anthology

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    This Town Hall Could Have Been an Email

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
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    This Town Hall Could Have Been an Email

    I was so excited to go to the Gaeta 1 / Zindra Town Hall, and I ended up leaving that meeting feeling disappointed.

    First of all, I didn’t want to say this, but I will. The Town Hall could have been planned so much better. Dear Lindens, please make a question submission form, collect questions throughout the week, then choose the most informative ones to answer live. Letting everyone ask questions in local chat was complete chaos, and a lot of people couldn’t stay on topic. I was also surprised it was entirely handled through chat. You know that meme that says, this could have been an email? Yeah. That.

    This meeting could have been genuinely informative if they had come in with a clear list of answers, explained exactly what residents need to know, then saved the last 15 minutes for open Q&A. Why that didn’t happen is anybody’s guess. Sometimes these meetings feel like Linden employees struggle with creating an agenda and sticking to it.

    I was also disappointed to learn that residents who bought in on April 15 or after the expansion blog post went live seem to be treated like second class citizens. The relocation process should not prioritize only the biggest landowners or the people who have held land there the longest.

    If I were managing this move, I would contact every current landowner, I think they said there were around 349, and ask two simple questions:

    Do you want to move to New Zindra?

    Can you move now?

    If the answer is yes to both, put those residents at the top of the migration list and start moving them immediately. The people with more complex requests, unusual parcel needs, or plans to relocate elsewhere can be handled afterward.

    Residents who are ready now should be first in line. Tier doesn’t stop while people sit in limbo, and it would be nice if Linden Lab remembered that.

    I hope this whole thing wraps up within weeks. If the new continent is ready to go, I’m ready to move too.

    And now onto what I’m wearing, because even when it isn’t a fashion post, it somehow becomes one.

    Another round of Anthology just opened, and this shimmery dress is the Artemis Dress by Madame Noir. This dress is an example of when PBR is done so well it creates reflections and highlights correctly. With this outfit, I needed to find a place to serve as the backdrop for my photo. I opened the Destinations menu in-world looking for a music venue, and somehow ended up outside an 80s movie theater. I love The Breakfast Club, so naturally I had to take the picture in front of the poster.

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    I Should Have Everything… And Yet

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    4 Comments
    I Should Have Everything… And Yet

    I’ve officially given up on cleaning my inventory. Easter hunts completely wrecked it, and I’m done wasting time trying to fix it. I’m sitting at 106k today, which… I wish was lower, but at this point I don’t even know what to delete anymore.

    I did a little shopping this weekend and it made me realize how much I appreciate brands that release a proper pair of pants. I love ISON for that. Most of their stuff actually covers everything and still feels really classy. I can’t even remember which event I picked up these Maisie Corduroy Trousers from, but they’re really good.

    Normally I’m very basic. I just wear whatever the newest release is that everyone else is wearing that weekend. But this time I decided to dig deeper into my inventory and put something together that probably nobody else is wearing right now. I remembered this amazing fur coat from Dami, an old gacha from forever ago. The whole outfit ended up being a mix of old and new, plus a few freebies thrown in.

    I think I like Gogo as a blonde, but it’s getting harder when some hair brands just don’t do good blonde textures anymore. I don’t know what happened to Stealthic, but the blondes just aren’t hitting like they used to. It didn’t work for this look at all, so I switched to a light brown instead. This hair was supposed to be part of Fifty Linden Friday, but I still ended up paying like L$199 because I needed the full pack just to change the style. Not really a sale if you can’t even use the features, right?

    Overall I’m feeling a little burnt out with my inventory, and honestly with where clothing is at in Second Life right now. It feels like we’ve hit a bit of a standstill. I should already have everything I want and need at this point. And yet… I still keep buying things. I guess I’m doing my part to keep the economy going.

    I Should Have Everything… And Yet
    I Should Have Everything… And Yet
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    Finding My Place in Ridgewood Enclave Commercial Shops

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
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    Ridgewood Enclave Commercial Shops

    Let’s talk a bit more about the new Ridgewood Enclave Commercial shops.

    It’s clear that Second Life is still learning and refining things as they go. Since launch just a few weeks ago, we’ve already seen several covenant revisions, likely to better serve residents and clarify expectations. Personally, I’m fine with the rules as they stand, and I plan to keep my current shop long term. I’m Premium Plus Lifetime, after all. I’m not going anywhere.

    When I first blogged about these shops two weeks ago, I was settled in a different region with my friends. We hadn’t planned to move. These shops are always in high demand, and being together matters most to us. But when new regions released last week, an opportunity came up, so we decided to move together. We abandoned our shops and claimed new ones at Plaza Mercantile.

    I couldn’t be happier. We’re together again, and this time the region has a central pool and plenty of parking, which makes it feel even more complete.

    Ridgewood Enclave Commercial Shops
    My EEP Shop @ Plaza Mercantile

    I don’t have huge commercial ambitions, but I do enjoy having a shop in Second Life. For me, it’s less about business and more about shared experiences with friends. Right now, that experience just happens to be setting up our shops together. From the start, I knew that our enjoyment would depend on clustering near each other so we can promote and support one another. Unlike Linden Homes, where location can be everything, Linden Shops feel more about community than coordinates. That said, I still wanted both. Great neighbors and a beautiful location. I feel like I’ve found that here, and I don’t plan to move again unless a new theme is released.

    Tonight, I spent far too long learning how to properly drive and park my cars in front of the shop just to get photos. The 30 minute auto return is honestly a bit tight. My car kept disappearing before I could even take a picture. Still, I love the idea of being able to park outside. It adds so much life to the region.

    Ridgewood Enclave Commercial Shops
    My JuicyBomb Shop HQ @ PLaza Mercantile

    Even with the current demand, I don’t think Second Life should overdo it with these shops. Yes, they’re incredibly appealing, especially since they’re free with Premium Plus, but part of what makes them special is their scarcity. If there are too many, it risks turning into a sea of empty storefronts, and no one wants to be in a dead mall.

    Right now, my region feels active and lively, partly because I’m blogging and sharing it on social media. But maintaining that energy across many regions is another challenge entirely. The Lindens and Moles will likely have their hands full enforcing the covenant, so they’ll need to balance expansion with sustainability.

    One last thought. I still think these shops should be placed a bit farther from residential areas. Not everyone wants the glow of a neon storefront outside their bedroom window.

    Visit JuicyBomb @ Plaza Mercantile
    Visit Juicy @ Plaza Mercantile

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    Ethereal Essence Idol, New Body Skin

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
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    Ethereal Essence Idol, New Body Skin

    It’s already been a year since Glam Affair collaborated with Not Found to create the Ethereal Essence body skins. I tried wearing it for a while back then, but the shine was a bit too much for me, and I couldn’t get past my initial impressions. I ended up switching to Session Athena body skins, which I still love. That said, I’ve been wanting to go back to Ethereal Essence because the tones match my face skin perfectly without any blending or adjustments. I really wish Session would release something in those tones because they work so well together.

    Anyway, onto this new body skin. I say this every time, but did I need another one? No. Did I want one that was actually made to match my face skin perfectly? Yes. I tried on the new Idol body skins from Ethereal Essence and the first thing I noticed was the reduced shine. There’s still some shine around the collarbones and shoulders, but the torso looks so much better now. This body skin also comes with several add on options to adjust or enhance the navel, vagina, cleavage, bone definition, thigh folds, and more. Overall, I’m really happy with both the options and how it looks. I would still add a few of Izzie’s tattoos that I like, such as body veins, foot tendons, and other small details that most people probably will not notice, but I will.

    Ethereal Essence Idol, New Body Skin

    If you’re wearing Glam tones in the 001 to 020 range, definitely check out the new Ethereal Essence body skin because it is a perfect match.

    Also don’t miss the Ethereal Beauty Hunt from March 29 to April 12. To celebrate the launch of the Idol body skin line, a few brands are doing free hunts for skins and cosmetics. There is a really nice Glam Affair skin available for free. I’m wearing the lipstick from the Linny gift skin in this post. You can get all 20 tones, you just have to find the gifts hidden around the Glam Affair store.

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    Thoughts on New Skin from Glam Affair

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Uncategorized
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    Thoughts on New Skin from Glam Affair

    A small miracle has happened. Glam Affair just released a new skin called Lumi at Collabor88 and it’s pretty much perfect for me. For once, I didn’t have to start layering on tattoo fixes the second I put it on. I actually removed almost all of the usual tattoo layers I normally wear on my face, which honestly never happens.

    The skin has a bit of texture and a light dusting of freckles. Normally I’m picky about that kind of thing, but I don’t hate it. Lately I’ve actually been liking skin textures when they’re done well, and this one is. Right now, Glam Affair is easily my favorite skin brand in Second Life. I mean… obviously I’m going to wear my favorite. A lot of other brands are making very similar skins lately, and their ads are almost indistinguishable from each other with all the realistic hair and AI-enhanced images. But when you actually try the skins on, you can really tell the difference between a brand that’s above the rest and the others that feel more like a blurry imitation.

    I’m also weeks behind on shopping and blogging because I’ve been completely lost in Game of Homes. There’s been some drama with the newest theme, Copperfield Heights, but that’s a story for another day. I do want to tell it, but it deserves its own post.

    Thoughts on New Skin from Glam Affair
    Thoughts on New Skin from Glam Affair

    Look at this fabulous pose from the Different pose pack by Always Never. Normally I don’t credit poses, but this whole pack is fantastic and, as the name implies, it’s actually different from your usual fashion stands. It’s expressive and even includes a fun cigarette add-on. Available at Anthology.

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    Breakfast

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    4 Comments
    Breakfast
    View the Raw SL snapshot on my Flickr: https://flic.kr/p/2rY9Z9b

    I’m just a Second Life resident. I’ve been blogging and playing this game, virtual world, whatever you’d like to call it, for decades. I grew up on this platform. I’ve taken thousands of snapshots over the years, raw, unedited, unfiltered. But I’m also the kind of person who leans into new tools, so of course I’m excited about using AI to enhance my photos.

    Even when some designers push back loudly with “don’t feed my creations into AI or I’ll ban you from my store,” I can’t help but roll my eyes a little. They can’t ban the entire world. They can’t control what tools residents use in their own creative process. You can ignore the noise and keep using whatever tools you like. What feels insane to me is the hypocrisy. Big brands in Second Life, the ones making a living here, get a huge pass when it comes to AI editing in their ads. They’re showing AI hair, AI clothing, AI bodies, AI environments, all polished up to entice us to buy. That’s fine.

    But when a resident retouches a photo with AI, the same residents who are actually spending money and keeping this world going, suddenly we’re untalented pariahs destroying creativity or causing water shortages or whatever the dramatic take is this week. The double standard is wild.

    If you like this photo, yes, I edited it with ChatGPT Plus. I pay $20 a month for it. I also pay for Adobe Creative Cloud, Krea, and a bunch of other tools because I genuinely enjoy pressing buttons and seeing what happens. It’s still my photo. It’s still my avatar. I just gave it a glow up.

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    Galentine’s Day

    Bygogo Events, Fashion, Hair, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized, What I think
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    Galentine's Day

    It’s Galentine’s Day, and two of my favorite girls in Second Life just released the cutest stuff. The kind of things you gift to yourself and conveniently “accidentally” buy for your friends too.

    First up is the Versailles Love Cup from Flair, which is definitely Gogo-approved. I love holdables, and I love them even more when there are options so I can match it to my outfit.

    Sparkle Skye also just released the Fiona Collection for Gacha Arcana, so if gacha’s your thing, go play. The best part is you can mix and match all the pieces, which is dangerous for me because I’ll absolutely convince myself I need every variation.

    I’m currently obsessed with the Fiona ring, which is a Vault item, but don’t ask me to explain how to play Gacha Arcana because I genuinely don’t know. Sparkle tried to explain it to me, and I nodded like I understood, but I wasn’t retaining any of it. I think it has something to do with getting rewarded for playing a lot. That’s all I’ve got.

    After I put together today’s outfit, I realized it was giving equestrian vibe. Which is funny because I don’t plan outfits based on themes. I wear things based on whatever pops up on my radar.

    Galentine's Day

    Like this Stella top from Tres Blah, which popped up again because it’s on sale. I already owned it, so I just grabbed a redelivery for LaraX and suddenly it felt like I bought something new without spending money. I love when brands update older items for previous customers. It’s one of the few things in SL that still feels genuinely nice.

    This new hat hairstyle is from Wings, and you can customize the logo area with your own text. I made it my name because the template was easy to use with clear instructions. I normally don’t customize anything because I’m lazy, but this one was worth the effort.

    While Gacha Arcana from MadPea is fresh on my mind, I want to say something as a resident and customer. I think there are way too many events in Second Life, and I’m saying that as someone whose main hobby in SL is literally shopping.

    Even I only go to maybe one or two events a week, and when I go, I mean I teleport in, hit the brands I already know, buy what I came for, and leave. I’m not wandering. I’m not browsing. I’m in and out.

    Meanwhile, every month, I watch event companies create even more events, and all it does is spread the same sales thinner and thinner for everyone.

    And to be clear, I’m not personally calling out Gacha Arcana here. This applies to pretty much every event company over the past year that has not only created more monthly events on top of their existing ones, but also added marketplace counterparts, weekend sales counterparts, one-off holiday events, and even brought gacha back into the mix. At some point, all of this stops helping creators and starts hurting them.

    Recently I heard that some creators participating in Gacha Arcana noticed the low traffic and lack of sales, so they brought it up with the organizer. The organizer blamed it on the real life economy affecting sales in SL. And yes, that’s true. The economy is weird right now. People are cautious. Disposable income is tighter.

    But event organizers in SL also need to take some responsibility for the mess they’ve helped create. When you keep stacking events on top of events, you create an economic downward spiral. The user base isn’t big enough to support an endless stream of new events popping up just because organizers want to squeeze even more event fees out of creators for their own benefit.

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    Rezzed Into Royalty: Truth Hair Becomes a Two-Generation Brand

    Bygogo Fashion, Hair, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
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    Sweetheart

    Truth Hair recently celebrated its 19th anniversary in Second Life, which is kind of surreal to say out loud. Truth has been making hair for as long as I’ve been playing SL, and at this point the brand isn’t just well known. It’s one of the longest standing and most successful hair brands on the grid.

    In a world where stores come and go constantly, that kind of longevity is rare. And that’s why what happened recently feels like a genuinely historic Second Life moment. A few days ago, I noticed a new Truth release called Cupid hair, and the credit immediately caught my attention. The hair was made by Truth’s real life daughter, known in SL as Litterbug.

    I already knew she had joined Second Life about a year ago and had been creating hair accessories. But I didn’t realize she had moved into creating full hairstyles too, so of course I messaged Truth right away. I needed confirmation, because my brain immediately went: this is a first in Second Life!

    When I asked if she created Cupid hair or just the clips, he replied that she made the entire thing, and added, “with a lot of questions.” She didn’t just casually log in and magically become a hair creator overnight. People forget that everyone starts somewhere, and even the biggest brands in Second Life were once new and releasing their very first item. And she’s lucky in the best way, because she has an amazing mentor in her father. Cupid hair is a beautiful first hairstyle, and if I didn’t know it was her first, I wouldn’t have guessed.

    Once I processed it, I told Truth what I was thinking. This is kind of historic. Because with this release, Truth is now officially a two-generation brand in Second Life. That is not something we see often. Second Life has been around long enough now that we are literally watching a creator’s child grow up, develop the skills, and start creating for the same brand inside the same virtual world. If that doesn’t count as SL history, I don’t know what does. Truth’s reaction made me smile. He said, “Yeah I guess you’re right. That is crazy.”

    Litterbug is Gen Z, and that detail matters more than people realize. Truth joked that she has a better idea of what fashion trends are because he’s “too old” now. It’s funny, but it’s also true.

    Truth told me she’s been learning Blender for a couple of years and has done product visualizations, but she decided to try creating in SL because, as he put it, she thought, “why not make some money.”

    Truth also told me she proudly calls herself a nepo baby, which is hilarious. In SL terms though, she really was rezzed into royalty, in the sense that she’s had access to knowledge, experience, and guidance that most creators never get when they’re starting out. And yes, having a parent with a huge brand is obviously an advantage. But it doesn’t take away from what matters here: very few brands last long enough to thrive for two decades and then have the creator’s child step in and start releasing, too.

    Truth also said something that stuck with me. Watching her join SL made him realize again how hard it is for a new resident. Most of us forget, because we’ve been here forever. We forget how confusing the platform can be when you’re starting from scratch, even if you’re already skilled and tech-savvy.

    That’s why this moment feels bigger than just a cute fun fact. She’s part of the age group Second Life constantly struggles to attract, and she’s here creating. If SL wants to be around for another 20 years, it should be paying attention to creators like her, and what it takes for someone her age to even want to log in, learn, and stay.

    Truth Hair becoming a two-generation brand is one of those things that seems small at first, until you realize what it says about Second Life. A 19-year brand. A new generation stepping in. A real legacy. In a virtual world.

    Second Life should be paying attention.

    Sweetheart

    Now, onto what I’m wearing today.

    My friend Sparkle sent me another sweet kitty from SeMotion Libellune as a gift, which means I now have my 100th cat in Second Life. I have so many at this point that I’m glad I don’t have to feed them to keep them alive, because that would bankrupt me.

    I’m also assembling my Valentine’s Day outfit for the Hug a Linden event next weekend, and I think this look might actually work? The shoes are called Softly Struck from HANII, from the January round of Anthology. If only I could turn off the arrow on these shoes, because they’re so cute and I would wear them year round.

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    New Year

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Skins, Uncategorized
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    New Year

    Happy New Year! I think the future of Second Life skins is leaning into more textured looks, which adds to realism. I don’t usually love textured skins, but they do look so much more realistic than the smooth, flat skin we’re used to. That shift is really obvious with this new Madeline skin from Glam Affair. It’s very textured and very freckled, and while that isn’t normally my preference, I ended up loving it. I did tone it down a little with a few of Izzie’s tattoo fixes, which helped balance everything out.

    That move toward texture feels closely tied to PBR, which is now being added not just to environments but to avatars as well. Because of that, I expect skins to keep changing in 2026, adding more depth in ways that make our avatars look more real and less flat. Even though PBR has some interesting moments, I still think it’s unfortunately a turn off for a lot of current residents. Change is difficult, especially when you’ve been around long enough to remember how things looked before. Maybe newer residents, who don’t have that comparison, will like it more.

    All of this ties into the bigger picture of where Second Life is right now. When I decided to close my region at the end of 2024, I had a strong feeling that 2025 was going to be a difficult year in real life, and that it made sense to pull back spending in Second Life. I’m glad I stuck to that decision all year and didn’t bring the region back, even though I wanted to at least a dozen times. I also won’t be bringing it back in 2026 because of the economy, both in Second Life and in real life. There isn’t a lot of growth yet, and it feels like the Lindens are panicking.

    I recently watched a snippet of an interview with Brett Linden on MetaRealities’ YouTube channel, and what really stood out to me was how much growth is needed for survival. Needed. Not just for Second Life as a company, but for the creators who make a living here. You can only get so much out of the current residents, which is why attracting new people feels so urgent right now.

    So I’m ending one year and starting the next in a much calmer mindset. I rang in the New Year in this cozy Eboshi pajamas set from Aurun at Anthology. Comfort and chill is the vibe I’m going for this holiday season, so I paired them with the Not Tired Bow Slips from The Kiwi Co.

    New Year
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    I Pink I Can

    Bygogo Events, Fashion, Second Life, Uncategorized
    1 Comment
    I Pink I Can

    I went to the I Pink I Can auction yesterday and placed a bid on a 6 month homestead, but I had to leave the house before it ended, so I knew I was going to lose. Normally, if I really want to win an auction, I wait until the last minute to bid. I’m not sure who won after me or how high it went, but all the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.

    If you’d like a chance to win raffles for a LeLutka mesh head, hair fatpacks, and more, the raffle ends today. You still have a few hours left to grab your tickets, which cost between L$50 and L$100.

    Visit I Pink I Can

    I Pink I Can
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