Category Archives: **VIRTUAL OT

break’s over

“So Duncan,” requests Sid (Angus) at the Blue Feather Table after taking a sip of milk. “Continue with the report on what you’ve found.”

Duncan stared at his right red hand. “Berry… disengaged from Gaston. Berries gone. Jacob I. and Sugar Dumpling with them, but still alive in their case. Thimble *might* remain.”

“Is that your hope? Or something based on solid conjecture?”

“Former, admittedly.” He thought of the great view again. ‘Nother Sugar House. “Oh, and The Musician too,” he remembered to tack on. “At least according to Jiff the police psychiatrist.”

“Good, good. So… Duncan,” summarizes Sid. “You say these only two ‘Vila’ sims are directly linked one with the other. Core-Alena in her green car was able to successfully enter Vilania from The Straight…”

“I would like to correct you on terminology, Sid. If you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead, Duncan.”

“The Straight is shared between Reality and Virtual, so my conjecture is on the Virtual side it is the same as the 4 sims bordering Foothill Drive. This makes Utah’s Foothill Drive the east side of The Straight, and not The Straight itself.”

Sid turns to Curled Paper, who was taking notes (in his head). “Make sure in the minutes that The Straight is noted as being the same as these 4 sims, Mr. Paper.”

Curled didn’t nod, but Sid knew he would take note, as requested. One of the two librarians at The Table then spoke up, surprising everyone (even himself): “Gorilla. Mind Gorilla.”

All stared for a beat. Then Sid continued. “So…. next we have Hank driving the red car… and that’s good, Librarian 01,” he then realized. “You remembered the mate.”

[delete 1 exchange]

“Anyway,” started Sid again. “Hank, being less pure of heart, didn’t make it back to Vilania after the Fairy Forest heist but switched over to Vila… erm, *Gaston*.”

—–

Duncan suddenly recalled one other person that could remain. Heidi.

But where? Where could Heidi be hiding? At the Hideout? The intermediary Big Between?

Likely explanation. The Big Nope is the failed or closed portal, the lone “willow” at 2013.

Takes two to know, once more (1719). Safe Zone; Safe Passage.

1890’s Big Between is the observatory, neither here nor there. Core-Alena can see her-himself but not at the same time.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0011, 0215, Gaston+, Google Street View, Mountain Lake, The Straight, Utah

centr-AL

Being the super tree genius genus she-he is, Core-Alena quickly found the secret way to The Basin and its Dead Sea already traversed by players Cloe Price, Eraserhead Man, and others. But the gun toting, glossy green avatar had to be ditched in the process. And a name had been decided upon: Alfred or Alfreda Mobile — Al for short. Sometimes in caps, depending on if you’re yelling (Where’s that Mustered?).

However, it took him-her another *5 years* to find a way back to Virtual from Reality inside the game. A straightaway on Foothill Drive just outside Kamas UT, another shout out. 1800 miles from AL where Mobile started. Marion and Francis equidistantly n-s of of the quaint, tourist town were of course the keys. Swamp Fox; Hidden Village. Virtual itself, or at least the Omega continent, the one that counts right now. Rhode made sure of that. Rhode Rhoad Road.

Driving up and down the connecting straightaway (known from here on just as The Straight), Reality to left, *potential* Virtual to right, Core-Alena understood that not one but several trees could act as a portal. All probably did. For example, what looks like a willow at 2013 Foothill Drive…

… and certainly this queer, leany evergreen at 1890.

Core-Alena just decides to pull in and try it tonight. Being a tree her-himself, it would be easy to pull back out. As long as The Straight is not too far. All trees know each other.

Ahh, yes. Home again! And this strip of land obviously acts as one of those Between Places she-he’s learned about.

But Core-Alena ends up using the 3rd spotted tree portal at 1719 for the final transition — a duo this time — because he-she can take the car this way, which seems essential. Just before Foothill Drive bends away from the portal line on the north side, unlinking Virtual and Reality. Just in the nick of time, in other words.

And soon to be in the middle of it all again.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0011, 0205, Alabama, Google Street View, The Straight, Utah

you’ve got enough

She can’t get in but they can certainly look out.

And where was this on the shared map between Meat City and Kamas UT? I wondered.

Off the grid for Utah, I realized. No possible new synchronization between the two, like we had for the Rhode Gallery and the brown splotch in the tree and the SS high school across the street and the road sign between them, right where the route began bending away from the shared grid on its way to Samak. Mirror — E Mirror Lake Hwy.

And in the bigger picture, I’ve learned that the whole Omega continent could fit into the surrounding Marion-Francis Circle. Swamp Fox. Gives an additional, spacial sense of proportion between the two Lives, 2nd and 1st. 1st life is still *much* larger. Much remains to be explored there!

But the overlap is quite profound. Here the two interpenetrate, like apples and oranges. No, like nested dolls… no: like a hidden center. Hidden Village. Hidden Vilage.

Oh looky. What’s this over here?

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0011, 0113, Google Street View, Omega, Ruby's Empire/Fishers Island, Urbane Blue/Fishers Island, Utah

Time to forge new roads.

There can be no doubt that Rhode Gallery acts an important connection between the two Lives, 2nd and 1st. This is Rhode’s Town. Rhodes, Rhoads, Roads.

The Tina Queen Gallery once across the street on High (School) property is now gone. Ruby is obviously not employed there still as a weekend receptionist.

But Ruby always appreciated the works of this neighboring gallery, which acted as a direct inspiration for her own, newly minted art (“Itch”, “Scratch”, etc.).

More soon.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0011, 0103, Google Street View, Ruby's Empire/Fishers Island, Urbane Blue/Fishers Island, Utah

Swamp Fox 02

An instant in time (Summit Inn Pizza, Kamas UT):

—–

Center of circle:

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0011, 0102, Google Street View, Utah

passage

“So you see, Chloe. It’s all about the interior to that game. This game within a game you are on about. The Basin. We must get beyond Dead Lake — both of them — and enter the place of the burning dog.”

“I don’t like that idea,” returned a worried, slumped over, arm crossed Chloe. “I just want to stay in the trailer park, shoot up some people, and then *leave*. I don’t want to find this door into a hidden place. Just leave me out of it.”

Sandy breathes out. “Okay, okay. I’ll try the other Chloe, then.”

“It won’t be any different.”

“It might.”

—–

“Soo Chloe. Whadda you knoow?”

“Get away. Playing on phone.”

“Just a couple…”

“GO AWAY, JEEZ.”

—–

“I suppose I owe you an apology.”

“Just leave me in the trailer park,” she reinforced.

—–

So he returned to EM at the blue painted coffee shop of Fishers Island, mission seemingly a failure. But EM thought otherwise.

“You got them thinking! They’ll come around. A seed has been *planted*.”

—–

The next time Chloe Price approached the end of the pavement representing the limit of the Gunn Mobile Trailer Park game…

… she suddenly recalled that thing about a glitch which allowed one to go further down this road — into the dirt part — all the way to a place called Dead Man’s Lake. No: just Dead Lake. Dead Sea, something. But it had to be done a certain way. Today, unlike yesterday or the day before or the day before that, etc., she decided it might be worth the risk. Checking back into the heart of the trailer park to make sure none of her enemies were following her (or were left alive, period)…

… she walks over and shoots her oh-so-familiar weapon at what looks like a weirdly shaped grey rock in front of her (the “glitch”). Not once, not twice, but three times.

She then sticks her gun into a suddenly opening black vortex, never to be held or used again.

The dirt road opens up before her. “Dead Sea — whatever — here we come!”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0010, 0605, Alabama, Google Street View, Urbane Blue/Fishers Island

dammed 03

“What does it say in your little red book about me? About us?”

“Let’s see,” improvised Jill MacGill through Gwin again. “‘The Story of Doris and Gwin’. Sorry: ‘Gwin and Doris.’ Says here we’ll be married in 2 years. Will stay with Aunt Sally until the crops are harvested. Then we’ll be free to live out our days wherever we choose. But, again, says here: Wallytown. That’s why I need the book. To learn all about our future home.”

“All right, all right,” cedes Doris Drane across from her. “We’ll go back to the library and get the other book. The big blue one.”

Gwin rushes over and kisses Doris full on the lips, then sits beside her, holding her hand. Yeah, this is some *real* acting, both actresses think (hint: they despise each other).

—–

“Smells weird in here. Old book smell, I suppose.”

“Shhh. I’m trying to read.”

“I thought you were just going to steal that book. Not read the entire thing while we’re here.”

“I’m reading up on the part about the wall. The Green Monster. So… shhh.”

Doris Drane kept quiet for a bit, then started again.

“Never heard of a tree eating wall,” Doris rehashed some of what Gwin was saying before. “Glin or Glinda, Gliph or Glyph — with an i and a y. Why do these cypress trees always come as, um, twinned pairs of the opposite sex that don’t, er, don’t know anything about the other half?”

“It’s only one tree,” corrected Gwin. “It can appear at different times in different places and think it is the same. Like I could sit over here and talk, and then we could switch chairs and I could talk over there. But to the tree, it’s as if the switch never happened. They’re always where they are.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Doris noisily scooted back her uncomfortable wooden chair and stood up. “I’ll be freely roaming the grounds if you need me. I’ll check back in about, say, 30 minutes?”

Gwin is absorbed in what she’s currently reading (trees have 2 souls!) and doesn’t respond. But then improvises: “Watch your navel!”

God I hate that woman, Chloe Price thinks. And EM is letting her get away with all this!

—–

I wonder who’s actually sacrificed here? Doris ponders, laying in the center of an elevated stone circle. Trees? Fish? Fish people? Her mind is running wild.

Huh (mysterious floating pylon).

“Hello. Anyone home?” But Doris needn’t had worried because no one lives here.

After waiting the appropriate time, she goes inside and sits at the dining room table. I hope those are candy bunnies on that platter over there, she thinks.

Hmm. 2960. Probably another empty building. I’m not even going to knock this time. Feeling free to roam indeed.

Lemons and lime; that reminds me of something.

This is a little different.

Don’t mind if I do.

What’s this? My foot must have accidentally activated the screen. Doris studied the graphic.

“Gunn Mobile Trailer Park,” she spoke aloud, then saw the byline at the bottom. “Your Darkness.” She settled back in the executive chair. “A game. I love computer games.” So she just decides to start a two person round with herself.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0010, 0417, Alabama, Google Street View, Urbane Blue/Fishers Island

“Smoking!” (blurb from “New Island Gazette”)

Encouraged by up and coming studios like Swanson’s Gallery and Artist Point Interactive (API), Marty Claflin and Jay Woodhull, two self confessed potheads, have decided to start a parent enterprise for New Island studios as a whole. You buy into the company — NEW ISLAND STUDIOS — you get promoted in the biggest and most popular Second Lyfe art venues, plus even off-world platforms like Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat, and Minecraft. Way to go Marty and Jay! Here’s wishing you guys the best of luck in your new (island!) business venture. We’re sure to be hearing a lot more from these two wacky stoners in the coming months and years. Decades! Call 709-576-8220 for details.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0009, 0216, GTA, New Island

C1718W fun facts

“Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” ends at the exact same location as “Collagesity 2016-2017 Winter”, which is in the exact center of the Purden sim in Snowlands, Sansara.

Part 3 of “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” starts with a post called “HHI Again”, partial reference to the first post of Part 3 of “Collagesity 2017 Middle” called “HHI.” I only uncovered this resonance after already composing “HHI Again,” though, and was pondering over a title for the thing.

“Private”, the 4th post of part 4 of “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter”, was created exactly one year after “Scissors?”, the 5th post of Part 2 of “Collagesity 2016-2017 Winter” (1/15/18 to 1/15/17). They also share several of the same objects or props (unique to those posts as I recall), and both end with “fires.” Like with the “HHI”/”HHI Again” parallel, I only noticed this after the creation of “private”.

In “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter”, characters first speak a foreign language (German; several posts), although one small exchange between Wheeler Wilson and Baker Bloch in “Collagesity 2016 Later” (“B-4”) is in the pretend language of Perch.

Almost exactly half of the 7th Collagesity novel (“Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter”; 47 posts of a total of 97) is at least partially set on the 7th created mainland continent: Gaeta V.

2 used locations of Gaeta V, Clemscott and Comfrey, also have about the same number of posts dedicated to them in the novel (15 and 14 respectively), and are linked in other ways. I see them as a balance for each other.

Almost all other posts (20) concerning Gaeta V in “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” are set in a place I call Capitol City, which is a fictional burg located near the center of the continent.

“Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” contains 25 posts located in eponymous Collagesity, second least in the series to “Collagesity 2017 Middle” and its paltry 7.

In the 1st post of “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” (“Return”), Tronesisia returns to Middletown piloting a small pink airplane down its main street. In Part 6 of “Collagesity 2016-2017 Winter” (“Huskers”), she returns to Collagesity driving a small pink car down its main street.

Probably the most common drink referenced in “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” is a bucket of blood, served with or without nails.

One independent collage was created during the composition of “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter”: “SpicA”. It may also be the first collage of a new series called Hunt, but we’ll see.

There are many “Twin Peaks” references scattered throughout “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter.” The names of a number of minor characters (see, for example: “Shirtless in Comfrey”) are “inversions” of those connected with the show, including Jeffrie Phillips (Phillip Jeffries in “Twin Peaks”, played by David Bowie).

Similarly, Philip Strevor, a key character in “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter”, is an inversion of Trevor Philips, one of 3 lead characters of “Grand Theft Auto V”. They also share a similar appearance.

There are a number of parallels between the consecutive posts “Revealing” and “can’t wait” of Part 2 of “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” and the post ending the first half of “Collagesity 2015-2016 Winter” (“Spire”). This is another of those “after the fact” discoveries.

In a similar vein, frozen character Tin S. Man is seen showering in a bathtub in both that earliest Collagesity novel (“Fourth”) and the most recent (“congelato”).

The Spookmobile of “Collagesity 2016-2017 Winter” returns at the beginning of Part 5 of the most recent Collagesity novel (“Well, we have a giant *beaver*. How’s that?”), and connected with baker b’s audiovisual synchronicity “Pumpkintwisters” again. The Spookmobile was also seen in the first post of part 5 of “Collagesity 2016-2017 Winter” (“Martins”).

Like all the other Collagesity novels, “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” has its share of Beatles references. See, for instance, “silver hammer” of Part 04.

The “Grand Theft Auto 5” storyline starts with character Trevor Philips robbing a bank in North Yankton as an adult. In “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter,” derivative and, name-wise, inverted character Philip Strevor is claimed to have robbed a bank in South Yankton as a child. Yankton is also the location of the prison Bad Coop is briefly incarcerated in toward the beginning of “Twin Peaks: The Return”.

There are a considerable number of references to the comedy group Firesign Theatre in “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” (“plans”, etc.). In 1970, this group was dubbed by the Library of Congress as “The Beatles of Comedy.”

“12 Oz Mouse” references are littered throughout “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” and other novels in the series: perpetually stoned Peanut Cop in “up and down”, for example; his pal Golden Joe too. A good obscure reference example would be the queer tune that Pitch Darkly miraculously finds that he can play on a piano in Spider Cave from the final post of part 4 (“breakthrough 02”),  derived from this scene in the “12 Oz Mouse” episode called “Booger Haze”.

And I think that’s enough for tonight! More “Collagesity 2017-2018 Winter” trivia could be coming up.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0008, 0100, GTA

bank on it

“No turning back, huh?”

“No,” replied Billy Jean Kidd, who was no longer playing the role of Heidi Hunt Ives. “Gaeta V, and perhaps Grand Theft Auto V along with it — left behind. We must move forward, beyond mainland.”

George looked around. “But what *is* this place?”

“Unsure,” she answered. “Could be Hana Lei. I suppose it has to be in one way.”

“And all of this because of the sandbox.”

“Yup. Must have been deleted on the other side, the Capitol City side, the *Gaeta V* side. And now all that is gone, I am feeling… sensing.”

“What of Marion?” the boy queries. “What of your friend Philip? Wasn’t he suppose to be your new daddy or something?”

Billy Jean Kidd paused, looked over at George. “Where did you say you grew up?”

“Beaver City, Oklahoma. My father practiced law there. I told you this already.”

“I just wanted to reinforce the, er, oddity.” But before George could ask what was so odd about it, she followed with another question. “Did it have a giant beaver statue?”

“Um, not that I recall. There was a giant beaver, but he was on a float. You see, Beaver City is host to the Annual Cow Chip Throwing Contest. The big beaver held a big cow chip in his hands. Now about the oddness…”

“And dunes,” Billy Jean Kidd interrupted again. “You said there was sand. I dreamt about sand night before last.”

“Sand dunes are there indeed. I use to play in them. Before the coming of the bugs. And then afterwards a bit. But not like before.” George scanned the surroundings again. He was eager to explore this city, whatever it was. “We have to leave the playground sooner or later,” he urged to the girl, tired of speaking about the past. He thinks of his father, and how much he misses him. But George was a special child and had another role to fill beyond family ties.

“Alright,” Billy Jean Kidd relented.

Hand in hand, they walk out of the playground and into the brave new world of… wherever they are. Could be Cleveland for all I know.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0007, 0610, GTA, HANA LEI, Oklahoma