Go4Goal Hunt starting!!

Paco Pooley and Manuel Ormidale have organised the Go4Goal Hunt to celebrate the World Soccer Championship taking place in South Africa, starting June 11 and ending July 11 (both the hunt and the championship). The hunt has been carefully planned and impeccably laid out. Everything is going smoothly without the usual last minute stress! Well done guys! LnL's hunt gift is already in-store, so drop by to pick it up. To get the updated hint, click the red "I"! This is a circular hunt, so you can start at LnL (store #34) and go on from there, if you like. The last store will have the landmark of store #1. Enjoy! :)

New release O-39!! WOW and double WOW!

Outfit 39 is an elegant unisex outfit in amazing tones of blue. The top and pants (mod to fit any shoewear) have been carefully designed resembling an elegant armour! This outfit also brings a flexi bottom coat and a collar both resizable to allow you for your personal fitting touch. The outfit is completed by a discreet neck button. Very elegant!

Ancient Investigators!

Dagmar Haiku is a member of LnL and with Steven, her partner, she writes in their blog Ancient Investigators. Three chapters of a lively story with an intricate plot and very interesting characters have been written. The story is enriched by a careful eye for detail and very cool pics. Outfits (LnL's as well), poses, locations enhance the reading experience. Do take a look at their blog and leave a comment. Great job, congratulations to Dagmar and Steven!

New lounge areas at LnL!

Gathering friends was always a priority at LnL! Now we are opening two new lounge area. To get to them, walk down the stairs from the store entrance (there will be a sim crossing downstairs where signalled, so expect a bit of lag). The new areas (photo above) are a bit further after the discussion lounge. Feel free to visit them, bring a friend, hang out. They are public! Come on over to LnL. :)

Of alts - questions and experiences!

Last Tuesday's discussion topic, was suggested by a long time friend of LnL, Lewis Luminos - alts in Second Life (SL). The title LnL gave to the discussion, "Zooming in on alts! - the reasons, the criticisms, the reality", suggested several approaches to the topic - Is having an alt a morally debatable issue? Is it a way to experiment with your identity or just a way to have fun? Alts (alternative accounts) are a very interesting topic in SL (Second Life). Often the object of criticism or curiosity, alts are always a door into another life. There are many reasons why residents create an alt, to be able to work without interruption, to be able to override the 25 group limit imposed by LnL for each avatar, to be a resource vault, for privacy reasons, to earn money, to avoid the reputation of their main avatar and even for spying purposes! Some unbelievable situations were mentioned that showed how the use of an alt can be extremely negative. On a positive note, it was also shown that an alt can be a great way to explore one's identity. Many mentioned that by creating an alt, they searched for and found interesting and unexpected sides of themselves. The therapeutic value of an alt was stressed and many interesting therapeutic uses of alts and SL were mentioned. Creating an alt is not an easy process, especially if you are trying to give it its own identity. It starts with choosing the name! The group agreed that it can be a rather long process or a rather short one, if residents are only looking for a work alt who will never become public. Another issue the group discussed was the multitude of alts (some of them bots used to create traffic) in SL. Most agreed that having a large number of alts made it too stressful a situation to manage, plus having not enough time imposed a lack of usage of several of the alts! As a conclusion, the topic of alts in SL is as intriguing as it is fascinating. SL is a world where identities are somewhat fluid and exploring new possibilities is certainly an enriching experience! May it be the source of fun and self-learning! Thank you to all who took part! It was an amazing group! Join us next time at LnL's Lounge for a new topic and a fun discussion among a group of friendly people and... perhaps their alts too! ;)

NEW Release at LnL - Outfit 38!

Outfit 38 is an outfit with a carefully designed texture in tones of black and red. It reveals LnL high standards in textures drawn by hand and higlighted in great detail! This outfit comes with a shirt, pants (mod to be worn with all types of shoewear), gloves, collar and a flexi coat bottom that adds movement and realism! It also brings an amazing cloak. All elements have been adjusted to the female and to the male avatar. The cloak, the collar and the coat bottom are all resizable to allow your personal touch for a perfect fit. Drop by LnL to check it out!

You are invited! New Hunts soon - Myths and Legends 2 and Go4Goal!

In only a few days, on May 15, starts the second edition of an amazing hunt - The Myths and Legends Hunt - Part 2 - organised by Special04 Magic and Resje Bailey! This hunt will feature several myths and legends chosen by the different stores. LnL has chosen the Greek god Hephaestus! You will find information about Hephaestus included in the hunt object! We are working on a very cool prize for all the hunters who visit us at LnL! Also coming up is the cool cool Go4Goal Hunt organised by Paco Pooley and Manuel Ormidale! Its motiv is the World Football Championship taking place in South Africa! This hunt will be lot of fun too! You are invited to drop by for a visit!

Discussion next Tuesday 2pm SLT- "Zooming in on alts! - the reasons, the criticisms, the reality"

Topic: "Zooming in on alts! - the reasons, the criticisms, the reality"
Time - Tuesday, May 11 2010 at 2pm SLT
Moderator: Lizzie Gudkov
Discussion: Is having an alt a morally debatable issue? Is it a way to experiment with your identity or just a way to have fun?
Location: LnL's Lounge

Thank you to Lewis Luminos for suggesting this topic!

Drop by to share your opinion! We are looking forward to seeing you! Join us! :)

Thank you!! :)

A big hug of thank you to Paco and Manu for the wonderful message on the 1st anniversary of LnL! :))

Discussion at LnL about Crisis alert! - Drama in Second Life"

Tuesday, May 4 at 2pm SLT, LnL's discussion group met to discuss the topic "Crisis alert! - Drama in Second Life". We started off with lots of questions, what is drama? Inexperience? Control? Fun?! Or even an addiction? And we had a fun and lively time! Defining drama was a bit difficult. It was suggested that it would be easier to define what was NOT drama instead, and how true that is! Yet we tried and most of us agreed that drama is generated mostly by the different expectations people have fueled by exaggeration and big (small) egos. Drama can also be increased by the lack of communication skills (although not all agreed with this), people's ego fragilities or the need to vent stress resulting from RL's (Real Life) problems. As to the influence of social networks, most didn't see the connection with Second Life (SL) and did not experience any drama coming from that. It was very interesting to see that, according to the group's experience, drama most frequently happens not from newbies nor from well established Second Life residents but rather from those who are in the middle of these two sides, those still trying to find their place. The group also talked briefly about griefers and their reasons to create drama -- the twisted fun of causing havok. It was very interesting to register that drama in SL is not always perceived as a bad thing, namely in some RP (roleplay) groups where drama is part of the twists and turns of RPing! Finally, we talked about some of the strategies to avoid drama -- TP away, avoid hanging out with strangers, avoid drama prone areas, respect the rules of RP groups, and... why not... be a good listener.

To conclude the discussion, and on a lighter tone, drama is a human inate characteristic and something that will never disappear! Yet, for the sake of SL's sanity, everyone should ponder about it a bit and... avoid it like the plague (or not...!). Join us next week at LnL's Lounge for a new topic and a fun discussion group where everyone is welcome!

NEW release at LnL - Outfit 37!

Outfit 37 is an amazing unisex outfit in red and gold with a detailed texture of unique richness. It includes a jacket (worn as a shirt layer), pants (mod so they can be worn with any type of shoewear), a coat bottom (adjusted to the female and male avatars), boots and a collar. Both the coat bottom and the collar are resizable as to allow your personal touch for perfect fit! Drop by LnL to check it out! :)

Discussion: Shapeshifting, soul changing?

This week's topic was "Shapeshifting, soul changing? - the in's and out's of change in SL (Second Life)!". Second Life allows for a lot of diversity and change. We talked about how big an impact this possibility has on all of us. Changing our avatar's shape tends to stir the most interesting reactions in others and in ourselves! The discussion was kick-started with the question "Why do we feel the need to "change" in SL? Simply because "we can" or is there something deeper?". It was interesting to see that most felt "change" in SL as fun and experimenting and not exactly as a "need". For some, change was also a test to others. The group talked a lot about how changing into an appearance that strides outside the norm triggers the most unexpected attitudes in others. Someone in a wheelchair or who has an avatar that goes outside the "norm" is often invisible. This generated a bit of debate as some didn't fully agree with it! The group also discussed how much one changes during the course of his/her SL experience. For some it was a matter of changing until they found their "look" that, in a way, is their identity, finding it now difficult and awkward to have a different look by changing something as simple as a skin. For others, change was an integral part of existing in SL, something that made things far more interesting. Does change transfer from SL to RL, not only physically but psychological/emotionally too? Everyone agreed that it does. It may be in small things, such as a new found clothing style, or in extremely important issues like feeling more confident for instance. As a conclusion, the ability to change is a very important part of being alive, both in RL (Real Life) and in SL. It should also be reason for enjoyment in SL and not finger-pointing. Wouldn't it be great if SL could give a big push towards understanding and tolerance in what our outer (and inner too!) shape is? Join us next time at LnL for a new topic anda lively and interesting group of people! Looking forward to seeing you! :)

One year anniversary at LnL!

April 22 2009. London and I had just changed our SL life completely for reasons that went beyond our choices. Scattered all over the grid were our friends. With no place to meet, we felt that a good way to stay in touch would be to create a group. And that was how L&L Square was born, a square where we could "meet"! After many unexpected turns, LnL became a brand as well. A very small clothing store was opened at first with TShirts only. Then we felt the need to expand considering the good feedback and results we got. The collection started offering complete outfits as well. April 22 2010, LnL continues to gather people, its starting objective, through events, for instance a weekly discussion group open to the whole grid, the participation in hunts, the creation of special environments for the hunters to enjoy a more immersive experience, a few parties, and there are plans to grow even more! There will be an extension to the store (check out the composit London prepared for the blog!!) with a new, totally different, line of clothes that will be absolutely amazing! It was a great year and London and I wish to thank you all for making it possible and for taking part in this wonderful project!

Discussion "The Love Word - relationships in SL"!!

The topic for Tuesday of last week was "The Love word! - relationships in SL". A relationship is in itself a very complex issue. Add to that the SL-factor and it might become something unpredictable! The group started by talking about what drives the beginning of an Second Life (SL) relationship. Some defended that it is the same as in Real Life (RL) while others believed that factors like anonimity or geographical distance are crucial for people to feel bolder. Having the possibility of total privacy in SL makes it possible to not waste time on trivialities and people tend to be more direct, talking about their feelings and emotions. Sex seems to be possible more easily as well, some defended. The group talked a lot about fantasy in SL. Is an SL relationship a fantasy? All agreed that it is what one intends it to be, fantasy or reality, despite the fact that when expectations are different from one partner to the other that might be the cause for serious problems both in SL and in RL. Regarding intimacy in SL, all agreed there is indeed intimacy, although this was not an easy concept to define. To the question, what makes SL relationships work, things like open communication, honesty and respect were mentioned. For some the relationship stays in SL, for other RL is inevitably a part of SL, changing it and influencing it. To the fact that SL relationships seem to be fast-paced, starting and ending quickly, some suggested spending too much time together was a stress factor while others pointed out that there are close to no consequences if a relationship collapses. This was a very interesting and lively discussion! Many new faces attended and a lot of familiar ones as well! It was great fun! Join us next time for a new topic at LnL's Lounge! :)

Discussion April 6 at 2pm SLT - postponed!

UPDATED: Due to RL taking over, this discussion will be postponed one week. It will take place on April 20 at 2pm SLT.

Topic "The Love word! - relationships in SL"
Time: Tuesday, April 6 at 2pm SLT
Discussion: A relationship is in itself a very complex issue. Add to that the SL-factor and it might become something unimaginable! What drives them? What kills them? Are they irrealistic? Why the drama in many of them?
Drop by LnL's Lounge to discuss the rocky paths and the sweet sides of relationships in SL. We are looking forward to seeing you! :)

Enileda Hunt on till April 15!

The Enileda Hunt is on till April 15 and it is so much fun! This photo is of the set up LnL has for the hunt! It's hidden! ;) We dare you to find it! Do click the red "I" at Landing Point to get info about the ongoing hunts, for example the object you are looking for and hints! Come on over to LnL!

The hunting continues! Enjoy!

Here is an update on the ongoing and future hunts!

Ongoing:
*The Enileda Hunt - until April 15
*Irontail Hunt - until April 30
*MHOH - until April 30

Future:
* DarkKatz Hunt - starts May 1o
* Myths and Legends Hunt 2 - starts May 15
* Go4Goal Hunt - starts June 11

As you get to LnL, make sure to click the red "I" to get a notecard with plenty of info about the ongoing hunts, namely the object you are looking for and hints! Have fun with the cool prizes we have prepared for you!

Discussion on Communication in Second Life!

Tuesday we met at LnL's Lounge to talk about the topic "What?! I'll mute you... - Communication in SL!" (great picture London prepared for the blog! Thank you, thank you!!). Communication in general and especially in SL, with its constraints and limitations, is one of the most fascinating issues! This was a very interesting and lively discussion! Again a great group and a lot of interesting opinions. Everyone thought that communication in SL is complex, not to say difficult! Anonimity seems to open the door to a more informal speech which for many reasons create misunderstandings. For non-native speakers of the language that is being spoken in a particular moment/location, have an added difficulty when verbal language is the main means of communication. On non-verbal communication, the group agreed that gestures and emoting help make things clearer. There is a lot of "noise" in the communication flow in SL. For example, IMing, notices, the use of voice by people we are not talking to, group chats. The group thought all this information was positive but that it demanded an extra effort from all of us. To end the discussion, the group suggested ways of improving communication in Second Life: listening before speaking, being respectful, using full sentences (for example for those who are not native-speakers or those less used to all the abbreviations that are common in SL/online), being empathic, kind and understanding. As a conclusion, communication is absolutely vital for all social interaction. Giving a bit of thought to the way we say things in SL might be the difference between a stressful catastrophe and making sure all sides are being heard and understood. :) Drop by LnL next Tuesday at 2pm SLT to discuss a new topic!

10 000 plus visitors!!!

More than TEN THOUSAND visitors at LnL!! WOOOHOOO!! The counter was set up in January of this year! Isn't it amazing? Thank you to all who have given LnL support and friendship! :)

NEW Release at LnL - Outfit 36!!

Outfit 36 is an amazing unisex outfit in tones of salmon and black. This elegant outfit has a top that evokes an armour, gloves and pants (mod so they can be worn with different types of shoewear). It also brings a flexi bottom skirt and a collar. The final touch is a pair of boots. All the accessories come with a resizable feature for a perfect fit. Drop by LnL to check it out! :)