Last Dance with Rodvik

Warning!! Given Rodvik's recent departure from Second Life, the title of this post might imply some melodramatic musings when it's actually a response to Strawberry Singh's latest Monday Meme, Dance in Second Life Challenge.

SL Sailing Pro Tips: A Lighthearted Look at Second Life Sailing

Now that Port Trianon is open and the Shared Seas of the Duché de Coeur & Rocca Sorrentina have become a reality I've set my sights on becoming a Second Life sailor.  It hasn't been easy and though I've had to swim for my life more times than I care to count I have learned a few things along the way. Calling them "Pro Tips" may be a bit of a stretch (though it does have a nice ring to it!) but they may help novice SL sailors figure out their port from their starboard.  Have a look & see what you think!

First things first; take my hard-earned advice and make an effort to get to know your sailboat, especially if you intend to do any racing.  Being a "last minute" person myself, I've suffered the embarrassment of backing over my competition at the starting-line when I really meant to move forward.  Fortunately, they're a forgiving bunch!

Public sailboats are available at the docks of Port Trianon & the beach of Rocca Sorrentina.

The green & brown sailboats from the Duché are for singles & groups; these are the ones used for racing. The blue sailboats are for couples that like to cuddle though they can also be used as a rather awkward single.

With the Duché boats make sure you "sit" to the right of the rudder otherwise the boat, thinking you are a passenger, will not follow your commands.

Port Trianon: Connecting the Shared Seas

Port Trianon: Midday

It's been a whirlwind three months since the Duché de Coeur & Rocca Sorrentina formalized their plans for a closer physical connection between their two realms.

We started with the addition of two, brand-new, sailable regions linking Rocca Sorrentina to the southern shores of Provence Coeur.  Then the real work commenced.

We were busy dredging harbours, forming islands and attending to all the little details that make this a magical Second Life destination.  A few minor bumps were experienced along the way; I managed to flatten both Provence Coeur Est & Provence Coeur Est2 with one keystroke (note to self: always look above sea level when using the terrain tool especially when it's set to high) but all-in-all the work progressed smoothly.

Tatiana's Tea Room: Take Two

Tatiana's Tea Room has move to the Petit Trianon

A new chapter is beginning for Tatiana's Tea Room and I couldn't be more excited!

Renovations on the Petit Trianon have finally reached the point where it was possible for me to start setting up shop.  I've been busy setting tables, arranging flowers and researching new artwork.  In other words, I've been living my SL decorator's dream :)

Duché de Coeur: Fabulous Fall 2013

We're enjoying another fabulous fall in the Duché de Coeur,

surrounded by blazing colour and ever-deepening piles of leaves.

 

The sunset sky takes on a golden hue,

seeming to reflect the richly coloured trees below.

Renaissance Women: Margaret of Austria

Margaret of Austria, Mary of Burgundy, Maximilian of Austria, Anne of Brittany, Philip the Handsome, Catherine of Aragon, Louise of Savoy, Anne of France

When last we saw Anne Boleyn, our elegant & intrepid guide for these Renaissance ramblings, it was 1513 and she was heading to the court of Margaret of Austria to begin her European education (see Anne Boleyn: The French Connection).  Modern-day references to Margaret are often brief and made in passing to denote her relationships with others.  Frequently appearing in the biographies of others; often tagged as "Aunt of" or "Sister in law of"; Margaret has a fascinating story all of her own.

Born in 1480 to Mary of Burgundy and Maximilian of Austria, Margaret of Austria certainly had a lot of high-powered family connections (both through blood and through marriage) given that her mother was  the Duchess of Burgundy in her own right, her father was the elected Holy Roman Emperor and her parents were the co-sovereigns of the Low Countries.

Anne Boleyn: The French Connection

Anne Boleyn, Margaret of Austria, Claude of France, Marguerite of Navarre

Where would you start if you wanted to blog a bit about the Renaissance?  Would it be easier if you limited your scope to the French Renaissance?  How long would it take and how far would you get before tying yourself up in so many knots that the only sane move would be to cut and run?

 

I recently found myself pondering these questions (and so many more) but before I could be overwhelmed into inaction I decided to just pick a point and begin.  After all it's the journey that counts and since this is purely a pleasure cruise I thought it best to begin with one of my favourite historical personages, Anne Boleyn.