Bento Shapes Or Shapes For Bento Pandora Drezelan Reporting

I had always said that I would never mesh up my two alts that I created a few years ago however all of that changed when I was having a bored moment or is it a blond moment?

BJayy and Sindy were hardly ever logged on. They are only friended to me and each other. I guess they are my "me" time. As classic avatars I always made sure that they looked good with detailed skin and makeup. I hit the demos hard again and in the space of one day they went from being classics to Mesh with Maitreya bodies and LAQ heads like Pandora.

BJayy wore the Leia head and Sindy wore the Cherry head. I felt more than happy with the results. I logged them on one at a time every other day to tweak their looks and update their inventory. BJayy is a bit of a bimbo and is so easy to shop for. She wears a lot of pink or white as well as pastel colors. She never wears black. Sindy, on the other hand, has a very dominant look and is always wearing black so she is not so easy to shop for.

But people do get lucky, and I got lucky one day, when I had Sindy logged on and I decided to look in search for bento shapes which is something I don’t normally do.  I ended up at the LAQ commerce section of the LAQ Store where the LAQ compatible products are sold. It is a set up of stalls by creators such as Pink Fuel and Shiny Stuffs.

This was nothing new as I’d been to every level of the store before; except this time I came across something that I had missed amongst all of the other stalls. There was one that stood out from a bento shape creator by the name of WrenNoir Cerise.

For 399 Linden you get a folder with three shapes. Tall and slender as well as proportional and slightly curvy complete with style cards.  They are modifiable and copy. Each set of shapes has been specifically made for a certain LAQ head and there are demos available to try.
I went for the Cherry head shape demo straight away and tried it with Sindy. She looked great so I bought it. I then went on to buy shapes for Pandora and BJayy as well
.

Pandora wears the tall and slender shape for the Poppy head and I modified this shape. I kept my own head numbers and made the shoulders slightly bigger. The outcome was awesome.

Sindy wears the proportional shape for the Cherry head and I didn’t change her at all, she’s perfect just the way she is. BJayy wears the slightly curvy shape for the Leia head. I made BJayy’s nose and mouth a bit smaller but that’s it.

I haven’t bought shapes in a long time and these are the best shapes that I have seen lately in comparison to some scary ones that look nothing like their display photo.

This is going to be my ongoing learning experience as I have been experimenting with making shapes for personal use and trying different looks. Wren’s shapes are beautifully crafted and reasonably priced. Great for SL newbies and even SL oldies like me.

Wren’s Quote: "There is no such thing as a 'bento' shape. It is just a shape it’s the same as you would use with a classic avatar; however it has been fashioned for wearing with bento heads. This is because bento heads are "rigged" to the skeleton in their own way. So a shape is really made for a specific bento head rather than being a bento shape."

Very well said Wren and Thank you for all of your hard work.
None of the avatar photos have been altered they are as you see them. They’ve been given a soft glow and framed in GIMP both static poses and bento AO poses were used.

Wren’s main store: [wren’s nest]  
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Torver/186/214/22

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Two Heads are better than one - Pandora reporting

I never thought that I would find my original Pandora especially not in Mesh and now that there were two of me I knew I would be in for a lot of work. Neither avatar wore the same outfit or hair as I wanted them both to have their own look and style.
Pandora’s Poppy really nailed it. She had the cute sexy thing going for her and it suited her perfectly. The new Pandora, which I simply referred to as V1, took on a more sexy,classy approach. Considering that was how she looked in her classic days it seemed like the obvious way to go.
Something was missing with V1 as much as she looked like the old Pandora I couldn’t work out what the issue was. Then I realised she needed a different head because the Poppy one wasn’t  exactly right for her.
I went to LAQ to get more demos. The story of my life these days or should I say my Second Life. I teleported back home to check out all of the demos. Finally I settled on the Neve head luckily this one didn’t need any further tweaking. I went to LAQ again to buy the head and then home to complete my project.

V1 had now become Pandora’s Neve. It’s as though I have this alt stuck in my inventory that I bring to life every now and then. Alts may have different personalities depending on their creators but two versions of an avatar? That is a whole new situation and one that I hadn’t encountered before let alone thought of. I have two alts already so having a different version of me can get complicated at times.
Pandora’s Poppy earned the nickname of V2 just to make it easier even though she was the first Mesh avatar that I created. V1 had been there since the days of classic avatars and I still have one saved version of her tucked away.

I am enjoying my SL this time around however a word of advice to the newbies out there. Don’t go making half a dozen alts or several versions of yourself just because it seemed like a good idea at the time. Trust me you’ll go crazy … I have and there’s no going back.

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Finding Pandora - The Original Skin Pandora Drezlean reporting

Pandora’s Poppy became the new me. Changing over to Mesh had turned out to be quite a journey in the short amount of time that it took me to tweak my avi with the final touches.
Going fully Mesh wasn’t half the nightmare that I thought it would be when I got used to it releasing my creative side once more as I played with this new me, experimenting with different makeup and hair.
However there was no denying how much I missed my old face. I mean, I liked my new face, I created it but I just missed seeing the old Pandora.
LAQ has always been my go to place in SL when it came to skins and makeup they were my first choice. Their glow skins had always been so popular way back when and the first time I laid eyes on LAQ’s Lacie I knew I had to have that face.
I always visit the LAQ Store at least every two or three weeks for anything new or different. Then I found her. LAQ kept all of the older glow skins upstairs that now came in two parts. They were separated into head and body omega appliers. I had found my original Lacie.

One quick demo confirmed what I wanted to know and I teleported home to recreate my Pandora in Mesh.
With LAQ heads you can use either system or mesh eyes and so I chose to use the eyes that I used with Pandora’s old self. I wanted to keep something original about her.
Her skin isn’t as highly detailed as the newer skins. In fact she still looks a bit like a classic avatar and her makeup and eyebrows are already preset.

It’s fun to have two versions of me Pandora’s Poppy and Pandora’s Lacie. Poppy is like using a blank canvas where I can apply as little or as much makeup as I want to while Lacie has light makeup which I can simply add lipstick and eyeshadow to enhance her look.
Which avatar gets the most SL time? I think that they are pretty much on par with each other. Finding Pandora was like finding the missing piece of a puzzle for me. I had lived with that face for  almost nine years of my Second Life and I wasn’t ready to let her go.
The best part about all of this was … I didn’t have to.

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Getting A Head In Life Pandora Drezelan reporting

Okay, the last time that I wrote I had been checking out the Mesh situation in Second Life. I sampled a few demos and decided on the Maitreya Lara and Belleza Venus bodies.
I am currently wearing the Maitreya Lara body.
I liked both … it’s good to have a back up plan I guess.

The time had come for me to make a choice regarding my system head and this is where the problem started.
I really liked my system face … I mean like REALLY but I hated my actual system head. It didn’t look good with my new Mesh body no matter what I did.
I tried Mesh hair and Tattoo layer makeup I even bought a choker to hide the neck seam however there was no denying the way that I looked to ME.
Shopping wasn’t as much fun anymore. Everywhere I went I saw I lot of amazing makeup that I couldn’t wear unless I had a Mesh head.
This is only my opinion but unless you are really lucky then most system heads do not look good on a Mesh body. While the Mesh body is smooth wearing a system head with it doesn’t match up and may appear to have harsher edges.
I have always been a fan of LAQ. I’ve worn their skins for as long as I have been in SL. Two of my favourites were Lacie and Tasha so I decided to go back to where I started in the beginning and I purchased every demo that I could find.
I had five heads to demo. Sandy, Nyx, Leia, Neve and Poppy as well as skins and make up and the demo HUD.
I made a Project Folder for my demos and now the fun begins.
I demo’d everything to death for over two weeks and after many early mornings and sleepless nights Poppy won as my head of choice.
Then I TP’d back to LAQ

and bought EVERYTHING on my check list and straight back home again to get it all sorted. I had already tweaked Poppy’s head to look the way I wanted her to look. Now it was time for the final touches.
I made a folder for all of her body parts and named it Pandora’s Poppy. I made copies as well because I just make copies of everything. It drives me crazy that my inventory is so organised but I like it that way.
Now Pandora’s Poppy is complete. If you haven’t converted over to Mesh and you want to  then remember to demo EVERYTHING.
Make all the changes that you want on the demos. You can always take a break and start again later.
Converting from Classic to Mesh is your choice. It’s your Second Life not someone else’s so you decide.
I knew that giving up the face that I had known for eight plus years in SL would not be easy.
I was about to take on a whole new look and it would be worth it.

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Meddling With Mesh Pandora Drezelan Reporting

I recently logged back into Second Life after a break that lasted for over a year and a half ... okay I admit it ... I deleted my account which was a really stupid move but my real life was one big mess at the time and I just never thought that I would get back on the grid.

After submitting several tickets Linden Lab restored my account(s) and all is well again in the world of Second Life ... except for MESH. Now for those of you who have already converted over to Mesh this article may not seem relevant but for me and my Classic Avatar everything has relevance.
Don’t get me wrong ... I like the way my Avi looks and I have spent both a lot of Lindens and effort to make her as original as possible. Curiosity did get the better of me after a few days of SL window shopping so I decided to check out the Mesh situation for myself.
Firstly I made landmarks EVERYWHERE then I spent another day Demo shopping ... my shops of choice were LAQ and Maitreya and EMOtions to name a few. I also joined a few groups and took advantage of the gifts that were on offer ... I made a folder for all of these items so that I wouldn’t forget where I had put them or rather where my inventory had decided to place them.
My next step will be to pay a visit to the closest sand box to do some unpacking and sorting and then back to my home base to try all of my demo items. Home is a simple room with a bed and nothing more ... the cost is only Ten Lindens a week but it’s somewhere to park my avi ... for now.

I feel like a newbie again.
Thank you LL ... it is great to be back.

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Real Life Birthdays vs Second Life Rez Days- Pandora Drezelan Reporting..

I recently celebrated my fiftieth birthday in real life which was a really big deal for me, hitting half a century and I still feel the same which is a bonus.

At the end of this year I will be celebrating my fourth rez day in Second Life and for me both experiences vary a lot. Some people celebrate their real life birthdays within Second Life and vice versa with their rez days and real life. 

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Second Life Etiquette; Sex: Part five- Pandora Drezelan Reporting…

For this part of the etiquette series I want to discuss etiquette and SL sex. Some people in Second Life are horrified by the very thought of avatar sex while others are either dabbling in it out of curiosity or have a virtual partner.

 A few months after I began my Second Life, I had a casual encounter and later became an escort at a busy Second Life Club. Virtual sex wasn’t really my thing; however I was fascinated by the visual side of it and continued on as a Second Life sex worker for quite a few months. Eventually I went on to train as a virtual model, but I always remembered what my working experience had taught me about sex in Second Life as well as what NOT to do.


Casual Sex

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Exploring Virtual Worlds- Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Pandora's IMVU Avatar

Second Life has been such a huge part of my real life for just over three years now, when I first signed up in December 2009 I thought that it was the only virtual world, until I started exploring outside of the grid.

Pandora in Second Life

Second Life

For me Second Life is not only my first virtual world it is my second world and I have learnt so much in the time that I have been here. I’ve made many friends, lost people I thought were friends and discovered more about the real life me than I ever knew existed, my Second Life avatar and the real life me are very similar and also a little bit different as well.




InWorldz

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Second Life Etiquette Part 4- Good Business Sense- Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Pandora Drezelan

 

As part four of The Second Life Etiquette series I am going to discuss etiquette within the work place, both as an employer and an employee, conducting business within Second Life is not really that much different to working situations in real life, however this may depend on your virtual job description. There is always a dress code as well as a code of ethics to maintain which also includes basic common sense and good manners. This may come across as a little harsh, but if you wish to relive your real life job within the virtual world or embark on your dream job that you never thought was possible then read on and please leave your comments and feedback.

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Fashion: Does My Butt Look Big In This? - Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Everyone loves shopping in Second Life, well I do anyway and the one clothing item which is a MUST for every girl and guys inventory are jeans. I live in jeans and probably because I am not really into them in my real life is the reason why I have a fascination for them in my virtual life, we are lucky to have such a wide variety of styles and colors, jeans can just be worn as casual or be dressed up for a classier look, here is a list of a few of my favorites.

 

Babele Fashion.

Italian designed capris that come in a variety of colors, full length, three quarter length in a plain or ripped look. I like the drop down style and most of the jeans come with matching tops and shoes. You can be daring or a touch more conservative with these depending on how much butt you want to show off. I usually wear thong pants with them at least. I bought a couple of sets back in 2010. Blue Flowers and Newspaper moon and I still think they are great. Not too pricey either, the capri sets start at around 250L.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babele%20Fashion/22/68/33

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Second Life Etiquette Part Three - Pandora Drezelan reporting ...

Dress Sense In Second Life

For part three of the Second Life Etiquette installments I am going to talk about dress sense within Second Life, including what to wear in different situations and what not to wear. Now some of you may not see this topic as an etiquette issue but this is my opinion on the subject so please do leave any comments and thoughts you may have.

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FASHION: Pimp Your Avatar - Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Creating Your Second Life Avatar

When you first sign up for Second Life you will have a choice of standard avatars to choose from. Let’s assume that you choose a human avatar and then go on to entering the virtual world of Second Life.
Your ‘virtual you’ will be very basic and NOOBY to begin with and it is up to you to make your avatar look the way you want it to and to improve it’s style therefore making it unique.
I have seen many avatars in Second Life who despite the fact that they are years older than me still have a NOOBY appearance and clearly have done little or nothing to improve the appearance of their avatar.
Personally it doesn’t bother me if someone wants to live their entire Second Life as a NOOB however this is my set of guidelines of changes that people can make to their avatar if they wish to.
Not everyone can afford to spend real life money in Second Life and I will address that also for those of you who need a few freebies.

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The Keyhole Club -For Those Who Like To Watch And Be Watched Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

When I first came to Second Life like most curious people I visited quiet a few sex based clubs and even worked in a few as a dancer and escort. Then a friend of mine introduced me to the very amazing Keyhole Club and unlike most clubs that are usually found in mature Sims The Keyhole Club is situated in an adult Sim and is full of an abundance of sexual variety from voyeurism to a fully equipped cinema.
I have visited The Keyhole Club on many occasions since that first time and spoke with the owner Barry Lubezki about The Keyhole Club and how it all began.

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From SLex to Sex Appeal: Sex and Escorting in Second Life - Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Second Life is a virtual world that is full of options and sex within Second Life is very popular, there are many escort clubs and the types of services available are endless, from pole dancing, stripping, lap dances and different sexual encounters, all of this is made possible with a variety of animations and pose balls, customers pay the dancers in Linden Dollars through the dancers tip jar.
If a customer wants a private lap dance or escort service then the avatar of his or her choice will lead them to a private room, most rooms are fully equipped with a sex bed, massage table, dance chair, tip jar etc. The session is timed either by the escort or through management and the price depends on how long the customer wants to stay.

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Second Life Etiquette Part Two: What Does Your Profile Say About You? -Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Pandora Drezelan

For the second part of my series regarding Second Life etiquette I am going to talk about our profiles, what they say about us as people as well as general do's and don'ts. Our profiles are made up of twelve sections and this article is simply my opinion, so please feel free to leave your comments and views regarding the subject.

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Is Your Second Life Avatar Like Your Real Life Self? Pandora Drezelan Reporting…

I spoke with some friends;  Shon Charisma, BJayy Resident, SerenaKasumy Brongniart and Lanai Jarrico about our Second Life avatars and if they resemble our real life selves, this is what we came up with.

Does your avatar look like your real life self?

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Second Life Etiquette: Friendships And Deletions (part1)- Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

This is my first installment of a series of articles regarding etiquette in Second Life. In this series I will be addressing different forms of etiquette from how we mix and interact with people online in the virtual world to situations such as conducting friendships, business, deleting people to what makes a good profile and more. Everyone has their own opinion on good and bad behavior in an online situation and so I will begin this series by talking about friendships and deletions.




Making Friends In Second Life:


For most of us when we first arrive in Second Life making friends is a number one priority and to make as many friends as quickly as possible and for others Second Life is about learning as much as they can before embarking on a chain of friendships and some people choose to keep their contacts list to a very select few.

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Second Life Avatars And Social Networking ...Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Social networking sites are widely used by both our real life selves and our Second Life avatars to connect with friends and family, to advertise our businesses or ourselves, and for recreational purposes. In real life, many use these sites to brand themselves, to create an image, a personality. Do we do the same thing for our Second Life avatars?

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Moving House In Second Life VS Moving House In Real Life - Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

 

I recently moved house in Second Life and was then faced with a move in real life. I have moved about four times in Second Life and countless amounts of time in real life so I decided to compare the two, regarding stress levels, time factors, management and anything else that is involved in moving house.

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SLE Staff Interview: Meet Pandora Drezelan

How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

Pandora:  ‘I am a perfectionist, a listener and a talker as well as being both humorous and serious, depending on the situation.’

What brought you to Second Life and how has it impacted you as a person?

Pandora:‘ It was my real life niece’s idea and even though I didn’t think that I’d like it, obviously I did because I’m still here, it’s been amazing and I have met so many remarkable people and done things that I never thought possible.’

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