Let old aquaintance.............

The year end approaches and for me a time to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the new year with optimism and a positive attitude (hopefully)

2010 hasn't been the best year I ever had, there were two bereavements to deal with and my mother was diagnosed with a serious illness.

Which really puts into perspective how petty and really unimportant SL mini dramas and annoyances are.

We lose ourselves in the make believe world of SL, things that are really nothing become something and we forget how to be grown ups and become parodies of ourselves.

Until quite recently I have managed to avoid the drama llama culture of SL, I thought I was immune to it and could spot a 'situtation' and nip in in the bud before it manifested into the D word.

I was wrong and ended up smack bang in the middle of drama central. I would like to say I rose above it, but alas I did not. I wont go into the gory details here but suffice to say it's an old story and one that thrives in SL.

This was a post that I had to write today.When you wake up at 4am thinking about a situation which is happening in a CARTOON WORLD  then Oh My Gosh! it's really really time to draw a line under it.

Happy New Year.

30days of Truth-Day 26

Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

I have like most people had some extremely dark times during my life.

I have suffered on and off with depression for a few years and at times have been very very low/sad, but even during these dark days I have never thought about giving up on life primarily because of my son and also because life is precious and a one time deal.

Life is short, seize the day and all that and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

30days of Truth-Day 25

The reason you believe you’re still alive today.

I am not sure what to make of this question. is it a deep soul searching question? or is it a more literal question? I am really not sure.

I am alive because my heart keeps beating?

I am alive because I am needed and loved?

I am alive because a mummy and a daddy fell in love and got married and made a little baby?

Have I ever thought about not being alive? Yes of course I have.

Have I ever thought about ending my own life? hmm not seriously thought about it No

So my final answer is, the reason I believe I am alive today is because I woke up this morning and yay! I was alive.

30 Days of Truth-Day 24

Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)

Oh and I DID post the actual songs but there you go. I enjoyed putting this together.

Dear NI

I put together a playlist for you, the songs maybe don't mean much to you but they do to me, they represent bits of the journey we took together, and it's some of the music I listened to.

Anyway listen, don't listen, take it the wrong way, take it the right way etc.



Playlist for Ni

Never forget you-The Noisettes
The reason I chose this track is simple,refer to title.

Michael Jackson-Earth Song
Possibly one of the only songs that we both like so it's special.

Take That-Patience
Yeah I know Take That Yikes! but they are great lyrics and I listened to it a lot lately.

James Blunt-Goodbye my lover
No explanation needed these are some of the most beautiful lyrics I ever heard.

Kylie Minogue-Can't get you out of my head
Yep Yep.


Katy Perry-Hot N Cold
The theme tune of me and you :) both guilty as charged.

Scouting for Girls-This is not a love song
Listened to this when I was sulking mostly lol

Quote of the Week

Weekly quote time again.

She had an unequalled gift... of squeezing big mistakes into small opportunities.
Henry James

30days of Truth-Day 23

Something you wish you had done in your life.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I wish I had tried harder period.

Lazy is my middle name and probably should be my first and last name too, all hail Ms Lazy Lazy Lazy *makes a quick lacklustre curtsy and slinks off to contemplate her naval.

Home alone

One of my oldest RL & SL friends Flick logged in last night for the first time in a very long time. It was so nice to 'see' her in SL again.

We had a great conversation which ranged from the really emotional RL stuff to the whereabouts of SL people we both used to know.

We talked about how difficult it is now to engage or meet new people in SL and even though there are a massive amount of people logged into the grid sometimes our IM boxes remain ominously silent. Where are all these people?  apart from the clubs where are they hiding?

Our avatars are roughly the same age, 3ish years and we reminisced fondly about our days as newbies in formal wear at Phatcats (is that still open? I will check).  Oh how busy we were.

I remember going to Phatcats with Miss Flicky both of us juggling multiple IM's and participating in a wicked funny conversation in local at the same time, we were busy busy popular girls *sighs.

Fast forward to last night, I had only my friend in my IM box, I was standing in a SL club she in a SL forest, no wicked funny local, no bombardment of IM's.

What I want to know is how and why this has happened? I have spoken to other people in world who relate similar things to me.

Do we become more anti social? do we become less interesting? I don't believe we do.

If anyone has any thoughts/solutions to this please let us know, I will be the one home alone on a pose stand adjusting prims and Flicky will be the one looking in her inventory for something to wear, while standing in an elven forest.

30Days of Truth-Day 22

Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.

*Scratches head...I need to think about this one a while longer.........to be continued.

Takes a deep breath and plunges right in.

The biggest something I wish I hadn't done was leave school with only basic qualifications. I was a little bit clever and a lot lazy and I wanted out of education.

It is without doubt the most stupid decision I have ever made.

I went back into education a couple of years after that but I always felt like a bit of an interloper as most of my peer group had moved on.

I always felt like I was playing catch-up academically which is probably in my own head but there you go, that is what I wish I had not done.

Ok I have to write this. Something else I am coming to regret doing is visiting SL that first time, the mind boggles at the amount of time I have spent/wasted in world.

Yep I know it's a contradiction to diss SL on a blog about well SL, but hand on heart I bet there are a few of us S'Lifers who wish they had never set foot in the place.

I make no apologies for my bah humbug attitude, I am kinda rolling like that lately.

30Days of Truth-Day 21

I am slipping behind again on this challenge.
(scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?

This is quite a poignant subject for me today as I have recently had a fight with a very good friend. 

I am a stubborn person by nature and as I wrote early on in this challenge I can be very single minded and strong willed.

Firstly how bad was the fight? a little tiff or a knock down, drag out, shake the plaster off the walls argument. That would have some bearing (possibly maybe) on the situation. I know it shouldn't make a difference but it sometimes does..

I would hope I could forget the fight and rush straight to my injured friend and there is a 95% chance I would do that, but some fights are just so awful and they cut you so deeply that it's difficult to let them go. 5% of me thinks I would not go, this is the 5% I really hate about myself.

The other thing to bear in mind is if the fight was really bad would the injured friend want you there. Imagine if I rushed right over and then my friend didn't want me there or I made things worse by upsetting them.

If this was the case and they didn't want me there I would check they were OK and leave.

My first reaction to this question was of course I would go to see them, but after some honest thought I don't know if it's as simple to answer as that.

Game On..

I had an interesting day in SL today. I was at home minding my own business prim fiddling as usual when a friend of mine Lolly sent me a tp to go duck racing. I was total rubbish at it but I had a huge giggle, so Thank you Lolly. No ducks were harmed in the writing of this post :)

After the duck racing (well duck race losing in my case) I started playing Tiny Empires, and woot I love it so far I  haven't taken my eyes off the hud yet.

I am part of the Queendom of True Colors who are a very friendly bunch of people who made me feel right at home even though I had no clue what was happening at first.

I really needed something new to do and It's a way to meet new people too.

Thanks to Lolly and Sniffy for making me feel so welcome.

30days of Truth-Day 20

Ever onwards and we arrive at day 20.

Your views on drugs and alcohol.

Alcohol is a drug and can be equally as destructive as any other drug.

Personally I have no problem with alcohol in moderation but the important phrase there is I have no problem.

For some people alcohol is a huge problem either as a alcoholic or a binge drinker.

My own Father was a functioning alcoholic which means he didn't lay in a gutter drinking cheap booze he held down a job, went about his life but ALWAYS with alcohol in his system, he lived this way and died this way his death certificate read like a text book entry of medical reasons not to abuse alcohol.

I have little empathy for substance misuse blame the person who sells the drug if you like but ultimately it is about saying NO in the first place.

We need more substance misuse education and information for our children, we need more stringent policing and most importantly we need to stop the drugs getting to the streets.

I could go on (and on) about this subject, I doubt there will ever be a solution to drug and alcohol abuse, people will keep doing it and  lives will continue to be destroyed.

Faster than a speeding bullet (and more deadly)

I recently split with my partner greenie, a lot of awful things were said and me being me shot off like a speeding bullet crossed with a hurricane and deleted every mention of him I could lay my trembling little fingers on.

In hindsight this was wrong and a very hurtful thing to do to someone I care about.

This is not a ploy to make amends as I fear that ship has long sailed it is a public apology to greenfly. I was wrong honey I should not have gone off half cocked deleting things does not delete you from my head or my heart.

I really do wish you well and hope that one day we can be friends again.

30Days of Truth-Day 19

What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?

My flippant response to those questions would be, NOT MUCH!

I don't want to talk about religion here nor do I want to particularly talk about politics. Two guaranteed subjects to upset or enrage people so I am not saying much about either of them. My religion and politics are nobodies business but my own.

I will say a couple of things though about British politics,  it's corrupt and ineffective (like most all politics are) on so many levels.

So if you came looking for a high brow post debating the pros and cons of religion and politics I am afraid you came to the wrong blog. Is this is a cop out? yeppers!

Quote of the week

I really like quotes I am constantly impressed with how wise some people are. With that in mind I am going to try to find a quote that strikes a chord with me and post it here.

It has been said 'time heals all wounds'. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time the mind (protecting it's sanity), covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Lazy blogger

I am a lazy blogger I am relying too heavily on the 30 days of Truth challenge. I don't need to think about what I am going to blog because it is a safety net I suppose.

I do have things in mind to write about but they are not formulated enough in my head to put fingers to keys so until then (unless something fabulous happens) this blog will remain thin in content.

30days of Truth-Day 18

Your views on gay marriage.

I know quite a few people who are gay (please don't call them gay people, this seems to make the gay part more important that the people part in my opinion) 

A person sexuality is their own business who they choose to desire or love is nobodies concern but theirs.

If two people are in love and want to marry they should have the absolute right to do that regardless of their sexuality.

Every couple should have the chance to stand up in front of friends and family (and in a church if they wish) and celebrate their love and committement to each other by taking part in a legal marriage ceromony.

I know many people will disagree with my point of view but this is my blog and my 30 days of truth.

30days of Truth-Day 17

A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

My mother was an avid reader and there were always paperbacks in my home to which I paid no attention. I liked to be read to as a child but didn't read for pleasure. Every Christmas I would receive a book and every boxing day I just put it carefully on the shelf in my bedroom where my books lived unread.

When I was about eight or nine I was investigating a bookshelf one boring afternoon and I noticed the only hard backed book my mother owned it looked old so I took it off the shelf to see what it was.

The book was Little Women by Louisa M Alcott written inside was my mothers name in a child like scrawl. I asked her what it was and she told me it was a book she had at school.

I don't know why I began reading this book but almost immediately I became enthralled by the goings on of the March family, maybe because it was about a family of sisters and I only had a stinky tormenting little brother.

For the first time in my life I enjoyed reading, I could imagine the sisters in their house, I cried when Beth died, I willed Jo to marry Laurie. I can't remember how long it took me to read the book,when I got to the back page I saw a list of other books written by Louisa M Alcott and there began my love of reading.

It's not a work of literary genius it is a children book that was written in 1868, it didn't change my views on anything profound but it did change my view on reading and learning and most importantly of all that I had a creative and powerful imagination.

30days of Truth-Day 16

Someone or something you definitely could live without.

Ah an easy truth, yay! I could fill this blog with things I can definitely live without. Below is a selection from the book  'Asia is a miserable sod' (paperback edition)

Real Life:

• Cold weather
• Crowds
• Rude people
• Alarm clocks
• Waiting in for repair men who never show up
• Queuing
• People knocking on my door to sell me stuff

 Second Life:

• Lag
• Face lights (that can be seen from space)
• Cliques
• Ghetto Speak
• Begging
• Gesture spamming 

I do believe I am caught up now.

30days of truth-Day 15

Half-way mark 15 down and 15 to go.

Something or someone you couldn't live without, because you’ve tried living without it.

I could live without any possession if I had to.To say that we can not live without an object is ludicrous, we miss things sure, but can learn to not have that possession with us e.g  if I no longer had access to the Internet I would initially miss it, but overtime I would become accustomed to not having that.

I have thought in the past that there were certain people I could not live without, but then when I did have to live without them I found that I could.

Some of these questions are tough and I am having more and more difficulty in answering honestly without revealing things I really don't want to share publicly. I will continue on to the end of the challenge.

Pride

Is pride the deadliest sin of all?

30days of Truth-Day 14

 A hero that has let you down.

It would be too easy to cite my Dad as the hero who let me down (although he did).

I always looked up to my brother even though he is younger than I am.  He let me down years ago I suppose. We had a big fight over something his wife said to my son, it got really nasty both my brother and I have shocking tempers, he said some cruel things to me.  We did not talk to each other for about 9 months and I was so very disappointed he had turned on me in that way.

Thank Goodness we made up, but I do have to admit the relationship has never gotten back to where it as prior to the argument. Just realised I haven't done this in letter form as stated on the official list, ah bugger it I am not going back now to rewrite it.

30days of Truth-Day 13

I am still playing catch-up with 30 Days of Truth.

Moving swiftly on to Day 13-A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days.



Dear M People
Thank you for getting me through some emotional times. I love the lyrics of many of your songs but particularly 'One Night In Heaven' and 'Moving On Up'

At that time I could relate so much to what your music and lyrics were about and in all honesty I have shed a few tears cuddled in my bed listening to M People.

The lyrics of your songs are still as poignant today as they were then.

I apologise for not listening lately but now I have remembered how much I loved your stuff I am going to find out my old CD and relive the times I spent with you.

I miss you guys
Asia xx

30days of Truth-Day 12

Something you never get compliments on.

Ahhh so many things (modest much!!)

In my experience we all need validation and a bit of recognition that what we are, or do is appreciated by others.

Personally I do need compliments as I don't have confidence in much of what I do.

Naming one thing you don't get complimented on is a bit like saying look at me look at me compliment me compliment me.

Finally onto day 12.

Hello my name is Asia Romano and I never get complimented on how loyal I am. Apologies if this makes no sense to anyone who is reading this blog (waves to you) I know what I mean and as I am the typist for this blog I am standing by that.

I am going now to eat some hot buttered toast and plan the rest of my day of idleness.

Arctic!

Setting the scene, I am sitting in my house staring out of the window at approximately 10" of snow, very beautiful but brrrrrr very cold.

I am having a PJ day I can't go anywhere and house cleaning is looking less and less appealing so today I am going to write on my blogs, log into SL do some shopping and eat what I like, someone can roll my process food bloated body out into the snow later.

Yesterday my circumstances changed in SL therefore today is a I don't give a flying $%£! day also.