Theoretical Afterthought's photostream  

Tonight I went into SL.

While dusting off my unremarkable blog, I saw an update by Bryn Oh on her own blog.
Immersiva has disappeared from SL and Bryn herself doesn't know the reason for it's removal from the grid up to a few hours ago. I hope she is able to resolve this matter as her work is clearly an outstanding perennial that never fails to enchant.

And so I cranked up my SL viewer and logged in.

While in SL, I went to see the only remaining public exhibit created by AM Radio. I just teleported in and stood there silently, admiring one of the last vestiges of that fantastic wave of artists whose work is slowly disappearing from SL. While there are new sims popping up all the time, and with better and more adaptable and interactive ways of engaging people, for an old schooler (in SL terms) like myself, there is something to be said about the strange sense of nostalgia for all things old being lost in pursuit of the shiny and new.

While there, I ran into a most agreeable avatar named Tristan Treves. I suppose that he was somebody's alt, for he was dressed to the nines, but had absolutely nothing on his profile, on his picks, nor on any of his profile tabs. Seeing him so well composed, down to a sitting pose that gave him an air of carefree abandon, I IMed him to tell him that I could appreciate such attention to detail as could be seen in his avatar. We exchanged the typical chit-chat consisting of formulaic prefab phrases, but then something clicked. We had both been in SL for at least three years, and in those years, we had managed to visit and admire places now gone. We obviously spoke about AM Radio's work, I mentioned Immersiva, he brought up ChouChou, and I mentioned REZ.

REZ. Do any of you remember REZ?
(Long sigh here.....)
I clearly remember REZ as the most wondrous and peaceful place to visit. The old rail, the endless water, the mysterious tubes...the company, and the memories that came flooding back to both myself and my interlocutor.

We didn't talk much more after that because I had to leave for RL and I just didn't think to add him given our lack of time in SL. However, I am sure he would have been a most welcome addition to my contacts, if only just to reminisce. I do recall him telling me how fond he was of REZ. That perhaps we must have ran into each other there years ago given the frequency of our visits to that sim. Of course, there would be no way of recognizing each other now even if we had indeed ran into each other there. Perhaps our alts know something that we don't as our current selves. Isn't that something? Yeah, I am smiling here, but I think I would have remembered...right?

So there it is. Another useless ramble on an unlucky night when Immersiva disappeared. Lucky for Tristan and I that we still have our memories to relive the places now gone.

Nice to have met you tonight, Tristan. Be well where ever you go.

Theoretical Afterthought image from the Nordan Art Gallery exhibit, summer 2011.

I have an unquantifiable amount of SL pics that are just sitting in my hard drive. Tonight I had a chance to peruse some of the more recent ones. This one is from the now ended Nordan Art Exhibit in SL. Thank you, Flora.

I figured I might as well share what I have with you. Several people were kind enough to donate a few years to my account. I feel guilty not using that time wisely. Since I have not made anything recently, you will only get to see old work that has not seen the light of day before.

I will come back soon to let you know how I created this image with the quick mask and lateral lens blur on PS. This was well liked then, so I figured I would share it with you along with how it was that I made it. If there is anything you may want to learn about PS that I may know about, ask me. I will gladly share it with you if I have ready examples. They may not be all that good, but chances are that I will have something given the fact that I am a pack rat.

Tonight, I sleep. Miss you guys.

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind
lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches
that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
--Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

www.scribd.com/doc/268142/Kahlil-Gibran-The-Prophet

I believe my time has run out in this virtual environment we know as SL, at least for a good long while. There is no engagement for me anymore, there is no interest calling me to build, to create, to continue. So why remain?

I will especially miss you for you were my inspiration, my motivation, my greatest support for a virtual lifetime. I will especially miss YOU. My tenderest branches already do. My soil has been uprooted. My SL garden lays waste.

It is my time to go.

This Flickr account was given to me as a gift, and I intend to keep it and use it for Photoshop experimentation. But the link from here to the avatar Theoretical Afterthought will eventually fade as well. I no longer wish to be theoretical nor an afterthought, I need to be real. Should you need to contact me, I will continue answering my Flickr Mail indefinitely.

Thank you.

I forgot to mention that I have this image set as a gift at Nordan Art Gallery for anyone who wants to click on it. It is probably the least freaky of them all and it is my gift to you. And yes, I am still smiling from the wonderful response I received before, during and after the opening. I can't tell you how cool it is.

If I am not mistaken, the same expo will be up for the rest of the summer, so you still have time to go visit and check out our work. My gallery sort of looks like this....
www.flickr.com/photos/simotron/5922323188/
Thanks simotronaquila!

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PS1 The only person that figured out this was the freebie was Lookatmy Back. He deserves a prize!

PS2 As of late, I have been listening to a lot of screamo rock from the old days (AC/DC) but as I was changing the dial on my car stereo, I came across this one and thought, "wow, it is a cool song" and started to sing/scream along to it as I continued on to my destination. Cover your saintly ears to protect yourself from 1975 rock songs...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMIM_5EgTW0

This is Kras Alter's fault. Really. He provided the link and it is addictive. Go find your color, see it it matches up with you.

thecolorof.com/#find

And well, it proves that I do like red, or does it?

:D