This one is for Velsie

Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse. – Via Twitter

There, that’s it.

Oh and Merry Christmas….

Oh and Gabs? I love you

You see, the busses here are made by Mercedes and Volvo. And transportation here is as different from North America as the houses. The Swiss public transit system is known as the most reliable on time system by most of Europe. And they are not far off the mark. Never seen a Buss late, but I have seen a train or two late by a couple of minutes.

There is almost no spot in this wonderful country that you cannot reach by public transportation. The local busses in the area I am in are run by Die Post. The post office. And yes, they do deliver the mail on these as well. Not door to door, but Town to Town. Now, these are not the newest busses, but let me tell you about them.

The busses here all kneel, no Biggy right? We have that in North America. Okay, How about All the busses are wheel chair accessable? Yes, they will kneel that far. And its by design. You can take ANY bus in a wheel chair. Hows that for transit for the masses!. And they are clean. Very Clean. And very well-kept. The busses I have been on seat 45 people and each seat has a seat belt. Yes, a seat belt. You are not required to wear it, but if you want to, it’s there.

Now taking a bus here is different from in Canada or USA. If you have to pay your fare, you pay for the entire trip. It could be you are getting on the bus here, then at the train station, taking a train to the other side of the Country. Thats all dealt with on the bus. The driver station has a computer that can print your ticket, and take your fair and give you change. Thats right, they give you change here. Now if your like me, you have purchased a Monthly pass. So I don’t have to pay. In fact, I don’t even have to show the driver my pass, nor do I have to enter the bus at the front. It stops, I reach out, push a button by the back doors, the doors open and I sit down. If I am asked, I must show my pass, and failing to do so results in you paying the fare, and a fine starting at 80 swiss francs. Its called self-control.

The trains operate the same way. You buy your ticket at the office, and hop on. Oh, and your ticket is good for the day between your start and finish, unless you have bought a return, then its good all day for the trip there and back. Each leg of the Journey, you use a self-serving ticket stamper. Fail to do so and risk a fine. So say you buy a ticket from on the bus to go from close to Brugg to somewhere in Zurich. You Then Stamp your ticket on the busses self stamper, and ride to the train station. Then you move to the platform where your train is, and stamp again. Then on the train to Zurich, and off at the train station there. Now onto a bus, stamp your ticket and go to the stop you want. Repeat on the return trip.

It’s easy. But lets say you want to stop on the way back at a train station along the way, and then go to the grocery store to pick up something. No Problem. Get off the train, then go shop, then back on the train after you stamp and continue. Thats it. As good as a car. My pass covers Zones, not destinations. for the month, I can travel anywhere in the zones indicated at no cost. But if I travel outside a zone listed, I have to get an extra ticket for that.

Trains are either self-controlled (show your pass if asked by a conductor) or not. If not, you can expect that unless you are getting off at the next station and the conductor for your part of the train is further away from you, that you will be asked each time to show your pass. It’s a wonderful system and works very well.

There are two classes on the train, First class, and Second Class. As it would sound, First class is fancier, but not much, and more expensive. On a train with 6 cars, maybe one or 2 will be first class. If your ticket is first class you can use that car. If not, don’t get caught in there, BIG fines. But first class people can use the second class cars with no penalty, except having to rub elbows with the poorer of us

Trains accept wheel chairs here. You will be helped on and off. You may also by a ticket to take along a dog, unless you have a small one that you can carry in your lap or a Bag as is the fashion thank you Paris Hilton. Oh and Bikes too. On Buses and Trains. So you can use your bike for part of your commute, and take the train or busses as needed. Not every train can accommodate bikes, nor every bus. And tickets for your bikes must be purchased, unless it is in a Bike bag, or a folding bike that can be carried on.

Being a tourist in Switzerland, you can pretty much get ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE via a train and bus. Even in the high mountains to the resorts. It’s wonderful.

Now if you decide to drive, you have the wonderful time of driving on some of the best kept roads I have seen in my entire life. The roughest road I have been on is a small section of autobahn (yes autobahn, more on that in a bit) between Zurich and Bern, that compared to Canadian roads is downright smooth. But the locals here call it despicable!.

And yes, they have the autobahn here. Now before you get all worked up with thoughts of  150 mph jaunts, know that the Swiss are sticklers for Rules, Regulations, and Laws. So the fastest you can travel is 120km an hour, our about 75 mph. There are sections that require us to slow to 100 or even as far as 80 in good conditions. You will be asked to slow down entering any tunnel for the duration. That is safety. And in inclement weather, you can be assured the speeds posted will be, at the flick of some automated switch in someones office, lowered.

Secondary roads are limited to 80Km, and in towns, usually 50 km, though posted limits do go down in certain areas. And you can forget about stop signs here. They are quite rare. Most intersections are not light controlled except in larger busier centers.

Here they have traffic Circles, or Roundabouts. They are hard to explain unless you have been on one. But let me try. Okay take a typical 4 way stop in north America. Instead of an intersection, put a circle that you have to drive around. As you come to the circle, you look left, and if clear enter. Then you drive around till you get to the exit that you want, signal and turn off. If you are immediately turning right, you signal as you enter. If you are going straight through, you will signal right as you pass the first exit, so the oncoming drivers know it is safe to pull out. If you are going to the roadway to your immediate left as you enter, you will drive 3/4′s of the way around the circle, signalling your turn as you pass the halfway mark. It works very well to keep traffic flowing nicely, and has the added benefit of lower gas consumption, as unless you have to yield because a care is coming, you don’t have to stop. I wish we had them everywhere.

Now as I said stop signs are very rare here. THe vast majority are Yield signs. Take them seriously, trust me. Pedestrians have right of way as usual, and more so at pedestrian crossings that are clearly marked. So you have to yield to them as well. But overall, traffic flows Nicely. Lights are more common in the cities and those to work different from North America.

In North America, you come to a light and the lights themselves are across the intersection. Not here, they are on YOUR side of th intersection. You will have a light to control Left and right turns separate and for those going straight as well. So that’s 3 Lights at most intersections. And they operate a little different as well. Red Yellow Green. Yep, Normal right? Not quite. You start at a Red light. Before the light changes to Green, unlike in North America, you will get the yellow light. Then green. THe opposite happens when the light changes to Red. From green, it goes to Yellow, then Red. Why do they give you a yellow after the red but before the green? Well, see here in Europe, they are very conscious about gas consumption. And at 1.70 Swiss francs per LITER I don’t blame them. So you are expected in most cases to turn off your engine at a red light. The Yellow comes up to tell you to start your car. (BTW, the swiss franc is about par with the US dollar. And there are a little less than 4 liters to a US gallon. So that equates right now to about $6.80 a Gallon US. And that is how it is here and has been for a very long time. So if you are in North America, don’t ever complain about $3-4 gallon gas again)

Now, as I said, the Swiss are in love with rules and regulations. If you decide to speed here, be prepared for the consequences. On the Autobahn, they don’t really put up speed traps. Sometimes they do, but that is a camera, like in most of the other areas. Speed, Snap! Fine mailed, you pay. Thats it. Most radar installations are marked, and permanent. Fines on the autobahn are based on your speed and your Income. Thats right. Your Income, the more you make the more you pay. As long as you pay no biggy, and there are no points and no report to insurance to cause your insurance rates to go up. Speeding in towns where the posted limits are lower are MUCH higher Fines.

In an example I can use, if you are caught doing 70KM in a 50KM zone, that is MAJOR. So lets say you are making good money here. Say 150K a year. Your Fine, could be as high as 10,000 Francs or more.

Yep. That hurts. A Ferrari driver here was caught speeding on the autobahn recently at 57km over the posted speed limit. Because of his income, his fine was in excess of 280,000 francs. So the next time you get bit for that $140 ticket, suck it up

Travelling and finding your way here is much easier than you would think. The roads are well-marked, and if you know what major area you are driving too, you can even take back roads easily. But be prepared if you do so. Driving in the hills just last week, Gabs and I came down a very hilly curvy road. THe sign just before was one that had a HUGE Exclamation Mark. That means BEWARE. MANY blind corners, Many places where the edge of the road will give way to a steep drop if you decide to test the guard rails (if there are some there, otherwise, it’s just trees and brush between you and the valley floor). We have been on roads barely wide enough for one car, when we have met tractors, Busses, and even herds of Cows. So yes, Enjoy the sights, but make sure you pay attention. As long as you do, you will be presented with amazing scenery that you will remember for a very long time.

Tunnels are a part of life here. You can’t get anywhere without them. And if we didn’t have them, in some parts of the country, you would not be able to travel in Winter. Mountain passes are renowned for their beauty, but are impassible when the snow comes. We need the tunnels. You get used to them. Tunnels in excess of 4-5 km are not uncommon, and when the construction is complete on the NEW Gotthard tunnel, the current longest tunnel award for 24.5 km will pass from the old Gotthard Tunnel to the new one. The new one is planned to be finished in 2015 and will be 57km Long.

I have been in the current Gotthard tunnel. And it is impressive. But I hope this year to take the Gotthard pass at least once. It is a pass that takes you on the old alp road to a height of 2106 meters (6,909 feet) and has been a vital pass in use since the 1300′s.

The roads here will take you where you want to go, but don’t expect it to be a straight line. But that is no fun anyways

(more will come later)

Even now, that seems like a dream sequence and not me writing it. All my life, I lived in Canada. But now I am here. And I am loving it.

Yes, there is a vast difference being here than in Canada. I jokingly say its warmer here, but it is. Funny, you would think there would be more in a common winter between those two countries. But that is just the start. I have discovered so many differences, yet similarities between the two. Enough that some make you wonder, if this is the old part of the world compared to North America, why we are not following examples set here. Over the next little while, I will highlight some of the differences, as well as the thoughts I have moving to a new country.

The city where I was born and I grew up in would have had around 100K people. The city I lived in prior to moving here had about 6 million. The town I live in tops the scale at a whopping 750 people. There is not much here. We have a Restaurant. A Bar. A County Office. A Fire Station. And a Gas Station and a Car Dealership on the main road. Thats it. We used to have a corner store, but it went out of business in November of last year. Too bad too, would have been nice to walk to the corner store to get beer. But its gone. So the size of this particular town is extremely small compared to where I am used to.

Gabs Mom asked me if I ever lived in a house as old as the one we live in now. I truthfully had to answer, No. You see, this house is Older that my country of Birth. In fact, it is older than Canada and the United States combined. It was built in the 1500′s. Theres some perspective there. Yes, its remodeled. I’m sure it has been many, many times, after all, it has indoor plumbing and electricity and telephone. But the basic structure is 450-500 years old. Being from North America, you can’t contemplate that unless you look at Native settlements. Thats as close as we get.

Now, think of this, the house has stood on this spot long before Canada became a country. Long before the U.S. became a country. In fact, it was probably built around the time shortly after Christopher Columbus Discovered America. This house Survived. His Ships didn’t. Makes you think. Oh, and that makes this town, about that old, maybe older. I have no idea if this is the oldest dwelling here. This was the Nail house for the Blacksmith. Where they made nails for the horseshoes and other things. Imagine. A forge was here. Some massive forge that was used to make small iron nails that held on horseshoes before my country ever was even thought of. Gabs has told me they have found some of the nails here on the land. Yep, that’s old. And that theme continues all over Switzerland.

One thing has come to my attention. Even though the houses may be old, and some look old but are new (see they keep the architecture themes in places), the houses are as individual as you can imagine. Why? Two reasons.

First, think about Shutters. Olden times, we used shutters to keep the elements out. And eventually, in North America, they went out of style. Here, they are not only in style, but are functional as well. How many neighbourhoods have you been in where a house has those Faux Shutters next to the windows. Usually covered in Vinyl or Aluminum, they are just decorations paying homage to the times when shutters were common and used. Well here they are. Which leads me to the second point.

Color. As funny as it sounds, the use of color on the outsides of the houses and buildings here is a feast for the eyes. One thing about the exterior of houses and many, many buildings here, is that they look like a plaster stucco. And that leads to the individuality of the houses. A splash of color. Rich Vibrant Colors. Imagine walking in a typical North American Neighbourhood. With cookie cutter houses, where the only individuality they have, besides if your door is on the left or right, is the Trim, Lights, and house numbers.

Now imagine here. 4 houses. Side by side, same age, same design. But, each stucco outside a different color. One a pale yellow, one pink, one creamy white, and one baby blue. Now, add to that the Brightly colored shutters. Red, purple blue, green, yellow and all shades in between. Thats where you look in awe, and realize, this house is maybe 2-300 years old or more, has been renovated and taken care of, but has more individuality than you have ever seen. I am going to take pictures and post them here. Where you can see what I mean. Words do not do it justice.

Lets look farther up. To the roofs. Most homes here have peaked roofs, although some of the new designs have flat roofs. The peaked roofs are just the same as you would expect in any snowy climate. Steep pitched, and Gable windows. But its the roof covering that is what you need to see. Take a look at your roof. Chances are it has 20-30 year asphalt shingles on it. Most of the houses here have Clay shingles. And some of these roofs are original dating back 2-300 or more years. Why? Because each shingle can be removed and replaced without tools. One fails, you climb up, pull it off and pop a new one on. These shingles  are not built to last 20, 30 or even 50 years. They are meant to last through several Generations of wear and tear in the Elements. So Why don’t we do that in North America? We brought the technology over with us? We knew it worked. But we didn’t have the means to do this when we first settled, so we worked with what was at hand, even though its inferior.

The windows of homes here all open. I don’t mean they slide open on one side, I mean they open. Swing open to the inside. Most windows here have a Left and Right Side. You open one side, which releases the other side. Great for Cleaning right? Now, they are also Dual Hinged, well at least the main one that locks and swings. See, you turn the Handle 90 degrees, and the window swings in. Turn it 180 degrees, and the window tilts back from the top to let air in. Which is a hell of a lot smarter than those sliding windows that only slide one way and you need to dismantle to clean. Oh, and they also swing in so you can reach out and unlock the shutters and draw them closed for more protection from the elements. And walls here are thick. The house we live in has exterior walls that are 1 1/2 to 2 feet wide. Keeps out the elements as well as keeps the elements in

As I mentioned before, architecture here makes the buildings look like they belong. In some neighbourhoods, you are required, when building new, to keep your home in style with the rest. So you can have a 300 year old house, next to a 5-year-old house, and you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. There are also variations in regions. When you think Switzerland, you think snowy Chalets in the mountains. That is only one style and from what I have seen ,is more prominent it the Kanton of Bern, and the Bernese Oberland. In the areas I have seen, those styles of houses are in the Alpine regions. Each Kanton (think province or state) have their own design elements that seem common. As you travel, you can see where the architecture changes as you approach the borders with a new Kanton, and see how the previous design elements fade out. It’s rather strange yet wonderful to see. There are some elements that seem to be quite common all over the area, like shutters. But you can see if you look carefully, some very different elements that are only in a certain region.

The cities here are different as well. Intermixed with the old houses you will find large modern buildings. But you would be hard pressed to find in most cities the Gleaming Skyscrapers you see all over North America. I think the largest building I have seen in height is about 10 floors. And the stucco outside is a common trait that again, allows for splashes of Color. Imagine, a brand new apartment building, containing 20 apartments. The outside being Pink or Yellow, with Bright Blue or Red Shutters and trim. Yes, you see that here. It’s amazing.

Back when these communities were being guilt, the modern road as we know it, was not even thought of. Dirt paths for horses and wagons. Realizing that, it is no wonder, that on a Busy city street, you pass houses that are no more than a foot away from the roadway. Stick your arm out the window in some of these towns at your own Peril. Bridges here were a necessity crossing gaps and streams. It’s very common to see old stone bridges (better maintained that North American bridges) that date back to before Canada was around, or I am sure, even the USA. The builders knew what they were doing. Stone smiths had a way of doing things, that no modern material can duplicate the same way. In some of the smaller villages, a winding road with more curves than you can imagine makes its way through houses that are so close to the street, that they install mirrors for you to be able to see around the corners. So when you drive down from the hills, and see a triangle sign with a big Exclamation mark in it, you better pay attention. Trust me.

The architecture here is so vastly different, and when you look at it, really look at it, you understand why things are done the way they are. I find in many ways it is so vastly superior to most construction I have seen in North America. Old elements that are updated and still work best. It’s a shame that they don’t build houses like this in North America. They might last too long

(I will continue with more about living here in other posts. Hope you enjoy them.)

Everyone knows I love to Joke around, and many have been on the receiving end of my humour. Well, its not well know that I also love to be the one to get the sharp end of a barb. Vel knows this, so does Misty. They have both gotten me a couple of times. Little known though, is the fact that I LOVE when someone unexpected nails me real good. And that is exactly what happened at the Shelter the other day.

Gabs had just gotten home from work, when we logged in and went to the shelter. When we arrived, Renn was there and spoke up immediately…..

[8:13] Renn Rehula: Kevin!

[8:13] Gabriella Nordwind: Hoooo!

[8:14] Renn Rehula: i have something for you

[8:14] Kevin Nordwind: Oh No.. Should I be Scared??

[8:14] Renn Rehula: its taken me a long time to make it

[8:15] Renn Rehula: its very, very special Kevin

[8:15] Kevin Nordwind: We have cleared the Landing Area, all safe for Noobs

[8:15] Kevin Nordwind: Oh Really?

[8:15] Renn Rehula: yes

[8:15] Kevin Nordwind: Now I am REALLY scared.

[8:15] Lailantie Core: you better, Renn is very scary

[8:15] Kevin Nordwind: LOL No she is not.

[8:15] Renn Rehula: i put my heart and soul into it for you

[8:15] Gabriella Nordwind: omg blood sweat and tears

[8:15] Renn Rehula: and i have to say i adore it

[8:15] Kevin Nordwind: oookay… Now I am doubly worried Renn.

[8:15] Lailantie Core: lol

[8:15] Gabriella Nordwind: lol

[8:15] Renn Rehula: and i’m sure you will too )))

[8:15] Kevin Nordwind: Okay Renn, I am ready for it…

[8:16] Gabriella Nordwind: now i am curious too

[8:16] Kevin Nordwind accepted your inventory offer.

[8:16] Lailantie Core: me three

[8:16] Kevin Nordwind: Can I rezz it here??

[8:16] Kevin Nordwind: Is it PG?

[8:16] Renn Rehula: there you are ))

[8:16] Renn Rehula: you have to wear it

[8:16] Kevin Nordwind: Just wear or Unpack it?

[8:17] Renn Rehula: ware

[8:17] Kevin Nordwind: OKay.. Here goes…

[8:17] Lailantie Core: a necklace!!!

[8:17] Gabriella Nordwind: oh renn a necklace

[8:17] Kevin Nordwind: OMG Just what I wanted! (rezz dammit)

[8:17] Lailantie Core: there’s Isis on it ㋡

[8:17] Renn Rehula: yes Gabs’

[8:18] Gabriella Nordwind: and it has bling!

[8:18] Lailantie Core: and a dog and a bone lol

[8:18] Lailantie Core: and colors to paint

[8:18] Kevin Nordwind: Hang on Changing Shirts to see it better.

[8:19] Renn Rehula: do you like it?

[8:19] Kevin Nordwind: Hang on renn hard to see it…

At this point I asked Gabs is she is in IM with Renn, to which she replies No. And I am not sure wether this is a Joke or not. I dont want to hurt Renn’s feelings, But as I look this this is HORRID!

[8:19] Renn Rehula: you must be overcome with its beauty

[8:20] Kevin Nordwind: Umm Renn? Its rather… Ummm… errr… Blingy… Can I turn off the bling somehow?

[8:20] Lailantie Core: lol

[8:20] Renn Rehula: oh noooo you can’t do that

[8:20] Kevin Nordwind: Oh.. I cant…

[8:20] Kevin Nordwind: Okay Just adjust the lighting so I can see it..

[8:21] Renn Rehula: i know how much you like to stand out, so…

[8:21] Renn Rehula: this helps

[8:21] Kevin Nordwind: Well, Its one of a Kind fer Sure!

[8:21] Kevin Nordwind: LMAO. Well, I must Say Renn, It does help in that Department…

[8:21] Kevin Nordwind: I dont know what to say Renn.. But Thank you soooo Much !

I am trying to be nice, as I still don’t know if this is real or a Joke.

[8:21] Gabriella Nordwind: kevin this is sooo you!

[8:22] Renn Rehula: so you Kevin!

[8:22] Gabriella Nordwind: it looks very Kevin renn

[8:24] Renn Rehula: someone pass me some kleenex! i’m crying with laughter hahahahha

Now I know that this is a Joke, and that Gabs WAS in IM with Renn, and that I had been Had.

[8:24] Gabriella Nordwind: me too

[8:24] Lailantie Core: here’s a kleenex Rennie

[8:24] Gabriella Nordwind: lmao

[8:24] Gabriella Nordwind: ahahahahaahaha

[8:24] Gabriella Nordwind: renn i love you

[8:24] Kevin Nordwind: Umm Renn, I can send you some more…

[8:25] Renn Rehula: hahahahahahahahha

[8:25] Renn Rehula: OMG! Kevin i so wanted to be a fly on the wall

[8:25] Kevin Nordwind: So the Plot thickens…

[8:25] Kevin Nordwind: lmao

[8:26] Gabriella Nordwind: a big Hoooo!

[8:26] Kevin Nordwind: I pray you two dont ever get together in the same room or I am screwed….

[8:26] Gabriella Nordwind: for Renn!!!

[8:26] Renn Rehula: did you put flour in Kevin

[8:26] Renn Rehula: hahahahahahahah

[8:26] Gabriella Nordwind: lol

[8:26] Gabriella Nordwind: lmao

[8:27] Gabriella Nordwind: kevin the necklace is so you!

[8:27] Kevin Nordwind: It is.. lmao

[8:27] Gabriella Nordwind: lol

[8:27] Gabriella Nordwind: check out kevins necklace

[8:27] Gabriella Nordwind: it is lovely and so him

[8:27] Gabriella Nordwind: i am sure i can special order you one too

[8:27] Gabriella Nordwind: damion you need to check it out

By Now, Renn has passed me this pic of Me in my new Necklace. I am cracking up, I got Had. Gabs is cracking up, she was in on it, as was Dylan, but he wasn’t here.  As you can see by the pic, this necklace was everything that we laff about in the Shelter.

Added: I have just found out how Delicately planned this was. It dates back to the end of November, Begining of December. Seems someone came into the shelter with a Glory of bling and I started to comment on it. Thats when Gabs took it upon herself to hatch this vile plan with Renn. She commisioned Renn into doing this, and the Final design was not the First one. Apparently there were others that were MUCH less Horrid!

Now, they were planning to give this to me when we were all online, Gabs, Myself, Dylan and Renn. Then the move came and I was without a PC. So it had to wait. So, in fact, if you think about it, this was a Very Elaborate Gag that was not only Planned, but patiently waited out till an oppourtunity arose. Just goes to show you, the ones you least expect are the most caniving and devious.  Just remember that when you look at the ones you love and adore… Beneath that lay the heart of a Carnivourous Animal! LMAO

Now because Dylan wasn’t here, Renn told me she was saving the chat for him. At this point, I got to feel  little devilish. So I popped a 20X20 Prim in the room and put the pic on it. We all laughed histarically. Then the idea hit me. So I IM’d Renn. It went something like this:

Me: Renn, does Dylan still have build on the island? What about auto return?

Renn: Build is on, don’t know about Auto Return.

Me: Ok, be back in a Few….

At this point, I TP’d out to Dylans Place and checked, Build On, and No Auto Return. So I promply rez a 75X75 Mega prim, and Make it transparent, except for the top, that I put the “King of Bling” Texture on. Next, I raise it just above the clouds. As I am rasing it, I notice Dylan has a Skybox, So i balance the height of the Prim with the height of the Skybox. This way if he looks down, unless his draw distance is over 200M, he will not see it.

My Plan is this. When you open the map for the Shelter, you see the big Floating Sign that says Shelter that is above the Pool. Well, when LL updates the Grid Map, My “King of Bling” will sudenly appear on the map and my Lovely Mug will be shown floating over Dylans Island. So its all in Place and I head back and tell Gabs and Renn. Renn agrees not to say anything.

The next Day I check the map, Not there yet. I know it will be there the next day. So I wait. Knowing, that once it appears on the map, I can start hinting and picking on Dylan.

So I go to log in and I see dylan has passed me something. Thinking he discovered my Prim and returned it, I accept the inventory. Its a Pic… I let it rez… I look at the Title. “Shrine of Worship”. Oh Cool! Dylan hasn’t discovered my plan yet….

Then it rezzes completely and I see….

And I lose it! He HAS discovered it, and in Fact, has Gotten me before I could get him!

So lets keep track here.. Score is : Everyone Else 2, Kevin 0

Dont let it be said that I cant take it, and that No one gets me. You just have to know how to do it, and Renn and Dylan know how.They Got me!

Renn says she never told Dylan, he discovered it when he was hunting for someone elses Prims (seems he had a squater on the land that built a House on a Platform at about 4000m up) and ran across mine.

Yep I would say there are issues. Lets Play Name the AV.

Yep they are issues…

BTW, its Vel (who needs a shave), Misty who is feeling Grey, and Aiku who has a sore throat I think…

Text Talkers!

Yep, you know the kind, who think that they are sending us notes on the cell phone. Here are examples:
“how r u?”   “im in cali wher r u?”   “u 2 r so cute”

That’s what I mean.. For god sakes! Buy a Vowel and spin! Vanna is getting paid to turn the damn letters, so work her! It’s getting to the point where I am starting to ignore people who have a fear of proper English. I make a lot of mistakes when I type, but at least I try. Capitalization, punctuation, grammar rules, spelling. I try. These people don’t and it bugs the hell out of me. I start to tune out now when I hear people talking like this.

We are not limited to 140 characters like on Twitter or your cell phone. Use the extra letters to make yourself understood. Use the extra letters to make yourself look more intelligent than a termite. Use them! PLEASE!

Here are a few reasons to use all the proper letters:

1. It makes you seem smarter than you are
2. It allows others to understand you
3. You wont look like your 13 years old
4. Velveeta will actually talk to you if you do!

And these are some damn good reasons. I like #4 best

So Buy a Damn Vowel!

Gabs and I turned 1000 Days old yesterday, and we thought it was today. Silly us. We went to the shelter to click the green post and go “Hooooooooooo!”, but instead we clicked, read 1001 and went “Awwwwww” as we had missed a day we have been looking forward to. But I blame Misty.

Why? Well that is easy. Misty gave Gabs a LM to a place for poses. Of course this was around the same time I had a 4-way with Gabs, Misty and Vel *Dirty Minds! It was on Skype* So off we go. As soon as we land, we see the rain! OMG! Rain! And Puddles! So after looking around, I had to find the rain maker, which I did, and lookup the creator and get a LM. Next thing you know, we have TP’d to the shop and bought a weather maker.

We ran off home and set it up and started to play with the weather. So Cool! Little Rainshowers, puddles, clouds. AND SNOW! Hoooooooooo! So I reset things and read the help files and start to play. Within minutes I had a full blown thunderstorm happening on our entire sim! And then the it happened….

A Tornado formed on a corner of the sim! I am NOT kidding! We stood and watched as it swirled around kicking up dirt and lightning crashed around us. It was awesome. By this time its late, and Gabs heads off to bed.

Gabs thought the rain would sound nice to fall asleep to. I had set it up on Auto change of severity of rainstorm every 60 minutes. Apparently she woke and had to come turn down the Lightning Storm. Harley was barking his head off!! At one point I looked at the screen from the Sofa and saw a Tornado in the Tree House! Its Awesome! Cant wait to show people

Update: Forgot to mention, it has a Lava Rain and Meteor storm option.. LOL

Can anyone say fun in the Dirt? I thought you could

Seems a Skunk took a wander by the building. Close to my patio, and something spooked it. So it sprayed. Fortunately it was 2 doors down. But my windows were open and I knew it within seconds. this was about 12:50am. After I got over the heaving that accompanied the reaction in my brain as its odor filled my nose, I was able to sorta block it out, but its taken a while.

Suffice to say, I am wide awake. I took the trash out and when I walked back into the apartment, I realized its still very bad.

Good Time to do dishes. Or something. Maybe not. Hey look, Infomercials…. *wanders off to watch the ShamWow Guy*