Tag Archives: Karl^*++$
Discussions
Baker Bloch had just finished applying the “Crash on Mars” collage texture to a prim in Castle Jack when Wheeler showed up.
“Jimmy Page,” she declared to a turning Baker. “My old friend-nemesis. Practiced psychic defense just because of him, you understand. A dark, dark period in my life. Psychic attacks, pheh. Jealousy. Stars on the rise; demons at the bottom of pools. I was always possessed.”
“Until the eye,” Baker Bloch adds.
“Until the eye.”
—–
Furry Karl’s down-on-the-coast cousin Crash is in the new collage, Baker Blinker, giving the name to the title. It’s not something crashing on Mars.”
“Per se,” Baker Blinker adds.
“Per se.”
—–
“What’s he fishing?” asks Crash’s cousin Furry Karl. “Looks like a hummingbird with a star at the back.”
“That’s a central mystery,” Baker replied. “Should be a fish instead of a bird, you know. But we know, you know, the black star has to do with Bowie and dark, dark death. The hummingbird may stand for resurrection.”
—–
“Someone is coming,” says Wheeler.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0002, Bogota, collages 2d, Cricket, Heterocera, MARS, Rubi
State of the Town
Carr.:
Give me a report, Baker Bloch. What is it?
BB:
Everything is actually more than I expected. The latest development is the Blue Feather, the feather in the cap perhaps.
Carr.:
How is that going?
BB:
Certainly it is centered by an interesting triangle. I’m not sure it’s a triangle with a topping eye, as Karoz supposed recently to you. LINK
Carr.:
That would be Wheeler. Wheeler leads now.
BB:
I guess so. You’re okay with that?
—–
“Then he just mentioned that wall again and told me to talk to you instead. Said you were a better person to chat with about all this.”
“It’s a she, once more,” says Furry Karl once more. “Carrcassonneee — she.”
“Of course,” returns Baker Bloch.
“And the last time I talked to you and Baker Blinker, the 2 Bakers, you were turning all blue and lightning-y. What gives?”
“We decided to go somewhere. Talk to someone. Someone else. Not of this town.”
“Well, Baker Bloch, I’m all ears.”
[Baker’s reply blocked]
Furry Karl looked very surprised. “How are *those* mofos?”
“I have an idea,” interrupted Curled Paper in a crisp, slightly rattly voice, still sitting at the end of the bar and reading his Winesap book with the twinned Swifts within. “It’s a bright one.”
After a pause where no one says anything, Baker Bloch whispers to Karl behind his hand: “Is he a fixture here now, Karl?”
“I don’t think he has anywhere else to go,” came Furry Karl’s less whispered reply. “And then there’s the other one: Little Climbing Light. He’s worst than the first one, to quote Oz again.” Then they both realized how impolite they were in continuing to not answer Curled Paper’s question. Baker Bloch turns toward him. Or her.
“Of course you can give us — share with us your idea, Curled Paper. It is Curled Paper, right?”
“Correct. Mr. Paper to some. I’m from Nautilus as well, as is my brother LCL. You imply that he’s the more evil one — I overheard; I know Oz — but we are not evil. Just misplaced. We do not belong here. We are wishing also (like Wheeler?) to return to Nautilus. The northern part. The place of not Oz but Mars.”
“Interesting,” states Baker Bloch. “What do you think of the lower part? Do you call that (in part) Austra as well?”
“The whole continent is Austra,” came Curled Paper’s reply. “At least it use to be. The place of lemony goodness. There we were respected and honored as a unique species of avatars. Here (in the land of Lindens) we are just shunned. Here it is white male or white female. Correct proportions, but curiously with large rumps for the female species usually. And larger chests and breasts (for both). I know of the real world counterparts. What gives on that, Baker Bloch and Furry Karl? Enlighten me on that. And, yes, I’ll get to my idea in a moment. It’s a good one. It will lighten up your lives as well.”
Furry Karl gives his slant on the subject. “This is not the real world, Curled — can I call you just Curled?”
“That is fine.”
“So, Curled, let me explain to you something, and I’m tapping into my flattie culture for this one. Down here — in Lala-land; that’s Second Lyfe to you and me — things get a bit mixed up at times. The women think they need to look one way when the men don’t think so. Same for the men with the women. All’s we have to do is *stray* from the so-called normal — here — to get the correct focus and perspective. That’s from the perspective of us flatties. The 3d-ers have it wrong (in terms of general “normal”). There’s not enough diversity. That’s why you and your kind are certainly welcome in Collagesity, and I’m sure Baker Bloch would agree.”
“Most definitely,” Baker Bloch assures Curled Paper. He speaks to Karl: “Buy my new friend a drink for me. Let’s make certain he’s welcome here from now on. He’s not a joke or novelty avatar. He’s just who he is. Look at Karoz, for Christ’s sake. Remember when those witches gypsies over at The Moon of Maebaleia tried to get him a makeover, Karl? That was frigg’n 7 years ago (!). So I would add to Karl’s response, Curled, and say to you that you are *born* here with certain attributes, and that is your legacy, your heritage. Cherish it. Don’t be afraid to change who you are, but make sure the thing you change into is still the you from birth. The soul does not change.”
“Well put, Baker Bloch. Here’s your beer Curled Paper. You can drink free the rest of the week, matter of fact. And get your brother in on the deal as well.”
“He only stands,” says Curled Paper. “He can’t get in because of the door. You sank the bar too low.”
“So *that’s* what that was all about,” exclaims Furry Karl, looking toward the bar’s orange entrance. “You’re not witches atall!”
“Maybe it’s time to move that bookcase out of the way now, Karl,” a standing Baker offers, looking toward same. We have enough blocks in town as is, he then thinks.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, Heterocera, Rubi
10/17/16 Notes 02
“Where’d the bookshelf come from, Furry Karl?”
“Like you don’t know,” Karl responded, off script again and improvising/reacting. He checks something under the bar, then. “Ahem, getting back on script — says here that it will be used to block the portal. You see that Climbing Light trying to get in? Well, there’s more where he comes from.” He’s now saying/reading all this rather robotically, by the way, attempting to improvise sarcasm, which is also not indicated in the script.
“Hmmm,” says Baker Bloch. “I didn’t even see that thing when entering the bar. How ’bout you Blinks?”
“Me neither,” Baker Blinker lies.
“Ne meither,” Little Climbing Light’s brother<sister Curled Papers also lies from the other end of the bar. His light is now on. He's alive. Baker Bloch cannot turn toward Curled Paper to his side and Baker Blinker has to do it for him.
“You see,” says Karl without sarcasm now. “Backwards. It’s all backwards Baker Bloch. And Baker Blinker. The whole town has turned around into itself. Like a broken bottle, er, record, er…”
“Mobius strip,” adds Baker Blinker, trying to seem smart. She *is* very smart, but she doesn’t feel like she appears so sometimes. It’s the whole wrestling confederation scenario and its more physical nature. She wants to trump up the brains aspect of it all. She wishes to exercise the grey matter. She might even wish to become grey.
“I’m thinking of changing my color, Baker Bloch,” she pipes up. “I’m going to figure out what Karl is talking about. I’m going to become grey.”
“Okay,” he says. “Do you want me to change with you?”
—–
5 minutes later.
“Well,” says Karl between them now. “Are you going to answer her?”
“What’s happening to you guys?”
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0002, Heterocera, Rubi
Assimilation, The 03
“I mean it’s silly,” Karl says. “How can Starbuccarina and Space Ghost get married? He’s old as the hills; she’s young and also *not* really alive. She died, along with Rhoda. 3-n-1. Remember the plane crash?”
“I remember the plane clash, when 2 flattie realities started interfering with each other.” Baker shuffles some papers on his lap. “Was that your line, Karl? I’m lost again.”
“LOST, that was it. The show that began with a plane clash.”
“Crash.”
“Right.”
“Snow?” Curled Paper then asks out of the blue. “Did you say snow? Snow Crash? I know that book.”
—–
“It was like Fleep said. Just virgin Linden forest for, really, miles and miles. Chilbo chopped a path through the wilderness. All the way to Norum. And when they got to Norum they discovered the reality before *their* reality. Queen Sapphire and all. And Karoz. Karoz is starting to remember how it was, then. [At last] he’s becoming [rebellious] Aqua Teen beyond Sapphire’s precious Aquamarine. Put him on top of that green, green hill. Start him there. Or her. Remember how it *was*.”
“Thank you Carrcassonnee.”
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0002, Heterocera, Rubi
Assimilation, The 02
“You mean ‘she’, there. Carrcassonnee is a she. Surely you know that[ by now].”
“Yes — she.” Baker Bloch wonders about the mistake.
“Speaking of he and she, have you seen Karoz lately?” Furry Karl asks. “A sight to behold. He’s wearing *eye* makeup. And a ring — an earring. And his skin has changed. He’s not as… mossy as before.”
“I can’t wait,” responds Baker.
“It’s like you said. He’s trying to keep up. Baker Blinker wears makeup, he wears makeup. Baker Blinker wears earrings… so on.” Karl waves his free hand. “But he actually looks pretty good, really. It’s working. The Assimilation in full swing.”
“I came in here through the back way, Karl.” Baker says, suddenly remembering the important thing he wanted to tell Furry Karl. “I wasn’t thinking; I was in a hurry to get over here. I hope that doesn’t screw up reality like before.”
“Shouldn’t,” Karl replies. “Now that Starbuccarina and Space Ghost are married. They went off to Jorondip, just like Baker Blinker and Karoz before them.”
“Hmm. Well I hate to tell you this Karl, but Starbuccarina is right back there in the portal corridor. Like she was before. She hasn’t gone anywhere. And she’s still phantom, like a ghost. I passed right through her on the way to the bar. Which means…”
“Which *means*,” Karl continues for Baker, “that we’re also back in time. Before the transformation. Something has been reset.” Sweat beads begin to form on his forehead. He stares at the cuckoo clock on the wall. Baker joins him.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0002, Heterocera, Rubi
Assimilation, The
“It will be called the Assimilation, and is maybe the biggest perk in Blinker’s victory over Wheeler for control of Collagesity. Wheeler will not fade away, but she is not The World now, the endpoint. Obviously this development continues, and more in line with where it began now”
“Yes.”
“Karoz is also changing — finally! — and is trying with all his might to keep up. Collagesity is safer than ever. Like Hillary’s lead over you know who.”
“Trump?”
“We don’t say that name down here. Or try not to. You don’t know what’s ahead.”
“Okay.”
“You can ask more questions about the Assimilation, though. It’s an important event for us.”
“How do I slow it down?”
“You don’t. You let it proceed in its own way. TILE is connected. Ask Karoz soon enough.”
“Thanks. What does this mean for Collagesity going forward?”
—–
“He said we’re going to have to build a wall, Karl.”
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0002, Heterocera, Rubi
Another One
“Well, what do you think Blinks? Everything’s opened up quite a bit more. I like it.”
“The little blue robot is a bit too close to me. Otherwise: wonderful. I’m so proud of you Baker Bloch. You really are the best janitor money can buy.”
“I try.” He smiles. “But what about you and Karoz? *You* guys are the center.”
“I… well, you know, we’re working on our separate things.”
“You still live down in Gloomy Gus, right?” Baker Bloch studied her expressions.
“Yeah, we still haven’t decided on the living arrangements. Karoz is up in his [Bodega] apartment for now. We’re comfortable with this arrangement. Plus, Wheeler trains in GG sometimes, so there’s that.”
“Hmm,” responds the male Baker. “So you guys are okay. You can be honest with me.”
“You mean Karoz and I or Wheeler and I? Just kidd’n. Karoz and I are fine. He has TILE, and I have my thing.”
“The wrestling thing,” Baker Bloch offers.
“Yeah.” Baker taps her fingers nervously on the table. “I’ve picked out our first mat. The confederation may be forming after all.”
“Is that the one you spilled wine on?”
“No, that was something else. That was Karoz’s fault. Just kidding again. It was both our faults. It got accidentally spilled all over a file in my cabinet.”
“The Wheeler file.”
“Yes,” Baker Blinker said. “The Wheeler file.”
—–
“The Wheeler file?”
“That’s what she said,” responded Baker Bloch to Karoz. “Just 1/2 an hour ago. I was showing her the new town vistas. How’s it’s all opened up now. I also really like the way the headwaters of the Confluence Stream are exposed.”
“That’s actually called Middle or Central Stream, Baker Bloch. Confluence hasn’t been used in a long time — maybe way back in VWX Town days. I wasn’t around too much then. Thank you and your user for bringing me back in Collagesity, and for also reviving Baker Blinker in such a strong way.”
“You bet!” replied Baker. “There’s no sending you guys away again, believe you me. Baker Blinker is crucial. You two are married so that makes you safe as well.” Baker Bloch then thinks he should have worded that differently.
“I’m admittedly — how do I say this…”
Baker Bloch helps him out. “You’re worried about Wheeler.”
“Well… yes and no. 1/2 and 1/2, as Carrcassonnee might say in her Mouse-speak.”
“She was created as a warrior. A wrestler she be. You’re not upset about the projected mat?”
“No, no, it’s not that. Not really.”
“Then what?” Baker Bloch waited for an answer. Karoz took his time. Baker tried to aid him again. “Is it the wine, the spilling?”
“Yes, I suppose. I’d rather talk about TILE. My side of the story.”
“Alright, let’s talk about TILE.”
—–
“So we just talked about TILE for a while and he said he needed to do some stuff at home and he left, Hucka Doobie. And Baker Blinker went to her own home to do her own stuff. It’s strange.”
“Like the 3 Pearls?” Hucka Doobie stated. “Like the 3 Stars?”
“What’s up with that?”
“There are worlds that want to remain separate but are actually linked in the darkness. The pitch black. Karoz Blogger and Baker Blinker are 2 such worlds. *Were*.”
“Yes.”
“And now there’s a new world and new links spreading out. Thus the link to Nautilus and The World. The Dancer. I’m an expert on Nautilus if you remember.”
“I do, Hucka Doobie. You predicted the coming of Nautilus City. You predicted the coming of the Leviathan. You were a very active blog spirit at the time I was exploring Yd Island, exploring Austra around Mystenopolis. You know a lot. That’s why I asked to meet with you tonight. We interacted so much in the White Palace through our users — well, your user is you and my user is Baker B.”
“It’s complicated,” Hucka Doobie admits.
“Yeah, but I wanted to speak to both of them beforehand. And you’re right. The link isn’t really there any longer.”
“No,” Hucka Doobie spoke plainly.
“So there’s…”
“… the spilt wine,” Hucka Doobie completes. “You better think about BoB some more. Respond to Quito. You’ve responded to Maggie in Chilbo and that’s great. She doesn’t think Chilbo missed out on the boat. She departs from Fleep on this subject. And since you allied yourself with Fleep, at least in your mind…”
“Something about Sapphire being the queen of all of Jeogeot. There’s a bit of Fleep in Sapphire.”
“Yes,” Hucka Doobie answers. “But there’s more. Return to Karoz.”
—–
Baker pauses to look at The Thinker fronting his namesake rock.
—–
“Thank you for meeting with me again, Karoz. Hucka Doobie said you wouldn’t mind and she’s almost always right on these things.”
“No, that’s fine. I couldn’t sleep anyway. I’m having trouble with that lately. I keep seeing lights over at Sikkima, at the old sinkhole. I think it may be the ghost of Collagesity past. Or whatever it was named at the time. VWX Town? No… New Pietmond, that was it. How could ghosts occur there? The past is leaking through, I feel. We are becoming unstable again. I worry about our future.”
“Another round for you guys?” Furry Karl chips in.
“No, we better cap it at one for me,” Baker Bloch responds.
“No thanks,” Karoz replies in turn.
“Well… I’m closing in about 15 minutes just to warn you. I have a party to attend.”
“Where’s that?” asked a curious Baker Bloch.
“Over at my other bar, actually. The one next to the woods. It’s a private thing, if you get what I mean. Flatties only. No 3d-ers. No true avatars. Just guys and gals like me. Nothing smutty mind you. Just conversation. And, yeah, some nudity. But not much. Just a shirt pulled off here, some pants there. But nothing else. Just freedom, you know.”
“Well,” responds Karoz positively, “whatever curls your whiskers, Furry. Whatever turns you on and makes you happy. You Flatties have a hard life serving us third dimensionals. You deserve a break to unwind.”
“Here’s to Furry Karl,” Baker also adds. “The best bartender money can buy.” He raises his glass to Karl and downs the last bit of beer. Karoz also polishes off his Heinny bottle in the same toast.
“So what were we talking about Karoz?” Baker then says after Furry Karl goes in back to start closing up.
“I haven’t the foggiest.”
—–
“You about ready to head out doll face, hehe? Just joking. You’re not invited.”
“I just had to make sure that door wasn’t phantom still.” Furry Karl checks the orange portal door — indeed locked. “Don’t wait up for me, sweets.”
“I won’t,” Star replied, shocking the flattie bartender.
“Well I’ll be,” says Furry Karl. “Hey guys,” he calls through the wall. “She’s alive. She’s alive! Star’s alive!” The other two came running. It was a joyous night for all. And after hearing the news, Space Ghost forgot all about his cane again in rushing to the bar.
—–
The very next day they got married. Who? you ask? Why Starbuccarina and Space Ghost! Jorondip was, once more, the honeymoon destination. And Star made sure Space didn’t leave anything behind this time.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0002, Heterocera, Rubi
Clearing
“Sorry about all the construction noise going on tonight, Furry Karl.”
“Ahh, I’m getting use to it. Midday my whole bar even sunk about 2 feet into the ground. Quite a jolt! Then I go upstairs and the walls are being sawed in half. A new entrance into Starbuccaneers forms. Then I come back down and the portal ’round back has turned orange. And Starbuccarina still stands within! What gives? Is she alive or dead? I almost rung up your father to tell him the news. Then it occurred to me that Starbuccarina back there may be a ghost. I can pass right through her now. Before she was solid. Right?”
“Right, Karl,” Baker Bloch replies. “I don’t know. A great clearing has formed. The headwaters of Confluence Stream are now exposed again. Gallery Jack has disappeared. SoSo is on one side, and that’s now the main portal into the Art 10×10.”
“Those darn, old collages, Baker Bloch. They’ve caused Collagesity a lot of problems lately. Why don’t you just get rid of them. Virtually speaking of course. ‘Nother beer?”
“Sure. We may be ready now for the next step. Are the visitors still coming through the Portal? Since it’s still here? Or is the whole turning orange thing sealed that part up or sumtin?”
“Dunno,” came the answer. “So those 100 collages are still over near the Kerchal Forest? Is that what you mean?”
“Yes Karl.” Karl pops him another Heinny. “Thanks Karl.” He takes a good gulp. “Where is everyone today? Getting away from the construction hubbub?”
“Karoz said something about testing the woods,” replies Karl. “Baker Blinker is down at Gloomy Gus typing away on her semi-private journal. She let me proofread the latest section, me being a published writer myself and all.”
“Yes.” Baker looks down into his beer.
“Pretty good, pretty interesting. Did you know Wheeler was just a kidd?”
“Yes, I know that.”
“Not a man, all grown up. She’s missing the M and the N, just like the Kidd Tower. While she’s in that tower she’s just a kidd. And elsewhere as well. She is a time portal. Kinda like Dr. Who.”
“Doctor who?” Baker then laughs. “Yeah, I know Dr. Who. The carrcasses — he’s in several. Carrcassonnee knows him quite well. They hang.”
“Isn’t that Dr. Mulholland sorta Dr. Who, Baker Bloch? I recall that.”
—–
Only 15 minutes later, Dr. Mulholland himself — as John Lockfry 02 — arrived at the bar, but came in at a diagonal and went into the back passageway instead.
“Ma’am, can you tell me the way to Karl’s bar?”
She didn’t answer, but John Lockfry 02 was star struck. What a beautiful girl, he thought. But then he remembered he was technically dating Wheeler, and that’s what he wanted to talk to someone about tonight. The town bar seemed a good place to start a chat about it. Many rumors were swirling around town about the nature of Wheeler. He wanted to explain.
“Whoever that is back there, the bar is over here,” Karl then shouted through the wall. Just head away from the orange door. Think Twin Peaks.”
“That’s an obscure reference, Karl,” Baker Bloch responds. Then John Lockfry was at the bar.
“Well. Here I am.” He laughs long and hard.
“Great,” says Karl to Baker. “Another dick.”
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0002, Heterocera, Rubi
Bridge
“Man that’s a long way up.”
“No kidding,” came a reply behind him.
“Wilson? Er, Wheeler?”
He then saw that she herself was just a kidd.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, *Jeogeot, 0002, Heterocera, Rubi
Sunklands 