Shakespeare's Sonnets and Chaos

 Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Chaos

Shakespeare’s Sonnets were a way for Shakespeare to express a more personal expression in a more intimate setting, without ever calling attention to perhaps a single direct person.  Over the ages there has been many arguments over whether or not they were in truth “autobiographical or literary exercises, they read like the thoughts of someone on the rack, tortured by conflicting emotions, their nerve ends exposed as they painfully explore their most intimate feelings.” (The Sonnets, pg. 4)

Arguably, Shakespeare used all of his ability to create and form various literary masterworks as a way to exercise his inner demons.  Whether we are reflecting upon the patriarchal relationships within Henry IV and how various characters are resembling of Shakespeare’s own relationships with the men of note, such as his father, Marlow, or Greene, impacted and influenced his life, or we examine more closely at his use of the Sonnets with their depth and breathe of emotional turmoil and conflict, as Shakespeare not only seems to argue with whom he speaks to but with the world as a whole.  His sonnets appear to give voice to an almost desperation to convince and release that which is built up within him, as if he begs to be heard, truly heard. 

Shakespeare’s Sonnet’s 18 and 21 tend to remind me of Benedict, of Much Ado About Nothing.  These two sonnets also seem to be able to stand side by side.  What better character to speak both of these.  For Benedict, with his sarcastic wit and dry view of love, and yet he was shy and cautious of Beatrice, almost desperate for her attention, thereby using that same over-the-top, to the point of being hurtful, sarcasm in order to garner the said attention from her.  One could simply see him standing there in front of her hand on his sword, leaning slightly against a tree, and smirk upon his lips as he asks in an overly amused voice “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” From there he stands and waves his hand about with great flourish, gesturing towards the various items of nature as speaks, becoming more and more outlandish as he continues:

“Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all to short a date;

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed;

And every fair from fair sometimes declines,

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimmed:

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,

Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st.

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”(The Sonnets, 18)

Sonnet 18 is a perfect example in tone of conversation between Benedict and Beatrice; whereas Shakespeare’s Sonnet 21 almost seems defensive and pushy.  The imagery incited by 21 makes me feel as if one is defending, not necessarily love, but rather one’s views.  Benedict often thought his compatriots were excessive and to “frilly,” lost in the passions of love, which in part was one of the reasons Claudio, Hero, and Don Pedro come up with the plan to have Benedict “fall” in love with Beatrice.  With Sonnet 21 the reader can almost picture Claudio, Don Pedro, and Benedict standing about arguing merits of what is love.  Benedict, being the realist and more cynical of the trio, mocks the other two with these words:

“So it is not with me with that Muse,

Stirred by a painted beauty to his verse,

Who heaven itself for ornament doth use,

And every fair with his fair doth rehearse,

Making a couplement of proud compare

With sun and moon, with earth and sea’s rich gems,

With April’s first-born flowers, and all things rare

That heaven’s air in this huge rondure hems.

O let me, true in love, but truly write,

And then believe me, my love is as fair

As any mother’s child, though not so bright

As those gold candles fixed in heaven’s air:

Let them say more that like of hearsay well,

I will not praise that purpose not to sell.” (Sonnets, 21)

Benedict was a complex man who used sarcasm and his wit in order to defend his inner thoughts against the outside world.  Both of these sonnets seem to fit this character ideally, for their over-exaggerating and yet defensive tone in approaching the person intended. 

When I myself was considering Shakespeare’s Sonnets, the thing that spoke to me was the raw emotion pouring from them.  How, even if they spoke from simple literary exercises and were never intended for one person, they still were able to reach millions of people and make them feel as if he, Shakespeare, was speaking to him/her/them centuries later in a personal and intimate manner.  When it came time for me to create my sonnet it was this factor I considered.  To be able to reach deep within one’s very soul and express the raw emotion; this is not an easy task, nor is it something I easily risk. 

Chaos is a two-fold sonnet.  It was created to express the darkness and pain of being an abused child, with no one paying attention.  Living and surviving as a child in that lifestyle, before escaping to grow up as a teenager in the NYS Foster Care System, lead to me developing Disassociation Identity Disorder and PTSD, along with my Epilepsy.  According to WebMd’s website, they describe DID as following “Dissociative identity disorder is thought to stem from trauma experienced by the person with the disorder. The dissociative aspect is thought to be a coping mechanism -- the person literally dissociates himself from a situation or experience that's too violent, traumatic, or painful to assimilate with his conscious self.” (WebMD) My Epilepsy I was diagnosed with when I was 12, having gone into a gram mal seizure at the dinner table of my foster parents.  It was only in the past ten years they realized I was having seizures all my life, and that I have a rare form of genetic epilepsy. 

Chaos, for me, is only a fragment of being able to cope with this is like on a daily basis.  Therapy has helped me to learn to live a much healthier life style and how to function with these issues.  The journey itself is never easy, but it is one of turmoil and loneliness, hence I can understand Shakespeare’s Sonnets on an emotional level, though I appreciate the imagery of nature.  I tend to surround myself with nature in order to give myself a sense of peace.

Chaos

Standing upon the precipice

Eyes held captive by the unending mist;

How will I find my way? 

When will silence bring an end to the storm,

Through the rampant voices running wild?

 Where in the shadows am I hidden,

Never knowing which way to turn?

Can you feel me shaking?

Can you hear me screaming?

Who will help me to guide me through

The waves crashing against the walls?

Everyone around me, yet still so alone…

Why can you not hear me!

Chaos, my constant companion.

Cite:

Gibson, Rex. "Sonnet 18, Sonnet 21." Shakespeare: The Sonnets. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1996. Print.

Shakespeare, William. "Much Ado About Nothing." Folger Digital Texts. Folger Shakespeare Library. 2015. Web 26 Feb 2015.

"No Shit There I Was" - A Fairy-tale for Reality

"No Shit There I Was": A Fairy-tale for Reality

“Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of kings - stories that taught us of the danger of hubris and the primacy of humility.” – Tom Hiddleston

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there lived a young girl.  Now, in most stories in which “Once upon a time” begins the tale you might suppose this story would pertain a princess, or that this girl would be extra special in some extraordinary way; but, truthfully, she was just an ordinary young girl attempting to survive anything but ordinary circumstances.  One day the young girl, having finished her choirs of which there were many, heard the phone ring.  Looking both left and right, but seeing neither her mother nor her grandmother she approached the phone with hesitation, for trepidation filled the girl should her mother discover that she had answered the phone without her consent. 

With a shaking hand the girl lifted the receiver and answered with a cautious greeting, only to discover, much to her surprise, the voice on the other end was none other than her father.  The young girl had not spoken to her father in many years, in fact, she could barely recall his face within her memory, but due to the violent circumstances of her life she now lived in, the young girl had placed him upon a pedestal of almost hero worship.  To her, the man she could barely remember as her father, had to be better than the man who lived with her mother presently, causing the girl to feel as if this story was a never ending nightmare. 

The wicked witch of this fairy-tale, otherwise known as the girl’s mother, heard the girl upon the phone.  Rushing forward, she snatched the phone from her hands, while backhanding the girl into the nearby wall.  The young girl slowly lifted herself up off the floor in order to face her mother, whom she only wanted to love, and yet she could not seem to get her to love her.  The wicked witched dragged the young girl forward, across the floor by her hair, making her already painful scalp more tender, before pushing her downwards in front of her grandmother on the living room floor.  The woman dropped a pen and paper at the girl’s feet, demanding she write “I hate my father and wish he was dead” on ever line of both sides of the college ruled paper.  The girl, afraid of both of these women, did as she was commanded. 

Finishing with her assignment she looked up with hope that this was all they would require of her, but this was not to be.  The two women looked down at this young girl, who was only about eleven years of age, whose eyes were old even though her body was young.  “Now say Rob is your father,” her mother demanded of the young girl.  Something rose up in the young girl.  Anger and a courage she hadn’t known she possessed flared within her very soul as she said as single word “No.”  Her head snapped back as the first strike across her face came along with the demand a second time and still she simply stood there, looking towards the woman who gave her life.  “No.” she said with quite conviction.  She didn’t shout this word, nor did she say it with anger.  There was strength in the simple word that seemed to scare the women in front of her.  “Go to your room!  Your father will deal with you when he comes home!” 

For the next several hours the young girl sat huddled on her bed, with no lights, no food, and no company to make her feel safe.  She had no way to tell how long she sat there, and yet she knew it was hours, for eventually her brothers had long been sent to bed.  Eventually she heard the dreaded thumps up the stairs that herald the monster as he made his way towards her bedroom.  Her punishment for defiance was at hand.  Walking into her room, the man looked to the young girl and in his eyes she could see enjoyment for what he was about to do.  “Stand and strip.” He commanded as he took off his belt.  The next hour was one that would be branded into her memory, and also the flesh of her back with scars.  Yet the young did not give in and call this monster “Father.”

The next morning upon waking up for school, the young girl was filled with the same strength and courage that gave her the need to defy her mother.  Leaving with her youngest brother for school, she came to a decision, one she informed her brother of.  They would not be returning home that day.  The young girl and her brother spent the afternoon at the public library, reading and enjoying the precious freedom from the nightmare they had been living, until closing.  Once the Library closed, the young girl, with her brother’s hand firmly gripped in hers, walked the many blocks, to a neighbor’s house, three doors down from where she lived with the wicked witch and the monster.  There was one thing that plagued the young girl as she looked up the street.  This would be a guilt that would live with her for the rest of her life.   She had another brother, one her mother never sent to school, whom she had to leave behind in the nightmare.  Him, she could not rescue.  Turning back to the neighbor’s house, the young girl went inside and called the Police and Social Services.  The young girl was rescued, never having to return to the wicked witch, but the nightmare lives on in her memory.

To return to the question at hand, “Am I a Hero/Heroine?”  I do not know.  I survived.  I cared for my brothers and protected them the best I knew.  The best any child up to 11 years of age could.  I lived for years with the guilt of leaving my middle brother, Shaun behind.  It was only recently, in the past 5 years, when I was finally ready to enter therapy in order to deal with all that happened to me as a child, that I have come to accept, in the end, it was never my responsibility.  I was a child made to behave as an adult.  To care for adults because the adults could not, and would not, care for themselves.  There is a story my one foster mother tells of how she woke up to hear my infant brother crying in the middle of the night.  Minutes later my brother had stopped crying.  Worried she left her bed to check on Shane to make sure all was o.k.  Entering the nursery she was shocked to discover me in a rocking chair, at age 6, rocking Shane and feeding him a bottle.  His diaper had been changed and he was content.  She said this was one of the scariest things in her life to have seen, as my bedroom had been downstairs and the nursery was upstairs, and yet I reacted as a mother to my child needing me.  He was my responsibility; this was how I saw things.

Looking at the challenge of what “hero” I find myself more aptly to associate with, I believe I would have to choose the war hero.  This is through life experience, not through choice.  If it was my choice, I would wish to choose the Aiyaiyesh Girl and have the opportunity to be a part of a community, instead of feeling separated and disassociated from the commonwealth.  With the True War Stories there is a truth: “A true war story is never moral.   It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done.  If a story seems moral, do not believe it.  If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel that some small bit of rectitude has been salvaged from the larger waste, then you have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lie.  There is no rectitude whatsoever.  There is no virtue.  As a first rule of thumb, therefore, you can tell a true war story by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil.” (True War para 7) Life can be a bitch.  It can be a living nightmare.  An eleven year old girl can survive hell in ways that only a man who is out there in the trenches of Iraq would understand.  Both come away with eyes ancient and weary. 

Joe Campbell showed in his story of the two sons of the Sun, within Navaho mythology, strength and courage.  The two sons sought to protect their mother from the monsters, only they did not have the weapons or power in order to accomplish such a feat.  In order to obtain what was needed to defeat the monsters.  This legend was depicted in pollen paintings by an elder.   This series of Navajo creation songs depict the journey of these two brothers, their trials and tribulations, showing their strengths and courage.  Eventually, they acquire the weapons and power from their father, only to have to defeat the monster of all monsters, who happened to also be a son of the Sun.  In a way they must defeat that which they fear the most, in order to become what they are destined to be.  (Mythos 1)  This is typical of a heroic myth or quest as Joe explains.  “This is standard stuff.  They have gone past the known world.  Magical help comes in the form of the fairy god-mother.  Ways of the journey are predicted and overcome.” (Mythos 1, video 2)  Unfortunately, life does not play out as typical hero quest or a fairy-tale.  If it did everyone would have a happily ever after, and the trickster would need not seep into our thoughts.

So in the end what does make a hero?   I do not know.  The patterns of my life have shown that since that event, I have been running from my nightmare, attempting to escape the horrors behind my eyes.  There is no happily ever after to this fairy-tale, nor a prince charming to come rescue the princess.  The lesson learned was monsters are everywhere, but the strength and courage has to come from within and yet in the end, even when there seems like there is no hope, life does go on, because you will survive.  Am I a hero?  Yes, because I lived.  This is my True War Story.  Perhaps next time I will start it with “No shit there I was…”

Cite:

Campbell, Joseph “Mythos 1” http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MXHU2U/ref=avod_yvl_watch_now

O'Brien, Tim. ""How to Tell a True War Story" The Things They Carried." Mythology and Modern Life - Selected Readings. SUNY Empire State College, 2015. 1-8. Print.

Books and Censorship in the Modern Age: To Ban or Not to Ban?

Books and Censorship in the Modern Age: To Ban or Not to Ban?

“It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read.”

–Judy Blume

The year was 1933, Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Minister for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda, along with the National Socialist German Student Association, strove to bring the Nazi movement through synchronizing and censorship of the literary community.  They began with Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, a burning that took place on May 10^th of that year.  In 1988, Salman Rushdie released his thought provoking “Satanic Verses” and what followed would be havoc, with his book banned in India, the UK attempting to have his novel banned, a fatwa (execution) declared upon his life, and simply because he wrote a fictional novel that others interpreted as immoral and blasphemes.  India continues to have the Satanic Verses banned in today’s modern age.  J.K. Rowling’s ever popular series “Harry Potter” has found its way on the banned & challenged list since 2001 when it was first introduced to the public, as it was discovered to introduce witchcraft and wizardry to today’s youth, of the same type that had two classics,  Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” written in 1850,  and Elizabeth George Spears’ “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” written in 1958, a century later; and yet both having found themselves on the ban lists for their subject matter being seen as improper, immoral and too violent, not to mention witchcraft, the same that J.K. Rowling found her own work scrutinized and challenged.  The practice of censorship is neither a new concept nor one that seems to be losing ground as we move forward into the future. 

The first amendment, often referred to as the Freedom of Expression, is one that is also one of the most controversial: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” (Amendment 1)  Though in 1789, the clause concerning speech and press would be placed before the senate and put into effect, so as to make clear for the law that it was separate from religion.  ''That Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and consult for their common good, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” (Amendment 1)This Amendment would later become the center for several U.S. Supreme Court Cases, most notable: Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 vs. Pico.  Within this particular case the students were found to be denied their first amendment rights by the school board of Island Trees “Whether petitioners' removal of books from the libraries denied respondents their First Amendment rights depends upon the motivation behind petitioners' actions. Local school boards may not remove books from school libraries simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books and seek by their removal to "prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion." West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642. If such an intention was the decisive factor in petitioners' decision, then petitioners have exercised their discretion in violation of the Constitution.” (Island Trees sec. C)

“In this age of censorship, I mourn the loss of books that will never be written, I mourn the voices that will be silenced-writers' voices, teachers' voices, students' voices-and all because of fear.” 
― Judy Blume

Imagine a world where imagination was censored and books were monitored constantly for proper content.  Where the ideals that helped to form the foundation of American Society were no longer about “We the People…” but a society in which people lived knowing the government controlled what content was allowed to be published and distributed.  This type of black and white “utopian” society is what organizations such as American Library Association (ALA) is working to prevent.  For the past 30 years the ALA has gathered and provided to the public a list of banned & challenged books from across the nation. Their sources have come from School Districts, Journals, Magazines, Newspapers, Libraries and Online Publications.  Through this organization dedication and hard work, now available on the web, each year Banned Book Week is celebrated in Libraries and School Districts nation-wide, with the hope of bringing awareness of what censorship and depriving our youth the freedom of expression will do to our future as a country.  “The ALA promotes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinions even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who wish to read them.  A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. As such, they are a threat to freedom of speech and choice.” (ALA para 1)

In 1839 Edward George Bulwer-Lytton would make famous a quote from his play “The Conspiracy”.  This particular quote, “The pen is mightier than the sword…”, holds truth, especially when one is speaking of book banning and censorship; for why ban and challenge books if one does not fear the influence of the written word between the pages of those particular books?  The following is a list of the top ten books reported on the banned and challenged list, including the reason for them being on the list, as reported by the Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) at ALA. (ALA banned book list)  This list can be accessed along with other resources concerning challenged and banned books in the past 21^st century on the ALA website:

Top 10 Challenged Books of 2013 

1.      Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group, violence

2.      The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence

3.      The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

4.      Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James
Reasons: Nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

5.      The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: Religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group

6.      A Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl, by Tanya Lee Stone
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit

7.      Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

8.      The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

9.      Bless Me Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: Occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit

  .  Bone (series), by Jeff Smith
Reasons: Political viewpoint, racism, violence

A few of the reasons for banning of books as described above include Racism, violence, sexual conduct, political issues, witchcraft, blasphemous language, religious overtones.  The list is an extensive one, although the Butler University website gives an in-depth description of some of these issues, for example:

1.      Racial Issues: About and/or encouraging racism towards one or more group of people.

2.      Encouragement of "Damaging" Lifestyles: Content of book encourages lifestyle choices that are not of the norm or could be considered dangerous or damaging. This could include drug use, co-habitation without marriage, or homosexuality.

3.      Blasphemous Dialog: The author of the book uses words such as "God" or "Jesus" as profanity. This could also include any use of profanity or swear words within the text that any reader might find offensive.

4.      Sexual Situations or Dialog: Many books with content that include sexual situations or dialog are banned or censored.

5.      Violence or Negativity: Books with content that include violence are often banned or censored. Some books have also been deemed too negative or depressing and have been banned or censored as well.

6.      Presence of Witchcraft: Books that include magic or witchcraft themes. A common example of these types of books are J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series.

7.      Religious Affiliations (unpopular religions): Books have been banned or censored due to an unpopular religious views or opinions in the content of the book. This is most commonly related to satanic or witchcraft themes found in the book. Although, many books have also been banned or censored for any religious views in general that might not coincide with the public view. 

8.      Political Bias: Most Commonly occurs when books support or examine extreme political parties/philosophies such as: fascism, communism, anarchism, etc.

9.      Age Inappropriate: These books have been banned or censored due to their content and the age level at which they are aimed. In some cases children's books are viewed to have "inappropriate" themes for the age level at which they are written for.  (Butler web)

Some of the books one might find on the banned list would not surprise many, for how many readers truly wish children to read the contents of Fifty Shades of Grey?  At the same time, it is the responsibility of parents to help the youth of America to understand what Freedom of Expression is and that each writer expressing their imagination within the written page is not to necessarily to be taken literally as factual, or a life choice.  Others would be surprised to know that books such as Huckleberry Finn, and other classics have consistently been on the banned lists throughout American Society, for writing fiction that depicts a reality that is too close to a truth than what some feel is politically and morally correct for the youth of America to be able to “handle.” 

At the end of the day, it becomes the people’s choice what they will and will not allow for the children to read for the fight for intellectual freedom begins at home.  Will the youth of today grow to see monsters around every corner, or will they truly understand the ideals of Freedom of Expression and what the forefathers of America hoped for in establishing “We the People…” Banning books in American Society is not something that can be shrugged away as insignificant, for all it takes is one person to stand up and raise and alarm to set the cycle in motion.  Knowledge is power, but to turn a blind eye from this issue is to deny knowledge, and therefore people are sacrificing their intellectual freedom of expression.  In the words of the late John F. Kennedy “If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all—except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty.” Pick up a book and turn on your imaginations… one never knows where it will take you.

Resources:

1.    “Book Burning." Holocaust Encyclopedia. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 20 June 2014. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. <http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005852>.

2.   Brenyo, Michael. "[Censored]: Book Banning In The US Education System." Journal Of Law & Education 40.3 (2011): 541-549. Education Source. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.

3.   "Censorship: It's Real and a Real Threat." Levittown Tribune. Anton Community Newspapers, 19 Sept. 2014. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. .

4.   "Frequently Challenged Books of the 21st Century." Missing: Find a Banned Book. American Library Association, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. .

5.   http://libguides.butler.edu/c.php?g=34189&p=217686  Reasons for Banning Books Source:  "Common Reasons for Banning Books," Fort Lewis College, John F. Reed Library. Banned Books, Censorship & Free Speech. November 15, 2013. Web. March 19, 2014.  

6.   Milovanovich, Zoran. "Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press." HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. .

Masai Mara - A Worthy Cause

“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say "It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem." Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.” - Fred Rogers

Over the years in Second Life I have seen Content Creators, Musicians, the Fashion Industry and Second Life Residents come together in order to show their humanitarian side and join hands in support of the many causes that affect us as human beings.  Though we log in here every day and live our virtual lives, dressing up and enjoying our fantasy world to the extreme it is when these events happen that we show we care.  That we prove how much our realities do matter to us and how precious each life is to hold.  Whether we are holding a child smile in our hands or we are lifting our voice in pride of freedom to express our individualities and sexual preferences we remember that when we turn off those computers we are no longer Avatars who look perfect and can dress glamorously but simply are humans with souls to care for the man, woman, and child standing next to us.

One such event has come our way and it was with pride that I was able to attend the opening.  Masai Mara opened its doors and welcomed shoppers through an array of tribal colors upon a landscape that took you to the African plains.    This event is described best in the words of the founder, Starline Igeria, MVW 2013 Finalst Miss Kenya.  “About 40 brands are helping us with the wonderful project to raise funds for an ngo called "Kibera Youth Initiative", that currently is helping MAMA TUNZA's Children Home, in Nairobi (Kenya). The brands, selling their items (some exclusive, some new and other discounted) give the total or a half of the sales to the ngo, just trying to help this wonderful woman and her children. Of course, these boys and girls are from the streets of Nairobi, with no parents, no family, some of them with AIDS and other diseases, and this woman take them as her own children and cares, loves and feeds. They live in very poor conditions, they need our help.”

The Kibera Youth Initiative is in fact a non-government funded group who partners with other groups in order to help children and women improve their lives.  The following information was taken from their website: http://www.kiberayouthinitiative.org

“The Kibera Youth Initiative for Community Development (KYIFCD) is a non-governmental organization whose mandate is to partner with and help develop youth focused organizations and provide assistance to women and children facing challenging circumstances.

KYIFCD was founded in 2006, by youths from several different ethnic and cultural backgrounds in Kibera, Africa’s largest slum. The organization is led by founder Erick Agoro Simba as an umbrella body which coordinates all the group’s activities, networks and mobilizes resources for youth and children’s programs. KYIFCD’s founding was as a response to the hardships encountered by the youth of the urban poor who confront social injustices, crushing poverty, economic constraints, and poor governance policies and structures on a daily basis.

KYIFCD has expanded its focus to address the needs of children and the youth in other poor and marginalized parts of the country. In response to the appalling living conditions of the Kenyan youth across the country, brought on by political, economic, and social conditions KYIFCD has been at the fore front in championing for the rights of children, the youth and women. KYIFCD helps youths to overcome their mitigating circumstances and create hope to achieve their dreams and goals.”

As I walked around the very beautiful sim filled with a kaleidoscope of colors and tribal designs I could not help but note the designers who took the time to show their support of this worthy cause.  I would like to extend my own personal thanks and applaud them for showing such kindness to those in need: EVOLVE -  VERO MODERO -  ABSOLUTELY SMITTEN - BE DOT - CHIC ZAFARI - DEW - ELEMEN' HAIR - FZAPP - ICONIC - INNUENDO - IRON TIGER - JUST DESIGNS - KR DESIGNS - LIV GLAM - LOVELY MI MAKEUP - MOLICHINO - NEIVA KUMASI COUTURE -  PAISLEY DAISY - POSESION - PULL - RUSS LUSH - SHIKI - STYLE BY KIRA - TOPAZIA - TRES BEAU - TWO SISTERS TREASURES - YOA DIVINE SPELL - SEQUOIA STYLE - MISS DARCY - THE MUSE POSES - ORAGE CREATIONS - POISON - FZAPP - INMONSTE.  When you see the pictures of these children and women it strikes you that the small amount you may spend is a blessing to them.  I would encourage all to take a few minutes and visit this sim.   Share the experience with others and help those who can’t help themselves.

Zarah Dawn - An Adventure Through Time

How many of us can look around this vast Virtual World of ours and remember its creation.  We take for granted things such as huds in our shoes... Search and Marketplace tools.  We enjoy the use of Voice and 42 groups.  Our talented Photographers and Artists make use of the graphic tools at their fingertips with shadows and light tricks producing such amazingly realistic images that you feel you can reach out and touch the landscapes.  The Music Scene brings Live Artists and DJ’s that stream music as if you were in NYC or Seattle hitting the club scene no matter what your genre or flavor of music.  

Ten years of Second Life® has seen alot of changes and revamping of this virtual world, but how many here remember way back when it was little more then a small community of builders and content creators coming together with a vision.  A vision that began as simple as making a small box talk or a prim stretch and bend.  Come walk with me through this journey as I had the oportunity  to sit and chat with Zarah Dawn, content creator, musician, designer and role player who has been apart of our world since its Beta Days.  Sit back, relax and join me as she speaks of her adventures....

I look as Zarah walks into my living room, taking note of her casual relaxed apperance I smile and gesture towards the nearby couch. “Welcome Zarah, please find some comfort. Let me start by thank you for agreeing to this interview with SL Fierce Magazine. Wow 9 years in Second Life®.. You have had quite an adventure here and many tales to tell.. Tell me what brought you to our virtual world so long ago?"  I wait with pencil poised above my notepad anticipating a tale here just waiting to be told.

Zarah returns my smile as she settles herself on the couch across from me curling her feet under, contemplating my answer a moment before replying “A friend from The Sims Online® got bored with it & found Second Life® & began talking me into it.  When I found out they were canceling TSO I started playing Second Life avidly.  I did come to SL before that though..” She pauses a moment as if remembering before continuing with her tale “it was a beta account under the name Tug Cartier. I would get so lost and frustrated during that first time.  There were no such thing as Helpers or Mentors such as we have now.”


I begin to write rapidly picturing in my head the first days of Second Life as she brings them to life for me in my mental landscape “ahhh you did? So you really are from the creation of Second Life. Now this is fascinating. So really it was more like returning home instead of picking up a new game.” I encourage her to continue with her fascinating story of the birth of Second Life as I listen with rapt attention.  She laughs at my words “It was all new to me. It was very frustrating learning to fly or figuring out what a teleport was, how to work it, what map coordinates were & how to plug them in.”

I chuckle in commiseration remember my own first days five years ago and how even now those days seem almost alien to the world i see before me every day I log in “Ii remember how I had to adjust to things just five years ago coming from gaming enviroments of World of Warcraft and Everquest so I can imagine how yours must have been. On one hand a sense of Deja Vu but on another in just one year so many changes."

Zarah nods in understanding agreeing with my description “Yes, it was fun though. The Welcome Area was much different in the beginning.  You would come in at the starting point & followed a path.  By following along this path you learned how to move a ball, talk to a parrot which gave you 10L$ I think it was.  The next step would be to then learn how to edit your avatar. The last thing you did was fly over a gorge to the map area where you learned teleporting.”  She pauses as if to enjoy the memory of her first days in SL before continuing “The Welcome Area had a few people standing around, but it was like an obstacle course.  

I nodded as I reached for my glass of chamomile and took a sip before proceeding “It sounds like life back then was an adventure simply by logging into Second Life as a new Avatar." She nodded her head answering “It was loads of fun.  There were nearby sandboxes.  There was a stage at the Welcome area where they held events so we could all get to know each other.”  I raise my brows in wonder at the picture she describes with her words “It sounds like Second Life in its early stages was very much about community, please correct me if I am wrong.” she shakes her head not to disagree but to tell me these words are truth about the way of life back then “ I miss that part but we spent a lot of time together.”

I can see she does as she sighs almost whistfully for days long gone but obviously not forgotten by this lovely lady before me.  “These sandboxes you were encouraged to build and learn to create?” she leans forward with a sparkle in her eyes.  Ahh yes the designer.. i see her passion coming forth.  “There were numerous classes you could take to learn to build things.  I still go back to the places my old teachers had/ have.”  I laugh remembering my first attempts at building in Second Life.  “I, myself remember the TOS Classes on building. I took a few of them when i originally joined Second Life. *chuckles* I learned to make a mushroom chair i am still very proud of and a lamp post i can sit on!”  She grins in understanding “we learned to make a box talk or make alpha plants amoung other things that seem so simple today.”  I shook my head in astonishment “and now from those very simple things in Second Life we have this unbelievable enviroment in which anything is possible.” She laughed “They even had classes on how to edit land.  Heck, back then even griefing was fun.”

I tap my pencil as I consider my next comment “We have entire sims where truly the limits of creativity is only curtailed by the imagination and we now see reality only impeded by the physical world and yet mesh brings the real world even more vividly to life within our own virtual world.  To think all this began with learning to make a box talk.”

“We were all so excited when Tringo was invented & the creator actually sold it to a company outside SL.” She explains continuing her adventurous tale.  “Tringo was the first game created inside SL that was sold outside of SL. If you've never played it .. think Tetris in a box.  After that the game market exploded with people eager to make something that they could sell, and that's when the gaming sims started popping up.”  I felt my interest peaking as she continued “loads of places you could go play games, hang out & just get paid for sitting around having fun.”

I found myself learning something as I listened “So this is how gambling began in Second Life.  Not to change the subject but lets speak of fashion.. most of our readers are of fashion based. Tell me how you have expieranced the ever changing environment of SL Fashion since its beginning.”  I wait for her answer as she herself is a designer of jewelry within our virtual world owner of Adorned Jewelry.  “Clothes back then were simple,r easier to make & no one really paid much attention to the much finer details ... also there were fewer designers & no one had templates that are available today as they are on Marketplace.  Now we expect finished edges, seams to line up exactly & a better quality 'fabric' texture.”

I can see she has given this much thought and her expierances has allowed her to grow as a content creator within our Virtual World.  “We have seen the evolution of fashion from as you said where at one time if you could make a prim fit and line up a texture you were a damn good designer to today's Mesh Designers and couture houses where seams and fabric textures are taken directly from the real world into our virtual world.  Where do you see us going in the future?”

She pauses for a moment contemplating her answer “I"m not sure about that. SL gamers have brought new levels of everything... if there's a place to go UP someone will bring it.”  I agree with her statement as Second Life changes every day bringing something new and challenging with each dawn.  “And yourself? You, yourself are a designer of repute with Adorned Jewelry and furniture. Known for your prim work. Where do you see yourself going for your next adventure?”  She smiles as she answers “ I make jewelry . I have since 2005.  Simone Stern got me started on it & I loved the advent of Sculpts . I haven't tried mesh jewelry yet but I’m sure that's my next jump.”  

I stand and reach my hand to shake hers.  It’s been a lovely afternoon filled with a personal chat getting to know a woman who has truly understood the marvel that is Second Life.  “oh lovely... Well Zarah.. thank you for coming and sitting with me today. Its been an honor to get to know you.”  I watch as she leaves and hurry over to my laptop with excitement feeling my fingers itch to tell the story of the First Zarah in Second Life.  Ten years from now who knows where we will be, it maybe you I sit down to hear your tale of adventures of Second Life.  Till next time Fashionistas!

Miss Chop Zuey Summer 2012

When the assignment came across my desk I had been busily admiring my recent purchases from the Vintage Fair 2012, namely a very shapely pair of N-Core stilettos and a lovely dress in midnight blue from Molichino.  Glancing up to see my Editor and Co-Owner of SL Fierce standing before me, I noticed she seemed rather excited.  Not to say Sessie isn’t normally excitable but in the most enjoyable of ways.  With a sigh I let the items fall to the floor and swing my feet down to listen in rapid attention as i pick up the papers she place upon my desk.  Hmm now this does sound fascinating.. An interview with the newly crowned Miss Chop Zuey Girl Summer, Selina Graycloud.  A rather avid fan of Chop Zuey myself I quickly type into my notebook to bring up the Flickr site that shows me the photos of Ms. Graycloud wearing the lovely Panda Choker and the Shaman Set.  Interesting and intriguing pieces.  I find myself fascinated and looking forward to the interview as I begin to prepare for the upcoming interview.  

Confident I have all the information and preparation I will need I notice the time.  Gathering my pens and notebag, I quickly shove them into my Lelutka Sak and head out to meet with Selina.  Upon arrival at her home I notice a very relaxed atmosphere.  Casual elegance meets rustic Adirondacks.  Quite enchanting to say the least.  Reaching into my bag I retrieve my notebook and a pen before turning to face my query.  I relax some see how comfortable she is and flip open the notebook to begin the interview.  With a warm smile I ask her “Tell me please in your own words why you chose the collections you did for the Chop Zuey Girl Competition.”

Selina became quite animated as she began to speak of the first piece, The Panda Choker.  “ For the "Got Milk" Choker, I fell in love with the detail.” she explained.  I nodded in agreement for I know this piece well having admired it myself quite frequently.  “ahh yes the Panda set from the Chop Zuey Animal Collection. A truly detailed piece of work I agree.”  She nodded enthusiastically before continuing with a rush of excitement “Every piece of this jewelry was breathtaking, I must have stared at it for a long time, wondering how to best display it in a photograph.”  I found myself listening to her with intrigue.  She was a ball of energy who became animated when speaking of something she was so passionate about.  Crossing my legs as I scribbled several notes down I looked up to ask “oh and what did you decide in the end if I may ask?”  Her smile grew wider if that is possible as she seemed to lose herself in the memory “ I had a lot of fun with this piece actually, the Panda is animated and so adorable.”  I nodded in agreement “Oh my truly inspiring and imaginative.. it sounds like a lot of love and ingenuity went into the creativity of the photograph.”

Selina paused to gather herself, taking a sip of her drink before continuing with a smile that lead me to believe her next words were of some import to her.  “now with the next piece”.   I finish quickly making my notes about the Panda Photo as I respond.  "i was just about to say with such a stunning piece of work as your first piece how can you hope to top that."  A small impish giggle escaped Selina as she smiles with delight at my words. “Now with the next set, the Shaman Royalty set, I wanted a stronger more spiritual look for it.” With this I raise my brows slightly in surprise.  This is definitely something different.   “Ahh so you tradition and spirituality combined in order to show strength in a woman.. it is shown throughout history that women were in fact in places of religious leadership long before christianity in many cultures so a very fascinating piece and direction you chose to take.” I explain understanding such a concept myself.  I see her leaning forward as she nods vigorously in agreement “Absolutely!  My mind was racing for hours as how to best portray such a wonderful set.”  Her words and demeanor tell as much a story for this piece as does the selection itself so I can not help but ask “It sounds to me, please tell me if i am wrong, but that this set may have more personal meaning to you.” She claps her hands in response “Exactly! each set in Chop Zuey is fierce and beautiful but the message and the collection truly it "home" with me.”

I find myself smiling and laughing with this charming vivacious young woman before me.  “So we have spoken of the two sets which it sounds truly stunning what you have done and the judges must have agreed with me as you are our new Miss Chop Zuey Girl. Tell me, What does winning the chop zuey girl competition mean for you personally and professionally?”  I ask her as I lean back tapping my pen to the notebook giving her my complete attention.  I watch as though the excitement is still there in the fiber of her body she seems to visibly relax more as she responds. “It is a great honor to be chosen, I am still blown away even to this day. Stumbling over my words even now when I see those words.”  I can see or perhaps a better distinction is to say I can feel the impact of these words as she says them for it truly shows how much this means to her.  “Well you wear the title with grace and ease...” I compliment her with a genuine warmth to which she replied with a smile “Not only am I happy with winning the title, I am blown away by the family I have gained. Every member of the group is supportive and wonderful, I cannot stress enough what an honor this is.   Professionally I hope represent Chop Zuey with uniqueness, quality, style and class.”  I tilt my head as i observe her “ I think you have already accomplished that.  We look forward to seeing more from you in the coming year then as Miss Chop Zuey Girl *smiles widely* now to switch gears a bit.”

I watch as she perks up a bit.  I can see she wonders what I mean by my last sentence.  I pull forth my sheaf of papers from within my notebook in which I have several notes scribbles upon “I see you are Co-Owner of of the new House of Genevrio & Photography.  Please tell us a bit more about this.”  I look up and listen raptly as she begins to explain “House of Genevrio is still in the woodworks so to speak, we are designing various clothing and accessories as well as working hard on photography.  My sister Kimmy Inkpen is working hard teaching me the how to's on all of it , giggles, so glad she has patience.  We want our styles to be "outside the box" and she has already created some awesome dresses so far.”  I can almost feel my fingers wanting to grip these future styles within my greedy fingers.  That compulsion causing me to grip my pen a bit tighter as she describes the styles she hopes HoG will produce.  “It sounds like the fashion world has something to look forward to!”

With that I found myself wondering who is Selina Graychild.  What makes her happy and enchants her.  We as Models, Designers, Stylists and Bloggers are often always on the go but each of us has a way we go off to enjoy our relaxing time.  A way to destress so to speak.  So what is it that Selina does for fun.  This was the question I posed to her.  “ I am a huge fan of adventure and photography. I love jumping from Sim to Sim choosing mostly from Editors pictures and just having a blast. Especially the Mystery Sims, when I am not exploring, then I am dancing or creating. I just love this Virtual World and the people in it are simply amazing!!!” she explained with that build up of excitement showering her voice once more.  Always being one who can not wait to find someplace new to explore I asked “Tell us about some of the sims you have explored.”  to which Selina replied enthusiastically “There was a sim (not sure if it is still there) Called Anna's Many Murder Mysteries. That was a ton of fun, it was a story and you went to each detailed location for each part of it. I love love love the Artwork in SL as well, so I do often go to many sims that display fantastic Artwork (3D style especially), huge fan of hunts...love love love that...the Twisted Hunt and Runway hunt to name a few were fantastic...I cannot get enough of the rides here, so if there is an Air Balloon or train or something like that, I am there. Cannot get enough of Charity events either, I am so moved by how everyone gets together and helps those in Real Life. Truly wonderful.” I found myself enjoying the descriptiveness of her words and memory.  I could see the rides she described as if I was waiting in line to get on one.  

I decided to approach her modeling career.  Myself being a model, I still find it fascinating and intriguing to hear about the journey of others for never is one journey quite the same.  How we get to the point we do and where we go from here is always unique as much as we as individuals are unique.  Our styles shining for to reflect our personalities and beliefs.  “Lets talk now about you and modeling shall we?  Tell us a bit about your journey so far as a model within Second Life.”  I paused in my writing to listen to her story.   “It has been a truly wonderful experience so far, I learn more and more each day and meet amazing people. I have so many to thank for helping me get to where I am today and those that will help me in the future.”  I reply “Yes a model's journey is long and hard. having a good and solid support team to encourage you is a must in this business.” encouraging her to continue her thought.  “I get choked up a bit when I think about how far I have come and you're right it is a long.”  

“It sounds like you have a wonderful future ahead of you in modeling and fashion. As we are speaking of the future that brings up two topics... What do you see for the future for Fashion and Modeling in Second Life.”  I found myself next asking as I listen to her talk about her journey.  “Very good question, I believe that it will get bigger and stronger. The ideas even now are beyond amazing, the designers, models, instructors, owners etc are on the verge of something truly remarkable! I cannot see a Second Life without the Fashion and Modeling World. I just love being a part of it” I laugh at her obvious enthusiasm. I smile as I ask the second part of my question“What can the Fashion World expect to see in the future from Selina Graycloud.” to which I receive an answer smile and reply “Well with the training and practice I hope to bring an edge to my modeling career, pulling myself out of the norm and adding that spark that is deep within me. After all, those who have trained me and mentor me expect nothing less and I wish to honor them.”

I look at my notebook full of notes and I ask “What would you say is the most important thing a model in the fashion world needs to know.”  I find myself curious as to what this young woman will answer with.  “Patience is probably one of the most things they should know above the many important things.”

I honestly couldn’t agree more.  Patience is definitely needed in this cutthroat business we participate in.  “We see many competitions take place within the modeling world of Second Life.  Do you think competition takes away or adds to your life as a model.” I ask her this question because i feel it one that ever model faces.  A more personal challenge or hurdle depending on how you wish to examine it.  Selina rises to the occasion with the grace and wit she has shown throughout the interview to respond “There are many times in this field where you will find that not many doors wish to open, one must learn from this and continue on.  Definitely adds (in a way) to your career, many are not into this and choose other ways and that is perfectly fine as well. I use the competitions as way of perfecting myself, in styling or whichever.” I found myself understanding more why she felt such a connection to the Shaman Set by Chop Zuey as she speaks.  “ That is truly an inspirational way of looking at the world of competition within Second Life. A lesson of value the readers are sure to gain from.”  I explain before continuing.

“If you could name your top five favorite designers that you can not do without in your inventory who would they be and what about them makes them stand out for you?”  I ask her.  It’s always fun to have a peek in a model’s closet and even more fun to know who it is she favors above all others and why.  I feel my lips lift with impish delight as i observe her mulling this question over in her head.  I can almost see her ticking through her closet and the designer treasures to be found within.  She laughs while replying “Not a problem for there really are many I love. But, for the five I would have to say Chop Zuey: Unbelievable head turning pieces one cannot live without, EGOISME: His attire and skins are truly wonderful, EVOLVE's breathtaking outfits are a must.  So hard to choose just five.   Loovus Dzevavor unique hairstyles and Zanze's exquisite dresses.”  I make personal notes in my head though I can not in fact disagree with anything she said to describe the above designers.  Truly refined and leading Haute Couture Designers in every aspect.  “all excellent choices each and every one of them..” I exclaim.

I lean forward just a bit in an almost confidential manner “And last but not least.. many new and fresh young models enter the fashion world every day.  What advice would you give these young men and women to help them on their path in order to navigate the world of fashion and modeling in Second Life.”  My pen poised to write I listen as she gives voice to her own advice.. A well learned lesson in Second Life.  “ Never give up on your goals, there is always room for knowledge, practice makes perfect (even in lag), Mentors are a must have and never be afraid to ask questions.”  Writing these words of wisdom down I ask her “Is there anything else you would like to add?”  I wait for her respond with almost baited breath for this young woman has kept me enchanted with her intelligence and inner spiritualism for the better part of an hour.  “Absolutely. I wish to say once again thank you to everyone who helped me get this far. For those who stuck by no matter what, for those I have met and have transformed me along the way. The list of names would fill a huge book, but I cannot thank you all enough. This was truly an honor Brittainy. I must say I am still pinching myself right now as we do this interview.”

I find myself standing as the interview comes to a close.  “Let me thank you Selina for such a delightful chance to get to know you and this opportunity to sit down with you. Our readers will have the chance to get to know on a more intimate detail the beautiful face that is now the Miss Chop Zuey Girl of Summer and see that she is truly someone unique and creative.”  Selina Graycloud, Miss Chop Zuey 2012 simply blushed and gave me a soft thank you as she bid me adieu.  And that readers is my delightful evening with an enchanting pixie who is determined to take the fashion world by storm.  After an hour with her, I can tell you as I sit here typing away these words, she is a fiercely independent and strong young woman with a graceful set of style and beauty.  Look to the future for you shall see Selina Graycloud upon the runway and in the stores with her fashions from House of Genevrio Styles.  

Brittainy Collins
SL Fierce Writer