I've been Yipped!

Y-09
Originally uploaded by four yip

If you haven't seen the amazing portraits that four Yip does of SL avatars, you owe it to yourself to look at her work on Flickr. I feel incredibly honored that Yip used me for one of her portraits, and I think the end result is amazing. She reinterprets the avatar in a semi-realistic way, while still keeping the essence and character of the original. The end result is very striking, I think.

Thanks again, Yip! =)

You say it's your rez-day?

Well, it's my rez-day too, yeah! Yup, today marks two whole years that I've been in SL. Hard to believe, but time does fly. So much has happened in the past year, lots of ups and downs, and a bunch of changes as well. Currently I find myself spending less time in-world than I used to, which is actually a good thing for the most part. My RL is going very well, and I have more of a social life than I did a year ago, but at the same time I do miss certain parts of being in SL frequently. However, I do try to pop in a couple of times a week, mainly to roleplay in Midian City and of course to DJ there on Tuesdays.

You may have noticed that I stopped writing my diary entries. The main reason for this is that I was hopelessly behind when I first started writing them, and it only got worse as time went on. I've considered picking things up with what's going on currently, but I'm not sure if I want to devote time to that just yet. I may pick it up again, who knows?

Anyway, here's to another year gone by, and to the possibilities of the future. Thanks everyone for experiencing it with me.

DJ Tober's Rain of Ruin Podcast for October 28, 2008: Special Halloween set

Here's my special Halloween DJ set from last Tuesday, October 28th. The recording is about 2.5 hours long.

Artist:Song
1. John Murphy: The Beginning
2. KAOS Promo
3. Tom Waits: Lucky Day (Overture)
4. Mudhoney: Halloween
5. Tino: Lochness Monster Dub
6. Atari Teenage Riot: Death Star
7. HorrorPops: Walk Like a Zombie
8. Death in Vegas: Hands Around My Throat
9. DJ Krush with Mr. Lif: Nosferatu
10. The Cramps: Sheena's in a Goth Gang
11. Dead Kennedys: Halloween
12. Angry Samoans: Coffin Case
13. Bauhaus: Bela Lugosi's Dead
14. Covenant: We Stand Alone
15. Depeche Mode: The Dead of Night
16. The Creatures: Exterminating Angel
17. Daisy Chainsaw: I Feel Insane
18. KAOS Promo
19. Tino: Zombies Walk Dub
20. Siouxsie and The Banshees: Halloween
21. Dead Can Dance: Black Sun
22. Golden Boy Featuring Miss Kittin: Rippin Kittin
23. The Cramps: I Was a Teenage Werewolf
24. Concrete Blonde: Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)
25. The Beatles: Helter Skelter
26. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Red Right Hand
27. The Magnetic Fields: Zombie Boy
28. Joy Division: Dead Souls
29. Tom Waits: The Earth Died Screaming
30. Shriekback: Nemesis
31. Rasputina: Transylvanian Concubine
32. Suicidal Tendencies: I Saw Your Mommy...
33. Pixies: Dead
34. Ministry: Every Day is Halloween
35. Skinny Puppy: Worlock
36. Suicide: Rain of Ruin
37. Tino: Tricks

You can download the set here.

Let me know if the download link stops working and I'll re-upload it.

DJ Tober's Rain of Ruin for September 30, 2008

Here's my dj set for KAOS radio in Midian City from last Tuesday. It's an entire set of only cover songs, and the recording is about 2 hours and 15 minutes long. Songlist is below. Download link is in the post title or here.

Artist: Title (Original Artist)
1. Harry Roche Constellation: Pinball Wizard (The Who)
2. KAOS Promo
3. Sex Pistols: Johnny B. Goode/Road Runner (Chuck Berry/The Modern Lovers)
4. Mudhoney: Hate the Police (The Dicks)
5. R.E.M: First We Take Manhattan (Leonard Cohen)
6. Tom Waits: The Return of Jackie and Judy (Ramones)
7. Ramones: I Don't Want to Grow Up (Tom Waits)
8. Dead Kennedys: I Fought the Law (Sonny Curtis & The Crickets, arguably made famous by The Clash)
9. Suicide: 96 Tears (? and The Mysterions)
10. Animal Collective: I'm on a Plain (Nirvana)
11. Pixies: In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) (David Lynch, from the film Eraserhead)
12. Black Flag: Louie Louie (Richard Berry, made famous by The Kingsmen)
13. Black Flag: Louie Louie (Richard Berry, made famous by The Kingsmen)
14. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: All Tomorrow's Parties (The Velvet Underground)
15. Bauhaus: Third Uncle (Brian Eno)
16. Dinosaur Jr.: Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
17. Lords of Acid: Lady Marmalade (Labelle)
18. Rammstein: Stripped (Depeche Mode)
19. KAOS Promo
20. Nirvana: The Man Who Sold The World (David Bowie)
21. Ministry: Radar Love (Golden Earring)
22. Placebo: Running up That Hill (Kate Bush)
23. Tricky: The Lovecats (The Cure)
24. Lovage: Sex (I'm a) (Berlin)
25. Senor Coconut: Showroom Dummies (Kraftwerk)
26. Buck 65: Singapore (Tom Waits)
27. Joy Division: Sister Ray (The Velvet Underground)
28. 1000 Homo DJs: Supernaut (Black Sabbath)
29. Soil: Black Betty (Traditional, first recorded by the blues artist Ledbelly)
30. Bauhaus: Telegram Sam (T-Rex)
31. The 145's: That Ain't No Rock (originally titled "409" by The Beach Boys)
32. Scratch Massive: Three Imaginary Boys (The Cure)
33. Angry Samoans: Time Has Come Today (The Chambers Brothers)
34. The Fall: White Lightning (George Jones)
35. Chicks on Speed: Warm Leatherette (The Normal)
36. Coil: Tainted Love (Gloria Jones, also made famous by Soft Cell)
37. Gustavo Santolalla (with Benicio DelToro): Shake Rattle and Roll (Big Joe Turner)
38. Rasputina: Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
39. Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules: Mad World (Tears For Fears)

DJ Tober's Rain of Ruin for September 16, 2008

Here's my Midian City DJ set from last Tuesday evening on KAOS Radio. The recording is a little over two hours long.

Artist:Title
1. Intro & KAOS Promo
2. 999: Out of Reach
3. The Fall: Frightened
4. Gang of Four: At Home He's a Tourist
5. 23 Skidoo: Last Words
6. The Cramps: Sheena's in a Goth Gang
7. The Alley Cats: Nightmare City
8. X: We're Desperate
9. The Wolfgang Press: Bottom Drawer
10. Joy Division: The Sound of Music
11. The Gun Club: Good By Johnny
12. The Germs: Media Blitz
13. The Dead Milkmen: Bitchin' Camaro
14. Crystal Stilts: Bright Night Nursery
15. Dead Kennedys: Chemical Warfare
16. The Plugz: Hombre Secreto (Secret Agent Man)
17. The Dirtbombs: It's Not Fun Until They See You Cry
18. The Dickies: Attack of The Molemen
19. KAOS Promo
20. Mudhoney: Shoot The Moon
21. Minor Threat: In My Eyes
22. Mission of Burma: That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate
23. Nobunny: I am a Girlfriend
24. Devo: Mongoloid
25. Ramones: Beat on The Brat
26. Pop Will Eat Itself: Sick Little Girl
27. Public Image Ltd.: Annalisa
28. The Rezillos: Mystery Action
29. Sham 69: If The Kids Are United
30. Sleater-Kinney: Turn it On
31. Jim Carroll: People Who Died
32. Stiff Little Fingers: Law and Order
33. Suicidal Tendencies: Institutionalized
34. Wire: I am The Fly
35. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Kiss Kiss
36. The Birthday Party: Zoo-Music Girl
37. Black Flag: Six Pack
38. Buzzcocks: Boredom
39. The Clash: Tommy Gun
40. The Clutters: 9999 (Ways to Hate Us)
41. Chelsea: Right to Work
42. Johnny Cash: Highway Patrolmen

Punk, Post-Punk and related. And Johnny Cash at the end there (it was a request). Download link is here and in the post title.

DJ Tober's Rain of Ruin, September 9, 2008

Hi everyone! I've decided to post my Midian City DJ sets online. Kind of like a podcast, but manual. Here's the tracklist for this set:

Artist: Track Name
1. Woven Hand: Horsetail
2. Beck: Rowboat
3. Myssouri: Muscle Car on a Dead End Road
4. Alejandro Escovedo: Sex Beat (cover of The Gun Club)
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Stagger Lee
6. Angels of Light: Star Chaser
7. Elliot Smith: Needle in the Hay
8. Neil Young: The Needle and the Damage Done
9. The Black Heart Procession: The Letter
10. Trailer Bride: Ghost on the Highway
11. KAOS PROMO
12. Animal Collective: Happy Singing Band
13. Tom Waits: Bottom of the World
14. A Silver Mt. Zion: 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
15. 16 Horsepower: Shametown
16. Elliott Brood: Twill
17. Blackgrass: Station 18
18. Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots: River Forktine Tippecanoe
19. Old 97's: Four Leaf Clover (Featuring X)
20. Micah P. Hinson: You Will Find Me
21. Djali Zwan: Number of the Beast (cover of Iron Maiden)
22. Hrsta: Holiday
23. Elliott Brood: Write it All Down for You
24. The Handsome Family: Passenger Pigeons

Download link is here or in this post's title. The recording is a little over two hours long. Enjoy!

You Can Judge a Book by its Cover!

Influenced by Tiessa, I decided to upload the photo below to FaceStat.com, where people would judge it in several categories and even be allowed to use a word to describe what they saw. Depending on how you take it, the results are hilarious or totally depressing. I went with the former, just because it's so ridiculous. Click on the link below my photo to see my stats and laugh (or cry) at my expense!

http://facestat.com/faces/9367

Happy Anniversary!

Today marks one whole year that Chloe and I have been together. She has been such an incredibly wonderful part of my Second Life, things simply would not be the same without her. Chloe, I love you very much, and I'm so happy to be with you! Happy Anniversary, sweetie!

To see a slideshow retrospective of our year together, go here. (It will run in reverse-chronological order)

Midian City Tober's Diary #31

Tober's diary is composed in a small, hardbound book that she keeps with her.

Now that Linds and I are officially together, I have to tell Anna that things are over between us. Not that there was ever really much there, but she had much stronger feelings for me than I ever did for her. I hate to break her heart, but I know I will. I'm going to find her right now to talk to her, and I will write about my meeting with her after it happens.

Tober and Anna
Ok, I don't know how to begin. I talked to Anna, but there's something horrible (the rest of the page is torn away at this point, as well as the next page.)

11 Months!

Today marks the eleventh month that Chloe and I have been together. She continues to be such a wonderful part of my life, and I couldn't imagine being with anyone else in SL. Love you, kitten! =)

Interfacing Your Human to Your Avatar, Part 2

Many months ago, I posted an article on how to use a Saitek game controller to control your avatar in SL. Well, toss out recycle that P2900, because very soon (ie: this month) you'll be able to go one step better and use a 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator with SL...not just for controlling the joystick flycam, but for moving your avatar around as well! I don't know about you, but I'm placing my order for one of these now =)

(Story reported in Massively.com, title link takes you to the article, with video.)

Midian City Tober's Diary #30

Tober's diary is composed in a small, hardbound book that she keeps with her.

Well, this is an entry I never really expected to make...

I hadn't seen Lindsay around for a couple of days, so I decided to ask around to find out if anyone knew where she was. As it turns out, she went into some kind of crazy surgery with Aiven to have that weasel thing removed from her! And she didn't even tell me! Right after I find this out, who should appear up on the roof, but Lindsay herself. Of course I was overjoyed to see her, but also kind of annoyed that she didn't mention anything to me before she got it done. I told her this, and she told me she didn't want me to worry about her, so she didn't tell me. I approached her, and reached out to her nervously to give her a hug...the first time we have ever been able to hug!

Lindsay & Tober's First Hug
When we hugged, she told me that she now felt she could trust herself enough to be able to leave the city without harming others. I think the disappointment in my eyes was clear, because then she said "...unless you want me to stay." She then nervously leaned in and gave me the gentlest kiss on my lips. I knew then that what I had been feeling for Linds, she had been feeling for me too, but we just couldn't express it to one another. Not without me getting hurt.

I don't remember what I said next, but I lead her to the Kittenwalker cuddle area of the rooftop, and she and I curled up together. I have never seen her relax like this before. She began to doze and was grooming me as she was dozing off. It was such an amazing and special moment for both of us. Now...our relationship is something more than mentor and student, more than friends. We have love.


Lindsay & Tober Cuddle for the First Time

New Feature: Music Playlist!

If you scroll to the bottom of my blog (it's the only place I could put it where it fit), you'll find my own personal playlist full of a bunch of artists I'm rather fond of (I'm still adding songs to the list). I hope you enjoy it, but in case you don't, autoplay is disabled ;-)

Thanks to Chloe for giving me the idea to do this.

Midian City Tober's Diary #29

Tober's diary is composed in a small, hardbound book that she keeps with her.

Tober & Seddie

There's a new member of the pride, her name is Sedira...we all call her Seddie. She's really awesome! Her fur is red, she's very funny, and has a background similar to Lindsay's. Of course, that means she didn't really have a good past, but I think things are much better for her now in the Catwalkers. She seems to have a special trait; when she sings, it affects those around her. I realize that doesn't sound like a special talent, but it's more than that...I swear her singing can even affect things like plants. It's really strange and difficult to describe, though. Seddie and I have become fast friends. She's very fun to be around, and likes to do cute jokes and pranks like I used to do when I was in high school. I miss times like that.

Things have been pretty calm in the pride lately, which is good. Well, it's good while it lasts, I should say. Things never stay calm for very long, but having a family here makes things so much easier to deal with. I don't know how I was getting by on my own on the streets when I first came here. Now, I feel like I'm at home. Funny how that's worked out.

10 Months!

Today marks the 10th month that Chloe and I have been together. Suffice to say, I'm very happy to be in a relationship with the sweetest kitty in SL. I love you very much, Chloe =)

Just look at her...what's not to like?

Midian City Tober's Diary #28

Tober's diary is composed in a small, hardbound book that she keeps with her.

Duke has been missing for a few weeks now. Nobody seems to know where he's gone or if he'll be back at all. I guess I really shouldn't let myself get very close to anyone here because one day they just might be gone. Left...dead...whatever. I don't even know how to really feel about it anymore, either. I just feel kind of blank.

And then there's Anna...I want to trust her, but it's like there's a barrier between us that won't let that happen. She's elusive, difficult to read, and doesn't like to speak much about her past or her present. It's obvious she has something to hide; something tragic, and I have no idea what it is.

In better news, I've been promoted! I'm now the "Stitcher" for the pride. It simply means I'm a medic. I share my title with two other cats, Landen and Osoth. They both have much more experience than me, but I know my post-war relief background will come in handy. I've treated everything from cuts and scrapes to broken bones and gunshot wounds back then; hopefully I won't have to do anything worse than that with the Catwalkers. I'm really happy with my new role! I'm not really a fighter, and I like to help others, so this is an ideal role for me. I just hope my efforts are satisfactory to Rith and Chai. I'll try my best.

Since I've been in the pride, I've also made quite a few new friends...cats like Myca, Scytale, Dui, Sarika, Tora...they're all really cool. I feel like I have a real family again.

Well, that's about it for now, I guess.

Left to right: Scytale, Myca and Tober

Kyuketsuki featured in New World Notes!

Hamlet Au has written up a very nice article on Chloe's graphic novel-esque story blog, Kyuketsuki.

Check out the article here

...and Kyuketsuki itself here

Congratulations, sweetie, you deserve the attention and much more! =)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is special only to people who are in love...otherwise it's usually hated. Depending on my relationship status, I fall into either category. Guess which one I fall in this year? ;-)

In case you were wondering, here's the Valentine's Day card I sent to Chloe:



Yes, it's Charles Darwin. Yes, I'm a dork.

And for those of you who are significant otherless this Valentine's Day, don't fret...there's always next year!

New NON-Linden SL Grid Opening!!!

I don't know about you guys, but I find this very, very exciting! Especially considering the improvements they've made to the avatars and object system...it's all mesh-based!

Read about it here on Massively:

http://www.massively.com/2008/02/10/new-non-linden-grid-opening/

and check out the offical Openlife Grid blog here:

http://openlifegrid.com/

Woohoo!!!

A Big Oops

I feel doubly bad writing this, considering my last post, joking about irreconcilable differences...

I made a big mistake yesterday: I thought Chloe's rezday is today. It isn't...it was yesterday. Of course, I feel like a supreme jerk.

However, today marks the 9th month that Chloe and I have been together. And you see, since I thought her rezday and our month-i-versary were falling on the same day, it would be super-special. Obviously I was wrong.

So please everyone, wish my dear Chloe a happy rezday. She deserves it.