Time Out!

Before I start this post I would like to add that this is *my* blog and though it has always been mostly SL, the tide has changed. I'm spending a lot more time in RL so there may be a RL post here & there. kkthnx


All last week & so far this week I've busted my ass trying to get a new job in RL. I've also been battling what I believe is the flu, so no transportation other than my feet & the cold air is doing me in.

So since I woke up unable to breath through my nose, with sinus pressure galore.... Oh joy! I have designated today as a TIME OUT day! Too often we let the everyday stresses, hustle, bustle & busy-ness rule our day. Not today I say. Nay! Nay to lifes craptastical crapola!

Everyone gets the day off to just focus on *you*. Yup! I say so. So here are a few things to help you feel relaxed...

• Relax Yourself With A Daydream - You can relax yourself using nothing more than your imagination. This technique, also called “creative visualization,” helps you relax yourself by focusing your thoughts on something positive that will give you the peace and serenity you need in order to succeed at even the most stressful task. To relax yourself, just think of a place or an experience that makes you feel happy and calm. You can try remembering a time when you felt peaceful, or imagining a fictional event that would make you feel happy and successful. A favorite moment from childhood can do the trick, as can something outrageous like imagining yourself accepting an award at a fancy gala. The key is to focus on making your visualization as vivid as possible. What are the smells and sounds in the place you’re imagining? How do you feel, from your toes to the top of your head? If you can make the experience vivid, you’ll relax yourself completely. Just surrender to five minutes of daydreaming, and you’ll leave the stressors of your current situation behind. When you return, you’ll feel energized, refreshed, and calm.
• Take a bubble bath - Nothing is more invigorating than a a good soak in a warm bubble bath. Lean back, close your eyes, and just breath.
• Relax Yourself With A Sensory Cue - You can use your senses to relax yourself in just five minutes if you use a sensory cue. Anything from a particular scent to a tactile sensation to a specific piece of music can help you relax yourself, so long as you associate the sensory cue with feeling calm and peaceful. Try turning on a classic music track, or lighting a scented candle. Focus on taking in the stimulus that you’ve created, and you’ll relax yourself. It’s easy to relax yourself in five minutes, or even two or three, just by changing your environment so that it feels more soothing.
• Relax Yourself With A Breathing Exercise - Changing the speed of your breath is a great way to relax yourself fast. Try setting a timer for five minutes so that you can forget about watching the clock, and just pay attention to your breathing rhythm. Breathe in to a slow count of five, and out again to another five count. Continue to breath slowly, and you’ll relax yourself by tricking your body. When you breath at a slow, peaceful pace, your heart rate will also calm down, and the flood of adrenaline in your system that leads to stress will dissipate. You can relax yourself just by pretending you’re already relaxed; when you take slow, deep breaths, the way you would if you felt calm and peaceful, your body will start to think there’s nothing to worry about. You’ll feel a big difference after just five minutes!
• Relax Yourself With A Cup Of Herbal Tea - Having a warm, soothing cup of herbal tea is a great way to relax yourself fast. The warmth and steam will help open your throat and nasal passages so that you begin to breathe more deeply. The aroma and taste will help you focus your thoughts so that worries and cares take a backseat to the experience of holding, smelling, and drinking the tea. Savoring a cup of caffeine free herbal tea combines the power of a breathing exercise with the power of a sensory cue, which means you’ll be able to relax yourself fast. Just make sure to pay attention to what you’re drinking; the more you can concentrate on the act of enjoying your tea, the faster you’ll relax yourself. Five minutes with a cup of tea can leave you feeling vibrant and ready for any challenge. All you need to do to relax yourself is let the tea become the most important thing in your day for just five minutes, and you’ll feel great! Thank you baby for the tea! :)
• Crawl back into bed - If you can try crawling back into bed. Take a nap. Remmy kindergarten? Nap time rawked!

Enjoy your day off, I'm going to enjoy mine now. Mwah!

Grid-Wide Treasure Hunt!

Over thirty designers have gotten together to produce a Valentine's Day Treasure Hunt that will span the grid! Each location will have a gift box hidden inside their store. The boxes will randomly change locations inside the store so you'll need to stay alert!

The starting location will be at Sweet Sorrow. This will not be open to the public open until 1:00am STL February 9.

The gift boxes will be displayed for you to see, and all instructions will be given at that time! Please read the signs at the location when you arrive, and follow the directions. Then head off across the grid to start your hunt!

The treasure hunt begins at 1:00am SLT February 9 and will continue until 11:00pm SLT February 11

Look for goodies for both men & women from the following designers:

~ *AE* ~ Accessories by Eolande ~ ANIMAH ~ AnnaH ~ Balderdash ~ Bodies by Oh! ~ Boingo ~ Calla ~ Caroline's Jewelry ~ Cassini Creations ~ CKS Designs ~ DaeSkins ~ Designing Nicky Ree ~ Elite Designs Furniture ~ enkythings ~ First Impressions ~ Hair Solutions ~ Hubby's Boutique ~ Ingenue ~ Irelyn ~ KessKreations ~ Kitchy/UOMO ~ Moonshine ~ PajamaRama ~ Philotic Energy ~ PrimPlay ~ Reaction ~ Rose Petal Creations ~ SecondWave Apparel ~ She's So Unusual Shoes ~ SYD: Style Your Destiny ~ Tea Monster Clothing ~ Textures 'r Us ~ Topaz Square ~ Vitamin Ci ~ Wilted Rose ~

How *not* to be caught as an alt...

Vanessa Moonlight & JellyBean Madison

So everyone knows, yah, I got an alt or two. I don't play them much though. I'll log one in for video purposes, robbage of stipend, or whatnot, but I don't live separate slives as any of them. I use to, so I know how to be someone other than me. Never underestimate people. I am JellyBean, that is my main, I'm a very sl-public person [apparently - I blog! der!] and I don't pretend with my alt(s). For those of you that do though... Here's a few tips on alting.

• Be sure you know your exact reasons for creating an alt in the first place... Are you really trying to hide, get away from what the general populace has define you as, to be left alone, opposite gender, or are you trying to get away with cheating on an SL partner, RL spouse who plays? [honestly - that never works out in the end, huh Keven?]
  
• Of course you spent a lot of time perfecting the shape of your main av, but don't share that with your alt. It's a dead give away. If you share your shape, that's very personal, and if you're trying to hide who your main is... tsk tsk.
• Basically do not look like your MAIN... shape, hair color, style, and especially personal objects your main is known for wearing! Example: Jelly's pink hair [duh], my custom pink diamond wedding ring, or my custom TWS necklace. People remmy certain things that you are known to wear most.
  
• Watch the way you speak in text. On my alt I actually created trigger words [in gestures] because the way I speak is habit. So if I were to type "mayhaps/mayhapsibly" the trigger word was in a gesture that would change it to "maybe" in general chat.
• New atmospheres are nice. You can't just show up as an av that looks great [for a nooblet] at your regular haunts. People are full of suspicions & conspiracy theories.
• Don't go telling everyone who you are [i.e. close friends]. If you are planning on infiltrating your own inner circle... think that through. Once you're found out, you'll be lucky to still have an inner circle.
• If you're playing the opposite sex than you are in RL, don't lie about it if asked. Just avoid the question entirely if you can. AND never ever ever cyber with someone unless they're close enough to you to know your real secret. Seriously some guys have been fooked the hell up after finding out that hot chick they were boinking turned out to be a man behind the screen.

That's all I can think of for now... Just be careful - Drama drama drama is not all it's cracked up to be. Sucks when your SL caves in on ya.