Letter from the Editor

Hi, all, and welcome to the February issue.
This month, FOCUS Magazine celebrates love in a few important forms. First is love of oneself and love for one other, and February brings us a perfect opportunity to demonstrate that. I’m speaking of One Billion Rising, an event that happens every year on February 14, meant to strengthen our resolve to end violence against women — and hopefully violence in general. So many of our group’s photo artists have expressed their support for One Billion Rising, so I have chosen some of their touching work to share.

Then, of course, comes romantic love. After all,
Valentine’s Day is also on the 14th too! For this, I’ve
interviewed Paeoti Snaps — not just because she and Shaw Juran have been in a loving relationship forever — but because her photos boldly express love in a sweet vulnerable way. You may need to see her photos to understand what I mean. Whether it’s her stunning landscapes or her romantic couples shots, her sweet, somewhat shy, quirky, and downright naughty personality is bravely offered for all of us to see. And of course, we all know Shaw Juran who has been the FOCUS Comics Columnist for a little over a year now. “Shawsage” (Paeoti’s hilarious nickname for him) is a terrific photog too.

Lastly, we’re celebrating “agape” or friendship love. In our group (Too Sexy for this Group), we are so blessed to be friends with hundreds of the best people — and artists — on the grid. One of these people is JimmyT49 Dukes. Not only is he an extraordinary performer, he has an openness and kind spirit that’s rare in any life. His contribution to SL through his art is truly immeasurable, and his die-hard fans (like me!) know that well. If you haven’t heard him sing, turn to the last page of his article in this issue, written by Chant Lyric, and click play.

I hope you all have a happy February! Enjoy the issue!