SLEA - The Quiet Between Worlds

 

By Netera Landar

The  Masquerade Ball in the Ballroom. (Photo courtesy Neme Marville)

I went to an event celebrating “The Quiet Between Worlds” region an hour before singer Austin Moores’ gig. Max Kleene was singing live during the Masquerade Ball. 

 

Max Kleene

He was dressed in a black suit and wore a mask that covered half his face. On a blue, sparkling dance floor, 40 participants were surrounded by tall arches and floating candles. Many were dressed casually, while others chose formal gowns, suits, or styles that suited them.

The landing point information board.

“The Quiet Between Worlds” was created from a growing sense of unrest and exhaustion – both online and offline – that now permeates our world: the constant performance, polarization, and pressure to define and defend identity. The region is a refuge that offers true emotional safety and comfort. It is LGBTQ+ centered on care and visibility for the most vulnerable members of the Second Life community. Here, visitors can experience moments of peace and reflection, mourn loved ones that they have lost, and support our fellow brothers and sisters,” according to Team Nabi/Butterfly Nation. Over 1,500 people have visited so far.

The team includes Nemesis Marville – engines, storytelling, and meshes; Nyx Marville – scripting and dynamic art; Dean Acer – meshes and textures; Cypher: Muse and the boss of Dean; and Rin Nemeth: artists’ coordinator and manager.

A week after the music event, I met with Neme, who lives overseas, and Nyx. They gave me a tour of numerous parts of the region and offered explanations at each highlighted space.

“Our grant started in January of 2026. We have this region through Second Life Endowment for the Arts for six months. So, the region will end and go on to a new artist at the end of June 2026,” said Neme.

The team members met in a region where the community was supportive of LGBTQ residents. When it closed, they discussed ideas on how to offer a safe space. The opportunity came, and they began their work.

They create unity and bring people together by holding weekly events. One of which is a week-long watch party in their theater, and on Sundays, a DJ mixes ambient tunes and more. They hope to offer more events, especially for Pride coming up, now that the building phase is nearly complete.

As for the tour, Neme and Nyx showed me the upper levels. I explored the beach area myself. Not far from the landing point is a guitar stage with rainbows and stars streaming from the sand. Bean bag chairs surround the area. 

 

A memorial park features a marble headstone and a touching message, a harp that plays after you click it. Sit on the Pride bench and listen.

 

Step into the wooden cabin and watch a special video.

Watch the interactive video in the wooden cabin. Relax by the fire pit or in the cuddle heart.

Neme’s tour led to the exploration of the upper part of the build. He told me to walk slowly towards the first teleport, which should bring us up.

“This marks the end of the world as we know it,” said Neme. “This is why in the book up there it says choose wonder over fear.” We went over the bridge instead. “This is a spot for gatherings, for friends and family, and for concerts and events. This is the Ballroom biome. It’s the face we show to the people around us. It’s what we want them to perceive us as,” he told me.

I recognize it as the room where Max performed. Neme tells me that every arc in the room has a message, and together they become whole.

The Little Prince build.

We took the portal to the next area. He said this was the Little Prince biome, which features elements from the book.

“You can either be the Little Prince or the Narrator, as they are the only characters missing,” he said, and asked if I knew the story. 

 

Netera with Neme.

“It should feel like they were just here, and their absence should be notable. I think the first thing people do is think of a loved one who is now among the stars. People react with feelings of nostalgia, some even grief. Although it’s more introspective in a way. It’s the feeling of lost potential, of what life could have been if they were still around."

Another wooden cabin for sitting and reflecting.

We then move on to the cabin. Neme said that this is a place to calm down from the feelings we experienced in the previous setting. Most of the scene has interactive areas to hang out, contemplate, or just share a moment with someone you’re close to.

He added that there is an important over-arching theme that extended across all the builds in the region and that was the opportunity to contemplate your life as well as options for making memories.

“Which is so important in a space like SL where folks are looking for connections,” Neme said. “Around this ark/biome, this is a place where you can withdraw and relax and leave whenever you feel ready to. A place to be yourself without having to meet any expectations.”

“There needs to be safe places to come,” I told him.

“Exactly,” said Nyx. “Whether it is someone decompressing from real life, or looking for a way to reach out to a community, that is what SL is at its heart. A place to be more than you can imagine and to find your chosen people.”

Nyx stated, as Neme did, that their region will be open to the end of June, and then another team will create an installation, or whatever their passion is, and it will be bittersweet.

“We do not have an option yet to move elsewhere, but we are open to any opportunities folks may have. We put in a very concentrated effort to do everything ourselves. So, approximately 98% of what you are seeing is something our team members made or created together,” Nyx added.

A tree-house build focusing on grief, how it is love with nowhere to go. Play your song anyway.

Onward we went. This time, we were transported to a floating treehouse, which Neme said was a standard blender ruins made with mesh.

Not all wishes are meant to come true...some are meant to change you.

“Neme has created much of the mesh you see around each scene. Each scene is encapsulated within its own biome. Right now, we are about 2,500m over the beach below,” explained Nyx. “I think we have space for everyone to claim a spot as their own at this point.”

Neme tells me I’ll love the next area. He points across the bridge to a piano, the next portal, he said. There are messages.

“He has made pieces, since we started, that tell stories, follow a narrative, and make people connect. This piece made me teary-eyed,” Nyx admitted.

Nyx and Neme.

We are at a gazebo where the stars sparkle above. Neme said that there are four messages and poses, perfect for couples. Perfect to ask your loved one to marry you, and there’s even a wedding venue downstairs.

“If you wish to book space for a wedding, it’s free. If you want to flex your DJ skills on any given night – free. If someone wants to hold a morning yoga class, the only hurdle is your imagination and wanting to see it thrive,” said Neme.

You are not alone.

“I think the little messages are cute and endearing,” added Nyx.  “Sometimes it’s hard to find the words to say how one feels.”

You are more than what hurts you.

Neme explained that they tried to alternate heavy places with places to rest your mind and soul so it wouldn’t be overbearing.

Your journey just begins - we are walking it with you...

“I think the vastness of massive objects like space, reminds us of how small we are and how small our troubles can be in the grand scheme,” said Nyx.

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLEA8/56/66/32

Netera Landar

  

Reader Submitted: The Ertina Loopen Memorial Foundation

 

By Journey Texan

 

Before Relay weekend becomes too distant in our rear-view mirrors, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who reached out to me or to others near me to express how much they were moved by the Ertina Loopen Memorial Foundation at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RFL%20Inspire/194/135/24 .  

I'm glad that I could create something that resonated with those who stopped to appreciate it and to learn more about Tina. While every day is an opportunity for me to remember and pay tribute to Tina, few days have as much visual impact as the ones during Relay weekend, so I am grateful for having the opportunity to share something meaningful with you there. 

If you missed the campsite, attached are a few photos to show that it presented the question "What do you do when cancer turns your life upside-down?" Fellow Relayers submitted answers which were displayed around the giant window frame on the ground. 

 

In the sky, a recreation of the actual Ertina Loopen Memorial Home & Garden was built and turned upside-down. You can actually go up there to sit on the inverted furniture. Other areas featured the team tent with its patented giant foot and back massage area, and other areas were further away from the track for quiet reflection. 

If you ever want to visit the actual Ertina Loopen Home & Garden, it is at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kangean/62/76/1501 . 

My thanks again to every individual and team that helped the Foundation contribute to the American Cancer Society during the season. It means a lot to me as well as to countless others whom we will never know. 

Journey Texan for the Ertina Loopen Memorial Foundation  

 

 

Design 

"The Mortal Coil"

 

 By Gemma Cleanslate

“Coming to you once a quarter, Spark Project is a new festival built on a curated idea celebrating music, art and fashion.” The grand opening is Saturday August 6 with music provided from 10:00 am SL time and it will run through midnight August 7 by many DJs .

When I did the article on The Pond I did not know the creator rαvєn вαnríσn кrαу (RavenStarr Resident) was already deep into a brand new installation with a team. The venue is at Spark. I was lucky enough to visit and explore this magnificent build. My first view was at the entrance where you will find all the helpful hints for your enjoyment.

The concept of the build is found in the 1998 film What Dreams May Come. It is called This Mortal Coil ,and you are invited to “Come with us on a journey between light and dark, life and afterlife, existence and oblivion.” All aspects, the bliss and the agony, are visible as you traverse the regions. There is help to teleport but I walked most of the paths.

Knowing the movie helps make sense of all the quotes and all the venues found across the two regions. One can certainly enjoy it all just from the beauty of the scenery. Actually I went through and did just that. But then I went on line and found the film and it all made more perfect sense.

The Mortal Coil will be here until mid September so you can take your time and hang out. As you travel take note of the messages along the way.

The team working with Raven Banrion Kray includes Drew Lukas , Torri Torricelli and Gege Feducci , who is coordinating the music. There is a facebook page for more information and a website in the works . You are invited to join the group Spark to keep up with the events planned in the future. Raven is already thinking about next quarter’s creation. I am looking forward to this weekend’s parties in the gorgeous amphitheater. Here is your ride to your journey.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spark/44/73/47

Gemma Cleanslate

Return Of Sonic’s New World: An Interview With Shadow and Kono

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich)

The original Sonic’s New World (a Sonic The Hedgehog inspired sim) started back in the fall of 2009 and had a run of about two years. It returned in 2011 after an almost one year absence and ran for another two years before shutting down again. Those who were fans of SNW may be pleased to know that it’s back for version three and currently being built. What has been built so far has impressed me and being a Sega and video game fan in general, I had to interview Shadow (Shadow Hepzipig) and the builder/co-owner Konohatu Lahamaras Kalantu (kono.moonites) (known as Kono).

Cyfir: What inspired you to start the sim originally and how long have you been a Sonic/Shadow fan?

Shadow: I grew up playing the Sonic games from back in the days of the original Sega Genesis when I was a kid, so I have always been a fan of the characters. When I heard of Second Life and the different worlds available, my first stop was to find out if there was a Sonic themed sim, and it was in a Sim called SRPS - Sonic's Role Play Sim - run by ZoraSlade that I bought my first avatar Shadow the Hedgehog. It was also this sim and SCU - Sonic's Classic Universe- that I fell in love with the idea of opening my own sim and providing a place for others to call home.

This became the main concept behind SNW, but I had no idea how or even what I would build for our new home. One day I came across Kono Moonites as he was just relaxing in SCU and asked him if he knew how to build. Now I didn’t really know the guy mind you. To him, I was just another schmuck wearing a Shadow avatar that was wanting to get something from him. But he said that he did know how to build. My response was "Good. You're going to build me a Sonic sim." More than a little pushy I know, but it kicked off a friendship and partnership that has spanned the past ten years.

Kono: For me it was simply being asked. I was just a nobody with no skills but a want to build and the Sonic community had been very accepting of that. I actually wouldn't be as much of a fan if it wasn't for Metal Knuckles from Sonic R. I grew up with Sonic but something about Metal Knuckles' design really stuck with me so much. So I've made my own and to some extent became known for it.

Cyfir: For Kono, what got you started building?

Kono: Want. When getting into Second Life, I took notice of how most of the things I could buy or wear weren't always from one company or creator, but from many. And freebies were everywhere. If anyone could do it, why couldn't I? So I did.

For the sim, it was being asked, Shadow bought the first SNW and paid for it on his own. I couldn't let him down. Even if he did come out of nowhere and 'Tell' me I was doing it. You tell me how many people out there get the offer to just build a sim based around something they like with someone else who enjoys it footing the bill.

Cyfir: Also for Kono, what are your inspirations?

Kono: To make a community and perfect my skills. I love people. Time after time I have been given chances I didn't deserve. SNW is a perfect example.

Shadow was the inspiration. He wanted a home. A place to hang out with people who wanted to hang out and trusted a stranger enough to help him do it. We knew there would be problems, drama, trolls, but I think it's important to understand that me and shadow had NO standing in the community and no SL experience. We were nobodies who just wanted a place to belong. Seeing someone with a goal like that, I mean it sounds simple. Never is though and that inspired me to get it done.

Cyfir: Why did you decide to bring back the sim again?

Shadow: The previous two times that I decided to close SNW was not due to hardships or because of drama as many sims have been prone to do, but because during those days, the Sonic community was flourishing. There were several other Sonic themed sims that had opened or were being run by close friends that I felt that we could close our doors on a high note. Our safe home was no longer needed. The community had grown to the point that many had found new homes and moved on. So it was time.

But this time, I came back after nearly six years to the Sonic community, and found that it had fallen on hard times. The community had shrunken greatly. Instead of the several sims that I had left behind, there were only two left that had the main focus for Sonic, or three others that only had one or two builds themed for Sonic. ALL of them were labeled as Adult. SNW had always been a moderate sim, mainly because many guests would use foul or other inappropriate language that would not be reasonable for a G rating, myself being the main offender for the language part. But it was still somewhere that everyone could come and feel welcomed and safe. But there wasn't anywhere like that anymore.

I actually had gone to Pixel Hills, just to see what build they had for it when I ran into a few new friends; Rapptor and Matchada, that led me to the Chao Gardens that were there. And it was there that I found an old friend and former admin of the original SNW, Blueblur Chrome. Within minutes I found myself surrounded by ten or more old and new friends, all of us having an amazing time and it reminded me of the joy that we all shared back in the day, and it reignited that spark, that drive to create a place where we could all call home. It was time for SNW to return. My first move was to call Kono once more, and shared with him the feeling I had, being surrounded by our old friends and just joking and laughing all night. It was during that talk that I learned that Kono had been feeling the same, that it was time for us to return to the Sonic community, though I think he expected me to take some time to think on it. Instead, though, that night I purchased the sim, nearly giving Kono an aneurysm in the process as he rushed to log onto Second Life and start work on building us our new home again.

Cyfir: What have been the challenges of bringing it back now as opposed to originally starting it?

Shadow: Surprisingly it hasn't been challenging to bring back SNW as it was when we first started. I still had the old group with still over one hundred members in it from the second iteration of the sim, so I was able to let everyone know that our home had come back the same night as I purchased the land.. much to Kono's dismay because he didn't have any builds barely started yet, but I just couldn't hold in my excitement in knowing that our home was here again. So I guess the biggest challenge was more for Kono feeling rushed in getting some of his old builds set up so that we had something here for people to visit.

Though this was par for the course. The first time we opened the sim I did the exact same thing, however Kono was not as skilled as he is with his builds today. Our first ever build was "Angel Island" which was supposed to be a floating island in the sky with a shrine that housed the seven chaos emeralds and the master emerald. Instead, we had several prim platforms with a pile of rocks to make a cave so we could set up a mall type area. The other challenge was learning on the fly how to deal with griefers and trolls. I remember that at one point a petition had actually been started on change.org, attempting to close SNW and remove me from Second Life entirely. This sort of set the precedence on just how we would handle such issues, because I signed that petition myself and told them "Good Luck." After that it became a game of almost cat and mouse. Griefers would come to try and crash our sim, so my admins and myself would notify the whole sim that the Griefer hunt was open, and end up crashing our sim ourselves with explosions and gunfire and Dragon Ball style attacks on them instead. Good times.

So it has definitely been easier this time than the original opening with one exception, the avatar limit of owning a homestead sim. The sim has been growing in popularity rapidly and I have seen more times than not where the region will be too full and others can not come visit. This has kick started a number of conversations amongst ourselves about moving to a full region. However, those can get pricey and we would not want to risk closing due to funding. So it is still a possibility that we may upgrade, but just not at this time.

Kono: People, like it or not throughout SNW's history the team-up works as such, Shadow takes the front of everything and I attempt to fix the fallout. What it lead to was leadership that was balanced out. Shadow wanted a stress free home and I wanted a happy community , but shadow was always shoot first ask questions later . I knew in the long run that it would eventually run everyone out and though I wanted to be left in the background to build I couldn't stand by and watch innocent people get banned or arguments be allowed to blow out of proportion over nothing.

Because of that undying need to help people and keep a happy home I became known to the sim members and now more then ever trying to find some time to build in peace, make textures in peace, and script. It's impossible but they are happy here. That speaks volumes for the sim.

Cyfir: From what I’ve seen, your builders are doing some pretty amazing work so far. I love how you can collect coins, jump on enemies, and get thrown by the bumpers. Can you tell us what people can look forward to in the final build?

Shadow: Now this has been one of the best attractions for the sim in the past. There will never be a "Final" build per say. The builds almost have a life of their own under Kono's eye, always evolving, growing, or being changed out for whatever new idea we have cooked up this time. The only reason the sim is still labeled as 'Under Construction' is because we have only been open for nearly a month now, and we haven't completed enough to feel that the builds can stay the way they are for the time being. However some of the features we will have is going to be a nice mall section on the ground floor build which Kono and Zenzen have modeled as a mixture of Marble Gardens and Emerald Coast from the games, as well as Blueblur's corner build of a level from Sonic Lost World. We will also be setting up a night club that will offer Live DJs to come and have a party, and we will be setting up a hub of sorts that will allow people to teleport through the sim via Second LifeExperience, as well as portals to the other sims that wish to be affiliated with us.

Kono: "Final?" (smile) What is final? The sim is a piece of art and I imagine it will continue to grow steadily for a long time to come. There is a lot to look forward to mainly all the changes. If I can manage the big plan is to make things a lot more interactive and make new builds whenever possible or recreate current ones if it fits.

I hope that what can be looked forward to is just more or [a] better path of what is already here; a happy community and a calm sim that feels like home.

Cyfir: Who else is involved in bringing back the sim?

Shadow: I have to say that the credit for inspiring me to reopen the sim would have to be Sonikku, Blueblur Chrome, Zetsae, and some new friends Rapptor and Matchada who showed me the Chao garden to spark my desire to bring the sim back.

For the actual development of the sim it has been Kono Moonites, Blueblur Chrome, Zenzen, and Wolfy Zemenis who have either brought back old builds or been working on new builds to give us the main foundation for our home once more.

Though he may deny it sometimes, it is myself and Kono though that are the owners of the sim. He mainly prefers to stay in the background as sort of the head builder, letting me take the credit for owning the sim instead so that way he can try building in peace, though that still doesn’t always work out for him.(laughter)

Kono: It's more a question as to who isn't? While yes that comes down to me and shadow paying for it, our friends and the community in it are what from day one got it off the ground.

Builders: Myself , ZenZen , Blueblur.chrome , Wolfie Zemenis.

Owner: Shadow,  but cheesy as it might sound to some, the members, Sonikku, Zetsae, Sykes, Matchada, Rappy, Sen , Wendi , Razor [here at time of typing] are what help us feel like it is a home and them being here at the start and even before are the who and what that are involved in bringing it back.

Cyfir: For Kono, what is most rewarding about your builds?

Kono: Learning. This community has taught me everything I know or at the very least taught me the basics and then also beat me over the head about the details to do things right. A lot of people don't realize how relevant Second Life is to making an actual game, or learning animation. The reward is learning and getting to enjoy what I create, alone or with others.

Cyfir: Do you know when everything should be finished or are you just taking it one day at a time?

Shadow: Well, like I said, the sim will never truly be finished as we always seem to come up with new ideas for builds or ways to improve existing builds. But even with the current builds half finished, we opened our doors to everyone and anyone who wants to just come home, hang out, and feel a sense of safety and companionship that you would as if you and your best friends were just relaxing and gaming at home. As for the date for when we feel ready to remove the 'under construction' label from the name, well that one we are taking one day at a time until we can at least finish our landing hub, mall, and club.

Cyfir: Will there be any other Sega or other video game inspired features on the new sim?

Shadow: I can't say for absolutely certain on this one, but as the name implies, Sonic's New World will most likely remain true to the Sonic universe. However, we never know what the future may hold.

Kono: Yes and no. It really depends on the builds. It's a Sonic sim and I would like to keep it that way to an extent. I love mixing ideas and a personal long term goal of mine is to make Shibyua Terminal from JSRF with a sonic twist to it. We will have to see what happens . Luckily SEGA IPs all have a 'sega' style.


Cyfir: Will there be events?

Shadow: Yes. Our main event will likely be once we finish our club for live DJ shows. Our main DJ so far is Raiyn Delwood with her Manic Monday radio show making its comeback. We have yet to look into other DJs yet until we get the club closer to completion and set up our server to allow music to be played in-world.

Kono: YES! I hope. I want to plan some but the main things for now will be the DJ club and maybe some hidden item scavenger hunt type things. The way things are right now . We need to get a bigger sim to do events. I would have never dreamed SNW would become so popular that at least four times a week if not once a day maybe the sim becomes full.

Cyfir: What else can people look forward to on the sim when they visit it now and in the future?

Shadow: At this level of completion, what people can expect is to be able to call this sim home. Having good company, good friends, and be able to relax in safety. We have no tolerance with griefers and trolls and deal with them as they come. As long as those who come and respect the sim's M rating and treat others with respect, then we are more than happy to welcome anyone home. They don't have to be a Sonic character to come. Just be themselves as long as its M-rated.

In the future they can expect ease of access to the different builds with a teleport system thanks to the Second Life Experience. A mall with cheap rental spaces, a club with live DJs almost weekly, and still a fun place to call home.

Kono: Bigger sim? More builds? Sweet Rave Party!?!? Who knows! Hopefully now and always what they can look forward to is a home . A place where people come to actually have fun and get along. Look, real life sucks that's why we're all here. Come in and chill out and relax while you're here.

Or you can look forward to being the center of attention in one of our sim wide troll hunts if you decide being a decent person is just too hard. What a fun past time.

We'll be here a good while, so let’s take the future as it comes to us.

---

I honestly believe that Second Life needs more experiences like this sim to provide users with things to do. At the risk of sounding corny, it’s creative experiences like these that really show off the art of what’s possible in Second Life while providing a social setting that can foster friendships that help everyone grow.

Landmark to SNW: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bandits%20Beach/103/89/24

Cyfir

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

The 2018 Sunbeamer Campsite

The Relay Weekend is the high point of the Relay for Life fundraiser season. A large number of sims are opened for the month and with the permanent American Cancer Society sim are made into a circular track, with a few sims to the side for activities such as boating, racing, DJ events, and more. The track sims are noted for their builds. Some are special "designer sims." But most are divided up into campsites for the various Relay teams.

Among them in North America Hope is that of the Sunbeamer team. Since their first year in 2013, the team has made a number of builds, in 2014, 2015, 2016 which won an award, and 2017. Now, once again they have a build that represents the fight against cancer and honoring those lost.

I had a few words with Cynthia Farshore, whom with Shockwave Yareach did the majority of work on the campsite, "Shocky helped with the furniture and the coffee house. Rita and Snowy the memorial garden and trees and plants." When I came over, the place was mostly done, but there was still a little to do, "I feel there are more info panels needed on a couple sections but otherwise (it's done)."

Talking about the campsite, Cynthia told me, "When time came that I was going to be the builder I had no idea what to build. How the design came about was in pieces. I just developed it with knowing that I needed to connect the different aspects of cancer fight to one point, the point I chose to be the Relay. So I went to the ACS website and looked at the different areas and came up with the doctors and nurses, transportation provided, the hospital and treatment centers, research and all came to the Relay. At this point I choose to set them in sections around a walkway and each section a mode of transportation assigned that represents the different areas of cancer fight traveling to the same goal to be united in the fight."

The entrance led to a path that led beside a brick wall, with information about cancer beside the path. "With this one you start on the ground and go up as it says the sky's the limit."

"My own thought." Cynthia spoke of this particular display panel.

The end of the path led to a wagon and car, next to a coffeehouse area.

"As we come to be united in relay there the common area is the place all merge in a union of fellowship. Coffee houses are today's general meeting places, much as the taverns were of old."

 The coffeehouse had a copy of the steampunk coffee brewer at Club Cutlass.

Behind the coffeehouse was a memorial garden, with numerous pictures of personalities whom met their end due to the disease, "Along with this we can reflect on the ones we lost in the battle against cancer."

"and sometimes you're surprised."

Sunweaver campsites have always had a pink fox statue in honor of Artistic Fimicloud, a member of the Sumweaver community and Passionate Redheads team, the precursors of the Sunbeamers, who passed away ten years ago. Clicking on the statue gets you a notecard explaining who she was.

Fimi was a good friend and renter on one of my sims for many years.  She lived in her treehouse and had it decorated with artwork, she created.  Fimi was a talented artist and had a gallery here on SL, where she sold her artwork. She also sold her art in RL, and her favorite subject was her beloved Hudson Valley. Each painting also included a hidden pink ribbon, as a reminder of her fight.

Fimi was fun to be around and always up for a good laugh or joke. She was friend to many.

She was a Breast Cancer Survivor, but it came back and the second bout had spread, and was the one that finally took her life. She is sorely missed. Before Fimi passed, over 70 of her SL friends posed for a photo and we sent it to her, so show our LOVE and that she was in our PRAYERS. It is her courage and never give up spirit that drives our team today.

WE RELAY FOR FIMI!  The Pink Fox is her avatar.

The past few campsites have had a prayer tower. Originally created by Becky "Sha" Shamen, this year had a different one by Shockwave, "Shocky changed the design a bit for this year. It spirals."

As in Becky's tower, people can name someone they wish to honor. Then the name floats upward towards Heaven.

Trotting about not far from the coffeehouse near the car was a skunk, "don't get sprayed."

At the end of the tour was the Hope Lodge, "Hope Lodge and lodging program info in here."

The "dummies" were from both Cynthia and Rita, "Even while I was at work this week, I was shopping Marketplace during lunch for the dummy avs. Rita will put out some of hers and that should be enough."

There were more information boards inside, as well as a few vendors for products. Someone had already bought one of the lights, "People are checking out the place already ... well, that's good."

There were also a couple seats next to a fireplace one could sit and chat, or just sit. I noticed the fireplace had Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs on it. Cynthia told me that was Shockwave's doing, "Looks rather old too. Shocky's so can be."

Cynthia would say, "This one was tough cause I had to make a cross-country trip right in the middle of the build time. I worked a few hours a night in motel rooms, using a laptop. I'm used to doing big camp builds on two monitors and a strong computer. (pause) Actually, two computers and four monitors, setup from DJing days. And the final night in a motel the laptop died, must of took a hit somewhere ..."

"I'm happy with how it's worked out. Oh, when I started I was nervous. But I am a bit of an artist, and have stood looking at a blank canvas a couple of times. I don't know it just comes to me. ..."

The Sunweaver campsite is at North America Hope (125/80/23).

Bixyl Shuftan