#122 - THIRTEEN

It's my rezday today!!! I have been here in this virtual world called Second Life for THIRTEEN years!!! That's 156 months, 676 weeks, 4,748 days, approximately 113,880 hours, 6,832,800 minutes, 409,968,000 seconds and counting of being simply ME!!!

Rez Date: January 2, 2009 Rez Location: Help Island

Landing feet first on Help Island circa 12:01AM SLT on January 9, 2009, I was somewhat unfamiliar with how to navigate my way around. I was new, but not new new. Prior to creating my own account, I'd been on SL for about three months logged in to the accounts of my two RL sorors/friends that brought me here, fixing their shapes, teaching them how to emote and trying to gain a better understanding of what Linden Labs had to offer with this virtual space. My sorors encouraged me to join as an added outlet for my creativity.

In these thirteen years I have kept myself pretty busy. Recently I was interviewed and asked for a portfolio of work that I have done here on the grid. I will attempt to list it all here:

Builder (starting 01/2009 building custom and prefab commercial & residential)
Furniture maker (starting 3/2009)
Interior designer (starting 2/2009)
Clothing designer (starting in 2010 before mesh and then including mesh)
At the inclusion of mesh clothing, men's apparel was added to my store
13 years as an event planner (weddings, rezdays, club sets, family events, etc.)
Co-founder of the VBA (Virtual Basketball Association); 1st basketball league in SL
Founder of the WVBA; 1st basketball league for women in SL
Landscaper/Sim designer
Machinima movie set builder
Machinima voice over actress
R&B, NeoSoul and Gospel DJ (Honey-103; WBSR Radio & WTRU) DJ QuietStorm
Hostess for KHNY, WTRU & INF4M0U$ Radio DJs
Radio station owner
Blogger (fashion, beauty, home design & lifestyle)
Custom mesh model maker
Photographer
Club manager
Talent manager (DJs, hosts, etc.)
Virtual Realtor
there's more to come, just stay tuned

To say that I have been blessed would be a gross understatement. I have made some amazing friends along the way...some are more than friends - they are family. I have even met some in real life and plan to meet others in the future. Sadly, some have transitioned from this earthly life and are missed deeply.

"Around here we don't look backwards for very long...we keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

"I think the power is the principle. The principle of moving forward, as though you have the confidence to move forward, eventually gives you the confidence when you look back and see what you've done" - Robert Downey, Jr.

This thirteenth chapter of my SL is only just beginning. What the future holds, only the Father above knows. However, this I know to be fact...I have been forged in fire, risen above the embers like a phoenix to be a precious Emerald cut Amethyst with rare trillion cut diamonds guarding me. True to my RL sign, I am an Aquarius woman through and through.

What am I wearing?

::FOUNDATION::

Head: CATWA HEAD HDPRO MajerSoft BentoEar v1.3

Body: -Belleza- Freya V6 BOM/BENTO

::OUTFIT::

Dress: [KR] JEWELL DRESS -BLACK [Main Store]

Shoes: : Glamistry : Heels PF1044 [Fatpack] [Main Store]

::MAKEUP::

Eyes: IDTTY FACES - CATWA POP ICON COLLECTION FATPACK [Main Store]

Lips: IDTTY FACES - CATWA POP ICON COLLECTION FATPACK [Main Store]

::ACCESSORIES::

Hair: DOUX - Medarda Hairstyle - Deluxe [Tres Chic Event]