Scenes From The 2021 Winter Burn

 By Bixyl Shuftan

 From Friday January 29 to Sunday January 31 at Midnight, the 2021 "Winter Burn took place. For those not familiar, it is a spinoff event of the Burn2 art and music festival, which itself is a virtual reflection of the yearly Burning Man festival in real life in Black Rock Nevada.

The theme this year was "Bubblegum and Duct Tape." As their website would state, "Burners are endlessly creative, sometimes irreverent, wildly expressive. But this time, we mean to inject a bit of light-heartedness into this theme ... When you ponder this theme, think about what makes things stick together, if it helps. Love, support, respect, chain, a guy rope, tie, wire, clasp, screws, nails, bandage, cord, harness ... and of course, Bubble Gum and Duct Tape."

The day before on Thursday, the Playa was open a bit early for the "Burn2 Unplugged" music event. 

From 11 AM to after 9PM, various musicians such as Gypsy Dhura played for the crowd.

Dropping in on Sunday, it looked like there was an off-season "burning of The Man," judging by the embers.

Artist Moya Patrick (Moya Janus), whom the Newser wrote about earlier in the month, was there.

Moya was among the artists with an exhibit there. Talk about getting tied up by one's work.

On the stage and dance floor in the middle of the sim, DJs were playing to crowds, the people either just listening or dancing away.

Among the staff and Burn2 rangers were iSkye Silverweb and Slatan Dryke.

Looking around, there were a number of exhibits.

Near one, I found a balloon.

Using it was a matter of hopping in ...

Lighting up the torch ...

And then up, up, and away.

I got a good look at some places from above.

A glance from above at the Burn2 entry area.

One exhibit had a house.

Called "The Bubble Gum House," inside were some appropriate phrases on the all, and some freebies one could pick up.

This artist was "On a roll."

A "mutant vehicle" rezzer.

The day after the Burn, I dropped in for a few pictures, and I saw some of the staff relaxing, enjoying a game of "guess the word on the chalkboard." It was an easygoing evening after a busy weekend.

That's all for now, at least until the Burnal Equinox.

Bixyl Shuftan

Valentine's Day Game At Club Cutlass

By Bixyl Shuftan

For those looking for something fun to do, Shockwave Yareach has something for this time of year. For this Valentine's Day season, he has a new game out, the "Big Box O' Candy." He announced the game in Sunweaver chat.

There is now a pair of vendors to the Valentine's Game.  One is in the Club Cutlass, and the other at the train stop on the ground.  

Anyone can play -- in or out of the group.  Game is free to play.

There are 12 candies hidden in Sunweaver Bay.  As you touch them, a chocolate appears in the box you carry.  Find all 12 and give it to your loved one, and they
will get a special prize.  (And hopefully so will you.)  

To play the game, head to one of the vendors carrying it, a large rotating heart candy that changes color over a pyramid. As Shockwave mentioned, one is in Club Cutlass at Sunweaver Bay (114/117/757), located next to the wall near the movie poster. The other is at the Sunweaver Bay train stop at the end of the main railway line. Just touch it to receive both the instructions and the box of chocolates. Just "add" the box for it to appear in your arm (you may need to adjust the box if it appears too deep into your avie).

After that, you look around for twelve candy hearts scattered around the Sunweaver Bay sim. They look like the rotating heart over the game vendor, but smaller and are a single color. Obviously some are easier to find than others. Some are more or less out in the open. They're either at ground level or on a hill. None are underwater, Shockwave musing, "They dissolved when we tried that." Some are in public buildings, but none are in a private home. Each time you touch one, another chocolate appears in your box.

Shockwave says if you find all twelve, the person you give the box to will get a prize, "Find all dozen and then detach the candy box.  You can now give it to your sweety. And since some of you have several sweethearts, it is set copy as well as transfer so that you can give out as many as you like. When your love rezes the candy box, if all 12 candys have been found, she will get a special prize.  And hopefully you will get a special reward from your honey for all the hard work you did - you don't have to tell her that you had fun." While you can give away an unfinished box, no prize will be given.

Going about the sim myself, after about half an hour I myself found ten of the twelve candies. How many can you find? Play the game and find out.

Once again, to play the game, head to Sunweaver Bay (114/117/757)

Bixyl Shuftan

SLEA Alternative Worlds

 
By Gemma Cleanslate
    

My friend Slatan Dryke of Virtual Ability often runs mystery tours on Fridays and I try to attend once in a while to see what region or activity he is highlighting, I managed to make it last Friday and was so glad I did, As you know the new SLEA opened January 1, 2021 and had its grand opening Saturday, January 22 and 23. He chose to take all the attendees over to Region 3. Once we arrived he turned us loose to explore on our own.

What a charming experience. Melodie Melodie Heart - Riegler (MarieMadeleine3) and Barry Richez (Dreams) have created an Alternative World.

Their inspiration ,  “We intend to raise awareness of climate justice and sustainability through art. Preserve our planet, recycle, control pollution, rethink what is taken for granted. Seek a compromise between eco-logic and eco-nomics.We intend to preserve our planet, recycle, control pollution, rethink what is taken for granted.We seek a compromise between eco-logic and eco-nomics.” To express this the entire installation is full of origami and other paper cutting art pieces.  The interactive sites are fun and playful but full of meaning on saving the planet. I found the sky lovely and soothing while taking a ride in the balloons in the air. The pipe organ is fun to play and sends music notes across the sky.

There is a set of washing machines set up to cleanse the planet, each one a different piece  of the planet from nature to emotions and ideals ending with one asking “ what would you wash?” 

At one point I got caught by a magnet in a shopping cart and was drawn in . It took me ages to get away until iskye suggested I stand,  (laughter). That did it and I escaped.

Everyone in the group had fun with the interactive pieces. Lady Claire was fascinated with a cute bridge to an  animal island that kept forming and collapsing with a touch. We all enjoyed the visit and had  memories to think about as we left. 

Melodie came along at that moment and we all told her how much we enjoyed the experience. There is much more to see in Region 3.

 Enter into the center landing area and pick up the hud or  enter the portal and accept the experience  to guide you to some of the regions already finished  and I peeked at a few that  under construction that look so interesting and am going back for more. I recommend checking out the ground level which contains so many interesting spots to check out . 

Choose Region 3 teleport to get to Alternative Worlds. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLEA7/30/35/55

Gemma Cleanslate