Operation: Kittiwickshire Redecoration

I've been sorely neglecting my property in Kittiwickshire.  I've been having so much fun (perhaps too much fun if one were to have observed chat on the steampunk group last night...gah) getting to know people in New Babbage that I've just not been going back to Caledon very often. 

When I last left the cottage I had set out some of my very old high-prim furnishings, and had been frustrated with how archaic they looked and how far they set me back on my prim count. So last night I spent some time there putting out some new furnishings and warming the place up a bit.

The sitting area:

Desk and dining table (I put a picture on the wall after taking this snapshot...this area needs something more, perhaps a couple of additional rugs):

I put a dock and some Adirondack chairs in the back, but it needs some plantlife:

In contrast, here is what I had in the cottage before:



A Visit from Mr. Manamiko

Last night began a bit inauspiciously.  When I arrived in-world, I was in my bedroom wearing a ballgown, with bare feet.  I had been trying on clothes last time I was there in an attempt to decide what to wear for a portrait.  I noticed a green dot on my minimap very close to where I was, a name I didn't recognize.  I cammed around outside of the house and didn't see anyone, and then I realized:  the green dot was inside of the house.

I walked out into my study and was shocked to see a man I didn't know standing there. He wasn't a Babbager. I could tell by his attire, all the way down to his flip-flops and blinging sunglasses.  Fortunately, he was asleep, so I decided to have a little bit of fun:

Eventually he must have timed out, because he disappeared after about 10 minutes.  I have to admit, it did feel like an invasion of privacy.  This seems really strange to me since SL and privacy seem mutually exclusive. Having any expectation of privacy is probably misguided in-world, and yet this was my emotional response to finding a stranger in my house.

I put it out of my mind for the time being, changed into some work clothes and decided to go take a look at Bay City. I wanted to get out of New Babbage for just a little while and see something new.  My friend Mr. Matthieu Manamiko first told me about the Bay City sims a about month ago, so I did some reading and decided to check it out.  There are a lot of Bay City sims, and I had no idea where to start. I picked one more or less at random and ended up in Bay City Oldtown.  My first impression was this:  a decently built city environment with lovely houses surrounded by ban lines.  Disappointing.  I went into a couple of shops, but they didn't carry anything I found particularly interesting.

Coincidentally, while I was wandering, Matthieu sent me an IM to find out what I was up to. He had no idea I was in Bay City, and I hadn't spoken to him for about a week, so it was interesting timing.  We chatted a bit and agreed to meet for tea at my house in Academy.

I gave him a tour of the house, we drank some wine instead of tea, and he advised me to put locks on my doors. Even though it can't stop someone who really wants to get in, it at least deters casual wanderers.  The thing is that I don't mind people checking out the house while I'm not there, but since it's disconcerting to find someone unfamiliar there with me, I've decided to look into lock scripts.

Eventually we got tired of sitting around and decided to go to Clockhaven to see the aquarium.  A couple nights ago I had spent a good deal of time there watching the parrot, so I was excited to show him. 

(The parrot and me a few nights ago.  I think we have a connection.)

We walked there from Academy, got sidetracked by a secret passageway under Clockhaven, and then admired the aquarium build by Mr. Amadaeus Hammerer.  It really is a fantastic place to visit! My favorite swimming things are the jellies, his are the seahorses, so we decided to take a snapshot there.  I hope his snapshot turned out better than mine...I happened to take it just as I realized how much taller he is than me!

Since the beach isn't far from the aquarium and he hadn't seen the steam turtles, we wandered over. 

The sun went down on a lovely evening.  I was glad to spend it with a friend.

Relay for Life

I have a number of things going on in-world, all of them pretty inconsequential compared to what I'm doing right now.  I'm standing outside the New Babbage RFL build tonight, where our team constructed a factory to manufacture hope.  It's brilliant.  All I can do at this point is stand outside with other citizens of New Babbage, and wave my flag.  I'm supporting the city, I'm supporting the cause.  I dedicated a luminary in the name of my aunt, who passed away of breast cancer a number of years ago.

The media stream is too sobering for me to listen to.  It consists of a very sad song, and a man reading off dedications to loved ones who passed away from cancer.  I listened to it as I walked through the build, and I almost had to TP out.  I was choked up.  The Merrimen, little clockwork men running the factory, that were created by a New Babbager who passed away last year, were almost too much to bear in their poignancy.

So.  This is where I am tonight.  Standing reverently with my fellow Babbagers.

New Babbage goings on

Because I've not seen the SL "steamlands" outside of New Babbage and Caledon, I've decided to take some walking tours.  I posted on the City of New Babbage Reader about my upcoming excursions, which I decided to call "whistle-stop tours," and extended an open invitation to anyone who'd like to join me.  I got a great response, and am planning to go on my first walk tonight. Since New Toulouse is based on turn-of-the-century New Orleans French Quarter, and since today is Bastille Day, I thought it would be a good place to start.

On the thread about touring New Toulouse, Edward Pearse mentioned that I should watch out for zombies, since they are known to haunt some areas of the city. I joked that I would bring some sort of repellent, something with two barrels, which led to further discussion about how it's mandatory for redheads in New Babbage to be armed.

I don't have much experience with roleplay, but the stories being told in New Babbage are fantastic, and I have been wanting to get involved. It's a minor thing, but I decided to start by buying a gun.

In RL I'm very against firearms, but in New Babbage RP, it's great fun. I think I look rather badass, if I do say so. I was aiming (heh) for a "Dirty Harry" kind of picture.

Last night I saw an opportunity to squeeze into the periphery of an ongoing RP; it was in a rather unpleasant way, but hopefully I provided a bit of comedic relief on the thread.  I've found that I am much more comfortable with self-deprecating humor than with serious drama, and so I feel it was a good way to bring my character...er...myself into the story.

Put a fork in me. I'm done.

Ruthorford House is complete.  Fini.  Built and furnished.  Following is a virtual tour.  Please excuse me while I go to sleep...

From the front walk:

Entrance:

 Parlour:

Parlour:

Sitting room:

Sitting room:

Study:

Bedroom:

Good-night...

Breakfast in Babbage 2nd Anniversary

Only one thing to say about Breakfast in Babbage:  Brilliant!

I walked home in my nightgown, and managed to find my way fairly quickly.  Upon my arrival at the Academy sandbox, I saw that it was populated by a herd of roaming daleks.  As if the usual lag wasn't enough...but I have to admit that it was kinda fun to stumble across a sight like this.

Bad in Babbage

For better or worse, I wore the fez and danced with abandon:

My only complaint about the villains' ball is that it was too short!   But Ms. Bianca Namori was, I think, out of all the events I've attended so far, the DJ who played the most songs I love.  Including the version of "Roxanne" from Moulin Rouge. 

*happy sigh*

As I write this, I still have strains of the song wafting through my head.

Pleasant dreams, villains...