Gone!!!

The last day of the Burning Life when the artists took their builds, or burned them, many gathered at the Yokohama Burning Marching Band in Washoe for a farewell presentation. 

Then they burned the stage. Several burning parties took place on several sims ,but during the burning the builders were already talking of their ideas for the next display . Not only that place but the whole burning life. There were tears there to see it all go. It was quite a year for builds, shows, music ,parties, art , and fun! The burning of the Man and then the Temple was wonderful. The camaraderie on the playa was enjoyed by all, builders, visitors , presenters , rangers, the lindens. Oh, yes, there was also some grumbling during the week , but for the most part all the hard work  was appreciated. Griefers seemed to be  harmless and most disappeared. A great deal of work had been done long before the event opened. The teams that prepared the event deserve a lot of credit for their management skills. Many builders and other participants said it was the best one ever. 

The planning for 2010 is under way already! Dusty Linden is already hard at work with her team members. I have a feeling the next will be the best ever, again! One item that will not completely disappear is porta potties! The creations of many decorators who placed them around the playa will not be lost. They will be placed in a special spot to be admired. I will let you know when and where. 

Gemma Cleanslate

Spectacle of Fire

He stood tall and proud with arms uplifted to the sky, drummers and dancers at his feet. Spectators flooded into the sims around him. In a director’s chair sat Debbie Trilling, one of the creators, ready to torch the man. There was a strong feeling of expectation in the air. Hoots and Hollers filled the air along with the constant drum beat. Some flew up, some sat on the ground, under the starlit sky as we all waited.


Finally, some bursts of orange surrounded us and then slowly the man began to burn from the bottom up. The applause began and the dancing increased as the burn made its way to the top. What a sight. Timbers flew off through the air and settled on the ground. Finally there was a heap of smoldering ashes. People began to collect the logs that had settled and added them to the fire to keep it going. Some dancers became inflamed themselves to continue the moment. Finally, the week of art and music and display was coming to an end.


But not yet! The Temple will burn Sunday. The sites will remain until November 1, in case there is anyone who could not get to the Burning Life. You must try to get there to witness all the amazing work that was done to make this past week an adventure in art. Search Burning Life on the map and choose a sim and TP in. Don’t miss it

Gemma Cleanslate

Wondrous Sights on the Playa!

Every time I tour the playa I see more and more amazing sites. The builds are lovely and the interactive ones are wonderful to play with. Parties are taking place all over the region, on the stages and also in local parcels built for that purpose. I saw the sl children having a party in Loki Eliot’s  “Waiting for Pippin”. I wandered into a Man Versus Woman parcel where you may listen to quotes from men and women by standing on mats in front of their names. I listened to Zsa Zsa Gabor’s words, “: I want a man who is kind and understanding. Is that too much to ask of a millionaire?” and Henry Kissinger, in one of his dry witty periods, “: Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternizing with the enemy.” You can find many at
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Burning%20Life-Leadville/46/24/24.
Last night there was a magnificent dragon flying by the Man that was almost as big as the Man! I think she had four heads. She said she could only come when the playa was mostly empty because she took up so many resources in the sim. It was a wonderful sight to see! I was on the playa the other night when the Lamp Burners made their procession with drums and dancing all the way to the Temple lighting the lamps along the road as they passed. It is a marvelous experience to walk along with them as they traverse the long way to the most northern sim and watch the dancing before the ethereal Temple.
If you have not been there yet I wonder why? 

The Man burns on Saturday in many time zones for your comfort and the Temple burns on Sunday. 

There is a page on the web where you can check the Events taking place. I hope to see you at one of them. http://burninglife.secondlife.com/eventsbrowse   

Gemma Cleanslate

The Burn Begins ! Burn!!

The big day has arrived ! At 12:00 noon sl the gates for Burning life opened. The playa blossomed with avatars fighting against the winds of lag to visit the magnificent art exhibits and interact with the playful builds. There was such a mad rush the entrances were mobbed. Dusty Linden was swamped with messages ..Watching the map fill with green dots was fantastic. Certain sims were full, some empty, but the playa became alive for the first time with  those who wanted to party, view and enjoy every aspect of Burning Life. 

The builders were there too to witness it all. The Rangers were out there enjoying it all as the visitors came. They were called into duty quickly in some places. Some avatars love to have fun as griefers and come to throw the balance and love out of sync. They are missing so much by not joining in the fun of the playa and instead trying to disrupt it. 

The parties started right away at the major sites. 

We saw the Center Stage with a wonderful live musical event. Avatars flew by seeking new sights. Porto potties were opened for fun at the sights inside.. There is no way to express the fascinating sights to you. You must come!! You still have lots of time til the burning. Ah, I have seen two tests of the burning so far. 

The team who made the burning MAN are amazing. 

Get yourself into the burn!!! 

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Burning%20Life-%20Deep%20Hole/2/13/24 

By Gemma Cleanslate

Find more from Gemma about being a ranger in the COMMUNITY section