BoobieBalls 2010 - A Phenomenal Fund-Raising Sucess

(NSFW due to avatar nudity)

It is safe to say that I am constantly amazed by the generosity of my friends and neighbors in Second Life.  During our BoobieBalls this year, you help raise our total donations by 250,000 Lindens!

As is always our tradition, we raise these funds as we celebrate breast health and beauty, and the lives and men and women everywhere.  We do this with fun and irreverence to be sure.  Many double entendres, much nudity, lots of laughter and joy.  But we also share stories of our friends and family who are survivors of breast cancer, or are actively fighting the disease.  Sometimes, sadly, we also share stories of those who were diagnosed too late in the progression of the disease. 

This year we had the opportunity to give hugs and good thoughts to our dear friend, Myfi Davies, who is newly diagnosed with breast cancer and having her surgery in only a couple of days.  It was a pleasure to be able to spend some time with her at the BoobieBalls, to remind her of our love, and remind those in attendance that we do all of this for our sisters and brothers, our friends, our family.

Thank you.

Eva and Serra strike a pose just before the start of the SL time zone BoobieBall

 Serra and JJ

 The BoobieBall Pavilion

Serra and Gabi lead the line dance at the UK Ball

Gabrielle, Eva, Serra, Seerose

 Stormy Mefusula, the Chief Boobie Officer of RL Boobiethon

Artists for BoobieThon

I am working hard to catch up on my blogging from this weekend's FABULOUS BoobieThon events. There were so many wonderful events this weekend (starting on Friday, October 1st) that I had zero time to get the news out to you save for the occasional Tweet or Plurk. 

Our launching event was at my home in Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne, and it kicked off not only the whole of BoobieThon in SL, but the art auction.  I cannot thank our wonderful artists enough for their generosity - not only of their work, but their hearts as well.  Many of them have stories to share about their own brushes with breast cancer, whether family or friend.

The auction continues through the FINAL BID on October 6th at 9:15pm.  At that time I will capture all the high bids, remove the kiosks, and notecard our winners. 

I have created a very short video of the event utilizing one of the songs that really was a hit with the crowd, Laisse Tomber Les Filles.  DJ Frequency really outdid herself!

For a better look at many of the pictures, please feel free to visit my flickr page.

Much love!  And more to come!!

BoobieThon in the News

I'm happy to report that our SL BoobieThon 2010 Events are getting nice press thus far.  Here are a couple of links from the arts community regarding our opening event:  The BoobieThon Art Auction.

Blog post on Second Tricia.

Treet TV's Metaverse Arts also ran an announcement on the Art Auction here in the most recent episode.  The whole episode is quite good, but you may find the announcement at around 7 minutes into the show.

The Saving Second Base Arts Show Committee met a few weeks ago in my ballroom to plan the event.

Serra Anansi, Autopilotpatty Poppy, me, & PJ Trenton

The lovely Seneschelf, Miss Serra Anansi

PJ Trenton, artist & Artist Coordinator

Miss Autopilotpatty Poppy, artist & Artist Coordinator

After arranging most of the displays last night, I stood admiring the phenomenal work of the generous artists.  The piece above is by GM Nikolaidis.

Admiring Tricia Aferdita's "Golden"

BoobieThon 2010 Starts in 6 Days!

Recently, I have been keeping you abreast (pun fully intended) of the approaching events of BoobieThon of SL and RL.  Well the time is nearly here!

The Saving Second Base committee members have been working hard to create a week of interesting, fun, and, at times, irreverent affairs for you to enjoy as we educate about - and raise money for - breast cancer research and treatment.

***Disclaimer:  There is a NSFW photo at the end of this post helping us get into the spirit and beauty of the upcoming week.***

You are invited and most welcome:

October 1, 2010

• Opening Day Party - 7pm-9pm SLT, Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne
• Art Auction - Bidding begins at 6pm SLT, Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne
• Designer Vendors - Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
• Gypsy Caravan & Carnival - Winterfell Anodyne

Please go to Virtually PJ for information about the artists involved in the auction.

October 2, 2010

• Third Annual BoobieBall - UK event, 10:30am - 12:30pm SLT, Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
• Third Annual BoobieBall - US event, 7:30pm - 9:30pm SLT,Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
•  Art Auction - Bidding continues, Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne
• Designer Vendors - Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing 
• Gypsy Caravan & Carnival - Winterfell Anodyne

October 3, 2010

• BoobieThon Salon - The History of Undergarments (Rowan Derryth), 1:00pm SLT, Anodyne Garden, Winterfell Anodyne.
• BoobieThon Salon - Self Breast Exams and Other Prevention Methods (Serra Anansi), 3:00pm SLT, Anodyne Garden, Winterfell Anodyne.
• Art Auction - Bidding continues, Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne
• Designer Vendors - Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
• Gypsy Caravan & Carnival - Winterfell Anodyne 

October 4, 2010

• Art Auction - Bidding continues, Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne
• Designer Vendors - Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
• Gypsy Caravan & Carnival - Winterfell Anodyne  

October 5, 2010

• Art Auction - Bidding continues, Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne
• Designer Vendors - Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
• Gypsy Caravan & Carnival - Winterfell Anodyne  
• Rummage Sale at the Caravan - Winterfell Anodyne

October 6, 2010

• Wright on BoobieThon - Fund-raising dance at the Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum, 7:00pm - 9:00pm SLT, Usonia
• Art Auction - LAST BID 9:15pm SLT, Isle of Skye, Winterfell Anodyne
• Designer Vendors - Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
• Gypsy Caravan & Carnival - Winterfell Anodyne  
• Rummage Sale at the Caravan - Winterfell Anodyne

October 7, 2010

•  Burlesque for Breasts - Burlesque Show and Closing Ceremony, 7:00pm SLT, Winterfell/Caledon sim crossing
• Designer Vendors - Winterfell Anodyne/Winterfell Harbor sim crossing
• Final Donation will be made at 8:55pm SLT
• Closing Party from 8:45pm SLT - ??

********Poem and Photo after this break********

Her Breasts

by Susan Helwig

Her breasts make me a sculptor
to strip her clothes off this early morning, once more
buttons, zippers,
watch her drink the day's first coffee, naked,
her hand, the cup, her lips
Her breasts sigh,
they feed the greedy babies that are my eyes
all hunger
Her breasts are not marble or art
they breathe slowly
ripple the water
Her breasts are never crushed in love
they cradle in my hands as we make nesting spoons
they sing a perfect O
that I try to speak again and again:
fill me, fill me
once and for all

Family History Discovered - A love letter from Gawter to Sìleas

In houses as old as mine, one often discovers hidden treasures (along with what may possibly be considered junk) when going through ages old trunks or pieces of furniture.  I had decided that I would go through a very old desk down in my cask room last night and in doing so I found a small stack of nearly crumbling pages.  I carefully untied the small green ribbon holding them together and immediately found that they were letters from my many-times great grandfather, Gawter, to the love of his life, Sìleas.   

I have described the two of them to you before by sharing a dream I once had - so real.   The letter on the top of the stack was quite faded and worn, obviously read many times over.  

 My very dear Sìleas~

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days—perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more . . .

I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly our Civilization now leans on the triumph of the our cause and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings of many battles. And I am willing—perfectly willing—to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this way of life, and to pay that debt . . .

Sìleas my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Clan and Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly on with all these chains to the battle field.

The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them for so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our children grown up to honorable life, around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me—perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little ones, that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sìleas, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battle field, it will whisper your name. Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness . . .

But, O Sìleas! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . . always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sìleas do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again . . .

Yours forever~
Gawter

 Sìleas - after she has read the letter from Gawter

I immediately scanned the rest of the letters in the stack and found that there were many dated after this one, so Gawter did not die on that battlefield that day, but once again came home to his beloved Sìleas.  How fortunate they were to be able to share this love with one another for many, many years.

Waiting.....praying for his safe return

******

OOC - I recently was made aware of this poignant letter from Sullivan Ballou to his wife, Sarah, just before the Battle of Bull Run (American Civil War) and found it to be so moving.  I wanted to bring it into the romantic history of Eva's family.  It has been changed VERY little in the above passage for it stands alone as a testament of this great love.   For original wording please go to this Civil War site.

I further encourage you to listen to the reading from Ken Burns' Civil War series posted here:

 

Calling All Designers! BobbieThon is Coming!

This year is the third annual BoobieThon event in Second Life. A good history of BoobieThon can be found here

All the monies raised at BoobieThon.com go to Susan G. Komen Foundation (unless specified by donors to go to the BloggersSupportingBloggers charity). All the money we raise in SL goes directly to Komen.

To support the cause in Second Life we have many different events taking place in during the week of fund-raising (October 1-7, 2010).

* Art Auction - Oct 1st through Oct 6th

* Gypsy Caravan (with various gypsy themed events) - Oct 1st through Oct 7th

* Designer Vendors - Oct 1st through Oct 7th at the BoobieBall Pavilion

* BoobieBalls - Oct 2nd 10:30am UK Event ~ and ~ Oct 2nd 7:30pm US Event

* Educational Salons

- History of undergarments (specifically corsets and bras) - Oct 3rd 1pm

- Self Breast Exams and other prevention activities - Oct 3rd 3pm

* Rummage Sale - Oct 5th and 6th all day

* Burlesque for Breasts and Closing Ceremony - Oct 7th 7pm

For the designer vendors we are asking  interested designers to create one or more unique items - themed, if possible. And do feel free to use something similar to our dark raspberry color if you like (as seen in the event poster attached). Interested designers will be given a vendor to set up at the BoobieBall Pavilion, this is to ensure the security of the items permissions. The vendors are already set up to sell items with payment going to each designer and then rerouted to our treasurer (SavingSecondBase Searose). In this way, each designer can track sales and such.

Hopefully this is helpful information and please, PLEASE let us know if you have other questions - or any concerns. We will be so honored to have you be part of the event if you choose to do so.

Most Sincerely,

Eva Bellambi, Lady of Skye

and

Serra Anansi, Seneschelf of Winterfell

Saving Second Base is Planning BoobieThon 2010 Activities

Friday evening in Second Life found a committee of the group, Saving Second Base, in the Green Fairy pub in Winterfell discussing the serious issues surrounding the fun and irreverent fund-raising events planned for our 3rd Annual BoobieThon.

Miss Serra Anansi and I began raising money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation in conjunction with the real life BoobieThon back in 2008.  The often educational, but always humor-filled and enjoyable events have assisted in raising nearly $5000.00 US for breast cancer research and treatment in the last two years.  We are hopeful that 2010 will be even more successful.

For new readers of my blog, let me share a bit of history about BoobieThon in general.

www.boobiethon.com was started back in 2002 as a joke, really.  Several friends decided to use the power of the internet to help a newly divorced friend get a plan ticket to spend Thanksgiving with friends rather than alone.  The group easily raised the monies needed for the plane ticket ($359.00) and then having a greater appreciation for the good that was able to be done, they kept the site up.  In the words of the BoobieThon founder, Robyn Pollman:

It was then we realized that we had the power to really turn this into something real. Not a joke. But a way to save lives. The plane ticket was purchased as cheaply as possible and we kept the drive going to raise as much money as we possibly could for breast cancer. After all if we were going to use photos of boobies to raise money — we might as well try to save them along the way!

This is BoobieThon's 9th year and we in Second Life are proud to do even more to help support their efforts.  You will hear much more about everything that will be happening during the week of October 1-7, 2010, but here is a sampling of events:

• Art Auction - October 1-6, 2010
• BoobieBalls - October 2, 2010  10:30am-12:30pm SLT & 7:30p-9:30p SLT
• BoobieThon Salons - October 3, 2010
• Gypsy Caravan - October 1-7, 2010
• Designer Vendors - October 1-7, 2010
• Burlesque for Breasts - October 7, 2010 @ 7:00pm

We'll see you there!