Tag Archives: Baker Bloch^*++@

The State of Collagesity

Baker Bloch stands before the vacated Collagesity apartment formerly occupied by Cyberpaperdoll and her then lover/boyfriend Roger Pine Ridge. As we have seen in the story so far, they’ve moved to Iris in the center of the Heterocera continent, not too awful far northeast of Collagesity actually — only about 4 sims away using a diagonal measurement, or about a kilometer and a half in distance. But now Cyberpaperdoll seems to have left Roger alone in that watery place for a more exciting and hipper man (Bandit Boy). Last we see of Pine Ridge, he’s debating whether to unburden his recent woes on fellow Iris resident Bill (Wheeler). We’ll see how that develops.

But Cyberpaperdoll and Roger are not the only ones to leave Collagesity recently. Rocky Racco’s duplicate dwelling place, also attached to the SoSo Mall, has essentially been cleaned out, save a picture of David Bowie and a meditation pillow. Where is the furry wordsmith, curious readers may ask? It could be that he went back to Olde Lapara Towne, perhaps staying with cousins Sport and Racket up in the mountains above that virtual burg, or maybe assuming his old job at the town’s hotel where we first picked up with his story. But at any rate, he’s gone from Collagesity, perhaps never to return.

And also the 2 apartments in the Kidd Tower, formerly occupied by Mr. Babyface and Greg Ogden, are now unfurnished and currently unavailable to rent. My guess for these two is that they simply transitioned over to Middletown on the Jeogeot continent when Billy Jean Kidd created a doppleganger tower there in “Collagesity 2017 Later”, or novel 6 of our Collagesity series. *That* became more the real Kidd Tower, since The Kidd lived inside it and not the one in Collagesity. Again: best guess. Like the rest — but especially Rocky Racco, I believe — they will be missed. Doesn’t mean that they can’t return of course, but they’ll be missed in the meantime. And this is another structure attached to the SoSo Mall.

So just utilizing these pieces of information alone, it might seem that Collagesity is in a bit of trouble, especially since this is the first time we’ve really talked about my town in any depth in the present work, which is now halfway completed. But actually I believe this isn’t the case. To explain my reasonings for this determination, let’s start with the recent land ownership changes for Our Second Lyfe premium members as copied from the company blog.

As of March 14, 2018, pricing for each mainland tier allotment has been reduced by 10%. Additionally, Premium subscribers now receive 1024m² of bonus land allotment, doubled from the previous 512m².

Baker Bloch formerly owned 8704 square meters of land in Collagesity, maxing out his 40 dollar tier allowance. But now with the bump up of bonus land allotment from 512 to 1024, coupled with the 10% price reduction on tier, he can now own 9216 square meters of land at *35* dollars a month. And that’s exactly what I’ve chosen to have him do and be responsible for. Now let’s turn to the other town owner Baker Blinker, or, I should now say, *former* owner. For just after the price changes were announced, I decided that Wheeler Wilson should take over Baker Blinker’s land, since she has assumed the lion’s share of female roles in the blog, including Mabel — that’s the most important new addition in my eyes. And Baker Blinker herself, as a core avatar, hasn’t played a major factor in Collagesity novels since “Collagesity 2016 Later”, which is *5 1/2* Collagesity novels back as of this writing. True, she does play Karl in the present novel (congrats B. Blinker again!), but that doesn’t offset Wheeler’s Annie/Mabel/Bill power trio in my estimation. It was simply time to do this. But while Baker Blinker owned 1536 square meters to Baker Bloch’s 8704, her successor Wheeler only owns 1024 meters, which means she pays *0* dollars in tier each month under the new rules (as opposed to Baker Blinker’s 8 dollars a month tier payment for the 1536). Overall, I’m saving 13 dollars a month for the exact same amount of land (combined, in each case: 10,240). Doesn’t sound like a lot, but it really is long term. And justification enough from that alone to continue Collagesity into the forseeable future. The novels are still going strong — why not?

But the recombination of lands also gave Baker Bloch a considerably larger amount of free prims to work with — 504 as of this writing. The drawback is that Wheeler has very few prims left over from her 1024, even with the empty or near empty apartments surrounding SoSo Mall we talked about earlier. Again, it may not sound like much of a change, but it actually is. Baker Bloch has more power to enact his overall vision within Collagesity now, and with a more consolidated land base. Mabel (Wheeler) will continue to argue for the movement of her prim heavy Heartsdale Victorian style house to Collagesity. But Baker, I feel, has other plans…


The 2 owners of Collagesity staring at each other across a shared property line.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0008, 0401, Rubi

threesome

At sunrise on March 19 2018, Baker Bloch teleports into the very center of the Threesun sim (128, 128). He’s right on top of a larger statue, whose position logically marks this center. So: interesting at the beginning.

The statue is one of three in the subterranean chamber he manifests within, all positioned against the same north wall. Notice that a 4th enclave on this wall is empty (one to the far left here). Are these chess pieces again? Baker ponders. The description of the objects don’t seem to lend more to this possibility.

Then on the west wall, what are obviously representations of the “three suns” in question: 3 metal circles with 8 irregularly placed “flames” apiece. Seem to be made of copper or bronze.

Baker spies a small container or coffer in the center of the altar below them. He approaches… and opens.

Time to take this to the next level.

Rey Wisa, aka Ellen, exits the chamber through the tall, metallic west doors.

Oops, wrong one.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0008, 0301, Nascera

knights and bishops

https://simplewunderlich.wordpress.com/tag/nascera/

Nascera is the continent of the Linden Homes – “ready-to-move-in homes belonging to a themed community and available only to premium account members”. Read all about this on http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Linden-Home-overview/ta-p/700103. There are several landmasses with Linden Homes visible on the map now. But it seems, they still are all called Nascera 😉

After the others had gone back to their respective homes — Baker Blinker and Karoz to Chilbo; Hucka Doobie to Gaston; Wheeler and Spongeberg/Grassy to Iris — Baker Bloch decides to stick around and explore more of Nascera, kind of picking up where he left off those over 8 long years ago now. He’s pretty sure this plaque in Budsic wasn’t here before when he biked around the continent’s 8×8 original core of sims in the days. The Lindens had subtly and sometimes not so subtly changed the landscaping surrounding the central California Modern region since his initial forays.

Ryu and Ingerstall, he thinks after reading the story behind the Vertical Blinds Historic Battlefield. That would be the position of black queen’s knight and black queen respectively on Wheeler and Ellen’s chessboard, hmm. And Budsic here between them: the black queen’s bishop. Queerly, Karoz Blogger subsequently found a white bishop in a new Nascera sea southwest of here, after the early 2010 continent expansion beyond the original 8×8. Beyond the confines of a chessboard design, that is. And then, much more recently, Baker Bloch himself found a *black* bishop in a neighboring sim while popping over here one night for a quick visit.


finding the black bishop in Ebi.

And now this plaque in a “black bishop sim”; chess was definitely a theme to be dealt with. But what would be — or has been — Ellen’s next move beyond his Knight to King’s Bishop 3? Wheeler is greatly confused as to the weakness of her play so far.

—–

“There. I’ve finally done it,” proclaims Bill (Wheeler) back in Iris. “Knight to Rook 3; weak knight move counters weak knight move. Let’s see what she does with it. But now I can finally rest at night!”

—–

Ellen’s next move came much quicker than expected.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0008, 0217, Heterocera, Iris, Nascera

all a board

“If you get confused or lost, Campbell, we’ll go ahead and design this as a place you can come to achieve clarity. Now I’ll go ahead and sit beside you since I’m already here. I’m Bracket Jupiter.”

“Hi Bracket,” speaks Campbell O’Pine cordially. “Nice to greet you.”

“So logically that places Spongeberg beside you on the other side. Spongeberg is currently playing the role of your Mmmmmm cousin Grassy Noll. Remember to call him Grass as much as possible. Last seen: getting stoned with Wheeler who is now The Bill. We’ll get to her in a minute. So we’ll seat Grassy who is Spongeberg beside you, since you’re kind of partners. Grassy, can you change into your base character just so Campbell will know what it looks like.”

“Sure.” He changes.

“And I’ll do the same.”

“So here we are,” Bracket says. “Let’s spread it out a little further. Beside me would be Wheeler we spoke about before. She plays a variety of characters but we’ll place her here in the base or core form again. And then beside Spongeberg we have Karoz Blogger — we’re getting into the older souls now of the blog, Campbell.”

“Okay. Hi Wheeler. Hi Karoz.”

Jointly: “Hello.”

“And then beside them we have The Bakers: Baker Bloch next to Wheeler over there, and then Baker Blinker sitting beside Karoz Blogger. Baker Blinker and Karoz are married — you guys are married still?”

“Yes,” they answer in unison. No stares were directed toward Wheeler.

“Baker Blinker and Baker Bloch,” Bracket continues, “are the owners of Collagesity. We’ll visit there soon for further orientation. But for now you must remain in Nascera. *Don’t* go back to New Island. Don’t get lost again.”

“Alright.” But both knew he would.

“And then to round out the circle we have resident blog spirit Hucka Doobie sitting directly opposite you. This is her classic bee form, but she’s refined it a bit now. Would you like to show us, Hucka?”

“Not right now,” the bee person requests.

“Since Hucka most understands among us about getting lost, she’s going to take you under her wing, Campbell.” Awkward pause here, then Bracket realizes his mistake. “Aww, I subconsciously made a bee joke. I’m sorry, Hucka. I know you’ve changed.”

“I have.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like to show us how much you’ve changed now? Just for more orientation. It’s important Campbell here knows.”

“Very well.”

“And I can hide my antennae under my hair if needed,” she furthers.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0008, 0216, Nascera

shortcut 02

“I made it happen,” Norris declares from the rocker to the user baker b. through Baker Bloch. “You must get Wheeler back to sewing the elephant. When she finishes we can talk more.”

Baker pauses to consider this. “You mean the Corsica book.”

“Of course… i-ca. Sorry.”

“Good to see you have a sense of humor. I was starting to worry Harry. JERRY, Harry.”

“Norris here, if you will.” He then looks over at the back of Baker Bloch’s hatted head. “Make sure you aren’t looking at me. Are you looking at me?”

“No.” Baker kept staring toward the corner of the room.

Although he kept looking at this same corner, seemingly, his position in the room shifted. Furniture appeared; a table. A warm breeze blew through the now open windows beside him. Norris followed Baker Bloch through the portal but couldn’t properly sit in the rocking chair now… no room for him here.

Another took his place.

“You don’t mind if I SMOKE, do you?!” Baker turned.

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alternate timeline

There he is in person, the hiding Axis thinks excitedly. Famed SL explorer Baker Bloch, about to pass into Elderglen and exit Fern. This is my chance!

Then in the Elderglen Infohub, Baker Bloch was again surprised, this time by the clear indication that famed SL explorer Magellen Linden had already visited the newly risen Nascera continent.

On the opposite wall, a frog with an interesting golden orb placed in front of it.

Baker tries his hand at playing a lute sitting on a stage in the corner of the Infohub’s main room. To his complete surprise, he subsequently strums a beautiful, complex tune of short duration. Ahh, but it must just be the magic of the place, and not any latent talent showing through.

A man walks into the infohub. Baker’s complex music grinds to a halt.

Baker watches him pass straight through the infohub, not glancing toward him, and exiting through the back door.

Baker follows…

… but there was no one on the back porch. From its northwest corner Baker then spies the broken teleporting machine — one day too early.

Axis’ plan had worked! The black king strikes again.

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roses are blue

Furry Karl woke up in the Bluebird Cuddle Van, more 3d and less hairy, true, but still alive and well (yea!). He shortly made his way into a conveniently placed local strip club. No surprise there given the change.

“Well,” coffee drinking Pervimus Rex opined, checking him over. “You *smell* fresh. That’s a good sign.”

“Yes,” agreed his smoking and reading cousin Wally. “Looks like he’s here to stay a little longer than we expected.”

—–

Afterwards, Baker Bloch treats Baker Blinker to a fresh meal of catfish at Perch to celebrate. “Here’s to akking!” he exclaims, raising his glass of French rosé and clinking it with Baker Blinker’s own. The strong German beer Brewmeister’s Quarterly had been banned from the restaurant.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0008, 0105, Heterocera, Horizons, Rubi

transference

Mr. Babyface had fallen asleep again studying the Big E on the top floor of his Collagesity apartment. Awoken by a large thud, he quickly turned over while remaining in his sprawled position and peered into the higher stories of the Kidd Tower — the same view he was looking at when he dozed off.

Everything as before, pheh, he thinks. Depictions of the Jeogeot Gulf sims representing the letters A-L on the east side and O-Z to the west remained intact. The missing M and N at the top: MaN. What it all spelled out, he realized, was another boring day in Collagesity for The Face (himself). But what about the thud?

Then in sitting up and turning around from the table, Mr. Babyface saw something totally unexpected. He jumped out of his chair. A familiar Middletown skyscraper loomed just beyond his window!

“Holy Jesus!” he exclaimed, toking rapidly on his still lit pipe. “The Kidd really did it this time. The tower is truly and fully *there*. But there is here!” And he knew this meant the The Kidd would in all likelihood be sitting in her beige chair on the floor below his apartment, in what use to be Greg Ogden’s spot. But maybe Greg has returned too. He better get down there posthaste.

—–

200 feet above all this, Tronesisia heads to the top-of-the-line Italian refrigerator to retrieve another of those strong German beers (Brewmeister’s Quarterly).

But in glancing outside the window to her right, she saw the tower too! All the old, repressed memories came flooding back with the sight: Pitch and Buster’s killing shack across the tracks; Bendy heading to Muff-Bermingham in the Collagesity rocket Karoz built and her attempts to follow him; Mary’s pregnancy with George. And she’d been wasting all her time wallowing in the idiotic glories of war! Axis and Allies, phmph. There never was a war, she realized. She had been sleepwalking all along.

Fully awake now, she locates the red phone hidden behind the bed that would connect her directly with Baker Bloch. She remembered that piece of the puzzle too. “Call me when the transference happens,” he said while handing it to her over 2 months back. “You won’t remember me again until then. Nor I you. Good luck!”

—–

The phone rings in Baker Bloch’s back pocket. “Excuse me, everyone,” he says, turning slightly red. He never seems to get calls any more and simply forgot to turn it off before The Table meeting. “I’ll just take this over to Perch…”

Tin S. Man smiles broadly as Baker walks past, and Wheeler catches it. “What are you up to giant?” she queries, scrutinizing him. “Besides the 20 foot mark, I mean. Why hasn’t Hucka Doobie shown up yet?”

In thinking how the sentence “Why hasn’t Hucka Doobie shown up yet?” translates to German, Wheeler then realizes who must be on the phone.

“Hallo?”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0007, 0605, Heterocera, Jeogeot, Middleton, Rubi

beginning

—–

“Well, okay we’re still waiting for Hucka Doobie to show up. Let’s just read some of Baker Bloch’s — Baker *B*’s writing at the time.” Wheeler Wilson starts reading from the screen. “‘Continue to view Pumpkin Twisters at least once a day, usually twice a day.’ — this was before you adopted the compound word title, hmm –.”

“I guess so,” Baker Bloch replies from across The Table. “My user, you mean.”

“‘Very addictive,'” she continues quoting, “‘but this is the pattern for all my synchs. After a week or three, I’ll get tired of this constant viewing and move on to another project. But right now I’m still dominated by PT’. Um… ‘Keep thinking about how I can continue to further the field, new movies to try, new albums, new techniques and tricks of tiling a synch, theorizing about the process of tiling itself and expansion into other hypothetical synchy arts.’ So that’s the beginning, Baker… guys. Should I just spot-read more ‘Pumpkintwisters’ related stuff in ‘Apple’, Baker?”

“Sure.”

“Let’s see, then just down the page: ‘The only synch where 2 movies, not 1, is used, is Pumpkin Twisters, definitely a unique quality for it. This actually also occurs in Kansas City Life, a direct predecessor of sorts for PT, but I consider this earlier synch to be a more minor work than all others listed here.'” She looks over at Baker Bloch. “Do you want to explain ‘Kansas City Life’ to the group, then?”

“Not really… go on…”

“Okay.” Wheeler Wilson scrolls down. “Lot’s of stuff about *other* synchs here…” She continues to scroll. “All right: ‘I’ve talked quite a bit about the structure of my finds so far, but one could go much further in this. I’ve only talked about it in terms of tiles and tiling. It would be interesting, for example, to study the perceived *centers* of synchs. For Pumpkin Twisters, to give an example, the obvious center is the selection from the secondary movie 200 Motels, overlapped with 2 tracks from the Kinks’ Preservation Act 2, and this is also the place where the synch is most obviously [quote unquote] “synchy”, or, in other words, there is an obvious match or synchronization going on here. The center of Billfork is the ark scenes and the aforementioned — in the last post — heavy *video* editing in this center…'” Here Wheeler Wilson stops and turns away from the media feed. “Ahh, I think we’ve read enough of your old writing, Baker Bloch. Time for the new. Are you ready Tin S. Man?” She takes her customary seat at The Table.

“Ready, Wheeler Wilson,” the gentle giant replies. He has become his much larger self since returning to Collagesity from Gaeta V. Glad he was about leaving that bland land. But Wheeler insisted mistress Tronesisia had to remain behind. Soon enough they would reunite, he knew. Very soon.

“We’ll give Hucka Doobie about 5 minutes more, then.”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0007, 0604, Carrcass+08, Comfrey, Gaeta V, Heterocera, Rubi

pinpoint

“I’m afraid we have no power to control the theft of the haunted VW, town owner Baker Bloch,” responds Keat Owens Librarian beside the marked up Nautilus City map. “The Oracle has spoken; it will continue to be X-ed out.”

—–

“All right. Time to move.”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0007, 0502, Heterocera, Nautilus, Nautilus City, Rubi