Gotta Keep On Keep On Keep On ...

If the title of my blog post made you have flashbacks to the Brady Bunch, good - you're old enough to remember!  Honestly, it was part of a rather hilarious conversation between myself and Master, last night.  I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say, it was funny, and completely relevant.

I've had a few days off from SL, and it's been pretty much blissful.  I've gotten to spend tons of time with Master (not that it's really different than any other time, because we always spend the majority of our time together).  I got to sneak in-world for a while yesterday morning and see how work was progressing on the new build, and Master and I offered some suggestions to Jynxx as to where to stick things.  Yes, that pun was completely intended.  (Love you, Jynxx!)   The new build is coming along very well, and I can't wait to see it put in place so that the rest of the staff can come and oogle the fantastic job that Jynxx and Marge have done.  Most importantly though, I have had some time to do some deep thinking about things that have  been bothering me as of late. While I may or may not have a solution to those problems, I will not bore anyone with the details of said deep thinking processes or conclusions.  Just know that they are there.  :)  There were tears, there was consoling ..... etc.

On the RL side of things, I did mundane things, like cleaning, and laundry, and playing with my dogs.  Maybe a bit too much playing with said dogs, because I returned home from work to find the papasan chair overturned and both dogs looking at me with utter innocence.  Its been raining, which has only added to the bliss for me.  Anyone who knows me will tell you, that I love rain.  I also love fog.  Perhaps its my English heritage peeking out again, heh.   Oh, and I made frybread.  Twice.  It was delicious both times.

Tonight is Halloween.  I have no candy, so I am hoping to turn off all of the lights in the house and hide from the wee children coming door to door.  Of course, the porch light will be off, and that's sort of the unwritten law around here - no porch light, no knock.  No, I'm not an utterly cruel Halloween grinch, I just haven't gotten to the store to buy any.  That isn't looking to change today, because there's no way in hell that I am setting foot inside Wal Mart on Halloween day.  Eek!

I will be back in SL on Friday, to DJ my Awesome 80's Flashback set at Exile, and then again on Saturday, for Naked Saturday, also at Exile.  I'm actually sort of looking forward to getting back in again after my time off, now that the brain is no longer on overload and I know exactly what is what and who is who.  Heh.  Horton is a Who .. did you know?

With that, I can only say, its time for bed, and I shall leave you with this charming gem.

You know I love ya.  ;)

Stupidity, Idiots, and Reality

So apparently, some people can't understand reality if it bites them in the ass.

I've had the unfortunate circumstance to have to deal with some drama queens in my time, but this really has to take the cake.   There's a person at Exile, who does a blog, and in this blog, she incessantly degrades the club, and the people in the club, and can't seem to get her reality straight.  She says things that aren't true at all, and when she's called on it, she cries like a little girl and hides behind the skirts of other people.

Yesterday, I wrote, what I thought, was a very nice letter to this person, trying to explain how people work really hard for Exile, people close to her included, and each time she posts something bad about the place, it reflects on them as well.  I tried to give her some advice, such as finding her happy place, and that she should stop complaining about things all the time - that I, as well as others, would love to see her take some pride in Exile.

Of course, today, there is another snarky blog post.  

While I understand that the blog is her own "brain dump" and her own space - and I would not, and have not, asked her to censor it, I do stand by what I wrote to her.

Honestly, lets look at this in a RL fashion.  How many employers, would continue to employ a person, if all that they did was degrade the workplace in a blog, or tweets, or any other social media?  We've all seen plenty of cases such as this in the news, and guess what? Said person was usually released from work.   I would like to note, that I have not done this.  I have tried to be patient and tried to be nice.

But, as I pointed out to Master last night, apparently, being nice isn't working.  So perhaps its time for me to become the bitch that everyone seems to think I am.

I have taken a few days off from SL to gather my thoughts, with the assurance that Master, Jynxx, Emerald and Fitch will be handling things in my absence.  I will be coming back on Friday, unless I decide that I am ready to come back before then.

But be warned.  I am not dealing with this anymore.  Master will be dealing with these people from here on out.  After all, he is the co-owner of Exile.

And please remember, the same that your blog is your "brain dump" ... Exile is OUR club, and our PATRONS' club.  That will not change.  

Please, by all means, keep up your shit-talking, sweetheart.  All it does is make you look like an idiot 2 year old drama queen, seeking attention, and so eager for it, that you'll take it even if its bad attention.  Honestly, you don't have my anger.  You have my pity.

Naked Saturday Goodness

Last night was Naked Saturday at Exile, and it was our annual Halloween bash.  Well, the 2nd one we have had, anyway, but it's going to be a tradition.  It seemed like most everyone who was there, had a great time, and there were loads of great costumes to be seen!  Unfortunately, I was so busy Djing that I didn't get a chance to snap any pictures, but take my word for it!  Ky'she was an amazing mermaid, Master was Cartman, Sem and I were both ghosts, albeit different costumes, and there were some angels and devils and demons, and even Frenzy was there with a big mallet of some kind, and a gun.  I personally thought it was a pretty good night.  Granted, there were some who werent there, but I am guessing that RL also held lots of Halloween parties, since it was the last Saturday before.  I'm looking forward to seeing them back, next week!

Today has been a pretty lazy day all around.  I got the Exile schedule out (a bit later than I like, but I overslept!) and have dinner started.  Tonight is going to be Indian tacos, with chicken instead of beef.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the Indian taco - become intimately familiar! They are delicious!! Fry bread is da bomb.

Because of oversleeping, I dont have a lot to post today.  I'll try to do a better one tomorrow.  :)

~R

The 80's, Tuna Noodle Casserole, and Other Things

Hey everyone, its me, River, again! I know, its an odd title for a blog post, but trust me, it fits in with the whirlwind that is my mind.

So yesterday was Friday.  Fridays, I do my 80's Flashback set at Exile, and it was really a lot of fun.  All of my usuals were there, and Cherie stopped in towards the end of the set as well!  The sploder was well-served, and there was lots of awesome 80's music to be had by all.

Immediately afterwards, was the Exile staff meeting.  The ones who were in attendance, seemed very excited about the news of the new build, and while we assured them that nothing is, as they say, set in stone, I think that everyone is very excited to see it.  We informed them that Jynxx and Marge are deprimming the hell out of it, and doing some parcel-fitting as well (its a bit ... large), but hopefully a lot of that will be done soon.   They were, as always, full of great suggestions and ideas.  I love when that happens!   I was really sad that Frenzy didn't make it - I had a question to ask her, but Miss Fitch said she would talk to  her about it when she came on - co-incidentally, just as we were logging off!

RL work was a booger.  Everything was fine until the very end, and then the car had a blow-out, back passenger side.  Being as we are in a used car that we purchased 2 years ago, we had no idea that there was a spare tire tucked away underneath the car.  Heh.  After downloading a flashlight app on my phone so that we could see, we finally managed to get the tire to release, and then changing it was a breeze.  As of 9am this morning, there's a shiny new tire in it's place.   I stayed up late to meet a man who was supposed to come over and get an old refrigerator, but he never showed.

In the meantime, I was enjoying some time with Master at Exile, as he streamed some of his awesome music.  I had already gotten dressed for the Halloween version of Naked Saturday tonight, so I was looking a little pale.  Shanique, Rosie, and Miss Eloise also showed up, and then Satre, so it was a regular little party.

Tonight of course, is Naked Saturday, and as usual, its going to be a blast.  If I can manage to, I will try to snap some pics of the fun and post them here, tomorrow.

Now, I am off to enjoy some of the awesome Tuna Noodle Casserole that is for dinner.  I have a pic of that too.  There will be much less of it when I am finished.  I love this stuff!

Enjoy the night and see you all at NS tonight at 8pm!!

A Little Tact ...

I am going to try my damnedest to be tactful in this blog, but there are some things that I want and desperately need to address.  I do not plan on mentioning any names in this posting at all, so please bear with me as I dance around the naming of people.

There is a blog that I read on occasion, and in this blog, said blogger, who is an employee of Exile, has complained and commented on multiple things.   I am going to take the time to answer those comments, here and now, for everyone to see.

1.  "Exile is a dark, cold place."
In actuality, it isn't at all.  The beauty, the warmth behind Exile are the people who come to Exile, whether they be staff or patrons.  Everyone, and I do mean everyone at Exile, is considered part of the family.  As I have said before, Exile isn't about the build, or the pictures that were on the wall (and are now in the viewer) or the couches, or any number of other things.  Exile is about the PEOPLE.

2.  "Hardly anyone comes anymore. I think its because (insert names here) left."
As an owner of Exile, I see the number of people that come through the doors each and every day, and exactly how long they stay for.  Many of the events are well-attended!  As with any club in SL, not all events are going to be well-attended.  But, if your event is not well-attended, then sit down and ask yourself why it isn't.  Is there something that you can do? Perhaps a change of music, or even a change in attitude?  Maybe some outside advertising could help.  There again, if could be because (Insert names here) and all of their alts, aren't attending your shifts anymore. Addressing the thought that it's because (insert names here) left ... so not the case at all.  So many people were sick and tired of the drama being caused, and, as I said before, and will say again - Exile is Exile .. not the (Names Here) Show.  If you were under the impression that they ran things, or had some sort of "inside track" on what was going on ... I suppose you know now, that you were mistaken. Not sure if you just thought it, or if it was something that you were told, but I can hazard a pretty damn good guess, seeing as I have heard it from others as well.  They have left.  They are gone. It's time to let the past be the past, stop dwelling in it, and rocket forward into Exile's future.

3.  "I came in twice now, and stood ungreeted for at least 10 minutes."
That may very well be.  I remember bringing this up in several staff meetings.  Except .. then it was your and yours not doing the greeting, and guess what .. You still barely do, unless it's someone that is one of your friends/family.  I still get complaints about you in that aspect, and some of those complaints are coming from managers, as well as staff and patrons.   Darling, you cannot expect people to jump up and down for joy when you walk through the door, if you are not willing to at least greet people, yourself, and show some enthusiasm in it.  No one wants to feel as though they are pushing themselves upon someone.  You cannot expect someone to be happy to see you, when they say hello to you repeatedly, and get nothing in return, but you're all too happy to say hello to everyone else.

I'm going to end this blog by offering some well-intentioned advice to you.

Stop complaining and bitching about everything.  If you aren't happy, then change it.  Get your happy on! Look for something to smile about!  Trust that the people in charge actually DO know what they are doing, and if you have thoughts or comments to make, make them constructive ones - not words dripping with sarcasm and contempt.  Stop with the "woe is me" act and FIND your happy place, and reasons to smile and be happy about all of the good things that you have in your life.  No one should have to find it for you, or provide it for you.  Inside, I know that you are a truly awesome person, but right now, its very hard to get past the drama and bullshit, to see all of that awesomeness.  Said with love, said with love.

Love Is In the Air @ Exile

Sunday was a good day for love at Exile, apparently!

First, Miss Florisa and Kitten had Kitten's collaring ceremony in the gardens, followed by a party to celebrate.  Then, Sir Mav surprised everyone by proposing to Vampy, so another celebration! And, just a few days before that, Master and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary of my being in his collar.  Just wow!  I really love it when there is so much love in the air!  Although I wasn't able to make it to Miss Florisa's and Kitten's ceremony because of RL obligations, Miss Florisa knew that I was there in spirit, and I am wishing them the very best!  I posted my congratulations to Vampy and Sir Mav via FB, and will be telling them in person, as soon as I manage to get in-world to see everyone.

It was my typical Sunday, RL.  Saturday nights are my hardest night during the week, and so I tend to rest up a bit on Sundays.  My housemate returned to work after having 3 days off in a row, and I enjoyed some quiet time at home with the doggies.  I made my first ever quiche - a Quiche Lorraine, and served it up with steamed green beans and almond slivers.   Delish!  There's still about half left, so plenty for breakfast for a few days, too!  I played a bit of WoW (yes, I do play from time to time) and enjoyed lots of quality time, talking to Master on Skype, as is our usual.  There's not hardly a time when we aren't on Skype together, which is wonderful.  I feel really blessed that I get to hear his voice for the majority of the day.  When I got home from work, we watched a couple of episodes of Australia Border Patrol and one that is sort of the Australian version of "COPS".  Both are really good.  I'm still grumpy that the "COPS" one doesn't have Meghan on it anymore.  I really liked her a lot.  And, I am very much looking forward to the new episodes of "River Cottage - Australia" that will be coming back in the new year.   (I am utterly addicted to the "River Cottage" series, both the England and Australia versions, though, I think I do prefer Hugh a bit more.)  For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, you can find the majority of them on YouTube - start with River Cottage, the England version, with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

And, as I am about to have something for dinner, I am going to leave off of here for now, and possibly post an addendum to this, later.  

Have a good day, y'all!

~R

Naked Saturday And Other Things

Let me just start out by saying that, Naked Saturday was a blast.  We had over 30 at the club at our highest point, and its great that we are starting to see some old faces coming back in again! Charmi stopped by for a bit this week, and Sapphire was there last week.  Semarra is coming in again also, which is great!  There were quite a few members of the Freeze family on-hand, too, and it was great to meet them all.

I streamed a lot of great music - all in all, I had about 4 hours worth loaded into my SAM, and was getting lots of requests all night.  For some reason, I was having problems finding some of the songs that Miss Fitch wanted to hear, but I am going to try to get her to send me those songs via email so that I have them on-hand, if she wants to hear them again.  Oh, and I also ranked #8 on the SHX Top 40!!  YAY!

Unfortunately, I was so busy DJ'ing, that I didn't have time to grab any pictures of the event.  So, just imagine Exile, packed with scantily-clad people, all dancing away and having a great time for 3 hours straight.  Miss Fitch was in her dance cage, and Shanique and Simon were dancing away on the poles.  Ah, yes, that's a great picture, use that one.  :)

Life in the "real" was a bit more sedate.  I'm very excited that Jynxx will be here in just 22 days!! And yes, I still have yet to go and buy that coffee pot! However, there's a good sale on at KMart, so I may stop in there this coming week.  Which, brings about a whole new issue ... Where to put it?  My kitchen here at the new house doesn't have nearly the cabinet space that the old house did.

Speaking of Jynxx, she and Marge B. have been working very hard on a new build, and I am really excited to see the final outcome! Both of them are really talented builders, and it's always great to see the new things that they come up with!  I remember one of the highlights of my year was seeing what Marge put together for the holidays over at Sidhe.  Great stuff.  What does this build mean for you?   Well .... I guess you will just have to wait and find out.  ;)

Have you ever had one of those days (read, weeks!) where, there was a ton of things to be done, and you just didn't have the motivation to do anything at all?  Yes, that is where I am at, today. (and yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that...)  Perhaps if someone were to bring me a big, fat Vendi from Starbucks - something with white chocolate and caramel - that might help me transition into getting something done.   No?  Instant coffee it is, then.  

Wish me luck.

~R