Overdue Overview

Its been a few days now since Ive returned from my most enjoyable weekend at the SLCC and long overdue to blog an overview about my adventures.

Train Trip Trials:

After having my last two trips be the wear and stress of catching a plane, delayed flights, canceled flights and running to catch a flight I was rather looking forward to the leisurely pace of train travel... I arrived to the station which heres a big plus.. leaves from my own hometown.. no driving half hour to hour just to get to depature spot! My train was due to arrive at 3 p.m... a nice convient time to leave.. not to early.. not to late .. except .. the train was late. They never tell you why its late .. only a curt announcement that train number xxoo is delayed. The mind is free to imagine whatever scenarios it wishes as to the late arrived. However, once my train arrived I was amazed at the mad rush of the gathered crowd to board. The way I saw it was : Theres a conductor there to see your not boarded yet.. hes not gonna let the train go till were all on ..why rush.. not to mention this is the vehicle we are about to plant our tuskus's on for the next 3 Plus hours why rush to sit down :D ... travel went along fairly smoothly until we hit the outter regions of chicago when our nice bright sunny day instantly darkened and so much so the interior lights in the train switched on .. lightning flashed like camera flashes and thunder boomed like a wicked bass line our train was clipping along at a brisk pace when suddenly you hear a loud crashing like noise and our train rocks side ot side causing the passengers to rock as well... it lasted only a moment but stayed with me quite some time as the adreniline subsided.

Pedestrian Pick Up:

Bless his heart, Patrick LaSalle had kindly agreed to pick me up at the train station and give me a ride to the hotel. Cordinating his position in a moving car with mine as a pedestrian on the sidewalk via cell phones.. provided a comical moment of the trip. A seasoned navigator giving directions to a novice with no sense of direction... you can imagine the challenge :) But we managed just fine.


Meet and Greet:
One of the most amazing things I found about the SLCC was the meet and greets! Our ID badges became the perfect conversation starters or ice breakers.. it became almost common to see total strangers walk up to one another and say ' And you are ....???" look at the badge and say " OMG!! WOW !!" and hug or instant fall into a deeply friendly conversation, when simply moments ago they were total strangers.
I found a great sense of humbleness in all the blessed souls I met, I dont think of myself as anything or anyone particularly special in the world.. so to meet folks who offer up reactions such as " OMG!! Your Rosa Gardner, I cant believe I get to meet you " or " WOW! You were on my list of "MUST MEET" people!! it leaves me most humbled and admittedly blessed to think anything I could have said or done as myself , caused anyone else to smile. It was a nice feeling. I too took away some great memories of first time meetings with long time Second life known friends. Such as EricAtRandom, Travis Lambert!!, Sumar Morgan, Moopf (this was one of my best highlights), OneBigRiver Stork, Cylindrian, Persephone, Pulaski, Garth and Pituca, Onionpencil, and more too numerous to list further. Id never been to a convention before but I likened this to a annual family reunion.. from the open friendly atmosphere.. that "acceptance" ambience... Imagine a whole weekend of thinking every new face you see is a potential friend already known.

Live Music:

Oh good heavens! If you were to plan a weekend in paradise.. it would have been the live music at SLCC. All my favorite live music performers all in one spot playing the music I love to hear! I couldnt have thought of any better place to be! Special thanks go out to my close friends Patrick and Jaycatt for allowing me to tag along for all the behind the scenes moments of the rehersal and performances! I was richly blessed by not only your generosity and kindness but the joy of your music as well.

Performers I was fortunate to enjoy were :
Patrick LaSalle, Lyndon Heart, Rick, ( Music Monkeys), Jaycatt Nico, Frogg Marlowe, Cylindrian R., Kaklick Martin, Ankari Holder, Niko Donburi, Shiger Seattle, Jaynine Scarbrough, kouroush, and more :)

Sightseeing:

I was extremely lucky to have THE BEST tour guides to go exploring with, long ago residents to the windy city I got to take in the the sights and sounds of Chicago with Patrick LaSalle and Lyndon Heart. Patrick kindly accompanied me throughout all of Grant Park, bless his heart going all the way down to Shedds Aquarium at my desire to see the architecture again.. he acted as offical photographer for my adventure and helped to make it a totally wonderful time. Patrick and Lyndon both journeyed with me to check out Millenium Park, seeing the spitting image face fountains, the cloud sculpture * aka .. the bean * the band shell, and several wonderful sights around the town! A marvelous time made so not only by the fine sights of the great city but the wonderful company of whom I was blessed to share it with. Thanks Patrick <3 and Lyndon :)


Summation:
Take one virtual realm, mix with reality in the windy city, add 1,000 people give or take ,give a dash of live music and info lectures and sprinkle in some incredible moments of warmth and laughter and let simmer for the weekend, you have a great recipe for a very enjoyable SLCC adventure! I know it was for me :)


Todays Poem:

Stormy Skies began the trip
Mother nature giving lip
Reunited with dear friends
constant smiling to see them again

Overwhelmed to meet and greet
so many faces but such a treat
breaking bonds of online
realities memories we shall find

Hearing music that rocks the place
every listner a smiling face
Virtual Exchange and Music Monkeys
playing tunes both mellow and funky

Seeing sights of far away town
taking in all the joys around
sharing the views with wonderful men
marvelous guides, Im blessed to call friends

Online to Reality a trip just four days long
Immortalized forever in memories never gone
Online to reality the lines of boundry passed
Creating special friendships we hope will always last.

Thank you for reading.

Audio Compliment or Atrocious Attitude

Hey! You came back... thanks!

The other day, I had something happen to me which I personally found to be a pleasant feeling, but it did get me thinking and thought why not post about it to
get other points of view.

The other day as I was coming out of the public library, I heard a man whistle, now my first reaction was to look around me .. for surely a whistle at my age.. in my shape... couldnt have been at me .. but sure enough it was!! A man passing by me on the street had whistled at me and smiled. I kept walking saying nothing but I must confess.. the instant warm feeling of "wow ...I got whistled at" was pretty surprising. As I drove home I thought about this.. what is that borderline between a Audio compliment such as a whistle .... and a Atrocious Attitude such as a cat call or more. What makes one woman smile and feel good she was thought of in a attractive way and another feel offended and angry??

When did the whistle first get started? Is it the same or different for men? If a woman whistles at a man is it any more or less a compliment or crudeness than if a man does so to a woman? If a man whistles at a lady he is "interested", if a lady whistles at a man she is thought of as "wild" or "daring"??? In the grand scheme of life is this of any real importance? Probably not , but its interesting to see the way actions are preceived in the minds of society.

Im not saying there is a right or wrong to this topic, just pondering what other points of view might bring :) Thanks for reading

Todays Poem:

Dear ole Whooty Owl
sitting on your perch
what is it about your sound
for humans always works

Woot hoot whistle smile
compliment the ladies style
howl, shout, bark , drool
go to far and your a fool

Receive a random whistle
and your days suddenly bright
self esteem is on the rise
you smile and feel so right

Audio Compliment..
friend or foe ..
Atrocious Attitude....
'tis only YOU who truly knows

Trials and Triumphs

Hello! Yep this picture really helps sum up my feelings the past few weeks... you dont know whether to laugh or look away! Today, was a day I have been truly dreading ....today was my birthday. Now dont get me wrong.. I love birthdays!, I love to fuss over them and make the day memorable for the lucky one to be celebrating:) But this birthday was especailly difficult for me as it marked the fourth decade I have been blessed to be here. Ive run the spectrum from high to low on emotions about this milestone and wanted to fight its arrival with every excuse possible .. I finally decided to make it a postive.. not wallow in a negative and treated myself to a day at the zoo today. Being out and doing something fun .. redirected my fretful mind to more enjoyable thoughts to ponder, like is the animal in this pic smiling or silently sizing me up thinking " I bet I could take her " ? I had many blessings fill the hours of my day and by the days end.. I settled into a quiet acceptance of lifes eventualities and took pride in the things Ive done and pondered whimiscally of the adventures life might yet bring me :)

My favorite animals in the zoo, these little guys have all it takes to bring a instant smile to my face. Wonders if hes wishing that bit hes chewing on was really a straw into a Iced Mocha at Starbucks?? Or maybe thats what Id be wishing :D

Jaycatt bless his heart treats me to a special birthday gift of live music :D He played such terriffic tunes as "Seasons", "Rainbow Connection", and the hitchikers guide theme which I know has a different name but I call it the Hitchikers theme :D , just to name a few! A wonderful performance and most greatly appreciated!!

Semaj inspired by great music , hops on to perform a virtual duet with Jaycatt :) *note the purple piano WOOT!! *

More audience participation :)

The day ended on a marvelous note.... literally... as Shadrack ( http://www.shadrackband.com/ ) performed a show at the Slip, any show they sing is always a most wonderful treat but tonights was especially so as they delighted with a special rendition of "Happy Birthday" and a particular favorite of mine their "snap crackle pop " song ;) Great music, Good friends... Oh Happy Day!

Thank you for reading and Bless Your Heart !

Todays Poem:

Its the little things that life can give

makes a blessing each day you live

Its rejoicing in a role well done

and beginnings of a adventures fun

Numbers can label and cripple esteem

till second look taken helps to break free

lifes a constant its rules we abide

let go of age and just enjoy the ride!

Rejoice in the memories of triumphs past

grow stronger from trials, lifes lessons to last

Silly sometimes I tend to be

so caught up in pity Im blinded to see

age is no sentence on lifes events

but merely a number of its days you've spent

dont be like me and let it cause strife

live each day happy and life is allright!

August 2007