Chic at Phil's Place

Whether or not you are planning on trying for one of the new Belli themed abodes, it won't be long until Spring -- warm days and outside activities. 

If planning a bit ahead is your style (and it certainly is mine) then the new Lemonade Set from Lucas Lameth  deserves some notice.  Fiind it at Cosmopolitan.

The two land impact set gives out glasses of lemonade to guests. These are large for guys hands but contain a resizer for those of us a bit more dainty.   Rezzing the single glasses as props adds 2 li per glass though, so use that option carefully :D. 


And don't forget you can a full range of decorated Belli houses at the RFL Expo through March th. 

Out for Fifty Linden Friday a Mid Century Fireplace set from LISP.  Packed full of details, it is five land impact after resizing larger for my upstairs office. 

 Other credits:

Trompe Loeil - Cydney Couch  amd Chair Light
ROIRO - SATEN schefflera pot
Compulsion Plant 8
Pomegranate - Bouquet Rug - Silver and Gold v2
ChiC buildings Shutter Room Divider - Weathered
ChiC buildings  Clutter - Books and Shoes

Long past midnight
Quiet streets
Still lit
Quietly beckon

And only I can hear their call.


Credits:

adorsy - Shantal Shorts with Legging and Top (sold separately with many colors) at Cosmopolitan

KUNGLERS - Monika earrings (love these - big texture change hud; mine are made smaller via resize script) at Cosmopolitan

*LACUNA* Camille Gingham (applier - old)


Hair: TUKINOWAGUMA   Noah

Pose by: the chair

All dressed up but nowhere to go.


Credits:

[G-SHOT] KRASA Outfit new at Cosmopolitan

KUNGLERS - Ella bracelets (fancier version for the other arm) new at Belle

Hair: .:EMO-tions.. *SYLVI* - new at Cosmopolitan



Backdrop: [VOZ] Fitting Room (FP) new at Access

Pose by: Behavior Body

I have been living in these overalls the last week. So cute AND comfortable.


Credits:

Mossu - Zoe.Jumpsuit
{MYNX} Aria Crop Tank - Maitreya Cream Floral
Witchwood- Boho Bliss Wedges


Hair: NO.MATCH_NO.BREEZE.

Serenity Style- Neil Cargo Bicycle RUST at Man Cave - gacha
*HEXtraordinary* Alpaca - Two Tone Wanderer - gacha


Barn, hay bales, ladder - ChiC buidlings
Sheep Dlab (very old)

Pose by: Everglow

Waiting for the new Belli houses to be revealed.
Waiting to hear the fate of Sansar.
Waiting for Friday's Lab Chat.


Twiddling thumbs with no clear "todo" list, I journeyed over to Bamse for Hello Tuesday and played the Architect gacha.   I did very well and got all but one rare.  The set is lovely with good LODs.




There is a thread on the SL forums about living on the mainland. I have had many abodes in the eclectic environment of no rules. Most were positive.   My lastest spot is on Xenotaur where you can get a variety of houses with 300 land impact allowance for $100 a week.  Hard to beat really if your style runs toward modern.   The same mini-city hosts my free art gallery so that makes it feel even more like home.   Journey over for a look if you are in the market for new digs.

Waiting to hear the fate and future of Sansar, the conversation centered around favorite types of pizza as well as some reminiscences.  Ebbe popped in to say hi between meetings. Supportive Sansar clothing and accessory gifts  were added to the store.

Loki has been documenting some of the thousands of Sansar builds and Daisy made the video above. She apparently has a new and very spiffy computer - LOL. Smoooooooth for sure.

The mood seems calm.

Club Ra by Fullspectrum (Medhue and Bagnaria) and yes those lights do move and the armature drops down and retreats periodically - as visited at The End of the World As We Know It Party (Medhue's RL birthday too). 


At this point we really don't know what will happen to Sansar. As I suggested in my previous post, the Powers That Be are still deciding.  There seems to be no coverage of the current climate -- either in Sansar or Second Life. So, while not inclined to talk politics I do believe in recording history.  To that end, here are my observations.


There are indeed things here that I "could say" (official) that I am not going to say. Partly because I was asked not to, and partly because I am not the six o'clock news desk.  What I DO want to impart to those who don't journey over to Sansar or the Discord channel -- is the atmosphere of the last few days.

Adversity binds or tears apart. 

Happily, for most Sansarians, at least the ones talking on Discord -- the glue factor is winning out.   There were of course discussions on where to go should the platform close.  What would be a fitting haven for some would be a nightmare for others. No clear answer emerged. No Exodus plans made as a group.  Those already in other platforms have tried to give pros and cons from their experiences as a guides for others.

Amidst the turmoil, questioning and disappointment there is a camaraderie. Many feel they are in this together. It is a lovely thing to see. Not everyone likes each other of course; I don't want to paint a picture of perfect bliss.  But, especially for folks that have been in Sansar for awhile there is a nostalgia that doesn't want to be released. Many have vowed to stay until the end -- if there IS an end. Honestly, we really don't know.

There have been parties, well attended public events, meditation circles. There have been new products, sales and the unveiling of new worlds. Life goes on while we are waiting for answers.

When will the answers come?   Possibly next week.  Possibly not.


What about Second Life and its citizens?   

Personally, I am a bit disappointed in them as a whole.  Many see any demise of Sansar  as a good thing (for them of course). They aren't looking at the big picture OR doing the math.   The reoccurring "they should never have started Sansar" comes up often. They forget that keeping the status quo permanent equals stagnation. There can be no invention without risk.

If Ryan's figures of 43 people journeying into the mist are correct (and the number has has not be officially refuted as yet), those employees did NOT all come from Sansar. There weren't 43 employees IN Sansar last week before the layoffs.   Still, those constantly complaining seem to have their own and very concrete opinions, most with no evidence or even thought.  It is disheartening at best. 

Using completely unofficial figures as we have only casual comments to work from, I am guessing that there are about 25 to 30 people left at The Lab --- down from around 100. Talking to others who DO pay attention, my numbers match theirs. Whether we are correct or not, who knows.

Is downsizing a "bad" thing?  Probably not. As Oz Linden stated a time or two in Town Halls, a smaller crew makes work go faster.  He didn't elaborate but I suspect it is that too many cooks in the kitchen syndrome being avoided.    So, fewer people, multi-tasking job descriptions, less monetary outlay.  Hopefully the small crew will pull together just as the Sansar citizenship is.


Again, let's look back and see that there were major layoffs in 2006 and 2010 -- and obviously there was recovery and growth following those times. Hopefully that is a pattern that can continue.

If you have been wondering how you could possibly decorate a Belli home with "only" 351 land impact (175 for trailers), here is your chance to see!

A big crew of volunteer home stylists have done their best to show off all four themes of abodes. Each style within the theme is covered and there are style cards available from the posters in front of each abode.



There are two sims to wander through and enjoy.



I had the pleasure of decorating two of the camper/trailers. Lots of fun.


A new Belli theme will be revealed some time during the RFL Home Expo event. What will it be?  We have NO HINTS this time, so it will definitely be a surprise. I will certainly post when we know more.  So stay tuned.

I seldom get political on this blog. My posts are about photos, Windlight, pretty baubles that we can wear and creative models to add to our homes.  I do most of my tilting at windmills on the SL forums and now and then on Sansar Discord.  The last few days have been a flurry with rumors, speculation and a few facts -- just a few.  The folks reporting don't create in Sansar and aren't chatting on Discord daily. They are busy covering other platforms and sometimes mining "assets"  -- so perhaps my point of view will be slightly different. 


Ryan Scultz posted an article on his blog recently stating that Linden Lab had once again reduced staff; this time, more than in November. He added a link to his article on the Sansar Discord server on a semi-private "verified" channel.   There was of course an uproar with folks watching the chatter.   I logged in  (by chance or ESP is anyone's guess) a few minutes after Ryan's post.

Havoc reigned with Sansarians wondering how much of the information was true and hoping it was not. Eventually Ebbe came on the server and verified that there were layoffs that day. He also said that the servers were up and Sansar was still open. Some other cryptic comments hinted at future possibilities and he encouraged citizens to carry on.  He also contacted Ryan who added to the original blog post (link above).

Ryan took a lot of heat for that blog post -- some from Sansar Discord account holders. He followed with an apology and last night he stated that he was closing his blog.

I can't say that I applaud his blogging methodology; it certainly wasn't responsible journalism. Ryan has stated (Discord) that he is not a journalist, only a blogger. But that isn't cutting it with me. We are ALL responsible for what we say and what we do -- as well as the manner in which we do it.  That being said, the "facts" put forth in his article have not been officially refuted as of this writing and I have publicly defended him on that count.  That same public -- and especially the people in Sansar -- do have a right to know what is going on. I hope that Ryan rethinks his position on closing.


Should he have asked for more information from Linden Lab before printing what his reliable source told him?  In my mind, certainly.  Then he could have used those often heard words about contacting with no reply.  AT THE SAME TIME Linden Lab should have had a press release ready at the time of the layoffs. They had to know that word would quickly get out; it certainly did last November. So they too are at fault.


What do we know?   Really, not much. 

We know there were layoff and that a few of the Sansar staff moved over to Second Life.

We know that there has been no official statement on this matter so far from Linden Lab. Edit: a short statement that basically said nothing but did corroborate layoffs already confirmed by Ebbe was released around noon.

We know that the Sansar servers are still running and the platform is available to use.

We know that at least three staff that Sansarians connect with most often are still working in Sansar.


If we look at the numbers and the layoffs in November and February and add to that the folks that have left voluntarily during that time, it seems like the Linden Lab crew is currently very small --- as in below 30. This is a "best guess" estimate by a few people that have been paying attention. We have NO official numbers.

An additional cryptic statement by staff yesterday echoed Ebbe's hint that there may be changes afoot.  Still, it is difficult to tell if those are actual hints of the future or placating smoke and mirrors ---- or perhaps a bit of both.

There was a Product Meeting scheduled for today. It was taken off the events list apparently. Checking with Sansar officials, it may or may not happen today.  I am guessing that will be a "no" but will keep an eye out.



Can we look at these "revelations" (again, if true) in a positive way?   Perhaps.  If Linden Lab has lowered its costs that should help the apparent money crunch that  has appeared in many of the Lab's moves of late. Added fees for creators, raised membership levels, fees for placing event ads, closing of Linden Realms for several weeks have all pointed to a lower profit margin.  We of course don't know the details and there is no need for us to know.

If Linden Lab keeps Sansar operational and open it may be able to grow slowly. The Lab will have time to reorganize and reset priorities and if needed pay off debts.  Then, once again they can go forward.  It is important to note that there were major layoffs in 2006 and 2010 and Second Life recovered. I am hoping that both platforms can do so again.

Some folks are worried of course and I have been one of them for awhile.  Do "I" have any insider info?   Yes, I do. But I am keeping my mouth shut -- it is all a part of being responsible. And if changes are truly afoot, that information may no longer be valid. 


I will certainly update you as events unfold.

A new gacha previews from PANAVIA  at Cosmopolitan. I am not sure it has a name, so I am calling it Midnight Garden.  Now there are some caveats that come with this post and this release.  First of all the LODs -- some very good, at least one very bad and some in the middle. So if you use LOD 4 - no worries. If you are a LOD 2 user then this would be better in a skybox setting. 

The other thing is that the items are frequently named incorrectly. I am guessing it is a language thing. Happily the items are mod (at least my blogger ones are) so I simply renamed some.  Hence "desk bowl" is now "white vase with flowers" :D.



All that being said, this is so very creative I wanted to show it to you and let YOU decide it if is something of interest. It is a big set of 23 items with two rares (house and grounds). Several forms of lighting are in the mix.

The good news (going along in part with the LOD settings) is that the whole build as shown is 87 land impact.

Credits:

Luas Sandy Romper Sky Floral - a FaMESHed gift for Feb
Deep Static Diana Glasses at Cosmopolitan (full hud with lots of color choices)
buildworksdecor ~ Air Pillow Cyan at Cosmopolitan (super clever - many other colors)

Trompe Loeil - Hensley Modern Pool at Collabor88 (full sized demo available)

Hair: Beusy: Caramel Mesh Hair

Pose by: the pool

Out today at the new round of Collabor88, the Baiastice Eos Dress with a big, BIG selection of colors and styles as well as a so very many ways to wear. Be sure and grab a demo and play with all the variations. There is a long version of the dress also (that show/hide thing).   Pasties and panties are also optional as well as nipple covers. Me? I am usually a fairly modest gal!


K&S - // Hall with stairs. Backdrop

HairL Dela - Cheri

Poses by: Verocity

A finally detailed backdrop is out for February's group gift at Minimal.  How can you NOT be a member?



InsomniaStore Tied Shirt
DRD - GG - The Break Up Box (old group gift)

Hair: NO.MATCH_NO.BREEZE.


Pose by: Helomiyo, Break Up Box and Amacci's pose hud

The Valentine Hop and Shop opened today --- a tad late (no clue). The good news is that anyone can get in easily AND there are some very nice gifts.

The bad news?   Honestly I thought the shopping was tiring. SO VERY MUCH PINK and so many balloons and so --- you get the idea.  And it wasn't the moles doing that decorating it was many of the participants :D. 

It is a four sim event this time. A few of the familiar faces are in attendance but there are many many stores I have never heard of. An eclectic mix of goods featuring a lot of fantasy, more stores  for men than in some rounds past and some down right NICHE items.   Much less hair and fewer shoes than rounds past, possibly because a new person is at the helm; possibly because of the brands that applied. A lot of familiar faces are absent.


These are my top two picks from the event. There are plenty of other great gifts -- depending on your style. These are just "my style".


Up top:

-Pixicat- Soft.Shorts and Top (separate) - StripesRed  (gorgeous)
Schadenfreude Swirl Truffle Necklace
L&B Swear Charm Bangle - Vday Gold

Hair: ELIKATIRA Oaklee

FOXCITY. Photo Booth - Hello Gorgeous




Another great outfit hales from Bella Moda (shoes are included) :D


Items of note that didn't make it into the photos include:

! A&D Clothing Glasses -TopGun- Retro DARK
Ingenue :: Tavi Leggings
Astara - Always Lamp
Never Totally Dead Cairn-  Gift -
Trompe Loeil - Valentine's Shop & Hop Free Gift (modern gray chair - recolor I believe)
-Narcisse- Xiola Metal Gem Collar FATPACK
G&D Sandals Tisha Red

Poses by: Behavior Body and Di's Opera

There's a new gallery in town.
What? ANOTHER gallery?
Yep, another one.

So what's the fuss?
Well -- this one is FREE!



Sixty-six art works to choose from so far.  Photography, landscapes, digitized "faux" paintings and more.  Fill those empty walls!      Right click to buy. Each work includes a resize script.   Find them here at the Fortuna Hills Gallery of Free Art. 



Credits:

Sari-Sari - Urban Sketching Kit at The Liaison Collaborative.  Set includes hand held versions with Bento poses.

Artworks by Chic Aeon

Sometimes it is just good to rest and think -- about today, about tomorrow.

New from NEVE at FaMESHed, some cozy and comfy sweaters to take you into spring. Various fatpacks can be purchased, I chose the stripes pack. Texture change by hud.

I had picked gray for my new lounging sweater so I was extremely happy to find that the new lassitude & ennui Tribute boots came in gray. Woot.  Other colors are available as well as a high heeled verison. Maitreya an Gianni fits.

Find these at We Love Roleplay, but don't be fooled, they work well with all SORTS of clothing styles, not just fantasy.

Meva Nemia Necklace Silver

Hair: no.match_ ~ NO_NOTHING

Barn and hay bales ChiC buildings

Pose by: ChiC buildings -- free in February in the Pose area of the store - on the wall. Bento - Unisex Priority 3 and 4 and poseball

I journeyed out last night looking for SPRING.  While I found a few interesting and landmarkable locales, Spring alluded me. Instead I found myself in a lovely winter sim where it was still snowing. Funny how when you are looking for snow it is elusive and then when you are looking in another direction you find it.

The sim is Author's Point, the outfit is by Baiastice - the Jamy Cardigan Set which is a four piece all in one outfit with hud that let's you change various parts of the outfit. The fatpack of course comes with bonus colors.   Find it at FaMESHed.



Necklace: *Mon Cheri* Shelly Necklace

Hair: NO.MATCH_NO.NOTHING

Pose by: SEMotion