Simple stuff for a simple Monday. I hope everyone survived their Monday, the beginning of the week is always such a drag. Luckily for me I still get that second weekend starting tomorrow! Looking forward to a really good set of pictures for tomorrow, or at least that is the plan. As for tonight, its raiding, massive amounts of time with Sands when our RLs are quiet, and an evening filled with laughter. I hope everyone has the same because hey, you made it through Monday!!

Dina's Duds (n stuff):
CnS The Pipe
Top: TorridWear
Shorts: Fri.Day
Hair: Fri.Day
Skin: Belleza

I love this woman, I don't think I talk about her enough, but this here crazy blond by my side is Kerra. Yep, that's her, infamous now aren't ya! I've known Kerra for almost 8 years, met her online and our friendship has remained strong and true through men, kids, and online insane fun! We logged in today to find some trouble and ended up on the phone laughing until the tears streamed down our faces with this amazing new studio. Well, new to me! Oh, I didn't even realizde it at the time but I did in fact take these pictures in a demo skin. Oops, SL ate it and I cant remember what its called but I will be popping over to Belleza to get it at some point tonight. See, when you really like a skin you even forget you have the demo on hahaha.

This studio is by Scribble and I think its the best handful of lindens I have ever spent! Included is a large variety of frames, backgrounds, poses and its so adjustable and simple even the newest photo booth addict can use it. Even better (see below) you can well, scribble on it!!! Of course, be sure to be careful when you go afk to take a phone call. Sands, these pictures are indeed your fault! The laughter that ensued after is all Kerra's fault. Gawd love the poor people at plurk that always grab popcorn when she and I are talking and plurking away. People like this make SL a true escape, the fantasy world that we have all come to embrace and pour ourselves into. She is true to what you see is what you get, always honest and absolutely hysterical. Again, I love her, she is closer than family and 'gets' me in every single way. I hope everyone has a friend or two like this, and that you have had a fabulous weekend with them and those you love. Looking forward to a great week of SLing, EQing, Plurking and Blogging...hope ya join me on the wild ride!

Dina's Duds:
Studio: Scribble
Dress: Prelude
Hair: Zero Style
Skin: Belleza

Kerra's Duds:
Hair: Magika
Skin: Redgrave
Pants: Gypsy Soul
Top: Stellar

The debate this Friday, just a simple LOTD or put my fingers to the keys and ramble about any ole thing that comes to mind. I seriously should start a new blog for my non-sense rambling, but since I don't exactly have the time to keep up with that many blogs, you are stuck! Oh shame, I'm sorry!

This has been a pretty good week, to be honest, even if it did start out a lil bit bumpy. Though trash day is Thursday around here, I took the trash out early in the week and with less toxic waste in my life I feel like 'this house is clean' and I couldn't be happier about it! I am once again focusing at least a small portion of my SL time to doing the same with my inventory, even going so far as to delete entire folders of certain designers clothing because in all honesty, if I know I am never going to wear it because its not me, or not created well, why hold onto it? It just means I am having to shuffle through more junk to get to the things I actually like, and those things just arent getting worn. With an inventory like this, that is a lot of stuff just sitting there unused and well, thats just unacceptable!

I believe I first logged into SL today to go look for a better skybox, peeked into my panted outfit folder and just tossed this on but I absolutely love the look. The flipped up collar leaves a bit to be desired, I keep wishing I could flip it down, but this adorable shirt and pants from eLDee is very much *me*. It comes in a variety of colors, both the shirts and the pants, with prim pieces for the sleeves and that collar.

I'm wearing a hair that, quite honestly, I love but it just doesn't work with my dash board bobble sized and shaped head. Maitreya creates fabulous hairs, I simply cannot wear them. A bit of a good angle and this one worked well enough though! I think its the forehead I don't handle well, I prefer hair with bangs and it is really rare that I find a hair bangless that I can wear. The shoes are, of course, Shiny Things, the bag is from LeLutka and one of the only half a dozen bags I even own. Instead of hunts, I should shoe/jewelry/bag shop. This sounds like a really good plan for Friday afternoon or the weekend!

In all honesty, I have two 'weekends'. One in the middle of the real week that I get to spend with Sands, and quite frankly that goes by too fast and is too short. This past 'weekend' with him was amazing and I am a lil bit sad today that it was over so quickly. After having him in my ears for so long, it seems so quiet now. Poor guy though, stuck with me rambling in voice! Even after hours in skype he still keeps calling, and texting....I suppose being stuck with me isn't so bad after all! I must be doing something right to have so much of his undivided attention, when you find something that is just 'right' its...amazing. Yep, thats my first weekend, then the other is the real weekend that I spend so deeply buried by RL that I hardly see the light of an SL day! I will keep trying to sneak in a LOTD, and curse you all with a bit more rambling. Who just groaned?!

All kidding aside, I hope that everyone has a fabulous Friday night and that your weekend is filled with happiness and fun times with those you love...RL, SL, and every L in between! Be warned, I am on the hunt for a new skin, random demo-toting images to come. That is, in between my own hours of escape with people that *I* love. Its nice to be surrounded by only them, its going to be a great weekend again!

Dina's Duds:
Outfit: :::eLDee:::
Hair: Maitreya
Bag: LeLutka
Shoes: Shiny Things
Skin: Redgrave

I picked this up a while back and just now found it again in my inventory. The things you find when you start to organize, again, for the gabillionth time! Of course, once I tossed it on and started working on the picture I stopped that organizing nonsense.... will try that again in the morning! This hot to trot lil dress is by Malt, an old time favorite hair by Zero Style and from my favorite shoe designer, these are the super novas by Shiny Things. Pose by Imagen and furniture pieces by Not So Bad and Sky Designs finish off the credits, and that's about all I have the energy for this morning. Staying up until almost 7 am in an instance with Sands and then a quick nap once the kids are off probably wasn't my brightest move...but I had a blast and got a few upgrades last night! Wait, this morning, something like that. Hmm, maybe its nap time again! Hope everyone is having a great Thursday, the weekend is almost here! Lets go!

Dina's Duds
Dress: Malt
Shoes: Shiny Things
Pose: Imagen
Skin: Redgrave
Hair: Zero Style
Furniture: Not So Bad & Sky Everett Designs

Things are completely too busy today to do any sort of long blog post, I know aww shame such disappointment huh! I went and revisted one of my old time favorite stores this morning. Besides Mischief, Nyte N Day has been in my inventory since just about day one of my SL time. I remember their sim that they shared long ago with other, now huge, stores. Never failing to please, I picked up a few things and decided this simple but elegant look would be perfect for todays look of the day.

Back to my grind in EQ2 and spending an amazing 'weekend' with Sands. Snuck this post in while he was chatting about tanking and other things I happily remain clueless on! Just point me in the right direction so I can keel it!! I hope everyone is having a fabulous hump day, and that your week ends wonderfully. See you in something else tomorrow!

Dina's Duds
Dress: Nyte N Day
Hair: Truth
Pose: Diesel Works

I was going to leave this one for tomorrow, but this way I get to do another LOTD instead! I actually went through and attempted to organize my inventory after the last couple of months of pure shopping, no organizing. I found this adorable (and my favorite, PINK) skirt from Elate to start off with then dug through my shirt folder for this innocent n sweet top by Pink. Tossed on the fastest pair of silver shoes I could find, by Armidi and thought this was of course the perfect look to slip on my favorite Persenickety glasses. All links and store names will be updated next time I log in, this is just a quicky! Today started out a bit rough, but is going to end perfectly, I know it. Wishing you all a fabulous evening and beautiful Sunday!

Dina's Duds
Shirt: PINK
Skirt: Elate
Shoes: Armidi
Skin: Redgrave
Hair: Yuki
Glasses: Persenickety
Pose: LAP

I had a very different entry thought out for this morning, but as I don't seem to have a lot of time before I may be gone for a while I have to cut it a bit shorter than I had planned. Hopefully I will be home and more informed by this evening, but just in case? I also planned a very different outfit, and picture, but I will have to do those when I get back. Again, hopefully that means tomorrow! A handful of people know of the RL situation I am dealing with, and this morning should bring a bit more progress in that issue being handled. Today though, I know I don't say thank you to people enough, I really should work on that...so here is my start.

Some of my most important thank you's go directly out to two of the most amazing friends I could ever even wish for. Kerra and Fae have been there by my side over the years in ways I cannot even begin to describe, offered support when I least expected it and showed me in no uncertain terms what true friends are really all about. Through tears, laughter, and everything in between you two mean more to me than you might realize. I am lucky enough to live close to Kerra now (after 7 years of being friends online) and I get to pester Fae on a daily basis, when we each have time through our hectic lives. They have each taught me so much about myself, and help me grow along the way, a simple thank you seems to be so little. "The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him, his own." -Benjamin Disraeli

Obviously, a far greater thank you needs to be said to Sands, and I don't think I say it enough. Yesterday I said a bit of a goodbye to the past and the anguish people have been attempting to force us to hold on to. There was so much I wanted to say, but I figured I had plenty of time to do so, right? This morning I remembered you cant just sit back and wait for the 'time' you think you have ahead of you. Since this is my SL blog, my comments and thoughts are all related to people there in, leave your assumptions at the door, the thank you's here are well deserved.


Since there are so many people out there that tend to judge people based on their interactions with others, I suppose you should judge him and us by this. The last few months have been simply amazing. We have had a couple of ups and downs, yet in the end we realize the downs aren't because of us, but the things that used to surround us and try to bring us down. I was startled the day he told me that 'Even at our worst, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me.' Our worst? What worst?

"Your words are my food, your breath my wine. You are everything to me." He brings out so much in me that I thought was gone a long time ago, and I will forever be thankful for it. He offers unconditional love, support, compassion and passion, so much so I wish I could get the world to see him the way I do. To understand the man that I have found myself head over heels and crazy in love with. Every day I get to start with his voice in my ears, telling me good morning and how much he loves me. Every night I get to talk to him until he literally passes out, then struggle to hang up the phone just to sleep. We both have very busy RL's, but find ways to keep in touch, the fast messages and break time phone calls. Which would be far less if it wasn't for him doing all of the calling to pay for the long sessions of me rambling like a goof!

I could go on for days, seriously, about the way we laugh (and oh how I love to hear him laugh) and when I can hear that he is smiling (which he is still surprised by, hey, I just *know* you love). Its never ending, or at least we both hope it is. In the end, I want simply to give him back everything that was taken from him over the last few years, more than I dare to list. I also want to give him things he never thought he could even dare to ask for, be and fulfill his every fantasy, comfort him instead of pushing him over the edge, and show him what real love is. He deserves it, I deserve it, and to sum up an overly long post.... You have my love and devotion for as many years as you care to put up with me. Sorry, yer kinda stuck with me.... thank you for being thrilled with the notion!

I know, longer than I intended, and yet I still didn't say everything I wanted to. Just take some time today, look around and think about why you treat people the way you do, why you judge or have the opinions you have of them and then remember...you could be absolutely completely wrong. I am thankful I took a chance and opened myself up to what has been given to me, so I ask that people stop expecting me to get hurt. Stop waiting for some insane drama that just isn't going to happen. I am not a victim, I am someone right where I belong, with the man I was created to love. Right now, at this point in my life, I am happy. I am happy with Sands, I adore him and look forward to my escape with him every day. I have so many things left that I want to say or do, there just isn't enough time anymore. Never take your time for granted, and always tell those around you that you love them and whisper a simple, from the heart.....thank you.

*whispering* I love you Sands, now and always, thank you for bringing this to my life and for being...amazing.

Dina's Duds
Dress: Evies Closet
Wings: Material Squirrel
Hair: Truth
Skin: Redgrave
Poses: LAP

Needed a bit of a pool side distraction this evening as I wait for the day to end and Sands to come home. While almost all of our 'game' time together is spent in EQ2, we both still hold forever a fondness for the world we met in, here in Second Life. Many people have a few preconceived notions about him, myself, even our relationship and instead of fighting against it tooth and nail, I figure its time to just let people judge as they wish and get back on track to just being me. No amount of discussion is going to change peoples minds if they have already taken the word of someone else about how a person is, so isn't it just a waste of energy to focus on it? I saw an amazing quote posted today that has helped me to refocus on the people and things that matter most.

"The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present." Barbara De Angelis (Plurked by Berry)

There is no need to holding onto a past that makes you unhappy, no purpose in focusing on things that may have brought you pain. So today's shots are taken with the setting of a painful past falling behind me without even turning back for a final view. Holding onto an amazing future and a life filled with only love, passion and joy. Looking forward to and wishing everyone a fabulous weekend. May your SL and every life in between bring you everything you need to find happiness, starting...now.

Dina's Duds
Hair: ETD
Skin: Redgrave
Top: Decoy
Skirt: +KiiToS!!+
Shoes: Maitreya
Jewelry: Balderdash
Pose: Imagen

Another very simple post today, been extremely busy as we prepare to send little people back to school. Ahh, summer is almost over, I'm so looking forward to Autumn! This beautiful dress is a the current group gift for Ingenue. Wearing a new hair from Truth and fabulous shoes from Shiny Things (who is, by far, my favorite shoe store to date) this is me sneaking even closer to fall. I've never been fond of summer, too hot, I love the cooler seasons and I thought this reflected that perfectly. The image is a little dark, but I was just playing with a few new things this afternoon. For a better view be sure to stop by Ingenue.

Dina's Duds
Dress: Group gift by Ingenue
Hair: Truth
Shoes: Shiny Things
Skin: Redgrave
Pose: Tuli

I don't often blog about freebies, since there is a vast amount of bloggers out there that focus on them. However, I received this as a group gift from Mischief and knew it would make GI. Why? Mischief was one of the first designers that I fell in absolute love with, years and years ago. Janie has always brought SL an amazing selection of outfits as well as separates, and my inventory is a happier place for the massive folder of things I have from her. I left on the hair from Truth from my last blog post, and tossed on those flats from ::EmJay:: I mentioned. Love them, of course she sent me pink! Will be picking up the fat pack today!

Just a bonus image today, its a quiet day here and I find myself missing someone (Love you Sands) far more when my world is calm. Its a good thing I have so much going on to keep me busy, or you all would be tortured with pictures like this more often! Wishing you all a fabulous week, filled with love and busy moments that keep you happy! I can't wait to see what this week will bring!

Dina's Duds
Outfit: Group Gift by Mischief
Shoes: ::EmJay::
Hair: Truth
Pose: Vain
Skin: Redgrave

Simplicity is the name of the game these days. Log in, do a bit of chatting, shopping, inventory digging. The designer of ::EmJay:: was awesome enough to send me these adorable jeans to play in, I am always looking forward to the pieces she comes out with. I *just* this moment got her latest release, watch for it next, le drool! The top is by NoaR, and absolutely the most comfortable looking thing in my inventory to date! I don't wear bags often enough, so I snagged this huge tote by ETD and put on matching flats by 50 Flats to sum up the outfit. Fingered through locks by Truth tops off the look for a bit of shopping and hanging out with friends, enjoying the last days of summer. Really, in SL, what could be better?

Dina's Duds
Top: NoaR
Jeans: ::EmJay::
Hair: Truth
Skin: Redgrave
Shoes: 50 Flats
Bag: ETD

Summer is heading towards its end here, even though we never really did get a lot of heat its been beautiful out lately and called for a lot of picnics and outside time. Because I live right off of a lake in RL, I get to be waterside as often as we would like so I adore taking pictures like these in SL where it so closely matches what I see around me. I believe I've used this table and bench in the past, it is by D-Lab and they have a bunch of pieces I plan to return and pick up soon too.

The table and the benches each come with a few poses, as well as the picnic items shown here. Its one of my favorite outside sets and I have so many now! The outfit, this is something I would so wear in RL and its adorable!! Since this summer wasn't nearly as hot as I am used to, I could seriously see myself sitting by the lake in this, the question really is...whats on the lunch menu?!