She had horses who danced in their mothers’ arms.
She had horses who thought they were the sun and their bodies shone

and burned like stars.

She had horses who waltzed nightly on the moon.
She had horses who were much too shy, and kept quiet

in stalls of their own making.

She had some horses.

from… She Had Some Horses, Joy Harjo

1.

I did not grow up with horses, much to my chagrin.  I grew up in Detroit – where cars and freeways populated the landscape.  But I wanted to ride horses.  Of course I didn’t – not until much later.  Early on I dreamt about them, drew them, collected Breyer horse models.  There wasn’t the money or the inclination on the part of my parents to make my horse dreams happen.  Later on, when I did have the opportunities to ride – I loved it.  But it was never often enough for me to feel like I knew what I was doing.  If the horse I was riding decided to turn around and bolt back to the barn, I was helpless to do much.

So imagine my delight when a friend introduced me to a beautiful breed of horse in SL, the work of

Zed Avedon at Realistek.  I can ride them alone – or with someone else.  I can race them all over the sim.  They are always there for you to come and ride too.

By identifying with these dynamic, strong animals, Orenstein says, girls are expressing their own power.

“They’re all active, they’re all sources of power and motion and transformation,” she says.

Laurel Braitman, an MIT graduate student in the history of science who writes about animals and what we think about them, says girls’ fascination with these animals is more than power — the animals fuel girls’ imaginations.

“Horses and dolphins and unicorns — these are all borderland creatures; gateway animals to other worlds,” she says. “They help us imagine wonderful other ways of being in the world. They let us be cowgirls and oceanographers and mermaids and princesses.”  Peggy Orenstein

Horses from the Breyer collection.

2.

The comings and goings of people in SL is interesting to say the least.  Because time is so out of wack, relationships can be intense and fleeting, or spill over into other parts of other lives.  I spent a night in London with Boots – a SL friend who used to gallery hop in-world with me when I couldn’t sleep.   He took me to an underground (literally) bar that looked like Elvis Presley’s living room.  It made me laugh out loud all night.  We drank whiskey and did card tricks – and talked and talked and talked.  He delivered me back to where I was staying as the sun was rising, in one of those big black taxis.  I wouldn’t want to meet everyone I know in SL on this side of the screen.  But I don’t regret any of the meetings I’ve been lucky enough to have.

A Little Less Conversation

There’ve been quite a few reunions of late.  Recently, old friends reconvened for a full day of music.  Thanks to Sage Sautereau’s organizational skills; DJ Extrodinaire’s Mach V,  2ndThoughtsBrando, Briddy Boucher, Transient Zeluco (to name a few) provided live sets.  (click their names to link to their sets) Panning the room – global representation with Una Gackt, Nur Moo, Karizmah Avro, Dave Attenborough along with Morgan Kincess.  These are all folks I see rarely, always feel happier when I do. Pixel dancing  and laughing together in that way you only can with people you have spent multiple hours pixel dancing and laughing with.

Also reconnected with Miel Nirvana as well.  Miel has had a line of clothing in SL for quite a while.  I have a closet full of his clothes that I can no longer wear – and it bugs me to no end.  After a hiatus he as back – with a store here and on the marketplace here.
For creators who leave and come back, I suspect the changes that are ongoing in terms of fashion and technology can be daunting.  Miel sent over a pair of updated Miel Dandy Boots. and as all of his work – they are both attractive and fun.  Plus (coming full circle) they are great for riding horses.