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Friday, June 22, 2012

MY OWN RAMBLINGS

Over the past few days, I have taken the time to reflect a great deal on the Relay Season this year with the team.  Just like anything else we have had ups and downs, things planned that did not materialize, but more ups than downs.  I have commented many times on how much I love and appreciate the music community,  being on this team has only intensified that.

Yesterday, I actually counted the number of events, team members and realized WOW we stay busy.  To date, 32 events.  177 team members, just under $14,000 raised, Ruby level achieved so far with no doubts of hitting diamond at 4 million linden.  Bronze level reached in rl donations.  Venues that are asking if they can keep going after Relay weekend.  Requests to be included next year. 

All of this and back in February when we held those first brainstorming meetings did not have a clue as a brand new team what we were going to do.  Then I look around at each of the team and think about how very far we have come.  Even when I burned out and had my emotional breakdown, a couple of you held me up. 

Each of you have gone on to reinforce a major thing that many of us already knew.  Music does make a difference and makes the world go round.  As a team we have done some awesome things.  At the same time, just about every event in Relay For Life of Second Life also brings in live music.

I am both honored and humbled to belong to such a great community.  The hearts in this community are sooo huge.  Whether on a team or not, as a community, we truly make a difference in the lives of sooo many.

All I can possibly say is Thank You and that does not seem to be enough.

ON TO THE NEXT WEEKEND MAYBE I WILL ACTUALLY CATCH UP ONE DAY

I have to send out a special thank you to a venue that is not on the team yet kind enough to allow us to hold our 1980's event there.  Ground Zero you guys are just wonderful.  SL was giving me grief so I could not stay, but ooohhhh that skate party looked like such fun.  GMetal and Thea you guys are truly the best.

Liz did a wonderful job of a great line up.  Liz Harley, there will never be enough words to tell you what this woman means to me.  She has jumped in and helped organize more events...things she never requested.  If it needs to be done....Liz is there.  This woman is truly an angel.  Speaking of Liz, watch for an awesome weekend of originals.  Liz is coordinating this event and involving other venues again.

Phat's Jazz Club held an event for RFL that ran June 8 to June 10, Stephano did a great job with a Passionate in Purple best dressed contest.  Congratulations to Fanti Runo and Lodar Runo 1st place and Rakhi Resident  2nd place.

This past weekend, we had another huge weekend.  PureLife Lodge took everyone back to the 70's  in the Music Thru Time Series. with a great line up and huge turnout.  PureLife has held a few events this year and all have been extremely successful.  Only one left in the this series...it is at Under The Willows on July 13th where we come back to modern day and look into the future.  I have heard sooo much about this build though it has been under wraps.....I am truly looking forward to it.

The Musical Revue was also held at OZ Nightclub.  A special thank you going out to Ty, Tank, and Magi for allowing SL MUSIC RACES FOR A CURE to utilize their ballroom for a line up of show tunes.  Now a personal note......OZ Nightclub has to be one of the most unique and beautiful ballrooms on the grid.  I have seen many that are absolutely to die for....but walking into OZ all you can say is WOW.  Just think Emerald City from the Wizard of OZ.  Performers loved it and I think they all want to perform there regularly.  Kat, of course issued challenges for Lindens and they were met.  The highlights of the day outside of being a great fundraiser; the combination of Ty and Tank, the owners, along with Magi, the manager,  their antics kept everyone in wonderful spirits and laughing.  I can not pass up the opportunity to comment on Antonio Galloway....we all know and love him, but when he gets to OZ he is truly inspired and does a medley of songs from the movie....nothing beats his munchkin singing voice.  If you have not had an opportunity to visit this ballroom, it needs to go to the top of your must do list.

Heading into this weekend, we have the Originals Weekend.  Two different venues, one of which is not on the team but opened their doors to host a team event.....Thank you sooo much to The Source.  Accoustic Meadows owned by our own Lizzy Nightfire and Alexxis LeFavre is the other location.  18 hours of music all written and performed by some of the very best of Second Life performers.  Watch the notices for the line ups.

I have a confession to make--I am going outside of my comfort zone and entering a team event that is a pageant of sorts...though it is a popularity contest, and most of you know my feelings on those, this is solely to raise money for RFL of SL.  So I will be asking this awesome community of ours to come out and vote for me when my pics are open for voting.  Every 5 lindens will count as a vote,,,,,all going to RFL of SL.

Most of you know me well enough that I will give you some awesome links to check out as well as a way that you can make donation...no matter how much...it all makes a difference.

To Donate:
 http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY12SL?team_id=1115404&pg=team&fr_id=42558

For some awesome pics of the events held thru SL MUSIC RACES FOR A CURE:

https://www.facebook.com/SlMusicRacesForACure





Friday, June 15, 2012

THE AMAZING WEEKEND AND TEAM CONTINUES

This team is absolutely amazing!!!  During the clothing auction we had put together what we had referred to as the challenge weekend.  It had started out with a challenge between myself and another captain, as to which team could bring in more funds....it had been slated as two sims, two stages.  Unfortunately, the other team had a few mishaps and had to cancel....so we relocated a fantastic lineup.  I literally cleared my sim except for the stage to keep lag to minimum....amusement park came down, even my house came down, horses stored...even my little African Bengal was stored.  The sim set up to accommodate the auction and music fest.  Performers wow they really turned it on this weekend.  Opening the weekend with one of my favorite people both an awesome performer and a wonderful friend, Shaye Dezno  and closing it on Sunday with another personal favorite, Johnny Paramour.  The weekend was filled with so many of my favorites,  TerryLynn Melody, Christopher123 Quan (one of the most determined performers I have met---his drive to overcome rl obstacles to appear....soooo inspirational...though he kept us on our toes all the way up until he took the stage about whether he could make it).  Though I have not worked often with Chris, I was left with a new found respect for this man and am looking forward to working with him more in the future. Then a special friend, Katarina Malaspina.  This woman volunteers for every single thing she can with the team, i have truly come to love this woman.  On to my favorite Texan...Mamaa Saiz.  always playing one particular song for me that I have never heard anyone else in SL perform.  Taking the stage after Mamaa was the auction's biggest promoter....wearing her jeans throughout the grid with the tag...ask me how to get my jeans or something similar.  Every time she dropped in at the fest and auction, I had to smile. Taking the stage after
Starrfish Ohmi was Max Kleene.  Love this man, so honored to call him my friend and  no fest is complete without him....giggles like no jam is complete without him.

While Max was performing the team hit Ruby level!!!!  Over 3 million lindens raised.  A team team that truly shows how music makes the world go round!!!!!

After Max, Stella Silvansky took the stage and the team started its climb to 4 million.  Stella closed out day one of the music fest and we all fell exhausted into our beds.  Day two started strong with Agustin Braham opening the day.  followed by Eric Steffensen,  I had the opportunity to meet Eric in Nashville,  smiling he is not only an incredible performer but one that asked how he could perform more for RFL.....smiles words that are music to my ears.  Josie Anderton followed him, wearing her dress from the auction, glad to live out a dream of modeling.  Josie brought tears to my eyes with a tribute that she did.  This is one wonderful woman. Then comes Lyndon Heart, someone that is loaded with talent, a great friend, and joining the line up at BS's.  A newer SL performer, Vincent Carpathea, but a voice that is not new to performing took the stage.  Katarina Malaspina followed Vincent.  I could never say enough about this woman.  Due to a cancellation, my very wonderful co-captain Liz Harley moved her performer over to the MusicFest.  AccousticEnergy was back at BS's!!!!!!   I will always be in awe of the hearts in this community of ours.  I wish I had a chance to listen more to AE, but the auction had closed and needless to say I was swamped.  After AE we had an hour break but then brought out Johnny Paramour for our finale. 

This finale was one of the best I have ever seen, Johnny had put so much thought and feeling and emotion into his songs.  Both viewers were on the stage....the viewer containing pictures of those angels lost to cancer, and the other viewer of those that have survived or currently battling the disease.  Johnny auctioned off his guitar, people were in tears. doves were released.  This was a finale and performance unlike any I have ever seen in Second Life.  Thank you Johnny!!!!

Thank you to each performer that wore their clothing and promoted it.

The weekend was done, we all could collapse and get ready for the next weekend.

Friday, June 8, 2012

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!!! WHAT A TEAM!!!!

I have been sooo busy that I have not taken the time to thank some very special people.  One of the events that SL MUSIC RACES FOR A CURE had planned was an auction.  A very different auction than most;  this auction consisted of articles of clothing each individualized for a performer, based on their likes, a little something about them personally so that it was made just for them.  With Syd Baddingham at the helm this project was launched. It evolved from being just jeans into just about any type of clothing you can imagine.  All of these items were designed with an idea of the performer and by team members that did not normally make things like this in sl.  I watched as many grew talents they were not always sure of.  They each deserve a special round of applause.  they did a phenomenal job....caused all out bidding wars,,, and worked their fingers to the bone.  All in all 33 performers were represented and 37 pieces of clothing.  Whether you are an auction winner or a performer that they made something for, please remember the designers, they worked on these for months.  Syd Baddingham, VixenDawn Resident (she has since gone on to open her own clothing location--Dawn's Awakening), Raven Marx (ok Raven does own his own clothing business but stepped out of his normal comfort zones to accommodate an outfit for one performer that just happened to be one that became a bidding war), Wildroses Pevensey (truly a creative spirit), Chance Caldwell was kind enough to bring us moonshine Allerhand (designs beautiful jewelry) and rebeca Avila (one of the most awesome builders--I saw some of her work in furniture) each learning new talents to achieve these items, and of course Terran Magic, he designed the shirt that caused one of the biggest bidding wars.

Congratulations and thank you for supporting Relay for Life of SL,....Auction winners (in no particular order)

TheaDee, Sparkie Cyberstar, Liz Harley, Still Braveheart, Maali Beck, Starrfish Ohmi, Ara Khandr, Gracie Hyland, Karen Illyar, Panza Eilde, Checkers Firelight, Edith Halderman, Amy34 Twine, GregEllisToranto, Savannah Coronet, Chao Wolfzahn, Grace McDunnough, Lea Annatra, Cooky Swindlehurst.

There is another group to thank and that is the performers that allowed us to use their names, took the time to tell us a little about them personally and allow our designers to be creative with that information.  Each of you played a role in such a successful auction:  Performers (in no particular order)  Starrfish Ohmi (wow this woman can promote her jeans---best tag ever), SweetLilly Pinneli, Dragonfly, Johnny Paramour, Strummer, Josie Anderton, Katarina Malaspina, Max Kleene, Lyndon Heart, Shaye Dezno, Gary Jonstone, Taunter Goodnight, Sassy Nitely, Lexi Luann, Krisie Snowdrop, Steely DeCosta, The Professor, Guitar Zane, Gigi Jasper, Cranston Yordstorm, Melodee McDonnell, CTM Underwood, Antonio Galloway, Tamra Sands, Matthew Perrault, Hogan Bailey, Debi Late, Stella Silvansky, Savannah Coronet, Nigel Palmer.

A special thank you also goes out to swaffette Firefly, of SF Designs;  she designed a replica of gown that Tamra Sands/Hayden wore in a rel life production,

The weekend does not stop there as it continues in the next blog.

MAKING IT TRADITIONAL

I have to be honest with myself and you, all the excuses in the world get a bit repetitious.....so it is just becoming a tradition that i can not keep up with this as much as i would like.  So much has happened since I last wrote, this will most likely turn into a number of blogs as I attempt to bring you up to date.

While I am writing this I am also attending a Fashion Show put together for RFL of SL by some of SL MUSIC RACES FOR A CURE team members, Marieli Uriza & Rebeca Avila   .  I have to admit they built an absolutely beautiful stage.  I am amazed by the clothes, so many times we think Italian when we think fashion designers, but there are some extremely talented Spanish designers here.....hmmmm I may have to venture out of my comfort zones once again; which I love doing, and find new locations.  I am truly a shopaholic.

Oh my goodness, I remained at the fashion show to hear the special musical surprise. Horus Cedrus is a pianist unlike any others.  There is not enough words to describe the powers and emotions that his playing provokes.  If you have not heard him, it does not matter that he speaks in a Spanish and any Spanish I knew has been so long ago that I have forgotten most of it....Music is universal--no language barriers...Anytime you see him in events, run to one of his shows.  If not (small shameless plug here)---I will be moving mountains to get him to BS's.  

Back to when I last wrote.  Since then I had the opportunity to attend the Nashville jam.  I felt like I had just found the best venue in the world.  The performers that I have come to know and love in Second Life, they became real people with real faces behind the avi's and even nicer and more fun in real life.  It is easy to be come addicted to attending jams.  Now I understand Gwampa and Max's desire to never miss one.  After 3 weeks of pulling teeth I was able to accomplish a couple of things.  The local Relay For Life person was sooo very kind and brought me a sign showing the Bronze level of the team in real life fundraising.  That sign accompanied me to Nashville and each of the venues that streamed in the jam also had kiosks up all around.

Another thing came up that along with the sign, I had to find out.  A couple of performers and a manager had asked very direct questions.  Most of you know me well enough to know that I prefer having creditability behind my words. So rather than the wrong answer or no answer, I attempted to find out the answer...giggles no easy task.  But I did finally get the answer, to many it may not be important but to some it is, donation of lindens to a kiosk--one can receive a receipt.  I am hoping this answer will help to ease the minds of the performers and manager that asked and also anyone else that wondered.  If it is something, you would like to receive, please let me know and I will point you in the right direction to receive this.  I, myself, always a big believer in utilizing receipts for tax purposes, will be requesting the same....laughing thinking of how much poured into kiosks...it should be a good receipt.  I will keep everyone updated on how it works.

After Nashville, the team had a slower week which was good, it gave me a chance to strip the sim and get it ready for the MusicFest weekend.....smiles. See you in the next entry to tell you about that one.  It was fantastic.