Stomping at The Savoy!

I admit my cogs were a bit shaky, going out. I had submerged myself in my shoppe of late, focusing on the new vendor boards, demo products and the new  item I made, nearly ready for marketing. Since the embarrassment of being asked to leave the Bogus, or um, whatever it's name was, I had been afraid of making a scene.
   Social humiliation is bad enough, but what are the rules pertaining to non-humans? A bio-woman can be kicked out, to her shame, but I could be thrown into a dumpster! or worse, SOLD!
   But the Savoy was a fun club, more outgoing than Frank's, but still a high quality feel to it. And it has "street cred" in social circles, so I was very excited!
  The litmus test- I stood by the bar, where I could be seen by the whole dance floor, and the live singer. All seemed to approve of my Gisaci designer dress and Armidi hand bag. That dipped in pine tar feeling was gone! I felt gorgeous again, and sat at the bar to hear the performer.
   Keeba Tammas is fabulous! Her selections ranged from old Cole Porter standards to modern love songs. Her production was solid, no squeals, hiccups, wierd sounds, or lag effects. That is a good point- as I sit here in the autowinder-chair penning my thoughts, I cannot recall any appreciable lag at The Savoy. Keeba ended with The Beatles' "In My Life" and I managed to catch a piece of it in the record-a-graph. Though my settings caused a choppy look to the image on playback, it did not exist in real time. It was fabulous! I floated the whole way home, the heels of my black Sargentos clicking as I sauntered daringly, happily whole inside once again!
   ((This was my first test of the 3d mouse Space Navigator- you would not believe how awesome it is! If you are in ANY 3D world, you absolutely need one!))

In a desperate bid for freedom, 2 dolls trapped by a doll collector, scheduled for mindwiping, re-route the surveillance camera and sent their image to The Hypnotic Shoppe. Help arrived in seconds, and both dolls are now with loving families!

Finishing the Slave Training Trance Package with Viktoria Winterwolf

Pictures from Cape Wrath- The Wreck Rally 2011

Miss Spin judges from the platform as I stand ready in the Nightingale. Cape Wrath and Brigadoon below

Miss Spin now visible on the platform, Hypnotic shoppe below, Penzance in the distance

The hammering sounds was loud enough to hear from inside the shoppe, but I had forgotten that today was the Wreck Rally until Miss Ember, or "Dimmy" called upon me in another of her amazing flying contraptions! I marveled as she mentioned that fliers in the Wreck Rally would be aloft in vehicles too new or risky to be given license by the Caledon Aeronautic Department. She asked if the Royal Caledon Air Force could supply a medical ship on hand to perform rescue and healing services, should something go wrong. Imagine any decent doll saying no!  Soon I was chatting with Miss Spin and enjoying the lovely view above the cape Wrath Hospital, next to my cute little shoppe.

Miss Ember and Miss Spin watch as Nathaniel crosses the point. The romantic  Na'Vi Island  visible up left. 

Nathaniel's ship made little noise, and only a bit of smoke as he tugged along in the sky like a lumbering sea vessel. He had lost several parts however and reported where they had fallen to Miss Ember, who dispatched crews immediately. I worried for the homes he flew over!

Jedburgh "Dangergirl" missing several large pieces! Miss Spin was not amused.

I had a few of my associates make scones and tea, bringing them up to us as we waited for others. After a great while, and several tasty scones, Jedburgh became visible in the distance. She was missing half her ship! she shivered in the cool Cape air, and gratefully accepted the blanket, and the scones. before I could pour the tea, she had rushed away! Very tenacious sportster, I thought, but what sort of competition does not make allowances for afternoon tea?

The sun sets, the race ends, mooring the Nightingale

The beautiful sun set just as the race was completed, and Miss Spin hurried to the meeting of all judges, to tabulate and um, to do what judges do, apparently. I moored the mobile clinic, after a slow jaunt around the lovely northern tip of Caledon. Cape Wrath has so much to offer, peaceful, polite, serene, um, when they are not building Rally platforms,,,

Frank yes, Bogie no, Cocktail yes, Tealength no.

Gisaci, Tropea, Je Suis, may not be knee length, but definitely A-list  

After a lovely time dancing at Frank's place, I thought I would pop into Bogart's, supposedly a fun dance club with a "Bogart era" feel to it.
   so I slipped into my new white Gisaci dress, Tropea shoes, Je Suis jewelry, grabbed my matching handbag and off I went! The lag was as bad as I had been warned but it was nice looking.
   But at the door, a bouncer named Mitchell said I had to change, they had standards there and  I didn't look formal to him.

 [16:43]  Mitchell Indigo: Hello there and welcome to Bogart's Jazz Club.  However we have a requirement for formal attire in the ballroom.  Do you have a longer gown you could change into please?
[16:44]  Wendyslippers Charisma: i did not see where  knee length was required? did i miss where that is?
[16:44]  Mitchell Indigo: except for the shoes, the rest doesn't look too formal to me

Mitchell at front- note semi nude woman and short skirt in club

  My eyes leaked, and I apologized, and left. I then asked for the notecard on the rules so I would dress properly next time. He provided this-

          Formal and/or  semi-formal attire is required in our ball room, which is defined as a tea-length or full-length gown, and a tuxedo or suit.

[17:07]  Wendyslippers Charisma: would tea length be a cocktail dress at knee length?
[17:08]  Mitchell Indigo: I don't know actually
[17:10]  Mitchell Indigo: a cocktail dress is actually shorter 

   Dresses there must be "Tea Length" by their rules, and I asked if I could wear my knee length Gisaci instead? They said no, tea length is not knee length and not formal enough.
   E-How states:
          a tea length dress should fall near the bottom of the calf. In practice, modern tea-length dresses are often cocktail length, falling just below the knee. So, if a dress falls above the ankle and below the knee, it may be properly considered a tea length dress.
          THEN, the quintessential authority, Emily Post says:
      " a cocktail dress is more suitable for an evening affair that is semi-formal, when men wear black suits.  The tea dress, on the other hand, is often made from lighter fabrics and is more suitable for less formal daytime affairs, or more casual, outdoor, daytime weddings."

     SO, I went home, changed handbags and rushed off to Toontopia techno dance club. Clearly Knee length could be tea length, and cocktails which might not be, are considered more formal. This has never been an issue at Frank's Elite, which also has less lag, so my mind was made up fairly quickly on this whole human issue. I say human, because the data was not presented as the basis of the decision, but the manager Mitchell's own opinion was. And dolls don't care really what they wear to dance, or where. In a year, when Bogart's is owned by someone else, or now called "Casablanca" or something with an RP feel to it, I shall try again I think. Till then Frank's Elite is a fabulous place for romantic dancing, and Toontopia is a great techno hi-energy club, and for industrial  and dark ethereal dancing there is either Club Zero or Outpost 13, casual music and dancing is well done at the Savoy Jazz Club, Fifties music and clothing at the Charleston Ballroom, and Rock music at many good clubs from AnthroXtasy and Club Rawr, to Fallen Angels, Rubber Room and Equinox. Steampunk Venues like Blue Mermaid and Poppy's Cat Alley are eclectic and fun.
   Second World has no shortage of fun and exciting nightclubs, just be aware of the dangers at the door, and have a back up plan.
(And if you find a great place,, Tell Me!)

but wait, her dress is,, aww nevermind.

Uminame85 Resident's lovely home on the EDO Sim. The softly flowing river outside, the sound of the water and the wind in the trees, and her delicate and peaceful estate made this a revitalizing visit!

DEADLY RCAF ZOMBIE MYSTERY DEEPENS

After a long night of introspection, leaving the Hospital for New Babbage. Hypnotic Shoppe seen  in distance

A sentient doll burns the midnight oil, afraid for her life and lives of her friends.....

When the Ringer went off on the Edison-o-Phonic device, I knew it would be Commander Zoe Conolly, and the mission to return to New Babbage was set. The strength and bravery in her voice renewed mine, and I quickly gathered my things. But the night before the mission was long. Dolls do not play with guns- but they save their friends,, Dolls do not kill- but is shooting a zombie, in effect a "meat-doll", really killing? What if they end this sentience of mine, and I unwind for my last time? What if I fail and my friends lose their sentience? What would their Maker want them to do? What would mine?

   The dawn made up my simple mind for me, and I climbed into my Rescue Whirli-ship and in no time was in Penzance.

The stalwart RCAF Search And Rescue Team. How stalwart and handsome Cdr Fanshaw is... I mean, was.  My small hand trembles as I pen this, and it occurs to me Barbie does not keep a blog nor challenge the undead for the well being of Steamlands, nor venture much out of her Dreamhouse. The thought feels petty and leaves an oil slick on my cognitive workings in my head.
   Cdr Crono Kreegan calms my nerves as she shows me the new toys,,ehm, weapons she has invented. This team is very ready to meet the devilish designers of that Cthulhu temple!

At the Crypt in New Babbage, Rennirenn and Crono ready their arsenals

Urchins and street-types had returned to New Babbage, a sign the menace below had been stopped, or at least stunted. Many peered over walls and stood around, watching as we took samples and entered the tunnels below.

With all this new firepower, and new teammates, what could go wrong?

The tunnels were lit with special illuminators from the Commanders, and the new playmate-Uh TEAMMMATE I mean Rennirenn. His suit was so crisp, his weapons so shiny, he just looked so,, so,, um, well anyways the new team and our prospects had me tingling all over with excitement! I felt a bit silly hunched over, sneaking behind Commander Fanshaw, who walked erect and dignified at all times. I saw Commanders Crono and Zoe whispering at one point , but I did not overhear the conversation. Next thing I knew, we were entering a strange building on the street above!

The poor scientist whispered, "th, the teleport disc,,,, second from right....."

I immediately rushed to the poor woman on the floor- the discolored fingernails and lips told me she had been breathing some poisonous gas, but Rennirenn's special machine blinked with green ligts, and Zoe nodded as if to say "All's Clear" so I gave the woman a shot of Ox and the Universal Antipoison Serum. The commanders wrote down notes on what they found. The scientists had developed some strange toxin, possibly to make zombies, and this poor scientist had dropped one of the canisters. It appears the moral is, "If you are going to be an evil mad scientist, do not be a clumsy one." She revived and told us that she had been attacked or something, it was unclear, but she said to take the teleport disc second from the right. Commander Kreegan stayed for a moment to call Almut and the rest of the Medical team, while we all jumped through that portal... I wonder now why I took the advice of an evil mad scientist at face value...

The Mad scientist Lair was filled with strange implements, a rather sinister smell, and even a chopped off hand! I hurried with my Picto-recorder, snapping away to record this room, when Crono yelled...

BOMB!!!!

BOMB!!!

Rennirenn jumped to it, pulling out a mass of wires, shaking as badly as I was, and the Commanders had cleared the room of any others present. the pins in my joints rattled,, I was terrified!
  But Commander Cornelius Fanshaw patted my arm, puffing his pipe. "Gather outside,, I will have this disarmed momentarily,, HURRY." I will never forget the look of concern, even then more worried about others than himself.

Watch carefully, this trick will not be repeated,,

   We stood outside nervously awaiting the Commander's visage at the doorway. New babbage urchins and citizens gathered, asking who we were, and they had a right to; we are technically an invading army from another land! But we are here to help, are we not? THEN...

The building exploded into dozens of large pieces

I chased a street urchin named Nathaniel from the front yard, and was just passing the wrought iron gates when the most deafening boom echoed from behind me, and I was engulfed in dust and thrown many feet!
   Rennirenn grabbed me and pushed me to the walland I watched dozens of large projectiles and pieces of the former home, fly and bounce and knock things about. I laid there against the wall, the new young officer's arm over me, body protecting mine, and ,,, I got,, kinda well strange feelings and,, well so anyways then the Commanders began shouting-- "CORNELIUS!"  A chill rushed thru me as if something pumped all the air and fluid from my lung sacs.I was still tone deaf from the blast, and it is odd to feel yourself running into the debris and yet not hear your boots on the bits of broken bricks. The smoke was thick, acrid. Yet urchins were there instantly, peering over what walls were left, perhaps helping us find Commander Fanshaw, perhaps looking for food, perhaps they were involved,,,,

We frantically searched for a body, anything left at all,, nothing. How odd....

   My whirligig terrified the urchins with its egg beater noise, and bright search light, and Rennirenn was in flight from a marvelous jetpack, Commanders Crono and Zoe instantly scoured the area, finding a strange box with mystic writings as we looked for any remains of our beloved Commander Fanshaw.

Commander Kreegan donned her Aether Helmet near the horrid smoke, worried about possible Zombie Toxins,,

Some local man named Edward Pearse came and helped decipher the box, he seemed nice. Seemed,,,,

   While we worked feverishly to contain the flames and decipher the code on the box, a rather nice local man named Edward Pearse arrived, and spoke to the commanders. He offered his aid, and seemed congenial, though he could just as easily be the diabolical mastermind and murderer of Commander Fanshaw! So though I felt it easy to be enamored of his many charms, I stayed my distance from him.

   After while,, we roped off the area, spoke to many locals, even Commander Dan Gervasi showed up to help interrogate, I mean to defuse a situation with a local who shot at us.

   That night, my ticking seemed louder than ever,,, something did not work, like a cog slightly out of place. I knew I had all the pieces in front of me, but I could not make them out!  I had to return that night to the scene. But one does not snoop around in the dark alone in New Babbage, certainly not in a Caledon military uniform!
   Pulling on all my doll intellect and wisdom, um, such as it is,,, I dressed for the evening investigations.
   THE GAME'S AFOOT!

Sherlock Doll discovers a clue

A few minutes after landing my whirli-ship on a nearby roof, and I was combing thru the debris. Once I was certain there was no pesky urchins about, I turned on my high beams, and there on the ground was a clue!
 An article with a photo of Commanders Fanshaw and Connolly, about how the dilletantes had solved a local crime and put someone in jail... could this mean something?

NOW YOU HAVE ALL THE CLUES AS WELL- SEARCH THE PHOTOS CAREFULLY, AND YOU WILL BE THERE WITH US, AT THE WINDUP.