Relay for Life: Final Recap

37 sims...Almost 2000 participants...
and 130 teams supported by friends, community, team leaders and captains and RFL organizers such as Event Chair Fayandria Foley...Raised $62,114,357L, which is $270,388 USD for the American Cancer Society as of today! For more information about the SL Relay for Life, click HERE.

SL Relay for Life: Day 2

When I woke up this afternoon, I realized I had slept through my alarm and missed most of the laps for today. I came inworld in time to cheer on folks going by and get ready for the team lap...Genie finally made it around after her epic all night lap running. She laid down in a heap at my feet as Lunar and Elegia Underwood look on. She ended up being 8th out of the 15 folks who ran the most laps. ..
Last night, I lit luminarias by pretty flowers that blossomed and changed color as you went by. One of them was for my husband's Aunt Rose, whom I liked very much. I showed my cousin (her son) the luminaria. He was quiet for a moment before he hugged me, saying "Thank you so much for that! That is really great."When all was quiet Lunar and I chatted a bit with Caladon Rae, a Steelhead citizen who is a survivor and had her first chemo last week. I told her that my mom is a patient navigator now who helps other cancer patients not have to be alone in this. I also told her my mom said to try to stay strong and positive and know that folks in her RL and well as her virtual one care about her and are rooting for her...
After all is said and done, whether survivor or caregiver...you don't have to feel alone in this...
Thank you all for your support, help, and/or relaying. My mother wanted me to tell you all "Thank you so much for what you are doing. That is fantastic!"

SL Relay for Life: Overnight

There was a special luminaria ceremony around midnight my time. We quietly sat at the campsite as the sims were all darkened as dedications were read for survivors and those lost over the main radio...
I don't know. Towards the end of it, something in me triggered...snapped a bit. I have been truly thankful for my mother's recovery and remission of almost 2 years now, but this knot of pain surfaced and all I wanted to do was run. Me, who in RL believes that I'm running only for if I am being chased, needed to. I needed to run. I got out on that track and didn't stop again for another 7 hours. I even changed my look such as being fae for a while after the magickal beings lap.. Lunar joined me at one point towards the end and we did the last few laps that that we could that evening together, as birds (he's the peacock, I'm the eagle)...And even snow leopards. By then I was so half-crazy with sleep that I imagined chasing people (like Wrath Constantine, who is the bunny up ahead) to keep me going...We finished out finally around 7 am my time (4 am SLT) back at the Steelhead campsite where Fuzz, in his Fuzzwolf form, was there to greet us. Caledon's Vicereine, and builder of the stunning RFL Metropolis sim, also joined us as all tired kitties laid down on the track in front...
The pedometer's not my final lap meters as I had to restart it a few times due to crashing. It wasn't about competition of any sort or anything, but supporting those who need it. For what it is all worth, I am glad that I did this. I just felt like I needed to run. This was for my Mom and Robert, and in the memory of Rose and for Uncle Jack. I love you all.

SL Relay for Life: Day 1, Part 1

The Relay was finally here. I had preregistered for the first lap--the Survivors and Caregivers one--a while ago. I didn't want to walk alone or without someone I knew, so Kara Timtam walked along with me until we got separated due to lag...Next try I was able to walk with Tensai, Fuzz and Lunar. I love the Walk and Talk system as it's nice to have friends with you as you go around...
A Stay Puft man thought he'd walk too. There are times that I truly love SL...There were many themed laps. I put on my Steelhead headwrap for the "bald is beautiful" one...This time Tensai thought she'd do walking handstands around...

Fantasy Faire 2009 Kicks Off

As a fundraiser for SL RFL, the Friends Fighting Cancer team has organized Fantasy Faire 2009, a week-long multi-sim event featuring creators across the fantasy genre:As you know, I love being a dark elf whenever I get the chance (which hasn't been nearly enough lately!), so I thought I'd go ahead and put in for a spot. I had a lot of fun creating my shop space, located in the Elvencourt sim. Yes, I managed to bring a bit of the Underdark to the surface. Click HERE to see my shop and visit the many other wonderful creators there as well! You won't be sorry as there is something for everyone...Lunar and I took a break in some flower chairs by Elorian Garden. I made a joke about the size of his weapon. Feel free to fill in the punchline for yourself...

Donor Fatigue

I am about to run a real risk of being seen as a jerk for saying this--given my participation in the past and RL experience dealing with this, but I am dreading SLRFL season this year. My friend Crap spoke about this in a post recently and honestly, it was nice to hear someone publicly say what I had been thinking.

In RL, I used to work for nonprofits. "Donor fatigue" is a term in the charitable and nonprofit world that is used to explain what can happen when donors or potential donors reach a point where they are unwilling to give. This can be due to feelings of not knowing/understanding how it'll be used, their being financially unable to do so, or simply being tired of constantly being bombarded by the nonprofit asking them to donate. It's this latter point I'm addressing.

This will be my 3rd SLRFL season. I have participated in it in donor, relayer, team activity, site building and creating for vendor capacities every time. I am willing to help in modest ways to benefit my teams, but already the notices are beginning. I heard this season would be a kindler, gentler one in my respective nations, with fewer events supposedly taking place, but I'm getting the feeling this won't be the case.

I originally came into SL due to cancer's presence in my RL. To be constantly bombarded and reminded of it with a undercurrent feeling of "if you don't participate or like how things are done you are somehow bad" is not the way to go and it seemed to reach a fevered pitch to me last year. Folks I knew grumbled, even if they didn't want to really say it out loud. I really don't want to knock the hardworking organizers, as I still think RFL is a wonderful thing and a great example of a virtual world helping to do something good for the real one, but I just don't feel like the overwhelming, inescapable nature of it.

I will create an item, make one-time donations to both teams and make my RL donation to ACS. If these actions and how I feel makes me a jerk...oh well. *sighs*

SL Relay for Life 2008: After

I kept a journal throughout my mother's illness (and still add to it sometimes). I will excerpt from it here with pics of the quiet builds and RFL grounds that I rode through with Lunar when it was all over...

"At 11:30 am today, my mother told me she has Stage III breast cancer and it is aggressive. How ironic since it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month...She's so weirdly upbeat, but that's a good thing, isn't it? When I got off the phone with her, I jumped up and ran out of my office. I had to get outside. I just couldn't think. Everything was a swirl...""She told me that her hair is falling out when she combs her hair now. She says she has lost quite a bit of it in the back...'This bothers me more than the cancer,' she said, and told me that she asked my brother's friend to come over and shave it all off. 'I tried to hold off on doing it so I could have my hair as long as I could, but I think it'll be easier, you know?'""R. told me that he might have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, stage III, possibly IV...I didn't know what to say except to try and offer comfort, but at one point his pain was so palpable that I thought I'd start crying again. Like my mom, I love and care about him. Why is this happening to people I love right now?"
"She told me today that the docs couldn't feel the lump or really even detect it and are amazed. After only about a month of treatment. My aunt once asked me, 'So what do you believe?' and I told her 'That I am certain there is a God.' It's things like this that make me even more certain of this undeniable fact."
"Today is my mom's last treatment...I thought about how lucky she has been, but then I think it was still cancer. Her being so upbeat and things having gone so well has masked the insidiousness of what she has in a way. I have lost others in my life to this. I know it kills. It's a prickly fear that gets under your skin and never quite goes away..."
My mom is now in remission and is a patient navigator for other cancer patients, meaning that she is there to help "hold their hand" through the treatment process. I really like the idea that she is using her experience to help others get through theirs. Thank you for being so brave. I know it was so hard and even harder for you, but your being able to laugh made us be able to as well...

SL Relay for Life 2008: The Teams

Last year was a very hard one for me. My mother was going through cancer treatments for Stage III breast cancer and my close friend Robert told me that he had Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He told me in a busy place thinking it'd keep me calmer. It didn't. I sat there crying in front of a whole restaurant. I am happy to say that I am lucky. My mom is in remission and my friend is doing well. So this year, I was able to do the Survivor/Caregiver lap and I did it thinking of them...

En route, I stopped in front of my home team of Steelhead...
And was touched by the large turnout by the Purple Tears team. I had to stop at one point and get myself together as it meant so much to me to have folks lined up along the way and be cheered on like that...

I walked around with CoyoteAngel Dimsum, the duchess of Caledon Primverness, again this year. You can see my lap tally of 7869.2 m. I would go on to do over 20K m before it was all over...Which made Viderian Vollmar's over 300K m laps (wow!) really impressive! After my lap I went by the Caledon site to cheer him on as he began. Go pony GO!Afterwards, I joined my actual RFL team, Elizabeth Blackwell in cheering folks on. Led by Otenth Paderborn, Elizabeth Blackwell was the first female medical doctor in the U.S.I want to thank everyone so much for their support, whether it was giving or participating. Being here inworld helped me to cope and I love the concept of using a virtual world to help make a difference in the real one. I know SL Relay for Life can seem almost endless sometimes to some, but it is an end result that is worth it as your support helped raise $53,310,098 Lindens, which is roughly over $197K USD!

Egyptian Dancer Elle

Lord Greystoke, Gnarlihotep Abel, threw a fun hafla dance/party at his RFL Egyptian-themed build above Caledon Greystoke. Here I am at his Karnak Temple in my 1860s Egyptian dancer's outfit that I whipped up just before the party. You'll be able to find it in his bazaar there as well as my shops by Friday.

Team Blackwell Party

I'm a member of RFL Team Elizabeth Blackwell, so I popped in at a party that was being held for the team in the Fortinbras sim...

A Re-Cap...

I am a tiny trivia queen. I know all sorts of useless knowledge about all sorts of hopefully useful things. And I answered them while grooving in my Battlestar Galactica uniform I made...And for you new BSG RI fans out there, I made a tiny flightsuit like Kara's...
BloodSong and his chickens...Dancing with my Phin in Taloo...
A giant snail checking out info about...the Giant Snail Race for RFL...

Team Caledon RFL Ladies Auction

Team Caledon's RFL Ladies Auction was a big success, raising over $L328,000! 1950's & '60s retro themed, the partying itself during it was a lot of fun and I had a great time talking and dancing with Phin, who was the big bidder for a date with me...In addition to the bid posters, stories of Caledon's citizens who have been affected by cancer were displayed--including mine. I read all of them and they were inspiring, moving and heartbreaking. I think one thread in common to us all is the happiness that SL brings...

A Date With a Good Cause!

Want to win a date with me? Come out to Team Caledon's SL RFL Ladies Auction on Saturday, March 22 from 2-5 SLT! I'm tickled that they chose me as the "face" of this and the Team's accompanying booklet about Caledonians affected by cancer, as this issue is quite important to me. You don't have to be Caledonian to participate!

If you win, you know me...crazy things could happen. You could end up flying tiny-style around Caledon waters, going for a hair-raising spin in the Suicide Runner, dancing and wine in my meadow, and having an E.Laval SL RFL waistcoat named after you--with you being the model!

How does this work? You can either come to the Auction on Saturday at the Amiaguas Mauritius sim or pop over and start the bidding now! Good luck and I hope to see you there!

Minnie Groovin' at Tribute Island

Earlier, I had written my blurb for the Caledon RFL booklet and I was very sad. I didn't realize how affected I still felt by it all until I had to try to summarize the experience. I apologize to my friends for any curtness or bad behavior on my part, but that was why. I needed some happy music, so I made myself some Minnie Mouse ears and went to Tribute Island, where they were playing Disney music in a tribute to Walt...I loved Nikk Huet's Tron costume and Terry's Tinkerbell. Nice wolfie too!
I had a nice time, but soon left for a little quiet in the meadow before logging...

Relay for Life Kiosks

Although, like last year, I will support and help out with some of Caledon's activities for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life fundraiser inworld, I am actually on the Elizabeth Blackwell relay team of my friend Otenth. He invited me over to the ACS' headquarters to see the kiosks to be voted upon. Very interesting entries...

Photos from SL Relay for Life...

LOTR...At the Caledon campsite...
Snortys dancing and on the rampage...
A memorial to SLRFL team captain Stori Knopfli...
Me getting a hug afterwards from my team captain Lapin Paris...