A Star is Born... and the Club Scene just got HOTTER!

Greets, fellow Club-Crawlers!

It's my pleasure to post this little review of what promises to be one HOT night spot, now looming on our collective horizon... SODOM, the brainchild of James Hoorenbeek, and operated by James, Random Jarvinen, Club Manager Equinox Donner, and other team members, for our collective dancing and night-clubbing pleasure.

The club features 3 dance venues, including a rooftop party area, third-floor indoor dance club, and a "dungeon"... let your imagination wrap around those concepts, just a bit, along with the name, lol!

Also featured will be shopping, beach/boardwalk, and apartment rentals, all stylishly appointed and beautifully designed and executed, to provide a stunning venue for SL's vibrant gay community, (and, of course, all are welcome!).

It's my pleasure to have been chosen as one of the first Dancers for the club, along with Aiddyn McCullough, Kaine Singer, and Tanner Burnstein, and and I can tell you from two brief "pre-party" events that this is going to be one great place to hang, dance, and socialize... and the hot attendees will definitely be worth a passing perv-cam or two, hee hee!

Already featured have been DJ Dafydd Sodwind and DJ Muhu Janus, spinning their awesome collections of stunning club beats for our listening and dancing pleasure, and if my instincts prove right, the list will only grow and improve as this new venue takes off.

Look for the Grand Opening Event, called "Hotter than HELL", on Friday, October 31st at 8PM SLT, (to midnight and perhaps beyond?), with DJ Dafydd doing a 4-hour live mix, promotion courtesy of Total Trauma™, and a grand prize of $25000L (yes, that's right 25K!) for best costume!

Your Dancers will be adorned in "Slave Boy" silks, courtesy of Miro Callas, and psst! come closer... clicking on them may prove rather, erm, "entertaining", lol!

I do hope, with all the parties occurring around the Hallowe'en holiday, that you'll put aside some time to drop in and participate in what promises to be a truly stunning Grand Opening of a very promising and "drama free" dancing and night-clubbing venue... explore the SIM, and take in the beautiful facilities, and always, always, HAVE FUN!!!

BloodLines

In an excellent piece recently published here, DeMerick Creely wrote of the early days of Second Life, when “age play” with child avatars was a common occurrence, and identified this and other real-world “crossovers” related to the Second Life experience. He recounted the experience of an adult in a child avvie being inundated in IM’s by offers of sexual dalliances, which, if proffered in the real world, would land someone behind bars.

Recently, I had occasion to brush up against a new, and equally repulsive, (at least to me) form of “game” or “RP”, and one which is enjoying massive success across the SL grid.

This new “game”, which is exploitative and disgusting to many, is promulgated under the name “BloodLines”, and consists of purchasing game HUDs and fangs, then setting out to achieve “status” or “advancement” within the Bloodlines’ collective “clans”, by biting people virtually, sucking their “blood”, and absconding with their “soul”.

To some of us, this is not only sick, depraved, and repulsive, but it represents a real danger, in that we do not disguise our real world identities in Second Life, and the BloodLines product is storing and doling out information about their victims’ avatar names, (which represent one’s Second Life account), in their databases, along with such disturbing bits of information as to one’s “percentage of remaining humanity”, one’s status as the “minion” of another SL user, and ownership of a SL user’s “soul”. The religious connotations of this tripe are bad enough, but not a concern, in my case, thankfully, though my Pagan devotion to things of light and energy and positives really cannot embrace the dark and depressive nature of vampirism.

On an idle Sunday afternoon, not too long back, I let an acquaintance, who is not even on my “friends” list, induce me to allow one of these “bites”. Subsequently, I was asked to accompany him to his new build, a castle, and then to avail myself of some cool fangs and other gear from a vending prim. In my mind, I was thinking a pair of nice fangs might fit well with my Neko outfits, and in a weak moment elected to purchase the “vampire gear”. Understand, dear reader, I don’t completely exonerate myself here, I participated in this process, to be sure… but I was not adequately informed, nor was I aware of the outcome, which is that my avatar name now resides in a database, listed as my “soul” being owned by this other individual, and listing me as his “minion”, and as having only 82% humanity remaining, and as being a member of his “clan”. Note the meaning of the term, “minion”, from Merriam Webster: min•ion - 1 : a servile dependent, follower, or underling 2 : one highly favored 3 : a subordinate or petty official. Meaning number 2 is not so bad, but it’s definition number 1 that’s perceived by most “players” of BloodLines, I’m afraid.

Gorean and other “dark” roleplay have always been somewhat repulsive to me, and don’t get me wrong; I profess no moral “high ground” or “Christian ethic” here. I just don’t care for role play that objectifies any sex, gender, or even animal, nor do I take well to relinquishing control of myself or my “fantasy” SL persona to another avatar and the accompanying “player” behind the keyboard. Additionally, I am HIV positive, and the very idea of “drinking blood” in order to “stay alive” in a roleplay game is exceedingly repulsive to me, for obvious reasons. It took me quite awhile to convince my local blood bank to stop calling me for donations, and remove me from their calling lists, a hurtful and emotionally disruptive thing, as I’d enjoyed donating blood to save lives for many years, prior to contracting this horrible virus.

Recently, I lost my beloved partner in SL, because he would not give up this disgusting game, and I could not, and would not participate, and felt I had to force him to choose between me, and my companionship, or his “clan” of bloodsucking exploiters, who even boasted of how easy it was to grab “noobs”, (new and ignorant SL residents), and victimize them in this way. Some of my friends thought me “silly”, and advised me that it was all just pixels, and of no consequence, but tell that to someone who’s just been diagnosed with HIV, and is looking for a reliable source of information, companionship, or empathy within Second Life. Somehow, I don’t think a vampire is gonna be their first choice. I know, I know, Braham Stoker and Anne Rice, and all that… excellent literature and movies, and the “horror” genre is quite popular, with some. With thos of us who choose to focus on things that uplift, enhance, or contribute to humanity, as opposed to degrade, objectify, and focus upon death, damnation, and the macabre, do we not have our choices, too? And why, pray tell, should we endure offers of vampirism, any more than a religious group be entitled to go about Second Life offering “baptism” to every idle avatar they encounter?

Needless to say, I’m not happy about a Second Life “vendor” who makes profits from these toys, storing ANY information about me in a database, without informed consent and authorization on my part. It is my feeling that such role play should rightfully be confined to SIMS that are dedicated for the purpose, and that those who wish to spend their Second Life hours hanging out in dank, castle basements “feeding” from barrels of virtual blood should have every opportunity to do so, but not in public, open areas of Second Life, and certainly should be restrained from approaching new residents in Second Life and victimizing them to “collect souls” and advance their standings in their disgusting pastime. I have been approached, and presented with that annoying “Yes/No” menu many, many times in my daily Second Life, receiving requests to be “bitten” by these RP freaks, and I’m sick of it, and my responses are becoming increasingly impolite and intolerant, as my annoyance increases. I intend to contact the purveyors of this “game” soon, and request that any information they’ve stored about my SL account name be expunged from their databases, along with any information linking me in any way to another account, or to a “clan”, or to the concept of vampirism, which I find repulsive, as is my right to do.

What to do you think? Harmless game, of no consequence to anyone? Minor annoyance and interruption of your day? Should it be confined to RP sims, away from the general populace of SL? Are you a “clan member” and participant, and do you think twice, and read someone’s profile, and practice a bit of sensitivity, before triggering your “bite” offers? And most of all, are you comfortable with your account name being stored in a database, by someone accountable to nobody, and listing you as the “servile and dependent follower” of some other SL resident?

DJ’s and Hosts: For Whom Do They Perform?

I’ve penned two previous posts for this blog, one about my experience attempting to become an “escort”, and one about the life of a pro dancer in SL, and the up- and down-side of club design.

That brings me to another element of the club-hopping set in SL: DJ’s and hosts. Some are great, some are not, and some are just “phoning it in”, and we can tell, can’t we? If I pass a 250-linden tip to a DJ, and request a song, and he tells me there’s no time, or he doesn’t do repeats and the song’s been played, previously, do you think I’ll tip him again? Not bloody likely!

There are some club operators, hosts, and DJ’s who seem to forget that this experience is NOT for them! It’s not about how cool and sexy they are, or how massively bitchin’ their taste in music is, or how they can stuff their club with friends and “fan club” members. It’s for the clientele!. And no matter how “famous” or “successful” your venue has become, it can become a “ghost town” just as quickly, when word spreads that “attitude” has changed, and it’s not a customer’s best choice anymore, or it’s a “clique”, where new folks are not embraced. And let’s face it; every day in SL brings a new competitor into the club and dance business, and a new corpse on the map. Some will fail, but some will rise and prevail, and I’m attempting to provide just a little food for thought, for those who want to get into the club and dancing business.

I watch, and listen, very carefully, to how “diplomacy” is practiced with a customer who chat-spams, disobeys club rules, dances in areas reserved for club dancers, strips down a bit too far, or inflicts drama into the open chat. Are they approached with patience, kindness, and tolerance? Or, do the club owners/managers immediately become “authoritarian” and threatening, or wax smart-assed and “tuff guy” with the offender, flexing their imaginary muscles in open chat?

I’ve seen some folks treated very, very poorly in a club venue, and made a practice of never returning to that place, nor contributing my generous tips and donations to their clubs, DJ’s, or charitable causes. Correcting someone in open chat, with an “attitude” and an authoritarian approach, is just wrong, to my thinking. It only invites the offender to retaliate and become defensive. Take it to private IM, negotiate skillfully to resolve the problem, and inject humor, love, and kindness into the conversation. Pay a compliment, or share a joke, or take the time to explain the rule or policy, and why it’s necessary. Some “offenders” just don’t know that the dance platforms are “reserved” for staff, or that the poles are off-limits to customers, and if it’s near to “last call”, and someone offends, think again! Is it really a big deal? Would it serve your major goals of a profitable and full venue, to sometimes overlook a little rules violation? Is this about YOU, and your control over your venue?

I hate to be unkind, or negative; it isn’t my way, and that’s why I won’t criticize specific venues or people in my writing. Hopefully, those who recognize what my words depict, will react positively too, and take their own efforts to new levels of attraction for those of us who love, love, love to dance!

If you own a club, or know someone who does, and recognize any of these “negatives” in your own practices, think about easing up, or giving consideration to your management, design, and operating policies. We in SL know where it’s fun to be, and which parties always attract the hottest guys, and the most interesting and amusing chat, and that’s where we’ll be on any given night!

Thanks, dear reader, for enduring my little missive! Hope to see you soon, on a dance floor!

A Dancer's Life

I learned, the hard way, that being an escort in SL has a downside: you’ve got to be willing to “fake” your persona for the sake of the customer’s perceived “experience.” Not this kid, nope!

So I says to myself, I says, “What now?” And then it occurred to me! What do I love best about SL? What would I spend most of my time doing, given the choice? Am I a “builder?" Nope, only of prim clothing items. Some pretty damn nice ones, but limited skills required. Do I like sales and store management and vending issues? Naw, I’ve seen what that can do to friends with popular products! Their SL is now a “job," and their fun is constantly interrupted by puerile avatars who don’t understand how to rezz, open, and wear an item, but have more money than brains. Not for me!

There is ONE thing I love, and do almost constantly, and enjoy immensely. I dance, and I socialize, talk to my friends, family, and gay brothers in SL, and have serious fun doing it!

So I says to the escort manager guy, I says, “Do you employ guys just for dancing?”, and bingo!
“Yes, Mike, we’ll get you a dancer tag, and start assigning you to our contracted clubs!”

Woohoo! I got me a job!

Well, now the fun, and sometimes the excruciating boredom, begins. How often, as you dance through Second Life, patronizing your favorite clubs and venues, do you really pay attention to those pretty avatars stuck up on poles around the room, for your viewing pleasure? How often to you pass ‘em a few Lindens, for the pleasure they provide? Well, I can tell ya, not enough, especially if the dancers are mute and wooden, as most pole dancers tend to be. This, to me, is the bane of the dancer’s existence: the pole! Poorly animated, most of ‘em, few controls to play with, no movement allowed, and two hours of listening and attempting to follow a chat conversation thread, notice and compliment all new arrivals, chat the requisite goodbyes to those departing and stay awake, while feeling like you’re tied to a chair? It’s work. No other way to see it! it’s an endurance test!

And here’s where some really important stuff, to a pro dancer, comes into play. Design, design, design! Working a club that’s beautifully designed, with a nicely textured dance floor and walls that enhance the appearance of the avatars within, and that is small enough to allow intimate chatter, while large enough to accommodate the crowd that shows up, make an evening of fun, frolic, sparkling conversation, entertaining and flirtatious banter. All the elements of a great party!

Conversely, I’ve experienced the entire opposite end of the spectrum. Club owners or managers who fail to show up for their own events, so that group tags can be distributed allowing dancers to rezz their tip jars. Events so poorly publicized and promoted that other than staff, 3 avatars show up for the two-hour venue. And worst of all, garish, obnoxious, and nearly unusable club designs.

Those in which some misguided club “builder” installs every eyeball-blistering spotlight, floor texture changers, spinning prim lights, animated alpha-layers, mist or balloon-object generators, and on, and on, and on, like some penny arcade run amok! Oh, and then sticks the pole dancers in opposite corners, completely out of chat range of each other, and of half the room! Sheesh! Then, to add insult to injury, take 10% of the dancers’ tips, even though half your attendees are the friends your dancers invited and teleported in for the two-hour “ordeal!" Double-sheesh!

The result? A proud and puffy club owner, pleased with all his glitzy purchases and installations, and a room that is not only impossibly congested for dancing, but does not allow camera anchoring, or avatar movement, without constantly encountering a barrage of “effects,” most of which assault the senses and annoy both patrons and staff alike. As a pro dancer, I’ve been admonished by my managers never to comment negatively on a venue, so I don’t. But I dodge the assignments, avoid those places like the plague, and watch them fail, as their potential patrons tire of the environment, too. Sad, that a simple consultation could cure the problem, but the egos involved won’t allow the subject to be broached. So be it, (sigh).

At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are the “class” clubs, and I determined to remain journalistically neutral in this piece, so I won’t name names. You, me, and the rest of SL know them.

Good, wide-awake DJ’s, great, avatar-enhancing floor and wall patterns, tip jars and freebie stations clear of the dance floor, wide, spacious entrances that force a “walk-up,” so that avatars arrive on the dance floor fully rezzed; these are thoughtful, well-considered design features that impress, and bring me back again and again to those delightful places, whether working or just having my own SL fun! Subtle and flattering lighting, conversation areas and couple-dance areas off from the “crowd zone,” no excessive product vending inside the club, few annoying camera obstacles to obscure one’s view of the entrance and the avatars. These make for a wonderful evening! And, best of all, club dancers who are good with their avatars, and can move thru the crowd, “sexing up” individual patrons, talking, greeting, paying attention to what’s worn and displayed, paying compliments and correctly spelling names! And not, not, not, stuck to a piece of furniture!

‘Nuff said! Let’s go dancing!

Escort, Anyone?

Escort, Anyone?

Okay, so I say to the guy, I say, “I wanna be an escort! I’m sexy, I emote well, I love mutual masturbation, and I love men, and I’ve got at least two of all the better “naughty bits” offered in SL! What else could be required?”

Boy, was I surprised by the answer! First of all, disguise your age! Clients don’t want to think they’re with a 56 year old! The “fantasy” requires that you appear to really be the 19 year old that your avatar portrays. Also, “dumb down” your language, and adopt more current slang. You sound too literate, and therefore too educated and too old. That breaks the “fantasy”, too. Sheesh! I need to appear young and dumb to attract a sex partner? Go figger!

My reaction? F*ck this! I’ve always worn a completely open profile in Second Life, and attempted to reach out to my fellow gay men, and especially anyone dealing with issues related to HIV/AIDS, because I’m a positive-positive; I’m infected with HIV, diagnosed 15 years back, and this is my first year of being “out” in real life, to everyone in my life, and I’m not letting go of that feeling of relief, pride, and accomplishment that accompanies 20 years of alcohol and drug addiction recovery, 15 years of healthy living despite HIV, and nearly 40 years of living in “that damned closet”, now, finally behind me! I find SL’s gay community the most refreshing and liberating experience I’ve encountered in many, many years, and love it dearly! And I will always be a willing set of ears, an open heart, and a kindred spirit; and just “Mike”, to those who share my joy, or seek some reliable information or just a pair of ears to “vent” upon.

So, no “escort” for me! I won’t lie or pretend to be what I am not, not in real life, and not in Second Life! What do you think? Would you hire an “escort” in SL for sex? If you did, would you want them masquerading as some “fake” identity, for the sake of appearances, or would you want to know something real and personal about the guy with whom you’re sharing an “intimate encounter”?

Food for cogitation!