Hold On To The Things You Love!

There is one thing I know for certain about my Second Life®, is that nothing is for certain. By that I mean that one day you discover a shop that has precisely your style of clothing, the kind of stuff you wish you could yank through the screen and wear out in your everyday life, and the next day, it is simply gone. Sometimes there is an explanation, a warning, a rationale, others, they simply disappear one day never to be seen again. Sometimes it is a matter of time and trends, people lose interest in the game or the product, and others it is the difficulty of keeping a business afloat in an over-saturated market. If you can't make enough to cover your rent, it is difficult to keep creating, and even more difficult to imagine that the situation will get better in the future. In my three plus years in Second Life®, I have seen a lot of fabulous shop disappear for a number of reasons, and it never gets easier. That is why I hold on to the things I love and treasure, and why my inventory is nearing the 45,000 items mark. How can I part with the items that are irreplaceable?



This look is what I call "Typical Kets". I love this sort of grunge, relaxed, cozy look. A lot of my favorites, some old, some new, and some irreplaceable. The top is from *Sprawl*, Pushbutton Skolnick's now near-defunct shop, and perhaps one of my all-time favorites. It is The Darko Tee, a little homage to Donnie Darko, as a film buff, I couldn't resist. I love that Pushbutton has always gone to the trouble of putting everything on every possible layer. The jeans are the uber adorable Surf Couture Hot Cocoa Stained Jeans in Grey that include the Blue Steaming Mug of Cocoa, and the cozy Parker Knit Boots in Black are also from [SC]. I adore this wrapped Soon Scarf from my girls at *Thimbles*, it is adorable and really cozy looking, and it comes in 5 different great knit colors. The Grey Knit Arm Warmers are from Argyle, another shop that seems to have vanished from the scene. The belt is one of the amazing masterpiece works from Maitreya.



The earrings are the first I ever purchased in-world, so their availability is somewhat unclear, and I didn't have enough time to hunt them down, they are from Drifting Sands which was a shop found under The Body Politik banner. I remember when I bought them I had no idea how to manipulate linked objects, and it took me forever to position them in my ears. The Uma Nose Stud is from Tickled Pink, a shop that has been gone for some time and is well missed. The adorable ring is a little bit of kitsch from Canimal, something I can never resist. The Bear Hug Novelty Ring has been referred to as the "Poo" ring by friends who think that is what it looks like from afar, I think it is hysterical!

Hair is from the newly re-opened WAKA and YUKI, which I could not resist visiting yesterday not just to scoop up the fab opening weekend gifts and try the lucky board, but because I couldn't remember shopping there before. I picked up this adorable NEW116 style while I was there, I think it is perfection in a messy casual up-do, my favorite. The skin is Emma Tan from *REDGRAVE*, my most realistic looking skin perhaps, and one I would have never tried if not for Anessa's urging. The Lashes are from MMS, now LeLutka, Thora Lashes, which I love, and the eyes are the stunning Miriel Realistic Muted Hazel Eyes. Again, I am most sad to say that we are no longer able to purchase Miriel's amazing work in-world.

So on Valentines Day, the day we celebrate love, show a little love by re-visiting your favorite shops and supporting your favorite content creators, before it's too late. They are too valuable to lose, and too precious to be taken for granted for even a second. Thank goodness for my messy but full inventory, and blog feeds, Plurk, and Avatars United, that lets me keep up with so many of my friends and on top of the news. If you haven't heard of Avatars United as of yet... you are missing out! It is the Facebook for avatars, recently acquired by Linden Labs®, that focuses squarely on your avatar, not on your RL identity, and therefore keeps your privacy to yourself while allowing you to make friends and network with avatars from SL and other MMOs. Find out more about it here http://www.avatarsunited.com . The add me to your friends list! http://www.avatarsunited.com/avatars/jhuzen-ketsugo . Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

Shopping Details:
Top - *Sprawl*, The Darko Tee [Limited Items Available - Small Outlet Only]
Scarf - *Thimbles*, Soon Scarves (Grey Gold Blocks)
Arm Warmers - Argyle, Grey Knit Arm Warmers [No Location Found]
Belts - Maitreya, Old Leather Belt (Black)
Jeans - [SC] Surf Couture, Hot Cocoa Stained Jeans (Grey) - Includes Blue Cocoa Mug
Boots - [SC] Surf Couture, Parker Knit Boots (Black)
Earrings - Drifting Sands, Tunnel Multi Set Ear Piercing [By Poly Pavlova, The Body Politik]
Ring - Canimal, Canimal Novelty Rings (Bear Hug)
Nose - Tickled Pink, *Uma Nose Stud [No Longer Available]
Hair - WAKA and YUKI, New116 "TypeA"
Eyes - Miriel, Realistic Eyes (Muted Hazel) [No Longer Available]
Lashes - MMS now LeLutka, Thora Lashes
Skin - *REDGRAVE*, 08Emma Tan Skin *old rose*

I Just Haven't Met You Yet!

Well Whoopee! Another Valentines Day, another reason to eat chocolate and drink champagne alone in a hot bubble bath. Yes being single has it's perks. I am a sarcastic little bugger, I know it, and yes it would be really nice to say I was in love, but I am not. At least not in the mutual sort of way, which, let's face it folks, is the kind that tends to count. So to all my fellow singletons, I wish you the very happiest of Valentines Days, and always remember, if you don't love yourself, no one else will either. Just don't love yourself so much that you piss the rest of us off so that no one can stand you, it's all about balance.

This picture is a bit of a goof. I took it in a moment of sheer silliness, you have to understand my warped sense of humor. My sister Anessa Stine and I share a studio. She had this set up already, no doubt making sexy pictures for her sexy man. I decided to goof around on her prop, I find it comical, but then I find myself mostly hysterical, especially when I am sleep deprived and have consumed caffeine. Ask anyone who had heard me DJ, they say my laugh is the best part of my mic breaks. I am not certain it's a compliment, but then anything I can do to make others laugh pretty much makes my day. So being silly and sassy and hopeful for the future, I decided to listen to a sexy Canadian crooner while I took my blog shots today. A full set follows this post. Take it away Michael Buble'.



I'm Not Surprised
Not Everything Lasts
I've Broken My Heart So Many Times,
I Stop Keeping Track.
Talk Myself In
I Talk Myself Out
I Get All Worked Up
And Then I Let Myself Down.

I Tried So Very Hard Not To Loose It
I Came Up With A Million Excuses
I Thought I Thought Of Every Possibility

And I Know Someday That It'll All Turn Out
You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid That I'll Give So Much More Than I Get
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Mmmmm ....

I Might Have To Wait
I'll Never Give Up
I Guess It's Half Timing
And The Other Half's Luck
Wherever You Are
Whenever It's Right
You Come Out Of Nowhere And Into My Life

And I Know That We Can Be So Amazing
And Baby Your Love Is Gonna Change Me
And Now I Can See Every Possibility

Mmmmm ......

And Somehow I Know That It Will All Turn Out
And You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid I'll Give So Much More Than I Get
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

They Say All's Fair
And In Love And War
But I Won't Need To Fight It
We'll Get It Right
And We'll Be United

And I Know That We Can Be So Amazing
And Being In Your Life Is Gonna Change Me
And Now I Can See Every Single Possibility

Mmmm .....

And Someday I Know It'll All Turn Out
And I'll Work To Work It Out
Promise You Kid I'll Give More Than I Get
Than I Get Than I Get Than I Get

Oh You Know It'll All Turn Out
And You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid To Give So Much More Than I Get
Yeah I Just Haven't Met You Yet

I Just Haven't Met You Yet
Oh Promise You Kid
To Give So Much More Than I Get

I Said Love Love Love Love Love Love Love .....
I Just Haven't Met You Yet
Love Love Love .....
I Just Haven't Met You Yet