Sunday Night at the Junkyard Blues

Posted on June 9, 2017 by

I’ve been wandering around SL a bit lately. I’ve spent time on several mainland continents and have noticed that so much of the land must have been abandoned, and now owned by Linden’s public works department. But I didn’t find any of it up for auction. I understand what’s going on, what with Sansar on the horizon, but it’s a bit sad for me.

Even some great clubs are gone. Last Sunday I learned the blues club Crossroads was closed down (UPDATE: apparently I was wrong about this). I wasn’t there that much but I always liked the people and the ambiance. And some clubs are impossible to keep from crashing on. In some ways, not much has changed in SL since I left. Anyway, I’m glad that Junkyard Blues is doing relatively well. I went there Sunday night and caught DJ Fiery Otaared’s show. She remembers me and we talked about this and that. To me, Fiery is the best blues DJ on the grid. Hugs girlfriend.

Yordie Sands Blogger

That’s DJ Fiery Otaared on Sunday night.
Spinning tunes at Junkyard Blues.

Yordie Sands Photographer

That’s me tending bar while Fiery spins tunes. Yeah, I’m still wearing the same outfit.

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Covering Corners

Posted on May 6, 2017 by

I found this post on Wendz Tempest’s blog CozeySL. Love the scene. Great photography.

CozeySL

They’re usually neglected, often overlooked, the corners you pass are pretty standard in my book. So give them a makeover, spruce up a space..your corners can take it, on either face!

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The Decade Club

Posted on April 16, 2017 by

Ten days ago was my 10th rez day. Yay! I’m ten years old or as Seth Regan advised me, I’m now a member of The Decade Club. So how could I not go on a sentimental journey? That evening I logged in, spent some time in my home. First, I changed my hairstyle. I still haven’t changed my outfit for probably three years now, so it’s becoming kind of a thing. Then I spent time in adventure room mulling what to do next.

Yordie's Adventure Den

The area of my house where I have my adventure and blogging paraphernalia.

I attempted to go to some of my favorite nightclubs, but kept crashing. Instead, I decided to go to one of my favorite environments, Calas Galadhon’s Misty Mountains. It wasn’t the same layout or landscaping that I remember, although very similar, but it definitely rekindled the same feelings that thrilled me years ago.

The Misty Mountains of Calas Galadhon

That’s me, lost in the wonderful Misty Mountains.

The visit was short but it got me thinking about those amazing early days. I mean, amazing except for all the crashing and assorted weirdness. I’ve thought about the fun I had in so many roles that I played.

I really enjoyed my times exploring the Japanese themed areas, like Hosoi Ichiba–what an amazing place that was. But I also enjoyed my time as an apprentice geisha at Little Yoshiwara. I started in 2008 and prolly spent a couples years there. I even created my two of my early Zen gardens on adjacent sims.  Last night I decided to drop by for a visit and was amazed at how well it had adapted to the improvements in Second Life.

Little Yoshiwara

This is the pavilion where I gave my cultural speech about Japanese gardens.

Little Yoshiwara hanamachi

One of many beautiful areas in the Little Yoshiwara hanamachi.

After spending a timeless sentimental journey back to my roots, I shashayed on over to the Junkyard to catch DJ Sasha spinning some bluesy tunes.

It’s hard to imagine that I could ever hurl myself back into the virtual swing of things the way I once did, but I truly enjoyed the visit.

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Junkyard Blues 2017

Posted on January 1, 2017 by

I spent a couple hours at Junkyard Blues last night and rang in the new year. DJ Bard Wasp was spinning some great bluesy tunes as owners Kiff & Dina ignited the fireworks. I had to tune my graphics settings way down because the place was packed–over 60 peeple–and I crashed a couple times.

There were lots of folks I didn’t know, but a lot of us old-timers were “returning home” after long absences and it made for a memorable event. One of the hostesses called me “a legend” and I had to blush. God only knows what kind of legend she’d heard about… and I didn’t dare ask. Dina reminded me of the night that the Dreamgirls had a sleepover in the motel parking lot. I’ve had a lot of fun at the Junkyard over the years.

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Not my best photo ever, but it captures a lot of the scene. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Linden’s Extra Prims

Posted on November 22, 2016 by

It wasn’t revolutionary, but it got my attention–Linden properties have 33% more prims. I’ve continued to own my Linden Home even though I’m rarely in SL, but the extra prims drew me in. For my property gained about 60 prims (previously 117 prims), and with good Mesh furniture it that goes a long way. I had already decorated with some great Mesh furniture but now I’ve rezzed a lot of cool stuff that had been sitting in my inventory. Btw, I haven’t upgraded myself yet–no Mesh body or head. But my interest in SL has been re-ignited a bit.

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My living room is unchanged, but I’m mulling some ideas.

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My bedroom is pretty much the same also… unused. Heh.

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I added this little cubbyhole for all my adventuring stuff.

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That’s me in front of my kitchen. I don’t think I’ve changed clothes in months. Heh

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Back on the Sea

Posted on April 12, 2016 by

It was one of those wonderful moments. Back in 2012 I was racing my speedboat from the Blake Sea toward my dock at Sailors Cove. When I’m speeding like that I have my mini-map open so I can see and avoid crashing into other boats, but I noticed something seemed to be just behind me. I looked back once but saw no one. So I finally stopped and realized that an Apache helicopter had been tracking me. I looked up and the pilot started chatting with me. He asked to come aboard and while I’m standoffish far too often, I also love that kind of spontaneity. So I said, sure. He came aboard and held on while I continued racing through the canals that lead to the docks.

His name was Antares and we had a lot of fun times together. He took me flying in his warplanes and boats. We even did air combat with me on the rocket guns. I was pretty bad shot and we got killed a lot. Once we were out in the Apache and came across a giant ship, the Titanic, out on the Blake Sea. Anyway, we boarded her and joined in the party, although I’m pretty sure we weren’t welcome cuz it was a bunch of pirates I think. Anyway, we had fun like that. Like, he was with me and my girlfriends when we traveled from SS Galaxy to go scuba driving. What a great day that was.

Anyway, I left Second Life about a year later (as I’ve long asserted) but just a few weeks ago Antares and I began chatting over Facebook. He thought it would be fun to go out dancing and that sounded great to me also. So on Sunday when met over at Junkyard Blues and spent some time dancing and catching up, but this always leads to that and we talked about planes and boats and before long he took me aboard his new yacht.

Yordie Sands, photographer

Antares taking Yordie out in new yacht.

I can’t say that I’ll be a regular in SL again, but I’m reminded me how much fun SL can be.

 

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Number Nine, Number…

Posted on March 7, 2016 by

In less than a month I will have been virtually alive for nine years, Yordie Sands that is. This thought was on my mind today when I logged in to Second Life.

I’d been thinking a lot about my first really magic moments in SL, no not virtual romance. It was building my Zen gardens and teahouses, and ultimately the Harvest Moon Café.

I created several gardens and cafes in my first six years and there are many photo albums with pictures of each in my Flickr Photostream (check the seven “Zen Gardens” albums). Many of the photos are old school, but the magic was there.

Creating the gardens brought real joy to my spirit. None of the gardens never really lived up to the expectations I had of them, but my memories of them and the activities that revolved around them are still strong.

Anyway, I went over to one of the sandboxes and rezzed the Harvest Moon Café from Dakota Falls. The structure was created from two POST designs that I’d modified into one, created a stage area.

Yordie Sands, Photographer

Harvest Moon Café (a modified POST design), rezzed again in 2016.

Below, the Café stands over the waterfall pond at Dakota Falls in 2013. And if you look really close you can see me in both photos. In the bottom one I’m Geisha Yordie preparing for a show. Memories are amazing!

Yordie stars as Second Life geisha

As the sun fades in the sky,
the lamps are lit
and the ochaya comes to life.

 

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