Saturday, March 15, 2014

Are You Going to STEAM IX in Second Life?


Not all those who wander are lost.

J. R. R. Tolkien

  

          Well, it’s that time of the year again!
          Spring is getting closer.  (At least for some of you.) Getting out and about after spending the winters indoors becomes more appealing.  (Significant Other can’t wait.) Meeting friends and doing things with the Sun on our faces can happen once again.
          All these things occur both in Real Life (RL) and Second Life (SL). 
          One of those things that occurs every year at this time is the only remaining Victorian STEAMpunk Hunt in SL, namely STEAM IX!  
          Continuing in my unbroken stream since STEAM VIII and STEAM VII (I sometimes go walkabout inworld and miss events.  Significant Other says I’m guilty of this in RL too.  What can I say other than I tend to wander.)  I’m here to blog about this year’s STEAM event which runs from March 1st to 31st across the Grid. 
          Once again, Perryn Peterson has outdone himself in organizing this event and bring together many merchants and residents to partake in all that SL has to offer. 
          The starting location for the Hunt is the Steampunk Information Center in Mieville.  From here hunters begin their hunts across 126 stops with 124 vendors participating all with gifts for them.  This year’s theme is “Romancing the STEAM” and if past Hunts are any guide, the merchants will be very creative in their offerings.
          Participation has been very good so far.
          Perryn reports that over 10,000 residents visited the starting point on the first weekend which was a new record for Mielville with over 1,000 actually starting the Hunt.  The kickoff party was held simultaneously with the Mardi Gras party and over 6,000 attended that.  (As I’ve reported before, Perryn does know how to throw a party!)  He also reports that this has been the smoothest kick off yet for a Hunt.
          There are new merchants and several are already in the running for the Fave Five trophies awarded to those merchants cited as being the best by the hunters.  So, maybe there’ll be some surprises this year! 
          For more information, there are a blog and website.  Pictures of the merchants’ gifts can be seen on the former, details of the Hunt at the latter.
          My old friend, Glorf Bulmer, has returned to SL and as is her custom has completed the entire Hunt (Glorf’s an overachiever.) and has reported on the gifts in her blog which I recommend to all!
          There is still time to visit the Hunt and see all the hard work and wonderful gifts from Perryn and the merchants.  So, please come and enjoy!  Tell ‘em web sent you! 
          Maybe we’ll meet there! 
My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.
          As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.    

I’ve included below links to a few pictures of the Steampunk Information Center.  Hopefully, you get the sense of all that happens in Mieville there. 
I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life
please click here.

 
Photo No. 1 Starting location

Photo No. 2 STEAM IX Poster






Photo No. 8 Perryn Peterson  

 

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