Yes, he did delete all his blogs himself.


He was last seem carrying his bat and ball and heading for home.

OMG! They all flounced at once!

As, you all know I love vintage clothes because they are one-of-a-kind.  Here is a list I found on the web, of the 10 best vintage stores in Los Angeles, California.

● American Rag CIE (Hollywood) – Safari vintage adventure shopping complete with taxidermy beasts and clothes that make us hurt so good we’d take a bullet for ‘em.
● Jet Rag (Hollywood) – Who doesn’t need to thrash through an entire room devoted to leather and lingerie while browsing?

● Flounce (Echo Park) – Out with the new and in with the old.
● Shareen Vintage (Venice) – Vintage shopping free-for-all. “Free” meaning astonishingly cheap. “For all” meaning colossal collection of designer pieces.
● Wasteland (West Hollywood) – Bruce Willis from Die Hard hooks up with Kill Bill’ssexy, deadly Uma Thurman for a too-good-to-be-true revenge fantasy on Hollywood kind of boutique. 
● Hotel De Ville (West Hollywood) – Nothing says eyeglass shopping like aged scotch and vintage dead stock rims.
● Come to Mama(Silverlake) – We’d come to mama every time she called if she were handing out presents like floor length crocheted dresses, Keith Richards snake skinned cowboy boots or peacock feather earrings.
● Good Will (Hollywood) – What is and never should be. Hollywood’s best and most picked-over thrift store.
● Madley (Venice) Pilgrimages to desert thrift stores make for spiritual shopping in Venice. 
● Tavin(Echo Park) – Vintage fashion is modern vogue chic. Fashionistas dig their heels in deep to scour through a greatest hits collection of the best of fashion’s past.

Flounce one niner you’re cleared for takeoff

THE FLOUNCE EXPRESSWAY Let me drive you

As God is my witness, I will never come to this forum again

THE GOLDEN FLOUNCE AWARD

FLOUNCE ONE NINER You’re cleared for takeoff

Roger that tower
Stealth flounce sequence initiated

Ooh the flouncy flouncy

Flounce motherfucker

My boss, Clark, used to be in sales.

Based on my meeting with him today, you’d never have guessed.

This morning I walked by his office. He was on the phone. He snapped his fingers to get my attention. Then he waved me in.

After he hung up, he told me he needed a favor.

Apparently there’s a corporate “spirit” committee. Their mission? Find ways to boost employee morale.

Turns out it’s mandatory that every division have a rep on the committee.

Clark suggested that I should be our volunteer mandatory spirit rep.

He “sold” it by saying his hands were tied and as far as he was concerned it was all a colossal waste of time. Then he gave me the “hard sell.” I had no choice and at least it would get me out of here a few hours a month.

I believe the term is “voluntold.”

When I asked “Why me?” Clark looked pained.

I realized it was because I was walking by his door as he was getting his spirit committee orders.

But Clark used to be in sales. So he told me that he wanted someone who wouldn’t embarrass him… too much.

At this point, I think he sensed that his pitch was lacking “spirit.”

He tried to rally. He told me that I wouldn’t need to do anything, just show up and pretend to be interested.

Then he said “You can do that. Can’t you?”

…And so I’m now the customer service rep on the spirit committee.

My first suggestion to improve morale? Employees should avoid walking past their manager’s doors.

Go team!

Flouncing is the trendy new thing to do, it seems.

I can’t get my head around why someone feels the need to carry on slating Second Life when they’ve left the virtual world, or why they continue using SL when they clearly have no love for it.

I asked around for opinions on why various people insist on flouncing at people who are still in Second Life and insisting that SL is an epic fail, and we’re all blind fools for not seeing it.

I think it starts with the basics of what you want from Second Life – I want an avenue to create my visual ideas and explore them in a 3D environment, as well as sharing my ideas with other people, meeting them and discussing the ideas with them, and finding about their backgrounds to see how my creative ideas play into their lives.

Other people will come into Second Life looking for other things – be it love, money or some other aspect which they find intriguing and carve themselves a affection to the virtual world.

Apparently having a favourable view of Second Life makes me a “fanboy” or a “Web 2.0 Douchtard” which is probably the most laughable things I’ve heard. I’m working on a “Flounce-o-meter” which will rank the best of these laughable labels.

But it seems that these people have deep emotional scarring which causes them to react in aggression when they see an article which shows an affection for Second Life.

The first aspect is that these people are still deeply attached to Second Life – lets face it.. if you didn’t want anything to do with SL, you wouldn’t be reading blogs on the metaverse.

Or would you? One of the comments likened the flouncing to “buying a brand of car, getting a dud, and telling everyone you will never buy from that maker again”. And I can completely appreciate that, but then if a thousand other people had the same car and it worked fine, then aren’t you looking a bit stupid?

Read the rest of this article over at Metaversally Speaking..

When you leave Second Life should you be doing it quietly – without good-byes, without explanation, without reflecting on your experiences? Are you meant to quietly slip away as if those weeks, months, years, were nothing? If you speak out you risk having the post being called a “flounce” apparently.

A recent post by Prad bothered me because even though it revolved around an individual who he wasn’t impressed with, it also had generalised attacks on people who continue to share their opinions about Second Life after they’ve left it. The post’s title says it all – “STFU“. To use his own words: “So it appears that there is something worse than a critic who’s never bothered to try Second Life properly – An informed critic who’s got both venom and a personal agenda.” By that stage your opinion is only relevant or important if it is either (1) positive and up-beat or (2) if it’s not positive it has to be by someone still in-world. Whether someone has “venom and a  personal agenda” is very easy to accuse and assert – almost any conceivable negative opinion of Second Life could be designated as a result of venom and personal agenda.

I very rarely find myself disagreeing with Prad – not just because he was such a close friend but also because he’s simply often right. But his latest post was a contradiction of his one before it. In that previous post he spoke out against the blogs which attacked individuals, in his own words: “Maybe I skipped a step somewhere in the social revolution, but I figured if you’re going to offend people, you needed to do it with a little class and not start publicly victimising named people. I can’t see the point of it, other to make people avoid you like the plague for fear of being your next victim.” Secondly in that previous post he said that negative opinions are fine when accompanied by constructive advice (such as tutorials). The person he’s attacked in STFU did give constructive advice on how Second Life could improve its future.

Surely we should want to know what made people leave? And when those people are good enough to openly suggest a list of ways Second Life could have improved the experience, should we not praise them and reflect on their points rather than condemn them?

When you leave and are trying to decide whether to speak out about it or not, you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t: If you leave without a word you’re rude and cruel, if you leave with words you’re called a drama queen and told to shut up. You’re effectively pressured into silence about the real reasons behind your actions, and only meant to share the nice bits. Where the problems should have been voiced and could have been solved, they are intimidated into saying nothing.

I expect I will regret doing this post because it may cause the exact sort of drama that us leavers are meant to not cause, and because I loath to cause Prad any bother or bad press. But this is what blogging is all about right? It’s the place to share your experiences and opinions – even if they are negative ones about why you left Second Life.

Young, feminine, flirty, and very Gossip Girl!

Zac was back with his Spring 2009 collection that showed his range, versatility, and top-notch tailoring. He mixed couture gowns with bathing suits, cocktail dresses with pant suits. Some silhouettes were sheer and very body hugging, while layered fabric on some pieces created a beautiful doll-like effect. They were gorgeous – perhaps some of my favorite pieces of the collection. I liked how the designer switched between the form-fitting silhouettes and the forthy, layered look. He certainly has a lot of imagination. I loved the pieces in the collection that channeled Alice in Wonderland meets Gossip Girl. It just had this feminine whimsy to it. I loved the costume turkey dress at the end, with its huge pink, white, and black flounce. It added the right tone of fun, drama, and panache to the collection.

I also enjoyed the live interview that Zac gave to the very charming Andrew Leon Talley on the runway after the show. It gave us insights into the mind of this wunderkind. Can’t wait to attend his next show.

Posted by Tilia

Oh, the night I’ve had.

So, yeah, I’m moving in nine days.  My last day of work is next Saturday (which is in seven days), and I thought I’d have roughly until then to settle the matter(s) on Guitar Guy.  

Apparently, I was all sorts of wrong.

Tonight was Guitar Guy’s birthday (oddly enough, it’s also my kid brother’s birthday.  Whatever.)  So, I had a massive amount of trepidation about going in tonight, and even briefly considered calling in, so I wouldn’t have to deal with the inevitable group of friends, including the girlfriend, that would show up to wish him good tidings.

I even found out a few days ago that there would be a cake and ice cream, which I assumed would mean that it was an even bigger deal, therefore an even more solid confirmation that the Girlfriend would show up.  I was unable to handle even the mental image of Guitar Guy receiving a birthday kiss from anyone but me.

However, the cake and ice cream seemed to be just from the band, and handled entirely in the green room, so that was a relief.  Guitar Guy swung down between the first and second sets (there are four), and I grabbed him to wish him a happy b-day, and all that jazz.

“So, my last day is next Saturday,” I said, in an off-handed, pleasebeworkingSaturday type of way.  

“Oh … I’m gone all next week.”

There was a long pause in which we stared at each other, and then I glanced at his mouth.  ”So, that means that tonight is …” I trailed off, not really sure how I should phrase, “the last opportunity I have to rape you.”

“Yeah,” he said, checking his phone for the time.  The next set was about to start so he leaned forward and squeezed my shoulder.  ”I will be back,” he promised, but then was forced to run to the stage.

During the next set, while alternately having really intense eye sex with Guitar Guy, a Boy came in who has been casually dating one of my good friends, a light tech from the club, who wasn’t in tonight.  The Boy is very sweet, if not slightly below my friend’s potential league, and I swung by to say hello and chat him up a bit.

“Where is Josh tonight?” the Boy asked.

“Oh, he’s off yesterday and today,” I answered, jovially.

“Really?”

“Yeah, we went to see The Dark Knight, yesterday.  It was amazing.”

“…  Well, then apparently I’ve been repeatedly lied to.  Because, he told me he had to work every day for the past two weeks, and was booked solid for the weekend.”

“… oh … um … oh …”

Now, honestly, what was I supposed to do?  I immediately told the other working light tech, and we texted him to warn him, but never got responses.  I now have a slip of receipt paper in my apron that says, “Tell Josh I’ll miss him.”

I feel responsible.  But, honestly!  

How was I to know?

Anyway, so, around the time we were texting Josh about me completely screwing up his romantic venture, I noticed this very petite woman dressed like a cheap stripper near the sound booth.  I knew immediately that this was the Girlfriend.

Physically, she’s polar opposite of me.  I’m reasonably tall (5′6″), curvy, blonde, and I look my age, which is 22.  This girl looked OLD, but I guess hot in a far-away sort of manner.  She was kinda-Asian, super small, and boy-shaped.

It honestly astounds me that the same man would find both of us attractive.  

I should also mention that the other time I’ve seen her, she didn’t look Asian.  Just tonight.  Maybe it was the caked on eye makeup.

I passed by her, with my eyes still locked on his, and looked at her next to me, then back to him.  He didn’t even realize who I’d looked at for another few minutes.  So, even if she didn’t know who I was before that point, she knew now.

She spent the rest of the evening glaring at me.  I suppose this was warranted, but I’m pretty sure she knew who I was before she even got there, since it was in front of one of her friends/co-workers that I found out about her existence.

He came down after the next set, and I brought him a shot the door host had bought him.  I did this quickly so to not be forced to meet her, but he hadn’t even made time for her yet.  When he did, they stood a polite distance apart and conversed.

The Light Tech for this evening went on and on about how much closer he stands to me when we talk.  It’s true.  There’s chemistry between us, even if there’s comfort between them.  Comfort relationships depress me.  

As she talked to him, she continued to glare at me.  This, for some reason, put me in a better mood, and I continued to flounce about, making obscene amounts of money off of my tables.

So, since nothing aside from continued eye contact (right in front of her!) happened for the next set, we’re going to skip ahead to the next break, where he and she go outside and have a giant blow-out argument.  I wonder if I was part of it.

She stormed back in, tears running down her face, which seemed to put everyone in the club into a morbidly good mood, and he just didn’t seem to care in the least.  He went back on stage, and had a great time.  

We even had some close proximity eye contact after that, including a booth leaving and me cleaning it in the most inappropriate way possible.  I climbed into it, sitting up on my knees and wiped it down in un-necessarily slow, wide circles, with my eyes on him.  

He liked it.

The table probably never got all the way clean.

And I found out afterward that all the while, she was upstairs leaning over the balcony, right in his line of view, with big crocodile tears and a pout, and he just ignored her, and watched me clean a table.

Unfortunately, she never just left, which I was counting on, since this would be the probable last time I’d ever see him.  

So, when the night ended, and she was still following him around like the Super Nintendo version of Zelda, I weaved my way through the tables toward him as he was waving goodbye.

“You know I’ll never see you again, right?” I said, loudly, drawing his attention as I got closer.

“Right.  Never again,” he said, as though we’re destined to see each other over and over for the rest of our lives.

“You have to say goodbye,” I said, and went to give him a light hug, since she was standing right there, but he scooped me into his arms hard, and held me very tight.

After a moment’s hesitation, I threw my arms around his neck and sank into it myself.  ”I’m going to miss you, you know.  I really am.”

“I know,” he said.

“I know that you know,” I responded, tearfully, and he leaned his head against mine.  If she hadn’t been standing there, we would’ve kissed.  We both felt it.

Apparently, she just stood there with her jaw on the ground, staring at us, then grabbed his guitar and made a huffy beeline for the door.

So, while not ideal, the night was kind of awesome.  However, it should’ve been awesome of its own accord, not as the Last Night We’d Ever See Each Other.  What shit timing, seriously.

So, a few minutes ago, I added him on facebook.  As soon as he approves me, I’m sending him a message letting him know that I never got to say goodbye like I wanted to, my phone number, and an invitation for “coffee or something.”

He may be out of town until I move.  Gone.  

It may be over now.  But, it shouldn’t be.  It was never supposed to end like this. 

Maybe it hasn’t.