Greg Parker

Fotobomb with Greg, March 2019

/ FOCUS Magazine & Gallery SL

Doc and I both attended DJ Avalon’s Disco Party at Elysium. A bunch of folks from TSFTG were there doing dances like “the hustle,” and I struck up a conversation with Doc. Angie was shooting pics, so I took the opportunity to “photo bomb” him! He has some interesting outlooks and we had fun discussing TSFTG on the dance floor!

Greg: Where are your favorite spots to take photos?

Doc: I have an unusual technique. After more than 12 years of landmarking and forgetting why I did so, I sometimes zip around what I call ‘the cemetery’ and maybe after 30 or 40 places among my landmarks of long ago I hit gold. I wander around a ‘cool place’ just seeing what catches my eye, and then I zoom in like a primitive hunter out stalking. Snap, snap, snap.It’s a lot like my yearly adventures backpacking in Colorado.

Greg: What inspires you most in your SL?

Doc: Everything in SL inspires me. For me Second Life is more truly my first life. It’s my kind of crazy. If it offered the senses of touch, taste and smell, I’d leave RL without ever looking back. I’m not ‘on the market’ but talking with and understanding women in SL in depth is something I really find mind-expanding. My RL ‘conversations with ladies’ always seem to end in boring platitudes and superficiality. Not so in SL.

Greg: How has TSFTG benefited your SL?

Doc: What a list! I’ve broadened out meeting people (and I tend to be a one-on-one person so that’s new). I have been dragged – happily – into renewing my love affair with art and photography, begun when I was 9 or 10 years old. TSFTG has let me see new sides of people I know. I just love to be around people and learn about them. And once again, I’m in an orderly world (TSFTG) where I can find meaning and purpose. This group means a lot to me. It’s like arriving in a mountain mining town after days of solo hiking, and finding a sandwich shop that serves coffee.

Fotobomb with Greg, April 2019

/ FOCUS Magazine & Gallery SL
Fotobomb "Victim": Metukah Lenroy Where: Sunbathing in Agrabah

This month’s Fotobomb features one of our newest members, Metukah Lenroy, creator and owner of Foreverland, a Disney tribute park and fantasy land that spans over half a sim. Full disclosure: she’s also my sweetheart! Nevertheless, I was up to my stealth fotobombing ways when I happened upon her sunbathing in Agrabah! Here’s what Metukah had to say about her experiences in Second Life.

Fotobomb "Victim": Metukah Lenroy Where: Sunbathing in Agrabah

Greg: Where are your favorite spots to take photos?

Metukah: My favorite spots are actually right here at Foreverland like Aladdin’s palace, Snow White and the 7 dorks — oops, sorry! I mean dwarfs! And, nearby, the Disney Castle.

Greg: What are your favorite places to shop?

Metukah: COZI store for my house and land, and I love getting gacha items too. For clothes I love Scandalize, Blueberry, and Addams.

Greg: I’ll let readers know I did NOT pay you to say COZI. HA! Moving on… When you have free time, what things do you like doing most?

Metukah: There are two things I enjoy the most. The first is hanging out with my remarkable man. The second is to design and update my Disney park. I keep adding new scenes and making sure I keep it the happiest place on the Grid! I also make personalized tiles for park guests who order them. They are placed on the park’s floor. People can revisit them whenever they want. It is the best memorabilia ever! They not only get to commemorate their names (or their loved ones or pets), they also get a copy of the tile and can put it in their homes. It’s a lovely gift.

Greg: That does sound like a ton of fun! What inspires you most in SL?

Metukah: The creativity of people, and their ability to create so many different things that help make this world feel like a second life indeed. I’m also inspired by the goodness in people and would love to see more.

Greg: Last question…How has TSFTG benefited your SL?

Metukah: Well, it introduced me to the best man I have ever met on SL — MY man! I do enjoy the art forms on SL and hope to participate in the next photo contest with my sweetheart! (She means Greg :P)

Store Review – COZI

/ FOCUS Magazine & Gallery SL
Focus on Stores - COZI

This month I took a detour from my “New Year-New You” series to focus on a store named COZI. The store, owned by our dear friend Greg Parker, has been around for years but it’s newly located on the FOCUS Magazine home sim.

Walking in, my eyes gravitated towards a selection of old upright pianos at the left end of the building. Being a pianist and a lover of the ivories, I sat down, and let my fingers play a few bars of a rusty rendition of The Entertainer.

Near the pianos are a selection of tip jars, dance floors, speakers and DJ equipment — a priority for venue owners. As you walk through the store you will find even more unique items. There are picture frames to help display your photos and works of art, and a polished wood bar with an array of animations suitable for home and venue owners. There’s also a hot air balloon I am dying to take out for a test drive. I encourage you to stop by!

– Lyda Sands

Fotobomb with Greg, May 2019

/ FOCUS Magazine & Gallery SL

Greg was off to Nashville in April, so Patrick stepped in to photobomb for the May issue! He bombed the poor, unsuspecting Cheyenne Sadee as she stood at her home, and then bombarded her with surprise questions! Okay, it may have played out a little differently than that. Enjoy! :p

Patrick: Where are your favorite spots to take photos?

Chey: Typically, I prefer to take my photos on an empty platform where I can create my own scene and bring something truly personal and unique to my images. I find most outside sims excessively laggy and the quality suffers for it. I’m not the type of person who uses PhotoShop much. I prefer keeping my images as natural and true as possible so combining my windlights with my own structured sets my images become natural one of a kind images.

Patrick: What inspires you most in SL?

Chey: I’d have to say my love for people and being a role model. My time here is spent modeling on a runway and teaching others how to model, I teach some photography so for me, coming online every day knowing that I can be a positive impact in someone’s life in so many different ways is what I enjoy most. I love to learn, and I love a challenge. Oh! And shopping! That is quite inspiring, or a problem, depending on how you look at it. LOL

Patrick: Tell us about your blog!

Chey: I started blogging about 2 years ago when I went into modeling. I am a bit of an over-achiever so I ended up with about 22 sponsors. I blog everything from fashion to home decor. My blog is quite different than most. My images are, as I said before, always natural. And I’m a descriptive blogger so I talk about what I’ve got going on. I’m interactive and I make sure my readers know what’s up with whatever I’m showing.

Patrick: And lastly, how has TSFTG benefited you?

Chey: Well, other than teaching me 5 letters can give me a headache trying to figure out what they mean… hahah! It is truly, such an amazing group of people. Everyone is so chilled and laid back. It’s a really comforting, non-judgmental group that is there for all of it’s members.I guess it’s mainly benefited me with an even wider social circle, new friends and great people to learn and grow with.

Fotobomb with Greg, June 2019

/ FOCUS Magazine & Gallery SL

As I was out celebrating the US Memorial Day when I noticed Yoh Boa — one of our TSFTG members — dancing away. It was a great fotobomb opportunity seeing how his wife, DJ Avalon, was spinning tunes to the packed crowd. I took some time to catch up with Yoh as I crept up behind Avalon’s tip jar…

Greg: Yo, Yoh! (editor’s note: Greg totally got that from Angela) Nice to see you here on this fine Memorial Day!! Tell me, where are your favorite spots to take photos?

Yoh Boa: Well, I’m an old SL surf bum. I’m drawn to the ocean, so I love to take beach and surf photos. Avalon and I just did a blog and took some pictures at Kia Kaha.

Greg: That’s awesome – I saw a few of those photos on your Flickr page! What’s your favorite place to shop?

Yoh Boa: Other than Cabela’s? Oh, you mean in SL! I’m kind of a Cold Ash fan. Shopping may not be on my top 5 list in SL though 🙂

Greg: Haha of course. We’re guys! So when you have free time, what things do you like doing most?

Yoh Boa: Avalon and I have been building out a sim. It’s called “Mon Joli Cadeau.” Our vision is a classy place for couples in a Paris setting. We are also planning an art exhibit and gala for July. It’s been a blast! Avalon does most the creating, and I hold the toolbox and blueprints.

Greg: Sounds amazing! What else inspires you most in SL?

Yoh Boa: AVALON! I’ve been in SL for 12 years and most of that time lived a quiet surf life with close friends. I come from a technology background in RL so the graphics, photography, and creativity always intrigued me. Now that I have more time, and have an amazing creative wife, I am enjoying learning photography. I have a long way to go, but it’s been fun to learn.

Greg: Well, you’ve really come a long way. Those classes at FOCUS are paying off! Finally, how has TSFTG benefitted your SL?

Yoh Boa: We are both pretty new to TSFTG and have been introduced though DJ gigs. What a fun and nice group of people! Patrick and Angela are very warm and welcoming, and I think they model that for the rest of the group. Kindness is addicting and FOCUS is all about that. Greg: I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing more of you at FOCUS and TSFTG events.

Greg: I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing more of you at FOCUS and TSFTG events.