Monthly Archives: December 2016

Off Nautilus City Island 02

Attempting to resolve the problem of exploring such a vast territory as the North Nautilus Sea (newly coined name) — covering, by my count, perhaps up to *30* sims — Wilson makes the wise decision to turn on her “show property lines” option and follow sim boundaries in the main for better orientation.

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This almost immediately begins to pay dividends, like finding a “bird hand” on the lower edge of von Luckner…

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… and then what Wilson dubbed the Plain of Kelp in the next sim west (Tirpitz)… immediately *before* spotting a crashed plane in the distance through the forest of tall, green kelp. Yes, synchronicity is back in action around Nautilus for sure.

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More sea floor decoration.

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Wilson called this Tirpitz location Octopus Garden.

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Interesting terrain patterns on a proximate hillside.

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Octopus Garden again.

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Continuing to walk the sim lines today eventually brings Wilson face to face with the 3 pillars on the southern edge of Doria again, where all this new bundle of weirdness started to kick in.

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She sits down on a nearby hill and enjoys the view.

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Off Nautilus City Island 01

Wheeler wasn’t having much luck aqua-circumnavigating the isle of Nautilus City as herself so she decided to change back into Wilson for better focus. When she attempts to stand up after sitting on these square pillars straddling the southern boundary of the water sim Doria….

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… and enters some kind of in-between dimension…

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… she knew she was on the right track again. Trail of Weirdness found.

In Cevera to the immediate west of Doria, Wilson then finds a great wall not uncovered by Baker Bloch on his extensive explorations of the seas surrounding Nautilus back in ’08. Perhaps it has been added in the meantime. But it’s a pretty big’un: the exposed part by itself is 87 meters long, as Wilson is finding out right now while checking behind herself for the purposes of me writing this blog post. I don’t know how Baker Bloch could have missed it in his own kind of aqua-circumnavigation around Nautilus City island at the time, but perhaps he did. One more mystery to add to a growing list, however, and more to come. Oh yes.

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Typical hilltop vegetation in the Nautilus City seas.

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Returning to Doria, Baker then finds an avatar which is present and not present at once. Again, as Wilson is checking behind herself right now, she is rather surprised to find out the person is missing from this old rusted railroad trolley gracing the seafloor. But her pictures and information remain logged. The name?: Doreena. Much like the sim she then inhabited: Doria. Wilson noted the coincidence at the time and moved on. She would return soon enough after finding another, similar ghost avatar in Cevera.

As you can see below, this ghostly presence, while just a white mist to the naked eye, still casts a shadow. Pretty spooky.

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In the same low canyon as Doreena (later christened the Dor Canyon, building on the coincidence about the same 3 letters starting the names Doreena and Doria mentioned before), we have a collection of old barrels apparently containing some kind of toxic waste, mix in a couple of washing machines and also a stop sign. Four fish skeletons are found to the side.

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Doreena’s trolley can be seen in the background.

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Giant green head of Poseidon stumbled upon in Villaamill northeast of Doria, I believe.

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About the only useful information I could find in Doreena’s Second Life profile is that she belonged to a group called The Queendom of Gaia, described as being part of the Tiny Empires Realm of Gaia. The group profile furthers states: “Gaia joins friendly people from all over the world and every walk of life in mutual respect for all life and enjoyment of the game. As such, cruelty has no part in our discourse. Our chat group is PG. Sabotage is discouraged so please don’t since we are all about generosity and friendship . No in-house recruiting, spamming or advertising. All in-house, inter-line changes must go through the Queen. Thank you :)”

But it’s interesting that Wilson then finds a cage at each of the 2 locations she uncovered associated with the group. Is this “queen” perhaps a bit more sinister than she’s letting on? Is it another coincidence that Doreena was apparently *trapped*, at least for a good number of hours, within the Doria trolley somewhat resembling a prison cell with its overarching suspension bars? Maybe not.

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More Nautilus seas decoration.

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Free Platinum

Baker restudies Boos collages 07 and 08 for more clues about Wheeler and her Table.

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“That finger is pointing right at Zappa,” he murmurs. “12:01. Davy Jones is the pre-marriage David Bowie, too white noise and needing more black ties. Like Zappa (also) said to him in this collage, ‘you need to work on your music more, Davy Jones’. And he could add here now (understanding that Jones is Bowie): stop focusing on what other people want from you and turn to what *you* want. Develop the music itself. You have that leeway now. You do not need money. We’re not only it in for the money.” He smiles…

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… glances at the last two collages on this floor…

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… and teleports two floors up to examine another collage he had in mind. Boos 22. “There’s Hummie,” he begins again. “The Dart… that ran into The Mouse. Drug. Gas.” He was free associating. “Digesting Boos (fish) like I’ve been trying to digest [the Boos] collages. Martian. I suppose I’m a bit Martian now because of my visit. Things rub off on you. And now I have *Old* Mabel… must remember not to call her plain old Mabel any more. That’s in the past. She’s all grown up now. The equivalent of being 13? Not 12 Oz Mouse any more? Carrcassonnee is shrunk. I need to visit her.”

And then up another floor to the final Boos gallery room with the last 4 collages. “The polarity displayed within is still important and relative,” he says to himself. ‘The Big Book of Rust’ in two halves.”

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There’s no solving it tonight. He needs to talk to Hucka Doobie. He meets her at Perch again.

—–

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“He was just here,” Hucka Doobie says upon manifesting, then sees the teleport offer to her left. “There he is.”

—–

“Look Baker Bloch,” she starts, “that ball representing me is the same size as my hand.”

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“Well let’s just twirl around the table so it’s positioned right in front of you. Then we can maybe finger this out better.”

“Figure,” Hucka Doobie corrects Baker Bloch.

“Right. Hold on. I forgot that Baker Blinker rezzed some of the objects so I’ll have to whirl ourselves around instead in these chairs.”

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“There we are.”

“Whee!” Hucka Doobie exclaims.

“Okay, so tell me more of how this works, Hucka Doobie.”

“Well… I’m SID’s 1st Oz at The Table. What I mean is that I represent older audiovisual synchs that culminate in SID, all the Oz/Floyd Paradox stuff. The line that began at Dark Side of the Rainbow and, of course, also The Rainbow Sphere and extended forward. SID’s 1st Oz is their baby, their child. But Billfork is as well. And that’s where Wheeler takes over. She is indeed The Bill.”

“She’s reinforced that repeatedly,” states Baker Bloch. “So what is your job at The Table? Why is Salad Bar Jack positioned opposite you?”

“Yes, that would be you (in his position),” she states.

“Yeah. You guys were buds in the discourse of the old Baker Blinker Blog.”

“I remember well,” Hucka Doobie says.

“I suppose all that’s going to come out in Table speak. The whole war of toys against Second Lyfe avatars — your ancient rivalry.”

“It could,” Hucka Doobie considered. Then she corrected something Baker Bloch and everyone else in town had been repeatedly getting wrong. “It’s not Salad Bar Jack, of course, but Grassy Noll. Unless the character has become one with the actor.”

“Interesting,” Baker Bloch says. “Has he?”

Hucka Doobie shrugs.

“But, whatever, *Grassy Noll* has now melded with Lemon The Beetle. What’s that say about you relative to him?”

“That he is part of The Bill as well. He drew The Bill into the audiovisual synching realm. He liked their humor. They are the Comedy Beatles.”

“We’re talking about Firesign Theatre here,” Baker states.

“Of course. That’s the finger entering the picture. The Bill. The Center. SID’s 1st Oz didn’t really have this center, although there’s a center involved. Just not some organizing principle that could carry us forward into the platinum beyond the gold. SID is gold. Solid gold. Platinum is beyond. That’s Billfork, that’s Head Trip. That’s 4orrin1. Especially 4orrin1. Later it becomes Pretty Bunnies, Waits 4 No 1, Peewee Big, 1 Pink, Empire Strikes Brak, Uncle Meatwad. That’s the first time in your blog I’ve been allowed to say all those. That’s The Bill. Pay The Bill.”

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Catching Up

“Tell me all about Mars, Baker Bloch. I’m so excited! Now that you’re back, I mean.”

“It was an adventure for certain. INSCO was a highlight. Obviously Old Mabel’s Dawg Pound. Be sure to not call her just Mabel. She’s grown up now.”

“Shame about her brother having to go off to war,” says Baker Blinker. “It’s not fair to make people do that — fight in someone else’s battles.”

“No. Hopefully he’ll be okay and Old Mabel and he can be reunited soon.”

“Yes.”

“Thanks for visiting me over at INSCO by the way.”

“You’re welcome,” says Baker Blinker.

“It cheered me up — you showing up. Lemon and Sugar were good company, but they’re not my kind. I belong here. In Collagesity.”

“Of course,” states Baker Blinker. “This is home.”

“When will Wheeler be back?” he asks. He scratches his nose.

“As soon as she’s circumnavigated the whole Nautilus City island successfully I suppose. She just said she’s going to run around the island — said it was predicted in one of our user’s Boos collages, the one with the spool table, I believe.”

“Boos, um, 07 I suppose.” Baker Bloch reconsiders the number. “08 — sorry.”

“And I suppose you want to know about The Table.”

“Of course,” says Baker Bloch. “I guess it can’t operate while Wheeler is away.”

“No, but she’s got it all set up now. Basically. A question remains about Zappa.”

“Show me how it works,” requests Baker Bloch.

“Well… let’s say that I’m Wheeler at The Table. You’re opposite me so you would be Karoz, who is opposite Wheeler there. Then — I’ll put my beer at right angles to both of us; and to my right. That’s Curled Paper, the notetaker.”

“You know, I’ve never seen him move a lick. He just sits there reading his Winesap book.” Baker Bloch then comically assumes the stilted reading position of Curled Paper, making Baker Blinker smile.

“Now set your coffee cup opposite my beer.” Baker does as requested. “That’s Spongeberg.”

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“Cool,” says Baker Bloch.

“Appropriate colors as well, because Curled Paper is lit like a yellow sun and Spongeberg is night dark with stars. I suppose Wheeler planned it that way, or it was in the cards. Something.”

“Something,” Baker Bloch agreed.

“And then, let’s see, this green sphere is Mmmmmm Salad Bar Jack, who stands in for Lemon. Well, he’s actually done some kind of mind-body meld with Lemon, who, being a flattie and all, can’t really sit at The Table. So that’s Salad Bar. And opposite Salad Bar is Hucka Doobie. I’ll just rezz a plain sphere for him.

“Then on the right of Karoz — that’s you — is Dr. Blood,” continued Baker Blinker. “A silver cube will do for him. Then opposite Dr. Blood, according to Wheeler’s master plan currently, is Zappa. This is the last addition; Wheeler states Zappa is the most problematic component of The Table, but hasn’t explained that to me fully yet.”

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“You two are still getting along?” queries Baker Bloch.

“Okay, I suppose. I’m getting over the shock. I just have to accept the triangle and that I’m not sitting at the top.”

“Wheeler as Bill is,” Baker Bloch completes Baker Blinker’s thoughts.

“Yes.”

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Home

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December 5, 2016 · 12:54 pm

Escape from Mars

Baker and Old Mabel (yes she’s changed her name as well) begin to head out of Mars and back toward Collagesity to start life anew there. Along the way they land the repaired dog ship at several different spots…

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… including this old mining village named Sandusty about 10 clicks west south west of the Dawg Pound, a place she and her brother have visited a number of times. Old Mabel shows Baker the way down to an underground research station where he, once again, tries to locate Collagesity on a provided globe of Mars (still no luck), while she studies planetary flora and fauna on a station console.

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Next stop: outskirts of Toledo, where Baker and Old Mabel discover the remains of another old timey wrestling structure. Baker remembers this same kind of spiral based building atop a plateau he landed on not long after leaving Collagesity during his trip into Mars. They must be getting closer, he rationalized. Home. Baker Blinker, Karoz Blogger, Hucka Doobie, and the rest. Including Wheeler.

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“The landscape is definitely looking more like the stuff around Collagesity,” he says to Old Mabel as they land at another building, attempting to get directions.

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Turns out it’s a library run by a familiar looking anthropomorphic cat named Chesterton, one suave dude who insists all this is a prop and that the only real book he has is around back. “My robot assistant Evelyn can show you. I hope it satisfies your needs. I apologize for not knowing the whereabouts of your Collagesity.”

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Old Mabel and Baker go around the corner to confront an opened “Big Book of Rust” on a podium, Bill displayed.

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“Chesterton knows,” whispers Old Mabel to Baker. “My liar detector went off as soon as I spotted his spotty face.” Baker nodded his head. He now remembered seeing Chesterton atop a knoll in the desert beyond Collagesity. Raging.

“Keep your cool, honey, and let’s get out of here.”

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INSCO Snapshots

Zombie at ReaktOr.

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Rental apt. scene.

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Rental apt. scene w/ cyberpunk.

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Baker at his short lived receptionist job.

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Blue people.

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Blue cat, blue beam, and hooded man at INSCO Central.

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Baker on a Mars Bench waiting for neighborhood friends Lemon and Sugar.

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Neighborhood piano bar/ watering hole.

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Neurobiologist Dr. Lemon Y. Teepot.

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INSCO South cars.

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INSCO heirarchy.

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32 apt. house.

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Little

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Cleveland Rocks had forever been the most holy place in the Dawg Pound for Mabel and Little, ever since they were little kids. It harbored the grave of The Host with The Most (alternately: Host Charming), who also heavily haunted the craggy knoll and its receiving bridge. The twins had withheld taking Baker Bloch to the sacred rocks until now because they knew it was all leading up to this finality.

As explained later by Mabel, a ghost of The Host had manifested to Baker as he passed over the bones of Those Who Do Not Rock while walking the bridge, quickly fading. “If he did not approve of your presence here,” Mabel says, “you would be tossed from the bridge by a gale of wind into the ravine below, your skeleton collected and then hung with the others, a *most* unfortunate end.” But the twins had faith in Baker. They knew he would not perish — destiny.

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And yet another manifestation, seeming to say, “Congratulations. You rock!”

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Baker also passed by this fading representation and through the torii gate to join Little on the rocks.

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He did not get up to receive Baker, but simply greeted him by name and motioned to the pillow next to his own in the gazebo.

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Little stared at Baker and then at his own, sneakered feet. “We’ve even named the white butterflies here,” he started. “Big and Old, after our other titles. For you see, my full name is Little Big (as Mabel’s is Old Mabel). I’m about to grow up, Baker Bloch. Oh I didn’t want to. I’ve fought the urge to fight. But it is time. You are here. You must take Mabel as your own. It does not matter whether you are married or not — Mabel would obviously prefer the former — but you must take her. Away from here.”

“I don’t understand,” said Baker Bloch. “What’s happening to you?”

Little held his stare steady now. “I am going to war.”

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As Baker was absorbing this proclamation, a small, silent ship descended from the sky and landed on Cleveland Rocks to their side. Little took a long time to even look in its direction, instead searing thoughts into Baker Bloch’s mind with all the intensity a fledgling soldier could muster. Thoughts of he and Mabel chasing the white butterflies on the rocks and almost falling off not once but several times. Pictures of the compound at different times of the day that he’ll never lose. Visions of happiness for Mabel as she takes on a new life. And then the awful battles to come; obviously he might never make it back here, might never see and hold his beloved twin sister ever again. “Childhood crosses manhood here,” he finally managed, and stood up to enter the ship through a proffered ramp. Mabel called loud from the temple. “NO!! DON’T GO!! LITTLE!!!”

—–

“We had to set childish things aside,” explained Mabel two days later, as they left through the iris door of the Dawg Pound, never to return. “The factions are fighting in several solar systems at once. It’s Whites verses Greens everywhere. Just yesterday, a new battle broke out at Muff-Bermingham. It was only a matter of time before the war caught up with us, found us in our cradled haven. Little had to grow up and become Big, I had to grow up and become Old. Although we are 119 of your years, that is still young for Martians of our species. We had to move onward.” She put her hands to her helmet and cried once again.

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