Yeah, yeah, yeah......I'm lazy. Sue me!!

I haven't blogged forever. I know. I started working, and summer yardwork, and other stuff, and laziness....and...stuff.

I am, however, making a concerted effort to start blogging again. So what's new in the life of Crighton?

Well, I'm still DJing, but not as much. I'm still running The Savoy Jazz Club and that's been more of a challenge over the last few months due to some turnover and changes. I also am planning on making The Savoy Blog a regular thing, too. Marco Island has also been more of a challenge lately, due to the softness of the land market in SL. I'm still in good shape, but haven't been at 100% capacity for some time now. With the changing season, I'm guessing that should change for the better soon. My alt is still having more fun than me, but that's nothing new. ;-)

My entire life, RL and SL, has become somewhat stagnant. RL gravity has been weighing on me and I have not handled it as well as I could have, but it is what it is. What is important is that I'm taking positive steps to change, and this post is one of those steps. This post is not too informative and not too enlightening, but it is just an update and a harbinger of things to come, hopefully.

I still believe wholeheartedly, that SL is a mirror. I have a theory, however, that SL does not just mirror RL, but that I can use my SL as a catalyst to make things happen in RL. Symbols, archetypes, intent and desire, all come together to create.

Let's see what happens next!

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Second Life Today

Today, I am enjoying Second Life. I really am. I've cut back some, except for the Savoy celebration last week. I'm on as Crighton more than I have been in some time. Things are pretty smooth as far as my "duties" go. Marco is at capacity, so the only thing I have to do with it for now is the occasional security system issue. Savoy basically runs itself, with minor financial chores per week. I am excited to furnish and decorate both C and A's places in the coming week, and that's about it.

So why am I having fun? I'm hanging with my friends, spinning tunes and just dicking around. Oh, and baseball started, which gives me something outside of SL to enjoy.

I think too, that taking care of myself spiritually in RL helps a bit too, huh?

:-D

Simplify!!

I have curtailed my vast and somewhat insane list of projects. I think do to stress and must plain nuttiness, I was looking to keep myself busy to keep from dealing with life. In the last couple weeks, I've made strides on actually dealing with things, so these other ventures have become unnecessary. Maybe in the future, but not now.

I sold all of Aeryn's mainland and gave up the rental business. I'm not concerned with adding products to her shop for now. If I'm going to rent store space though, I will have to do something. So, for now, I am managing Marco Island and the Savoy, and DJing probably too much, at least until I find RL work.

I'm feeling quite a bit better about stuff now. :-)

I've Lost It!!

Seriously.....

I know as of this moment, I'm unemployed, mostly by choice....but damn.

If you're confused, I'll get to the point. I'm busy in SL....very busy. Don't get me wrong, cause I'm having alot of fun with new ventures, but....here's my SL.

I DJ as Crighton eight gigs a week, at two to three hours a show. I also run Marco Island. I also run The Savoy Jazz Club. As Aeryn, I have as shop that sells shapes and am looking at other possibilities as well. And my newest venture is renting skyboxes above mainland, however, this is small scale as of now. I do hope to grow the rental business, though.

So, what the hell? I enter into new ventures, and then wonder why I am doing it. Hmmmmmmm.

The DJing I love, since I truly love music. I had a great week this week, and by that I don't necessarily mean that my gigs were packed (some of them were,) or that I made alot of money (I did okay,) but rather the people that were there had a blast and I felt that I spread some joy. And that is what music is for me. If I can do that, then I'm very happy. :-)

Running the Savoy has been a joy as well, as it is music related. All my DJs, artists and hosts are exceptionally professional and I really don't have much to do, other than lead by example and give support. The actually work is minimal, for the most part. Running Marco Island is about the same, as the sim is fully rented as of now. The only real work is attending to minor issues like malfunctioning security units, and listing rentals if someone moves out.

Aeryn's shop and her rental business are where some work comes into play, as this requires some time and effort to get off the ground. I guess the worst case scenario is that if it requires too much time and energy, I'll bag it and move on. It's not like I really need this, but it is fun! :-)

The one thing I need to keep in mind is how this infringes on my SL relationships and friendships. Simply put, the people are what is important here, and if I can remember that, then I will be fine, no matter what the rest of my SL brings me.

Marco Island blog

I haven't done much with it yet, but I have started a blog for Marco Island, which is the Sim I recently came to own. Home to The Savoy Jazz Club, The Bistro Olive, Joell's Deelights Shops and mikki's Licks, Marco Island is a truly wonderful place I am happy to call home.



More to come. ;-)

Two Year Reflections.....

It was two years ago that Crighton Johin first rezzed his noobie ass in SL.

Jenda and I joined about the same time, and as noobs, we wandered aimlessly, fascinated by SL and what we found. We were both looking for things that interested us, both together and on our own. I found the live music scene and AA and was hooked. This is particularly amusing considering when I joined it was only for Jen to get a referral fee reward. Honestly, I was getting bored, but after finding the music and AA, I realized that SL was much more than I bargained for.

After a long time as wandering around as a newbie, I eventually succumbed to the lure of a nice skin and my appearance evolved over the months to something a bit more handsome. I fell in love and was amazed at the bond that we could make in SL. I also found out first hand that the pains of relationships in SL are just as real as in RL. My love of music and my frustration at finding decent internet radio stations led me to the art of SL DJing, thanks to friends who pushed and mentored me. (hugs to Jocelyn) This led to a new level of socializing, that in RL was unheard of for me. I settled into my life as a SL DJ and loved it. Not only did I have the awesome privilege of playing music I actually liked (I was horrified at the thought of playing pop music,) but I actually made some decent money doing so. Getting paid for doing something I love? This was definitely better than RL!

Along the way, my life got busy and complicated and being a solitary person, I was having a hard time dealing with the rigors of being *gasps* somewhat popular, so I decided to create an alt. By this time, I had become quite curious about the female avatar and decided to create an alt that was female. Thus, Aeryn was born. Quite quickly, she became a relatively big part of my SL. She spent my money and eventually became my favorite avatar to use during free time. I'm sure much speculation ensued about me and my Aeryn *grins* but there was really nothing perverted or nefarious about her. She shopped and danced and eventually opened up her own shape shop. Yes, I found out that I had an eye for proportion that some don't have, and tried to capitalize on that. I ran out of gas on that venture, but still have the shop open and may do something with it in the future. Most of my friends now know about Aeryn and I think they humor me and my double life and I love them for it.

Last year, Bill Mondegreen and I talked about jazz and opening up a jazz club. Bill built and and was instrumental in it's opening. I merely showed up and spun jazz on a regular basis. I was amazed that we actually garnered a following that grew steadily. Bill eventually had some RL issues to deal with and the management of the club fell on me. We steadily added more gigs, blues and jazz. We added a couple fabulous female live vocalists to sing and our traffic grew. I can now say, without hesitation, that the Savoy is a success and is, in my opinion, the best jazz and blues club in SL. I am honored to be working with the DJs, hosts, and performers we have at the Savoy. And is it really working if I have a blast?

Next up on my thrilling ride through SL fun and insanity was Aeryn's turn to the dark side. Yes, she became a vampire. As if I needed something else to occupy my time, while looking innocently for a nice pair of fangs, Aeryn was seduced to the dark side by a handsome Frenchman with pointy teeth. No, there was no funny business, just some neck biting....lol. Immersing myself into Bloodlines with Aeryn pushed me to a whole new level of socializing and I found myself having fun helping.....newbies? Yes, that's right. A vampire with a heart of gold. :-) Don't get me wrong, she still wants your soul, but I found that through BL, I ran into more newbies than every before, and used the opportunity for good, rather than collecting souls. Don't forget though, Aeryn still wants your soul.

Next on the winding road that is SL, Marco Island was dropped in my lap. Yes, I now own a sim, which brings with it a whole new set of responsibilities and pressures, not the least of which is real life money. Things have been good so far and I think I've done well with it. I try to keep a healthy balance between being fair to my fellow Islanders and being smart with rent so I'm not left owing money. We haven't changed much, but we're looking at improvements and ways to help us all in our endeavors.

So last night, we had a two year rez day party for me. Kimala did such a good job setting it up and I had a blast. I let my ego run wild and played some of my favorite rock music, and I hope I didn't run anyone off. ;-) And through all this post, I have not even talked about the most important aspect of SL, at least for me. Friends. That will be my next blog entry, as I've already gone on and on here. But I've been so fortunate in my SL to have found the absolute best bunch of people that I call friends. Second Life has had a set of pitfalls that I've stepped in, including my obsessive/addictive nature. I've also been struggling with the whole concept of doing something I love in RL, rather than just in SL. It has shown me how dissatisfied I am in my RL career, or lack thereof. But that is something I will have to deal with.

In the mean time, I love Second Life and my friends there. Considering that I was there only temporarily, it's turned out to be quite some trip....dare I say a long strange trip?

Savoy Jazz Club Blog!!

After much thinking, I finally decided to do it! I have created a Savoy Jazz Club blog named.....get ready.... The Savoy Jazz Club. :-)

I've been wanting to do a Savoy blog entry for awhile, but just haven't got around to it. Finally, I decided that I should do a Savoy blog where we can post about events, and I could post about some of the jazz artists that I admire so much. The Savoy has rekindled a love for jazz that started in the eighties for me. When I was in college, I roomed with some guys, one of whom listened to a lot of electric jazz and fusion. I eventually came to love this music that was new to me, but it wasn't until I discovered album by Wynton Marsalis, who at that time was a teenager. At first, I thought I had gone too far. Acoustic straight ahead jazz is what it was, and the only person I had ever heard play it before was my dad. I played it for my friends and was met with what can only be described as complete indifference and almost horror.

I was intrigued and delighted, however, and I kept delving in to the genre, finding Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Billie Holiday, among others. I was in the midst of my addiction and something about jazz resonated with me, much as what happened with Blues music at the same time. I didn't know it at the time, but blues was deep inside jazz, and there is no separating the two. I eventually lost most of my records as casualties to my alcoholism and addiction, but when I got sober I started picking them up again in CD form. Eventually though, I lost interest in jazz for almost a decade.

Enter Bill Mondegreen and the Savoy, and what was a smoldering ember ignited. I found friends who shared my love. I found that there were a lot of people who loved the same music I did and were grateful for the Savoy and what we did there. I now am fortunate enough to almost break even, to have the best DJs in SL work with me, and to have two of the finest singers in SL grace our presence on a regular basis. You will read more about these wonderful spirits in the Savoy Blog, as well as hearing from them, I hope. And I would be remiss without mentioning our hosts and hostesses who humor our massive DJ egos and work with us, making the Savoy a home and sanctuary away from the rigors and dreariness of everyday life.

Finally, The Savoy Jazz Club is first and foremost about the music. We don't have sploders and contests, as fun as those can be. We have music. We have what I consider to be the best music in SL on a consistent basis. We have friendly and witty hosts who absolutely crack me up, and also have an understanding and appreciation of the music. While I manage the Savoy, I really don't do an awful lot. My only instruction to the DJs is play the music you love and have fun. If they, and I include myself, do this, we will find our audience and we will have fun doing so. While playing popular music is cool and fun, do we really need to hear Crazy Bitch again? I love going to Ogg's gig and hearing Derek Trucks or John Scofield. I love going to Cat's gig and hearing Rickie Lee Jones and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I love going to Iso's gig and hearing Ronnie Earl. I love going to bigd's gig and hearing Jimi and Johnny Winter cuts I've never heard before. Music. Jazz. Blues. The Savoy Jazz & Blues Club.

What you're missing.....

...if you're watching the Sopranos on A&E. This is not safe for viewing at work or in the presence of children or any type of fundamentalist. Behold the beauty of my favorite word.....


the sopranos, uncensored. from victor solomon on Vimeo.

I pledge....

MySpace Celebrity and Katalyst present The Presidential Pledge

Back to reality....

Well....My fantasy of not ever having to work in RL has come to an end, and I must devote a fair chunk of my time to finding a job quickly, and then actually going to work. *sighs* The last weeks have been fun....and a complete waste of valuable time. I have blown a chance to get started on some things that I wish I would have. In fairness to me, I wasn't clear on what I wanted to do in the first place, so possibly this was an incubation period. The vague description of what I'm shooting for is graphics and web design, but obviously I have a lot to learn. I'd like to eventually ply my trade in music somehow, preferably in blues and jazz. We'll see...

Speaking of jazz, we have a fabulous New Year's Eve at the Bistro and Savoy last week, starting with bigd at the Bistro, and ending with Oggden, me, Nina and Iso/Hy at the Savoy. We had a ton of great music at the Bistro, and I even got to do my first Cowboy Junkies set, which was fun for me. Bigd was rocking the house most of the morning and afternoon, along with Tali, Ogg and I.

At 6pm, the party moved to the Savoy, where Ogg took the stream with a fabulous set of fusion and jazz. After that, Nina and I traded off with me spinning and her singing, and the house band was just pumping!! Kimala pulled out her U2 signature guitar, while me and Aeryn provided the rhythm to back her. The highlight of the evening was when Hy and Isobela shared the stream for a hilariously fun and touching evening of blues, together for the first time...again....heee. By coming "out of the closet" as a RL couple, they provided laughs and great music for the next couple hours until we all collapsed with exhaustion. All in all, it was a fabulous evening and a great way to bring in the new year.

And it is a new year....2009. While the last year, in some respects, has seemed to be somewhat of a failure for me, in RL particularly, I have to pick up and move on. I have to learn from these failures and see what are the lessons in them, and possibly find out that there are no failures, but only learning experiences. Hills, valleys and plateaus....that when viewed without judgement, provide the beautiful landscape of my life.

I will probably not have as much time to devote to Aeryn and her vampiric ways, but I hope to have some time now and then to engage in her little "hobby." You never know when you're going to end up in a bird cage, high above a frozen lake, captured by aliens...wondering when you'll be able to taste the sweet red essence of a fresh human.....*sighs* Fortunately she escaped to roam, yet again. She also went to a wonderful wedding of a vampire friend, that was truly the most beautiful wedding I've been to yet. And yes, I'm aware that I've traded pronouns and am possibly confused. :-P Confusion is part of my charm, Yo!

So, the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. Exciting and scary and exhausting. What shall I create in this life of mine? Because, that is what it is....creation.....without limitations.

What Card Am I?

You are The Magician

Skill, wisdom, adaptation. Craft, cunning, depending on dignity.

Eleoquent and charismatic both verbally and in writing,
you are clever, witty, inventive and persuasive.

The Magician is the male power of creation, creation by willpower and desire. In that ancient sense, it is the ability to make things so just by speaking them aloud. Reflecting this is the fact that the Magician is represented by Mercury. He represents the gift of tongues, a smooth talker, a salesman. Also clever with the slight of hand and a medicine man - either a real doctor or someone trying to sell you snake oil.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.