest, most active department. I control about 1/3 of the shop which contains oh, 6 or 7 departments, most of which have sub-categories. As buyer I work with ten fabric reps handling 40 manufacturers.
What attracted his attention? I was involved in my detailed analytical approach to buying which is accompanied by some gut reactions. Trying to decide which pieces of fabric from which lines from a particular manufacturer to buy for the shop. Which would my customers want? which were groups likely to be featured in magazines or regional classes/workshops, and if they were, which prints would be used in the project? And if they weren't, which groups or prints in the group would sell/be in demand regardless?
I have a regional reputation in a small vertical market. my guess is about 3,000-4,000 people in the immediate area; not that all of them know me or know of me. But enough walk in the door with my name on their lips. He calls them Cas's Groupies. During the one of the big national shows each year, I hear a little song "It's Casie's time, it's Casie's time" and believe me when I say the other managers get burnt out with it being "all about Cas". I am always deep down grateful when it's over and work settles down again.
I could go on in this vein for a while such as a round of applause just because I went to a birthday bash for an instructor last week. Weeoou what did I do?? I'm just me, nothing special. I'm so glad I'm in a nitch market. I don't know how regional TV personalities handle it.
This is one post I probably should delete, because I don't want to give the wrong impression. This really isn't a swelled head trying for attention even though it may sound that way. This is RL background to show you why when I get home I enjoy escaping into a world where no one knows my name. No one looks me up and down and says "So you're the famous Cas".
Maybe that's why I've never managed to do anything worthwhile in SL. No designing, no art, nothing creative, not even a fashion blog. Time away from work is not all time in SL - I do projects, I visit friends weekly, I exercise almost every day. However SL is my escape, my freedom, my social outlet when my work schedule prohibits me from attending activities with the RL groups I'm in.
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us — don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog-
Emily Dickinson
I've had this poem memorized since high school.
Linwe, the Aglarond elf leader, came to Maralee (kingdom activities scheduler) and I with the suggestion of using the monthly Fae Fest event as the opportunity for an official May Day celebration for the Kingdom of Aglarond. We thought it was an excellent idea, so Mara and I chose last Sunday, May 3rd as the best date.
Linwe, Emy (fae choreographer) and I worked together to pull it off. Linwe set out a wonderful buffet in the small pavilion.
Essie and Alli
The gist of a notice:
Aglarond's May Day celebration in conjunction with Fae Fest brings you dancing around the maypole choreographed by Emyly Beaumont with DJ Otawan Fouquet.
A suckling pig and drinks, chairs to relax in, couple dances, cuddles behind the bushes! We have it all for you!
It is for everyone! Come join us, and don't forget your potion!!
Zee was kind enough to provide us with an anti-pregancy potion to ensure there would be no small surprises in a few months! I sent it out kingdom-wide with the invitations.
Destiny and Avrilleona dancing
Moss, Shawwn, and magically the picture captured what we couldn't see - High Queen Hispa in ghostly form haunting the party
Emy and Legend
There was a wonderful turnout for the event; thirty-four all together with a few over 20 at the peak.
Aisuru and Pumpkin were both sweetly feminine fae!
Natasha a pretty soccer official, Rylan and Al - the egg and the chicken trying to settle the which came first question.
Noel dipping Ali during a dance. He had strategic bubble placement and she was TinkerBell
Don't mess with Meara! Believe it when I say she and Kal can handle those weapons easily.
Sarra, myself alone without dwarf in sight, and Sophia who has totally wasted away.
