The Vortex of Maelstrom - life in Second Life

THE EXTRAORDINARY EXPLOITS OF DOCTOR MOO !

2010-01-08T07:37:00.001-08:00

It's a while since Ive posted here not that life in sl has got quiet, or less busy - quite the opposite.

Life in sl gets busier everyday and time to post here gets less and less and less if only primary life was as exciting but I guess that's why most of us find second life anyway.

However I had to show off one of my latest escapades because it won myself and my SL partner prize in a photo comp and I thought fellow sl-sters might find it amusing.

I'd just acquired some splendid and suitably TimeLord-ish tiny attire from Hummingbird Forster just in time for Spaceports tiny sci fi avatar photo comp....

So with the ever trusty TARDIS (unless Cully Hamster scampers over the controls) we set off on our adventures only to land amidst a ferocious pack of hunting Tyrannosaurs.....

Fortunately with the help of a well aimed bacon sandwich we were able to divert the attention of these monstrous brutes and make our escape....

The record of our adventures Im thrilled to say earned us first place. Some lindens and a superb couple of trophies I hope to post pictures of - adventures permitting - soon.

Smartasstermind Final - Trai pipped at the post by Pomegranate...

2009-06-07T02:28:00.000-07:00

I arrived at the 'Double Standard' venue last night just in time to see Pomegranate Sorbet triumph in the latest Smartassmastermind final in a 'Weakest Link' style battle against fellow competitior Traian Khandr...

THE FINAL !!!

Pomegranate

and Traian battle for the title...

(thanks to Cully Andel for the pic)

While it was a shame that circumstances prevented the final being held nearer earlier rounds it was still a thrilling final and a near thing with Pom beating Trai by a nose...

I asked Pome for a few words about the competition and I think he summed it up beautifully for me so its over to Pome for his comments....

'It has been a thrill competing in the Smartasstermind competitions. It is amazing the level of competition that is out there in SL! My hat goes off to Hummingbird and all her staff for putting on such a wonderful event, and I hope that it continues for a long time to come.
Al lot of people raised eyebrows at my specialty topic -- the Boy Scouts of America. The first time around, my topic was the German Nazi Party (my university degree is in European History, and my specialty is the first half of the 20th Century). This time, I decided to go with another thing i know well. I've been involved with the Scouts since i joined as a Cub Scout at age 8... and this October, i will have been in for 36 years (you do the math!) as a Scout or a leader.
Trai is an excellent competitor and it's been an honor to go against her in this competition. Several times i thought for sure i was a goner! She is a top-notch competitor and presenter, and her design of the trophy is magnificent! I hope to represent it with pride until the next time... when i will try very hard to keep my grip on it against what is sure to be very stiff competition!'

Welll said Pome !!! I know what a thrill it is winning especially as organiser Hummingbird is generous with the prizes....

And congrats to to Traian who also played a brilliant game and still scoops an excellent prize for sweeping into second position...

I'm sure that the regulars from Double Standards will be giving Pome some stiff competition when the ever busy Hummingbird Forster sets up the next competition... I know I'm trying to decide on my next subject already !!

More info on the Double Stards blog (see link opposite)

The splendid trophy designed by Traian

Pomegranate Sorbet -

a worthy winner

Hummingbird Forster -

the brains behind

the event

Smartasstermind Latest !!!

2009-06-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hot off the press from 'Double Standards' group notices...

SMARTASSTERMIND CONCLUSION.....Monday, 01 Jun 2009 19:22:13 GMT

Yes we have a date Saturday 3pm slt be there to find out the thrilling conclusion. Pom or Trai.
This head to head will have a slight twist after discussing with the contestants we are to do a weakest link final. 5q's each taken in turn if still no winner it will be automatic knockout.
Be there on Saturday for a tense conclusion

http://doublestandardstriviaandmall.blogspot.com/

Smartasstermind - thrilling conclusion next week

2009-05-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

Due to the commitments of competitors and a few technical problems for the host the final duel in the battle for the title of smartasstermind will be held next week...in the mean time the current positions of the competitors can be fond at the 'double standards' blog here

http://doublestandardstriviaandmall.blogspot.com/

Traian has taken the time to design a trophy which will be passed from winner to winner. Im honoured that Traian added my name of the first ever smartasstermind held earlier this year.

Smartasstermind - Sinnamon spices it up !!

2009-05-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

A close thing as Sinnamon Sands achieves an excellent overall score of 18 -9 in each of her rounds, her special subject being American Football (people will be glad that my limted knowledge of the game also limits my ability to pun on the subject!!).

Well done Sinn.....

This now means that Pomegranate Sorbet and Traian Khandr will now lock horns in a tiebreaker (time to be decided) to determine the overall winner !!!!

Stay tune as we move towards a thrilling conclusion of an excellent trivia event!!!!

Sinnamon Sands keeps

abreast of the competition

Devin kicks off with questions

on American football

Smartasstermind - Could this be SL's smartest duck ?

2009-05-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

The best known duck in SL trivia circles - the one and only Chaddington Boomhauer - took his turn in the famous black seat answering on the subject of Nascar racing - again a thing of which I know little. Steering his way through his specialist subject Chad zoomed on through an excellent general knowledge round achieving a fine total of 12.

Well done chadd....

And with one competitor left its clear its going to be a thrilling conclusion to an excellent trivia event.

Stay Tuned.

What an Intellectual looking duck...

Chadd Boomhaeur in action -

the duck gets a grilling..

Smartasstermind - Lette the trivia slayer...

2009-05-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

Alas Lette Ponnier's performance clashed with my evening meal. However another fine performance has been reported to me.

This time in the ongoing saga of Smartasstermind 2 - Lette a well known figure in the world of SL trivia, answering on the tv fantasy series Buffy the vampire slayer - which she had pretty well staked out -scored 7 and then, really sinking her teeth into the general knowledge, boosted her overall score to 15. Well done Lette.

It's getting tight at the top and I see some tie breaking play offs.

STAY TUNED !!!!

Thanks to Cully Andel for these pics of Lette in action..

Smartasstermind - Lotus blooms !!

2009-05-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

Lotus Ceriano answered on the unusual and possibly most 'obscure' subject of the competiton so far (well to me anyway) of the Byzantine Empire between 867 and 1056....

She followed with a brilliant general knowledge round and amassed a total of 14 points achieving a joint placing with myself and Cully. Well done Lotus...

The competition continues...though as a side note it's not been decided who won an unofficial 'wear the kinkiest boots' comp between quiz misstress luci and Lotus...judge for yourself in the pics below and ... Stay Tuned !!!

Lotus Ceriano in the hot seat.. not battle of the boots !!!

Smartasstermind

2009-05-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

I feel a bit foolish missing WavingMarcel Floresby's performance today in the smartasstermind competiton but I am reliably informed that Waving (or WM as I call him) gave another superb performance in what is proving to be a hard fought competition of a very high standard.

Answering on the subject of British 'pop' music between 1965 and 1895 scored another niner and then went on to score a further six in his general knowledge round. 15 in total pushing him into third place just behind the joint leaders.

(I blame conversions between sl and uk time for missing the round

** cough**)

Thanks to Cully for this pic of
WavingMarcel in action !!

Smartasstermind - A thorny subject

2009-05-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

A valiant stab at the gargantuan subject of the second world war and an excellent general knowledge round gives trivia supremo Thornton Writer a score which currently puts him in third place. Well done Thorn !!!

Stay Tuned for more !!!!

Thorn's latest campaign - the battle for
Smartasstermind with Devin in the
quiz mistress chair again !

Smartasstermind- Scouting for success

2009-05-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

A further exceptional performance from Pomegranate Sorbet earns him joint first place after a spectacular round on the subject of Boy Scouting, in which he scored nine and a triumphant 10 in the general knowledge round.

It'll be fun to see if anyone tops either Pom or Traian's score or whether there'll be a fight to the death between these two contestants....

Stay Tuned !!!!

Pomegranate put through his paces
by glamourous Host Cully Andel

A brief Apology...

2009-05-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

Even in Second life things become frought and nerves snap and as such I must offer a brief apology to friends Lou Netizen and Sinnamon Sands over an apparent clash of events with the Smartasstermind event which is cherished by myself.

Naturally events run close together and while trying to calm Cully's pre- trivia nerves I lost my cool over the apparent timing of a few group notices and snapped unecessarily at both Lou (dont forget to check out her view of SL life ) and Sinn.

Once again I offer apologies and am always grateful that so many people go out of their way to bring such enjoyable trivia events to us all.

Smartasstermind - the continuing saga of a weekend of trivia...

2009-05-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well at 1pm it was my turn...

It's still gives one a sense of butterflies in the stomach when you answer questions in front of an audience and like Cully I froze on my first answer on the subject of the TV shows of Gerry Anderson - whose tv brilliance is alas unknown to many Americans - while he create 'epics' to boys who grew up in the UK in the 1960s....

My general knowledge questions were tough and I'm sure I should have done better as a seasoned trivia player.

However as they say that is how the cookie crumbles...

My total score 14 the same as Cully. Traian still leads the field...will she suceed as the new smartasstermind...

More news from the trivia battlefront. Stayed Tuned !!

Devin gives me my 'grilling'

Smartasstermind - the battle continues....

2009-05-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Cully Andel undergoes the
Smartasstermind inquistion...

Another stunning Double Standards host -

Devin Velinov

After yesterday's exceptional performance by Traian - anyone would be nervous at taking on the challenge of the Smartasstermind seat...
However Cully Andel, taking part for the first time, still managed a credible
9 out of 10 on her chosen subject - the long running series of British comedy 'Carry On ' films... alas a bout of nerves did her out of a full ten especially when she was later able to prove she knew the answer to her first question which she froze on....

After her general knowledge Cully amasses a grand and worthwhile total of 14 points, after some especially tricky general knowledge questions...
Devin Velinov is another addition to the ranks of Double Standards fine trivia hosts and steered Cully swiftly through her rounds. Various bystanders impressed me with there knowledge answering those questions Cully bypassed in her general knowledge round and earning themselves a few lindens into the bargain.

Incidentally as a late ammendment to the time table well known SL trivia buff Thornton Writer will actually be taking his round at 4pm sl time on saturday...so come along to see everyone's favourite master of the striped shirt face the smartasstermind chair.

As alwas stay tuned for more smartasstermind news here...

Smartasstermind Latest -Traian's on the right track !!

2009-05-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

Smartasstermind 2 gets off to a thrilling start as Traian Khandr achieves a perfect score of ten on her specialist subject - the film 'The Breakfast Club'... Traian then went on to score 9 in her general knowledge round an overall score of 19 setting a very high standard for others to follow. Stay tuned for more on the event .....

Traian in the hot seat

Luci Dollinger Smartasstermind Interrogator in action

TV Mastermind question masters never looked like this !!

Smartasstermind 2 trivia event.....

2009-05-29T03:51:00.000-07:00

A view of Double Standards (see slurl below)

Just a quick break from my usual ramblings to mention this weekend's (commencing 29.05.09) trivia spectacular down at 'Double Standards' in the region of Mayon where brave competitors (myself included ) will face a barrage of questions based on their own chosen specialist subjects and general knowledge.

Back in April I was lucky enough to triumph against some stiff opposition to claim the title of 'Smartasstermind' at the first event of this kind. Whether I'll be able to do so again, having chosen a different subject, I don't know.

Smartass champ 1 being grilled by the lovely Hummingbird Forster....

Lovely trivia Host Cully Andel

Trivia regular Lou Netizen gets a grilling during Smartasstermind 1

As usual Hummingbird Forster and her team will be working hard to make the event fun. And of course the audience get their usual chance to win a few lindens too.

Here's the schedule if you want to go along and cheer on your favourite players..
Thornton Writer - Friday 1pm SLT

Triain Kandr - Friday 3pm SLT

Cully Andel - Saturday 11am SLT

Maelstrom Janus - Saturday 1 pm SLT

Pomegranate Sorbet - Saturday 3pm SLT

WavingMarcel Floresby- Sunday 8am SLT

Lotus Ceriano - Sunday 9am SLT

Lette Ponnier - Sunday 1 pm SLT

Chaddington Boomhauer - Sunday 2pm SLT

Sinnamon Sands - Sunday 3pm SLT

The list includes well known trivia regulars many of whom organise their own regular events so the competition should be fierce !!

The event loosely follows the format of long running british tv quiz series 'Mastermind' with each competitor answering 10 questions on a chosen subject and a further 10 on general knowledge.

Humm is particualrly generous with the prizes - as I can testify - and hopefully this event will continue for some time to come.

And theres always lots to do and see at the venue as Humm goes out of the way to keep 'Double Standards' packed with a variety of great games and shops full of assorted goodies for the discerning SL shopper.....

Here's the 'slurl' (first time Ive done one of these so I hope it doesnt beam you off to the middle of nowhere...) :
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mayon/37/211/21/

I'm looking forward to the event a great deal and I know all competitors appreciate the support.

Why White ?

2009-05-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

The thing I get asked about most is why I like to wear white clothing in SL....

From the outset I realised I wanted to create a distinguishable personna and on my first explorations of second world I noticed how many people wore black and/or red...

I wanted to be different and as I'd frequently been known as 'Polar Bear' in other chat sites I decided I'd assume the colour of my favourite animal (unaware then that later on I would actually be able to assume the shape of the great ice bear too !!)

Giving my SL personna white hair also fitted in with my idea of giving myself some sense of age and maturity although I certainly wasn't giving up my sl abs.....

The First Face of Janus

2009-05-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

You soon learn that in the world of Linden, as in the great void beyond virtual existence, that appearances means a lot.

And most, naturally, set out to perfect the shape and form of their avatar. No one wants to wander round permanently looking like an unmoulded piece of plastecine especially when for a relatively small amount of money one can attain 'virtual perfection' which would take a lot more time and effort in the first world.

Many like to change their face and body frequently. Personally I prefer to remain, for the most part, easily identifiable and immediately distinguishable....

I formed an idea for a 'look' early on. I didn't want to be a mobile block of muscle as some guys are but I wanted to shake off the surplus pounds my 'creator' in the first world possessess.... I wanted a young body... but wanted to add some appearance of maturity...

And most of all - I wanted a 'colour' one that would mark my presence and identify me immediately...

The look I came up with has stuck with me virtually unchanged since my early days in SL.

Early 'Me'. 1 month after 'SL birth'
July 2007.

What's in a name ?

2009-05-13T04:58:00.000-07:00

Maelstrom Janus

I love using pretentious nicks...

I'd been using Maelstrom prior to my entrance into second life. A great and turbulent whirpool of Norweigian origin.

Everyone knows Im wild and turbulent I could have used Vortex or Whirlpool but who wants to sound like a brand of toilet cleaner.

Janus, the two faced god of doors and the new year, from which first lifers get the month of January. Am I two faced ? Well I certainly have more than two faces in second life... but then so does everyone else.

The main reason I chose Janus from the list of surnames avaialble... easy... I liked it.

Genesis...

2009-05-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

I ventured into my first '3d' virtual world on the recommendation of someone who's name I dont even remember in a 'flat' textual chat site and was born into Second Life on June 29th 2007....

I didn't realise how important or addictive (or expensive) living in the virtual universe would become.

So this then is, a journal of my alternative existence in a world where literally anything can happen....

After all where else could you see a zebra dancing to the music of Tiny Tim ?

Testing Testing !!

2009-05-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

Before the fun begins just a small post to see how this works... spot the blog 'newbie'...

why do I feel I'm treading on very shaky ground here ;)