TUESDAY EVENING POETRY, PROSE, TELEVISION AND...SECOND LIFE!

By Debbie Bulloch



Since its inception on June 23, 2003, Second Life has become deeply entrenched (or is that embedded) into our popular culture. Several television shows have featured elements from Second Life. On October 24, 2007, Second Life was featured prominently, and used as a tool to locate a suspect, in the CSI:NY episode "Down the Rabbit Hole." Second Life was also featured in the CSI:NY episode "DOA for a Day" (air date: April 2, 2008).

In an instance of virtual reality being stranger than television fiction, the show featured an interactive component. The CSI:NY Virtual Experience encouraged viewers to continue the hunt for the killer avatar. A separate Second Life region was created by The Electric Sheep Company (those of you who have read the book on which the movie “Blade Runner” is based will understand the reference to “electric sheep”) to act as a gateway for the episode viewers. The Electric Sheep Company created its own Second Life viewer called OnRez.



Other television programs have featured Second Life in the show’s plotline. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit parodied Second Life in its episode "Avatar.” Dwight Schrute from the television series The Office is an avid Second Life resident; this was featured prominently in the October 25, 2007 episode "Local Ad." In that episode, Dwight has an avatar named 'Dwight Shelford' who is able to fly, and Dwight creates a virtual world within Second Life named Second Second Life. And in an episode of the CBS drama Ghost Whisperer, Melinda Gordon experiences a similar online world, at one point pulling an avatar out of her computer at the shop as the user's ghost.

Second Life has also been featured in popular literature. The Darkest Evening of the Year is a novel by Dean Koontz (one of my favorite mystery writers) released on November 27, 2007. In the novel, one of the characters is a private detective by the name of Vern Lesley; Vern lives vicariously through his Second Life avatar, Von Longwood. Koontz himself has “attended” several Second Life writers’ forums. His portrayal of Vern and his fixation with Second Life is less than flattering, however. Perhaps as expected, Koontz reserves his best treatment for the novel’s principal protagonists - Amy Redwing, her boyfriend Brian McCarthy and a rescued Golden Retriever named “Nickie.” In the novel, Koontz shows the reader how Amy takes great personal risks on behalf of abandoned Golden Retrievers; he also learn how Brian must overcome his past in order to become a better person; and, finally, we see how “Nickie” touches the lives of every human (and animal) she meets.

In the novel, we learn that Amy is being pursued by those who wish to harm her, Brian, and her dogs. As the novel rushes headlong towards its exciting conclusion, Amy and Brian work past their respective dark pasts in order to save each other, their dogs and the lives of other innocents caught in the mess.



Incidentally, the novel’s title is a reference to a poem by one of our past featured poets, Robert Frost and his poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. In Chapter 13 of the novel, Amy goes back to a recurrent dream (no, I am not going to give away the novel's plot here) where she is walking through the woods. In remembering her dark dreams, Amy also remembers how Frost's poem had sustained her during those earlier days. Koontz also refers to Frost’s poem at the beginning of Parts One, Two and Three of the book.

Even though Koontz’s portrayal of a Second Life resident is less than flattering, The Darkest Evening of the Year is one of Koontz’s best recent novels. If you love a good mystery novel, if you believe that good will eventually trump evil and if you have a keen appreciation for the innate nobility and kind heart of all dogs, you will enjoy reading this novel.

For those of you who are counting, this is our blog's post #99. Stay tuned for post #100 and learn a thing or two, that you may not already know, about Between Homes. Coincidentally, we are also coming up on BH’s one-year anniversary; this is indeed a very exciting time for all of us.

Enjoy!

NOTE: The artwork for the cover of the two books referred on this post is copyrighted and it is the property of its respective owners. All rights reserved.

I AM A ROCK

By Debbie Bulloch




Last Sunday I was riding my bike along the beach when I came across “rock art.” No, I am not talking about some rock musician strumming her guitar belting out tunes to the incoming waves. I am referring to the secret artists in our community who take ordinary rocks and stack them up to make “rock art.”

Here are some pictures of some rock art that I saw last Sunday. What these photographs fail to capture, however, is the complex interaction between the different rocks on the “pile.” No camera lens, no matter how sharp it may be, can possibly capture the interplay between rocks - the sharp angles, the soft curves, the different hues, and the changing textures.











OK, this photograph has nothing to do with rocks. But the sight of this dog, joyfully following its surfing buddy into the water made me feel happy inside so I decided to include it here.

In this day of color, digital photography our senses are often assaulted with splashes of bright color photographs. I decided to “play around” with Photoshop to see what would happen if I removed the color from a couple of the photographs. The photos below are my weak attempt at emulating Ansel Adam’s brilliant black and white photographs of some of the West’s most beautiful scenery.



This last photograph reminds me of one of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs. I will post the lyrics to the song here, so you can savor the poetry of Paul Simon’s words.

I AM A ROCK

A winter's day
In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I've built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

Don't talk of love,
Well I've heard the word before;
It's sleeping in my memory.
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armor,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.
- lyrics by Paul Simon

One final note; my computer is acting kaput, so I am going to take it in for repairs. That means that I may not be around for a few days. Until then, have a wonderful weekend and a wonderful week.

Our Homeless Furry Friends

By Debbie Bulloch



The current mortgage crisis has caused a sharp increase in the number of abandoned, and thus homeless pets. While the sight of homeless men, women and children living on the streets should be a call to action for concerned citizens, the growing trend of abandoned pets should also be of great concern.

Animal shelters are being overrun with the furry friends of people who can no longer afford their property—or their pets. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Sacramento, Calif., for instance, accepted 178 dogs and cats in December, a jump of almost 80 percent over the previous year. Less-fortunate pets are dumped on the streets or released into nature. Traci Jennings, founder of a Humane Society branch in Modesto, Calif., has found dogs tied to porches and, in one case, abandoned in a yard. "Someone called me when they heard the puppies crying," she says.

With predicted tougher economic times ahead, the homeless pet problem is bound to grow. In California, where I live, it is not just dogs, cats and rabbits that are being abandoned. Increasingly, even "high-end" animal companions, such as horses are becoming the victims of hard times. With increasing frequency shelters are now taking horses, mares and their foal. These animals come into the shelters in nearly emaciated conditions and in dire need for medical treatment for untreated wounds and diseases.

In these increasingly difficult times, those of us who can and are able to do so need to think outside the box. By this I mean that we need to look at the suffering of all living creatures, not just fellow humans, and make a commitment to do what we can to help.

So what can we do?

1. Adopt a pet.

If you've been thinking of adding a furry friend to your family, there is no better time than the present. Wonderful animals of every size, breed, and personality need new homes, simply because their owners have become unable to care for them. You can help by adopting a pet through your local shelter.



Adopting a homeless animal is simply the right thing to do. Yes, we all like the idea of playing with a frisky, big-eyed puppy or kitten. But if you adopt a pet from the shelter, especially an adult dog or cat (or maybe a rabbit or even a horse) you will have that warm glow from knowing you've saved a life.

Adopting is also less expensive than buying from a pet store or breeder. In many shelters the cost of adoption also includes training materials, vaccinations, and spaying and neutering surgery -- in some cases even follow-up veterinary care is offered. What's more, the pets available for adoption at most shelters and rescue groups have already been screened for major health and behavior problems.

Please call your local shelter or local rescue group and get more information about their offerings.

2. If you are about to lose your home please seek help.

If you already own a pet and are dealing with financial problems, ask your local shelter if they offer any programs to help pet owners in this situation. There is no shame in asking for help, especially for our furry friends. There is information available that will help strapped families care for their pets. Some shelters partner with food banks to distribute pet food and other supplies. Some work with veterinarians to provide assistance with vaccinations and other veterinary care. If you are feeling your budget beginning to tighten, do away with superfluous purchases for your pet, such as expensive toys and other needless accessories. Also, consider taking your dog to a vaccination clinic instead of seeing your regular vet for any necessary shots. This can save you money on the inoculations themselves, as well as eliminate the cost of an office visit.



Most importantly, don't leave your pet behind. Ask friends, family members, and neighbors if they can take your pet for you temporarily. This may give you enough time to get back on your feet and resume the care of your animal. If you move to an apartment, make sure your pet will be allowed to move with you. Avoid verbal agreements -- get it in writing to avoid a problem down the road.

3. Donate to your local shelter or offer help at your local vet.

Animal shelters are expensive to run. Most of the time, shelters depend upon government funding (often shelters are the last budget item to get funded by local governments) and/or private donations. Any donation helps! For years, my daughter and I have donated pet food and used newspapers to out local shelter. A 50# bag of dog kibbles or kitty chow form the local Costco is not all that expensive and it can make the difference on the number of pets a shelter can afford to house. If you cannot afford to buy food then donate your time. Pets at the shelters are in need of a kind human touch. Many of them have been taken away from loving, caring homes where maybe they had big yards to play or cozy beds to lay; now they find themselves locked up in cages, with hundreds of other pets. This must be a terrifying experience - so a kind word, a soft hand or a warm hug will go a long way to help erase the stress these furry friends must feel while awaiting their fate at the shelter. Think how scared you would be if you were suddenly yanked from your comfy home and tossed into a cold, metal cage. Our animal companions feel fear too.



There are many other ways that you can help. All you have to do is look around.

In SL itself there are individuals like Aztek Aeon and Vitolo Rossini who work on projects to help RL pets. Send them an IM and ask how YOU can help too.

I was once told that I always have a song's lyrics, or a movie's lines, for every occasion. So in that note, let me end with the lyrics from one of my favorite songs by The Carpenters:

Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice

Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see

Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them

Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from a storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm




Thank you for reading.