Lord & Lady Fluffytail Set Sail

After coming from a friend's Rez Day party in Raglan Shire, I went to Steeltopia for the grand opening of the Pneumatic Club. Dia was the musical presenter and I had another surprise as Edwina was there as well! It has been quite a while since the three of us were at a dance together. Eds complimented me on the fluffiness of my tail and asked me what beauty products have I been using for it...
Afterwards, I convinced Phin to climb into my tiny sailboat and we sailed all over the waters of Steelhead...I moored the boat and we explored Shanghai. We found a door at Ho Ping's Knick Knack Paddywhacks. Being tiny rodents, we could not help but to be a bit curious. I was relieved when Phin made it back...

The Emperor's New Things

"Ellie, can you come over and see my new toy?" was the message that I received from Steel, also known as the Mad Blue Emperor of Steeltopia. Only he and one other in this world can get away with calling me by that nickname, and when he says "new toy", I am admittedly always a little nervous. When I arrived, he showed off the latest vessel in his naval fleet...
I did enjoy the blasting of its cannons and guns very much, but its Steeltopia colors fireworks was quite a pleasant surprise!Afterwards, I braced myself as we rattled through the streets in what I can only describe as Steel's "Transport O'Doom"...And he showed me the latest structure in town...the new Pneumatic Club, which has a fantastic central floor and should be a nice place for his dances and such in the future.

Off to See the Sights

Gentle Readers, I shall be away for a week or so to see the sights. I look forward to visiting Paris again. Being a bit--a lot--afraid of heights, I do not know if I will ascend into that engineering marvel of a Tower. Perhaps I will have a crepe and wait at its base, but at some point I shall definitely sit at a cafe and partake of coffee and people watching...I am also spending time in another favorite city, London, which greatly reminds me of my own home city. I love the hustle and bustle there...And friends will be taking us on a side trip to visit Glastonbury. I look forward to seeing the Tor and the Abbey ruins...
I shall be back on the 9th and will resume this aethernet journal upon my return. Do try to not destroy the Grid in my absence. Think of the hopping bunnies.

Caledon Project: Day 12, Caledon Wellsian

Journal Entry, Day 12, Caledon Wellsian
I hiked up into the mountains in Wellsian. It has always had a rather rugged feel to me, with its crisscrossing of railway and mining car tracks. While the northern side is walkable and along the coast of the waters there, its southern coast has always felt a bit more inaccessible to visitors. To me, it is Wellsian's mountains that define it most and you will find paths cuts through them that lead across the Northern sims...

Caledon Project: Day 11, Caledon Morgaine

Journal Entry, Day 11, Caledon Morgaine
I remember watching Morgaine's floating cavorite-laden mountain rise into the air. It is a wonder of Caledon. Morgaine itself is mainly residential, especially within its central section, where waters from the Firth wind through. It is not really an easily "walkable" sim given its configuration, but I did find some things of interest besides the mountain...a cavorite factory (presumably to take advantage of the mountain's resources) and one resident's fortifications. If anything, Morgaine would be well-defended from any attacks coming in from the Firth...

Caledon Project: Day 10, Caledon Cape Wrath

Journal Entry, Day 10, Caledon Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath has the distinction of being the first Caledon sim to connect to another nation. With its joining to Winterfell, the "Realm of the Roses" was established. I remember watching its new land spread itself out and running across it with others, including the Guvnah, to talk to Winterfell folks on the other side. Cape Wrath seems to be a quiet port town sim, with little shops and residences. One can stand and look across at Winterfell or enjoy the view from the higher part of Cape Wrath, which allows you to see most of the sim...

Caledon Project: Day 9, Caledon Brigadoon

Journal Entry, Day 9, Caledon Brigadoon
Upon my arrival in Caledon Brigadoon, I looked at the almost lavendar stones of the walkways and smiled. It'll be a while before I'm on an island, I thought. I looked out over the central valley, knowing that once a month a lovely little village appears and then disappears into the mist once more. I walked over one of the hills and landed in what I could best describe as "critter glen", as it was filled with deer, badgers and...snakes. I had best move on...

Caledon Project: Day 8, Caledon Strathspey

Journal Entry, Day 8, Caledon Strathspey
Owned by His Grace Aberdon Enigma, the first things I thought upon arriving at Caledon Strathspey was "Please, surprise me. Have something worth my seeing here, please." It is a small island duchy, so perhaps that was an unfair thought to think at first...and then...I really was pleasantly surprised. Strathspey is barren and rocky with fields of wildflower grass. I imagined just hearing my footsteps, the waves and the wind as I came upon fantastic castle ruins. For an explorer like myself, I found Strathspey enchanting not only because of how spare it was, but because it felt like a place all could visit.

Caledon Project, Day 7: Caledon Cavendish

Journal Entry, Day 7, Caledon Cavendish
Caledon Cavendish is owned by Her Grace Eleanor Anderton. There is a very lovely manor home and stable. I believe I might start categorizing some of these duchies as truly "private estate" duchies--not much to see there and not necessarily "public-friendly" places. No different than a large estate on Caledon's "regular" sims, but with it being a duchy...what do you do? For instance, there is a beautiful quiet spot there...but is the public able to sit there? As I mentioned in my last journal entry, these are the kinds of questions I've been wrestling with so far. If anything, I believe that the AV limits on these sims have severely limited the public's ability to interact on these sims as the owners are unable to hold large-scale events as they were able to in the past. Lots to think about...

Caledon Project, Day 6: Caledon Dundee

Journal Entry, Day 6, Caledon Dundee

Upon arriving at Dundee, I felt something that I've felt at some of the more "private"-feeling duchies before--Should I be here? May I walk around? Where to start? I often felt like that in some of the Firth and Southern duchies when they opened. This is my first time visiting, but I found that feeling a bit unsettling and wonder if others visiting Caledon duchies like those feel that way as well. Are they truly open to the public? It doesn't always feel like it. I was amused by the kitty and the pig though...

Caledon Project: Day Four--Caledon Victoria City

All roads lead to Rome, they say. Well, in Caledon they all seem to start here in Caledon Victoria City. I know they did for me. For many,Vic City is their first exposure to Caledon. I remember that when I arrived there after putting "Victorian" into Search, I was awed by the buildings and intrigued by the shops and Guvnah's Mansion. While in the central yard, I met Miss Babs Zuta, whose RL aunt introduced her to SL. She told me that she liked how the buildings seemed so real and how she loved the clothing here. She was charming and as she is a relatively new resident and told me that she likes purple, she should find a gift from my shop delivered to her soon. I do hope that she enjoys it and wears it during her own Victorian explorations...

Caledon Project to Resume Soon

The Caledon Project series will resume on Monday, June 29 with a visit to Caledon's "capital", Caledon Victoria City.

Caledon Project, Day Three: Caledon Rothesay

Journal Entry, 19 June, Caledon Rothesay
Ah, duchies. I am laughing as I cross the border from Mayfair because there seem to be so many now that I have honestly lost track. I will admit that I have not been to Caledon Rothesay, well...since it became Caledon Rothesay. The last time I was here it was for Gabi's farewell to Carntaigh and I do not wish to dredge up whatever sore feelings that go along with that and the general turnover that happened a few months back. I have heard that this sim's four duchies--with the exception of Laird Brideswell's lot--has changed hands many times over at this point. It made me chuckle as I thought about Miss Jameson's wondering if it was "cursed." Now that would make for an interesting parcel. I'm having rather dark thoughts about lost souls wandering about in dark estates, but I digress...

It is currently owned by Her Grace Kiralette Kelley who is using a portion of her parcel for RFL; Her Grace Eleanor Anderton, who has lovely gardens; and the Duke and Duchess Mahana. Very pretty, very large estates here. I particularly enjoyed Laird Brideswell's Nautilus, which I remembered from Wellsian, and the Stone Circle on the hill. It seems like a nice place to sit and enjoy the scenery...

Caledon Project Day Two: Caledon Mayfair

Journal Entry, 17 June
Although I spend a lot of time at the lighthouse on the Firth with Phin, this is the first time that I have walked around the sim itself since selling my parcel here many months ago. It has an odd feeling of familiar, yet not. Like walking through memories. I used to spend so much time here and it was my first Caledon home. It is still very quiet...a sleepy residential sim with small shops. I always liked that about it. I came across Miss FrancesStevens Bravehart and had a conversation with her at the hub. She told me that she has been rezzing at that spot since she joined NCI. I asked her a question I will ask all that I come across: "What is compelling about Caledon to you?"

"The nice people," she told me. "I like to random tp and no matter yet where I go, I always come back here 'cause the folks I have met here are so helpful and friendly." Just before I walked away she added: "Oh, and another reason that I like being here is the sunset. Just standing here looking down the street...RL just washes away."

The Caledon Project

Two years ago on June 14, I started this aethernet journal as a way of documenting my travels through the 19th century historic sims of Second Life. It all started with literally a stroll through the sims of Caledon.

I have been giving an idea a lot of thought lately. "Caledon has gotten too big..." "The community isn't what it used to be..." I have even heard the word "Caledonization" used before to describe a veering off-theme in terms of look. These are all things that I have heard folks say. These are things I have often thought myself. I used to be more involved there. I am a founding resident of one of its sims. I used to know the streets and landmarks of Caledon like the back of my virtual hand. My own friends have dispersed from the nation, but I keep having this feeling...Caledon is compelling, and I know it is.

That is why I have decided to take a stroll through Caledon once more and look at it with a fresh eye. I'm putting on my travelling gear and will feature a different sim every day until I have been through them all. I will be starting from my home in Penzance and ending where it all began: Caledon I

The journey begins today.

Adventures in Steeltopia

When SteelCobra Calamari, the mad blue Emperor of Steeltopia, asked me to design the official uniforms of the Steeltopian Navy I was more than happy to. I had one of the first shops there and have watched this little nation grow. Here I am in the ensign's uniform with the INS ironclads behind me...He is a lot of fun himself and last night he decided to give me a tour of the mines, as it had been a while since I'd been down there...
And we ended up in a boiler room. That did not bode well, trust me...Nothing like roaming underneath a city. The mines will soon be relocated...The Emperor also has a chain of small coffee shops called Steelbucks that he "franchises" (contact him if you'd like a branch!) There are two on one block alone near my home in Steelhead! I once visited them and went on a tiny rampage through town. Steeltopia is a fun place with a steampunk feel. Go visit if you haven't been there before!