Welcoming Ella!

I met Ella Keng last year, not long after this blog began, and I've been friends with her ever since. A dedicated RL and SL naturist, she has been appointed to the staff of 'The SL Naturist', so I thought I'd better introduce her here, as you'll see her name on some of the articles whenever the paper finally goes public. Without further ado, I'm going to hand over to Ella (don't be confusing Ella with Emma, will you?) and let her introduce herself to you.

'Thanks Ems...Hi everyone, I'm Ella and I've been writing stuff for the new paper for a while now, checking locations and taking photographs. I'm going to be concentrating solely on naturist reporting, so my name's unlikely to be popping up much on the Sexy Second Life blog too often, but Ems would like to cross-reference the two publications, so it's possible you'll see me occasionally. What can I add that isn't on my SL profile already? I'm a Brit, a Mum, I'm 34 and I don't cyber under any circumstances, so don't even ask! I've no worries in deleting long-established 'friends' the instant they take the cyber route. It doesn't interest me and I don't do it. And that's why I am unlikely to pop up here much, as Ems explores the more exotic and erotic end of SL. I don't indulge myself in the erotic. I'm a RL naturist and I like the wholesome, family image of it. So my writing will focus solely on naturist matters in SL. I won't be testing poseballs! My pix (above) were taken on the balloon ride at the lovely Su Casa naturist sim, and I do believe that our colleague Vajeena will shortly be presenting a report on it for both publications. Hope to run into some of you in SL!'

Emma adds...Ella is correct. Both publications will be doing a report on Su Casa in Issue 1, but you'll have to read this blog, and the SL Naturist blog, to get the full range of photos from various locations, lol.

Welcome to the SSL office!!! :)))))

Well....!!!! SSL has an inworld office presence! :)

I'm absolutely thrilled with use of the space, provided courtesy of Elbag Gable, co-owner of the Eden group of sims, and as you can see from the pics, I'm already acquainting myself with my new desk and laptop to bring you ever more posts about the sexy, the erotic and the naturist goings-on in SL.

And I guess it's also time to announce a plan that has been hatching (I've previously referred to it on the blog) for many months now...a SL naturist newspaper! Yep, I've been working away behind the scenes with my SL SO for some time now to bring the idea to fruition, and we're almost there!

Many, many SL users will have visited SL's many and varied naturist sims, demonstrating an enthusiasm for naturism, even amongst those who would never consider the experience in RL (isn't it about time you tried, boys and girls? :) )

I think it sort of reflects how people would like to embrace naturism if their RL circumstances, geography, location and body-conciousness permitted them to do so. Sometimes they can't do it, simply because they're located too far from a RL beach, their partner isn't keen, or they feel conscious about their 'less than perfect' body. Few RL naturists have perfect bodies, let me tell you, so the 'public debut' might not be as daunting as you would envisage. There will always be someone fatter, thinner, saggier, with a bigger/smaller manhood and bigger/smaller breasts than you, so get over it! Be proud of that bod!

So, in SL, where the body can be beautiful, people can indulge their 'guilty secret' by stripping off and enjoying the virtual sun and surf. I'd guess that a high proportion of SL users have used SL's naturist locations, and so I feel that there's enough material, and avatars, to produce a newspaper for those avatars and highlight what's going on in the various sims for naturists.

We wrestled with a title, tried to be clever, and then decided that 'The SL Naturist' -while not sounding very imaginative- was maybe the most accurate reflection on what the publication (inworld and online) was about.

So, as things stand we'll be sending our people out to report from sims, take photos, interview naturists, list upcoming events, etc, etc. and see where it goes. The plan is to publish material via our own webpage, and also to publish an 'inworld' version. Either you can join an 'SL naturist' group to get your free copy as they're published, or else we'll try to get group owners/sim managers to send out copies (free) through their own groups. And maybe even have a vendor stand located in the various naturist sims around the grid.

It's back to work for me! Lots to do and write about, as well as research. Look closely at the pix and you'll see I'm reading Eden's own webpages !!!! If I'm inworld, the office will pretty much serve as a home location, so if you're in and around the Eden sims, don't be shy and say 'hi!' if my name shows up.

Eden, and their own webpages

If you read the Naked Dreams post (below), you'll find that there is a comment from Brenda Hoisin, co-owner of the Edenopolis group of sims.

Brenda mentions Eden's own webpages, which I was aware of but which I've failed to link to previously. No agenda, just forgetfulness. It's a must-read for anyone who uses Eden, and I'm more than happy to right my oversight right now.

The link to Eden's own webpages is here. It's an essential read for those of us who, as Brenda said in her comment, wish to live the naturist dream in SL.

For what it's worth, Eden is rapidly coalescing into THE naturist sim(s) in SL, as it endeavours to practically build a naturist world within the second world. A visit is well worth any genuine SL naturist's time, membership is cheap and so is housing. I can foresee a time when Eden does actually become an entity unto itself within SL, and exists semi-autonomously as a region where you can shed your clothes and live, shop and work naked all the time and becomes a place where all you need for your naturist SL is available. At some point in the future, later this year, I expect 'SSL' to locate an office somewhere in the Eden sim, to show that we, as a blog, are 'open for business' within a properly managed naturist environment, and also that, commercially, Eden is also open for business.

While Wild Coast remains possibly the focal point for naturist socialising (in terms of visitors), Eden has long since outstripped it in terms of things to do and see and a place to live. In a sense it is representing a new concept of thinking in Second Life (for which credit must go to Brenda and Elbag) as there is a clear vision behind the sims to create almost a 'country' within Second Life (well, an archipelago of islands, rather than one land mass). The point where 'Eden' pretty much becomes SL's first 'country' cannot, surely, be far away? (Yes, I know there are sims for 'India' and 'Ireland' or whatever, or we have 'Gor' type sims, but these tend to be visual representations of the geography and architecture of a real life location (or in Gor's case, a literary world). Eden is something new and different, and appears to be -whether Brenda and Elbag know it or not- nudging its way to a point where the sims exist as an identifiable 'country' not extant in the real world. And that, for me, represents a whole new SL philosophy that can be tapped. Have we reached a point now where we no longer have 'group tags' for Eden, but what are becoming 'passports' to a new imagined, thrilling and delightful nude world and life?

Maybe I've gone off on a rant here, lol, and it's not strictly speaking 'erotic' or 'sensual' matters that form the bread and butter of this blog, but these are a few thoughts on where the wonderful Eden is headed. Let me know if you agree or disagree with the sentiments I've expressed.

Edited to add....I've added a direct link to the 'Eden' webpages in the 'blogs that I read' section (to the right of the page) and have also added a link to Buffy's own webpages there too. If you've got webpages or blogs that you think fit within the SSL brief, please let me know and I'm more than happy to start assembling a 'links' page for 'out of world' pages that reflect and enhance our inworld experiences).

Is it just me or....

...do SL guys suddenly seem to be taking much more pride in their avatar's appearance?

Recently we, the staff at SSL, were discussing what appears to be a new phenomenon, guys suddenly looking cuter. I admit that I've recently encountered a few guys wearing older avatars, and looking all the more sexy for it.

Diane agreed with me and told me that 'I've seen some yummy looking fellas recently in older skins and slightly more rotund shapes and, do you know, I've found them attractive'.

I know exactly what she means. The rarity value of realistic avatars immediately makes an older guy stand out from the crowd. He's being what he is, rather than some unattainable fantasy ideal, and you know the sense of reality in the avi is probably going to reflect in the conversation that follows.

Diane goes on 'I met an older guy in SL recently. Thicker round the middle, grey hair, grey pubes and a small, thicker wiener, and I suddenly though that he looked sexually attractive. If I wanted someone to take me home in SL, I'm gonna fall for a guy like that as opposed to these lumps with laughable 10 inch penises.'

Well...enough already, Diane! LOL.

But she's right. Effort and accuracy maketh the man. Even a younger avi with a properly sculpted shape, nice pecs and buns, is going to do it every time. As some of you may know, I'm in a SL relationship with one such figure, a reflection of reality. Not hung like a donkey and shoulders half a mile wide, and it was the effort put into the avi that led me to chat with him and eventually embark on a SL relationship with him. Yes, we cyber, but the relationship is founded on a deeper sense of just enjoying one another's company and understanding an honesty at work in our SL relationship. It's lovely, and it sparked to life from the fact that my SO did put some work into his avatar.

And Vajeena put it most succinctly by stating that 'once you've seen a guy who has worked on his avatar, and been attracted to the realism of it, you know you aren't going to ever contemplate a relationship with some horrible looking dude.'

Yes, guys, you still need to have a personality, otherwise the effort's wasted, but the lesson appears to be that without a cute avi (if the SSL staff straw poll is anything to go by) you're toast in the relationship stakes. So, c'mon guys. Rather than trying to get the knickers off a SL female within 10 mins of meeting her (on the basis that she looks cute because she has put some effort in), spend the 10 mins tweaking your avi to look real, human and attractive!!!!

Naked Dreams

Now, this is interesting! :)

I've visited the 'Eden Naturopolis' sim often. It's huge and it's massive and it's immense and it's astounding. Vaj is going to be doing a report from there (probably several reports, as one isn't going to do it justice).

For those who don't know, it's quite possibly the most dedicated naturist sim in SL. Others may be more popular, but for me 'Eden' is the numero uno, on account of its size and its affordable housing and emphasis on the 'outdoorsy' type of pursuits that remind me of some of France's better RL naturist camps, maybe La Sabliere or La Jenny and Arnaoutchot. And some of it reminds me of Playa Laguna Baska/Krk in Croatia. Each of those have a very strong family vibe in RL, and in SL Eden (owned/run by Elbag Gable and Brenda Hoisin) manages to hold a lovely family vibe. No sexballs! No creepy guys (well, I've never met a sex pest there) lurking!

Eden expands, it seems, by the day. And the newest addition to the bird-named sims that make up its entirety is Naked Dreams on the Eden Heron sim. Built and owned by 'Tess Koinonen' (I'm not sure I've spelt her name correctly, and will fix this when I do get a correct spelling) it is almost an exact replica of 'Buffy's Cove'!!!!!!

This isn't intended as a criticism, but something to rejoice, for all of those who remember Tess's work on Buffy's before some sort of closure earlier this year. Some of us felt very sad at the loss, as Buffy's was a constant in the ever-changing SL, and somewhere to relate to in a very positive way. I'm not sure if the former owners of Buffy's outgrew each other, or had some sort of falling out, but Tess appeared to 'disappear', Gray Muircastle has founded 'Su Casa' (another equally gorgeous naturist sim) and a couple of others (Emily Hyun and...I forget) took on and rebuilt Buffy's.

I do seem to recall that Tess (I really do need to find out her correct name) had a wicked sense of humour regarding her sim builds, with lots of little 'hidden' areas secreted around her builds. I've not had time to explore 'Naked Dreams' fully yet to see if there's a recurring theme there, but I'll let you know.

There are subtle differences between 'Buffy's' and 'Naked Dreams', of course...both feature a church on the hilltop, but the styling is a little different, but anyone who already knows Buffy's will find the geography of 'Naked Dreams' to be very familiar.

As far as I'm concerned, there can't be enough naturist sims in SL, and this new addition is to be warmly welcomed. I fully intend to spend a part of this afternoon there, tap-tapping away at my laptop to finish off some of the promised and now overdue articles referred to elsewhere in the blog. In other news...my internet connection now appears to have stabilised again, and I am in a position to actually do stuff inworld. Praise be!

What I'd love to see now is a replication of Tess's other, previous Buffy's build...Nature's Way, which also had a lot of delightful secret hidey-holes to explore.

I'm not inworld

Sorry for the lack of promised posts, but there's something wrong with my internet connection and it takes forever to get anything to rezz, so finishing off the 'Lucy' skin photoshoot and modelling some of the 'Darkness' sexy hunt items is proving to be impossible. I'm not sure what's wrong, but it's impossible to do anything inworld right now and I'm on day 3 of this 'go slow'.

Avoiding the Hair Fair, 2011

Most of the blogs are now buzzing with news of the Hair Fair, 2011. I think it runs until July 15th, so I won't be looking at any of it until about July 14th, by which point the lag, the 'region full' signs and the 10 minute wait for a full rezz has stopped. While I acknowledge that hair and skin, in the main, are the two aspects that generally form our physical 'attractiveness' and therefore sexuality/eroticism to others (maybe 'shape' is a third), I don't blog skins, (head) hair or shapes as a rule, except in exceptional circumstances or for exceptional items...talking of which, Diane and I are still working on a portfolio of snaps for the exceptional 'Lucy' skin, and I'll bring you an update -a lengthy update- around next Tuesday. RL is in the way for the next 2-3 days. :(