Paradise Dreamt

I admit it, there are times when I am worthless as a Second Life blogger. Don’t get me wrong, I love Second Life and adore the friends I’ve found there, it’s just every once in a while, I yearn to be elsewhere and having “retired” from modeling two years ago now, it becomes easier and easier to give in to these whims and just wander away. Summer is consistently the moment when my gaze pulls from the computer monitor to out the window where I see a cacophony of sound and color. Whether its an early morning sunrise, the bright rainbow of para-surfer’s gliding up and down the beach, or the heavily salted scent backdropping the deep fuschia of the hibiscus plants dotting up and down the lawn, I want to be there dead center in the thick of it.

Sunrise Crescent Beach

I think some times its hard to let yourself be happy. Do you? Sometimes we just get so caught up in “stuff” we don’t take the time to stand back and take a good look at what we are doing to ourselves. We scurry about, over-extending our commitments and then stress because we have so much left undone. We are so worried about letting people down we don’t realize we are letting our first love, ourselves, down. What good is a life when you won’t even stand up for the most important person in it? Seems selfish, doesn’t it? Sometimes one of the most selfLESS acts we can do is to forgive ourselves. Forgive ourselves for needing time for ourselves, forgive ourselves for having the need to cradle your own wants and needs for once.

Bikini: Baiastice, Shechy . Hair: Lelutka, Pocahontas . Glasses: Emery, Leopardous Fuschia . Bag: Baiastice, Twiggy . Feet: GOS Boutique, Mesh Feet . FlipFlops: GOS Boutique, Mesh FlipFlops (These are part of the collection with the one time system that makes skin matching easy by automatically retexturing to match the over 250 skintones in the database, it literally took me 3 seconds to change the foot tone when I changed to a tan tone for the bathing suit shoots)

Quit acting like a martyr, it’s not a criminal act to make something about YOU for once. You deserve special, you deserve to be the center of the attraction, you deserve the last piece of the pie too. It’s like we, as women feel we must always serve others first. Don’t get me wrong, service to others is a wonderful, fulfilling commitment, but is it necessary to be subservient to others? Big difference. I think it a learned response honesty. My mother was the same way, as probably was her mother, on and on back into history. But as a learned response, it can be unlearned as well. All we need is to learn to create boundaries instead. Cherish those around you, but hold a piece of the cherishing for yourself. By learning to take care of the one doing the caring, we become happier and healthier.

Top: (No), Crochet dress in crème. Bikini: Baiastice,Shechy bikini top . Shorts: Leezu!, Heather mesh shorts in white . Shoes: Maitreya Gold, flip-flops . Glasses: [sYs], Carmen glasses . Jewelry: [Mandala], Leather feather earrings and Polly White bangles . Purse: Baiastice, Twiggy bag . Hairs: D!va, Yuri

I know, a little high gravity today, but it’s a Tuesday, we have the rest of the week to recover. Take from? Sure. Don’t tie yourself needlessly to things or people. Help where you can, motivate and delegate in other areas, stand by and watch in the least important (to you) activities. You can’t possibly do it all and it’s really not necessary that you do. In life there is no grand finish line at the end so racing toward, well, nothing, hardly seems a beneficial lifestyle. Slow down, love what and who surround you, never stop learning, never stop growing and sharing but always remember to give time to yourself, even if just to take a few moments to rest, close your eyes and breathe. We all have our definition of paradise but it should never be some conceptual dream hidden in our subconscious, create your own paradise in the here and now, it’s your life, don’t you deserve it?

Para-surfing on a windy day

I Think, Therefor I Blog.

Hairs: DURA, girl45 *New* . Makeup: *LpD*, Lei *Make up Fair*

This week’s meme is borrowed again from Strawberry Singh. Thanks Berry, you made my Monday have a lot less gravity. I am wearing *LpD* today, Taxi: Nevery Lorakeet of Les Petits Details is involved with so many of the different events going on at the moment it was hard to choose what to include in the blog but in the end, I decided the new “Onde” dress would work perfectly for a high impact Monday because they look positively glam with the “Mae” platform shoos from GOS Boutique Taxi: . These shoos really are incredible, the HUD has a onetime skin matching system with over 250 skin brand tones in their database that automatically textures to match the skin you wear. Isn’t the final look adorable with the new *DURA* Taxi: girl 45 hairs? Thrown on and done! As an aside, I wanted to throw a little rumor out here before I start the meme. I heard a rumor a little Cao and some friends are thinking about starting a Second Life Modeling school. But before we jump, I am curious, is there anyone out there interested in attending? Just imagine, you too can learn to be as clumsy as me! Please let me know what you think.

Hairs: DURA, girl45 *New* . Makeup: *LpD*, Lei *Make up Fair* . Shoos: GOS, Mae Platform . Dress: *LpD*, Onde . Purse (on Ground): *LpD*, Geena . Handbag: +>A&A<+, Sheepies purse, *The Deck* POSE: Behavior Body

Meme instructions: Copy and paste the following questions and answers to your post, delete my answers and input your own. Try not to swear at Berry in your head for having so many questions this week and don’t forget to leave a comment in here so others can come by and read your answers as well!

See how amazing? the skin color matches perfectly on these shoos!

1. How long have you been blogging? Since June 2011. Don’t you DARE laugh!
http://anchailinalainn.com/2011/06/24/june-always-a-favorite-time-for-weddings/
2. Why did you start blogging? My friend Draakje Dailey had a blog and I always ran into her shopping everywhere, personally I think she was stalking me, but being a nice docile Cao I never told her I knew what she was doing. She made me read showed me her blog and I was hooked and wanted to have one of my own.
3. How many times a week do you post an entry? I try to blog every single day since I am a writer at heart. I think it helps my creativity to keep exercising my words. Sometimes it’s difficult because I have to shop, style and take pictures for each blog but for the most part at least 6 times a week.
4. How many different blogs do you read on a regular basis? Hundreds! Friday is my blog read day and when I awake in the morning I have 114 blog update emails waiting for me in my inbox. I think the bloggers I follow are the coolest people in the world and I hate to miss a week of seeing what they are up to. I read SL blogs, RL blogs and lots of blogs of other writers and artists.
5. Do you comment on other people’s blogs? Yes, I do quite often. When I commit to another person’s blog I like to be all in. I think it’s good to know another person somewhere in the time/space continuum thought enough of my blog to leave a comment, so I like to do the same. It’s kind of like receiving little virtual flowers on an otherwise mundane day.
6. Do you keep track of how many visitors you have? I obsess about it. So much I oft wonder if I am obsessive compulsive creature. WordPress tells you if your readership is up or down a certain percentage from week to week and I always want to cry when my percentage is down. So please do me a favor, if you peek at my blog, hit your home key and come back to my blog about 20 times or so. The depression you lift may be my own. (just kidding, of course.. sort of… I guess.)
7. Did you ever regret a post that you wrote? No, not really. I sometimes pause prior to publishing because at times I remark on subjects that I am unsure how they will be received by my audience (like the dating blogs) but in the end I figure there’s no need to hide my “blemishes” from the world, they are what makes me uniquely beautifully me. Though honestly, most of what I write on the dating topic is said in gest. I love to smile and I love to laugh so if I can make one reader laugh, it typically makes me do both.
8. Do you think your readers have a true sense of who you are based on your blog? To an extent, yes. As I said, some things are said to be funny, but for the most part I am a pretty “face-value” person and try to be open and honest. Like the comment I made in a prior blog about my mum and how my dog Katy ate my mums hormone pills, it happened and that’s just how me and my mum are. A little forgetful and inattentive. So in betwixt the lines of the words there is a huge sense of who I am.
9. Do you blog under your real name? No, I blog under my second life name. I have never blogged under my real name, yet, but possibly will in the future if I cross out of Second Life. I can’t see myself ever giving up blogging; I am a writer after all.
10. Are there topics that you would never blog about? Not sure. There are probably lots of topics I shouldn’t blog about, but I think I’d probably be willing to give anything that interests me a try. One of the things I enjoy about blog topics is a lot of the time I am learning as I write.
11. What is the theme/topic of your blog? This is a difficult question for me because my topics are all over the place. I think my main pictorial topic is fashion, whether it pertains to real or Second Life; the two DO cross-over nicely. But, well, then there is word and peace as my little dragon Draakje Dailey likes to point out. So you get a view of life perspective from me at times and it seems to be popular given the nice comments I receive here and inworld. I am also, in real life and second life, an eclectic stylist, I always have been even when growing up, so I suppose I could be considered an “off off broadway” blogger/stylist.
12. Do you have more than one blog? If so, why? I do have more than one blog. I have An Chailin Alainn my first blog where I post topics and pictures, and I also occasionally update Lil Cao- Life and Times of a Second Life Model. Taxi: The Lil Cao blog is simply a no words blog that I upload my more artistic pictures to with the title typically the only words needed to garner the inspiration behind the style. I also have a private word only blog that I use to write short stories, or write about feelings or things I am going through at any particular time. Topics or words that wouldn’t quite fit as topics for An Chailin Alainn.
13. What have you found to be the benefits of blogging? It lowered my cholesterol 50 points. Just kiding, it’s helped me to grow. Both in my personal style and in my writing style. I’ve learned so many things. From research, from friends and from readers who just stop by. This has been an amazing trip from 2011 to today; I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
14. So, why do you continue to blog? I simply love blogging, writing and reading so I find blogging relaxing and fun. I try to entertain my readers on most days, hopefully I get there every once in a while for you but while thinking about the topics I write about it makes me take stock on where I fit in the big picture of this amazing complex world we live in.

Whew! That was long and hopefully not too boring. Remember, if you do the meme on your blog come here and put a link to it because I love to read the blogs of others.

A.Life.Unchartered.

Just a little something to remember for those who structure their lives from sun up to sunset. I am one of those laidback people that get up whenever, go to bed or eat when I feel like it and just really take the term “play it by ear” to the next level. I can’t help it, there isn’t too much in this world that honestly frustrates me. Florida isn’t known for its jetset lifestyle and neither are Cao’s. I know to you people out there who are “driven”, my lackadaisical arbitrariness would probably drive you up the wall. I can’t help it, I just feel that in the journey through life, we should explore the nooks and crannies, and search out the whimsy, because honestly, we will both get to the finish line at about the same time. The story of the turtle and the hare wasn’t too far off the mark. Take from? Live each day as if tomorrow you will die, because you just might. You never know what the future entails for you, so make sure you squeeze every bit of life and happiness out of the days you do have.

Those who have followed my blog for a bit know, I don’t blog skins. I am one of those models Frolic complains about when he says update your skin! I’ve worn the same skin for years. I change makeups not skins. Well, my friend Aleida Rhode of Elysium dropped off her three skins for 2013’s The Skin Fair (March 15 thru March 31st) with the comment, “if you don’t like them, you don’t have to blog them…” I actually love all three! So I will start with this one, “Liv.” The thing that strikes me the most is the naturalness of the eyebrows. YAY! Haute Couture eyebrows, finally! See? I’m a nice Cao, I’ve even included the taxi: Taxi:

This outfit was gathered up today when I went blog perving. I can’t help it. Yes, I am a blog-a-holic. While dickering around on my flickr friend Jay Nathan’s “Battlescar’s” blog,Taxi: , I was pushing his buttons, actually following his links, and ran across one of his sponsor stores, KidDreamz’s, [Dynasty]. I know, normally girls don’t shop menswear, but darn it all, it was a peacoat for crying out loud! I couldn’t resist! So Jay? I borrowed your jacket, I promise, I’ll return it. Um, next time I see you. My inworld name is JaneDoe Resident.

Outfit:
Skin: Elysium, Liv **2013 Skin Fair**
Jacket: [Dynasty], Peacoat
Earring: Mandala, Otsumami
Necklace: Mandala, Osenbei
Ring: Mandala, Polly
Makeup: Zibska
Hairs: Exile: Crazy in Love
Shoos: GOS, Angelina

With.Shoes.Comes.Perspective.

Feet: [Gos] “Toe point” Sweater: Ricielli Mesh, Laced Cardigans Set. (rest from yesterday.ewwww)

Yeah, yeah I know. It’s a woman thing, ah, shoos! If you’re a shoo hater, mosey on out of here, but if you are a major shoo ho, like I am, you’re going to love this blog because it’s like waking once again to Christmas morning and all the prezzy’s are yours! Have you ever wasted hours trying to get the skin on your shoos to match your avatars skin? Yep lots of raised hands out there, me too and I use “Color Cop” to make it “easy.” The worst thing is when you spend that hour or so and when you arrive at a new SIM they no longer match because of windlights. Well, slap my arse and don’t you dare call me Sally! [Gos] has a new revolutionary product, and it just amazed me with its ease of use.

Shoo: [Gos] Boutique, Marilyn. Skirt: Maitreya, Mini Vivid Leather Lust. Shirt: Leezu!, LBD Night Love

The HUD with the new shoes from [Gos] Boutique come with 250 skins preloaded. So there is a one time log in from the HUD, you pick your skin type and shade, save, and voila! Easy as lying in bed and reading a paper on a Sunday morning. For the first pic I loaded a Glam Affair skin I had stashed in inventory because I know it is a popular line for you all and it was a matter of 30 seconds to find the shade and save it. This second pic, which is the skin I always wear, was not listed on the list of 250. Hmmpf, go figure! No one ever thinks about us lonely old Cao’s! It wasn’t as easy as finding your brand and choosing the shade, but it wasn’t exactly laborious to get it right and considering I styled and took pics of all these outfits in under 30 minutes, I’d say my final result is close enough for a speed blogging foray, no?

Shoos: [Gos] Grace. Dress: Ladies Who Lunch, IT dress. Jewelry: Finesmith, Edina *NEW* LOVE! and hairs: Blackliquid, Succulent *Couturier’s Dock* Love also!

The best part? You only have to set the HUD once and all of your skin choices remain on the HUD ready for you to use with EVERY pair of shoes from [Gos]. Thats right, one HUD does it all! As an aside, these shoes are also rigged. And for those who don’t know what it means, don’t feel bad, I didn’t either so I asked Gospel Voom, the designer of the shoes. What a really cool dude he is, by the way! As for rigging, in the Gospel according to Voom, rigged means; when walking, or dancing, the shoes will mimic the natural movement and bend of a real life footstep. In other words, the ankle flexes naturally. So no more walking around with your foot always in a static position. YAY!

Take from? Let me see if I can think of one… Ah, okay. Silly me, the title. The take from? Why work so hard? It’s a second life, not a first. Shouldn’t your feet match your body seamlessly and without effort? Heck, I like the line so much I even included the taxi for you! Taxi:

Some.People.Feel.The.Rain.Others.Just.Get.Wet.

What a very true statement that is, I think Bob Dylan was a very wise man. And we all know those “get wet” people, they are the ones who consistently focus on their own discomfort instead of focusing outwards and realizing perhaps, in the long run, their own discomfort isn’t quite so bad after all. In Second Life, I like to relate this to constantly having your camera focused on your own avatar, instead of seeing with amazement all that surrounds you. So today, I have a new take from. (yes, there is one). I wanted to throw out some “News Year’s” resolutions for SL models and aspiring models. And maybe for some real world “avatars” as well. I’d love to hear some of yours too, if you’d like to comment. And I could think of no better designer’s design to wear today then my friend Giz Seorn of Gizza.

1) My first and fave is: smile, it improves your face value. I personally love to smile, don’t you? When I chat with friends and strangers inworld sometimes I smile so much I swear my laptop thinks I am in love with it. 2) Be forever grateful of the gifts you receive, even if it is just a short hello. Because think about it, on that day someone thought of you kindly enough to say “hello.” 3) In return, always find something to compliment in others, every one has at least one something worthy of praise so learn to dedicate your space, your face, and your time to the wellness of others. 4) Follow the 3 question rule about things that bother you. a. How important is my complaint to the “big picture?” b. Is what I have to say important to others, or just myself? and c. Will it seem as important a week, month, year from now? If you answer yes truthfully, then approach it by thinking about and then saying what you feel. Words are weapons as sharp as any sword.

Resolutions for modeling in particular. 5) You are not marked by your past. What did or did not occur in the past, does not ever mean it will continue on into the future forever. Learn from what went wrong, or what went right, expand upon it and move on, healthier, happier and stronger for having experienced what happened. 6) If worried about trying, what ever it is, a casting, a contest, a school, a career.. remember to think about what’s the worst that can happen from trying? You fail and get made fun of? You fail and are out some money? What is so important that you would choose to live a life of unhappy sameness when you have the chance to succeed and live your dream, but if only you would just try? 7) Do not ever compare yourself to others, make yourself with your own hands. If Steve Jobs had failed (actually he did, several times) but if he failed and never made it, should we all have wrung our hands with shame, walked away and said “it’s impossible!”? I certainly hope not. If it’s not right, dust off the big girl knickers, regroup, realign, recreate and push on. Somewhere in each of us is this wonderful soul, heart and mind, well able to bring us what we seek, if only we could learn to let go of the “I can’ts”, “I faileds” and the “it cant be dones, especially by me(s)”. I know, my dragon friend Draakje, “word and peace.” I’ll silently move away before I’ve got you all snoring on your desktops, I was perhaps wandering away with the keyboard a little. I hope you all have a New Year that fulfills the delightful wonders being dreamt in your hearts. Slurls on SLurls page. And here’s one to Gizza: Taxi:

Outfit One:
Jacket: Gizza, hooded sweater
Shorts: Gizza, loose denim short *New*
Hairs/HatL Exile, raspberry beret
Boots: Gos, wellington
Umbrella/pose: What Next?, Rainy day
Earrings: Mandala, senjyu earring

Outfit Two:
Gown: Gizza, Anna *New*
Hairs: Vanity Hair, cotton club *NEW*
Gloves: Mimikri, glove
Jewelry: Donna Flora, Brenda earrings, Samara watch, Arturo ring
Makeup: Mons, lipstick

Outfit Three:
Gown w hat and gloves: Gizza, Linnda *New*
Hairs: Lelutka, pacahontas
Jewelry: Mandala, pearl rain

Strike.A.Pose.

The more I play with inworld photography for my blog, the more I realize it’s limitations. I can’t help not notice, my brain seldom thinks straight, it always seems just a little left of center actually, and I have a difficult time finding just the right pose! I was reading a blog the other day about how bloggers and models need to give more credit to the wonderful pose makers in Second Life. I am so guilty of seldom crediting them, by the time I snap the picture and write down what I am wearing, I forget to check the posemaker and pose I am using. Bad, Bad Cao.

Isn’t this the most adorable backpack and headphones? It’s a free groupgift at [sYs] \o/

So unrepentant, but willing to bend a little. I am happy my friend Antosperandeo of Behavior Body has come out with two sets of handbag poses! Both sets are completely about showing off the bag you are carrying, and each set includes, six poses plus six mirrored poses, but also has the poses in 3 sizes, so its 72 poses per set. There is also a preloaded pose stand, 2 “just pose” Huds, and 1 handbag in 9 different colors! Whew, exhausting just to write all of that!

I’d sneak by Behavior Body and grab the sets because they are perfect for runway, photography, or any setup where you don’t want your purse leaching through your body. I’ve shown you a few of the poses, and as you can see, gorgie! I love them all so much, I included the taxi for you! Taxi:

Outfit: (purposely kept simple to showcase the poses)
Hairs: Boon
Jewelry: Mandala
Jacket: Liv-Glam, Westwood
Pants: Glam Affair, Lou
Shoos: [sYs], Divine

PicOne:
Glasses: Dumani, Cateye occhiali
Purse: .::Pichi::., *coco*

Pic Two:
backpack/headphones: [sYs], tiny backpack
Purse: Behavior Body, part of pose set

Pic Three:
Headphones: Neurolab, headphones
Purse: Dumani, ombre python borsa

Pic Four:
Glasses: [Gos] custom eyewear, Cateye
Purse: Lelutka, Ruiz

Color.Your.World.

Now that I have consciously started to retire from Second Life, I’ve started to do something I have always wanted to do, explore SIMS. And when I ran across *Cica* (literally) I felt like a child playing in one of the many pictures I drew as a child. Somewhere between all the white and black, I just knew I would have to blog with the background. So after a few weeks of playing with concepts in my head, I decided I would go shop at one of my favorite designers Leezu! because the attire would have to be eclectic and colorful enough to pop out of the busy background.

I just love Leezu! the things there are so playful. For this look I chose the luscious violet shaded “scarf poncho“, added the adorable “Nadja” ballerina skirt which I recolored to a bubbly pink and donned violet “Maria” tights for added coverage and warmth. Wanting to playup the fun and lack of sun, I grabbed Gizza’s “Summer Hat” and pulled on a pair of [gos] “Wellingtons” in hot pink of course! With the funky cool pose from {what next}, which includes the umbrella, I knew I was ready to go back and snap away and sing to my hearts content in the rain. How can you not smile while wearing so much funktastic goodness?

In all the craziness we call our Second Life “employment” I hope you find some time to wander about alone and explore the little hidden treasures and romantic grottos. And when you do, it’s nice to know you can always find the perfect outfit to accompany you on your moments of virtual wunderlust. I love Leezu! so much, I even included the taxi for you. xo Leezu!: Taxi:

Lonely.Hearts.Club.

okay, okay. So I snoogled a piece of a title from an awesome classic rock album. Thank you Sergeant Pepper and the Beatles. I hope it will make sense. I never can tell when I get in this mood, sometimes I ramble, sometimes, when I am lucky, I get it just right. I woke up worried last night. I don’t know why, it just happens that way sometimes. It bothers me that we, well some of us anyway, walk through life with tunnel vision. We wander halls, grocery stores, sidewalks, never bothering to look at the faces around us. It’s as if we are scared to read the graffiti, the words written on their faces. “Life. Friend. Care. Sister.” No matter the content there, we glaze our eyes and our hearts so that we remain uncommitted to the passing, unencumbered, no time wasted. What if, by saying “hallo, how are you?” and actually listening to the answer, we learn someone or something new? What if, by forgetting the minutes lost, we help someone, even if its just by showing we care? What if, in that small moment in a life of years, you meet your soulmate? And all that useless graffiti becomes rock solid compound words? “Life.Time” “Friend.Ship” “Care.Free” “Sister.Hood” Wouldn’t the world be just a little brighter place in which to live?

Outfit One:

Hat: Azoury <33, "La Casquette Laly" at L'Acessoire's
Hairs: Vanity Hair <33, "Tubular Bells"
Jacket: Diram <33, "Sophie"
Epaulet's: Lelutka, "Mithra" shoulder tassles
Skirt: Leezu, "O'LaLa" mini
Socks: Maitreya, "Moxie" over knee sock
Boots: Gos, "GTFO"
Makeups: Mons, Just fell in love in the store!
Pose: Del May, "David"

SLURLS in the SLURL page at the top! <33

Music.From.Another.Room.

I know, the title is a movie, but hang with me, there is direction. Such an easy to watch movie with its quirky characters, and in the end it teaches us that sometimes, no matter how hard we try, fate will always have its way and passion, or in the modeling sense, being passionate, doesn’t always have to mean being practical. It doesn’t even mean you have to stay within practical styles either. Freely mix your leopards with your satin and lace, throw in gold shades to match the lame` shirt under the jacket, and spice it up with bright red earrings. Its your fashion style, so create it to your liking. Listen to the music from another room, because then you will have a purpose driven fashion sense that is uniquely yours.

There’s nothing nicer than the simple sundress. It lightens a casual affair, or dresses up for the semi-casual soiree. It took me a little bit of time to come up with this look. Sometimes my brain is too scattered to concentrate for very long. And it actually took four different shots with four different accessories to find the look I liked. I didn’t really know what the dress meant to me, I just know I loved it and wanted to blog it. I went from my normal brown hair to light brown to platinum. Threw in different necklaces and earrings, but nothing inspired me. So I decided to play to my feminine whims. Isn’t there always something a little sexy about feathers? They flutter nicely about your face and tickle your nose when they wander too far, yet they always add such femininity.

I hope you get the chance to explore you, your style, and have fun while playing. Just remember, be the gorgeous glam you that you truly are. Second Life is the perfect locale for discovering your style because there truly never are any mistakes.

Outfit One:

Hair Lelutka, Salome
Glasses: [GOS] Cateye
Earrings: Mandala, Pine cone
Jacket/Shirt: Gizza, Felicia *New*
Pants: Gizza, Princely
Bag: Ison, Kabuki Croc

Outfit Two:

Hair: — Element Hair, Vanina *New*
Earrings: [Mandala], Ceekeeey
Dress: NYU, Razorback *New*
Bracelet/Ring: [Mandala], Polly White and Motsumame
Purse: *LpD* Garbo Clutch *New*
Feather Boa: *SoliDea FoliEs*
Feather Boa: Miamai