His Kashmir Sweater

Almost every day I receive an invitation to hear her latest track, 30 minutes, or 40 minutes or 23 minutes. And when she has started soon we will hear her countdown before she logs off and goes to bed.

With my date today I decide to stay in bed too. Maybe that will teach her!

 

DeceptionsDigital: In 3 minutes for 23 minutes :))

SaveMe Oh: Sorry, for 23 minutes I won’t come out of bed

DeceptionsDigital: Then sleep 🙂

SaveMe Oh: Sleep? Who? Me?

Hiro Kytori: Sorry to hear SaveMe

DeceptionsDigital: And miss my special track

SaveMe Oh: He just took his clothes off, omg he has a gorgeous body

DeceptionsDigital: This track is with the voice of Kashmir, just now and 17 minutes left

SaveMe Oh: He just took of his kashmir sweater. And his fingers follow a special track…

Lenni Foxtrot: Missed your show.. damn it… but good to see you back more
SaveMe Oh: I just send my date away.
Lenni Foxtrot: What did she do wrong?
SaveMe Oh: He
Lenni Foxtrot: He? sighs…. have you not seen how beautiful girls are yet?
SaveMe Oh: 23 minutes was enough
Lenni Foxtrot: Laughs… you did all 23 minutes? he did not deserve that long.
SaveMe Oh: I also had to deal with my messages during the 23 minutes.

Lenni Foxtrot: Of course… like now.. this random message… my apologies… if he touched you, shower please.

 

 

Fish On The Beach

As I am still lying on the beach trying to get a tan here a movie about fish by Tizzy Canucci.

A (more or less) abstract piece based on the visuals of SaveMe Oh and the music of Deceptions Digital. The original clip was filmed in February 2017 as one take, moving through SaveMe Oh’s performance area in 3d space. Editing includes post-processing and typographic elements.

What To Read During Holidays?

I think I will start with this from Juicy Bomb.

Watching John Fall

When I joined the LEA committee as an adviser, John had the same position. At that time, he hadn’t shown up to the first meeting I attended, thus it was discussed about removing privileges from him since he was away. I didn’t realize it then, but one of the senior committee members, JMB Balogh, started grooming me to vote against John keeping his privileges.

In a private Discord chat, she told me that John had threatened her and fellow panel member, Secret Rage, “many times”. She didn’t go into what the threats were or how they were said. Still, I was aghast at this and wondered how they kept him on the committee at all. John then posted a letter in the LEA Google Groups site, stating someone had shown him the chat about removing his rights and that he was never contacted about anything. He seemed betrayed and very upset.

JMB became angry and grilled me in a private chat to see if I was the one who spoke to John. No one spoke up about who did it, so it was never revealed who was the culprit.

John resigned shortly afterwards. I had the inkling that someone pushed him to resign; he’s an emotional guy, and someone knew doing this to him would make him quit. But I kept those thoughts to myself and went on with training at LEA.

Hostility Over A Suggestion

LEA had a round of voting to allocate land to artists for its 13th batch of AiR grants. There were 30-something applicants; although my vote weighed less due to me being an adviser instead of a full member of the panel, I was still allowed to participate and become a liaison for the winners (which means, I would assist land grant artists if they had questions or needed help).

I also had an idea about promoting LEA to rl art media sites. I felt LEA needed better recognition; just courting blogging sites and machinima websites wasn’t going to do it, especially with artists like Marina Ambrovic and Jeff Koons co-opting the digital exhibit idea already pioneered in Second Life. After suggesting this, the panel liked the idea and said it was my project.

During the 13th round of voting, I saw several artists who seemed familiar to the voting process doing something strange–they were leaving direct notes in their apps for the panelists to read. Mostly this was listed where artists were to link their portfolio. Some 3D artists, instead, were inviting LEA members to view a “sneak peek” of their upcoming work. In fact, they wrote panelists’ names; some, who weren’t even with LEA any longer.

I thought it was weird and brought it up in the LEA Discord chat to discuss there first. My point was that a friendly reminder for people not to write notes like that in their apps would help to keep better distance between judges and applicants, in case the Lab ever looked over the apps in an audit.

Two people understood what I was saying (Patti and LaPiscean), but had different reactions. Patti felt I misunderstood the notes, while LaPiscean agreed and wanted me to bring it up at a meeting. I waited for the next panel meeting to take place, which was about every two weeks. When I did, I received a surprise.

At the next meeting, I was accused by JMB and Secret of causing trouble when I brought up the notes issue. I was shocked–was I not supposed to speak up about these things as an adviser? While LaPiscean still understood my stance, he explained they couldn’t address this publicly. It was best to let it go and move on.

JMB and Secret were set against me for the rest of the meeting, bringing up whatever they could to try and get me in trouble. It didn’t work and I was defended by Patti. By the time the meeting ended, I was angry. I told Patti about it, who said she had spoken to JMB about her tone. LaPiscean said I had to “earn my wings” with them.

I approached JMB and Secret separately and told them to never talk to me like that again, then turned in the resulting logs to Patti. In response, Secret posted a mass email to the entire group saying I had threatened her. When I asked Patti or LaPiscean to correct her over this lie, neither one of them did anything.

Pressure and Escalation

I had taken on a project to translate the LEA Sandbox rules into Spanish; I spoke a conversational amount but ended up needing help with translating certain terms anyway. When a fellow Second Life user came to my rescue, I thanked her by granting her a portrait to show my appreciation.

There was a meeting called at 2am (for 12 hours later) by one of the panelists. Although we had a deadline for me to finish the translation in two weeks’ time, the panel wanted me to turn the translation in that day. I told them a meeting called in less than 24 hours wouldn’t net me giving them work; it was unfair to expect that of me.

The next meeting, I turned the TOS translation in. But they wanted more. JMB suddenly recalled me having taken on the project of all the translations. Patti suddenly could not remember and seemed confused. I said no, because I only knew Spanish. They kept pressuring me to take the work, and I kept refusing. Then I told them, they can’t demand this of me and then be rude to me at the same time and call me a troublemaker. This is when they got upset and implied I shouldn’t be on the panel anymore. I told them I just wanted some basic respect, not to be lied about, and not pressured to go above and beyond for them while being treated badly.

JMB told me I had to “earn respect” with them.

I told them I had asked a mole to find a Linden to help me with this issue. They got upset and said it was against the rules to speak to people outside of LEA about LEA business. I pointed out that this is Linden business, and it is not against the rules to seek help for a situation in LEA gone awry.

What Secret Rage said then disheartened me: “They aren’t interested-we have 2 in our email thread with nary a peep.”

In other words, they knew they could do this to people and they would get away with it. This is why they have so far.

They held another meeting afterwards, locked me out, and passed me a note asking me to resign. I refused. Suddenly, everything from John’s push-out made sense; JMB had lied about the threats in order to turn my opinion against him. I had gotten played like a fiddle and was now the target of their next bout of harassment.

Afterwards, LaPiscean had this to say to me in a private chat: “Patti and I were outvoted. [JMB] will be on her way to give you the bad news, if she hasn’t already. But I am making moves so that this cannot happen to others.”

Recognizing Abuse Online

Isolation, deception, implied threats, and trying to limit your outreach to authority for help. This is abuse. And when you’re dealt this as a means of proving your worth to receive some kind of promotion or acceptance, that’s hazing. Straight up. Looking back, it’s crystal clear to me.

I know John and I aren’t the first people to deal with this. Many artists who deal with LEA believe the panel exercises bias when doling out grants. I went in believing maybe people just didn’t see the other side of what happens in planning and awarding grants, but I was horribly dismayed to find their assumptions were true–and so much more.

I’m leaving this entry here to warn others against dealing with any of the panel members here. If you do, document everything. Find a Linden to turn it into… if you can, because my efforts to even find a Linden to listen to this tale have been unsuccessful. If you’re out there, a Linden reading this? I’ve got logs to back up what I’m saying.

The Linden Endowment for the Arts is a mess. I have no idea what it’s going to take to clean it up. A rotating group of curators who vote in projects when it’s time? A smaller panel whose only job is not voting, but janitorial duties who works with the temporary panel of curators? A Linden on the panel to keep an eye on everybody? To wipe this program and start over, and not let SL users control app files and archives this time?

Whatever LL does, next time they need to make sure the committee doesn’t get so comfortable with itself that it resorts to hazing and power plays to control others. We would all be a lot better without that. ☆

Bonus: Questions

• “Why haven’t LEA members done anything about this?” Per LaPiscean, they know what’s going on but it seems to be an issue of voting majority. It’s going to take enough to stop this from happening. Some of the quieter members are also averse to confrontation.
• “But I don’t see evidence of wrongdoing.” Thankfully, the quotes I listed show they are aware of their actions; they just don’t want to fix it.
• “Would you return to LEA if they installed a new committee?” Nope. I don’t even feel people should mess with the panel anymore at all unless a Linden is keeping an eye on them. As a group, they just aren’t trustworthy at this point.
• “Why do you care about this at all?” In a way, people are paying for this program. LL provides 20-something free sims for LEA to play with. That money’s coming from somewhere, and it isn’t the employees’ pockets.

Mandel Solano’s Coup D’Etat

Mandel Solano is trying to be LEA’s new Solo Mornington (what’s in a name Solo / Solano) but before getting to the point, this is how the evening started:

Everybody knows I am a sweet summer love child so being banned at the spot at a Yadleen concert came a bit as a shock.

SaveMe Oh: Hey idiot, are you sane or what?

Sky Wildmist: You are rude and intrusive, how dare you intrude

SaveMe Oh: Do you know who I am, you nitwit? How dare you speak to me like that?

Sky Wildmist: What you did was really antisocial and now to insult me is worse, have a great Secondlife somewhere else!

SaveMe Oh: Insult??? Most idiots dont get the honour that  I pay them a visit.

After this rude abuse I went to Inspire Space Park for some relax yoga and some throwing of lights in the air, soon joined by Tansee, Louis Gridley Wu, Venus Adored and …..Mandel Solano (who has me blocked)

Louis Gridley Wu: Hehe you are the evil I have seen

SaveMe Oh: Better hide

Louis Gridley Wu: you are banned in estate menue in my lea sim .. what have you done ?

SaveMe Oh: I am banned in all LEA

Louis Gridley Wu: Your performance looks great to me

SaveMe Oh: Tell that to the dictatorship you are part off

Louis Gridley Wu: ui ui ui  you are a famos beeing … so many to see about you at google

SaveMe Oh: Under what stone you have been hiding?

Tansee: Are you doing lights?

SaveMe Oh: I am the light

Tansee: Yes I know that silly! BUTT are you displaying????

SaveMe Oh: what my BUTT has to do with that?

Tansee: Your BUTT  has everything to do with it

SaveMe Oh: Its gorgeous as ever, need I say more?

SaveMe Oh: Venus is adoring it

Venus Adored: A jealous person close by: “Mandel Solano: you have the right company now?”

SaveMe Oh: He is terrible, but one day I will save him too!

Venus Adored: I had to get help from Linden Lab about an issue about him and you……He hates you. When I had my LEA grant I was working together with him but when you came with an alt to have a look he immediately banned you and all your alts without consulting me. I tried to explain him you had your own style of art but didn’t get it to him.

SaveMe Oh: He really is mean, no sense of humor.

Venus Adored: I throwed him out with the help of LEA

SaveMe Oh: Than he will be steaming from his ears now!

Venus Adored: After he used my group to establish an anti SaveMe group. I had to ask Linden Lab for assistance.

SaveMe Oh: I would kill for the chatlog. If you would ever like to share it with me…otherwise I have to make everything up myself.

Venus Adored: We are all humans. I think he has some kind of autism.

SaveMe Oh: I am an autism expert, I only have to make him understand the structure. Will take some time

Venus Adored: He has that special one….

SaveMe Oh: Asperger

Venus Adored: Exactly

SaveMe Oh: October is asparagus season, he has some time…

Venus Adored: He is unbearable that time of year.

 

Venus Adored: This I send to Linden Lab

Type: Other Inworld Issues

Mr. Ms,

My problem is a group that I founded called Reflections. This group was needed for the LEA Grant wherein I may use a full sim for 6 months, there to create an art project.

I have someone else made owner of this group (Mandel Solano). In retrospect this person appears to be too bossy He determined who was banned on land without consultation me and made it impossible to approach his art, even for me. He finds his art unique and wants to prevent all others from copying it. Since he is co-owner of the group I could not do anything against it.

 I contacted LEA (JMB Balogh> My Liaison Committee of the LEA) and wanted to give back the land and stop the art project. The council was so friendly that I could buy back the land and thus could make a new start, but with a new group now. I stepped out of the old group and the other person (Mandel Solano) was now the only owner of Reflections. I thought I had solved this problem.

However, the group Reflections is now abused by the other person (Mandel Solano). He used the group to focus on a Second Life resident (SaveMe Oh). Someone whom he hates. It is fine with me if he wants to do so but not under my name as founder of the group Reflections. I feel abused here. He has ensured that there is an alt of him as 2nd person in the group so that the group continues to exist.

The resident I am talking about is Mandel Solano.

To take a screenshot of the group information, I joined the group briefly. As shown in the attachment is he is the sole owner of the group now, but I’m the founder. Is it possible to delete this group? Many thanks in advance.

Linden Lab responded:

Hello Venus Adored,

Thank you for contacting Second Life Support.

Reference your request for changes to Group: Reflections

We have set yourself as founder to owner status and moved Mandel Solano

from owner to member status.

If you need additional assistance, please feel free to contact us again.

Thank you,

BethA Scout

Second Life Support

Venus Adored: That was LL answer but the fact he sees me standing here next to you is making him crazy.

SaveMe Oh: His worsed nightmare

Venus Adored: I fear so.

SaveMe Oh: His face must be yellow

Kandinsky Beaumont: Hello who are we honoring?

SaveMe Oh: Mandel Solano, for being with me already for one hour.

Kandinsky Beaumont: Has he at last surrendered to you?

SaveMe Oh: We are working on that. There are still some heavy pockets of resistance. But you know the Swedish, stuborn as mooses

Kandinsky Beaumont: You will have to work hard on him.

SaveMe Oh: He is fully covered

Kandinsky Beaumont: Sadly my graphic is bad again I shall change viewer

SaveMe Oh: Did IKEA not give you a manual?

The Forbidden Sansar Picks

Linden Lab is shaking its NDA agreement at over-excited closed beta users prematurely publicizing screenshots and such.

Well SaveMe Oh didn’t save Secondlife all those years to be afraid of the suckers. When it was not me, your lousy business would be down the drain already for a long time!

With my friend Venus Adored who also was invited for Sansar

You Always Fool Me

She doesn’t fool me, she loves me!

 

A movie by Glasz DeCuir

 

Pigeon Box Of Standards

Edconnect Gufler: Could you do me a favor please Saveme Oh… please take me off your Blog.

SaveMe Oh: I am sorry, the fight against these morons is bigger than our chat

Edconnect Gufler: Well I would appreciate if it were removed..  they working on getting me banned at other SL events. I know all this chat will be posted to your blog.. so I guess I will have to remain silent. Have a nice SL Saveme .. try to make the best of it.

SaveMe Oh: Don’t be such a coward, fight the bastards. And being banned at a bullshit is not that bad. In fact its a relief.

Edconnect Gufler: Well I have my ethics I try to abide by.

SaveMe Oh: Cristian findametalists dont deserve ethics.

Edconnect Gufler: I go to church each Sunday.. it helps me.. it is a good church

SaveMe Oh: I never go to church and think god is made up by Disney, but if it helps you its fine with me.

Edconnect Gufler: I just believe and always have believed . we are all equal in SL  and no one is better than anyone else

SaveMe Oh: free people are better off than unfree people.

Edconnect Gufler: I do hope you find happiness in here  and in RL..   that you have happy days in both worlds. I think it is wrong for them to judge you the way they do.  But they make up their own rules as they go along..  They want to fit you into their Pigeon Box of standards.

SaveMe Oh: It makes me very happy to tear that box apart.

PS:

Edconnect Gufler: I go to church each Sunday.. it helps me.. it is a good church… That is RL thing and shouldn’t be in there.

SaveMe Oh: It’s essential for the drama.

Burning Man vs The Spotlight Magnet

Edconnect Gufler: Hi there Saveme Oh.. I love your blog 🙂

SaveMe Oh: ty

Edconnect Gufler: They banned me from the whole SecondLife birthday event. they banned me from the whole Region

SaveMe Oh: My daily routine

Edconnect Gufler: they all snakes in the grass

SaveMe Oh: Religious fanatics

Edconnect Gufler: Yes I see, it is alot of big heads the run the events. They get their kicks from banning people when the truth is revealed

SaveMe Oh: I would call them losers who think they rule the world from behind a screen

Edconnect Gufler: And all I was doing was doing my Job as a greeter for them  and they didn’t like that cause I did my job so well. If the staff and admins over there don’t have the spotlight on them  they get all upset

SaveMe Oh: thats why they hate me, I am a spotlight magnet

Edconnect Gufler: You are exactly right.. that is what they want to do Rule the whole thing. They don’t like you and never will . cause you are popular. They see you are popular  and they can’t have that

SaveMe Oh: I perform, they sit on their asses, they arent even a match for me.

Edconnect Gufler: I see and read your Blog. I was a Burning Life Ranger.. but I did the job soo well and greeted people nicely.   they couldn’t have that .. so they even banned me as being a Ranger

SaveMe Oh: Slowly they will fade away and otherwise I will give them a hand

Edconnect Gufler: Yes. The Burning man this time will be a flop.. cause they ran everyone away. They destroyed what Burning man was, they have no conception what art is

SaveMe Oh: I hardly hear anybody about it, its just big in the minds of those few losers running it.

Edconnect Gufler: They think  their pitiful DJs spinning music  is a event

SaveMe Oh: They only want to tag eachother all day on facebook

Edconnect Gufler: Years ago the Burning man in here was nice  and alot of people brought good Art.. now they ran all them people off   and they think Burning Man now is just a pitiful DJ music event. They won’t let me be a ranger anymore.  but I think that is funny.

SaveMe Oh: Feel liberated not having to be a cristian boyscout anymore.

The Rezessery Prim Road

Fuck your dead mesh heads, better walk the rezessary prim road!

The NEW SaveMe Oh movie.

 

Fake Love

Tansee: You probably know that I got a LEA grant….

SaveMe Oh: No, as I am banned now everywhere I hear nothing about LEA anymore

Tansee: Oh dear,,,, what did you do?

SaveMe Oh: Fight fascism

Tansee: Hugs you

SaveMe Oh: And fighting the ones who collaborate with the dictatorship, people like you. Who dont mind to lick the fuckers

Tansee: I want to feature the best particle artists in early SL and feel like you should be included. I would feature a picture and some bio info…

SaveMe Oh: First liberate me

Tansee: I wanted to include you… but I understand…

SaveMe Oh: No you don’t understand. If you did you would do all you could to get my ban lifted. Instead you prefer to throw particles in the air year after year in a dictatorship. It’s a choice

Tansee: I am now more private…. I prefer quiet creativity

SaveMe Oh: Dictatorshops always have a lot of those private personalities who like to close their eyes

Tansee: I will always love you… 🙂

SaveMe Oh: Yes, I can feel it in my exile.