What Happened to Aero Pines?

By Bixyl Shuftan

It's been months since we've reported about Areo Pines. This place in Second Life was noted for it's nature scenery, horseback riding, and holding special events across the year, such as it's 9/11 Stairclimb Tribute events and it's Superbowl parties. But over the years, the sims were slowly trimmed back until there were just a few left. It's sad to say that when I went to check up on the place during the Thanksgiving holiday, the place was gone from the map.

When I talked to Aero's former owner, Cindy Bolero, she told me she had turned the place over to someone else in 2015, "and early this year, January I think, she closed the park and redesigned the sims. I was out with eye surgeries n' stuff for a year, and this year been working on CERTsimulator, the FEMA disaster management and practice virtual world I've been working towards for five years."

Besides real life challenges, there were other reasons for her giving up Aero Pines. The money and management was one, "(It) was much work and great expense. ... So many different languages. It was a lot of work to do translations of all our information." But another was the change in the people who were coming over, "We were getting (a) huge amount of visitors in recent years, but it wasn't the same. ... it became mostly men preying on our endless supply of day old females. There was no more community feel, just a meat market." She does still hear from a few friends from previous happier times about the park, but times have changed, "Now I host private VWs profressionaly serving good causes, instead of just playtime."

But Aero isn't completely gone, "I never really announced it closed, but I have announced that its moved." She had gotten a place on the Sinespace grid, and duplicated part of the park there, but it hasn't been worked on in a while, "I haven't had a chance to upgrade it. It's still in winter from 2016. ... there may be a 12th annual Winter Festival if I get time to improve the sinespace version. I have to go on travel this week for a FEMA program management training. So many worlds, so little time. (smile)"

I did take a short trip into Sinespace to check out Aero Pines, or Winter Festival as it's called there. Going about on that virtual world is a bit different than Second Life, but I got there and was able to get a sled ride. But hopping off I was back where I started from. Sinespace takes some getting used to.

Sadly, it looks like a great area in Second Life has now become part of it's past, with that's left of it in another virtual world and pictures on it's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aero_pines_park/

Bixyl Shuftan

A Musical Sunday

Last Sunday on Feb 26th, I went to a couple music events that I happened to just hear about. The first I stopped by at was an ABBA tribute at Anvaya Cove after getting a notice in a group.

From Keras Karas, Hey guys!!! There is a great tribute concert ABBA at my sim. IF you guys love ABBA, this is a MUST SEE event! Come join us for some fun. (smile)

I went over, and the place was packed. With 55 avatars, there must have been a lot of ABBA fans on the Grid.

Friday night and the lights are low,
Looking out for a place to go,
Where they play the right music, getting in the swing,
You come in to look for a king,

Anybody could be that guy,
Night is young and the music's high,
With a bit of rock music, everything is fine,
You're in the mood for a dance,
And when you get the chance,

You are the dancing queen,
Young and sweet, only seventeen,
Dancing queen, feel the beat
From the tambourine, oh yeah,

You can dance, you can jive,
Having the time of your life,
Ooh see that girl, watch that scene,
Dig in the dancing queen.

As the event went on, tribute band members Dragonfire17 Ghost, Belyse, Aude Tylman, Kristen Katrina, Littlejohn2 Deed, Jaguar Pearl, and PJ Wasp continued to perform.

The event went on a little past the two hours scheduled, but eventually, it came to a close.

At the end, thanks were given to all involved in the concert, THANK YOU KATIA KERES TO PRODUCE THE SHOW OF TONIGHT ON YOUR LAND .... PJ ON GUITAR ** JAGUAR ON KEYBOARD ** DRAGONFIRE ON PIANO ** BELYSE ON BASS GUITAR **LITTLE JOHN ON DRUM **** KRISTINA AND AUDE THE SINGER ABBA ******* THE BAND ON STAGE APPLAUSE THEM .
So I say,
Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing,
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing,
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty,
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say,
thank you for the music,
For giving it to me.

Feb 26 was also the last day of the Metaverse Music Expo in Areo Pines Park. Cindy Bolero told me it had been going on since the 22nd, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the main events.

"The Metaverse Music Expo is intended to expose new avatars or avatars not already aware of live performances in Second Life, as well as serves as at networking mechanism for musicians and singers, connecting them with music professionals, venues, as well as a conference for marketing, technology, and artist development. By popular demand, the expo has been extended another week so visitors can still catch some live music and explore the expo grounds. ... Its been an amazing collection of talent and enthusiasm, over 80 performers during three days, with a new act every 30 min."

Around the area were "lemonade stands" which took donations for charity against cancer. One of the people involved, Lillith Siamendes, told me they had plans to repeat the event next year.

Sadly, the day was a bit overshadowed by events with Linden Lab, so publishing was delayed until now.

Bixyl Shuftan