Second Life’s Birthday, SL17B, with the theme “Vacations and Road Trips” is slowly coming to an end, which is always a bittersweet moment for me. It’s been the best year at SLB, I’ve had thus far. I’ve made new friends – really dear ones too, I’ve actually gotten to see SL17B this year unlike the two other years where I just worked, worked and worked some more – though I have worked around 75 hours in the week leading up to and during the week of SL17B all together, training the volunteers, decorating two test areas and managing the stages. I got to see the exhibitions, Meet the Lindens and Meet the Moles – AND gotten my first Linden Bear ever! ♥
For the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of being a Stage Manager for the stage volunteers, training the new volunteers, as well acting as a mentor, support and contact person, but most of all becoming their friend – and seeing old friends again. ♥
It’s been a really intense couple of weeks – more so than the previous years, because I helped training the new volunteers and also decorated the performer test areas for the Auditorium and the Festival Stage in the weeks up to SL17B as well, which was a very humbling and exciting experience for me as I love decorating.
The entertainment part of SL17B is over, and thus so is my work at SL17B Stages for now. As before mentioned, it leaves me with a bittersweet feeling. This week has reminded me of when I was younger, when I was a scout and went on camp over the summer. Working, laughing, stressing, working on solutions for various problems and cooperating with people more or less 24/7 for a week – you create a bond with people, and I’ve not wanted this week to end.
And when the week is over, and the “camp mentality” isn’t there anymore, so suddenly from one day to the other, it leaves me with a feeling of emptiness and like something’s missing – all the wonderful people and the atmosphere. Not a permanent emptiness of course, but returning to your “normal” Second Life is always a bit strange after this week, since we practically live on the stages. It’s kind of like when you’ve been at camp as previously stated, you come home, having to wash the clothes you brought and the smell of campfire sits in your shirt, and it gives that little sting in your heart as the memories flood in and you know you’re not going to see the people, who’s been like your extended family for the past week, for a whole year in the SLB setting. Like another friend and volunteer so aptly put it: “I’ve just about forgotten what I used to do before SLB”.
I want to say thank you to all the lovely volunteers, to Cordie and Leondra, and of course the Moles – I’ve truly loved how we’ve all worked together to make SL17B as amazing as it has been, not to mention all the fun times on Discord.
Here’s to many more years of SLB, of friendship, laughter, teamwork and love. ♥
Pose:
Le Poppycock – Live Free.
Bottle:
Junk Food – Cool Cola Bottle.
Hair:
DOUX – Maya Hairstyle.
Shorts:
♥ -[ Vagrant ]- Claire Shorts @ Uber.
Top:
♥ -[ Vagrant ]- Claire Top @ Uber.
Decor:
Backdrop:
(Milk Motion)- Road to Nowhere – Desert Land.
(Gacha).
Cacti:
DaD DESIGN – Saguaro Cactus Mature.
Hive // prickly pear cactus.
Hive // san pedro cactus.
Car:
[Consignment] Wax On/Wax Off Convertible – White.
(Gacha).
Grass:
Little Branch – Snakeweed (summer).
Little Branch – WildGrass (dry).
Signs:
Floorplan. – Route 66 road sign.
MadPea – Missouri Mystery Motel – Madry Wise Motel Sign.
Suitcases:
Apple Fall – Monogram Suitcases.
Eudora3D – Suitcase Colours.
Girl Next Door 