07
My sim as of late has had a LOT of new traffic, many of whom are new players. We’ve seen a huge lift in both traffic and new player visits since being listed in the showcase on Secondlife.com. We have always tried to make the sim new-player friendly, and have always had a collection of freebie boxes at the main landing point to help them out, but I’ve had two ideas in my head for some time now that I decided it was time I put into action and I’ve finally got them up and running and want to share them with you all.
First, these nifty 30-day gift giver sidewalk vendors that I’ve given to all my store owners in the sim. I think having these new player gifts along the streets is a great welcome message. You’ll find these Chalkboards outside many of the stores in Paris New York, each gives a player the gift (if they are under 30 days). There’s already gifts out from Elate!, SkinTight, Envied, -JC-, A&B and more… Click here for more information on the 30-day Chalkboards which are available for purchase at LowPrim < HighStyle.
Next is what I call my “Noob Donation Box”. I don’t know about you, but I am constantly sorting my inventory trying stuff on, and I look at something that maybe just isn’t my style, or doesn’t fit me quite right… and you go to throw it away… and it’s transfer. You KNOW somewhere out there, there’s a noob wearing no shoes, and a pair of cobalt blue pants that would DIE for this outfit. So, I box it up, and put it in a folder called ‘Give to Noobies’ thinking someday I will shower a noob with gifts and make their day. Well, hopefully I’ve done better. I created the noob box (with a help from the most awesome scripter friend of mine Fnordian Link, who also helped me with the sidewalk board script). I fill it up with my spare stuff, and if a player 30-days or younger clicks it, it gives them a random gift from the box. The trick is they are only allowed one per day. I havent finished the design for the box just yet, so for now I have the only functioning one at the Paris New York sim. Once I have a nice low-prim version of these babies, I’ll put them up for sale so you too can empty your closet and make a noob’s day!
Ok, enough do-gooding for me for today. Off to sort more inventory… *grins*
~AnnMarie McCellan
08
Most of you know me and my partner, AnnMarie McCellan & Maximilian Legend as the owners of Paris New York (see no. 1). A LOT of you also know me as fashion, lucky chair and freebie hunter as well, but I’m not going to focus on that for this post! I’ve gotten a lot of questions about our story, and have been touched by people who read my profile and IM me just to say, wow, such a great story. My SL marriage has led me to my Real Life husband-to-be. Since this blog is about the second life lifestyle - fashion and romance - I am happy to share our story and hopefully be a lil inspiration for you on this romantic holiday.
I didn’t come to SL looking for a relationship. In fact, I tried at all costs to avoid it. I tried to keep my SL focused on work and friends (and fashion and freebs ^^). When a friend of mine, Brigitta Boa, who like me, had been labeled ‘least likely to tie the knot’ asked me to be a bride’s maid at her wedding, I had no idea her wedding would change the rest of my life.
Brig’s wedding was in April of 2008. As people gathered for the ceremony, I saw this tall handsome avatar (and without a date!). I quickly inquired to Brig as to wether he was attached, which he wasn’t. Did a lil small talk before the ceremony… a lil flirting too. During the ceremony I snapped a photo of Max - lil did I know he had snapped a few of me too (see no. 2 which has both the pic I took of him and a pic he took of me). I couldn’t wait till after the ceremony to get to know him better. So the ceremony ends, and one of the other bride’s maids beat me to it and asked Max to dance!! I was crushed. Another friend of Brig’s had asked me to dance now. This was NOT going the way I had hoped. Luckily, she left early. LOL! I swooped in! got to dance with him for a while… and the rest is history. Max and I have spent every night together since then.
As time went on, every evening we did skype video in addition to SL. We became more attached to the RL person behind the avatar. Our next steps were big ones. We decided to meet in RL. We chose Paris, France since Max is in France. And max popped the question! We decided we would marry in SL one week before our RL meeting.
We were both pretty determined to marry on the Eiffel Tower in SL. We knew it was am ambitious project… but we really wanted to do it. Max and I started the tower that would become the centerpiece for Paris New York (see no. 3). Max built and rebuilt that tower about 10 times before the wedding day. He was such a perfectionist about it. THEN he discovered he could torture mega prims, and built it yet again. Not only did he build me that tower, but my engagement and wedding rings (see no. 4). God, my heart melts every time I think about it =)
So we married on the tower on June 29, 2008 (see no. 5), then had our Real Life honeymoon in Paris in July. We spent a week in Paris walking the Seine, roaming Museums, taking loads of pictures of textures (if you ever see anyone taking photos of walls and floors, you might be looking at us!), making dinner and massaging each others tired feet. When I got on the plane to come back to New York, I cried my eyes out. [*I just had to take a moment and explain to him on skype why I'm getting all weepy. He's the only guy I've ever been with who makes me cry a lot because I'm happy.*]
After returning from Paris, We bought our sim and decided the tower would be the centerpiece… make it available for other couples to get married on. So Paris New York was born (see no. 6). The build very much is a labor of love for us. It’s our home. We want to share it with everyone. Every time I do a wedding there, I feel like I’m marrying Max again. I love it.
The next time I saw Max was in Amsterdam in September when I went for a business trip. I extended my trip a few days. So we spent 4 days roaming the canals, boutiques and red light district =P. Wasn’t any easier coming home this time. The two of us were starting to realize that what we had was really real. Since I’m in NY and he’s a Romanian citizen living in France, we knew we needed to start thinking about our future.
Had another trip to see him in November, this time Barcelona and Max’s home town in France. I was there for only 3 days. But when I’m with him, I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. Doesn’t matter which city -=).
This week marks yet another milestone for us. And not just because it’s our first Valentines Day. And because I’m meeting him again in Barcelona (where I will give him many no. 7s). On Dec. 2nd, just after getting back from my last trip, Max asked me to be his wife (over skype! lol). So we just finished our K-1 Visa application and the papers will be in the mail Monday morning. Hopefully that means he will be home with me permanently in New York by August. And we’ll be married by October.
I always wondered if there was such a thing as a soul-mate.
It’s true what they say. When you meet him, you’ll know it.
Max is my soulmate.
I’m a lucky girl.
I hope all of you find your Max.
~AnnMarie McCellan