You're a Thief?

It's been a while since I've offered an opinion about anything that I've been reading. Maybe there's a reason for that. Unfortunately the only one that I can offer is that I haven't read anything that has struck me as worthwhile to mention. But sometimes there is something new that sparkles. Shiny things can tempt even the most restrained person at times.  And I am certain you all know how much I love shiny things.

Thieves Finding Paradise
A.C. Logan
152 Pages(Adobe Reader File)

To start off I will be honest. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started to read this book. In fact I was slightly surprised by the angle as the story progressed. 25 chapters in I was still wondering what the characters true intents may be. But the fast pacing and the interesting variety of situations are bound to keep a readers interest. I personally read the whole thing in one night, lets say about 5 or 6 hours.

The story revolves around two characters, Alison and Cole. They're very different people, and neither one is really developed and presented as the central character at the very start of the book. In my opinion you could look at it either way. Cole could be the main character. Or Alison can be. In my opinion it is dependent on which character the reader has more of a relation to. I personally wanted to spank some common sense into Alison, but I won't explain why that would be giving spoilers.

But I will offer a few key sparks. There is fashion involved, and not every day run way fashion either. It's experimental scientific type fashion. There are explosions. There are gun fights. There are bad guys, and there are.... well... bad guys that are good guys that could be bad guys.

Another interesting thing is that there is a BDSM type theme is recurrent throughout. To be honest though it is not written in an offensive manner. In fact the book itself offers a rather amusing twist with some of it's scientific adages to the idea of restraint. A variety of instances and situations offer the reader various types of ideas and events to ponder. Not only that, it's not presented in a detrimental fashion.

But is there sex? Depends on how you look at it. The book seems to have a fade to black type of approach when it actually comes down to the deed itself. Meaning that, while there are situations that may be sexually charged, the reader is not forced to wade through a sex scene. This is not saying that they would be an unwelcome part to the plot, but they are not necessary to have an enjoyable reading experience.I personally found it enjoyable without the gratuitous sex.

This piece is recommended for adult readers. The content is a bit much for a younger reader, although given the prevalence of Fifty Shades of Gray in the media it may not be a bad choice for readers of that series. As it might give them a bit more to think about. Again it's an unrealistic situation, but by far it isn't as romantic and might make them see that there is more depth to a scene. I will also say that the targeted readership for the piece appears to be unisex. It is not written in such a manner that it would appeal more to a female or male audience. Which is in a way surprising. So if you're looking for a different read, head on over and give this book a shot, you just might like it.

Book available at Smashwords.com

An interesting look at M/S relationships

I'm looking into a variety of types of books to read, So I can share a variety of perspectives with you. Every author has their own thoughts about various situations, and some are better for helping to create a positive outlook than others. I was both startled and pleasantly surprised by the book am going to tell you about today.

Bran's Story
by Maculategiraffe
141 pages

Book one of The Slave Breakers. Which means that there are other short stories in this series that we may soon be hearing about. When the author calls these Slave Breakers, it's done in a whole different light than I had expected.The piece is a pleasant example, in my opinion, of a m/s relationship start. At least for one that is based in a fictional situation. What I find very appealing is the clear poly type relationships displayed positively in the piece. Specifics as to how they work are a bit unclear in the first piece, but perhaps in the others it becomes clearer.

But one idea that is expressed over and over is that honesty is very important. It's expressed frequently in the piece that you should tell the other person in the situation when there is something wrong. But that you ought to pay attention and watch for changes in behavior that may signal that there is something wrong. After all, just because you enjoy something doesn't mean that they will.

Another aspect covered in this piece is the idea that trust can be mistaken for love. Of course the two are not exclusive emotions in any way. But in a master slave relationship the amount of trust needed can lead those involved to believe it is love. As a slave or servant the main goal and desire should be to please the master or dominant in the situation. The most appealing way to do this is to truly have the desire to please them. Loving someone is often one of the easiest reasons to have for wanting to please someone else. But we are also reminded that some relationships are only what they are, nothing more or less.

The idea that some relationships are more than fleeting is also expressed. Age is no barrier, emotions and feelings can overcome that. Although the story focuses mainly on a m/m m/s relationship there are a large number of other elements in this piece to provoke thought.

A slight spoiler. The term "Slave Breakers" doesn't really have anything to do with the actual breaking of a person in anyway. They're trainers, and their goal is to help figure out how and why a salve is having issues.

Pearls of "Wisdom" : Tiamet (1)

Sometimes people tell me that I've said something that's wise. Sometimes They just think they're silly comments. So I'm going to share some of the things that I have said in SL with you. Mind you they are out of context, so you might not get the whole story, but I hope you enjoy them anyway. I know that thinking back on the situations they come from brings back memories to me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tiamet: sex doesn't always have to mean something you know
Tiamet: sometimes sex is just sex.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tiamet: we are all human, we just wear different masks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tiamet hugs you and goes back to reading "just remember, some of us will remember and miss what was, what will be won't be the same, and it will always be measured against the past."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tiamet: mmmph sleep will come when all things pass.
Tiamet: it's a mercy for the mind, sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tiamet  looks sad for a fleeting moment then plucks up "Nothing in here ever stays, it is in flux the same as the seasons in our rl... except it moves much faster in here, because the virtual reality limits the depth to which we truly experience the company of others. Thus though some of us use this as a social place to delve and search out like minded folk, there are some folk who often forget that there are real people behind an avatar, and simply use it as a game to meet their own ends and desires. So whenever going anywhere it is advisable to remember that the idea is to enjoy that which is available while it is there, for come tomorrow it may be gone.  Simply take it all as it comes, and revel in the sparkling moments, because they never EVER last forever." 

A few thoughts on Perspective

A place where we are able to escape the reality of aging and express oneself as one would love to be. That's part of what second life has offered us. A world in which we never have to grow old, where there's not really anything bad unless we want it to be bad. We get to choose our existence, and the way we want to look. We each get to choose things that appeal to us.

Perspective is thus a very important factor when it comes to SL. Why? Well first of all Perspective is the way that we see the world around us. It is what aids us in making our decisions. It is also what helps us move through the digital world and create ourselves.

While the relationships we make in SL can be very real to us, at the end of the day SL is a game. People log out and go back to their real lives. People have husbands and wives, jobs, and functions that they need to spend time with. We can't expect them to be in SL all the time, it is unpractical and unfair. So although we may miss someone, it is inappropriate to try and make them feel guilty about not being around.

Remember that not everyone will see SL the same as you do, and reality should and will come first. Perspective is something that is very important to remember. It will help keep you from getting hurt, and it can help keep you from worrying about what if. There is no right or wrong way to see things, just many different ways to do so. Just don't force your opinions on to someone else.

I'm a what?

I'm sitting here thoroughly amused by something I was told recently.  And I'm not angry about it at all, I'm actually highly amused. There are differing opinions on the matter though. But I'm going to be looking at this from my point of view, instead of trying to reflect on why other people may think that it's wrong. Admittedly, it is downright impolite and childish to call other people names. But there is always a silver lining.

So what was I called? Well it wasn't just me who was caught in the cross fire of name calling, but I'm content to wear the badge for now. Slut. Mhm, that's supposedly what I am. Writing the word actually brings a rather amused smirk to my face. So we'll start with a definition of the word, as well as some information concerning the way it has evolved.
_______________________________________________________________________

slut

1.a. A person, especially a woman, considered sexually promiscuous.

   b. A woman prostitute.

2. A slovenly woman; a slattern.

4. an immoral woman

5. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) Archaic a female dog

(defined by the dictionary)

The following is a quote from Wikepedia.

"the term has been used as an expression of choice to openly have multiple partners, and revel in that choice: "a slut is a person of any gender who has the courage to lead life according to the radical proposition that sex is nice and pleasure is good for you." A slut is a person who has taken control of their sexuality and has sex with whomever they choose, regardless of religious or social pressures or conventions to conform to a straight-laced monogamous lifestyle committed to one partner for life. The term has been "taken back" to express the rejection of the concept that government, society, or religion may judge or control one's personal liberties, and the right to control one's own sexuality.^"

 ^{__________________________________________________________________________________________}

So in all actuality there isn't a reason that I should find offense in being called a slut. It is a rather... odd word, and not one that I hear often. In fact part of me finds it kind of thrilling to have someone label me with it. Why? Because I haven't had anyone else try to classify me with it before. That doesn't mean  that it is right. But what it does do is have me open my eyes and reflect on what I do. Do I really seem that bad? In my opinion, no.

To live life is to have experiences. Even in second life we are entitled to trial and error. There is no designated right to wrong way to do things. We go through the digital world testing new experiences, making friends and acquaintances along the way. So what if I wanna try out a new vertical mambo pose ball for kicks? It's just pixels. 

Unlike the real world, Second Life holds less danger in exploring thoughts and ideas than real life does. I don't have to worry about who my partner was last with, and what kind of nasty heebe jeebie I might be the lucky recipient of. Unless I want to role play pregnancy, I don't have to worry about that either (And honestly I really don't want to RP that). It really is a place to explore thoughts and ideas without being worried about judgment.

Which leads me to my next point. Many of you are thinking that there must be something wrong with me if I'm trying to say that I accept this as an alright definition of myself. It is not ideal in any way, but I find it amusing. The one word I find to be most useful for expressing why is the one I'm defining next. Immoral. I will explain why this is the key to understanding this issue for me.

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Immoral

1. transgressing accepted moral rules; corrupt

2. sexually dissolute; profligate or promiscuous

3. unscrupulous or unethical

4. tending to corrupt or resulting from corruption

_________________________________________________________________________

I do not feel that anything I do or have done is in the intent to corrupt others. I do not feel that I am unethical. And I sure as hell do not feel that I am promiscuous. In fact in all honesty I feel that I am more likely to hold up moral rules than to try and get around them. There is nothing in second life that defines what the moral values and codes are across the board. In fact what is and isn't acceptable changes not only on a daily basis in this digital realm, but by sim. You can go to twenty different sims, and each one will have different values, rules, and expectations.

That said, sure if you want to call me a slut. Fine, call me one. But there are a lot of things that you don't know about me. In fact, there are thousands of things you will never ever know about me. What you do know is from experience and what I have admitted. I would advise that those who are pained by the words of another to really think about what is driving that person to sway what they are saying. Are they frustrated? Jealous? Angry? Lonely? Nine times out of ten their words will be driven by jealousy.

The green eyed monster can make people say horrible things. It can make them do horrible things, and they won't even realize what is altering their behavior in such a horrible way. So smile, and wear your badge of dishonor.  They're only giving it to you because they're not getting what they want.

A Musing on Second Life Relationships

There seems to be a natural order to the way that second life goes. Things come and go,  people change and move along in their second lives. But there are some things that stick with us even after they are gone. The memories, the pictures, and the emotions that still rise when we wander the fields and hills where we spend so much time frolicking together. Yet things change.

Just as in real life people grow and attitudes and needs change. The things that someone finds as thrilling can be found boring, or even disenchanting. Or perhaps real life steps in and takes them away from second life. All these things are unpredictable, and should not be held against our friends. But we should keep them in mind.

The reality of the matter is that the friendships many of us build here in second life are just as real as those that we build in real life. Second life is a social platform created to inspire people to not only socialize with people around the world, but to create and explore the imagination.

Love is a fickle thing. In Second Life it isn't uncommon to see people fall in and out of it quickly. But then there were those that did have that magic spark that seemed to linger. Those people sparkled, and you knew who they were when you spied their names and dots on the radar and map. Those lucky souls that seemed to have it all, just by being together.

But every relationship is built on ideals and expectations. Some relationships started in a whirlwind fanned by lust and desire, while others were the result of cautious exploration and searching. But as in rl the relationships in sl can sometimes simply end. No reason given other than that they were over. Sad I know, but it is  how life goes on in sl.

People are never the same as they were before they love. After love, there's often some lingering emotions, anger, wistfulness, sometimes hope. But no matter what emotions are left after a relationship ends, there are always memories. Memories can be amazing things in many ways. They linger and bring up emotions at times we may think we have lost.

But love is like any other emotion, it can change. But it also blooms in odd ways that we don't always expect. Many of us never plan to find sl love. But some search it out, longing for the company of someone that fills in a void nothing but true understanding can fill. So here's to that unexpected thing, the thing that can't be bottled or caged or kept to oneself.

Here's to friendships may they blossom and bloom eternal. Here's to love, the elusive emotion that is best when shared.

Not looking, thank you kindly. ~Tia~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Paul: I'm in love with you.
Holly: So what?
Paul: So what? So plenty. I love you. You belong to me.
Holly: No. People don't belong to people.
Paul: Of course they do.
Holly: I'm not gonna let anyone put me in a cage.
Paul: I don't want to put you in a cage. I want to love you.
Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961

Something that's been wandering...

The Following list has been wandering around SL for a long time, for those that may not have seen it before, it's quite charming. 

1. When she walks away from you mad
[ Follow her ]
2. When she stares at your mouth
[ Kiss her ]
3. When she misses you
[ She's hurting inside ]
4. When she starts cussing at you
[ Kiss her and tell her you love her ]
5. When she's quiet
 [ Ask her whats wrong ]
6. When she ignores you
[ Give her your attention ]
7. When she pulls away
[ Pull her back ]
8. When you see her at her worst
[ Tell her she's beautiful ]
9. When you see her start crying
[ Just hold her and don't say a word ]
10. When you see her walking
[ Sneak up and hug her waist from behind ]
11. When she's scared
[ Protect her ]
12. When she lays her head on your shoulder
[ Tilt her head up and kiss her ]
13. When she looks at you in your eyes
[ Don't look away until she does ]
14 .When she doesn't answer for a long time
[ Reassure her that everything is okay ]
15. When she says that she likes you
[ She really does; MORE than you could understand]