Here’s what I learned this last semester in private piano lessons:

Bach – Invention No. 8

Chopin – Prelude Op. 28 Nos. 4 and 11

Ginastera – Prelude 6

Hayes – Lord Be Glorified

Blomdahl – No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus

Here’s a run down. The Bach invention was relatively simple. It pushed my technical ability but in the end was my easiest piece. The two Chopin pieces gave me grief all semester. I just couldn’t really get them. I HATE Chopin. I don’t really but they were tough for me. I just didn’t get it. Ginastera was fun to learn. I did and still hate 20th Century music but that’s ok. This was SO much fun to play and learn. Hayes. I love reharmonization of regular stuff. It was fun to learn. This was the easiest piece to learn. The piece that gave me the most stress this semester was my hymn arrangement. It wasn’t fully mine. My piano teacher gave me most of it but I guess we’re calling it mine because I hand wrote it and slaved over it for hours and hours and hours and hours…well you get the picture.

What I’m learning next semester:

He didn’t give me everything for next semester he gave me the classical stuff:

Bach – Invention 6

Chopin – Prelude Op. 28 No. 15

Ginastera – Prelude 12

The Bach is back and harder. Haha! The Chopin isn’t too much harder it’s just longer. The Ginastera looks SO much easier but looks are deceiving I’ve found out. It’s relatively simple it’s just weird sounding…the EXACT reason I don’t like 20th Century music.  Well there’s what happened musically for me this last semester.

Also for those of you who heard some songs of my first cd especially from youtube, I’d like to announce that I’m planning on starting a new one soon…just working on getting the music together.

Skins from left to right:

Nicole Jewel light, no hairbase,  freckles // Kelly Jewel dark, hairbase, no freckles // Michelle Jewel, light, no hairbase, freckles

part of 5th Xmas group gift (join fee!, available in-store for 2 days at longest, better pick  it up NOW!)

*YourSkin & YourShape*

Hair A Neat Mess Updo, platinum blonde & plummy – Xmas gift, free – Gracie`s

Left: Victora Jumpsuit rose – free in-store amongst the normal priced jumpsuits (if you are in Vain Inc. group, check notices, it´s also a group gift) – Ricielli

Right: Holiday Sweater & Cap – Xmas gift – Hudson  Clothing  Co

Christmas Mouton boots – part of Christmas gift – Ordinary Design

Chunky Stiletto Pumps – not free – HOC Industries

Leggings – not free - Prelude

Lady Emerald Gown (incl. gloves and shoes)  – group gift// Holly n Balls brooche & earrings – Christmas gift

Hudson Clothing Co

Wearable white Cheshire shoulder cat (fades out when touched)   – opening gift, free for a very limited time only! and exclusive at

.:SHD:. @ Peace Island

There´s a TP sign at your landingpoint.

Poses from Torridwear

****

Have fun with your gifts

Thank you, designers!

Skin Daydream 2.0 Goth-Brilliant – part of group gift (Holiday Gift)  – *Cupcakes

Hair Minx – free – Vignette

Veschi (Designer/Owner  Alla Ruff) is back with new releases and  a new mainstore at Thibedeau.Have a look around, and don´t forget to join the subscribo. The old Veschi group will be deleted.

Shown here are the first subscribo-group gifts, samples of  Veschi`s new releases:

1980something (skirt and shorts with ruffles) – Beast Friends Forever leggings  gold and green – Partially Parallel leggings turquoise and blue

Color Me Ruffled blouses (6 colors in total) are from Frop! You get this set for only 15 Linden at Winterville Bazaar.  Stop by and check out the booths, all goods are transfer and nothing is more than 15 Linden. Who`s there? Snatch, Prue`s, Mango Mango!, Before Sleep, Holly Pocket, 50flats, Digital Eyes, WhoNose, LeMelange … just to mention a few

No Strings Attached jacket (on the left) and Bourgewhat? blouse are also  gifts from Veschi.

Snowflake bodysuit worn underneath the green jacket is  from L.Fauna. It´s the “50 L Friday Apology Gift” Get it from the wooden box in-store.

Knit pans chocolat and Lundi Suit pants silver (part of Lundi Suit) are from Prelude and not free.

Pose Claire is  from S.LOVES.

****

Enjoy your freebies

Thank you, designers!

Skin worn in all pics:  Eva tone4/br – part of new Dec VIP gift  (join fee!, gift in group notices) – Tuli

Presente Balloon Dress – subscribo-group gift – Primalot

Hazard Kitty Hair (worn in all pics)  – free – Biedermann`s Quality Hair, Berenice Mall

This hair is scripted. You can resize it, change the color of the balls, and best of all you can remove the small snowflakes and the balls  as well. Your avatar does a nice animation to remove the hair ornaments   To get the Hazard Kitty hair in several colors just look for gift boxes like the one sitting on  Biedermann`s counter desk. Gift boxes are all set to zero Linden, and they are not hard to find. Just look inside Biedermann`s store, inside the shops at Berenice Mall and even outside.

Torrid Dress, green (there´s also a red version) – free (red and green gift box next Xmas tree – Digital Knickers

Cara Xmas Dress red (worn with A-Line skirt)  – Adventgift #20, in-store  (group only) - Ivalde

Cara dress comes without the little gemstone. It is part of Noelle dress. Sorry, I forgot to detach it!

Noelle Indigo Dress – Christmas gift (subscribo-group gift) – Prelude

Noelle dresses are available in more colors, and for free! To get them  visit Prelude`s mainstore and Prelude`s  outlets at Fusion and at Malt Village.

Holiday Beginnings Gown (left) by  Silk & Satyr

Xmas Gown (right) by SD Wears

both available for free (gift boxes under Christmas tree) at Urban Shopper by the Sea

****

Poses “Cheryl” – S.LOVES

****

Enjoy your gifts

Thank you, designers!

Over the years, I have struggled with what happens during the prelude.

In a perfect order of worship, with perfect people, in a perfect church, in a perfect world, the prelude time would be quiet, marked only by the whispers of private prayer as people prepare for worship.  I have served churches in which this was the case.  Whether or not everyone was praying, I don’t know; but there was a hush during the prelude.

I have served churches that the social networking activity during the prelude was like Times Square on New Years Eve as the ball drops.  On one occasion, I could barely hear the prelude.  In my naïveté, assuming that everyone had the same biblical understanding  and demeanor about worship, I would approach the Worship Committee or Church Council for help.  To my surprise, what seemed like a pretty straight forward issue, inevitably exploded into controversy.

To compound things, the moment of the worship service called “The greeting”; “Passing the Peace”; or “Ritual of Friendship”; usually was the quick descent into controlled chaos, sometimes adding anywhere from 5-10 minutes to the service.

Let me say before I go any further, I did not ever find a perfect solution to either of these.

In one conversation, a friend turned to me and said, “The way I see it, we are just loving one another.”  I have pondered that insight for years.  Another insight was that due to the busy schedules of families, Sunday morning was really the only time they could meet, greet, and check up on one another.  It was a community builder.  You can’t argue with that.

So what have I found effective?  Based on the simple principle that you cannot seriously and effectively legislate silence during the prelude or set firm, realistic boundaries on community building.  You have to find other ways to get to where you are going.

1. Through conversation, I tried to discover what the conversation and noisy social networking meant for the worshippers.  Some were bothered by it as they needed some peace and quiet before worship.  Others loved it.
2. Rather than trying to control human nature and tradition, I interjected some new things in worship to help keep focused.  Working through the Worship Committee and not approaching it as a problem to be fixed, but an opportunity to help people grow in their faith, we gradually began the following.
3. I started the worship service on time with a loud, “The Lord be with you!!”, or “Good morning!!”  Some Sundays I had to say it twice.  I didn’t make a big production about it.  After a couple of weeks, the congregation figured out what I was doing and went along.
4. I would read a verse of scripture dealing with worship, silence before God, coming to God’s house and the like.
5. I would invite the people to join me in prayerful silence before God, allowing the music of the prelude to enhance the meditative time.  Ushers would not seat people during this time.
6. I would then say a prayer, call to worship, announce a hymn or some other opening, which could include the choir singing something.  What I wish I had done, and will do again if I ever have the opportunity, is to kneel in prayer immediately after my invitation.
7. I sprinkled Bible Studies and sermons on worship throughout the year as well as newsletter articles.

The greeting time was another matter.  The closest I came to setting some boundaries was to announce it as a time to greet each other in Christ, and not to share life stories.  That didn’t fly well.  So I went with the flow.  I consistently observed people greeting visitors and one another.  I waded into the crowd myself.  At the proper, I would stand in the sent of the altar area, just waiting.  It worked.   It was a much better alternative that entering the church, sitting through the service, and leaving without acknowledging anyone’s presence.  When the issue came up in Council about the length of the service, someone would suggest cutting the greeting time. That would end the discussion for several months.

There is a tension between community building and reverencing the sacredness of God’s space and time.  I never resolved it-and maybe I never will.  Maybe it is not something to be resolved.

Please share your thoughts by commenting.

Blessings

Bill

I don’t know anything about skiing, snowboarding or any other winter sports, but I do know that the slopes are a great place to find cosy cafes selling oversized mugs of thick, creamy hot chocolate – and you must understand that my need for a cocoa fix is strong indeed.

The skin sets off this look, and was an easy choice from Pink Fuel. Mochi Milena has created a very sweet looking face on this skin, the flushed cheeks and smattering of freckles giving a very youthful feel. The lips on this skin are gorgeous, pursed and slightly open with a natural tone and subtle shimmer that really brings them to life. Detailing and shading is soft all over the body, giving the smoked out eyes a real drama, particularly when set against the bright highlights to the top of the eye socket.

This cosy sweater is from Prelude. The colour grabbed be initially – this looks great with pretty much any skin tone and hair colour, and as such is one of my favourites. I was impressed with the multitude of layering options which really do allow for some fantastic mixes with other pieces. The material is textured to great effect with some nice creasing to the back and front. The rolled collar features a three button close to the left, and has a small excess of material that rolls out from beneath, giving it enough quirk to be different to the majority of turtlenecks on the market.

The bolero is a shirt layer from an Ivalde outfit, a woolen cropped top with crochet surround. The shape adds interest, as does the emboridered motif around the buttons that fasten across the chest.

I used the snakeskin belt from Artilleri which I’ve previously blogged: there’s no shortage of pretty black belts on the market, but I do love the emphasis this puts on the hips through it’s wide, runched sides. I used part of a skirt from Kyoot to create a simple, figure-hugging lower, allowing me to add some patternation on the legs.

These pretty hatchwork tights from Twosome are essential winterwear. They come as part of a pack which contains various colours and some thigh high black socks, all opaque with a similar styling. There are seams, but they’re actually pretty well wrapped for the most part so it didn’t bother me at all.

Boots are by the talented Lyanis Sin. I previously featured these in a lighter colour on the Lookr blog (scoot through and take a look at the picture if you’d like another closeup). The slouched uppers fold into a sturdy base, the toe stitched with an extra piece of leather which finishes under a leather strap, one of three that style the boot and hold a silver ring in place to the side. They’re a very comfortable looking ankle boot, and if the technicalities of snow-striding don’t bother you too much, you don’t have to limit them to your shopping excursions.

The hairstyle is from ETD and is an old favourite. It’s an easy to wear updo, the fringe swept across to the side of the face with hair pulled back to a cascade of loose curls, with messy tendrils snaking out to the sides. I accessoried with a super sweet pair of earmuffs from Chapeau tres Mignon. The simple band holds floppy eared bunny heads over the ears on either side, these 100% fake fur critters coming complete with glass eye, button noses, and bristle whiskers.

Outfit:
Earmuffs: Chapeau tres Mignon, Bunny Ear Muffs – Brown
Bolero: Ivalde, Anina Bolero – Grey
Jumper: Prelude, High Collar Sweater – Blue
Belt: Artilleri, Snakeskin Sash Belt – Black
Skirt: Kyoot, Loather High-Waisted Mini (lower only)
Tights: Twosome, Cozy Tights – Grey
Boots: Lya, Valentina Boots – Black

Body:
Eyes: SLB, July ‘09 – Hazel
Eyelashes: Beauty Avatar, Regina 03
Hair: ETD, Natalie – Chestnut Burnt
Skin: Pink Fuel, Skye (Honey) – Scene
Nails: Candy Nail, 000 Basic Nail – Cocoa
Poses: Ks2cool, Pose 62-70
Persona, Ms X

Hi everybody,

today´s first blog entry is about Julia Collection. I have blogged Julez Odigaunt`s  amazing opening freebie here.  You must visit this store! I am in love with every single piece there,  even I am  not into this kind of furnishing. But I could watch Julez` creations for hours. The wealth of ideas, stunning textures and colors, and all the little details amaze me. Oh well, I know … a customer only  gaping at the  goods  in pure delight is not the best for the sellers business I think, there´s a good chance that all in a sudden I  make  a purchase. Denying that  I have no use and no free prims  for more furniture. This would not be the first time )

Mini Backyard Park with poses  – Down The Chimney Hunt Gift

Look for Santa`s book. Hint: the book makes me sleepy

Vine Swing – Frostbitten Hunt Gift

Look for snowflakes. Hint: where do a goldfish go when it´s dead?

Velvet Chair with different poses & Dance Floor with “Private Dance”-Animation – Bitten Hunt (Bitten Path)  Gift

I have to admit I am confused with all the hunts. Is the Bitten Hunt the same as the Frostbitten Hunt?  I found a  red snowflake  behind anything on the 2nd floor (hint, hint *cough*).  However, I found this great gift

Happy Hunting!

A big Thank-you over to Julia Collection!

****

Skin Katherine – Free Speerit

Hair Sophia blonde – Vignette

Tweed jacket & Tweed Capri pants – Prelude

Stilettos – HOC Apparel

Pose Neve 07  (left) – dollarbie, limited time!

Pose Kimberley  (right)  – not free

both from  S.LOVES

Laura Sweater in red  – subscribo-group gift – DCNY

Jodphur pants – not free - Prelude

White sweater dress (guys get a white sweater)  – picks  reward gift  -  E!

Argyle tights (3 colors) – free - S@bbia

Jully boots – not free – Decoy

Skin – Icon honey – group gift for What`s New SL group  – *Cupcakes

Hair Charly  – Voting Gift, blogged here  – Alli&Ali

Gift Box (3 poses in total) – subscribo-group gift – EverGlow

Hi all,

I have many many pics waiting to be blogged. I am short on time. So no chatting, let´s start! )

A nice christmas/winter scene with poses (it´s transfer!) you can get for 5 Linden at  S.LOVES.

Btw, the adorable sofa – blogged here -  is now 50 % off, that means you get it for only 200 Linden. That´s a steal!

New released at  S.LOVES are the Neve poses, and as usual one of them – Neve 07 -  is a dollarbie for a limited time (not used in this post but in the next one!).

40 Flavors of Plaid Scarf  (made by Celestine Runo, Twinstars Inc.) you can get also at   S.LOVES.  The scarf comes in 3 sizes, for each size you get the option “attach to spine” or “attach to chest”, and you change the color by just clicking the scarf. There are 40 colors, of course   This is a lovely  and versatile dollarbie totally to my taste. I couldn´t find a store  but there should be one, I want more Twinstars Inc. goodies

Worn with scarves is the knitted beige sweater (blogged here) from Bublee Bing

The nice, short hair style Charly mahagony/blonde  is the Voting Present 4th December from Alli&Ali Designs.

And all the other pretty stuff

on the left:  Skin Sweetheart nutmeg cleavage rainbow – part of What`s New SL group gift  – *Cupcakes

Hair Marie orange/brown – group gift in store – Junwave

Knit Cardigan – dollarbie – B & T Atelier

Phoebe`s Jeans – store closed

Blizzard the Shouder Bear – subscribo-group gift – ANA_Mations

Babydoll Boots, blue – free – In Her Shoes

in the middle:  Skin Fiona Gold – group gift – Free Speerit (store under construction)

High Collar Sweater, red – not free – Prelude

sUmi Jeans, black – not free but on sale   – Tuli

Cap and mittens “Beary White” – December subscribo- group gift  – [KUE!]

Hair worn with cap:  Hat Hair blonde (comes in other colors and sizes as well – free – sf design

Tartan Green Sneakers – subscribo-group gift – Peppermint Blue

on the right:

Skin Luna band-aid – group gift, in notices – Roule

Hair Alex blonde – free, amongst a gazillion of other great xmas gifts – 3636

Louis Xmas Pants & Nick Sweater in green – part of Xmas Exclusive gift  – Hell Bop Clothing

Shiny Red Flats – free – In Her Shoes

And some more!

left: Christmas Pen Necklace (4 sizes, worn in large) – christmas gift, free  – Sanu

middle: new released “Hug Bears”, have a look at the cuties – ANA_Mations

right: Boho Hobo earrings & bracelets – Down the Chimney Hunt gift – Ticky Tacky

Poses: LAP free AO,  Watkins free AO, Cheryl Poses from S.LOVES

****

Pheeew … done! Enjoy

Thanks to all generous designers!

]]> http://thelastverista.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/janacek-shows-lifes-grim-side-in-his-masterpiece-from-the-house-of-the-dead/ Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:18:05 +0000 operadoc http://thelastverista.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/janacek-shows-lifes-grim-side-in-his-masterpiece-from-the-house-of-the-dead/

Several points drew me to really want to listen to this production; namely it is Janacek’s last opera and this is the first time it has been performed at the Met, which makes it a historical performance. The fact that Janacek died before the operas full completion intrigued me (two of his students filled in the missing orchestrations) because I have a particular fetish for last or unfinished works, so From the House of the Dead fits that bill. Also–if it must be known–I love all-male choruses and so this opera that features prominently male voices interested me greatly.  I actually taped it and then listened because I knew I would have to be in the right mood to hear this dark, brooding, but ultimately tender and compassionate work.  I was right to have done that because life ain’t all peaches and roses, especially in a Siberian Prison.

Synopsis:

Siberan prison camp, a winter morning. Goryanchikov, a nobleman, is the latest arrival to the prison camp. He is flogged by the Governor after an interrogation. While at work, the prisoners exchange stories. Luka tells of how he had incited a rebellion and killed an officer in the last prison camp. He describes his flogging as Goryanchikov is dragged in, half dead. Goryanchikov befriends Alyeya, teaching him how to read and write. It is Easter and the prisoners receive a blessing and gifts from charity. A prisoner, infuriated with Aleyeya and Goryanchikov’s friendship, beats Alyeya. Shishkov tells a story of how he loved Akulka, whom his nemesis, Filka, claimed to have dishonoured. After he married Akulka and discovered that she still loved Filka, he killed his wife. Luka dies as the story ends, and Shishkov recognizes him as Filka. Goryanchikov is summoned by the Governor, apologized to, and released, along with the release of a healed eagle.

Aural analysis and review:

Prelude: The prelude was originally conceived as a violin concerto and given successive titles, “Soul,” and “The Wandering of a Little Soul.” For the opera, the use of chains and other percussive elements were added to the instrumentation.  The opening motive of the prelude is developed within the opera.  Here, it originally occurs in Rondo form with a final maestoso episode suggesting a heroic fanfare.  The prelude was expertly handled by the concert-master and the members of the Met Orchestra, especially in the difficult two-against three rhythms and block like harmonies.  Likewise, the sound scape created by conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is sharp, jarring, exciting and terrifying.  Every layer of the texture was heard individually and as combined within the whole.  The scraping tone of the concert-master’s virtuosic playing emerged expertly from within the texture with both emotional and dramatic impetus.  Kudos to the brass section and percussion section that added a depth and warmth that graciously filled in the spaciousness of Janacek’s broad palate.  The maestoso and tricky shifts in mood were well-handled by Salonen as were the flexible shifts of tempo.

Act I:

Episode 1:  A dissonant motto theme is introduced.  The voices, as in Strauss, emerge from the orchestral palate.  The difficult singing was handled well by Willard White as Alexandr Petrovic Gorjancikov, whose vulnerability is suggested by the high solo violin heard above his vocal inflections, well-balanced by Salonen.  I absolutely loved the colours Janacek used here and the manner in which he combines instruments to create the exacting mood of the situation, which in this case is sombre, eerie, and tense.

Willard White as Alexandr Petrovič Gorjančikov

Episode 2:  The torment of the captured eagle.  The flapping of the eagle is realistically created in the orchestra.  The prisoner’s fun is soon over as the Governor returns with his guards and orders them to work.  The hymn sung by the chorus of the Metropolitan opera was set to text by Dostoyevsky “Neuvidí oko již’” (My eye will never again see the land of my birth).  Underneath them, Salonen retained successful orchestral balance.  Especially beautiful was the moment at which the flute and piccolo soar high above the orchestra to accent the lyrical singing.  Skuratov, here played by Kurt Streit sang his “cheerful song” expressively, annoying Luka (portrayed by Stefan Margita).  The crazy sounding “la la la’s” sung by Skuratov and the wild dance that sent him into a frenzy were exacted dramatically and well expressed by the Met orchestra.

Stefan Margita as Luka

Luka then tells his story, how he killed an officer who came to calm a riot he had started.  In one of the most substantial monologues in the opera, Janacek demands control over the growth of intensity.  Margita balanced the energy required for this shifting monologue, at first beginning with him sewing and culminating in his stabbing the knife into the officer.  This is followed by a dreamy recap of the opening theme by two solo violins, which was expertly and expressively invoked by the members of the Met orchestra.  In the meantime, Alexandr Petrovič returns from being punished, half dead.  A long orchestral postlude creates a hypnotic sensation on the theme of Skuratov and Luka’s fight.  The act ended with a magnificent invocation from the percussionist, a fortissimo timpani solo.

Act 2: One year after act 1, a prelude is heard with an offstage vocalise evoking the opening of the river Irtysh with a view of the steppe, in contrast to the enclosed prison yard of Act I.  Prisoners working on a ship are invoked by the diegetic sounds created by the Met Opera Orchestra.  Metal banging and a saw are heard in the instrumentation.  Here Petrovic meets Aljeja and offers to teach him to read.  Here, the orchestra retained a more cheery tinta.  Bells are heard in the distance and the prisoners sit to eat.  Skuratov, played by Kurt Streit begins to tell how he killed the man his sweetheart Luiza was forced to marry.  Sung well by Streit, with emotional inflections, the orchestral palate is much more lyrical and the heaviness that surrounded the first act is now almost obliterated by the full string and woodwinds.  The modal sound increases and culminates in the prisoners excitement over the thought of “theatre,” a certain personal thought of Janacek’s.

Kurt Streit is Skuratov

The prisoners begin to act out two plays on an improvised stage, in mime.  ”Leporello” (Don Juan), and “The Miller’s Beautiful Wife.”  Esa-Pekka Salonen handled the orchestra expertly in this difficult section.  The atmosphere he created and the flexibility with which he inflected the constant changes of mood were fluent and did not disturb the action in the least.  Once their little play is over, a young prisoner goes off with a Prostitute and the chorus and Luka begin to sing folksongs offstage.  Petrovic and Aljeja remain to face a quarrel started by a short prisoner.  Aljeja is injured and guards rush into keep order as the drum, once again, ends the act.

Act 3:  A prison hospital, the triumphal sounding prelude was well executed and with lovely phrasing.  The passing of time now has Luka dying on a bed surrounded by Petrovič and Aljeja.  The reminiscent character of the scene is expressed within the orchestral palate, but this quickly changing palate moves, all at once, to a more chamber-like texture that was well impressed by Salonen.  The final monologue recalls the story of Akulka, Filka, and Siskov.  The tragic story was emotionally inflected by Peter Mattei, who is the singer who impressed me the most in his dramatic portrayal and musical eloquence.  This is the longest monologue in the opera and is sustained beautifully by virtuoso vignettes by several of the operas characters.  Salonen balanced the tension between the wrongs done to Akulka and the tenderness that represents her true nature.  As the story ends, Luka dies.

The irony comes in that only after Luka’s death does Siskov recognize him as Filka.

Act III, scene ii:  The scene returns to the empty, darkness of Act I except now the Governor, who had originally beaten Petrovic, tells him that he is to be released.  What was to be a much warmer texture in the orchestra could have been more in this case, because that balance and ironic twist needs to be pronounced.  As Petrovic leaves, the prisoners release the eagle and celebrate its freedom.  The chorus was well effected by the Met chorus, which is always wonderful under the direction of Donald Palumbo.

This opera is interesting because it really lacks a functional plot, at least in the manner of that which we associate with most operas.  It is a collective or combinative opera however, and for that to work the soloists’ monologues must emerge from within the texture of the orchestra, which is the foundation of the drama itself.  In this regard, the Met’s production was successful.

One thing that caught my ear, however, was the opening discussion from Met broadcasters about “verismo” or works that depict reality.  Verismo is a defined and specific Italian genre with individual aesthetic properties.  Simply because a work depicts real-life events does not suggest we can call it “Verismo.”  Janacek’s work, while it expertly depicts the grim realities of life, does not belong in the “Verismo” genre.

Leos Janacek

The story is about a hero I imagined for several years, now. At first, he was inspired by an episode of Pokemon, where Ash battled Gym Leader Sabrina. So basically, he had psychic powers, like moving things with his mind and stuff. However, in time, the idea was scrapped for something more original. At one time, I played an internet game called Gunbound, and I liked my character wearing medieval armor and a crazy hairdo. He was not Animus at the time, though. Actually, he didn’t even have a name, yet. So, my imagined hero wore golden armor and had wild red hair, like the hair of Crono from Chrono Trigger. He also had a bazooka and a PET, which was basically a small floating robot. I scrapped the PET idea quickly. The bazooka, however, I didn’t scrap for a while, because I thought it looked cool. Later on, I did scrap it, because I felt it was too unconventional a weapon to use in fights. I decided to replace his golden armor with bluish armor and a red cape, inspired by an idea I had for Gunbound armor. Some time later, I wanted to cameo as a boss in a Zelda quest I made, called “Trinity Worlds”. However, I needed a name for him, so I thought of the hero’s strongest quality: courage. I looked up the Greek and Latin words for courage, and I chose the Latin word, “Animus.” Afterwards, I made that my online name, adding the “01″, because, when I tried to change my nickname to Animus in Gunbound, it was not accepted, being an already-chosen name. So, I use the name, “Animus01″, wherever I go online.

Now, back to Animus, the imaginary hero. I needed some moves for Animus, since he is a hero. Some of Animus’s moves are inspired by Dragonball Z techniques, mainly the basic ki blast and the Kamehameha. Some moves are unique to Animus, however. Aside from flying and basic energy blasts, he is able to use what I call the Enerugikousen (a mashup of the Japanese prefix, “enerugi-”, meaning “energy” and the Japanese word “kousen”, meaning “beam”.) This move is similar to the Kamehameha, having its name called out slowly during execution of the move and being a constant beam of energy. However, recently, I changed the execution of the technique to where Animus lifts his hands up to the sky to gather energy while yelling “Enerugi”, then moves his right foot back, lowering his hands to where they face the enemy for the blast while yelling “Kousen!” He also has a special energy attack where Animus condenses a lot of energy into a small ball and launches it at the enemy, releasing a cluster of explosions. This attack is called the Cluster Blast. He really can’t do this too often, though. Charging the ball of energy takes quite a bit of strength from his arm. A physical attack that Animus enjoys using is the hammer fist, placing his hands together over his head, jumps at the enemy, and slams his hands down on it, causing great damage to the enemy’s head. Also inspired by Dragonball Z, Animus has a super form. However, this technique isn’t just gained by accessing his inner strength. He also gets two upgraded moves. He has a more powerful version of the Enerugikousen, called the “Yuukikousen”, or “Courage beam”. Here, Animus puts his arms out, gathers energy, then pulls them in, releasing an energy beam of greater width. He also upgrades his Cluster Blast, which condenses even more energy into a small ball and launches it at the enemy for even greater explosions, called the “Super Cluster Blast”. However, Animus does not like using this move often, as it hurts his arm, not just from the gathering of energy, but also from the throwback caused by the launching of the energy ball. Animus was originally meant to have a sword only during his super form, but I recently decided to allow him to use it anytime to encourage swordfights and battles with other weaponry throughout the story.

Animus has three friends who share the same destiny. Each one has his own personal challenge to overcome. Animus likes to be heroic and has a strong sense of justice. He does not like running away from battles. However, this persistence can get him into bigger trouble than he needs to be. His personal issue is lust. He desires a girlfriend, but his desire often takes him to the wrong places, leaving him with guilt and regret. Dirk is a rough ally. He loves a good fight, and his ego sometimes gets in the way. However, he faces a personal issue. He has a lot of anger built up inside of him, so when it comes time for him to take the reins as a spirit warrior, his dark feelings affect his transformation to make him a monster, rather than a human being. He is mainly a physical attacker, able to extend his claws like Wolverine. However, his claws are thick and are able to make huge open marks on soft objects, like mattresses. He can also launch fireballs from his mouth, but this is an effect of the dark feelings that corrupted his transformation. Mentivis gets his name from the Latin words, “mentis”, meaning “mind”, and “vis”, meaning “power”. He is strongly inspired from my earliest creation. However, he does not call his abilities “psychic powers”. He often refers to them as “powers of the mind”. Mentivis enjoys studying philosophy and has a passion for studying strategies used in historic battles. He is the most calm-minded of the four warriors and is often the one who keeps the team together, in case a dispute arises between two of his allies. However, he suffers from the loss of his parents and cannot concentrate at all when he suddenly starts thinking of them. His attacks mainly involve moving objects with his mind, but he is also known to use elemental attacks: Firegra, Icegra, and Thunegra. These are basically energy blasts charged with the fire, ice, or thunder elements. His weapon of choice is the bo staff. And finally, there is Melina. Melina’s strength comes from the heart, and she will never pass up an opportunity to lend a helping hand. Animus falls in love with her at first sight and sometimes makes battle decisions with only her in mind. She and Mentivis grew up in the same town, so they have known each other since they were kids. Melina has trouble overcoming her fears, however, leading her to make unnecessary decisions or simply freeze in place. Melina is a valuable member of the team, though, being a healer. She can also put up a barrier around her or her allies, but this move takes up a lot of energy. She wields two daggers as weapons. All of these heroes have a super form, which will be revealed later on in the story.

Sweet Valley Clover – Prelude

Is Sweet Valley peaceful enough? Indeed……until two strangers barge into Sweet Valley……

Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are more than just twins, they are best friends for life. Elizabeth, a goody two shoes, just knows how to make things great out of her life. Studies and The Oracle are important as oxygen to her, like she can live without it. She also likes to hang out with her friends, including Enid Rollins.

Since Elizabeth is playing the good girl, who’s the bad girl then? None other than Jessica Wakefield!!! Jessica, one of the most oh-so-called popular girls in Sweet Valley High, has so many boys vying to date her (and dump her after a few weeks?). She just can’t help herself from getting into troubles and rebel all she wants, even the twins’ older brother, Steven couldn’t stand her. She is also a member of Unicorns, an exclusive club just for the most popular and beautiful girls. They call themselves “glamorous”, but everyone in SVH knows, they are nothing but “trashy”.

But still, the twins have each other backs and will do (almost) everything to help each other. They share the same beach-blonde locks, blue-green eyes, and they even share their interest, thoughts and their deepest secrets.

But with two unknown strangers coming to Sweet Valley, what will happen? Say hello to Sweet Valley!

I am putting this up in a rush before I have to leave the house this morning.  Prelude is participating in one of the 50L Weekend Sales and this weekend they have up this amazing sweater.

(click for larger)

~This sweater is fabulously textured and the prim parts are incredibly well made.  It is such a bargain at 50L!  The sale ends tonight at midnight, so you need to hurry if you want to snatch this up!  Edit to add:   the sweater is towards the back of the store, on the right as you are facing in.  Oh…and my plans got cancelled.   No need to rush after all.  :/
~This soft and pretty skin by Beauty Avatar is one that was released when I was off moving, so it is only going to be in the notices for a couple more days.  Join the Beauty Avatar group in world and check notices. 
~The earrings are part of a set that I got in the Dark Mouse Sale which runs through tomorrow.  Dark Mouse is also participating in 60L Sunday, and there is a very pretty set out, so you should go check that out too.  I didn’t have time…I only have 20 minutes to get showered!  eek!!

Sweater:  Prelude High Collar Sweater Red  50L 
Eyes:  Poetic Colors Christmas Fairy Eyes  Free 
Jewelry:  Dark Mouse Vintage Speakeasy Earrings  50L for set 
Skin:  Beauty Avatar Group Gift ZETA Skin  Free (Join Beauty Avatar Group, check notices) 
Hair:  Truth Lucy Caramel 

Hello everybody,

in Austria we don´t celebrate Thanksgiving as an important holiday, yet we have a similar tradition called Erntedankfest. It is just a small celebration during a mass, or at home with only the closest family members. It means exactly the same as Thanksgiving. We are thankful for our healthiness, our daily food, our happy children, our beloved ones; thankful for having a job  to pay our bills. Have you ever realized the lot of things we have to be grateful for? We take too much things for granted. We are upset when our internet connections are lame, we are peeved when our favorite sort of chocolate isn´t available in the shop … we are spoiled brats

I for myself am thankful for being a woman. I am mother and  wife, I am loved and wanted. I care for my beloved ones, and they care for me. Sometimes when life gets a bit rough and I am struggling and fighting against little devils in my head (they always tell me my life could be so much better if I had a job and more money to spend for all those beautiful stuff  and bla bla bla …. ) I take a deep breath and ask myself  “What if you had a lot of money, an amazing apartment, even a weekend home, expensive clothes and all the other things you dream of … would you really be happier?” And everytime the answer is “No”. Because the most important and precious things in life as love, friendship, health and happiness are not available for sale

And if my husband`s surgery which will be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, turns out well and I get my  “old husband”  back,  the one who used to laugh and kidding around a lot, even the one who used to drive me crazy with his macho behaviour, I am the happiest woman in the universe. And as thankful as one can be.

Of course, I`m also very thankful for my second life, my little virtual world, with all its wonderful creators, builders, designers, artists and friends. I am grateful for being able to wear every dress, every outfit I like to wear, because Hazel never gets too chunky or too skinny or too old ) And this is the perfect transition for today`s (not free!) blog entry, because I really appreciate the honor to present you once again some of the  beautiful designs made by

Bublee Bing

Mainly, this blog entry is about Bublee Bing´s fashion designs but of course, there are some others. Thank you all for your hard work, and a special thank you for your generosity!

Let´s start with something you will hardly find in a such a well done and amazing way from another virtual fashion designer,  the original Loden coats. If you need more information about this kind of traditional bavarian and austrian costumes, here is the link to Wikipedia. I typed  “loden coat” in the search line and got a few interesting results.

Here you can see the grey Loden coat in midi length. Bublee´s Loden coats are available in several colors as well as in midi and mini length. Every version comes with sculpted sleeves and 2 versions of collars, a closed and an opened one. Look at the absolutely stunning details, as the little green  embroidery in form of a triangle on the back. Not to mention the knife pleat! Why is this so stunning? Because it is an important part of the original Loden coat. And Bublee´s work looks as realistic as possible.

Embroidery can also be found  on the frontside, and another important part of Loden coats are the buttons. They are either made of staghorn or nacre. The texturing job is worth a second look, too. Bublee created Loden in its most beautiful form.  Of course, also Loden coats are keeping up with fashions, but the charastic parts should alway be there. And Bublee Bing has taken good care of them!

Have a closer look ….

… also at Bublee Bing`s gloves, and …

… this is what I was pointing to

In this pic I wear  Loden coat mini in green with open collar.

The wolf (must have been a he-wolf, just guessing!) didn´t have any fashion consciousness, the wonderful swinging of the Loden coat didn´t impress him at all. I´d better …

… ruuuun! )

If you are not into traditonal fashion  Bublee Bing has also created really pretty retro coats. Here I wear the red one in mini with closed collar. Again you get them in several colors, mini or midi length and opened/closed collars. Black tights are included too.

While wandering through this lovely wintry place I got lost. As usual ) And I tell you, it was cold! Pheeew … flipping cold!  I started to get a wee bit desperate.

Thank God .. uhm … Thank Bublee .. I didn´t forget to wear my gloves, I have them in beige, too. Well, finally I managed to find my way back …

… and to my great pleasure I found a sleigh And after a short walk I came to …

… a frozen pond. Perfect for wearing my favorite Argyle pullunder in olive  and the white blouse underneath.  Bublee Bing offers the pullunder packs  including 2 different  pullunder designs on all layers and  a white shirt on all layers with 3 different sculpted sleeves. Jodhpur pants are from Prelude. I *have* to mention that Prelude is another favorite designer of mine. I love those leather Jodhpur slacks (Fusion Exclusive in beige, blush and leaft, belted and unbelted).

Lovely, isn´t it? I mean both … the fashion and this winter land But there´s more!

Snowy paths, snowy trees, a nice surprise here and there along your way, the frozen pond,  a cosy guest house … ah, you better should stop by and explore this dreamy place Perhaps, you want to wear the warm Argyle pullunder in black? Perfect to mix and match to your likings. And the cute knitted socks are a dollarbie from Bublee Bing

This is the guest house, high up upon the snowy mountain. Wonna peek inside?

Hehe ) You want to see more details?

It´s so cozy and warm inside, and already nicely decorated for christmas. And what about the charming and so romantic Rose gown? I know you like it I wear it in the color rose, but Bublee Bing offers  it in green, blue and dark red as well.

And this is the last pic, the end of my post. I enjoyed doing it a lot. I had fun to explore

Cap Estel Public Winter Park

I love to show you Bublee Bing`s  latest releases, Prelude`s cool Jodhpur pants and all the other pretty stuff. May it be free or not free, may it be old or new … it doesn´t matter. The joy bringing it to your attention  is all that matters for me

Enjoy your both lives and

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

****

From Bublee Bing

Loden Coats, Retro Coat, Argyle Pullunder, Knitted Socks, Gloves and Gown

From Prelude @ Fusion

Jodhpur Pants

From Dr. Life

Skin MixedBlood Honey DarkMillion MakeUp , former freebie

From Argrace

Beanie with hair, former freebie

From Duh!

Colorchange Sneakers & Suede Ankle Boots, former dollarbies/Lucky Chair items

From Twosome

Cozy Tights, former freebie

From Edge Grafica

Black Halfpants, free

From Waka & Yuki

Hair with fur cap, former freebie (another version of this hair is available at Fujima Geisha Freebies)

From Decoy

Jully Boots, former freebie

From Bertha`s Little World

Legwarmers scripted, textured by moi

From Free*Style HQ

Cold AO by Creamy Coojoke, free of course

Poses from LAP, Glitterati, Izumiya, red Queen

Sigur cel care a fotografiat aceste orhidei hibrid, este foarte incantat de pozele sale(rusine mie ca nu stiu artistul …le-am primit pe mail ,fara autor) . Eu le-am expus intr-un “colaj” pe un fondal muzical: Catalin Josan-Preludiu pentru pian.

Phytologie PhytoPanama Mild Protecting Shampoo Reviews

Phytologie Phytopanama Mild Protecting Shampoo

Phytologie PhytoPanama Mild Protecting Shampoo Features

• 6.8 oz
• with 65% Quillaja decoction

Check Price and Read More Details of Phytologie PhytoPanama Mild Protecting Shampoo…>>

Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed

• Pureology hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner duo for .95. (max 2 deals p/order)

Stop the press! I’ve found the perfect pair of trousers that make my ass look smokin’ hot! ‘Nuff reason to get super excited.

The new Prelude leather Jodhpur slacks gives your ass the perfect shape. With its rich textures and beautiful shading these Jodhpur leather slacks come in a variety of colors, each guaranteeing to make your booty look absolutely delicious!

Prelude have launched three tones to add to the range, in order to celebrate the brand’s new store at Fusion. These lighter tones are exclusive to the new store and include two versions – with or without a belt.

I teamed these gorgeous slacks with the top of (P-K)’s sequin dress and the brand spanking new Kalnins Dragoness heels. I absolutely love Kalnins’ shoes, with its innumerable color changing options. The multi – function HUD allows you to choose not only various skins tones, but you can play with color options for metal studs and realistic nail colors. The Dragoness sandals are nothing less than what you would expect from Maris Kanto. From the stitch detail, to the exquisite skin shading, these sandals are pure pixel sex!

Taxi to Prelude’s new store

Taxi to Kalnins

Style Card:

Zimmy

Skin:*League* Skin Suntan -Misty

Shape: Self made

Hair: Fri.day – Deena – Cranky

Eyes: Poetic Colours – pc eyes by LL – twilight cat

Top: (P-K) – Part of Sequin Tank dress

Trousers: Prelude – Leather Jodhpur Slacks Blush (exclusive to Fusion store)

Jacket: !_Ce Cubic effect – Short leather jacket – Black

Shoes: Kalnins Footwear – Dragoness

Pink bangles: {CreamShop} – Glam bangle – Light pink

Black Bangle: LaGyo – Spyral bangle

Gloves: [glow] Studio – Dark Rider Gloves

Pose in picture 1: BehaviorBody (part of MiniRoom)

Poses in picture 2 (left to right): {SMS} No, {SMS} Oh My, {SMS} I’m coming [part of group gift & I'm loving these]

Berlin Auto KFZ Gebrauchtwagen Fahrzeug Einkauf Kauf Aufkäufer Einkäufer Ankauf Gebrauchtwagenankauf PKW Barankauf Autoankauf Autoentsorgung Ankauf Unfallwagen Reifeneinlagerung Einlagerung Berlin Brandenburg
(Kein Teileverkauf)

Berliner Str. 47 10713 Berlin Charlottenburg Wilmersdorf, nähe Kurfürstendamm.
Tel. 030 89734890 & Funk 01627764728

Wir holen Ihr Fahrzeug auch während ihrer Arbeitszeit ab und bringen es spätestens zum Feierabend gereinigt zurück!

Des weiteren bieten wir Lackausbesserungen und den Beulendienst ca. 50% günstiger an.
Für Groß- und Firmenkunden werden gesonderte Preise vereinbart.

Unser Abhol- und Bringservice besteht nicht nur für Ihre Reifen, Sie können auch Ihr Motorrad, Ihren Oldtimer, Ihren Hänger oder Ihren Wohnwagen und vieles mehr bei uns sicher einlagern.

Reifeneinlagerung S&R Tel.:030 86390007

Neu Reifeneinlagerung ab 39,00€ pro Satz/Saison inklusive 19% Mehrwertsteuer

Wir lagern für diverse Autohäuser und Privatpersonen die Reifen ein, reingien sie und bringen sie bei Bedarf zurück.
Dir Reifen sind zum Neuwert versichert.

Berliner Str. 47 10713 Berlin

Öffnungszeiten: Montag – Freitag von 9:00 bis 18:00 Uhr
& Samstag von 9:00 bis 13:00 Uhr

Bem, ffao aqui, como é meu primeiro post vou tentar fazer um walkthrough de um jogo relativamente curto, no caso CLOCKWORDS: PRELUDE.

Bem, não que esse seja um jogo curto, mas é que como não há diferença nenhuma entre as fases, você pode usar a mesma estratégia em todas elas. No começo, até a fase 8, uma boa estratégia para ir bem e pegar várias letras para o boiler é criar uma história em inglês e digitar todas as palavras, sem se preocupar com as letras especiais.

Quando o boiler estiver numeroso, a minha estratégia consistiu em usar uma “lista de palavras”, repetida indefinidamente. A lista que eu vou usar aqui não tem muitas letras de dano alto, mas é fácil de lembrar, efoi postada no fórum pelo StarryDawn:

1. Escolha uma palavra mestre, como “degenerations”. Agora só coloque no boiler letras que essa palavra contenha (não ponha muitos Is, Ds e evite Os, pois eles não são muito frequentes nas outras palavras da lista). Qualquer outra letra, combine pra tentar fazer uma dessas especial.
2. Quando começar o jogo, digite “degenerations” 7 vezes, isso deve abrir todas as outras letras.
3. Depois, digite a seguinte lista até o jogo acabar:

generate, generates, generated, generating, generation, generations, generator, generators, generative

regenerate, regenerates, regenerated, regenerating, regeneration, regenerations, regenerator, regenerators, regenerative

degenerate, degenerates, degenerated, degenerating, degeneration, degenerations, degenerative

Obs 1: Se você digitar uma palavra enquanto as chambers ainda não estiverem cheias, corre o risco de você mandar uma palavra sem muitas letras do boiler. Sempre espere as chambers encherem antes de começar a nova palavra.

Obs 2: Se você usar todas as letras das chambers, você paralisa as aranhas. Logo recomendo que tentem sempre paralisar as aranhas com as palavras “degenerations” e “regenerations” (essa última, se não houver D no boiler), tirando as letras que não pertencem a essas palavras do boiler com outras palavras.

Game Link: http://www.kongregate.com/games/gabob/clockwords-prelude?tab=achievements

Black Friday [Prelude]

Today, I pace back and forth like a weary child.

In my mind, I create a checklist of things to do. From a

silver flashlight to my phone and piece of paper, I plan for

D-Day. Tick, Tock. After a grueling ten minutes of finding and placing

all the needed items on a table, I jump into bed.

Seconds turn into hours as my excited body cannot

wait for that day to come. Tick. Sleeping at 7:00PM would be a challenge because

I have too much energy and yet I a unable to control it. Tock. I roll

around and before I know it 9 o’ clock came. Still I cannot reach

the perks of sleepiness as I imagine myself running in the black night.

Each glimpse seems to pull me from dream land. Tick.

It seems like I was fighting with myself. Why should I sleep

when the night is still young? Tock. Rolling around, my mind drifts

as the grandfather clock chimes for the 3rd time. The urge to be alive grows

stronger as I want to sleep like a skeleton. Tick. Eventually my wish comes true.

With a growling stomach I succumb to the mistress of sleep and embrace

her with a smile as my D-Day would finally come. Tock.

But alas, tock, this is just the first battle to another world…..

called BLACK FRIDAY!

Magen Kumquat [Life/Holiday]