My intent was, simply, to be gone a short time, a hiatus, as it were. I was needed in real life and couldn’t disavow my responsibilities there. Or do I mean here? Whatever.
Little did I know that my break would turn into years. I didn’t intend that. It just got easier not to reappear then deal with what returning meant. ****big sigh***
But now I’m going to have to correct this unfortunate circumstance.
Right now.
Stay tuned……………….
I’m just,
Nave
While writing this I’m listening to Sinnerman, the theme from the 1999 version of The Thomas Crown Affair
Sinnerman Lyrics
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to all on that day?Run to the moon, “Moon won’t you hide me?”
Run to the sea, “Sea won’t you hide me?”
Run to the sun, “Sun won’t you hide me all on that day?”
Lord says, “Sinner man, the moon’ll be a bleeding.”
Lord says, “Sinner man, the sea’ll be a sinking.”
Lord says, “Sinner man, the sun’ll be a freezin’ all on that day!”
Run to the Lord, “Lord won’t you hide me?”
Run to the Lord, “Lord won’t you hide me?”
Run, run, “Lord won’t you hide me all on that day?”
Lord says “Sinner man, you should’ve been a praying.”
Lord says “Sinner man, you should’ve been a praying.”
Lord says “Sinner man, you should’ve been a praying all on that day.”
Anigma Eulenberg writes:
Comment: Hi Nave, new time reader (started this year, love it) wanting to pick your brain about Sunday’s events
Reply: Kim’s the only one who really gets to pick my brain but I’ll do my best to share some insights with you Anigma………….
Comment: Not sure you were inworld for the whole Shyms controversy or the BOSL en espanol thing, but was curious to hear your thoughts because nobody can deliver snark as well as you.
Reply: Thanks ………… I think. I heard more about the BOSL en Espanol thing but the whole Shym’s event is more recent and, thus, fresher in my mind. No need to be snarky I think the whole thing is unfortunate and, whether Shym is guilty as charged is irrelevant IMHO. We’ll never know the truth so why would I go through describing my 2nd and 3rd hand impressions of the whole sorry event? Suffice it to say I’m glad people were repaid regardless of why Shym decided to do that. I doubt that they were repaid for the time and lost or the emotional energy expended. The drama meter pegged and bent the pointer on this one.
Comment: Not trying to kiss ass, I’m being deadly serious here (btw read your comments from Model’s Workshop and yes Starwalkers 2010 has helped me as a new model if that means anything).
Reply: No ass kissing allowed here………….. I’m glad that the things I write wake people up and make them better, more informed consumers of the myriad of wonders SL has available.
Comment: Normally I just read happily without saying anything, nodding in silent agreement but I have to know your opinion about people who do things like what happened on Sunday.
Reply: I think I speak for a lot of people who choose for whatever reason not to spek up for themselves. I can do that because, mostly, I don’t care what the people I’m writing about think of me and they will never have any power over me in SL, so I can be as forthright as I wish, Hell I can be as mean as I want to really……………sometimes I get really fired up like with Trollboy once upon a time. I deplore people like that. I looks for ways to balance things out. Sometimes I succeed .
Comment: I’m also super interested in the latter since I model for a well known designer who has been accused of copying another equally talented designer’s work, and was wondering if Kimmera ever encountered such blasphemous public diatribes. How did she handle it? I think my boss handled her situation like a true lady (I didn’t, I basically told the accuser she was an idiot with no eye for distinct styles if she thought my boss copied her).
Reply: I’ll ask Ki if she’s ever been accused of copying someone else’s work . I doubt it That isn’t how she’s wired. She has been copied frequently and shrugs about it mostly. We discuss it when we notice and move on, noting the designers who seem to be the biggest plagiarists in our little book. They get no slack down the line……….. Same thing with people who give Kim a hard time about things that they bought and claim don’t work, or look like the vendor, or style easily, or fit their #100 ass. Things are sold as is and Kim does her best to preclude problems upfront. Since all her textures are uniquely her we would go after someone stealing those. But I digress here……………….. Silence is often the best answer I’m afraid and it sounds like your employer was wise if frustrated I’m sure.
Comment: So yeah thoughts on venomous trolls who dine ferociously on the talents of far more successful people like Mr. Frolic or Kimmera? I’m looking for confirmation that I’m not the only sane one who gets pissed at people who do that
Reply: You are far from alone believe me and the Frolics and Kimmeras chuckle at the antics and games of the pretenders and the also-rans who have no originality of their own. I think that originality is a precious thing myself and it’s something I notice in others Thanks for taking the time to comment Anigma. I hope I answered your questions. The BOSL en Espanol thing is one I may return to another day.
I’m just,
Nave Fall
I had an interesting encounter after plugging MAABA on AgencyReport the other day. I always love the anonymous snarky cheap shot……………. This was worth sharing with those of you who have given up on http://agencyreport.wordpress.com/ – you need to check in there once in a while.
Here ya go…………….
======================================================================
Miss cha cha Says:
February 15, 2011 at 9:59 pm
@Nave Fall & Vel Charisma. Who made you the Police of the SL fashion industry?
======================================================================
Nave Fall Says:
February 16, 2011 at 8:20 pm
Nave Fall looks Miss Cha Cha Cha (whoever she is) up & down very, very slowly……….. & then sneers.
We don’t need no stinking badges we’re the Federales.
Seriously, whoever you are, what have YOU, personally, done for SL’s fashion & modeling community lately? Vel Charisma, CEO of Farouche Tres, at least has an idea here. I haven’t got a clue how this idea could be made to work, that’s a daunting task to say the least. Having another information resource for aspiring models to access info about agencies, schools & trainers can’t hurt though. Right? Or does that offend your sensibilities?
It might save some, aspiring, modeling students serious money, like the ones who paid Azai Lexico former CEO of La Vella Modeling L$5000 to be trained, only to be abandoned when her snarky mouth & divatude got her in deep water with some people. Her wittle feelings got hurt causing her to flip us all off when she bailed out…. in about a day. Good riddance…….. Although she’s threatening to return under another name. That sounds familiar to me also. How convenient is that? I love my alts too,
Soooooooooo Miss Cha Cha Cha let’s hear your ideas for making things more civilized. I won’t hold my breath waiting for those btw.
If you wan read more you can check out my blog at:
http colon slash slash menswearsl dot wordpress dot com
It’s post #44. I may address this more in an up-coming Radar magazine Perspective column.
I’m just,
Nave Fall
======================================================================
Vel Charisma Says:
February 18, 2011 at 9:30 pm
I would like to also respond to you Miss Cha Cha as well as answer anyone else’s question. This is not about policing. It is about offering help, direction & free information.
The MAABA (Model Agency/Academy Bureau of Accreditation) is a source for untrained but aspiring models & certified models to go to for sound & trustworthy assistance when seeking the right modeling agency/academy.
This organization is not made up solely of Mr. Nave Fall or me. Instead it is a collective group of dedicated individuals that are offering there services for free as the MAABA is a free non for profit service.
Any interested person with some background experience & the ability to be objective can take part in the bureau.
Modeling agencies accredited by MAABA will meet, at the least, basic standards in the curriculum & training received by models agreed upon by the Bureau.
MAABA’s sole purpose is to set basic standards for beginning model training in Second Life. We do not seek to recommend specific modeling academies, but to serve as a listing of schools that meet standards developed by members of a board consisting of top designers, models & officers of modeling agencies.
Accreditation of schools is one way for a model to have certain assurances about the quality of the training they are receiving.
In addition, designers can be assured of the quality they are getting when they employ a model or agency to represent their creations.
It also ensures that designers sponsoring shows or models investing in schools will not lose their investments due to the disappearance of an organization.
I would likely to firmly reiterate, this is simply an option for some that wish to receive sound, unbiased information. It is free for both modeling agencies/academies & those seeking training or general information.
If persons want to take part, great, & they are welcomed. If others do not, that is fine as well.
I personally would love to know that some organization has done at least part of my research for me (for free) to help me in making my decisions.
For those of you that are interested in sitting on the board please IM me in world or drop me a notecard.
We should be offering applications in the very near future for the listings.
Vel Charisma
======================================================================
Nave Fall Says:
February 19, 2011 at 2:21 pm
I’m glad Vel took the time to respond to Miss Cha Cha Cha. She’s much nicer then I am in how she responded to the snarky question……… I don’t feel compelled to be that nice which drives some people a bit nuts. What can I say?
There is one point she made that I have to correct as it applies to me, personally, I am biased. If someone comes to me & asks advice about an SL modeling agency or school they are looking for my personal opinion & I tell them that. I can only recommend things that I have experienced myself.
I have an easy time recommending that an aspiring model get trained by someone like:
Mimmi Boa – Miss Virtual World 2009 & arguably, SL’s most famous model IMHO
Kay Fairey – Miss Virtual World Academy Director & Miss Bliss Couture 2011 trainer/blogger/supermodel/entrepreneur/Japanese cultural treasure
Topaz Joubert – Maniera Magazine Publisher/CEO & stylist/coach/fashion designer to countless pageant winners
Anabella Ravinelli – Maniera’s General Mgr & a killer trainer/stylist/photographer & one of my co-founders @ StarWalkers
Wicca Merlin – One of SL’s hardest working supermodels -trainers/bloggers/photographers/entrepeneurs/show directors
Lorelei Maggs – SuperElite Academy’s Director & SL supermodel
Ricoracer Flux – Perhaps SL’s most consistent male model/trainer/blogger/stylist/show director
Shae Sixpence – Supermodel, super photographer & MVW’s Miss Brazil 2011
Glitter Bollissima – Miss SL Int’l 2009 (if she can teach me she can teach anyone)
Kryptonia Paperdoll – AVENUE Modeling Academy’s Director – nuff said
Dancer Dallagio – What hasn’t been said about her – she does it all – supermodel/trainer/journalist/blogger/photographer/Stiletto Moody’s in-world mgmt.
Katina Magic/Jasmine Night/Marcus Night – A team of stunning SL models/trainers/photographers/event managers (If they don’t know the answer they know someone who does – believe me)
Louise McWinnie – First Runner Up in Miss Virtual World 2011 as Miss Czech Republic
Leandra Breen – MVW’s Miss Germany 2011 – CEO of the Passion Agency & a peach
Vel Charisma CEO of Farouche Tres herself
to name a few I know who will do a very thorough, & professional, job.
I, COMPLETELY, avoid &, truthfully, advise people who ask, to avoid “no-name” trainers who I PERSONALLY find to be less reliable based on the complaints I receive about promises not being kept, classes being cancelled, being forced to buy outfits from someone specifically for a class, graduation shows not happening etc.
With established people who worry about their reputations you have far less bullshit to deal with. For an experienced model who needs a tune-up I think it might be preferable to seek out 1 on 1 coaching/training which is more intense & deals with unique, individual weaknesses, & problems.
My “personal” bottom-line is simple. The content of the classes & the personal attention paid to each individual is far more important than the “certification” at the end.
After getting well trained in the basics the responsibility for succeeding falls to the individual. If they think that the world of SL fashion will acknowledge their achievement at getting trained they are in for an eye-opening surprise at the number of yawns they’ll get.
I’m just,
Nave (Not the fashion police) Fall
For some strange reason Azai Lexico, formerly the CEO of LaVella Modeling, has decided to ditch her Azai identity, and bail out of SL, (don’t let the door hit you in the ass biotch) rather then deal with the consequences, and repercussions, of her recent, anti-social, behavior.
Comment: You know she’s got an alt or a horde of alts……………. and she’s a gonna come back and get us all
Apparently Azai has stiffed her class of aspiring SL supermodels who, I’m told, paid her L$5000 to be trained in her unique (yeah sure…….) methods,
Comment: Ohhhhhhhhhh yeah we’re surprised. The real surprise would be hearing that Azai had, without being hounded into it, refunded their money.
People wonder why I get so damn snarky
Comment: People like Azai piss me off that’s why!
Let the flames from Azai’s horde of friends and supporters begin………….
These are going like hotcakes. Go figure………….
When Kim told me she had made a new version of My Room as a Valentine’s Day present for me I didn’t realize she was gonna sell it to the entire grid. Okay that’s a lie…………….. But it’s fun and so affordable……………… How can you go wrong with Love Potion #9 and and a teddy bear for L$50?
If you wanna be targeted start threatening me and I’ll take you public
I don’t get these people………………
What is their FUCKING major malfunction?
Where do they get off with their divatude and threatening people???
This just in off Azai Lexico’s Flickr page
Someone named Azai Lexico, CEO of the, now, SUDDENLY, closing ( What? Did things get a little fugly after you started your tantrums and routines?) SL modeling agency La Vella Models (I suppose this is all my doing btw since I destroy people and modeling agencies doncha know????), with wayyyyyyyyyyy more “tude” then brains,
has taken it upon herself to create all sorts of drama with SL, and RL, artiste/designer Eshi Otawara
and a bunch of other designers, models and SL media types, apparently, and not only, in the StarWalkers’ group. She seems to have forgotten fashion’s basic rule#1 : fashion starts with the designer not the agency and basic rule #2: SL fashion doesn’t get more avant-garde then Eshi Otawara’s work. She only had a pixel gown sell in RL for like half a million $Lindens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m not sure who exactly Azai Lexico is, or who Azai Lexico THINKS she is, or who Azai Lexico is in RL (claims to be a SOMEBODY IMPORTANT but obviously has a lot of time to spend in SL) and, frankly, I could give a shit (actually I could care less I think). At the same time when someone fires Eshi up (which. I admit, is pretty hilarious and takes a bit of doing actually) enough to get Eshi to eject her sad ass from StarWalkers, and get cheers from the audience when she does it. That’s saying something………………….. I admit that allowing Eshi to proceed with that ejection was a bad idea on my part. My bad. Anabella has driven this point home to me btw.
Apparently Azai has pissed off some other designers too. Imagine my surprise at that tidbit. No surprise that she’s closing her agency after the stampede of models out the door when they heard what their fearless, mouthy leaderess was up to in both group, and private, chats. Does Ms. Lexico think people don’t talk to each other? How tightly knit is the SL fashion and modeling world anyway these days? Pretty tight let me tell you…………..
Then there’s this pretty new, relatively unknown, SL fashion designer who’s managed, (I really don’t wanna name her she has enough trouble without me plastering her name in here), although I did think about that until reason prevailed —-> DRUMROLL HERE<—- to piss off just about the entire BOULEVARD Agency including Director Kay Fairey and BOSL Executive BlackBarbie Bravin (who are both pretty much impossible to ever fire off) and then complain to Frolic Mills about the runways that Patch Thiebaud had custom-made for her show. The show that Frolic IMMEDIATELY cancelled for her She managed to get El Jefe, Frolic Mills, to eject her ass from the show, the BOSL Reader’s group, BOSL magazine and then he ejected her store from BOSL properties too………… That took some doing I bet. She went so far as to actually do the diva and threatened them if they didn’t rent to her which didn’t help things one bit, I mean, c’mon, we know Frolic has a temper but Kay and BlackBarbie are pretty calm. Then the designer’s assistant tried to calm things down and get things back on track. I also heard that this designer had tried to pull an age-old real estate scam on a friend of mine by renting to him, taking L$10,000 personally and then selling the sim out from under him 3 days later. WTF is with that one? She finally, under SERIOUS pressure, refunded his $Lindens. I heard. Then there’s the time when Anastacia Markova, erstwhile CEO of Opium Modeling, sent her minion, Federica Galtier, to ask that I restore her announcement privileges on StarWalkers’ for her. Am I that hard to find? Is it a power play to have someone else ask me, showing me that she’s too important to deal with the likes of me? DO I have cooties? FFS if you won’t even talk to me yourself why should I do ANYTHING for you? Who do these people think they are, the First Ladies of SL Fashion????? Do they think I really care whether they like me or not?
Where do these people get the idea that communally, and individually, we give a fuck who they think they are and that we’ll feel bad if they “mute” us? They just disappear without a blip and get replaced by someone more talented and, hopefully, better socialized. I admit that being threatened by someone sitting far away behind god knows how many firewalls, gets my attention and scares me to death. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FUCK YOU AZAI
My 3rd perspective column for Radar Magazine has a Black and White theme (well yes there is some RED too) that pleases the hell out of me. I think this is striking myself and the “Brian” hairstyle by Blaine Alderson of SL’s Tonic Hair rawks it……….. (I took that pic myself one day when SL decided that all it would show was a black screen and that white, white hair…………. not as artistic as the Daron Brandeis ( of DAB Photography ) pic I had before but I thought this was fun and made it easy on, she who must be obeyed, Radar’s Publisher – LaBella Farella, when she was laying this out.
The topic of my rant was “certification” of models – a touchy thing to say the least.I suppose I could have written something mushy about February and Valentine’s Day and had a pic with red and pink and white, but everyone does that……………. instead I wrote this:
I’m easily confused by many things in SL. I admit it. I keep seeing that certain SL modeling schools “certify” their graduate’s ability to model and give them a “certificate” to endorse their success in being trained. What does that mean anyway?
The dictionary definition of certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, or assessment.
The “certified” model attended “classes” given by someone who was self-selected (c’mon who “certified“ them in the first place?) for their unique ability (that’s sarcasm in case you missed it btw) to teach someone how to do an alt-click turn on a runway?
It bothers me when I get approached by a “new” model who has paid to take classes somewhere (usually somewhere that has now disappeared btw) and now thinks they’re ready to assault the world of SL fashion with their recently acquired knowledge. I realize everyone starts somewhere and that most are naïve (Lord knows I was taken in by a pay to vote contest once upon a time) and that very few survive the Darwinian meatgrinder that new models must pass through on their way to an SL modeling “career”. I also hate the idea of these naïve people being preyed upon and having their dream quashed by someone who will take advantage of them for a couple of $L1000s.
Vel Charisma CEO of the Farouche Tres Agency is attempting to give something back to the SL modeling and fashion community by creating MAABA – Model Agency/Academy Bureau of Accreditation which she intends to have develop a basic set of standards for schools, academies and trainers in SL to meet. MAABA will not be recommending specific modeling academies btw. I do that all the time but that’s a personal thing. I think MAABA (or something like it) is a good idea but that it will be very tough to implement and regulate. Vel and I have had several discussions about it and I thought that soliciting public input might help things a bit.
If you have any interest in participating in MAABA please IM Vel and let her know. If you teach at an SL modeling school and have ideas on what you think prospective models should be taught please take a couple of minutes to share your thoughts on this topic with her.
I think Vel’s MAABA idea is a good one but like the group (the name escapes me now – SL Professional Model’s Coalition or some such lofty thing) that was formed by Sabine Blackburn – SL SuperModel and her BFF buddette, Anastacia Markova – CEO of Opium Modeling, after co-opting (that would be helping themselves to the idea without permission from the person who thought it up originally :P) Kay Fairey’s, simple, but great, idea that SL models deserve to be well paid. That group was formed last year to “unionize” models and force an equitable payment schedule on people – designers, photographers, agencies and others who hired models in SL. I think it will be tough to get MAABA off the ground myself for a variety of reasons……………. We’ll see if the idea develops any traction soon enough. I hope it can be implemented in a way that works, and publicized, in a way that gets noticed by lots of prospective models who need the information MAABA will provide freely.
The other morning, shortly after I logged in, Arisia Ashmoot, the extraordinary posemaker/owner of Body Talking IMd me and dropped a copy of SL Art Couture’s new book, SEX, on me.
WOW
What else can I say? This publication has it all:
Great Models
Spectacularly Imaginative (to say nothing of steaming hot) Photography
Amazing Layouts
Terrific outfits and the pose to go with them
I am skeptical of most amateur’s efforts like this. I admit it. I’ve worked on a book of my own ( and still think about that project from time to time) and discovered how tough it is and that the writing it is about a third of the work but this team’s communal effort stunned me.
I want to congratulate every one of the people involved in producing something special. Thank you. Great job………….
Models
(in order of appearance):
Arisia Ashmoot
RicoRacer Flux
Wicca Merlin
Steffy Ghost
Leandra Breen
Miaa Rebane
Cade Nansen
Harsch Sharktooth
Trouble Inglewood
Takeshi Kiama
Lybra Rage
Mikey Batriani
Todd Anton
Louise McWinnie
Serene Faith
blackLiquid Tokyoska
Cieleste Magic
BlackBarbie Bravin
Harrison Diesel
Photographers:
Lybra Rage
blackLiquid Tokyoska
Mikey Batriani
Cade Nansen
Designers:
Glam Affair
Blacklace
Angel Dessous
Vitamen
Jewelry:
Finesmith Designs
Poses:
Body Talking
Layout:
Wicca Merlin
Tatanka Kaligawa
EDITORS:
Arisia Ashmoot & RicoRacer Flux
Contact Arisia Ashmoot for a Kiosk
DON’T WAIT
In front of my home Wednesday morning, something you don’t see very often, real deal Upper Peninsula, of Michigan that is, snowshoes (these suckers are 40″ long and 16 wide and meant for slogging through DEEP powder pulling a sled behind you).
There’s a rule in Chicago, Lake Shore Drive NEVER closes. it closed a couple of days ago and 100s of people were stranded and had to abandon their cars and hike through deep drifting snow, in whiteout conditions to God knows where seeking shelter. Not good at all and not an SL thing but this is my blog so I can do RL too if I wanna.
I’m listening to Aliotta Haynes and Jeremiah playing a Chicago anthem – Lake Shore Drive
This song may be the best Chicago song ever btw (although Frank Sinatra’s – My Kinda Town gives it a serious run for its money) it certainly gets me singing along.
Aliotta, Haynes & Jeremiah Lake Shore Drive Lyrics:
[Duo-piano intro.]
[Verse 1:]
There’s a road I’d like to tell you ’bout,
Lives in my hometown.
Lake Shore Drive the road is called,
And it’ll take you up or down.
From Rat’s on up to riches, 1
Fifteen minutes you can fly.
Pretty blue lights along the way 2 ,
Help you ride on by.
And the blue light’s shinin’ with a heavenly grace,
Help you ride on by.
[Chorus:]
And there ain’t no road just like it,
Anywhere I’ve found.
Runnin’ south on Lake Shore Drive,
Headin’ into town.
Just slippin’ on by on LSD, 3
Friday night trouble bound.
[Short instrumental break featuring pianos.]
[Verse 2:]
It starts up north from Hollywood 4 ,
Water on the drivin’ side.
Concrete mountains rearin’ up 5 ,
Throwin’ shadows just about five.
Sometimes you can smell the green,
If your mind is feelin’ fine.
There ain’t no finer place to be,
Then runnin’ Lake Shore Drive.
And there’s no piece of mind or place, you see,
Ridin’ on Lake Shore Drive.
[Chorus:]
And there ain’t no road just like it,
Anywhere I’ve found.
Runnin’ south on Lake Shore Drive,
Headin’ into town.
Just slippin’ on by on LSD,
Friday night trouble bound.
[Short instrumental break featuring pianos.]
[Verse 3:]
It’s Friday night and you’re lookin’ clean.
Too early to start the rounds.
A ten-minute drive from the Gold Coast back 6 ,
Makes you sure you’re pleasure bound.
And it’s four o’clock in the mornin’,
And all the people have gone away.
Just you and your mind and Lake Shore Drive,
Tomorrow is another day.
And the sun shines fine in the mornin’ time.
Tomorrow is another day.
[Short instrumental break featuring pianos.]
(whoo!)
[Chorus, slightly altered:]
And there ain’t no road just like it,
Anywhere I’ve found.
Runnin’ south on Lake Shore Drive,
Headin’ into town.
Just snakin’ 7 on by on LSD,
Friday night trouble bound.
[Pianos to end.]
Notes on the song if you’re interested:
Aliotta, Haynes & Jeremiah Lake Shore Drive Lyrics Information:
LAKE SHORE DRIVE 8
Words & Music by: Skip Haynes
Produced by: Scott Gibbs
Engineered by: Barry Mraz
Stings arranged by: Bob Schiff
Performed by: Aliotta, Haynes and Jeremiah 9 10
First released: 11
Single: 1971
Album: 1971
1 The name of the club was actually Ratso’s Restaurant & Lounge, located at 3415 North Broadway, Chicago, Illinois. In the song, they call the restaurant, “Rat’s” as a shortened version of the name and to make a play on words: As you drove south on Lake Shore Drive the neighborhoods change and go from a low- to middle-income bracket to a very wealthy demographic. Thus “rat’s to riches.” Ratso’s started out as a restaurant/tavern on Chicago’s near-north side in the early ’70s. There was an open mic almost every night, and after performing, artists passed the hat through the audience. That’s when I first saw Aliotta, Haynes & Jeremiah. Eventually, Ratzo’s got all ritzy, and began serving dinner with linen tablecloths, higher prices and paid entertainment. It was never the same.
2 “Pretty blue lights” refers to the mercury vapor, street lamps that were used in Chicago in the 1970s. Heated mercury vapor inside the lamp was used to produce light in a relatively efficient way. When they are first turned on, the mercry vapor lamps produce a dark blue glow because only a small amount of the mercury is ionized and the gas pressure in the arc tube is very low, so much of the light is produced in the ultraviolet band. As the gas heats up and increases in pressure, the light shifts into the visible range and the high gas pressure causes the mercury emission bands to broaden somewhat, producing a light that appears more-white to the human eye,
although it is still not a continuous spectrum. Even at full intensity, the light from a mercury vapor lamp is distinctly bluish in color, hence the lyrics about pretty blue lights.
3 The double entendre refers to both the physicality of driving on Lake Shore Drive, often called LSD by Chicagoans, which winds along the Lake Michigan waterfront on the North Side of Chicago and the drug culture influenced slippin’ (or trippin’) on the drug LSD.
4 “It starts up north from Hollywood,” refers to West Hollywood Avenue, which initially runs eastbound but then turns south and becomes Lake Shore Drive.
5 “Concrete mountains rearing up, throwing shadows just about five,” refers to the high-rise housing along the waterfront, on the west side of Lake Shore Drive, casting their shadows across the Drive as the sun sets in the late afternoon.
6 The Gold Coast is a strip of expensive, high-rise, residential waterfront properties, that are close to the downtown area of Chicago and to exclusive shopping, that runs along Lake Shore Drive for several blocks.
7 Up until the mid 1980’s there was a spot on Lake Shore drive that was a big S-shaped curve. During rush hours, traffic would slow and it was always a problem area for commuters. In the late ’90s the S-Curve got straightened out to alleviate the traffic jams, but back in 1970, when this song was written, the curve was still there, and this reference to “snakin’ on by,” is a nod at the love/hate relationship Chicagoans had/have with the S-Curve.
8 While not receiving much air play anywhere but locally, “Lake Shore Drive” is the epitome of a youthful anthem for the Baby-Boomers of the Chicagoland area. Peppy, with local and drug related references and 2 jammin’ pianos on the track, the song seemed to lift the listener to a near euphoric state anytime it was played. Ask anyone who was a young adult in Chicago during the ’70s and they will tell you how much this song still means to them.
But enough about the Lake Shore Drive song……………
It’s been an interesting couple of days in Chicago, 20.2+” of drifting snow with thunder, lightning and 70 mph wind gusts at 10 deg F will wake you RIGHT up. Not being able to open your front door because you have a 4′ snowdrift blocking it will do that too. I wound up having to go out the front garage side door ( I have a back garage too you see and that’s where the “broken” old snowblower was waiting and laughing at me )……………….but that’s a different story for another time.
The good news was this – I think HARD when I get jammed up………….. (the prospect of shoveling ALL that damn snow got me thinking HARD) and this time I thought of the right answer right away. My young, lawyer neighbor with the snow and lawn service was “given” a hefty snowblower as part of the deal when he bought his house from our friends Don and Judy several years ago (I don’t really think Don wanted to move that 200+lb snowblower to California but he never admitted that to me.) I’ve borrowed that sucker before but this time I offered to buy the thing………… and he said, “You want it? It’s yours…………….. Come get it.” Wooohooo Then I only had to walk over through the thigh deep snow to collect it along with the 5 gallons of gas that he threw in with it. BTW I’m deciding just how good a bottle of wine to give him now.
Suffice it to say, I got dug (blown) out in a couple of hours ( you snowblow 60′ of driveway buried 30″ deep and another 120′ of sidewalk to the alley behind the house and see how long it takes you), along with several other neighbors who were very happy to have the use of my new 28″ wide behemoth. I’ll post some pictures later. My wife thought this was all a hoot and went out snowshoeing and then x-country skiing in the park later. She did clean the front steps which was quite a job by itself……………… Now if the last 3 days of mail would come I’d be a happy biotch.
Not a sign you see in any other city that I know of………………
You see in Chicago there is something called parking space “DIBS” which means that if you spend hours digging out a parking place following a major winter storm it’s YOUR parking place till you take your lawn furniture back to the basement. Ohhhhhhhhh you don’t have “DIBS” where you live. I see…………. All the parking on the street goes to whoever comes along. Righttttttttttttttt. Well this is Chicago and we have a different tradition here. People have been shot to death over parking places. “You tooked my mom’s parking place Mofo…….. move dat piece of shit right now and don’t even tink of parking it witin 2 blocks of here ever gain or I will solve all your parking problems with dat rolling turd fureva. Get me????” and “When you come back, find every frikkin piece of her lawn furniture dat was in dat space and putit back on her front steps after you move dat junkheap somewhere faraway frum ere……….. or else.”
Another unique Chicago seminar offering on fighting redlight camera tickets successfully and other important things you need to know about if you drive in Chicago in these days of difficult to balance municipal budgets.
A good friend, Cali Rajal, Locked Semaphore’s partner, had a massive stroke over the weekend and isn’t expected to make it. Cali was a wonderful person who will be missed and remembered by many people both in SL and in RL.
I’m very very sad…………….
I’ve also been reminded how lucky I am that my own stroke “event” 6 months ago had no lasting effects on me. I’m blessed.
In Pursuit of Infinite Possibility 