Has It Been That Long?

Dot Lane, Standing Outside Her Home In Extropia

I'm not sure how an attention whore like myself missed it, but Dot Lane, Girl Reporter recently celebrated its first year of existence. Since the day completely passed me by, there were no parties, just me sitting at home hugging my pancake chair.

What has happened over the past year?

Well, to start, this blog has had over 10,000 unique visitors in a year. I find this astounding and while the traffic is nothing compared to most SL blogs, I'm pleased that I've carved out my own little spot in the world. I'm gratified yet embarrassed when people come up to me in public and say that they've read the blog. Having readers is truly a blessing: the blog has been the vehicle which has introduced me to some very dear friends and let me showcase the work of some of the amazingly talented artists working in SL. Without my friends and the hard work of others I'd have nothing to write about. Here's to the next year!

Here are a few posts of which I am particularly proud either for the words, the pictures, or just the fun:

One of my favorite photos.

The last (hopefully) "Are you pregnant?" post.

A bitch of gifts.

Two of my favorite people in SL.

A trifecta of cultural references.

Dot Lane buys a customized outfit.

Absent friends.

A few of my obsessions.

The outcry over thinspo.

My inability to hold down gainful employment.

If you are planning to vote for this man, just delete me from your friend list, okay?

Punked @ Fat Fannies

Punked @ Fat Fannies
Originally uploaded by Alabama Smalls

So what *exactly* does Dot Lane do when she's not blogging? Alabama Smalls caught me relaxing at Fat Fannies a few nights ago....you haven't been to the club yet? Well get your ass (fat, skinny, whatever) over there and join the fun!

I Forget, What Did John McCain Call His Wife?

Yes, he used the c-word. Just more straight talk I suppose....

Nerds! Nerdssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!

Kit did it, so of course I had to as well. And yes, if she jumped off a bridge I would, well, I would be the one who pushed her. Have you been to CKS Designs to see the super cute new clothes she's done?

And, in what is sure to be shock to everyone, here is my nerd type:

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Literature Nerd Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works. It's okay. I understand.
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Social Nerd
Drama Nerd
Musician
Artistic Nerd
Anime Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

A Bag Job

Dot Lane, As Seen With The Pre-Windlight Viewer

For some time, I've wanted to get a new laptop. My current laptop is old and not optimal for SL or, indeed, several other applications I like to run on a regular basis. That's not quite correct. I can't run them all *simultaneously* but I want what I want when I want it and if I need to run SL, iTunes, GIMP, and Open Office while streaming video, by G-d that's what I'm going to do. I've also seen the amazing pictures taken by Bella, Vidal, and others and want to get in the fun of enjoying SL in all of its shiny weathery atmospheric goodness.

I do have my hesitations. I know that Windlight requires a good deal of fine tuning to make it look right and that the high definition graphics come at a price. I mean, high def is something to be feared, right? Have you *seen* Cameron Diaz and other Hollywood stars in high definition? It's enough to make you long for the black and white Philco with a ten inch screen.

This afternoon I hustled myself off to Best Buy to purchase a new laptop. I've recently started a real job in real life and saved up some dollars to drop on a new system. I bought it (and was pleased to find out the price had dropped $100 since yesterday--this, along with the fact that the girl at the ice cream store dropped an extra shot of espresso in my chocolate espresso frappe for free because we had the same earrings, was the highlight of my day) and spent and hour loading software (Open Office, SL, GIMP, iTunes), updates (Windows, Norton, ATI Graphics Drivers), etc. and then finally signed onto SL. The picture above shows me in the old viewer, the one below in the new viewer without any changes. Let me just say I'm shocked at what the new viewer revealed! Here I thought I was the cutest thing on two legs and, as it turns out, I've had a bag over my head the whole time I've been in SL. I'd like to thank everyone for being polite enough not to mention my brown papery skin and makeup job which looks as if it were done by a three year old. I suppose once I fiddle with the settings some improvement will be noticeable. Seriously though, I should add that the gorgeous skin in the top picture is from Fleur, one of the Black Swan skins Ros and CJ recently released. I personally think it may be the best they've ever done and I suggest, nay order, you to go and buy it post haste while I try to figure out my bag problem.

Dot Lane As Seen In The Newest Viewer Version

In Which Dot and Flanner Speak With A Magic Eight Ball

Dot, Flanner, and a Collared Magic Eight Ball

Flanner came over today and we started talking......

[11:45] Flanner March: but i live in air conditioning, so i'm always cool and comfy. you, on the other hand...
[11:45] You: yes? what about me?
[11:46] You: what do you think of me magic eight ball?
[11:46] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Have you considered therapy?.
[11:46] Flanner March: well, you know, you don't live in air conditioning
[11:46] Flanner March: omg hahahaha
[11:46] Dot Lane laughs
[11:46] Flanner March: magic 8 ball, should Dot turn on her AC?
[11:46] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Go To Your Happy Place.
[11:46] Flanner March: lol
[11:46] You: have you considered spell check magic 8 ball?
[11:46] Flanner March: my happy place is air conditioned
[11:46] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Yes.
[11:46] Flanner March: wait
[11:46] Flanner March: lol
[11:47] You: is Flanner being imperious about air conditioning?
[11:47] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Not in a million years.
[11:47] Flanner March: ha!
[11:47] You: et tu Magic Eight Ball?
[11:47] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Get Real.
[11:47] Flanner March: forget what i said about the magic 8 ball being a bitch.
[11:47] Flanner March: we're bffs
[11:47] Flanner March: magic 8 ball, are we bffs?
[11:47] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Maybe.
[11:47] Flanner March: don't be coy with me
[11:48] You: do you want to marry Flanner magic eight ball?
[11:48] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: It is certain.
[11:48] Flanner March: awww
[11:48] Flanner March: we're meant to be
[11:48] Flanner March: you had me at "have you lost weight"
[11:48] You: lol
[11:49] Dot Lane eyes the magic eight ball suspiciously
[11:49] Flanner March pats it
[11:49] You: is it opposite day magic eight ball?
[11:49] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Get Real.
[11:49] You: hmmmm
[11:50] You: I don't know what's gotten into the magic eight ball....
[11:50] Flanner March: m8b, do you want to move in with me?
[11:50] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Are you kidding?.
[11:50] Flanner March: hey
[11:50] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Absolutely, without a doubt!.
[11:50] Flanner March: better
[11:50] You: but what about all the times I pleasured myself using you magic eight ball? won't you miss me?
[11:50] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Go To Your Happy Place.
[11:50] Flanner March chokes
[11:51] Flanner March: holy crap
[11:51] Flanner March: that's funny
[11:51] You: can I blog this?
[11:51] Flanner March: oh yes
[11:52] You: do you mind if I put this in the blog magic eight ball?
[11:52] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Have you considered therapy?.
[11:53] Flanner March: lol
[11:53] You: I give up
[11:53] You: she's all yours Flanner
[11:53] Flanner March: are you all mine, magic 8 ball?
[11:53] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Have you considered therapy?.
[11:53] Flanner March: damn, that's cold
[11:53] You: ohhhh
[11:53] You: maybe not
[11:53] You: shall we take you to Gor magic eight ball and enslave you?
[11:53] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: You call that a shake?, geez.
[11:54] Flanner March: hahahaha
[11:54] You: okay, I will try again
[11:54] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Maybe.
[11:54] Flanner March: do they make collars for magic 8 balls?
[11:54] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: You call that a shake?, geez.
[11:54] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Absolutely, without a doubt!.
[11:54] You: oh, you seemed mighty sure you wanted to move in with Flanner M8B
[11:54] You: give me an answer
[11:54] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: My sources say no.
[11:54] Flanner March: now i'm not so sure i want it
[11:54] Flanner March: or are you just playing hard to get?
[11:54] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Do you really want me to answer that?.
[11:54] Flanner March: yes
[11:54] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Most likely.
[11:54] Flanner March: boo
[11:55] Flanner March: will you do my laundry?
[11:55] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha.
[11:55] Flanner March: why doesn't that ever work?
[11:55] You: hmmm
[11:56] You: that collar doesn't really fit
[11:56] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: My sources say you're screwed.
[11:56] You: well shoot, I am, since it is no modify
[11:57] Flanner March: it seems like it would be against the laws of nature to collar a magic 8 ball
[11:57] Flanner March: don't you agree, m8b?
[11:59] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Get Real.
[11:59] Flanner March: lol
[12:00] You: there
[12:00] You: how do you like your collar M8B?
[12:00] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: It is certain.
[12:01] You: damn straight
[12:01] Flanner March: that sounded very gor, m8b
[12:01] You: is Flanner your new mistress M8B?
[12:01] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: My sources say no.
[12:01] Flanner March: !!!
[12:01] You: ungrateful orb!
[12:02] You: am I your mistress M8B?
[12:02] Magic 8 Ball - Pink whispers: Absolutely, without a doubt!.
[12:02] Flanner March: it's ok. i'm more egalitarian anyway
[12:02] Flanner March: rise up, m8b, and throw off the shackles of oppression!
[12:03] You: hey...don't give the M8B ideas!

Free Food? I'm There!

Dot Lane Eats A Flappe (Frappe) In Motomachi