Chrismas Expo: Wood Works, Away in a Manger set

If you're a person of a certain age, then your family might have had a set like this one from Wood Works:

A simple console table (console tables are designed to be put against a wall), that you put decorations on this time of year.  My family had a table like this when I was young, it had our record player on it, and it was large enough for the player and decorations.  It wasn't as tall as this one and was black, but was very similar.  This set comes with all seen here, including the wreath and the doily, which is a separate object so you can use it under other things.  The star on the manger twinkles and the candle lights at a touch.  The set is Mesh, and 12LI, which isn't bad at all.  and when the Holiday is over, you can remove the manger and wreath and leave the table, candle, and rug out.  Can't beat a table like this for versatility.

Acquire at Wood Works at the Expo 1 region

As an aside, our record player when I was a child looked like the one in this blog post

RFL Xmas Expo

As is known, Cancer is on my Naughty List.  Considering how many people I know in RL and SL who are survivors or are dealing with cancer.... I really don't like cancer and try to do what I can to support the fight against it.

It's been a week since it opened (Yes I'm late, RL got in the way), but the American Cancer Society's winter fundraiser in SL, the 2014 Christmas Expo & Winter Breedables fair is open.  It is the ONLY offseason fundraising event the Relay For Life does in SL.

And trust me, they have a ton of stuff.  Personally, I'd go for the decorations, rather than the clothing, but they have that too.  They've got everything, tree lot, wreaths, snowglobes, snowmen.  You want it, they got it.  Except perhaps 200 shot range model air rifles with compasses in the stock, but you can't even get those in RL.

SLURL to the Tree Lot in Expo 1

You've got 4 days left! So get your decorations quick.

Event Fail, and a TOS Violation by Philip Rosedale...Really.

There was a "Future of the Metaverse" event today and I showed up to add a common sense practical perspective of one who doesn't fall all over for VR hype.

Now, I know how these sorts of things work so I showed up 2 hours early to make sure I could get in..and I stayed in.  Yes, I took pictures, it's what I do. I got a picture of Philip's non-Linden avatar.

More after the break

Just Say No to Gacha, and few more gripes from CC McCrankyPants

Just Say No to Gacha!

Why?

Because while it was originally created as a fun inexpensive thing based on Japanese toy/collectable-in-a-capsule vending machines, it's turned into just another customer un-friendly marketing tool that is akin to gambling.

Think about it, while you can trade your gacha items, how many turns of the wheel do you have to do to get what you want?  And how much would that thing have cost you if you had just bought it in a store?  When I want something, I want what I want when I want it, which is usually...NOW.  I don't want to have to put 1500L$ into a machine to get something I'd only pay 350 for.  I don't want to have to wait for a trade so that I "might" get what I really want.  I want it now.  Not later, now, and at a fair price....now.  I don't want to have to go to a lag heavy region and wait for a machine, I just want to go in, and get what I want...perhaps even WHILE shopping on marketplace at the same time. Yes, I'm one of those people who have actually paid full price for items that were in Lucky Chairs...because I didn't want to have to wait.

And this isn't the only issue.  There's another of Gacha only items.  Meaning if you don't go there, you can't get it at all, not even if you wait.  I consider that, downright contemptible.  Sure I can accept some waiting period, but I want to be able to buy the gacha item in the store without having to put up with gacha to get it.  I'm willing to pay a fair price for it.

And don't get me started on every designer and their pet KittyCat starting up their own C88 style clique and doing their own monthly location based event.  Sometimes with the evil that is event only items, which the organizers tell the designers to use to get people to come to the events rather than just shopping at the stores.

And Hunts!  I'm one of those people who think Designers that participate in hunts should put the hunt item in the front of the store in a box  you can buy...just as an option for those who just want to get in, pay a little something for it, get the item and get out.

Look...Designers you have got to stop doing this.  These events don't really help you or the consumers, they just fill the pockets of the organizers.  I know they're one of the forms of marketing that work in SL, but you need to figure out something better.

Notes on the Outfit:

I wanted an Adolfo-ish Nancy Reagan-esque outfit, so I settled on the Steffen Garcia: Blair. The skirt is shorter than Nancy or most Political Wives would wear, but otherwise it has that whole "lady who lunches/Political Wife Sex Kitten thing going on.  It looks classic, but it also has sex appeal.

The skirt's rigged a bit too slim so it looks funny when you walk, the alpha and skirt rigging need some tweaks. Hopefully the designer will do an updated version.  It comes in several colors.

Hair is Truth Colbie, which is my go-to hair for that tailored elegance/anchorwoman bob look. Skin is my usual Belleza, Jewellery is the Michelle Pearl set from Yummy. (Which makes perfect sense with the outfit). Shoes are the Hucci Glynco's.

SLURL's:

Steffen Garcia/Faenzo on Marketplace

Belleza skins

IKON eyes

Truth Hair

Yummy Accessories

Hucci