THE END OF BS'S IN SECOND LIFE

With the ending of 2012, so also ends the BS's "Bring a Friend and Stay Awhile".  this was decided upon after a great deal of soul searching.  As I bounced back and forth, one day a performer actually made it final in my mind.   There was a performer that im'd me....just as I was trying to get an event going, never asked how I was doing or anything else in the world...except do I have any intention of hiring him back.  I did explain that money has been tight, having just relocated, replaced a computer system and the holidays here. and he let it go....needless to say I have not heard another word...then again, is this the type of character that I would have perform again...no matter what my financial situation was, now that is truly debatable.  Everyone goes through ups and downs, but when a performer makes me feel that our friendship is based on my wallet.....well it makes one wonder. This was when I knew that the venue was done.  Times have changed, it made me remember my friend Craig Lyons, who has since left Second Life, but was a great performer while here.  There was a time when rl had taken a bit of a toll on me, though I would never accept it, this is a performer that told me not to worry about anything that he would perform for free at BS's, It was a health situation that made me step back for a few weeks in there and not a financial one, he never probed to see what was wrong, just gave from his heart.  He brought tears to my eyes...and until the day he left Second Life I would hire him over and over again.  Sometimes that small offer of generosity can affect people in ways that no one realizes.

I believe it is time for me as a person to remember what Second Life is all about and get back to enjoying it...to focus more on myself both in sl and in rl.  I will say that it is one of the hardest decisions in Second Life that I have ever made.  Telling my friend Max Kleene was another a very difficult thing to do.  Max opened BS's with me On July 3rd, 2009 and has been at BS's every single week since barring different circumstances (rl), it was only fitting that Max have the last performance at BS's.  I was the blubbering idiot at the end as Max had performed "Still's Song" and the closed the performace with Greenday's  "Time of Your Life".

One of the guests asked me that night, was I aware that the next question will be about the team.  So before anyone automatically assume, or jump to conclusions, I will give you the same answer that I gave them.  I have had not had a chance to meet with the co-captains yet and hope to within this next week.  SL MUSIC RACES FOR A CURE will continue to go forward.  Once we have our meetings and then the team brainstorming meetings, there will be more clarification in the avenues followed at that time.  Until then...lips are sealed.

This does mean though with free time on my hands, that I will have more opportunities to visit different venues, hear the many different performers and find that talent here in Second Life to write about.  I also have something that I would ask people to think about and consider.  The website directory for live music venues is a paid for website.  Currently it is paid in full until October 2013.  I am hoping that someone will take an interest and want to continue it from that point.

To those of you that have performed at BS's, visited BS's and supported both me and the venue over the years, I will never find enough words to express my gratitude.  You have touched my heart  in so many ways.

I had a blog all ready to publish discussing the direction I saw myself going into.  In the meantime though, I just had to stop and tell you all about a few things that are on my mind.

If any of you are like me, I know this past few days has hit you hard...very hard...there is little to nothing that any of can do, so besides the horrible sadness there is a sense of helplessness that accompanies that sadness.  Everyone does things their own way, myself I will pray for the families in CT, and if there is anything I could ever do to help ensure something this horrendous never happens again, that is where I will be.

Yesterday, I had gone to Avi Choice awards, I had not spent any money on RFL since the Christmas Expo started on RFL.  That is just me...I am not one into breedables so though the Expo offered a few other things, most seemed dedicated to one part of the SL community.  On that note though, even though I am not a breedable, I have to admit the creativity that goes into them is pretty awesome...I am just a clutz at taking care of any critters rl or sl. The amount of funds that the breedables was amazing.  Though the Avi Choice Awards included the music community, so me being just me.....set myself up to go make my donations.

Mind you it is sl and there will always be lag, it is so important that any event plan well for these things....laughing I remember the Mardi Gras parade last year, and thinking the same....planning for these things does make a huge difference.  I will say that it was rough.  instead of seating to accomodate everyone...the stage and table and chairs were pretty much on the same sim.  As people filled up the venue, the announcer did say that some of us may be asked to leave.  In the meantime, I was trying to help a performer get to the stage, he was telling me that the other person was getting flustered.  Giggles, for future reference I should remember the solution.....when flustered and stressed....just throw em all out.....  Never asked to leave I found myself ejected and banned....but it was not just me, everyone was.  Without warning.  I left.  I think the most appalling part to me was no announcement that this would occur, nor any apology to all of the people that were in attendance and had this happen to them.  Someone did ask me if I ever held an event that had issues, what would I do.....to me that is an easy answer....I coordinated it, I am responsible for it...I would take responsibility and apologize profusely to any that it may have effected.  



On to more positive things, the musical end of the Avi Choice Awards:  I must say that I am proud to know each of these people and impressed with their accomplishments:

Favorite Classical Musician - Voodoo Shilton
Favorite SL Musical Group - the Follow – Powers Avon, Troy Shoreland and AJ Darkwatch
Favorite Singing Duo - Erin68 Frog & Satin Galli
Favorite Female Musician - Savannah Coronet
Favorite Male Musician - Joaquin Gustav
Favorite Rock Singer - Skye Galaxy
Favorite Blues Singer - Noma Falta
Favorite Pop Singer - Maximillion Kleene
Favorite Country Singer - Savannah Coronet
Favorite DJ - Mark Attenborough
Favorite Rock Club - Junkyard Blues – Kiff Clutterbuck
Favorite Jazz Club - Frank’s Elite Jazz Club – Nanceee Sinatra
Favorite Live Music Venue - Frank’s Elite Jazz Club – Nanceee Sinatra
Favorite Formal Venue - Frank’s Elite Jazz Club – Nanceee Sinatra

 I am honored to know each and everyone of you.

Oh and finding that my skin and my hair (I bounce between Calico and Truth) were also winners in the awards....needless to say, I shamelessly beamed.  For a complete list of all the winners:  http://slchristmasexpo.wordpress.com/avi-choice-awards/

I also have to hand it to the people that are actually finishing the Race for the Bells....I look at the winner (and I love a good hunt) ...for those that are not familiar with this race...Unlike a hunt where you receive a gift at every stop....this is a timed hunt.....25 sims across the grid, 25 bells to collect....If you redo the race to get a better time, the bell will be moved.....So on that note, to see the top people at 11 minutes, 18 minutes, and 20 minutes....You truly leave me in awe.....I have a great computer and could not arrive at and have everything rezz at 25 sims in 11 minutes ... let alone search for a bell.  You guys are awesome.

MANY THOUGHTS

As always, I am apologizing for not keeping for this updated.  I have a few excuses, lazy being one of the top, adding in a busy season, still recuperating from the relocation and other things that rl decided to throw at me, and one of the largest.....confused thoughts about the direction I wanted to go within the music community.  I believe I have made some major decisions regarding this after doing a a great deal of soul searching.  I will get to some of those thoughts in the next blog, I would like to take a few minutes and catch you up on some of the things this month.


Thought I would spend some time jumping to the more formal venues and performers....into a gown I went....

First stop....giggles...so far from formal  I stopped at West Hollywood and listened to Serene Mcgillivary....Then on to something more appropriate for the attire...Frank's Elite.  I really need to get out more....I forget how lovely these places are and Frank's, well there is no other in sl that can truly compare to Frank's Elite.  Nanceee has so out down herself there.  Waiting for Rocketman Galaxy to take the stage.  I have not listened to Rocketman in quite some time, so this should be fun.  It never fails, one of the best things about going to different venues is seeing old friends.  Gemm and GerryWanless, these are two people I met through the desire to want to do something for RFL and they joined the team...These two are the proud owners of Queens Arms...and by the way, they both looked absolutely awesome here.


From Frank's I went on to hear the very talented Ceci Dover doing a latin show at Arosa village.  Ceci has one of those voices, that no matter what language she is performing in...you just want to dance.

I went on to Nikita Ridge, my wonderful Canadian friend Bree Birke's place where they are doing 6 hours of music for Canada Night of Northern Stars......this is a gorgeous venue and filled with such good friends....Krisie Snowdrop was performing....she is sooo awesome, I had the privedge of meeting her in Nashville.  Along with other close friends that weree there....Shaye Dezno and Gary Jonstone, Donny Collazo is next on the stage, and somewhere in there is my friend Max and Shaye....phew those Canadians have sooo much of sl's talent up there.

As the month went on, the Second Life Music community suffered a horrible loss with the passing of Circe Broom.  Circe was and will stand for all that Second Life live music holds dear.  She will live forever within our hearts. Many have shared their memories of Circe and all that she had done for live music...to me in many ways she was a mentor when I was first starting out, I will always remember the many things she shared with me.