Category Archives: 06

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It was an especially foggy day in the woods. Jacob I. wandered and studied trees.

“Unch at 168/168,” he says softly while continuing to roam. “Must remember.”

On the far side from Collagesity the fog cleared and Jacob I. came across a tiny writer’s colony. He sat down at a handy laptop and began typing out his thoughts. Good thing he’d brought the thumb drive with him.

Dearest Sugar,

I’ve been in Collagesity for over 3 weeks now. The locals are still treating me well despite knowing about the eye. I now have a small loft apartment above what’s called the Noru Gallery. Interesting collages within. They’re called Rose Hill and Oblong after two villages in Illinois. In fact, about all the collage series of Collagesity are named for small population centers in and around the Jasper County of that state with its Newton county seat. I haven’t quite figured out the reason why. The user of this land is from North Carolina, and has never even been to Illinois. Maybe I should take my hat off more here so I can see better, ha. But I don’t wish to freak out the locals any more than they already are. Carrcassonnee won’t be coming back.

I hope you are also doing well. As always, give my warmest regards to Lemon and the Berries.

Yours in love,
Jacob.

He inserts his thumb drive, downloads the file, and then ejects and sticks it back into his apron pocket. He hopes one day Sugar will receive the messages he scribes while here. Jacob stares toward the small cabin on the property. No one around.

He asks the owner of the land if he can join their writing group. We’ll see what happens, if anything, on that front.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0006, 0602, Heterocera, Rubi

missed opportunity

At sunset on November 20th, 2017, Snowmanster once again exits the CB Dylan dresser that acts as a portal between dimensions. He finally had tracked down an exciting adventure for Duncan and George involving the escalating Jeogeot Gulf War, where Duncan would play a French Lieutenant and George would be his daughter Sarah.

But no one was there to meet him in the VHC City penthouse apartment except George the doll, propped up on the far couch.

So Snowmanster sat and visited with him for a while before taking his leave, saying he had to head over to Farmington South to offer Peter Pipersville and his son Edward the role instead and to tell Duncan and George that he was sorry he missed them.

He stares out the eastward facing window at the town’s giant hotel before reentering the portal.


“Goodbye VHC City.”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0006, 0601, Heterocera, VHC City

sixes and sevens

Rocky Racco was in the middle of rehearing his piano solo in Story Room’s “Fire Ants” legacy single when Baker Bloch rezzed a chair beside him and broke the news.

“You’re leaving?” he uttered while still tinkering with the solo a bit. Baker answers affirmatively. “How many are you taking?”

“We can take *you* if you wish. But, otherwise, Wheeler Wilson I assume. Maybe Buster, maybe others. Unsure still.”

“And who is already in Collagesity?” queries the anthropomorphic raccoon.

“Well, Pitch Darkly is there, kind of a new alter-ego I suppose you could call it. He comes from VHC City. Also: Woody Woodmanson, formerly of Snowlands. Now see, this is a trick — *our* Mary use to be engaged to Pitch, and maybe still is. Somehow realities have split apart by us — me — being here. If Mary goes back to Collagesity with Wheeler and the others, say, she may not even remember her life with Paul here, both black and white versions of him.”

“You have more stories to tell (in this town),” countered Rocky. “How about my cousin Tealie from the underground?”

“Tealie can show up in another book, another place,” answered Baker Bloch, standing by his resolution.

“Just because your last two — graphic novels is it?” Baker Bloch nods here. “… these graphic novels of yours end in 6 sections doesn’t mean that the situation can’t change now. You can extend to 7. Think how much more story could be told in another 20 or so posts? My story, for instance. Who made me? Do you even know who made me? I was merely an ordinary raccoon at one time far in the past.”

“My guess would be Paul, if Paul resonates with Paul McCartney strongly enough.”

“Oh. Well, you knew that, then.”

“But you could be a nuclear mutation caused by that explosion which was winnowed down just to your mushroom house thanks to the quick actions of All Nancy’s.”

“Could be that too.” Rocky looks directly into Baker Bloch’s eyes. “Please stay. I don’t want you to go. I want to…”

“Live?” Baker offered. “Then come with me… us.”

Rocky abruptly slammed down the lid to the grand piano’s keyboard. Chef/Inspector Petty turned around from interviewing Mary and Paul in another part of the theatre room.

Rocky gets up and brushes by Baker on the way to the teleporter. They soon find him in Audrey’s below, drinking and talking with his new best bud Terry.

“They want to end me. They want to end *us*,” he says, trying to ignore their presence.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0005, 0616, Heterocera, Lapara

Here’s to Olde Lapara Towne!

During the writing of my “2017 Collagesity Early” document, I’ve been closely monitoring the town’s facebook page…

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OldeLaparaTowne/

… for current projects concocted by its owners Levi Clownski and his mate Shoshi (inworld names). While I haven’t been able to directly incorporate all that goes on in the large and quite active village into my almost completed (!) tale, I certainly appreciate the energy and creativity involved. Many villages you visit in Second Life are in a state of stasis in contrast, fixed in nature with little to no interest coming from the outside. Unfortunately for the last several months, my own Collagesity has fallen into that category. I must return soon and attempt to resusitate if possible.

I’ve already been through one change of seasons during my short stay in OLT, and eagerly await to see what Levi and Shoshi come up for the fall to winter conversion. But I probably won’t be renting there at the time, my attached fictional flow basically over. Not that I ever forget locations where I forge stories; they will always be part of my “orbit” now. And so it will be with OLT. Portals may open up in the coming months and years, allowing interaction between characters who still may reside there (in some dimension) and those that have come before and after. There’s a possibility that at least another whole section of a novel may be devoted to the town (probably not another book), like I did with Sansara’s Snowlands or, heck, my own Collagesity at the end of “Collagesity 2017 Early” (otherwise “set” in what I call VHC City and also Bliss Gardens Park).

One of the most interesting aspects of Olde Lapara Towne that has come up during my stay is Levi’s recent call for help in decorating the city’s hotel, named the Grand Lapara Hotel after its home sim. Just to note, about half the town lies in the sim of Astarte, with the other half, the older part, being in Lapara to its north, and from which it takes the name. The contrasting nature of these two sides, both real and imagined, plays an interesting role in my graphic novel. Back to the hotel: I gained a deeper respect for the structure when I learned that Levi had modeled it after a real New York City place once called Hotel Dixie, c. 1930’s era. His page on the subject here:

https://sirclownfish.wixsite.com/lapara/bus-depot

Anyway, a big thanks to Levi and Shoshi for putting up with what must be viewed as my strange middle-of-the-night posturings within their fine village. Many well wishes for its continued evolution in future times, and I’ll be back to keep an eye on what happens for certain — may even rent there again if the situation fits.

Keep on keeping on OLT!

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0005, 0615, Heterocera, Lapara

Burster

“Next month??” Paul was incredulous. Peter SoSo and Tronesisia had paused their dart game to listen in. Mary Tyler began sobbing a bit.

“Yup,” states Terry the fire-ickle bartender. “The blue dude — Improvio I think — came in himself and booked the upstairs for October, same deal they have at Clownski’s. Levi wouldn’t give ’em any more than that at one time over there. But you can bet the bang on my belt there’s more deals to come. Mr. R. — Rocky — likes ’em, likes their music. Bang bang bang bang. More bang for the bucks, he said. Oops. I guess that’s a little insensitive.” But Terry was at least sensitive enough not to repeat the exact sentiment Rocky issued about their group, which was, “f-ck folk.”

“We… have nowhere to go,” Mary exclaimed. “We’ll have to leave Olde Lapara Towne! And I was really beginning to like it here. They’re forcing our hand.”

“Lamb must live,” agreed Peter SoSo. “There’s no killing it now, no going back to where we came from as Peter, Paul and Mary, separate and alone.” Tronesisia tried to nod in agreement but ended up just having a belly laugh. She excused herself by saying her gestures module needs rebooting.

“I think I might have an answer,” Terry said slyly. “Jacob… you know the groovy lawnmower…”

“Of course,” states Peter SoSo. “He’s what keeps us high as the sky.”

“Well… he found a portal right underneath this bar. It’s those sand dunes… sand castle. They lead to a cool and hip and far out place. Said it was called Melancholy Island. I tried it out myself. I think we — or you’s guys anyway — can help them with their problem.”

“What do you mean?” asks a sniffing Mary. Paul offered her his handkerchief.

“You have grass, right? Lots of it, thanks to those magical seeds you bought from New Lynne, Paul.” Mary blew her nose long and loud.

“Correct,” replies Paul, taking a fully loaded handerchief back from Mary.

“Well,” continues Terry, “turns out they *need* grass. They have the stubby version, the stuff that doesn’t really need to be mowed, but you people have the real deal, the weedy grass. The high version.”

Peter has a belly laugh with this as well. He quickly clears his throat and says, “catching,” while looking at Tronesisia. Paul couldn’t help sharing a small smile with Mary in the moment, each thinking that those two, forward looking robot and backward peering merman, were simply made for each other. Just like they were. Paul and Mary held hands.

“Alright, we’ll check it out,” Paul said. Everyone had forgotten about the secret weapon Buster set up, but were quickly reminded when Chef/Inspector Petty (not Pety — he’s different) burst into the bar through the red door and instantly began grilling.

“What all this about Renaldo O’Donnell springing back to life and then dying again??”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0005, 0614, Heterocera, Lapara

missed

“I have a confession to make Nancy.”

“What is it Danny my love?”

“I killed the giant sloth causing all that ruckus over in Lapara. I was *so* thirsty.”

“Did it do you good?” his anime girlfirend asked.

“Oh man. Still draining the carcass over in Yellow Grass.”

Nancy had to ask something else. “Did you (also) kill Renaldo O’Donnell?”

Danny looks straight in her eyes. “There have been 7 carcasses within that grass the past 2 weeks, all animals. Does that answer your question?”

“Vampire or not, I’m just so glad you’re back.” Mouths full of chocolate chip cookies still, they share a crumbly kiss across the table.

Nancy kept forgetting to tell him that her Owls Head ring went missing right after he reappeared in town.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0005, 0613, Heterocera, Lapara

“Detective Drunk”

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Filed under 0005, 0612, Bogota, Bogota Proper, collages 2d

Clown at Clownski’s

“Performance artist??” exclaims Paul.

“And he says he’s been doing this a long time,” interjects Buster.

“Yes,” answers the famous clown. “And I can help *you*”… he pauses and turns toward Buster. “Er, what did you say their name was again?”

“The Lambs,” replies Buster.

“No,” states Mary firmly. “Just Lamb.”

“Well then, I can help *you* Just Lamb.”

Mary sighs. This little bloodsucker’s plan better work, she thinks.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0005, 0611, Heterocera, Lapara

Buster’s return

A bad moon was rising over Vampire Island, telling Buster things he didn’t want to hear. He better head back to Lapara before it’s too late.

—–

Oh no. Baker Bloch with Chroma and Earie!

It was too late?

Turning away from Lapara’s yellow grass and looking across the sim line toward Astarte’s new and colorful bouncy castle, he knew there was only one thing to do in this situation.

While playing again, Buster accidentally finds his answer with a clear view into Clownski’s upper floor.

Renaldo O’Donnell lives!

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0005, 0610, Heterocera, Lapara

Jacob 02

He recognized the big, white lily pad just ahead. Jacob had circled back to where he began. Nothing here, then.

Wait, an opening right beside him he’d missed.

Jupiter.

Jacob thought of the small island as a whole now. Melancholy was its name. The I. that could not get high.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0005, 0609, HANA LEI, Heterocera