Tag: angela thespian

PHOTOGRAPHY: An Interview with Brique Topaz, Chairwoman of Feed a Smile

“Whatever can be done to make life worth living for others will make your life even more worth living by helping.”
– Brique Topaz

Lavender Fields

Angela: Thank you for joining us for this interview in our October Awareness issue, Brique! I’m so excited to ask you a few questions and help our group and other readers get to know you better! My first question is what inspired you to begin with
Feed a Smile?

Brique: As the RL chairwoman of Live and Learn in Kenya International, I am always looking for ways to raise funds for the cause. Besides providing everything that nearly 500 desolately poor children need to go to school, we also provide meals for them 6 days a week. Feed a Smile is a fun, enjoyable and entertaining way to do this – giving the children a reason to smile as well as the Second Life residents who come to the events – and as I always hear from the performers – a joy to be able to really help poor children in a realistic way by doing what they love to do.

Angela: When did you realize SL would be a good vehicle for fundraising?

Brique: I actually joined SL to become a member of Nonprofit Commons. It proved to be a fabulous and well-known platform for charity organizations. After being a member for some months I got the idea to open my SL home to the public for concerts. That led to being given the use of a sim, which was the beginning of the Lavender Field – nearly 10 years ago. Sadly, the sim owner left SL and we were forced to rent a sim. We cut down to ½ a sim to save money. Most of the monthly tier is being donated by a very generous person. The rest is donated directly at the Lavender Field in a donation box designated for the tier. We are able to provide hundreds of meals through Feed a Smile every month. We also give out our donation boards to shops, stores, private people for their parties and venues. They are attractive boards in 3 sizes and people really like having them. Anyone could contact me about having one.

Angela: How do you maintain hope in the face of the impoverished slums, dangerous gangs and crime in Nakuru?

Brique: Where people are forced to live in poverty, there will always be crime. That is just a fact of life – and one that needs to be politically faced, questioned and solved. There is enough to go around for every man, woman and child on this beautiful planet of ours – if only there wasn’t so much greed. Nearly 20 years ago, when I founded Live and Learn in Kenya Int’l, I decided to leave my mark in this world with the possibility for people to pass it forward from generation to generation. What better way is there than through eduation? Knowledge is power. When you know what it’s like to have lived in poverty you use your knowledge to make sure that – at least – your own children will not have to experience it. Our motto is “Education is the Key to the Future.”

Angela: Lastly, I think we’d all like to know what does it feel like when you go to Nakuru and see these heathy kids, knowing you are helping them have a better life?

Brique: When I am preparing to go to Kenya – I take a large group of up to 30 volunteers with me every year – I am too busy to be very excited about the trip. There is so much to organize. I don’t especially like flying – it’s so uncomfortable and the flight is so long… But when our van pulls up. The the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center and I see all of “my” children waiting for me – I jump out of the van at the front gate and run to to them while they cry out MAMA BRIQUE, MAMA BRIQUE and nearly knock me down. Then I know why I work an average of 8 hours a day, 365 days a year for them! It is a joy to watch them grow. We have several “children” that I guided up the educational path from kindergarten to a university degree. During an annual visit we had a group of doctors come for check-ups. After all of the children had been checked, I asked the head doctor if there was anything else that we could do – healthwise – for the children. His answer was “Mama Brique, I have never seen such healthy slum children in my entire career as a doctor”. It’s a good feeling.

One thing that I would like to make very clear is that everyone at Live and Learn in Kenya International – except for the Kenyan staff who need to live from their work (teachers, for example) are volunteers and receive no money whatsoever. Myself included. In fact most of the members donate a good amount of funds every year to keep things going and to sponsor children.

If you want to see a nice replica of the school, please visit Lavender Fields. We are now raising funds to build the kindergarten classrooms – in RL. Our website in English is: http://llk-selb.de/?lang=en and in German: www.llk-selb.de.

FOCUS Magazine – From the Editor, October 2019 Issue

Letter from the Editor

FOCUS Magazine – October, 2019

I remember the first time I saw a Feed a Smile donation box. I was wandering SL with Marque Shergood (our copy editor) and we ended up sitting at a coffee shop. There, stretched to fill an entire wall, a sign read “Every 100L$ pays for a warm meal for a child.” How can anyone pass a sign like that and not leave 100 lindens? So I did. Immediately, the reality of that hit me: each time I donated 100L$ – which isn’t even enough to buy hair in SL – I was filling the belly of a child all the way in Nakuru Kenya! The incredible feeling that, with my few lindens, I was actually positively affecting a child’s life across the globe was addictive. So I kept clicking the board.

But then, after I donated a few thousand lindens to this random sign, I began to regret it. I became skeptical and thought “feed kids in Kenya from SL? Yea right.” Annoyed that
I might have been duped, I started to research “Feed a Smile.” What I found is an incredibly effective, vetted and verified charity that really does turn 100 lindens into a meal for a hungry child. I also discovered an ingenious, generous woman and role model named Brique Topaz who realized the opportunities in SL and is changing the world.

Last October, FOCUS had a fundraiser for Feed a Smile. We managed raise about 30k lindens – enough to buy lunch on October 30th for the school’s 400 or so children. Then a few weeks later, Brique sent me a photo of all the kids standing beside a chalkboard with words thanking us for our efforts. I broke down into tears. The feeling was indescribable, and it was such a positive community-building event for our group.

So this year, for our 2nd-annual fundraiser, our goal is 50,000 lindens. Brique said that L$44,500 will feed all of the children for one day and the remainder will go toward fresh fruit. October is a special month to become aware of many health and social issues including World Food Day. And as we know, malnutrition is a root cause of many other issues. So I invite you to enjoy this special awareness issue of FOCUS,
to learn more about this charity, and help us reach our goal!

Please enjoy.

Angela Thespian

MEMBERSHIP: Focus on Jos Loll

A Dutch charmer, a talented photographer and a TSFTG group member, Rachel Magic (Larisalyn) sat down with her long time friend, Jos Loll, and asked him a few fun questions to help FOCUS readers get to know him a bit better.

Rachel: We usually start interviews with an icebreaker question so here it goes: If you could be a famous singer in a band which band would it be and why?

Jos: I would like to be Max Verstappen the Dutch formula one driver because he shook up formula one driving and takes risks. And when he sees a gap. he jumps right in, much like my myself.

Rachel: How long have you been taking Flicker pics and what inspired you to start?

Jos: I started in 2015. My friend, Iris Okiddo, kept saying I should start photography and I always refused. Then I decided to just start and I liked it, so I kept doing it.

Rachel: Can you tell us the process and ideas you have to taking your pictures?

Jos: When I started, my photos were not planned. When I saw something I liked, I took a picture and it was just a standard upload to flicker. But then, I started to replicate pictures from sites like Tumblr and Pinterest. Due to the fact that my current computer cannot handle laggy sims and high graphics, my focus is more on human forms. Of course, it is much more interesting to have interaction with people than with static landscapes anyway. What I always try to do is raise the eyebrow and, when people scroll through their Flicker, make them stop for a moment to figure out what they are seeing. For instance, images like the close-up of the kiss on the forehead I did with you can express more than a photo of the whole body.

Rachel: My next question is a bit cheeky but as we have known each other a few years, I feel I can go there. Do you find it hard to find clothing to wear in your pictures? Is that why the majority of them are naked or is it more about expression of the human form?

Jos: Actually, my most faved pictures I have are when I am wearing suits, but I do like variety.

The images that inspire me from Tumblr, and couples pictures are generally naked and erotic. Plus, I am a dirty bastard.

Rachel: I know you have assisted and worked collaboratively with myself and other photographers with using the anypose posing system. What are your top three tricks in SL photography?

Jos: First, I would say try, try, try and don’t give up. You will face difficulties but that will help you learn for the next time. Also, when I create a pose, I sometimes stand in front of the mirror and look at my RL body to test the pose and see if it feels natural. Sometimes it is necessary to adjust your avatar’s shape and appearance to make a pose work. Make sure to keep a copy of your original shape though!

Rachel: Great tips, Jos. Lastly, what does TSFTG mean to you?

Jos: I use the group mostly as an excuse to meet women! But also I like to be a member of this group with good photographers and I’m proud to be in this group.

Rachel: Thank you so much for this interview, Jos! Jos’ photography can also be seen in the FAIR gallery this month. Please stop by!

PHOTOGRAPHY: An Interview with Doc Romano

“I ‘m a realist. I am indecisive at times, I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle but I’m genuine and honest to a fault sometimes. I don’t give up easily, when I do then I’m done for good. I am stubborn, sarcastic, outspoken, very, very blunt.” – Doc Romano

Angela: Thank you for joining me for this interview, Doc! Jumping right in, what is the most important thing you’ve learned in SL so far? It can be philosophical or technical. Anything you wish.

Doc: That is quite easy, actually. The most important thing to me is to keep in mind that every avatar has a RL persona attached to it with RL views and talents, and all influenced by each individual’s experience. While SL is a game to some it can be – and is – a RL to others.

Angela: You have been taking photos in SL for many years. What has inspired you in the past and what inspires you now?

Doc: In the past when I first started taking photos, my inspiration came from my own land designing, making it look as real as possible and capturing it through my eyes, so to speak. Now, still much of the same but music and my thoughts at the time play a much bigger roll. Things going on in my RL sometimes or simply a much needed excursion to a destination sim will spark a thought or idea. I don’t have time to do my own landscaping anymore so that inspiration is gone! LOL

Angela: Do you have a routine you follow when you take pics?

Doc: Sometimes a song will prompt an idea but more times than not I will think of a song to join after the picture. And let me tell you, that has led to many photos not being posted. If I cannot match a song or a thought or quote with the feel of the picture, it may come back at a later date but often it is in a lifetime abyss folder! LOL! My favorite windlights are Jay Battlescars but I most always tweak them. As most people probably are, I am very picky in my lighting choices. I do use an editing program called Paint Shop Pro. I dislike Photo Shop.

Angela: If a new photographer were to ask you what is your secret for taking the photos you take, what are the top three things you would advise them to do?

Doc: First thing I would advise is create your own style first and foremost. Your style is what will set you apart from others. Secondly, have patience because without it you won’t have inspiration. And lastly, never be afraid to ask for help! A photographer should always be willing to share tips and tricks. No one can steal your style once you establish one of your own. Always remember where you came from – your beginnings and the ones who helped you along the way. Pay it forward.

Angela: Awww! Great answer!

Doc: One more thing I would advise is to join photo contests. They will improve your skills. Completions sometimes will challenge you but a lot of them are fun and have themes which, in turn, will feed thoughts and breed inspiration.

Angela: Great advice! Back tracking just a bit, what led you to begin taking photos in the first place? You joined SL in 2009 but didn’t open your Flickr until 2015. Did something happen to cause you to start sharing pics with others?

Doc: I just saw others taking pictures and started asking questions. Most things in the beginning were trial and error and youtube videos. I had an old Flickr in the past and an older Facebook too, so I had tinkered with them some before I actually established my permanent Flickr.

Angela: Do you recall any of the youtube videos? Did you have a favorite channel?

Doc: I never really watched one certain channel on youtube. Mainly, I would search for things related to SL photos, and then the editing which, at first, was quite overwelming!

Angela: So, Candlewood is a destination sim you began with your partner, Addy. Can you tell us how it got started and is there significance of the name Candlewood?

Doc: When I first met Addy, I quickly realized she had a talent for designing sims and always would encourage her to do it. In order for that to happen, we purchased a sim and she created a destination sim under a different name. Things changed in RL due to some health issues with my mother and we had to give that up for a while. Once I was able to come back more often, I promised to once again open a destination sim and Candlewood was born.

The name was inspired by a truly funny private joke about Motel 6. I dont recall the exact wording but it all boiled down to the saying “We’ll leave the light on for you.” So I was looking for something like “We’ll leave a candle burning for you.” It was quite funny and you hadda be there, I suppose. But… true story!

Angela: It’s a beautiful name! So the last question I ask everyone… what has the TSFTG group meant to you? Has this group “Too Sexy for This Group” affected you in any way? I know you haven’t really been around much lately to be a part of it but do you have any thoughts?

Doc: While I am not around much to partake in events, etc. I do follow what is going on in the group, participate whenever I can and read the magazine. I am impressed with how much the group has grown to much, much more than it was just a year ago. I’m also impressed with the help it provides for new photographers and experienced alike. For that, I certainly give huge props to you and all your staff that make all these super things possible. And if there is a reader out there who is a new photographer – or even an Oldie like myself – and not part of the group, then what the heck ya waiting for? Go hit that JOIN button!!

Angela: Aww! Thank you so much for your continued support, Doc! It’s been a pleasure to interview you. You are awesome!

FOCUS Magazine – From the Editor, September 2019 Issue

Letter from the Editor

This issue is one of my favorites so far. There are a lot of fun things going on this month. The month began with my birthday and – while I’m glad I was born – the date is most significant as the start date to my third annual “Happiness Walk.” Sound corny? I suppose it is a bit. But it’s also great fun! For the past three years, I have asked most everyone I know (usually at the last minute!) to gift me a picture of something that makes them happy in their everyday life. The result is truly overwhelming each year. I set out about 50 photos of adorable dogs, lover’s bright
smiles, cheeky coffee cups, shiny motorcycles, funny-shaped trees and fancy cars that cause a smile every day on route to work. It’s hard to browse around the photos and not find a reason to smile – but the trick is that it isn’t just a smile for ourselves, but a smile shared with our friends. Still sound corny? Just trust me! Make a visit to the sim and you’ll get it.

This is also a terrific issue because of our good friends Doc Romano and Jos Loll. They are both fun guys with silly (sometimes naughty) senses of humor, as well being talented artists. My long-time friend, Tyler Cross, also chimes in this issue with a “travel” feature. I know his dry wit well, so his article had me giggling. I’m sure you will enjoy it too.

Lastly, there is a live music section that features our own advice columnist and TSFTG friend Mahogany Soulstar. She made her singing debut recently, so Susan Aloix snatched her up for a quick interview.

Please enjoy.

Angela Thespian

FOCUS Magazine – From the Editor, August 2019 Issue

Letter from the Editor

I found a quote that read “August is when laziness finds respectability.” I speak from an American experience, born in the “south” and now a “Yankee.” August means higher temps, not much rain and no one over the age of 10 moves very quickly – or is expected to do so. August is also a month of high emotion. For kids, August is full of summer vacations, fireflies and s’mores but a return to dreaded school looms in the not-too-distant future. For adults with kids, the coming month marks major milestone of time, whether your child is just beginning school, or going away to college. It’s a month of anticipation of the adventure of life ahead but the present has a definite expiration date. So August is the time we eke out the memories from our collective “mulberry days.” Focus is on FUN and, for now, we do our best to press pause on thoughts of the future.

Both of our featured artists this month say they use their art as a means toward joy, whether that joy comes from an ego boost or being able to express in images what can’t be expressed in words. Silivren says that her photography is therapeutic, and M8ty discusses a beautiful photo that he created to mourn a personal loss. They both have this beautiful talent/gift/ability not only to communicate emotion but to invite us to identify with their human experience. Life is often considered a journey we travel alone, but
art – in all forms – reminds us that we are in this together.

And that sentiment perfectly segues into announcing our newest gallery (#3) called “Exploratorium of Art.” We all labored over a word to describe what we dreamt this gallery to be, and Patrick offered that word at about 3am, not expecting it to go anywhere, as he had suggested about 200 others by then. But I said “Yes. That’s it!” and the Exploratorium was coined. The artwork displayed will be meant to explore, study, enjoy, and spark conversation.

This is a very special issue. Please enjoy!

Angela Thespian

Just for FUN!

FOCUS Magazine & Gallery now has a page on SocialVR.me, which is a network almost exactly like Facebook for avatars and businesses in SL. I’ve heard that Facebook doesn’t much like having avatars as part of their database and regularly has major sweeps of deletions, or disables things like Flickr-to-Facebook abilities. I presume their reasoning is that they want to compile (and sell) our RL photos and information, but if their information is impure because of avatars and aliases, they can’t guarantee to their clients that everyone who has an account in Facebook is a potential paying customer. Though there may be more to it than that.

The term “Social VR” means any virtual reality experience that is shared between two or more people. As people become more aware of SocialVR.me, this could potentially stand to rake in thousands of avatars from many different games. I don’t know a ton about it yet, but Athayus Quan is the founder and he personally invited me to join and create a page for FOCUS (after Avalon Bouvier-Boa introduced us).

So if you’d, like you can always visit us here at WordPress, join us on Facebook (for now) at https://www.facebook.com/FocusMagazineSL or on SocialVR.me at https://socialvr.me/FocusMagazineSL.

FOCUS is growing happily and getting more connected! Go figure! 😉

FOCUS Magazine – From the Editor, July 2019 Issue

Letter from the Editor

Happy July, all! This issue of FOCUS has been an interesting one to produce. I happen to be in the role of collecting all the pieces and parts that make this magazine a whole. This places me in a very fortunate position: I get to read everything first!

Not only do I read it, but I lay the articles and photos out so I pay a bit closer attention, and I get what I will describe as an “intimate view” of each raw article. I fix the misspellings and sometimes edit to make the words a bit clearer, or to shorten in order to fit on a page, but I’m tempted to leave the articles as I receive them. While I try to extract the humanness of their words in a genuine way, sometimes nothing can communicate another’s feelings but their own words, typos included.

This issue features very passionate and emotionally aware artists. They are interesting, sensitive people who we as a group can be proud of ourselves to call friends.

The first feature is Trisha Rose, a photographer who wears her heart on her sleeve. Even in the titles of her photos, like “Making Angels with a Friend” or What Bothers Me Most is… I Don’t Miss You,” the intent and message conveyed is crystal clear with heartfelt honesty.

Our Membership feature is Ladmilla. I’ve known her for some time, so I was surprised to learn I knew so little about her passion in her art. Then our live music feature is Kaleb Wolf Avedon, a deeply feeling artist in many ways. He explains his personal connection with music and what it means to him to share his talent.

Enjoy the issue!

Angela Thespian

Music Venue Review – The Junkyard Blues

If you love blues and want to dance under the moon and stars, give Junkyard Blues a spin. This venue, launched in 2006 is Second Life’s oldest blues club and 3-time Avi Choice winner for “Favorite Blues Venue.” It’s also “a nonprofit labor of love” owned and run by Kiff Clutterbuck and Richardina Petty. Located on a gulf coast themed estate, their friendly crew of volunteers run things with energy, style, and enthusiasm.

If you want to simply go and dance, go for it. There are usually a few folks dancing most of the time. It is nice to drop in on a Tuesday afternoon (SLT) under blue skies – which is usually a slow time for clubs – and find a good crowd of folks dancing. And tune into Junkyard Blues Radio and stream it where ever you are. They have a nice mix of Chicago, Memphis, Delta, New Orleans, and country blues.

I highly recommend you drop in after a rough RL day, pour yourself a drink, sit in an Adirondack chair, and just listen. No better way to relax!

– Doc Nolan

Art Gallery Review – Da Vinci Gardens

I was surprised to stumble across an article speaking to a long debate on whether architecture is considered art. I mean, it had never been a question in my mind. When looking at some of the stunning structures that are legendary for their style and aesthetic pleasure, I find it a very weak debate. But I may be biased.

I’ve been searching (enjoying every second of it) for mesmerizing places to explore. Places that photographers can find perfect settings for their many visions.

This month I hope I’ve found a sweet spot for a backdrop, a date night, or an adventure. The Da Vinci Gardens is a peaceful place with so much to explore. So far, I’ve discovered a gorgeous ballroom that made me feel like I was walking through a Baroque painting. Then after flying around the tall castle towers, I landed to find a dragon waiting to take me for a ride and battle with other dragons flying around. And when I fell off the dragon, as one tends to do, I dove into an underwater city full of colorful fish with more buildings to discover.

There is also a pirate ship, three connecting tropical sandy island beaches… and a rocket launch pad. The list is much longer which means lots of areas for creative shots or romantic moments!

– Kairi Cristole