Winds Whispering Change

Hair: Vanity Hair, Boys will be Boys . Earrings: [Mandala], Ohoshisama .

I am going to be very low gravity today, Nevery Lorakeet of *LpD* just released a marvey little dress perfect for all occasions. The *Eri* comes in three colors, white, black and pink and it moves divinely, looks chic and is perfect for all types of events where you want to look pulled together with crossed T’s and dotted i’s. Throw in some jewelry from Mandala, a glam ring from NYU from the current round of L’accessoires, one and done.

Dress: *LpD*, *Eri* **NEW** . Necklace/watch/bracelet: [Mandala], Osenbei, Utamaro, Hokusia . Ring: NYU, Minimal Bold **L’Accessoires** . Pose: Inflorescence ♥

Take from? It’s the title. There’s changes coming, I’m not sure exactly what they are but I feel them all the same. Have a wonderful Monday, and while you are out and about enjoying your day, telephone or agree to meet a friend or family you know lives alone. Because to many people you may be just one person in a vast world of people, but to this person, who perhaps is lonely, you just possibly could be THE one person in the world they want to talk to. How’s that for short and sweet Draakje Dailey? Here’s you a taxi: Taxi:

Wallflower

Hair: Miamai, Degarda . Jewelry: [Mandala], Pearl Rain .

It would seem we most often hurt those closest to us. I suppose more often than not, I do the hurting not the receiving, but well, today was an exception. Where am I going with this? Heck if I know, just thought I’d put it up here and see how it settles on my shoulders. As an aside, I was honored to judge this newest round of MVW academy 105 students and it was a lot of fun. Some of you still need a little bit of experience, mostly in choosing poses, but for the most part, I was very much impressed with all that I saw so kudos to you all! So my advice to you students, and potential students. MVW academy is not the end of the road. If you graduate, or if you do not, don’t set back on your laurels, or don’t quit if you don’t pass, if a virtual model is what you want to be, MVWA will not make or break you, it enhances you. So study, practice, network and learn from others, help, volunteer and advocate for those less fortunate.

Dress: *SoliDea FoliEs* Kiki (w. the white and black shoulder piece) **NEW**

A majority of what you do from this day forward is trial and error, so get rid of the mistakes, learn but do not dwell on them, let them go, we have all, well if not others, I have personally made all those errors myself, it happens. If I had chosen to quit, or live daily with my errors instead of turning them into the amusements I commonly talk about, I never would have traveled beyond a beginning model. I know at times this seems overwhelming, but it will become easier. Just always remember, when it does become easier, pay it forward to other new models because no one becomes rich modeling, but the experience and the friendships are what you will remember most fondly about your times in the virtual modeling world. Well, that’s my two cents worth on it. All SLURL’s are on my “last known SLURL’s” page to the left of this post. Have a wonderful weekend, because Monday will be here soon enough.

Shoos: BSD Design Studio, SuperModel *found at The 24* (yummy!)

Creating Style from Within

Hat: *Lode*, Magnoli . Hairs: Truth, Elaine . Earrings: Indy & Co. Suha Stones . Necklaces: Indy & Co, Ibiza & Heirloom .

At some point, you have to let go and just do it. Put away all your notions of “style” and just listen to that inner muse. Will you be drop-dead gorgeous to all those you meet? No probably not, but then you might not be if you shop off the rack either. But what you will be is uniquely YOU. I seldom follow anything other than the most basic of style rules, mostly the rules of color, but even then, sometimes I am just a shade short of Harper’s Bazaar, but what it get’s me is my own eccentricities and Cao-isms. Just like in real life, especially in real life, it is okay to define you, so defy rules, create creatively, and blaze your own trail. It truly is okay.

Dress: Liv Glam . K Collection, Mirror Dress (found at The 24) . Jacket: Tee*fy, Faux Fur **Collabor88**. Shoos: [Gos] Peep Toe . Bag: Xiomara, Kid Leather purse .

That said, it’s the weekend and I am dying to go outdoors and live! I hope you enjoy your weekend and those loved ones all about you. As for me, I might just act wild today and actually invite some friends over for the beach, foods and cocktails. As for the killer cocktail dress? That’s Liv-Glam, of course! Looky there, I even included the taxi for you: Taxi:

Procol Harum

Hairs: Boon, YNO 421 . Earrings: Donna Flora, Brenda .

Getting my blog up quickly because I am off to the doctor’s for a little pre-op stuffs, but I have a question I want to throw out here. Recently Second Life updated their viewer, we were all required to update. I did so and when I log in, I am still gray. I even went so far as to remove Second Life completely and reinstall with the new viewer. When I log in, or every time I change clothes, and think about how often I change clothes, especially when I am trying on random things for a style, I go gray again. I have to go into “edit shape” a couple of times to make it go away, but next time I put something new on, I am back to gray. Again. I use the Second Life viewer because my laptop doesn’t work well with the Phoenix Firestorm viewers. Has any one else had issues with the new viewer and how did you resolve them? Help me, please, pretty please?

Shirt: -tb-, Sequined Top **Collabor88** . Skirt: Gizza, tutu . Bracelet/ring: Donna Flora, Alma .

Take from? sure! Procol Harum is loosely translated to “beyond these things” and today, as we wake up and worry about all the little nuisances in our lives, lets take a moment to be still, breathe, and think a little bit about those who do not have all the blessings we have. Those with battered souls and bodies, battling terminal illnesses or emotionally bruised and neglected. And after we take this moment, don’t forget to open your eyes, look around and hold those close to you in a little kinder regard. It’s easy to get bogged down with life, to dwell on the little irritating habits of friends and family. But with a faithful heart, it’s possible to let go of those things that harm you, to have empathy for the problems of others, and a byproduct of your kindess is to feel fulfilled by life. Have a wonderful weekend!

Shoos: [Gos], Paris Peep Toe *NEW**

Fall 2013 The Unique Multiple Facets of Today’s Women

Mixed in with my usual first life second life centered blog, I thought it would be fun to showcase the upcoming 2013 Fall trends. From what I’ve seen of the real life runways, it’s really going to be a mixed bag this year; with so many choices, every fashionista should be able to create their own unique style. The contrasts really celebrate the unique multiple facets of today’s women. This year the shows highlighted ambiguity between the masculine and the feminine styles, ebbed and flowed betwixt strength and fragility showing sneak peeks of both the opulent and the grunge.

A few days ago I was blog surfing and ran across an outfit I had to blog. I think it was my friend Boo’s jacket on Neva Crystall’s blog. And yes, it IS a male outfit, so once again, I liked something so much I am blogging male attire. But it does fit into the 2013 female Fall trends as well, because oversized shoulders and the tomboy look are definitely two of the styles you should see this year in real world fashion. Alexander Wang presented shortened jackets with large rounded shoulders in tribute to the oversized softened styles of Cristobal Balenciaga. This particular jacket “The Hill Jacket” from [Deadwool] mixes a retro touch with a frumpy air of nonchalance. It has a feminine-masculine look in the tab collar and though I mixed it with the “Heather” hot pant from Leezu! it would look equally divine with a uber feminine velvet high-waist pant. If I could have found one, I would have went with a more “Annie Hall” type hat but this one, the “SS12 Field hat” from Leverocci worked just fine in a pinch. But so you know, Fall 2013’s motto is “when in doubt, put a beanie on it!” The final details, the “Boho Buckskin” bag is classic *LpD*, the hairs from TRAM and the “Trauermarsch” boots, another menswear treasure, from [Deadwool].

Aren’t these poses kick arse? There were custom made for me by my friend FloraClayflower Beeswing of Inflorescence Poses. I can’t wait to show this one off with a stiletto!

Take from? Sure! It’s a great year to be a fashionista because the styles encompass so many genres’ you can surely find one that brings out your inner beauty with chic style. From the retro to the wow, it should be seen out and about. Furs, tweed, tartan, ostrich feather and leather, mohair and metallic mesh, it all has been offered up this year, the only thing missing is you. I look forward to seeing how you bring them all together for your own interpretation. And look forward to showing you some more of my 2013 Fall stylings. Hey! I loved [Deadwool] so much, I even included the taxi for you! Taxi:

The Senses of Our Soul

I ran across a saying by C.Joybell C. on my friend Clix Renfew’s, Facebook page yesterday and it just kind of hit me in the gut. A part of it read “Our bodies have five senses: touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing. But not to be overlooked are the senses of our souls: intuition, peace, foresight, trust, empathy.” At times we tend to walk through life, not live it. We touch our child’s head, smell dinner as it cooks, see a TV show, taste breakfast, and perhaps half arsed hear a conversation we are participating in. I only half gest on the last one, when is the last time you actually listened to what your teenager, friend, coworker, lover, or spouse was saying? And don’t hate on me, I am guilty of it too. I think the problem with living life by the senses, is we forget to live to our full potential, to embrace with trust, or get messy with all that is about us and in the end, we are left feeling unhappy, desensitized, alienated, and despondent.

I know, reblogged pic, but it somehow “fit” the topic so well, you will have to forgive me. Dress: Miamai, Rapt

The sad part is, within each of our souls we are blessed with the added senses of intuition, peace, foresight, trust and empathy. If we would only be still long enough to feel our way through life instead of clodding on, always looking only at the light at the end of the tunnel, we just might look back and say, “wow, I wouldn’t have done anything different.” Besides, that light? You will get there soon enough, in fact rumor is, most adults, the closer they get to the end, the more they want it just a little further away because there is still a pile of “what ifs” they forgot to face, to find peace with. Some may wonder why we would want to get in touch with the inner senses? It makes us all soft and mushy, feeling. I believe you’d want to because I go back to, “no man is an island.” You may want to believe living your life by your terms doesn’t affect anyone, but that’s not true and often, if we would just choose to live with a slower passion, awareness and have a little empathy and foresight we might be able to forego a lot of the pain we cause others.

Head “piece”: Tableau Vivant

The take from? You may think the pain you give others will go away. But in all honesty, embarrassment and dishonor are the only part of your actions against a person that will stay with them forever and it will rankle and fester. Physical pain, people don’t tend to remember, at least not for long, just ask any woman who’s given birth; humiliation though, they will. And humiliation changes a person, for better or for worse. It will either beat them down so that they stay down, pathetic but weirdly grateful to have their spirit killed and hopes ended because they are so tired of trying, or it will whip them into a froth of defiance, sending them skittering into realms of inner resource they didn’t know they had. Doesn’t this sound remarkably like a certain contentious person currently wreaking havoc in Second Life? (As much as I am appalled at her behavior, I am appalled in my own if I had some part in making her this way.) Besides in the end, when that light looms near, which do you want to be remembered by, as the person who just lived, a basic nobody really, or as the person who lived with peaceful empathy, who anointed those around them with laughter and light? Just a little high gravity for a Wednesday to make the slide into the weekend more enjoyable, take it for what it’s worth to you. Looky there, I even included the taxi to for you: Miamai: Taxi:

Summer, and Silence are Sometimes Golden

Hair: Dura, 42 boy/girl . Necklace: Kunglers Extra, Ivatan **L’Accessoires** . Earrings: Kunglers Extra, Ipomoea . Glasses: Glam Affair, Vintage **Collabor88** .

For all of you who has wished, sometimes, often I am sure, that Cao would just shut up. Today is your lucky day. Taxi to Drift: Taxi: All others under my “last known slurl’s” page to the left of this blog post.

Shirt: Drift, Summer Halter **NEW** . Jeans: Weekend Jeans . Gazebo: Lisp Bazaar, Persimmon. Beach chair: Sway, Lawn chair . Radio: Tee*fy, cassette .

Top: Drift, Bandeau . Pants: Drift, Bombshell capris **new** .

Blind, Wilson, and the Forensics of a Bad Date

Well I once again survived babysitting, personally my hats off to all those who can keep up with their children because at times over the weekend, I found myself cowering searching diligently in the closet for a white flag to raise. But for now, I’m baccccck. I always want to be a better person today than I was yesterday and this goes with dating as well. I have to admit, choking on the ice only to spit it squarely onto Taylor’s salad a month ago was but a mild mistake in the entire novella of Lil Cao’s on the dating scene. I can’t help it, I’m socially awkward on the best of dates and having been in the dating pool for so long, you have to kind of wonder if “There’s Something about Cao.” Heck, first time I saw the movie “There’s Something about Mary” I had the sinking suspicion someone had been peeking in my windows and taking notes.

Hair: Lelutka, Salome . Jacket: Leezu!, Victoria blouse.

Don’t get me wrong, not all dates are bad because of me, ‘ell I hear there is a rumor about town that I am worth the dating experience just for the laughs on most days. But you have to remember, a few of the dates, okay honestly? A LOT of my dates have been blind ones. And not the seeing eye dog kind. Heck, I’ve been on this kind of date so many times, I should be given the dog for free. What can I say? I’m shy, and have a mother with a ticking biological gramma clock, a brother who doesn’t want to take care of me in my old age and lots of coupled girlfriends. I have the triple whammy and not enough good sense to stand up with Nancy Reagan and just say no.

Gown: Leezu!, Nightingale . Jewelry: Mandala, Utamaro (bracelet), Nyorai (necklace) . Poses: KaTinks (click the katinks logo on the right, its the LM to the store. Epic!)

Honestly? Some of the dates were so awful, I’d slink off to the bathroom looking for a window to crawl out of. When there’s no bathroom? I’ve come up with a few solutions and I’ve kind of become an expert on the topic. If you’ve read me enough, you know I often say “no man is an island,” but on this kind of sinking date I suggest the opposite. Imagine yourself on a deserted island. I mean, even Tom Hanks was able to talk to a volleyball for, I don’t know, an hour and 40 minutes once. You can too! But if he chews with his mouth open, he’s going to be one flat volleyball when I bring out my spork. Do you want another of Cao’s resourceful tried and true solutions? Drink copious amounts of alcohol. Well, just enough to see life in a pink rosy shade, and no more, because everyone knows what happens when you get your beer goggles on. To be honest, I have so many of these. But it’s a Monday, so I will keep it mostly low gravity and just give one more. Short of being honest, “It’s not me, it’s totally, totally you” because hey, that’s hateful. The last thing I do is write the story in my head. Think about it, there’s no need to resent the guy, he’s just being himself, and he’s just not the one for you. And to you, this story may be excruciatingly painful right now, but it could be the hilarious fodder for “Tales of Men” at many a girls night out’s for years to come. You know the ones, “you remember the time you set me up with so and so..”

The take from? There are lots of potential bad dates out there, but on the other hand, it only takes one good date with the right guy to make a partnered life. In the words of the Saudi Arabian proverb, “If you stop every time a dog barks, your road will never end.” Once the date is done, don’t stop and reflect, don’t even look back. Because the funny thing is by not focusing on all the negatives and highlighting all the funny moments of the date, it kind of gives the evening a modicum of success. You know, sort of like spending time with the aunt whose boring, smells funny and tweaks your cheek all the time. She’s not that fun, but she’s necessary to be endured because she has a moment in your life to teach you something, even if its just that when you get old, don’t tweak cheeks. In some way, those dates were the same way. Well thats my take on everything anyway, take it for what it’s worth to you. Have a low gravity Monday, and I’m feeling so nice, I even included the bright and shiny new LM to Leezu! I’m kinda nice that way. Taxi:

Pirates, Neverland, and Finding True Treasure

Hat: Leezu!, Garbo Hat . Hairs: Dura, Girl32 . Earrings: Zaara, Tarika . Necklace: Zaara, Swarit . Sunglasses: Mon Tissu, Harlow .

Short blog today, I am still playing Au Pair to the little one of “Thar Be Pirates here” infamy a few weeks ago. Not sure if I am going to bury another little piece of glass treasure for her today. She seems so attached to the first “find” she carries it everywhere with her. Remarkable honestly, at her age (6 years old) I would have lost it weeks ago. She loves it, but not being a parent I kind of wonder if its OK to instill these fictional fantasy’s in a child’s head. I mean last night, she was a little unsettled and couldn’t sleep so we hung a little snow man on the door of the room she is sleeping in, so if Santa decided to do a mid-year “spot check” of behavior patterns he would know where she was staying. Seriously, how could I not love this child? It’s like she has a small piece of the soul of me in her.

Swimsuit: Leezu! Rio Monkini **NEW**

Leezu! has always been one of my fave designers, I own almost everything she has. I love the originality the unexpected and the charm. She never follows a trend, always styling to her own tastes and well, to my tastes too, because I am always wandering in her stores looking for that “aha” piece for the next styling I take on. I just wanted to let you know, she has moved recently to a new location and just in time to squeeze the last piece of sunshine from the summer, she released this monokini. It comes in tons of colors and has a chic Boho feel to it. But don’t take my word for it, I’ll drop you the taxi and you can go check it out for yourself. I’m kinda nice like that. Taxi: As for me? I think I just saw a pirate skulking about in the sand dunes, I better take the wee one down there to check it out because I think, in her, I have found the truest treasure. Have a gorgeous Sunday!