Single Frame Stories-Four Prompts

So, I'm still doing Single Frame Stories.  This is a weekly challenge which you can read about it here.  Basically, there is a new prompt each week that will hopefully inspire you to create a fabulous single frame story.  There is an optional 150 character limit.  Most of the images are from SL but feel free to use any form of expression- drawing, painting, rl photos etc.

I really enjoyed the challenges when they first started back in August but then I felt my inspiration slipping away after the sixth prompt.  I wasn't really happy with several of them.  The ideas were probably good but the execution seemed off to me.  I've only included the stories that I like here.  And btw, I'm on flickr.  Add me.  I'm interesting in seeing your images too.

Challenge 4:  Positive
"At least I have fabulous shoes." 

This was inspired by a flash fiction piece I wrote (and that I'm now submitting to various contests) about a homeless woman who always manages to look at the positives in her life.  In the image above, I showed a young girl who is homeless or obviously down and out.  However, she has one thing in her life she loves and that makes her happy:  her shoes.

Challenge 5:  Little did he/she know
"Little did Vincent know that his paintings
would sell for millions 100 years later."

This is my favorite story that I've done.  When I found out the prompt for this particular week, the above images immediately came to mind.  Van Gogh is someone I admire. He had a pretty sad life and was never appreciated during his lifetime.  I think that if her were alive today he would be shocked to see how much he is admired and respected.  

Challenge 6:  On Top
"It can get Lonely at the Top."

Sometimes fame, money, public adoration is not all it's cracked up to be.  It can indeed get lonely at the top.  

Challenge 8:  Objectification
"A nip here.  A tuck there.
I think I'll just get the full body reconstruction.
Photo taken the day after surgery." 

I did a couple objectifications pics and I didn't really care for any of them.  This one was my take on how women (some women) in our society feel the pressure to always look good, look young, and look thin.  A few of those women go to extremes with plastic surgery.  The pic above is of a woman who decides to get her whole body redone.  It's extreme but we live in extreme times blablabla.

I'll be posting my other four prompts in the next couple days.  Have a happy Sunday!

Positive
bodysuit:  Willow (closed)
shoes:  Ison, Miraya Open toe Bootie
hair:  Wasabi Pills, Zoey
skin:  Izzie's, Estella Asylum
homeless box:  Dirty Boxes

Little did Vincent know
pants:  [JP]:dsg, Typhoon
sweater:  (CM):  Timothy Sweater
hat/hair:  *Argrace*, Straw Fedora/Crosby
sunflowers:  *KoW* Flower Garden Shop
painting stuff:  The Occult Shop
van gogh painting:  Bright Corporation

On Top
I have no idea what I'm wearing in this pic.  I think the hair is from Exile though.  I don't know the location either.

Objectification
bandages:  Wunderlich's Historical Garb (I got this on marketplace but couldn't find it again)
hair:  Clawtooth, Wave Goodbye

One Last Holiday Post

I decided to do one more holiday post before I pack up all the trees, ornaments, presents, snowmen etc.  I hope everyone had a great Christmas or whatever you celebrate this time of year.  I had a pretty good day-the highlight being that I met 3 infant goats.  They were adorable and it is true what they say, that goats really do frolic.  My friend said they are going to make cheese out of them-the goat milk I mean.  I asked her if she was going to do the milking and she rolled her eyes and pointed to her husband.  I figured because she can't stand to break her nails or have one hair out of place-I can only tolerate her for a couple hours at a time and I'm sure the goats will grow to hate her (I'm so nice!). Anyways, I digress...I thought it would be appropriate to rez the goat from Neon Frog.  

I have a feeling of dread because my computer has been acting up.  SL has never run well on my mac but tonight especially...I couldn't get any good lighting which is why most of these pics seem dark and grey looking (which is nothing new with my sl photo skills). Please save me windlight settings!  And please don't die on me macbook pro!

Yay!  We've almost made it through the holidays!  I plan to hit all the sales tomorrow.  Are you?  I hope I get some great deals.

dress:  *GF*, Group Gift!

hair:  Exile, Sway my Way@Together for Sway

boots:  Schadenfreude, Pitch Leith Boots @Collabor88

pose:  HopScotch, Attitude

tree:  [LeLutka], Very Merry Tree-Group Gift!

chair:  MudHoney, Meredith 

Bah Humbug:  tea soup, Group Gift!

painting:  Remembering Narnia by Chiana Oh @Gallery Gift Shop

vouboo dolls:  Schadenfreude @theArcade

various gift boxes:  Trompe Loeil and Lisp

goat!:  Neon Frog

Closing Doors

'Tis the season for some of my fave shops closing.  *sad face*.

When I first came here ("here" meaning sl), I tried very hard to make my av look a little ethnic, a little exotic, a little islander.  Being a noob, I didn't know that you could actually purchase skins but some very nice people directed me to places where I could get freebies.  I tried a few but I was looking for something else so I did a search for ethnic skin and Skin Within came up.  My first purchased skin ever was Maya, Ayesha Bisiani's polynesian beauty and the second skin she ever created (Ayesha created it back in 2007 which in sl is like decades ago).

My second Ayesha skin was Ahawi (pictured above), Native American influenced, and to this day is still my favorite even though I don't wear it very often.  Over time, I eventually bought all of Ayesha's skins.  Every so often, Ayesha would pop up in a group message with a new item but those notices have become fewer and fewer the last couple of years. I kind of knew that her store would inevitably close even before I read her blog message in November-rl can do that to you.  So Ayesha-I wish you all the best and when I leave sl (which i will eventually), one of the things I'll remember most are your beautiful creations.

Several home and garden shops have closed their inworld stores recently including one of my favorite prefab places, Nordari.  Second Spaces closed a couple months ago but you can still get all of Elle's decor stuff (and poses) at the marketplace.

And just a few days ago, I saw this posted on Gala's blog.  Wth!  I truly hope it's just a hiatus and she will be back soon because 50% (well, maybe 40% but I use a lot of her stuff) of what I decorate my houses with is from Art Dummy (the other 50% is probably from lisp).

Finally another great skin shop that is closing its doors and what inspired this post, is Dutch Touch.  You have until December 31st to purchase from the inworld store.  Dutch Touch is the skin I wear most often in blog posts and doing whatever I do inworld.

skins:  Skin Within, Ahawi (not sure of availability)
hair:  Clawtooth. Take your Time @Collabor88
top:  Sn@tch, Morgan mesh Flannel shirt

skin:  Dutch Touch, eSmEE-inworld store open until December 31st
sleepware:  Cracked Mirror, Footsie pajamas@the Arcade
hair:  Clawtooth, Elise@the arcade

house:  Nordari, Rain in east Europe (not sure of availability)
bed, side table, rug and wall hanging:  Boho set, Second Spaces
armchair:  Art Dummy, for Winter conversations, Pink @the Arcade
cabinet:  Art Dummy, once Cabinet

poses:  Adorkable and @Zodiac, Brat and Clever
place (in top two pics):  North Pole Village and Santa's Workshop

Grid Talk-Do you tell rl about sl?

Scuse the mess.  I'm getting ready for the holidays.  It's been awhile since I've done a grid talk, exactly two years in fact.  I think this post is more on topic and not quite as stupid as my first grid talk (if you read it, you'll know what I mean).  Grid Talk is just a name I thought of to discuss topics, thoughts or issues in sl.

A couple days ago I discovered that I had lost my ATM card so I spent an hour looking for it, tearing up the house in the process.  I eventually gave up and went to the bank to get a replacement (I realized later that I probably could have done this online or by phone).  So before the teller ordered a replacement, she confirmed with me my last couple of ATM transactions, one of them being $25.00 for Second Life (and yeah, I probably shouldn't be using my bank atm card for online purchases).  I was embarrassed and immediately looked behind me to see if there was anyone in line that I knew that had overheard.  Of course, the teller probably didn't have any idea what Second Life was nor did the people in line (they probably didn't overhear either).

So all this got me thinking about sl, rl and how so few of my rl friends and family know that I "play" (to clarify-I'm using "play" but I but don't think sl is just a game) or use Second Life.  Oh, I've tried to explain it to a few people:  "see you have this avatar and you give them a fictitious name and you can be old or young, animal or human, and you can buy hair, lots of hair, and you can rent land, you can build and design stuff, and hear live music, you can make friends, go to pretty places and blog about all of it!"  Well, actually, I never get past the part about creating the avatar because their eyes glaze over and I end up feeling ashamed.  I remember one conversation specifically with a very close friend who is kind of geeky/nerdy (not that sl is nerdy but whatever).  After I told him about sl his immediate reaction was "ewww-that place" and he then started talking about all the sex stuff that sl is famous for (he had never been inworld).  I didn't feel like explaining that not everyone on sl is a perv or inworld for the sex aspect.

So now, I pretty much don't share sl with anyone in rl.  I guess I'm still a little ashamed even though I limit myself to early morning hours inworld (however, I'm on sometimes during the day).    And I'm not saying that being on sl for more hours or less hours during the day is good or bad.  For me, I can't be inworld that much because I have too many rl obligations.  I've never been an online gaming type of person or online anything (besides facebook).  I came on sl for a very specific reason (if you're interested why-go here).  Sometimes, I come very close to sharing this blog with some rl friends but I always decide against it.  Maybe someday I will.

Do you share sl with your rl?  Does anyone know you "play" sl?  does anyone know you blog or create/build/earn money or role play or whatever you do inworld?  If you do share with rl, what are common reactions?  If you don't share, why not?  Have any of your rl friends created an account and are now inworld because of you?

*and speaking of blogs, I started (and attempting) a fashion/style blog Grid Palette.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm not on any feeds yet because I don't have enough posts.  It's just a way for me to practice my sl photography.

leggings:  *TuttiFrutti*, Cold Mountain
sweater:  Kauna @FaMESHed, Winter Jumpers
hair:  Alice Project, Steph 2, Streaked Blonde-Where in sl is the Concert Hunt2
skin:  Glam Affair, Lilith-Jamaica
makeup:  Zibska, Arley eyeshadow
chair:  Lisp, Snapshot Chair