Halloween Attractions at Caledon

By Bixyl Shuftan

Earlier, the Newser reported on a Halloween party held at the steampunk-themed community of Caledon. For fans of the area and people who missed on the event or are looking for more fun there, or are just looking around for more spooky fun, there's more fun and games to be found there.

Cynthia Farshore's Caledon Downs has a few games that residents looking for spook-tacular fun. One is a Skull hunt courtesy of Shockwave Yareach. To start, look for one of three large "giver skulls" that will hnd you instructions, as well as a basket. "There are nineskulls hidden about, here and there.  When you find one, simply touch it (note: you must be within 20m).  The picture of a skull will appear in your basket, showing how many you have found.  Try to find all nine skulls and put their souls to rest.  But don't think this too easy.  Not to give anything away right now, but keep in mind as you search that the dead are not resting right now.  Just keep that thought in mind."

The skulls could be "in any public building, gun placement, tower, runway, hanger...  If you don't have to cam to go there, it can be there." They will not be underwater, inside vehicles, in trees, or private homes.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/99/90/32

Also at Caledon Downs, in the northwest corner of the sim, is a Haunted Steeplechase. To run it, go to the starting gate, touch it to start, and run the course as it goes up and down a nearby hill, jumping over obstacles. The best times are posted on the board. I saw no sign of a horse rezzer, so you'll have to provide your own steed.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/43/156/23

To the east, there's a shooting gallery. To play, press the sign to get the spider gun in your inventory, then click on it and select "add." You then press the green button to start a round, shooting spiders at the various monsters and ghosts. When you're done, your score is displayed.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/202/81/44

To the south of Caledon Downs is Caledon SouthEnd. Here, you'll find a spooky amusement park in three parts. There are a number of rides to go on, notably four rides through haunts. The "Orphan Asylum" ride was busted, but the other three were working. Probably the scariest of these was a demonic-themed one which the maker felt they needed to add a disclaimer on.

There were also games to play, such as a "wack-a-mole" type game with witches popping out of nine pumpkins. There was another shooting gallery game, in which one was to shoot the zombies while avoiding hitting the human. In another shooting game, one shoots at witches, ghosts, black cats, etc. while avoiding hitting the pumpkin, "we need it for the pie." For those wanting a break from the spooky, there are regular rides such as a ferris wheel.

The main parcel of the carnival is at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20SouthEnd/129/41/23

Caledon is a big place, so there's likely to be a Halloween attraction I missed. But the ones I found are worth stopping by to look.

Bixyl Shuftan

North Pole And The "Christmas Express" at Caledon Downs

By Bixyl Shuftan

As the community of Caledon turns white with snow, the Caledon Downs sim is getting into the Christmas spirit. While some places are putting up lights and decorations on their trees, Cynthia Farshore's sim is taking Xmas to a whole new level, with trips to the North Pole.

I recently met with Cynthia at her new exhibit. "Hiya Bix, welcome to the North Pole," she greeted me, "as it is right now. Still in work, but can be opened now." She pointed out the buildings at the place where the reindeer were housed and the elves made the gifts. They were decorated with candy canes, holy, and lights, some still being put up by a couple of Santa's helpers. Cynthia's friend Shockwave Yareach cautioned, "All the elves are in bad temper though." I asked if that was because it was crunch time for making presents. Shocker responded, grinning, "they're 'elf'-absorbed." Cynthia chuckled, "Well, their elf-bred."

One building was the reindeer barn in which a number of the sleigh-pullers hung around at. In one shop, there was an elf working on toys at one table with red sacks of toys next to another, "Everyone there is elf-employed too." There was also a tool bench in which one could touch to get a tool, and help out a little him or herself, "supposed to be interactive." One building was the kitchen area, where one could pick up some sweet treats such as pudding, cake, or hot chocolate.

Cynthia told me while the place was basically ready and open, it wasn't truly complete as she would be adding a few more things, "Hope I can get together some gifts to grab around here, here in the shop and under the trees. ... it will be a work (in progress) a bit, as this is the first year to do this, just like Halloween was.  I had to hunt a lot to find just the right things so they work with each other. Really, I would put something in crate but later take it out as I found a better one, and so on."

But the most active part of Cynthia's build, and the one that required the most work, was the train that like the reindeer could fly, "Now to get up here there will be a Christmas Express train running from the ground to up here and back down. ... You know the movie 'Polar Express?' It's a bit of a knock off, 'Polar Express,' 'Christmas Express.' There will be a stop down on the ground in front of the airplane hangar. It will run up to where you see the Sunbeamer engine, then run back down. Here's the change: no tracks. It will fly."

Cynthia would later have the train ready, sitting at a small station in front of her airport hangar. Candy canes would display when the next several trains would be available. She took me on a run. Sitting on the seats could be slightly tricky. As Cynthia stated, the train lifted up from it's position and went into the air. It would go up to the North Pole platform. On the way back down, it would make a stop at a Nativity scene, then Cynthia's Goblin Cave, then head on to the small station on the ground.

Other things I noticed at her sim, there was a large Christmas tree next to the fishing dock. There was also a skating pond next to the water. There was a skate giver that one could touch to get a pair. Once putting them on, one could skate around on the ice.

Besides a little more at Caledon Downs as time goes on, Cynthia told me to expect some decorating by her neighbors, "There will be more on other areas around here, like over on Star's land right next to me and Andrea's on my south side." She also mentioned Caledon was taking part in the "International Christmas Tree" contest.

All this time, Cynthia's Farshore Radio was playing a number of Christmas tunes from classics old and new to parodies, and others. Speaking of music, Cynthia let me know about a few Christmas parties at Caledon. Two would be at Oxbridge Village on Saturday the 15th, "I was told by Andrea she wants 1PM and 7PM, I will DJ both." The third event would be at Cynthia's Goblin Cave itself on Thursday December 13 from 6 to 8 PM.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/194/137/50

Bixyl Shuftan

Andrea Jones' "Reflections of Darkness" Opens at National Museum of Caledon

By Bixyl Shuftan

On Sunday July 22, there was an opening party for a new exhibit at the National Museum of Caledon in the Caledon II sim : "Reflections of Darkness." As it turned out, while this was  Andrea Jones' exhibit, the artwork wasn't hers but rather the poetic verses tied to these dark (mostly) images of various artists. There was a notecard one could pick up at the entrance, as well as a sign on the wall, that explained how the exhibit came to be.

Welcome, Back in the early part of 2013 I was a heavy Facebook user and I was going through a rough time. I ended up spending several months where, as I came across different pictures posted on FB.  I saw stories in the pictures and crafted verses to go with them.

Some of the verses were a form of therapy and as such some are very dark. Some were written for friends on Fb and some as parts to their Wiccan pages. The verses are raw, placed here as they were originally posted so many years ago, good, bad, short or long. Many of the images here have the artists name on them. So credit is placed to them, the words are mine.

Due to the amount of material, It could take some time to go through so take your time. Enjoy.

Cynthia Farshore played the music for the event, which got some complements, "Thanks, trying to put in something for everyone." There were a couple songs from "The Phantom of the Opera," "Thriller," "Ghost Riders in the Sky," the theme music to "Ghostbusters," Ray Stevens' "Sittin Up With The Dead,""Monster Mash," and more.

People also complemented Amdrea for her verses, "... you did write some really good poetry to the pictures, Andrea." "It is true, Andrea, it is only having journeyed through loss and darkness that one truly appreciates the light." Talking to Andrea, she had a few things to say about the exhibit, "There are a few lighter pieces in the mix. The Facebook page was made for darkness though. A few friends are keeping it running. I only wrote for a few months."

Star (Astarynite Resident) is the owner of the museum. When I asked when the idea came about for the exhibit, she told me, "I think Andrea had three weeks to pull everything together." Andrea explained, "I stated importing the verses and pics from Facebook a couple of years ago. I built a museum to put them in, but did not finish pulling them all from outside Second Life. I spent  about three weeks, yes, finishing the material. Star's museum was already to go, so I did them for here. I have more material, but no pics to go with them. Wasn't really needed on the Facebook page"

When Cynthia started playing the theme music of "Dr. Who," that got Andrea thinking, "Hmmm, I had a piece about Dr. Who,. but I don't think I presented it. ... Ah, here it is. 'A Whovians Bad Night.'"

So I am a Whovian and sleep won't come
These rhymes these rhymes bounce off my ear drums.

Like the Master with the drum beat four
Drumming in my head with sledge hammer force

Beating and beating demanding release
Threatening to drive away my nights sleep

O Doctor O Doctor where have you gone
Inside the TARDIS is where peace will come

Inside the time nexus where time rages on
Sleep is possible because everything is gone

Here in the nexus the question is not asked
So silence can not fall like an axe.

Fixed time points must stay safe
So everything in time stays in place.

Alas the rhymes are at last fading
Like the wrath of a good man abating

So sleep is just around the corner
As the Vasta Nerada dances in my quarters

So asleep and dreaming must I be
Because Captain Jack just made a pass at me.

Another picture mentioned was "Sisters Mr. Spider."

Hello Mr Spider why are you there?
What are you doing on the wall over there?
Why are you hanging over fathers head?
He won't like it if he wakes and finds you there.

Mr. Spider why are you so large?
Do spiders grow that large in the yard?
Should father wake up he will try to take charge.
He will try to squish you for being so large.

Mother would probably let out a scream.
Awaking my brother who is pretty mean.
Mother would grab me and run until she ran out of steam.
Leaving father here to squish you to cream.

I think Mr. Spider you should come with me.
I was about to sit down with my dollies and have tea.
You can join us, as I have a cup already laid out for tea.
With as many arms you have, you can have as much as you need.

I think it would be best if we let them sleep.
Waking them now would cause a scene.
If you are hungry I have cookies with my tea with icing.
I think you will like them better than people sleeping.


One visitor commented, "I'm going to sleep with the lights on after seeing this spider over the bed picture." Andrea responded, "I have a spider human avatar, but it cleared the room last time I showed up in it. The DJ was frightened of spiders, she poofed. I left so she could come back." Cynthia commented, "While in the Nav,y a guy told me he was on the ship in his rack which are enclosed but for one side, he opened his eyes to see a spider about an inch and a half wide hanging right above his head which would have been only 8~12 inches." She soon played Jim Stafford's "Spiders and Snakes."

Another visitor commented, "The Great Beyond verse is my favorite so far!" This was a picture of a skeleton in an astronaut's suit. Andrea commented, "I was thinking of the early (Star Trek) Federation space flights when I wrote it, with a little 'Space Above and Beyond.'"

Space the Final Frontier
Where your corpse is preserved for all the years

In space no one can hear you scream
Outside your capsule all is quiet and serene

No more eyes, no more ears
Nothing left with for you to know fear

Through time and space you hurtle on
A silent witness to the great beyond

One picture looked like a big contrast with the others, a picture of puppies. What are puppies doing in a gallery full of ghoulish pictures? But a closer looked showed something wasn't quite right, especially with the title: "Demon Dogs."

We look so cute. But that is a disguise.
To see our true nature just look into our eyes

Still don't see what our disguises hide
Why you should run and hide

Come closer and we will show you why


Star has only had a few exhibits in the museum before this one, "Andrea's is my fifth show. I was hoping to have a miniature show of builders builds, but most builders it seems do not make small versions of their builds and many things in the build are already at their smallest size and can't be shrunk."

So what is Andrea planning next? She told me, "I'm working on a community build in the Steam Skye City region. The Island of the Circle. ... I'm trying to come up with a build for Burn 2 in October ... for the Caledon Oxbridge University October fundraiser." She would be doing a Halloween-themed build, "I'm going to build one big one like last year ... with maybe two dance areas."

As for Star's museum after Andrea's exhibit, "I will be looking for a show in September if anyone has photographs, writings, anything they would like to display for a month or so."

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20II/164/52/23

Bixyl Shuftan

Yareach and Farshore Mercantile

By Bixyl Shuftan

Shockwave Yareach and Cynthia Farshore are noted for their activities and builds in the Sunweaver Estates. Recently, the two have teamed up to run a store in the Caledon Steampunk community: "Yareach and Farshore Mercantile" at Caledon SouthEnd. I met up with them to discuss their new venue.

Cynthia, whom already has a location at the Sunweaver  community, "The Puddle Jumper" at the Pacific Waters sim, explained she was "expanding my stores." Just after I had gotten there, a train chugged by. "We have a whistle stop right in front of us," Cynthia mused with a smile. Shockwave then walked over, "I can never catch that thing." Both were dressed in the Victorian style of the location, Shockwave explaining with a grin, "Gotta look good on my lady's arm."

Cynthia explained how the store came to be, "Well, I wanted to have a residence in Caledon and when I found this building, it became clear I could make it a shopkeeper residence, as it is an 19th century building with a living flat above. ... Since I already had steampunk vendors, it was a cinch to set up a store in Caledon. Shocky and I are adding in our own goods to sell as they are ready." Taking a look inside, there was already a variety of wares. The items being offered for sale, Cynthia explained, were, "Victorian, Steampunk, and Western wear and goods. Vendors include Doc Wrangler Men's Wear, Swank Brothers, Golden Oriole, and others. ... I will be constantly looking for new products to sell and in work on many items of my own. ... I have some items that will be updated to a sculpted object so as to reduce prims."

Shockwave added, "The infamous innertube system is for sale here - first time ever and only in her shops." Amused, I asked, "How is it infamous?" He answered, "I'd put some out, see what was good and bad, improve it when I was bored. ... You know how frequently I'm bored in SL? Rarely. I'm delighted to have a patient partner like Cynthia." I then asked, "Was this the inner tube system at the original Angels Beach Club?" Shockwave answered it was, which brought to mind some incidents in the past of "accidental furpiles" caused by groups of people using the inner tubes at once, and instead of the tubes fading away when reaching the shore at the end of the ride, they'd stay on those using it, and if no one got up, the result was a pile of inner tubes with the people still in them. "I see why it's infamous now," I commented with a grin.

Cynthia went on about her building, "I am learning to use Blender, one item I made using it is on the table, an Iron frying pan." Shockwave commented, "I can't use blender.  Can't wrap my head around it." Cynthia spoke, "Now I am limiting what I sell here to what fits the theme of Caledon so more modern things will be at the Puddle Jumper."

Shockwave continued, "And the lady has an iron-clad warranty on parrots purchased here." I then pointed to one that was "sleeping" on the counter, "Like that one?" Cynthia looked over, "Umm, Oh yeah. We had a problem with a customer claiming we sold him a dead parrot." I chuckled, "What's the story there?" Shockwave stated it wasn't entirely unsimilar to what happened in a pet shop in "Monty Python." Chuckling, I asked, "so how many parrots has the store sold?" Shockwave answered, "10,000! ... Well, 100 ... 2 actually ... including that one." He looked to Cynthia, "And um, love, did we decide to count the one that flew away as a sale?" Cynthia answered, "Uh noo hun I counted the fly away as a lose for income tax purpose." Shockwave responded, "Ah. One parrot." I chuckled, "Sounds like your customers have given you the bird. ... So I guess the parrots haven't done so well?" Cynthia told, "I think we'll no longer carry them, hate changing the newspaper in the cages. NOT yours of course!" I chuckled, "Old editions of the 'Herald?' " Shockwave mused, "The only newspaper that smells fishy before you wrap fish in it." Cynthia remarked, "problem is getting the fish to stay wrapped, it doesn't want to be wrapped in it."

After some more chuckles, I asked, "So besides the inner tubes, what else looks especially promising?" Cynthia answered, "I have been working on home items such as this kerosene lamp." She then placed on on the counter, "This is almost ready but it needs to make light." Shockwave commented, "Hurricane lamps I've heard them called." Cynthia turned it on, "It shows the flame but it needs to cast light yet. ...Now I will also have it set so you can say light or light out and a number of lamps in your house will all go on or off together. Or you can touch each and only one will light." She went ahead and tried it out, though my saying the key words did nothing, "... it already has a secure script. Anyway you see how that will work."

Asking her what else has she been working on, Cynthia answered, " Well I'm looking at expanding to airship parts, even including boilers like what the Cutlass club has." They also directed their attention to a "Wheel of Fortune," Cynthia saying, "The wheel of fortune is sold in the Golden Oriole vendor. But you will provide the cash prize so you have to grant money transfer." She had set the one in her shop set to giving out one or two Lindens. It was at this point a shopper entered the store, whom Cynthia invited to give a spin. She won a boxed avatar "ruler." Others continued to enter, "Congratulations on your new store, Miss Farshore!"

Cynthia again explained that the story's inventory would continue to grow. As for plans for expansion, "This store will be a humble little store in keeping with the neighbor hood. But I am looking at the concept of a skybox above to house large items like airship parts, like a storefront with a hidden warehouse. You can all see such that Shocky and I have made in the airship (Club) Cutlass. It has functioning aircraft elevators."

It was about this time Shockwave had to head out, so it was this time we parted ways. But with customers continuing to drop in, no doubt word has been getting around about the store.

So for quality items for a Victorian/Steampunk themed place, check out "Yareach and Farshore Mercantile."

Caledon SouthEnd (128/91/24)

Bixyl Shuftan