Changes Dunvalos Reach and Kaedara #inworldz

mulling over the scene that’s soon to disappear

Changes are coming to Dunvalos Reach in Inworldz. Specifically, Dunvalos Reach is going bye-bye. We’re moving everything over to my Kaedara set of sims.

I find that I’m no longer able to maintain so much space in Inworldz, as my work schedule has grown. And with Sandie gone, the original thoughts I had with Dunvalos Reach are no longer attainable. Perhaps it is best to move on, so to speak.

I’m starting a new campaign I’m calling “Take Me To Kaedara” for my upcoming fantasy series. As part of this, the Kaedara sims will also feature a notecard style adventure to take visitors on a journey through my books.

The stores are set to open on Elvenglades sim on December 15th. In fact, the Elvenglades and the Lost Forest of Hudan sims are open to the public now. On the Hudan sim, the breedables sales level is above and on the ground is a lighter selection of landscaping and gazebos. A smaller version of the Silverwood memorial for Sandie is here too and I’ll have book stations in it to introduce people to her books.

Either on the 15th or sometime shortly thereafter I should be able to open the Enchanted Isles sim to the public also. Not sure of what sales will be on that one yet, as it’s a representation of the Isles from my books where the Myads live.

For the moment, Moor-Knight is closed and we plan on keeping it closed to the public, as we have our private building and living areas there. Going to see how this first month or two goes and then consider renting a 2X2 section to move us and be able to open Moor-Knight up. IF the time and expenses support such a thing.

During November, I was limited by an internet issue that the techs have been out numerous times to help us through, overloaded in other duties, and I had a little health episode to deal with. This is why my play blogging and social sites have been so quiet. Next week my husband is tying up the internet for some intense video conferencing on two of our computers, so I’ll be on limited internet time until after that’s done.

Wish I could post a definite schedule on the “Take Me To Kaedara” journey. This month, I’m working on preparing two books for Sandie and Lora. Then I hope we can begin work in earnest on my books in January. My artist had some surgeries to get through, and my editor had some issues.

Praying both are on the mend and ready to hustle after the holidays.

For the move to Kaedara, we’re keeping the stores we started. Mystic Serenia is building a new cool, large Egyptian store building for hers. My store buildings will be available for purchase. I’m not sure about hers.

I’ve decided to offer prepared room sets instead of the nearly 2000 throw pillows. I’ll still have throw pillows, just not as many and most will be offered in packs rather than individually.

There’s not a huge change in what we offer for breedables, except for our latest lineup of Relay For Life traited unicorns. We’re still breeding oyos only.

I’ll keep the horse breeding guide I set up and will expand on it. I may even make a notecard style of guide for inworldz viewing.

Not sure what to do about the recent change to oyo breedable groups. I’m sorry. I love the people, but do feel this was an unbelievably stupid move on their part.

They’ve had to secure against troublemakers and hackers lately. As part of the response they’ve overreacted and now switched both the help group and the chat group so that not everyone can join.

This is a terrible business move for those coming in to the breedables. It’s creating a pain in the butt situation for not only us who have no powers at all to try to help newbies, but also their CSRs have to listen to it.

I didn’t want a Kaedara Breedables group. But it seems that if they don’t realize how this is such a big mistake and correct it, that I may be forced into starting my own group.

Not that I can help them when there’s issues they need the CSRs in help group for. But maybe some of the elder breeders would join it too and contact a CSR for someone when needed.

Another pain in the butt process to go through, but I’ll do it if I must to make things easier for my own customers.

A business 101 rule: don’t make your customers work to get your product or to maintain your product. Surefire way to lose customers and turn away new ones.

Relay for Life #inworldz with @oyo_breedable

The RFL auction was fun today. I actually was able to see and  hear and I didn’t crash. Thought I’d have to drop in, sit still, and shut up for the whole time, but I actually got to bid and won a mixed box panel. The box was donated by Kels and just perfect, except for the fuzzies. Got some stuff I really wanted.

Added kiosks to Dee’s Designs area and on breedables sky level.

This is what’s in the RFL vendor. A Breast Cancer Awareness corral set for your horses.

I’m sorry. We’re not lovers of fuzzies, our sim is fuzzy free zone, but I had to be onery. Added one of the fuzzy boxes I won to Mystic’s halloween display…wonder when she’ll notice? hehe

Dee’s Designs Landmark

 

Breast Cancer Corral and Peek at WIP #Inworldz #ambuilding @oyo_breedable

When I’m deep into the building mode, I get like I do when I’m writing. Into the zone and I don’t notice anything around me.

My poor dog. She cannot get my attention. I’ve come out of the zone to find myself surrounded by every dog toy in the house, as she tried to get my attention. Or, a few times, with a shredded kleenex beside me because she knows that is a big no-no and uses it to get my attention. By the time I come out of it, she’s given up and is curled up asleep in her bed.

This is why I write when others are gone or asleep in the house…same with heavy building.

My 2X2’s won’t be open to the public until probably spring when I’m done with them. And I really zone out on them, for not only am I building, but I’m developing a lot about my book series that I haven’t thought of doing yet. A lot of back story, a lot of culture, a lot of hows and whys come to light with the building.

The first one I’ve been developing is Enchanted Isles, home of my Myads. Been a real challenge. I haven’t created a lot of their culture or their backstory, just the bits and pieces I’ve needed to write their parts so far.

The biggest hurdle for me to get over was to get used to the idea that this is a representation of their areas, not the actual areas. I’d need all four sims for this one territory to make it more “actual”. Then, once I got used to that, I had to create with a great emphasis on combining stone with trees. That’s new territory for me.

It’s been fun. I’ve learned a lot about them so far just by building their territory. I’m getting a lot of cool stuff to put into my upcoming series guide. And I’m beginning to think there may be a book for a Myad character or two in my companion series to go with the full novels.

(Nothing out yet. Probably going to be a major bulk release next year of much of it. A lot is written, and the first book actually published awhile back and will be republished with a makeover. Sadly, both my cover artist and editor have been seriously ill this year and I missed having a fall release. Plus my own family mess and Sandie’s death slowed things down a bit. They’re both better and getting into work a little again.)

Work In Progress…main building for the Myad territory.

I haven’t started the products for Dee’s Designs yet. There are some textures I’m going to look over from a creator that allows multi-grid use of hers. Some ideas have been coming my way for ribbon themed home decor objects. Think I’m going to start playing with those.

For the outside, I wanted to spruce up the yard where I sat the Pink Ribbon eye horses. So I designed a Breast Cancer corral set to match the building. Really makes the place look nice.

I hope the pictures are clear enough. The corral does get fog drifting through it from Mystic’s Halloween haunted house and graveyard display next door. She’s still working on it.

Pink Corral set up. Was lucky to find a pink wood set that didn’t look too gaudy.

The back of the open stalls connected to the corral. I used butterflies as accent. Seems a recurring theme for Dee’s Designs.

My relaxation area at home.

We moved our home level from Dunvalos Reach to one of the 2X2’s. Right across from the level where I keep forty horses. I especially enjoy being able to smoothly fly back and forth between the two sims up there. Still amazes me after suffering with SL’s crossings for so many years.

Went out today and met this old man in a long waiting line at the department store. Total stranger who just had to tell us everything about his recent ingrown toenail surgery. For a whole stinking 15 minutes worth. Man! When I got out of there all I could think was, “And this is why I prefer to hang out with people in virtual worlds.” LOL

 

DR Product Update: More for Landscaping #Inworldz #ambuilding

Going a little cross eyed with this headache so thought we’re due an update here. Virtual life is good. Business growth is good. Both day job and Marion Margaret Press are accomplishing things. I see 2016 being a strong year for me. Real life sucks a little. But in things one cannot avoid.

I know I may whine a bit, but perhaps reading this will get future readers to check back here often, should I have to lay low with sadness at some point. In addition to what went on before, my father was not able to have the second of three surgeries he needed last week. In fact, he can’t have any more without the almost 100% risk of not making it through the surgery. In other words, he’s got to do his best to enjoy his last days, months, or however long God decides to give him. Medically, nothing else can be done.

I’m the youngest. “Daddy’s Girl” Funny. I’ve got grown children and three grand children (yes, I married young), but something like this makes me emotionally feel like a teenager still living at home. Guess everyone feels this when it’s time for their parents.

Anyway…I’m very close to finishing Dunvalos Reach! After what…two years of planning and building? lol A few more buildings, a few more outdoor items, and then the last two stores will fill up quickly once I get the main templates for those products created.

This then leaves the memorial sections to finish, and Dee’s Design. I’m moving the current products in it to another store and re-thinking this one. Needs to be a little more special and not just the same, and perhaps involve a little bit of teaching or sharing on cancer. Trying to decide. One of a kind items? Limited edition exclusive sets? Or what? Not sure yet.

Pink Ribbon Eye Pair in front of Dee’s Designs in support of Breast Cancer

My Pink Ribbon Eye mare kept giving daughters and no sons I could put back with her, so I gave up and bought another Pink Ribbon Eye male from Chloe.  Since the mare is named Dee after my mother, the male is Bob after my father.

Summer Horse mares with a Black & Gold Morgan stud. Plants for display will be available for sale in a box together.

New project in oyo breedables that I hope to have a sales line from one day is getting the sun eye onto the morgan coat. This herd gives me another option, actually, because the male also has the crown eye. Could get crown eye onto the summer coat too.

For breedables, we have a few more rare horses at our TR Ranch stand, but they do go quickly. I hope that my herds keep kicking out the coats. I’m about to heaven the extra lives I have out for sale at the TR Ranch stands, so I hope they sell soon. Much is the same at Dunvalos Ranch, except I heavened a lot of the extra crown brands and redesigned the sales area to separate the coats for easier shopping.

White wolf coat on Great Dane body.

Now, you hear me say time and time again I really don’t like the oyo wolves. Not at all. If I get a starter pack and it births wolf, I heaven it. If I get a wolf from a breeder it’s heavened. Except this one. I could sell this white wolf very easily to pay for a few packs of bones, but had to birth it out of curiosity. It actually looks neat! Eye says black, but looks like silver. And it’s out of my rare creme dane pair so she’s going to go back to Dad. May be worth something as a breeder and will make a cool pet when she’s done.

Preview of Halloween display Mystic is currently building in the store area. Halloween’s on the way!

Book displays are being updated in the Marion Margaret Press book walk. New books coming out in November!

New Rock Pond with girl and waterfall. Sculpt.

The newest line for landscaping is the rock ponds. I’m offering four basic rock ponds and then a bunch of different themed ones, with plants, animals, mushrooms, or fairies added in. Some are all sculpt while others are sculpt and mesh combinations.

New double rock pond series.

I also offer 7 different rock ponds with a ivy covered rock behind them for larger landscaping needs. These are mesh and sculpt combined.

Lady Dark Shade Designs coming soon!

Good news! My friend has finally settled into a new home and with internet again after losing everything to a tornado three months ago. She’s setting up her online businesses again and will be back in Inworldz very soon! Lady Dark Shade Designs will be back to Dunvalos Reach soon.

Both the ground level and the upper breedables level are well stocked, with more to come soon!

Dunvalos Reach Stores and Landscaping Level

Dunvalos Reach Breedables, Memorials, More landscaping level

 

 

Hiding under my virtual rock #inworldz

Sometimes life hits you hard, speaking mentally versus physically for me.  Death has never been the easiest of things for me to take, and especially when it seems to make people suffer so much before the end.  Family visits like the last one can be so exhausting and I don’t expect it to improve anytime soon.

Add to that I’m awkward in dealing with many issues of a more mental nature. Probably because I have my hands full trying to keep my own brain working properly through my own issues. LOL

Friends with depression that still function through life, I can handle. Know a few with bi-polar, few living on meds, etc. The individuals just being stupid in their decisions about life…nah…no patience whatsoever with. They don’t want to talk to me, would only hear “get your foot out of your a**”.  Worked hard all my life, good jobs and crap ones. Set aside my dreams for 26 years to take care of family first, went beyond my responsibilities to them…no sympathy from me. I’ve known my life goal since the age of ten, but spent many years taking care of business before being able to reach my dream. Not saying you need to set it aside as long as I did, but you do need to take care of your own responsibilities and go for your dreams, responsibly.

But now there’s dementia in one, and an undefined mental illness that’s drastically changed someone close to me in the works.  Those are areas I can’t handle. My insides just shake and well, you know when you’ve reached your personal limit on what you’re capably of handling…that’s me.

Then to find another close to you was just diagnosed with cancer and given 2-3 years.  Emphasize another. Way way too many.

This came about in the midst of already dealing with one member on other side of family living his last days under very stressful circumstances. Get back to hotel, feeling like I wanted nothing more than to “crawl under my virtual rock called Inworldz” and build where things were still sane…only to get a call to get to hospital few hours later and spend the night there with my mother. She’s okay now, but utter exhaustion!

Experiences like the ones hitting us this year really do put things into perspective. Make you reconsider what’s important in life and what’s not.

Oddly, or how many would consider odd, is how important my virtual world is to me now. I realize its true value is in the strength it gives me to live through life’s challenges. Being able to create and build and share those creations with others is a huge stress relief. Same with the writing, the art, the other hobbies we enjoy.

You don’t hear a lot about this from those using games as a way to de-stress and gain strength to meet life’s challenging moments. We’re usually quiet about the importance of this…normally just showing off what we made and saying we love being there.

The ones you hear about are the ones using virtual living as a crutch to avoid life. So, people ignorant of how these worlds truly work, assume the worse sometimes. That’s another topic and not what I’m talking about here.

I’m just saying how recently I’ve realized how my virtual world work has become a valuable tool for me in handling the life stress. Give me an hour of building and playing with my critters and I can tackle that Real World issue a little better.

Now that’s out of the way…hey, how about some updates?

I’m nearly finished with the outdoor set up of the stores on the ground floor. These first pictures deal with that level.

The buildings are more in theme now for these original stores. The one in the corner will be Tempest Myst Designs 2, lots of bean bag chair, rugs and probably more pillows cause 1000 pillows is not enough.

 

The Marion Margaret Press book walk and a tree sales area takes up one side of the sim on the ground level.

The Myst relaxation area in the next corner hasn’t changed much, but Mystic and I need to work on filling this building with product now. Various buildings and home decor, plus whatever strikes our fancy will be there.

The Book Emporium did not change, of course. The other corner is reserved, though I’m not sure when my friend who lost everything in the tornado can return to her business yet.

There’s more work to do at the breedables level 3000m up. Three more buildings to finish creating for the one side, Lindren’s cottage needs decorating again before the Silverwood Memorial is complete, Mystic has one memorial section to finish in the community memorial area and I have one to finish there too. Plus a few landscaping items to add in here and there. Still have to get the corral pieces out and set for sale, plus some other items for animals.

I’ve rearranged to open it up a little as it seemed to be to bog down a bit with all the alphas in place, or I assume that was the cause. Think it’s working well now, I’ve had a few good comments in from visitors so far.   Myst/Uru players may recognize our backdrop.

Mystic’s Egyptian Dodo Pen and Iron Pig Display stand are set for sale.

 

Mystic also has a Steampunk Inspired Butterfly Pig Corral for sale. A tribute to “when pigs fly” phrase perhaps?

 

The Crown Brand and Morgan Display garden. Have 50 bundles there now for sale…may need to think of a big buy it or I heaven it sale and start over on stock.

 

My lovely Black Buckskin Unicorn in the middle of the grasses and flowers sales display.

 

The Summer Horses have their own display area now. In front is a new Autumn corral/gazebo set for sale.

 

I’ve added bright fantasy grasses around the sales area, some in front with the pegasus and black unicorn, others are in the back there.

 

So far to offer with my basic wagon I have scattered hay piles. More coming soon for this section. Next to it is the edge of the community Memorial area.

 

This is the Garden of Hope to remember all the children we’ve lost.

 

Beginning to the Silverwood Enclave, memorial for Sandie Bergen. The forest is complete and the gates are there. Still need to refurbish Lindren’s house and add some extra touches.

 

An Autumn themed forest piece. I think it’s done. I just need to double check everything and make the sales box for it.

Everything’s good. I’ve switched to Singularity viewer and love the results. FPS didn’t increase, but it runs a lot smoother and the textures rez in way better for me. And so much clearer!

Only issue I have is I cannot set my animals and bundles for sale in it. I can create and set something for sale so it must be either confined to no-copy items or items made by someone else. Still investigating that issue.

Oyos people still complain of their horses not eating or not breeding or other things. They are quick to blame the 2X2’s for messing with scripts. Not sure I buy that. I have about 60 breeding animals at my 2X2 and have no issues with them at all. In fact, I’ve been building a lot there too and haven’t had issues with anything.

I sure hope the creators are working with Inworldz to track this down properly, not just blaming the grid. There was an update around the same time on the animals. It needs to be looked into also. And I’m sure Inworldz IT dept would find the information valuable for their work if there is a conflict of some sort going on after 2X2’s were initiated. Breedables aren’t the only scripted items players use.

Heavy work week here, lots of book files to get ready for Marion Margaret Press, plus client jobs, but hope to get some time to work in Inworldz and update here again soon. Lots of custom made trees and tree houses may happen. 🙂

Dunvalos Reach Breedables, Landscaping, Corrals, and Memorial Area
https://inworldz/region/Dunvalos%20Reach/132/156/3002

Dunvalos Reach Main LM on ground floor
https://inworldz/region/Dunvalos%20Reach/133/157/22

 

 

#inworldz Dunvalos Reach 8/21 updates

We have a few additions in process this month on the breedables level to offer you. Today I’m going to showcase a few.

But first, I also gave myself a new ME for the season. My avi is like my house, changes with whatever mood I’m in. I could be a mouse or a horse next month! lol  It’s been interesting, and I’m not entirely sure what’s on my end and what’s on Inworldz end. The clothes I have on in this picture is a set with mesh jacket and boots. I’m not wearing those now. Switched to a non mesh boots and just the shirt and pants. My fps lowers with them on.

Could be my end. I do know I have a vid card with some mesh conflicts. Still a huge improvement over my experiences in SL. In Inworldz I can actually put on a mesh avi, when I get a world of trouble in SL. Even with my normal avatar I’m having issues. Last night logged in to SL and no eyes, no skin, no body, no clothes. Oiy!

In Inworldz I often get the cloud. Switch hair base brings me back, but skin falls off so I have to put it back on. Could be Inworldz side. Mystic comes in as a cloud constantly too.

The current me, sort of. I’m flipping between two skins and five hairs. lol

Mystic has added two new buildings to the breedables and home level. She started breeding the pigs so made this ultra unique steampunk designed pig corral. And a matching sales stand to go with it featuring an iron pig. Don’t want the stand or corral, but love the pig? No problem! She has the iron pig set for sale on its own too.

She comes up with the most interesting designs. Never know what to expect from her.

Mystic’s pig corral set for sale. Steampunk with butterfly wings. Who would have thought of that? lol

The stand in front of the corral, also for sale. It has two iron pigs on the roof and the one in the middle of stand is sold separately.

Almost ready to offer this design by me. Inspired by an Elven courtyard stable, yet came out totally different. lol More sections coming to it before it’s ready for sale. But the main section is up now to check out.

 

Now, I know I mentioned SL in this post and I wasn’t going to do that, but I did. It’s relevant to this update. For there’s upcoming updates coming from this weekend. I hope to post this weekend, but may have to post next week. In addition to the additions to Dunvalos Reach that I need to write for this weekend, there’s also a new estate group called Kaedara to introduce.

Kaedara is a continent in my upcoming fantasy novels. I just processed to set up a 2X2 under that name. It will have recreations of my scenes on the four sims. Plus one will house the personal breedables we don’t need showcased on Dunvalos Reach.

I’m going to run more tests while the sims are empty, like I did in SL with the land group I worked with, but handling the breedables so they don’t lag down your sim seems tricky here like it did during SL old days.  So far I have best luck if they’re 3000m and further up in skyboxes. Still getting the hang of how to read the stats here versus SL, but think I can work on a few ideas.

As a side note, I notice some sims I visit not setting their landscaping plants to phantom. I think that should be done. In SL, we got better results when plants, corrals, and sidewalks were set to phantom. Also use the lowest size textures you’re able to. And of course, set your breedables to phantom when possible. I know some of my oyos birth with phantom on, some with it off.

Mentioning SL is relevant to this week’s events because of one major reason. The money I’ve saved by giving up so much in SL is moving to IW. For me, IW is a lot better investment of my funds and my time.

Not just because of sales, because sales isn’t the reason I play the game. But it is a factor in determining if I’m wasting my time or not. In SL, people have lost interest…in a way that’s something more than just the normal summer slowdown. I’ve sold in SL for about 8 years now and am very familiar with the cycles, and done well with some planning through them, by the way.  I suspect it’s because many of my buyers are feeling things out the same way I am.

SL is going through many changes, and the crappy bits are running even more like crap. It’s gotten to the point where it’s no fun anymore. I log in, check my critters, log out. Don’t get to hang with family, don’t get to ride, don’t get to enjoy auctions. Now some of that is just being too work busy, but much is frustrating performance issues.

Like sim crossings. SL people are so worried about sim crossings not being good in IW. Really? In SL, I cross a sim and it’s freeze, crash, or zoom. In Inworldz, and it’s a smooth walk. Don’t get it.

People seem more interested in IW. I get better quality traffic and more sales than in SL. I’ve seen enough to tell where my efforts are not wasted.

Don’t get me wrong. I am keeping a small hold in SL. I love my BB wolves and Tigers and want to play with them once a week, if nothing else. And stay low until I get the new pc next year. See if a different set up helps. And see where LL takes SL after Sansar opens.

I’ve been cautious in Inworldz in the hopes that Biobreeds would set up shop here. There’s a group of us interested, very interested. But recently I found out they’re one of the first batch of creators in Sansar testing. Evidently the tech race and bigger customer base is a thing for them. Not me. My hope now is that someone will make wolves as well as them for Inworldz. I’m very picky about them and haven’t been satisfied with any other breedable or non breedable ones.

Losing hope in Biobreeds, and feeling the love for oyos even more. They’re fun. They’re improving all the time. Yes, their server is slower, but it’s located in a different area, so the lag is expected. Unfortunately users don’t understand that as well as techies. But usually it’s not long wait at all. And they set up a redelivery terminal that has worked great for me. I’ve had to use it many times so far.

And this latest update!!!  Made me feel so good about leaving SL and investing more in IW!  We can choose salt or food when we turn in horses now! So utterly cool.

Cautious no more. I’ve added 30 horses to my ranch now on top of what I’m already breeding.

Updates forthcoming from this weekend:
Pictorial tour of the new Garden of Hope on Dunvalos Reach
New 2X2 set up
New products
Update on stores on ground level of Dunvalos Reach

And I’ll post when I get the other pictures from the artist for Sandie Bergen’s upcoming November release. It’s awesome!

 

Dunvalos Reach #Inworldz Memorial Additions

Building has begun on Dunvalos Reach once again. I’m determined to finish this sim this year!

The latest finished addition is a small memorial to a high school friend of mine. We’ve been trying to reconnect with old friends and today I found Free Bird. Only to discover that she died last year.

Way, way too young. We’re not that old!

Memorial for a friend from high school. We knew her as Free Bird for her love of the eagle.

Mystic is working on a section for honoring her mother who she lost a year ago.

I’m nearly ready to show the Garden of Hope for remembering lost children. Just top section of the fencing to go, the pedestals and flowers. Haven’t decided if I’m going to make a “floor” for it yet.

The final section of the memorial area will be for remembering lost pets. We’ve all lost pets.

More to come in other areas too. Mystic has designed a super unique oyo pig corral and sales area she’s offering for sale. I’m working on an Elven courtyard corral, plus a darker goth version of it to offer for sale.

I’ve started redecorating the ground level, including a store that’s going to be filled with beanbag chairs and more pillows. Because 1000 pillows just isn’t enough to offer people. 🙂

There’s also a hopefully cool design that will go on the ground level across the sim from those stores. With the loss of a few awesome texture designers, I’m setting this up as an art gallery that may become a texture store next year. I may have to get into making textures myself. 🙂

Inworldz is THE best place for builders to be. Someday it will be awesome for more breedables, if the creators would only wise up and realize it.

More coming soon. Including the book cover for Sandie Bergen’s next book release in November. Just saw the first peak of the cover in progress and it’s totally completely AWESOME with a capital AWESOME!

 

#inworldz @oyo_breedable little real life interruptions #thegrumpyblogger

My intent this morning when I signed in and checked my stand at TR was to have a good bitching session on this blog. I didn’t come straight here but did some work instead elsewhere.

I’ve been very restless and a grumpy blogger the last few days. It’s time I sat in the corner and had a time out.

Not to say my upset isn’t valid. It is. And it’s important to me.

TR is a great marketplace. Ran by friendly people. Ben got hold of me when he returned and made good on my rent, very good on it. I’ve never been disappointed in the people in the oyos community once.

But I’m a finicky person. And I have a few pet peeves. In the virtual world one is not allowing people to fly on your region. I detest that!

I know, I’m pathetic and whiny.

I see absolutely no benefit to this. I’ve never disabled this over the years on any of my sims, and I never will. I do not presume to control my visitors to that degree.

Set rules to make sure they’re respectful to others. Yes.

Not this. Not on a public sim. Especially not on place you want people to buy from you.

Now in this case I’m one of the buyers on the sim. I shop there when I have some I’z to spend. BUT I’m very busy. I do not have time to walk around an entire sim. I fly to shop. Always have, always will.

This morning, suddenly the fly option is disabled on TR. It wasn’t before. If it was, I would not have set up there. I left another place because trying to put up with it was a royal pain. And I did try. It’s just not how I play.

So, now I’m committed to 24 days at a place I won’t shop around. Kind of sucks.

I’m hoping the fly option is a mistake and will be enabled again soon.

So, hey! Let’s go to a positive thing now I got the whine for my day out of the way.

Oyos may have another win for me in the horses. Maybe. There’s no announcement. In the short moments of time I get to sign in there’s no chatter.

But the last four or five bundles have actually shown female with the coat. And the one we did birth was female.

Does this mean we’ll get to see the actual sex of the bundle before birthing from now on?  I hope so!!!

Real life:

Yes. For one thing, I’m going crazy. We’ve wavered between flooding and storms and heatwaves here that my system is all out of whack from it. I’m a very geographically controlled person when it comes to inspiration and it’s been super unstable for months now.

Cabin fever style of symptoms.

Then I have a painful, but manageable hidden condition flaring up. Doesn’t get better in a few weeks may ask doctor for more help with it.

Stress could be triggering it. I’m not going to say it gently…just come right out with it. My dad’s dying. I don’t know when, could be today, could be a long time from now. But many of us feel this is his last year.

There’s a meeting with the doctor for him Thursday. This is so serious that all my siblings will be there. (This is NOT normal.)  I live 400 miles away.

We were prepared when we heard about it last week to go for a long weekend and be there for it. He’s done well over the weekend though and has been taking it easy, so I decided against it.

Pretty sure there’s a serious surgery to follow this meeting. That surgery may not happen immediately. Going to see when that is and explore being there for that instead. He’s got support for this bit. And I did go back and spend a week with them a few weeks ago.

I was going to take on a few new clients, but cancelled that. Working on my own products for now. Something I can do on a very flexible schedule without strict deadlines during this uneasy time. My dad is not the only family member in danger, and there’s some other things in need closer to home to allow for.

Plus get this dang pain to subside.

In the midst of this, I’m working with Sandie’s family to fulfill her final wishes for her books. This is an honor that helps drive me forward through the mayhem of life.

The two artists are working hard on this with me. Part of which is a ton of custom made gradients to use for textures on the virtual world memorials and around the internet.

I had a 1/2 hour phone meeting with her husband and trying hard to work on the things we came up with during that. Going slow. None of us are having an easy time with it. But it is fulfilling to do something for someone else.

And it has worked wonders with me. Reaffirmed how important family is to me. Our 28th is this weekend. May not do much, but we will make sure to have time for family as part of celebrating it. My husband is a treasure.

Sandie Bergen: author of The Jada Trilogy and Cat’s Tales. http://www.marionmargaretpress.com

Looking at my #Inworldz business planning

Am I going to run Dunvalos Reach like a real business or just use it for play, not caring about the Izzies it makes?

This is a huge choice I need to make. Which means I better study how inworld business works a little bit further than I have over the years.

Now, I’ve been running some sort of virtual world business for nearly ten years. Just in a very relaxed manner, compared to how I’ve ran my RL businesses. And I’ve never used marketplace for my own products, although I’ve purchased regularly from them.

The realization of just how naive I am came to light recently.

Lady Dark Shade Designs is ran by a good friend of mine. She has a reserved spot on Dunvalos Reach, but hasn’t been able to use it yet. And thanks to a tornado wiping out everything they own in real life, except for their two dogs, she’s not going to be able to get to it for a good while yet.

It sucks. Bad luck for them to have the tornado, and not be covered by insurance. Then, when they get back to the ruins of their home, they found out that anything salvageable has been stolen. The officials in charge promised to have the place guarded, but did not.

Now I did not follow the recent events concerning Inbiz. Obviously, she was preoccupied and didn’t either. Neither of us knew anything was wrong until she went to take her money out of it. Seems that service was ran by a single person and said person has disappeared.

Yes, people are concerned and patiently waiting. But chances are, everything is lost. This is NOT what my friend needed on top of everything else.

And here is where I’m naive. Dummy me thought for sure IW management would have rules in place for people offering global servers to their customers.

Where else am I naive at and unprotected with this situation?

It’s not that I don’t trust IW management. I do. I’ve just obviously assumed too much and have a lot I need to learn before I can answer my main question about my business goals.

In RL, this is a busy time for my publishing part of the business. I have multiple files to prepare and fall releases to prepare for.  I am not sure I’ll increase my inworld work time. Building is going slow as it is.

Visitors isn’t too bad. Sales seem to cover the costs of my classifieds for the non-breedable products.

Breedables aren’t that great in sales, but have been recently very well. A certain individual has evidently started his own project I cater to. That doesn’t happen that often, but nice when it does.

I did think to go back to marketplace and paid for a spot at TR. Yet Ben and Jenny seem offline. Vacation or something. And obviously don’t have anyone watching their place for new renters.

I’m guessing I’ll get credit for lost days when they return, but not sure. We’ll find out I guess.

None of my comps like Wild Rose Ranch, which I would like to be at, so won’t try there. I do visit and work through the lag to shop sometimes still.

The other one I like is MK but they’re full now. Should grabbed one when I saw it.

Not sure if returning to a market will help or not, but feels like a good way to advertise when I don’t have the time to do it the old fashioned way myself.

One thousand pillows I tell you. I got one thousand to choose from, unscripted ones are copy and modify to add your own sits in if you like.

 

Dunvalos Reach Redesign update #inworldz

I’m making progress on the breedables and more level for Dunvalos Reach. Going a bit slow for me due to real life work and family.

Next is moving the Silverwood memorial up to that level and making the multiple corrals I’ll sell for the middle sections. I hope to get a lot of time to work this weekend, along with the hour a day I get until then.

I’m selling morgans and crown branded horses from a build inspired by a German palace garden.

The NE corner is done with a canopied build featured in the previous post and sales for grasses and trees.

The Native Warrior horses have a special mayan designed backdrop by Whisper Carfield.

Our oyos sales stores feature horses, dogs, cats, and dodos. We have no plans on breeding fuzzies, of course.

I’ve taken up collecting pegasus, so I built a pegasus display that’s also for sale. As is the big elven style foyer behind them.