…can we have physics for penises at some point in 2012? LOL.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and the months of madness leading up to it were worth the effort. It’s a busy family time, so I’ve not had much SL time this past week, but normal service is now resumed in the ‘Keng’ household, at least until next year.

All being well, I’ll have three naturist holidays in 2012 (two and a long weekend, more accurately) and, a bit of shopping aside, an almost 365 day naturist existence in Second Life. Maybe I’ll meet some of you inworld in the course of the year ahead.

I picked up this article in Jezebel magazine today, which asks the question ‘Is public hair coming back into fashion?’ My old friend Emmanuelle was a big pubic hair fan on her blog, and there are many posts on there about pubes. It was a topic of hot discussion amongst the staff of her 2ex blog (and inworld group) on several occasions, and I recall us discussing Naomi Wolf writing in New York magazine about a pubic generational divide. It’s also cited in the Jezebel article, which also notes Crystal Renn’s Vogue shoot, in which she is beautifully furry.

What has all of this got to do with SL? I tp’ed into the Nearly Tactile pubic hair store earlier and, damn!, if it wasn’t almost standing room only. It rather looks as though a lot of ladies (and guys too) are buying up pubic hair, and my own observations from some of SL’s naturist sims suggest that ladies are no longer prepared to be ‘as featureless as Barbie’ (as the Jezebel article accurately, IMO, puts it).

When I started in SL, three years ago, I felt I was the only one being ‘natural’ in the sims. I stuck with the look, as ‘Ella’ certainly reflects the real me to a scary degree -SL isn’t an alternate fantasy existence, but more an extension of the person who shoves the avatar around the grid and writes these words- and now I feel kind of vindicated. Wherever you are in SL in 2012, it rather seems there will be more pubic hair on display, either on the naturist beaches or in the private boudoirs.

Even its name – ‘Park’ – infers a new thinking. I’ve had a good look around now, and met some of the lovely people who are members (all sporting a ‘Naked and Unashamed’ group tag). You can too, for the piffling sum of L$250 and membership to this new naturist sim.

I’ve also been in conversation with the park’s owner, Instant Karma (or ‘Karma’ as he appears to be known to all), and I drew from this that there’s a drive for ‘purity’ within the sim. What the park is seeking to achieve is a sense of a garden of Eden, unspoilt by man (or woman), with even bridge crossings over water subtly disguised to offer a sense of an unspoilt world. I like this, I like this a lot, because the lack of ‘things’ makes one focus solely on the social interaction elements of SL. Which is rather the point of it all.

Too often we TP in somewhere to find it’s more of the same. More malls, more dance intans, more buildings, more…of everything we’ve seen before! So to drop in to somewhere that lacks all of that, and just to sit (or swim) naked with other naked players is so refreshing, so novel, so unique, it makes for an odd, yet uplifting, experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience because, 1000+ days into my SL, and having displayed all manner of ennui at spacesuit wearing giant rabbits wielding samurai swords, I suspect that this might have been what SL was like when it began. A world not having become a commercial rat race with sim after sim displaying the same elements again and again.

Note: I have a few days off work now, in which I plan to spend substantial time at several of the grid’s naturist hotspots, and hopefully get into conversation with some of you. I’ll be at Su Casa, Lost Garden, Eden and a couple of other places over the coming days. More reports, interviews and photos to follow.

Word reaches me (via an SL friend who isn’t a naturist) of a new grid going ‘live’ in January. I’ve not got any details beyond the fact that it will allegedly offer a full sim, with loads of prims, for around US$30 per month. This is great news if there’s any truth behind the rumour, as it will ‘democratise’ SL (or an equivalent) to a large degree.

I know many north American and European players regard their SL activities as ‘pocket money’ prices, but the entire globe doesn’t enjoy north American or European levels of ‘disposable income’. I know this is something Emmanuelle discussed on her blog when I was writing for her, and I would echo her sentiments. There is huge untapped potential for SL in the ‘BRIC’ economies (that’s Brazil, Russia, India and China, for those who don’t follow global economics), and hauling in players from those countries would benefit SL enormously, presuming we haven’t actually poisoned them to aspire to Old and New World ‘values’.

If this new grid is a reality, it excites me because, even as a European player, I have only got a certain amount of ‘disposable income’ to spend on what is a hobby (or any other hobby for that matter).  My SL activity revolves around my family, and thus I’m always keenly aware of the need to balance the time, and outlay, against other, more pressing financial needs, particularly in a depressed global economic climate.

IF the rumour is true, IF it runs as smoothly (or as glitchily! 🙂 ) as Linden Labs version, IF the costs are correct and IF I can import my stuff into the new grid, then I’m massively interested in opening up and running my own naturist sim on that grid. Imagine a full, green, forested and relatively unspoilt (certainly by commercialism) sim, which doesn’t require huge volumes of traffic to make for any sort of  justification for its existence. Watch this space, because I would certainly be thinking of settling in for a long term commitment to the project, 2-3 years at least, if it all comes off.

Mention of Emmanuelle reminds me that her self-imposed hiatus from SL and her blog must be ending in a couple of weeks and I, for one, hope to see her back in SL, along with some of the friends I made amongst the staff when writing for her. I’ve already contacted a couple of them, Diane and Vajeena, about doing some stuff for ‘SL Naturist’ if they’re keen.

I feel that SL sometimes works best when there’s some crossover between it and RL. Yes, I know some people talk about there being some ’emotional connection’ in ‘cyber’ between two avatars (something I know nothing about, as I have all the ’emotional connection’ I need with my RL husband and our children, and thus feel no need to emotionally connect with others).

But I’m talking about where some sort of ‘creative linkage’ occurs, and people bring their RL talents, beyond the obvious computing ones, into SL. Clothes designers, of course, are part of this, but I really do enjoy where painters import (and maybe sell) their RL works in the context of SL, where people do properly live cyber-concerts, and even where people -I’m thinking about the likes of inworld magazine publishing, and how ‘SL Naturist’ will hopefully eventually be alternately delivered- create magazines (there are already some fashion magazines and ‘mens’ magazines (like Playmates) readily available). I’ve already referred to the displays of public art at Su Casa, for example, in this blog post.

But how about we transfer our SL naturist activities back into the real world?

I’m working on an article I intend to submit to a couple of RL naturist blog sites. There’s no guarantee of publication, of course, but if anyone has any thoughts, links, photos, ideas or anything else they’d like worked into it, let me know. How cool might it be for SL to pick up new players, genuine naturists, to have some sort of virtual naturism while we shiver through a northern hemisphere winter?

Wow! That’s all I’m going to say for now, but trust me, wow!!!!!!

I’ve been given a sneak preview of a new naturist sim heading our way, and all I can say is that it will substantially alter the thinking in SL naturist geography because it looks superb. I’ve taken a few pictures of the unspoilt verdant land, and my immediate impressions of it are that it subtly alters how people will regard a naturist sim.

It’s European! Well, to be honest, I don’t know if it’s a European designer/owner or not, but it has a European vibe, inland France, for example, somewhere like Aranaoutchot. (Yes, I do know Arna opens out onto the beach, but just set back from it is some wonderful wooded areas that provide pleasant shade from the sting of the midday, midsummer sun. Or maybe La Jenny, also in France.

I’m not about to go into a whole long review of what’s currently a work in progress and, much as I’d love to, I’m not going to say much more…for now! I’m going to leave it until the place is properly open but, trust me, this place is going to be a wow! for all the rest of you SL naturists. The scenery is stunning and the layout imaginative. Even now it looks as though it’ll be a huge hit with SL naturists like you and I.

I’ve not got any posts up for a couple of days because I’ve been busy establishing ‘SL Naturist HQ’, a skybox we’ve rented. The sand’s down to create a beach, and besides the house/office, there’ll be a ‘sun rest’ area, from where the staff will (possibly) conduct interviews. Photos to follow.

Yes, I run an ‘alt’. I’ve never used her much, except when I had a ‘friend’ press his advances on me, despite him being very clear about my feelings towards cyber (I don’t want any, and my profile makes that clear in several languages!). So I muted, de-friended and logged out and stayed out of SL for a couple of weeks before deciding that I shouldn’t let one idiot, who apparently can’t read or read the signals, spoil my SL. So I signed up my alt…and then made her look exactly like me (I mean, my original avatar!). Oh dear!

I couldn’t just re-invent myself. I had become ‘Ella’ to an extent, and needed to be ‘Ella’ in look, even though the alt didn’t carry her name. Well, to cut a long story short, I eventually returned to SL as Ella, and I’ve not encountered the idiot again (despite him being a regular of SL venues), so the ‘alt’ was retired.

This week, I’ve re=activated her. I don’t mean to be rude or unfriendly, but as I’ve embarked on this blog, I’ve realised just what a lot of time it requires, what research is needed, and how many friends -genuine friends I care about- I have in SL who will say ‘hi’ and we’ll chat. I love this element of SL, it’s what I log in for, but sometimes a girl needs to get things done. So occasionally, particularly when a new venue opens up, or is altered to or added to, I’ll be using her as an avi who can maybe slip in unnoticed and get a review done, quietly and quickly. She still looks like Ella, and the profiles are exactly the same.

If you do spot her, by profile reading, or by thinking ‘she looks like Ella’ by all means say hello. I’m not going to deny her, or that she’s me. It just means I’m working on the blog, in dishguise…or not!

The reason I’m telling you this is because my alt dropped into Skinny Dip Inn earlier today, possibly the first time I’ve visited since wee one or two of my SL. SDI will say it’s ‘clothes optional’, nude or swimwear is the preferred option, so I slipped on a bikini and teleported over there. I remembered it as something of a ‘meat market’. Yes, there’s a mix of nude and clothed folks there, so that ticks a box. What doesn’t tick any boxes is the 1000+ day old male avatars in newbie hair and badly coloured penises that defy all logical explanation to their girth and length. Less of a penis, more of a three legged stool.

And sure enough, within a few moments, there were IMs, from 1000+ day old avatars who haven’t learned to profile read yet. ‘Wanna f***?’ Well, no, as my profile makes very, very clear. And as chat up lines go, it’s a loser. A big, big loser.

I knew my SL time was limited, so I made my excuses and left. I won’t be back. Sure, if you want to go somewhere that’s a pick up joint for naked people who aren’t naturists (there’s a big difference) give it a go. Me? And my alt? No, thanks. No thank you at all.

It’s getting to be close to the big day, so I decided I’d send you a note for what I want on my Xmas SL Naturist shopping list.

1. A communal pool with swim poses and a lot of loungers around it. Most RL resorts have one, so maybe you could fix it for me to get a proper sized swimming pool I can take my early morning nudie dips in?

2. At least one beach with a hand-in-hand couple walking pose beside it. A regular feature of RL naturism is couples strolling hand in hand along the shoreline, paddling their feet as they go and, somehow you can practically see the wheels going around in there, with naturism reminding them  why it was they fell in love the first time, regardless of their age now.

3. Aimless woodland walks set back off a beach. Several places I know in France will have pointless, yet lovely, walks just off the beach. Several French places inland are built in woodland, for goodness’ sake, and the water facilities will be a river running through the land (and, of course, a communal pool or two).

That’s it, Santa, I’m not asking anyone to move the earth (except, maybe for the terraforming of a pool!)

I met Paolo at Su Casa, when I returned to check out one or two things I apparently missed. There are apparently four ‘public art’ displays, and I’m in IM contact with one of the artists regarding him doing an interview (and maybe photoshoot?) for us. And I also missed the sailboar ride, which I’ve no done in an amateurish way before beaching it and jumping for shore! Great fun, though, and I don’t recall sailing in SL before.

Paolo’s Italian, and told me that he is not best served, at home, for naturist activities, and thus takes his naturist holidays in Croatia.

Ella: So you’re a Rl naturist.

Paolo: When I can. It is not easy in Italy. Sure, we have beaches and a naturist association, but the available beaches aren’t in easy reach of my home, so we pack up each July and go to Croatia. There are a  lot of Italian naturists there, so it is easy to see there is a need not being served at home.

Ella: And SL provides an opportunity to practice virtually?

Paolo: Yes, I think so. It is not just about naturism. I enjoy the social side of SL. It is a game I enjoy playing.

Ella: When you say ‘we’ go to Croatia..girlfriend? wife? children?

Paolo: Friends. My ex-girlfriend came with me for three years, but we are no longer together. My new girlfriend is not a naturist for now. I shall try to convince her!

Ella: Does she play SL?

Paolo: No.

Ella: So do you have a naturist girlfriend in SL?

Paolo: I have someone special in SL, yes. But she is not a naturist in SL either. Maybe she comes with me sometimes, but not to often, so I visit the naturist sims of SL when she is not online.

Ella: I intend no disrespect, but Italian men in SL are like their RL counterparts, always ‘the great lovers’.

Paolo: Haha! Yes, I agree. It is a cultural thing. We have a reputation as great lovers and I think many Italian men follow this on in SL. For me, it is not so important to be always sexually engaged. I prefer the company of intelligent people in SL and think of it as a social tool. I have met some nice people in here. Some ladies, I make love to them, some I do not make love to them. It is not my primary reason for being in SL. We must stop here and take a photograph! I am Italian, I must be photographed by the ice cream vendor!

Ella: When you aren’t in naturist sims, what does your SL consist of?

Paolo: I will explore. I like the historical styled sims, or geographic representations. I visit the cities of the world, the old cowyboy west, I just have fun exploring.

Ella: We seem to have spent quite a bit of time near the water. Are you a sailor in RL?

Paolo: No. I live inland, in a region of mountains. I do this because I would not have an opportunity to do this in RL.

Ella: And the beer in the cafe tastes good?

Paolo: Yes! It gives me the courage I need to be photographed for the readership of SL Naturist!