L'Amour Diversity Magazine Issue 22 February 2019

ISSUE 22, FEBRUARY 2019

Celebrating uniqueness not trends!

The Models of L’Amour Diversity Presents LUST THROUGH THE AGES

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Issue 22 February, 2019 | L’Amour Diversity Magazine

L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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Publisher’s Note I wanted to start off this Publisher’s Note with a bit of a funny anecdote. I know a few people named Cassie, one of them is Cassie Casandra1961, who I work with managing Classy N Sassy as Blogger Manager, etc. The other one is Cassie (cassianamorigi) who has been a friend for awhile in Second Life.

What is so funny about it, is that I get busy and am usually trying to get stuff done and 90% of the time, I think I am talking to Cassie from Classy N Sassy and giving her updates and then I see I am talking to Cassie (cassianamorigi). This Cassie always says, “Wrong Cassie, Ava.” If I paid a dollar for every time I did this, cassianamorgi would be a rich woman. I easily get people’s names confused, because my brain is always going five different places at once. Sometimes, I even call my own children by each others names. It’s hell getting old LOL. Despite my tendency to get names confused, we have a great magazine for the month of February for all the readers of Diversity Magazine. We had a great sit down with Morgan Whitfield of the Care & Hope Center, we have brought you an amazing Editorial this month in the theme of, Lust Through the Ages, with our good friends Classy N Sassy and Face Paint. Finally, L’Amour Diversity is sponsoring a new Styling Competition with Jude Tatham called the Best of Me, and much much more.

So you know the drill readers, grab something to drink whether it be a cocktail or something warm for a cold winter night and enjoy the magazine.

n i m a h Ava J

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Issue 22 February, 2019 | L’Amour Diversity Magazine

L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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Celebrating uniqueness not trends!

ISSUE 22, FEBRUARY 2019

STAFF PUBLISHER/EDITOR Ava Jhamin EDITOR IN CHIEF Rienna Lenoir FASHION EDITOR Trinity Aironaut WRITERS Ava Jhamin Jude Tatham Rienna Lenoir PHOTOGRAPHERS Trinity Aironaut Ava Jhamin KakarotNoSantou Soulcrack3r Jude Tatham Nani Xue DIVERSITY MODELS Trinity Aironaut, Resmay Bloodstorm, Hadley Carrington Vichonette Constantine, Ava Jhamin, Rienna Lenoir, Jude Tatham, VanessaDelRio Underwood, Nani Xue

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The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher. ®2019 L'Amour Productions. All rights reserved.

Second Life™ is a registered trademark of Linden Research, Inc.

Issue 22 February, 2019 | L’Amour Diversity Magazine

Editor’s Note

As I sit here writing this issue's Editor's Note, it's Valentine's Day in most countries of the world. Valentine's Day has always been my favorite holiday, not for the same reasons as for most women, however. Valentine's Day comes four days after my birthday, so my mother always made it very special for me and tied it in with my birthday. She would decorate my room in Valentine's Day colors with hearts and decorations for my birthday, and it always made me feel very loved. She set the bar pretty high for the holiday.

This being said, I'm pretty easy going when it comes to Valentine's Day, I just appreciate taking the time to acknowledge that special someone in my life. I know many people think it's the height of ridiculousness to take a day basically created by Hallmark to show someone you love them, because as they all say, "it should be shown daily." Well, to them, I say, "noted," however, I see nothing wrong with taking an additional day beyond the everyday, to make a point of expressing what someone means to you.

the carnage, there's nothing left but a careless whisper and our lust for life and each other and the promise not to disappear. You're cooler than ever.

I am starting my third year of helping to bring L'Amour Diversity to you and this time we are bringing you the most enormous issue I have worked on yet.

We have a jam packed read of great articles for you. We have an interview with SL singer, Say Imamu by Ava Jhamin, Jude Tatham brings us another highlight of a club she really enjoyed called Totally 80s, as well as an article she wrote about the January Blues and how the end of the holiday season can affect many people in a very real way.

We have coverage of the first three weeks of MMI and finally, I wrote an article featuring a special place in my SL world called Mindy's. It's a build my friends and I put together and I wanted to share it with you all. I hope you all have a great Valentine's Day and enjoy the February 2019 issue of L'Amour Diversity Magazine! See you in April!

Since it is Valentine's Day, I am including a bit of my own love letter to the prince in my life. When the bloodbath ends and you're able to rid yourself of L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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Table of Contents

10 MMI Meet the Contestants Meet the MMI Contestants for 2019 as they answer questions and walk in Who Wore it Better!

28 Editorial - CNS & Face Paint Take a journey through time in Lust Through the Ages with the models of L’Amour Diversity wearing CNS & Face Paint

76 Say Imamu Interview An interview with singer Say Imamu A Live Singer Who Has What It Takes

84 Mindy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers See this fantastic restaurant that our Editor in Chief, Rienna Lenoir and her friends have built in Second Life

98 Valentine’s Day Stories Rienna Lenoir brings us some anecdotes from Valentine’s Day that she found on the web.

104 The Care & Hope Center Ava talks with Morgan Whitfield, owner of SL’s Domestic Violence Support Center

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112 Jude’s Jewels Go clubbing with Diversity’s own Jude Tatham, as she shows us Totally 80s club in SL.

120 January Blues

Feeling down after the holidays? Learn about the January Blues from Jude Tatham

124 MMI - Pose-Off Challenge Challenge 2 of MMI 2019 was quite a battle as the contestants go against each other in this year’s Pose-Off.

142 The Winter Dreams Show See the pictures from this amazing show featuring Face Paint, Zibska and Chop Zuey.

148 MMI - Represent Challenge 3 of MMI 2019 when the contestants show us who they are.

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Meet The Contestants of MMI - 2019

I decided to really be on board as far as documenting MMI 2019. I asked the contestants all the same questions I ask every year, to get a feel for who each of them are. I have to say in the 5 years of doing MMI so far, the first walk for me went the best of any in the last 5 years.

I was very beyond proud of all of the contestants.

Every year people drop out part way through the competition. Some quit because of RL, others become disillusioned by what they expected it to be and some simply get intimidated and pull out. It makes me sad to lose contestants, but it is part of every year.

The reason it makes me sad, is because to me, MMI isnt about whether or not you win, it's all about the friendships and and the fact that no one comes out of MMI the same way they went in when they see it through. The potential for learning things is just to great and when people take advantage of that aspect, and stay in it through the entire eight weeks, they can’t help but change.

This year’s contestants are as follows, in no particular order: Jan Bacon (Jan1 Ying) Lola Bacon Capalini (lolapandoraresident1) Tequila Mockingbird (Tequila Krovac) Richard De Grataine Souh (RichardGrataineSuoh) Harmony Blackhawk (Harmony2017) Kυshy Kloud (MadameKerli) LeAnn Clawtooth (Jaztone) Hadley (HadleyCarrington) Cynthia Lenoir (Cinzia Barzane) Sheila Schridde (sheilasiren) Balhem Soulstar

So, are their responses to the contestant questionnaire for MMI 2019 Question #1 Why did you decide to join MMI? Jan: I decided to join MMI as it is the first competition in SL that - states, “be yourself." I was ready to challenge myself and go outside my comfort zone; I have not competed in close to 2 years this is a benchmark for me.

Lola: I joined MMI 2019 to challenge myself as a model and remove myself from the comfort zone that I have put myself into.

Tequila: One of my favorite activities is mixing and matching items to create unique outfits. Even when I have not been related to the fashion world in the past, this contest interested me because it felt like an opportunity to challenge my talent for creating this kind of styling in an environment that is beyond the vintage world I normally interact with.

I am particularly interested in bringing back a taste of the Jazz Age style into contemporary fashion in order to deliver a sophisticated and elegant image. I see too revealing clothes as a sign of submissiveness. We are living an Era in which women’s image is being re-framed and I see fashion as a powerful tool to start drawing what this new woman should portray.

Richard: I was aware of the contest from Ava, while working on one of the shows she organizes. I really enjoyed working with her so when the registration was opened I signed up. I came from another contest where I had realized how much you learn in that kind of event. It is true that they involve a lot of stress, and some economic effort, but they really amplify your inventiveness, polish your skills as a stylist and help you improve in other fields such as photography.

Harmony: As a personal challenge for myself and to gain experience.

Kushy: I joined because you get to represent yourself, style, and talent in this competition. This is my first competition and I could not pass up the opportunity to try my hand at representing who I really am. Other reasons I joined are: • working alongside aspiring and professional models • getting priceless information and tips to better ourselves • being critiqued by highly skilled eagle eye judges, and finally the possibility of being crowned for all your hard work.

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LeAnn: The experience I had last year was a growing one. I decided to join again this year to keep on that path I started in modeling and to use what I'd learned from last year and apply it this year. For me, this is a platform to continue to learn and improve as a model.

Hadley: I couldn't wait for MMI time again. I did it last year, and it was so much fun going through all the challenges (and I DO mean challenges!) It stretches your potential and broadens your styling you might have never thought of before!

Cynthia: I just did the Graduation, when I received the invitation from Rienna, I was really excited.

Sheila: It was my friends from L'Amour who urged and persuaded me to join MMI 2019. I was told that the deadline had been extended, so I gave in my pics just a few hours before the extended deadline ended.

Balhem: I decided to join MMI as I have not been in a competition in the past and with me deciding to start modeling more than DJ’ing I would give it a try. Who knows maybe I might learn something that I didn't know i would enjoy.

Question #2 How was it for you to go to the first Contestant Meeting Jan: Very comfortable. The organization was very informative - provided testimonials from other contestants - I had no issues Lola: The first contestant meeting was very informative and hearing from former MMI contestants put me at ease in knowing i was doing the right thing.

Tequila: It was scary to be the only avatar with some kind of realistic height. I live in Berlin 1920's and all the environment in that sim is carefully designed to have realistic proportions. With around 6.40 feet/1.90 mts. height, I am a tall woman not only in that city,

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but also considering proportions in the real world. Yet, I am the shortest avi among the contestants. I see this as a disadvantage that challenges me to deliver my best in order to stand out.

Apart from this subjective first impression, the meeting was very clear and informative.

Richard: I think it is very important that we meet and share concerns, questions, ideas ... And above all that we make a feedback of the last challenge made. Personally, the feedback of the judges in the two challenges, the Casual and Who Wore It Better, has been of great use to me.

Harmony: I felt very comfortable. The seat poses were very laid back and relaxing, which had a welcoming effect.

Kushy: I was very nervous and was not sure how it would go. I was sitting in a room full of experienced beauty and skill from various backgrounds, all awaiting results and instructions for the first challenge. If I could, I would have melted in a virtual puddle but that may have been counted against me, not to mention the mopping that would have to be done after.

When we finally received the information, I was very determined and motivated to see what I could do.

LeAnn: The contest meetings are there to discuss what we've learned and express what we see from that week. There is always something to take away from those meetings to help on improvement.

Hadley: It is a really fun way to meet new model friends...who don't mind if sometimes ALL you do is talk about fashion :) Cynthia: For me it was all new, but all the expectations were wonderful, I would recommend everyone to participate.

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Sheila: It was a good meeting. I met my fellow contestants, made friends with them and listened to presentations from past contestants. It was fun and very enlightening.

another perspective the works of them and my own I could write down several points where I can improve or contribute with different things. After receiving the feedback from the judges I had confirmation that I was on the right track to improve as a model and stylist.

Balhem: I was anxious to see how things would go, got the instructions and was a Regarding the challenge itself, working bit frustrated as they were asking us to do with an element to incorporate into your things that I had not done before and was outfit is one of the things that amuses me not really interested in learning, but it did teach me a new basics of a skillset.

Question #3 What did you feel about the first challenge “Who Wore It Better?�

Jan: I thought it was a great way to allow us to show our true potential by experimenting with styles and looks they've never even seen. It's a great way to push us!

Lola: The first challenge was fun, it allowed me to be creative in my styling, while staying true to who i am as a model.

Tequila: I had a lot of fun with this challenge because it made me think outside the box. I was confused at first, thinking that the snowman was just a prop to make the photo with, but when I understood that it was meant to actually wear it, ideas began to drop from my imagination like a waterfall. Now, while I love the styling side of the contest, this challenge helped me see my areas of opportunity and understanding that poses and runway are just as important as style and photo. I am confident I will at least learn a lot of new skills through the process of this contest and I am really excited about it.

Richard: When I was in back, waiting for the show to begin, I was very confident in my work, but I began to review the work of my competitors. Seeing with

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the most within preparing one style. It is incredible the amount of different outfits that can be assembled from the same bases!

Harmony: To be honest, I let myself down with silly mistakes when I know better! But the theme was fun and has made me want to take up learning a bit about textures so I can at least

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experiment more with my outfits Kushy: There were all sorts of emotions going into the first challenge. I was very nervous at one point, then anxious, frightened, giggly, a bit gassy, dopey, sleepy, then calmed down when I had finished my walk on the day of the competition. It was tough but a learning experience. I had to run to the Internet and research how to do things and we

and beneficial - looking back at it, after participating last year - it made me think outside my box and seeing the other contestants makes you work harder to have as much fun with this whimsical challenge.

Cynthia: I was very happy and excited. I love fashion and everything that involves being present, in reality I study to become a make-up artist, it is a constant to test yourself and improve yourself, the emotion was very strong, my heart was beating fast.

Sheila: I simply loved the theme and the conceptualization of the challenge. It was creative, yet fun. A lot of thought and planning had gone behind the challenge, it tested both, our creative abilities and our fashion and style sense.

Balhem: It’s hard to know what the judges are looking for, one will like something, and then the next judge will blast you for that very thing. You can also get dinged for things that are not your doing, so even then you have to make trade-offs. It is probably just me, but sometimes it just feels like there is no rhyme or reason on knowing what to do.

Question #4 What was your impression of the first feedback meeting you attended?

Jan: I felt it was objective - there was no bias in the feedback - actually gave were encouraged to ask for help as well so me insights into further improvements there were plenty of resources. outside the competition.

LeAnn: I loved it! All of the competitions are excellent and the ideas and thoughts that go into planning them, as well as the contestants imaginations never ceases to amaze me.

Hadley: I thought this was so exciting

Lola: The feedback meeting was alright.

It’s easier to read the feedback from the judges.

Tequila: I was expecting more on the feedback time than on the briefing of the next challenge. I understand both items

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are important for the development of the contest, but in my opinion there were some contestants that were just arguing too much about the rules of the next challenge that the time for feedback got consumed and we did not have the chance to carefully read our NCs and make questions, which I also consider important in order to understand better the areas of opportunity we have.

Richard: I think that little by little we will be united between us. Sure, it's a competition and that leads us to share less, which saddens me.

But just talking to colleagues, share impressions and be honest about what we feel and express are a big step to end this contest with a good group of friends, which for me, is really worth it in Second Life .

Harmony: It was fine as we are all here to learn from our mistakes so I wasn't nervous at all and the meeting had valid points to learn from.

Kushy: The first feedback meeting was a virtual nail biting experience for me. I have to admit, I have always had an issue with criticism but have worked on looking at it in another way. Once I received the information, I was able to calm down. The feedback highlighted what was good about what I did and what was not, which pushed me to fix those areas.

LeAnn: Always take what you can use, and leave the rest. I always learn something new that I can use.

Hadley: I think it is a great way to learn about our scores and ask questions. Having guest speakers also helps us understand a lot of the processes. I also like that it's a "free

zone" and we can do or ask whatever we want without repercussions.

Cynthia: At the beginning I had a good feedback, even though I had a problem with the attachment of the snowman. I love photography, and styling. Some small misunderstanding because of my English, but I will try to do my best always.

Sheila: Excellent feedback meeting.

Liked the way, I got detailed feedback and scores. And surprisingly, I did well and was in the top 5, so for me, the meeting was even better and more memorable :) Balhem: The main thing i got from feedback is that you are not going to be able to make all the judges happy, just figure out if there is something that all of them say, to try and work on, accept that one will give you bad scores and ignore it. I am glad for the chance at feedback, but sometimes I feel that if what you are trying to say isn’t understood, that eventually you have to just give up because you are holding up everyone else that’s there.

Question #5 What is your overall impression of MMI so far?

Jan: So far, I really like the way the show is run, the way we can learn so much, and actually building outfits is amazing and challenging. We also have incredible mentors and judges.

The mentors are always there to help, and the judges help with the comments on your scorecard. If I don't win this year, I'll be trying next year again so WATCH OUT! :) Lola: Right now, everything is fun, but we are still in the early stages of the event. I'm sure as the weeks go

on, it will get harder and people’s true personalities will start showing.

Tequila: I see professionalism and knowledge in regards the skills that need to be mastered in order to become a world class model. I am happy to be sharing this experience with you.

have fun together.

Sheila: My overall impression of MMI so far, is that it is a very well conceptualized, well planned and managed pageant. Each challenge has been carefully designed to test each contestants creative skills, and modeling abilities.

Richard: Sincerely, great! It is a pity that MMI tests the contestants styling talent, it is a contest less known than others, their creativity, and modeling walks because the dynamics that it has, the atmosphere and the illusion that I see, I think very good. I would recommend everyone to participate in order to have fun, meet people and improve as a model and stylist.

Harmony: I am enjoying it as I am learning new things which is a good thing and it’s good for me to get out of my comfort zone and push my capabilities.

Kushy: MMI is challenging, especially since this is the first competition I have been in. It forces you to put in the work in order to make it to the finale and hopefully be crowned the winner. It also helps everyone push their skills past the comfort zone and mold them into legends.

LeAnn: I am enjoying this year much more than last, mainly because I want to do this for me this time. I want to grow and learn and improve and everyone is so open to communication.

Hadley: Fun - very friendly - there is a competition but at the moment everyone is really just having fun.

and poses to the extreme. It is a very intensive modeling pageant as it not only encompasses modeling, but also designing, styling and over creativity of the Cynthia: MMI was created with careful contestants. In order to do well in MMI, care, and passion from the organizers. I the contestants have to give in their 200% love the atmosphere that you breathe in and all their time, effort and energies into MMI, it is not a real competition, you learn each challenge. So all in all, MMI is a very a lot and things, and above all there is rigorous and intense pageant. harmony, friendship and a great desire to

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Balhem: Competitions may not be for everyone. I am not sure if they are for me.

I have found it frustrating and aggravating.

One time you are told something, and you change it and then you are told its a bad thing. If you care about winning you may be too competitive for your own good, but you are suppose to try your best, and sometimes that just makes people upset at you.

get out of my own head as well. You may find out that a scoring system based on people’s opinions is not for you, or you may find out that the friendships and the experience of learning, the thrill that you may do well, but not the need to do well, is right for you. The best I can say is to give it a try. Hopefully it will be the perfect fit for you, and you will be able to get the full enjoyment that something like MMI should be able to bring you.

Ava: I would like to take the time to thank all of the contestants for all of their hard work and honesty in doing this article.

I just want to add this. This may seem like a harsh review of everything so far, and maybe it is. I am only saying these things because I am asked to be honest and I am trying to be just that. I do not want anyone to get the idea that they shouldn't do MMI. Everyone will have their own unique experience. Everyone needs to try and get outside of their own box, and as everyone keeps telling me, to L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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Spotlight Story Once again, Trinity and I were brainstorming on what we would like to do for the Editorial for February. I knew the lingerie show was going to be coming to L'Amour Productions in April 2019, with Classy N Sassy and Face Paint Makeup and Face Paint Style. At the same time, Trinity and I also decided to add someone to the L’Amour family, to help Trinity and I with photoshoots.

I am happy to announce that

we have added Nani Xue to the L’Amour Diversity Family, who has been one of my dearest friends forever. Some of the readers might have seen a story she did in last months issue about how she met her RL husband on Second Life and how she has just come back to Second Life after a five year break.

Nani will be doing green screen shots of the models, so then Trin can edit them for the final piece that goes into the magazine. We

will see what the future hold for this elite to the lowliest of slaves, and dynamic duo. cross-culturally, in this issue of L’Amour Diversity Magazine, we’re I thought how fun it would be to do bringing you the sultriest, sexiest, a lingerie segment featuring lust most romantically-charged tales through the ages. Women of the throughout the annals of time. world have tried to lure their “Mr. Right,” going all the way back to the Bringing history to life, through the days of cavewomen dressing up in eyes of lovers, noblemen, priests, skimpy ensembles of fur and bones. warriors, sailors or stone carvers, the famous or the infamous. The From Stone Age caves to Feudal erotica can be from mild to wild, towers; coliseum changing rooms just as long as the romance shines through. to wooden ship cabins; from the

Roman Era Sex in Ancient Rome was found in art and literature. Ovid once wrote, “offered a sexless heaven, I'd say, ‘no thank you,’ women are such sweet hell."

It is believed that the poet Propertius wrote in great detail about his sexual relations with his lover, a courtesan named, Hostia.

An erotic stucco mosaic from Pompeii features a couple having sex sitting down. Christianized Rome was not as tolerant about promiscuity as Republican and Imperial Rome.

Dauphin wrote: “The advent of Christianity upset this delicate equilibrium. By forbidding married men to have concubines on pain of corporal punishment, canon law elaborated at Church councils took away from this triangular system one of its three components. Henceforth, there remained only the wife and the courtesan.”

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Rienna Lenoir Rienna Roman Goddess from Face Paint Style

Prehistoric Era I get visions of Raquel Welch in the 1966 movie classic, One Million Years B.C., even though I know there are really no known facts about sexuality in the caveman days. I feel educated guesses would include a free for all, but I also picture men in a sense, afraid to leave the women folk behind when they went on hunts. I do imagine though, that it was more than just skimpy loincloths and aggression.

There's also prehistoric art which, much like art in the 21st century, reveals a lot about the culture that made it. Examining all of these factors reveals that lovemaking in the era of cavemen, was probably more similar to that of modern times than you might imagine.

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Ava Jhamin Loana Musquash from Classy N Sassy

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Baroque Era Art and Ambiguity - the Sensual and the Erotic: examines the subtle tension between the role of sensuality within religious iconography and the piety of the early-modern period. In 1524, the engraver, Marcantonio Raimondi, famous for his prints after works of the painter, Raphael, published a series of scandalous engravings that vividly depicted sixteen sexual positions.

It should be no surprise that during the cultural awakening of the European Renaissance, many also felt free to leave the closets of the Dark Ages and explore their sexuality. Such forbidden desires underpinned some of the greatest art of the day, from Shakespearean sonnets to great Italian sculpture. Love letters and contemporary accounts reveal some of the gay romances that prudish historians would later forget, ignore, or actively conceal.

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Trinity Aironaut Renaissance Baroque 40 Issue 22 February, 2019 Era | L’Amour Diversity Magazine

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Medieval Era Medieval historical legend has it that lust was defined in that era with chastity as well as the introduction of the Chastity belt, a locking item of clothing designed to prevent sexual intervourse or masturbation. Such belts were reportedly designed for women, to protect then from rape or sexual partners and from temptation. Although, looking more into the story, historians actually now believe that the popularly referenced locking device was more myth than fact as it appears to be missing entirely from any sort of factual historical report.

Medievalist Albrecht Classen wrote a book about the topic outlining that there aren’t actually all that many pictures or accounts of the use of chastity belts, and even fewer physical specimens.

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Nani Xue Gemma from Classy N Sassy

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Viking Era Most think of Vikings as the brutes of the Dark Ages, but this is a misunderstanding of their role in history. Family life was important to Norse men and it was important to them to marry and have children. Courtship in Norse culture, was more about alliances than love.

Attempts to achieve what the Norse called ‘inn matki munr’ (‘the mighty passion’), were intricate and involved specific rituals. If a girl wanted to show her man she liked him, she made him a shirt. As for Viking men, they would go out and handpick their lady a bunch of purple flowers- and then slap her around the face with it! Also sex before marriage was acceptable for Vikings and homosexuality was permitted within limits.

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Rienna Lenoir Astyra by Classy N Sassy

Futuristic Era Intimacy is not just about taking off your clothes and getting sexual. You can have sexual experiences that are not intimate. I can imagine in the future having sensors embedded in the body that would share emotional states and foster deeper level of intimacy.

I think a lot is to be said for the “software side” of us, as humans. We have an understanding of the hardware of our brain, but less of our “software side.” Could you imagine having to plug into an emotional interface, where you possibly would not even need another human being to be either physical or emotionally involved? Something to think about for sure.

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Vichonette Constantine Diva Pearl Classy N Sassy

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Egyptian Era Egyptian mythology is replete with various Egyptian gods and goddesses, such as, Bastet, the goddess of felines, love, protection, perfume, beauty, and dance; Bes, god of music, love and dance; Min, god of reproduction, love, and sexual pleasure.

Probably one of the best known goddesses was Aphrodite, who was the greek goddess of love and sexuality and she took her job very seriously.

A festival was held in her honor, appropriately called Aphrodisiac. At her temple in Corinth, revelers often paid tribute to Aphrodite by having rambunctious sex with her priestesses. Like many Greek dieties, Aphrodite spent a lot of time meddling in the lives of humans, especially their love lives–and was instrumental in the cause of the Trojan War.

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Hadley Carrington Hadley Egyptian by Face Paint

Industrial Era Known as American Renaissance-Industrial or the Gilded Age, a period following the Civil War (from 1877 to 1893), was a time of economic growth and industrialization. This was an age of our country’s greed and political corruption, which called out our country's greed and political corruption hidden beneath a thin layer of gold, hence Gilded Age. For women, the Gilded Age was a transitional mixed bag of Victorian morality, loveless marriages, the birth of the women's rights movement, and the invention of the vibrator.

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Jude Tatham Jude Industrial Outfit from Face Paint

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Modern Era I think in today’s society, and again with computers increasingly taking over our lives; a lot of men and women, especially millennials, have begun using apps such as Tinder, typically known as a way to “hook up.” Traditional dating and the period of “getting to know each other,” seems to be a thing of the past. It seems that the trend leans towards “if the chemistry is there, no strings attached” lust and sex. There is a lot that has changed over the last 10 years in our sexual evolution. More labels have been coined too, such as transgender, pansexual, omnisexul and gone are the days of just gay, lesbian and hetrosexual, or dare we say, monogomy.

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VanessaDelRio Underwood Urban- Flur by Classy N Sassy

Victorian Era The life of a woman in the Victorian era was very stifling indeed, first a young girl was not educated on anything but being a proper housewife and mother. The age for a girl to marry was between 10-13 years old and once she was married, the girl essentially became the property of her husband and was totally subjected to him. In that era, a woman’s sole role was to be a mother and wife.

Under the code of “Victorian Morality” she was not to enjoy sex with her husband for pleasure, but was expected to only have intercourse with her husband to produce an heir, and she was to discourage any kind of intimate physical contact with her husband. However the women’s fashions of the time were designed to be pleasing to the eyes of men, yet also by design to be very restrictive for any kind of work, and torturously uncomfortable.

This static existence of women, and the lack of sexual attention from their husbands, led to extreme sexual tension, which in the 1800’s was diagnosed as “Hysteria” and classified as “womb disease” by Victorian doctors, who never clearly defined the true cause of this “disease” from which upper class Victorian women seemed to be suffering.

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Resmay Bloodstorm Resmay Victorian by Face Paint

PHOTOGR

RAPHY BY SOULCRACK3R

Out on the Grid By: Ava Jhamin

Say A Live Singer Wh

Imamu ho Has What It Takes

I met Say Imamu (adusayimamu) a few years ago, when a friend brought me over to hear him sing. This singer is real. He plays, has fun with his audience and for me, is just the real deal when you think of a live singer on Second Life.

I have wanted to do a story on Say for a long time, but he isn't the easiest man to get a hold of, between gigs and RL.

Ava: What inspires you in your signing Say? Say: Other people's singing mostly, I'm inspired by other people's artistry. When I hear a person "turn" a note a certain way, when I hear the power, a singer puts in a song, when I hear how a vocalist works the hell out of a lyric, that stuff inspires me.

I was finally able to sit down with this funloving charismatic gentleman that is Say. Ava: The question I always ask first, how did you come to Second Life, Say? Say: I've answered it a million times, too. I wish I could just record it and press play. LOL I was a serious player of The Sims video game. One day I saw a documentary about Second Life on the Oprah Winfrey Network. I said to myself "Wow, the Sims on steroids. With real people!" I was in.

Ava: Can you tell our readers what you did when you first came to Second Life?

Say: Well, I wandered around around for a long time. Then, there was that time I was shown the Xcite! Store! I’m kidding.

Anyway, when playing The Sims, you’re given a career path, you complete tasks to gain new levels of success. In SL, it wasn't like that at all. So, I kind of tried my hand at different things, none of them very Ava: I know you get asked this by people successfully I might add, until I discovered all the time, but what do you do about the live singing in SL. ladies fawning all over you?

Ava: Are You a singer in real life?

Say: Do about it? You say it like it's a bad thing. LOL, I enjoy the attention and Say: No, I'm not. But am I really? LOL. The adulation and it's returned 10-fold with answer is yes, all my life. I know people every note and song. I sing for the people say that, but my mother used to tell me who come to hear me. that I was humming a song when I was three that she used to sing when she was Ava: Can you explain to the readers the still pregnant with me. So yeah, all my life. process of picking the songs you choose?

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Say: Good question, songs must speak to me, I never pick a song because it's popular. I pick songs that have depth and heart and style. If I hear a song that a "singer's singer" recorded, I'm going to attempt it.

Ava: Have you ever been asked to do a song that you just did not like?

Say: Plenty of times.

silly or sing a song they love, and it takes their mind off whatever was weighing them down. That's a responsibility I take very seriously.

Ava: What do you want the people to take away from listening to you in Second Life, Say? Say: Hmmm. Music is the key to happiness.

Ava: Do you have a favorite song you like to sing?

Say: It changes now and again however, when the soprano boy shows up, I love to sing Phyllis Hyman's "Meet Me on the Moon."

Thank you Say for sitting down with me and letting the readers of Diversity get to know a bit about the person behind the amazing voice.

Calendar Sound Cloud

Ava: What satisfaction do you get from singing in Second Life?

Say: Honestly, it's two-fold; looking out into the audience and being humbled by the fact that these people could be anywhere on the grid, they could be doing anything else, but they chose to spend that hour listening to me. It's a blessing that touches me to the core. The second part is when someone needs their spirits lifted, and they hear me say something L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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MINDY’S OLD FASHIO

ONED HAMBURGERS

BY: RIENNA LENOIR

A few of my very closest friends and I like to go driving in Second Life on mainland sims in our free time. One night, we were talking about going driving, and one of our group said she wanted to drive to Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers for their 4 for $4 deal. Wendy’s, for those of you who may not know, is an American iconic fast food restaurant that is as well known in America as McDonald’s or Burger King.

They are famous for their square burgers, thicker than average fries and their softserve ice cream in a cup called the Frosty.

They were also the first American fast

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food chain to truly make a burger exactly how the patron wanted it made.

We spent a bit of time searching for a sim that might offer us a Wendy’s we could drive to, and were unable to find one.

So, I got the idea to find a mainland sim for rent and to try to build one quickly as a surprise and then take them to it and drive to it. My idea for a “quick little gag” to make my friends laugh, ended up becoming a group project that we all contributed to and now the whole thing has taken on a life of its own and become

Issue 22 February, 2019 | L’Amour Diversity Magazine

a permanent spot in SL. Having never rented a mainland parcel before, I searched the SL forums for mainland parcels for rent. I ran across one that seemed like it would be the right size, although the location wasnt the best for our needs because it was at the bottom of the hill by the water and it was surrounded by abandoned land and other owned properties. Nevertheless, I went ahead and rented it and purchased the only Wendy’s building available on the SL Marketplace and set about trying to get

everything in place so we would still have time left in the evening for the real fun... driving!

Once I got the land rented and purchased the building, I began trying to set it up and soon realized that with the way the land was situated and that the seats in the building I had purchased had no sit poses in them. At this point, I made the call to let my friends into my plans and ask for their help. We spent the next five hours working with the landlord to get the rights we needed for terraforming and

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building and purchasing and placing all of because it was situated by the water, the elements needed to build the perfect rather than the road, and it was built Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers. on a hill, we had to park our vehicle in a neighboring parking lot and schlep our way across the abandoned land to the Needless to say, we never got our drive in that night, but as is often true when door of the restaurant. The front door my friends and I start a project of this was not level with the ground because nature, what we did end up with was of the slope underneath the building, so we had to hop up into it in those first few a functioning fast food restaurant that weeks because it took up the entire width had working booths and placemats that give food, a working drink station that of the parcel, so there wasnt even room to build stairs or a ramp in order to resolve serves sodas and coffee and we were pretty proud of ourselves. The only thing the slope problem. that wasnt great for us, was the fact that

We did make the drive to the restaurant the following night, and that was an adventure in itself. Driving on mainland is quite challenging because sim crossings can be violent and cause all manner of crazy things to happen. But, it is great fun and we all really enjoy doing it together.

a ramp or some stairs at the doorway, so I asked the landlord if she would be willing to purchase some of the abandoned land that was at the parcel line. She agreed, but then we started talking about it, and I cammed around the area and noticed that there was a fairly large area that was also abandoned right by the road. I asked We had put so much time and effort into her if she would be willing to purchase a building our Wendy’s that we couldnt bear space in that area large enough for us to to tear it down after we drove to it, so we move the restaurant to so that it would be left it there. A few weeks later, I decided if right by the road. Much to our delight, she we were going to keep the place, I’d really agreed. like to at least have enough space to build

lot. Once that was set, we got the building moved and at the end of another four or five hour night of building and creativity, we had a new and improved version of our original build, complete with outdoor seating, a reader board sign, and even disabled parking! We went to town this time, and added trash cans outside, and trees and bushes and I even had two custom Frosty machines made by Michelle Woodget (Michelle011997), who owns “Michelle’s” which she modified for In the new location, we got the idea to put us from her existing soft serve machine so that it dispensed the iconic yellow a prim underneath the building so that the entire thing was level with the road, cups that the real Wendy’s restaurant and that became the basis of our parking has, which sit behind our counter in the It took a couple of weeks to get everything purchased and settled, but finally our moving day arrived and we were able to reestablish our build on the new parcel. I was seriously dreading the move, because I thought we would have to do all of that work over again, but thankfully, one of the people in our group was very skilled at getting it all moved so that we didnt have to painstakingly put everything back in its place.

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kitchen area.

For Christmas, my friends decorated with lights and various Christmas decorations around the facility and we like the lights so well, we plan to leave them up year round. We have decided to try to add the restaurant to a couple of the HUDbased driving programs that are in SL and because of that, we have rebranded the restaurant from Wendy’s to Mindy’s and have changed all the signage to reflect the new name, so that we can keep the place legal, since “Wendy’s” is a copyrighted name. We have also added an official Mindy’s mascot named Mindy, who will

eventually be scripted to greet people as they come in the door.

While not all of the region neighbors have appreciated our giant red building with the flashing lights, we are all very proud of what we have created in Second Life, and we have enjoyed seeing people come and have a “meal” or just hang out with friends. All are welcome to come check the place out and to have fun with it. You can get there by the Slurl, but it’s much more fun to drive along route 9 to the Wombat region and find it yourself!

Slurl: Mindy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers

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Just For Fun

11 Hilarious Valentine’s Day Stories Published in Reader’s Digest Canada

Every year, we do something surroundi issue of L’Amour Diversity Magazine. We from around the world, and even the da day celebration of love. This year, I want googled “Valentine’s Day stories” and he search brought back.

Perfect Puns

a science library. He came in every week to read the latest journals and eventually “As Valentine’s Day approached, I tried to decided to take out the librarian instead of the books. After a year and a half of think of an unusual gift for my husband.

When I discovered that his favourite red- dating, he showed up at the library and plaid pants had a broken zipper, I thought started rummaging through my desk. I asked what he was looking for, but he I had the perfect Valentine. I had the didn’t answer. pants repaired, and gift-wrapped them.

On the package I put a huge red heart on which I printed: My Heart Pants for You. Finally he unearthed one of the rubber I was the surprised one, however, when I stamps I used to identify reference books. saw the same heart taped to our formerly ‘Since I couldn’t find the right engagement ring,’ he said, ‘this will have to do,’ and empty, but now overflowing, wood box. he firmly stamped my hand. Across my On it he had written: Wood You Be My Valentine?” knuckles, in capital letters, it read NOT FOR CIRCULATION.” “Driving through Southern California, I High-Tech Romance stopped at a roadside stand that sold fruit, vegetables and crafts. As I went to pay, I noticed the young woman behind “My boyfriend and I met online and we’d the counter was painting a sign. ‘Why the been dating for over a year. I introduced new sign?’ I asked. ‘My boyfriend didn’t Hans to my uncle, who was fascinated by approve of the old one,’ she said. When I the fact that we met over the Internet. He glanced at what hung above the counter, asked Hans what kind of line he had used to pick me up. Ever the geek, Hans naively I understood. It declared: Local Honey replied, ‘I just used a regular 56K modem.’”

Dates Nuts.”

Check-Out Romance

Sexy Nightgown

“I met my husband while I was working in “The lingerie store where my aunt works

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s You Won’t Believe Are True

ing Valentine’s day in the February e have done Valentine’s Day traditions ark history surrounding the modern ted to do something different so, I ere are some snippets from what my

was crowded with shoppers selecting Valentine’s Day gifts for their wives.

A young businessman came to the register with a lacy black negligee. My aunt noticed that the next customer, an elderly farmer, was holding a long flannel nightgown and kept glancing at the younger man’s sexier choice. When it was his turn, the farmer placed the nightgown on the counter. ‘Would you have anything in black flannel?’ he asked.”

9-5 Love “My husband, a certified public accountant, works 15-hour days for the first few months of the year. In spite of his hectic schedule, he took time out to order me flowers for Valentine’s Day. While pondering what sweet endearment to write on the card, he obviously began thinking of the many hours of work still ahead of him. His note read: ‘Roses are red, violets are blue. If I weren’t thinking of you, I’d probably be through.’”

More Than a Greeting Card “My friend Mark and I work in a lawn-

mower-parts warehouse. Somehow Mark got the idea that his wife did not want a card on Valentine’s Day, but when he spoke to her on the phone he discovered she was expecting one. Not having time to buy a card on his way home, Mark was in a quandary. Then he looked at the lawn-mower trade magazines scattered around the office—and got an idea. Using scissors and glue, he created a card with pictures of mowers, next to which he wrote: ‘I lawn for you mower and mower each day.’ Mark’s wife loved it. The card immediately graced their refrigerator door.”

Irresistible Irony “About a year had passed since my amicable divorce, and I decided it was time to start dating again. Unsure how to begin, I thought I’d scan the personals column of my local newspaper. I came across three men who seemed like they’d be promising candidates. A couple of days later, I was checking my answering machine and discovered a message from my ex-husband. ‘I was over visiting the kids yesterday,’ he said. ‘While I was there

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I happened to notice you had circled some ads in the paper. Don’t bother calling the guy in the second column. I can tell you Devoted and Determined right now it won’t work out. That guy is me.’”

“During World War II my parents had planned a romantic Valentine’s Making the Grade Day wedding. Suddenly my father, then stationed at Camp Edwards in “My high-school English teacher was well Massachusetts, received orders to known for being a fair, but hard, grader. prepare to ship out, and all leaves were One day I received a B minus on a theme cancelled. Being a young man in love, he paper. In hopes of bettering my grade went AWOL. He and my mother were and in the spirit of the Valentine season, married four days earlier than originally I sent her an extravagant heart-shaped planned and he returned to base to box of chocolates with the pre-printed an angry sergeant. After hearing the inscription: “BE MINE.” The following day, explanation, the sergeant understandingly I received in return a Valentine from the replied, ‘Okay, okay!’ Then, as an teacher. It read: Thank you, but it’s still BE afterthought: ‘But don’t let it happen MINE-US.’” again!’”

Read All About It “Every Valentine’s Day our campus newspaper has a section for student messages. Last year my roommate surprised his girlfriend with roses and dinner at a fancy restaurant. When they returned from their date, she leafed through the paper to see if he had written a note to her. Near the bottom of one page she found: ‘Bonnie, what are you looking here for? Aren’t dinner and flowers enough? Love, Scott.’”

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12 True Valentine’s Day Horror Stories That We Have No Choice But To Laugh At Now

By Grace Eire

“My boyfriend at the time had made reservations for lunch at a nice restaurant, but never came to pick me up. Two hours later he calls me to let me know he simply got distracted trying to memorize song lyrics and that it wasn’t a big deal because he had a back up plan. We saw Avatar for the 4th time.”

“I got a stuffed dog and a sweet, heartfelt declaration of undying love…that was written for the guy that she had just broken up with to be with me. She just figured screw it, it’s already written and sealed. She even scratched his name off the envelope and wrote mine. We didn’t last long.”

“I wasn’t seeing anyone at the time but I received a big box of chocolate strawberries. They’re actually my favorite!

But it came with no note. So I spent ALL day trying to think who would send me strawberries. My ex from a few months ago? The guy I went on a few dates with but fizzled out? A secret admirer? And I didn’t exactly want to call any of these people up and ask. Ah the suspense!

“Turns out my Aunt had sent a box to all of her nieces. Best ‘worst’ gift ever!”

“My boyfriend, of about a year and a half at the time never believed in Valentine’s Day and I was his first real girlfriend. So I didn’t expect anything, but then he told me to leave my college house for a while so he could set something up for me. I was shocked and excited and thought he would set up candles and food or something, especially since he said: ‘give me an hour or so.’ “When I got back he had the door shut to my room and a huge grin on his face. But I walked in and didn’t see anything… “He said ‘look, over there.’ “He got me mini candles (unlit) and a simple lotion and put them on my desk. “I’m a firm believer in the fact that it’s the thought that counts, but I was very confused as to why he made me leave for so long to ‘set it up.’ Even my roommates laughed at me when he left.”

“It was my first ever Valentine’s Day with a boyfriend. I bought him his favorite candy, my best friend helped me curl my hair, I put on a cute dress, and then I spent the whole night staring at my phone waiting for him to respond to my many texts asking when he was coming to pick me up. I finally got a response after 9:00 p.m. telling me he fell asleep.”

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the desk set up at lunch and turned in the card. Everyone at my lunch table watched as one of the teachers delivered the card to the girl. We continued to watch as she smiled and giggled with her friends, she then jumped up and ran to the desk where they were selling the card/roses wrote some stuff down and then ran back to her table. A few moments later, the teacher got up and walked over to my “She never showed up. We were table, she gave a card to my friend that I supposed to meet at the restaurant and paid to write the note. It was from the girl, she just flaked. Never heard from her, she didn’t answer the phone, etc. so I went she had recognized his handwriting, and wanted to go on a date. He got up and to a bar and drank whiskey.” went to her table and accepted the offer.”

“When I was 11, I gave a girl I had a crush on a rose — I waited for her outside of class and gave it to her. She smiled, said “In middle school, I had a really close guy friend. I sincerely thought we both saw thank you, and then walked away a few feet before throwing it in the garbage.” each other as very good friends, but on February 14, I received a carnation with a “I kept the whole [dinner] date secret from card that read ‘roses are red, violets are blue, pizza is hot, and so are you.’ I was my GF. She thought I wasn’t gonna do anything. And broke up with me.” mortified and didn’t know how to handle the situation at all. I must have turned as “In sixth grade I had a crush on a girl and red as the flower, and I had to tell him I I wanted to send her a rose but, I didn’t didn’t feel the same way at lunch that day. want her to recognize my handwriting, so I I felt terrible!” paid one of my friends to do it. He went to “A few years ago I was dating not the smartest guy ever and he was terrible at gifts anyway, but one year it was bad. I got a big bear he bought at a drug store that had the previous year on the tummy, and he wrote in the right year. He said he didn’t realize when he bought and he was wondering why it was so cheap.”

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People & Community

THE CARE & HOPE CE BY:106 AVA JHAMIN Issue 22 February, 2019 |

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I have known Morgan Whitfield for quite some time. She is a go getter, this one, driven and very passionate about her charity, Care & Hope Center. It was a no brainer to do a story with Morgan, as I have supported her and her cause from day one.

The Care & Hope Center was founded in 2014, it is a not-for-profit information hub to instill awareness on the horrors of domestic violence. The center provides a free and safe environment, informational boards on topics such as "What is domestic violence,” "Emotional Abuse,” "Teen Dating Abuse,” "What to look for in a partner,” etc. as well as videos.

Additionally, the Center offers free and confidential classes where they discuss topics such as "Warning Signs of an Abusive Partner/Relationship.” The Center has the approval of LoveIsRespect.org, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, NoMore.org, The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, and Joyful

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Heart Foundation.

I sat down with Morgan to get to know the woman behind the charity. So, readers of Diversity, sit down, get some snacks and enjoy.

Ava: How did Morgan first come to the wonderful world of SL? Morgan: I was taking an RL class when I was an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, back in the summer of 2013, called "History and Origins of Virtual Worlds.” Classes were held in world at my professor's skybox classroom. I was really intrigued by the virtual world and wanted to explore it more after the class finished.

Ava: Can you tell the readers of Diversity what you did when you first came to Second Life?

Morgan: I pretty much just explored various sims around the grid. I hung out at

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the Caledon sim, there was a lot to learn about Second Life and how to use the functions.

Ava: What are two things you love about SL? And two things you don't like?

Morgan: Generally speaking, our avatars are an extension of our real selves. I love being able to become anything I can only dream of becoming in RL. If I want to live near the shore and ride dolphins all day, I can do that. I also love meeting people from all around the world. What other place, than the virtual world, can you meet a friend who lives halfway around the world in real time? I always feel like Second Life is the modern day pen pal. Instead of pen and paper to communicate, we use our avatars.

I honestly hate people who are snobs or conceited in Second Life. That makes absolutely NO SENSE to think you are entitled or better than someone else in the virtual world when we are all made of pixels. I also dislike bullies, they serve no purpose not only in real life but in the virtual world as well.

wonderful people all the time. I know that there are various organizations in real life where people can go to for assistance, but I also wanted to broaden the spectrum to include the virtual world since thousands of visitors log into Second Life daily.

Ava: Can you tell me how you picked this charity?

Morgan: I do not really consider the Center a "charity" or in the same league as for example "breast cancer" or "autism.�

This is an issue that can be deterred by changing the mindset.... violence is never the solution to insecurities, anger, sadness, etc.

One of my real life classmates when I was a nursing major, disclosed that she was a survivor of domestic violence. Her story absolutely broke my heart and explained a lot of her behaviors, such as, not able to look at someone in the eye, often putting her head down, appearing aloof, never volunteering to answer a question or ask a question, etc. As I got to know her, I felt that somehow being involved in domestic violence awareness was my mission in life.

Ava: For our readers that don't know, give Ava: Can you also tell us what is in store in up some background on The Care & Hope the future for The Care & Hope Center?

Center and why this charity is so near and dear to you heart, Morgan.

I will continue offering free classes at the Center every other month. I have some Morgan: The Care and Hope Center was wonderful new educators on staff who founded in the winter of 2014, to provide are as equally passionate as I am, about awareness free of charge in a safe, spreading domestic violence awareness in friendly and welcoming environment. world.

I have always been a proponent for survivors and family members of I hope to have the wonderful folks at domestic violence in real life. I noticed that Love Is Respect, The National Domestic there was nothing in world that addressed Violence Hotline and NoMore come in this issue. I have met so many residents world, where I would love to have an who shared their personal real life stories event or fashion show in conjunction with of surviving domestic violence and fellow real life clothing stores where 100% of advocates and professional counselors. all sales in world and from the clothing I learn something new from these manufacturers on the real life market L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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benefit The National Domestic Violence Hotline and domestic violence shelters.

Ava: If you could give advice to anyone about doing charity work or a hotline in Second Life what would it be?

Morgan: I think I would tell that person to find a charity that they believe in and are passionate about. If there is a charity office in your area, pay them a visit and find out what you can do to help. Look up your charity of choice online and send them an email with any questions. The more informed you are, the better you can help spread the message to your friends and family.

The Care and Hope Center is always open to all Second Life residents. If anyone has any questions or needs to talk to someone, my fellow educators and I are here to help and lead you to the appropriate service to help you in real life. One other thing: The Care and Hope Center is not where you can come and vent out your Second Life partner problems (i.e. partner cheating, unfaithfulness, etc). I get that quite often.

Ava: Are there any other charities your work with that you would like the readers of Diversity to know about, Morgan?

Morgan: I do not work with them directly, but I am a member of Stop Violence Against Women and One Billion Rising in Second Life. I would like for these groups to once again be very active with their causes.

Ava: Can you leave our readers with one thing that they may not know about you, Morgan, or your charity work?

Morgan: I am a truly caring person and I treat everyone the way I want to be treated...with respect and kindness. I try and remember that everyone could be going through a crisis or problem in real life.

Second Life can often be a way for an individual to escape their real life craziness. Be extra kind to people, one kind word can mean so much to the person behind the screen.

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Thank you so much, Morgan, for sitting down with me. I hope that this article about you and your center brings about more awareness concerning The Hope & Care Center and will bring in new people who want to have a greater understanding of domestic violence. It only takes one, Morgan, and you should be considered a pro.

Slurl: The Care & Hope Center

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By Jude Tatham

w e J s ’ e d u J

s l e w e

Happy New Year to all our readers! Jude here, bringing you another ‘happening hangout’ to visit, and this time I have returned to an old haunt where I used to work; Totally 80s.

I love the mix of people too! Newbies as we call them, still wet behind the ears and finding their virtual feet, right up to old timers like me, who have been there, done that and aren’t easily impressed.

There is a nice mix of men and women Now, there are several really cool 80s and plenty of ‘furrys’ and character avatars clubs and hangouts in SL. In this writer’s to make even the most ‘out there’ people humble opinion, the 80s was one of the feel at home. The club prides itself on best decades for music, crazy fashion and being PG too, so you aren’t hit by a wall of music that goes pop. The 80s had punk, flesh, or people hooking up in the corner. new romantic (wave), shoulder pads and fingerless gloves. Many of these are back in style now and for someone that grew up in this decade, I am loving its return!

For me, Totally 80s is one of the best clubs of its kind in SL. The management and staff are friendly and come down to dance and chat with everyone – they are part of the club, not just running it. They all make you feel like a friend and part of their party, which for me, is such a great feeling.

There is nothing worse than going to a club, being welcomed by the host on duty, and then ignored.

What will strike you first about Totally 80s is that the decor is very simple, basic even, but is actually on point. The place is not littered with a ton of 80s memorabilia which would cause lag and simply isn’t necessary, but rather a few key items so you are under no illusion as to what the genre of the club is.

The club is split between two floors and although there is plenty of room, you never feel lost. The ground floor is where it all happens, with a modest stage for the DJ and host, plus a bar in the corner and a few places you can sit should you need to go AFK. There are a few trinkets that make me feel nostalgic, and old, including a playable Pac Man game, some Rubix Cube chairs and a dancing Stormtrooper, which isn’t strictly 80s, but it does make me want to dance!

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So, other than the slightly cheesy, but fun club itself, what makes Totally 80’s the club to visit? Well of course it is the music!

As I walk in, the electro beat from Falco singing ‘Rock me Amadeus’ brings a smile to my face, then it changes to Depeche Mode and ‘But Not Tonight,’ throwing out those familiar keyboard notes that

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scream 80s pop. I hang around snapping pictures, chatting to staff and genuinely enjoying this musical step-back-in-time as the music goes from Michael Jackson, via Tracy Chapman with a stop off at Human League. When it is time to go, I must drag myself away as Phil Collins wails out, ‘Another Day in Paradise’ in the only way he knows how and I bid farewell to the staff, deciding there and then I must visit more often.

You could do a lot worse than to come and spend some time at Totally 80s, so grab the LM, slip on your leg warmers and get ready for a good time.

Slurl: Totally 80s

There are bigger clubs out there, crammed with more people and lag, but Totally 80s is true to its name and plays nothing but 80s tunes for real fans. The venue isn’t overwhelming, the staff are great to hang out with and there isn’t the constant begging for tips, which as a patron, I appreciate.

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January Blues Christmas is over, the party season has ended for another year and we have all begun our journey into 2019. January, however, can seem like a long, dark and difficult month for many as the January Blues set in. But, what are these blues all about and how can we combat them and enjoy the New Year?

January, or holiday blues, is a situational depression associated with the way we think and feel during the winter months.

Similar to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is in certain people’s biology and causes clinical depression, the blues although much less serious, can be just as difficult to cope with. Our energy is sapped; we feel moody and miserable and often just want to stay at home.

By: Jude Tatham

blues affected a lot of people during this time of year, so I chatted to some virtual folk to get their take on it.

One person I spoke to felt it was all in our heads. He had never experienced it and said “I have never really understood the feelings people get over an arbitrary Gregorian invention that just so happens

But why do we feel like this: what makes January a more difficult month? There are several contributing factors: 1. The holidays are over, meaning it is back to work for many people. The festive decorations are all gone, and everything has returned to normal.

2. Family members and friends who you only see during the holidays are gone.

3. You may not have done everything you planned to do over the break.

4. Drinking and eating in excess may have left you feeling sluggish, or you may have put on weight.

5. It’s winter and the days are short, it’s cold, and there’s a lot of rain and/or snow.

Spring is coming, but it won’t be here for a couple of months.

6. Your New Year’s resolutions may be proving hard to stick to, if you have kept them at all.

I was interested to know if the holiday

to add a 1 to the date. It’s just another month, like the rest.”

Does he have a point? Why must we make resolutions, promise ourselves things will change, improve, or are more meaningful just because the date has changed?

Shouldn’t we strive for self-improvement throughout the year, not just at the start?

If we hope for new beginnings, a chance to start anew, does it mean that it is OK to fail and give up on our promises and beliefs in the later months of the year because we know we can start again in January?

It could be that we feel these things in January because society and/or the media has put ideas and expectations in our heads. We can’t turn on the TV without seeing a diet advertisement or encouragement to join a gym. This immediately makes you look at yourself and think “I need to change.” Also because of the excessiveness that Christmas or the holidays can bring, often once this stops and our sugar, fat and alcohol consumption nose dives, physically and

more serious condition, SAD, is a very real thing for many. Isn’t it self-destructive to set ourselves up for this fall, over and over again?

Another person I got chatting to about this agreed with me. The start of a new year is slow and often we look at big life choices, like changing jobs or relationships, and wonder if making a big change is the only way to get us out of this ‘funk’.

So how can we change things, or if celebrating excessively over the holidays is unavoidable, how can we improve things now that it is all over and the blues are upon us?

In reality, we can of course, take the advice of the media and diet, get more exercise and start some new, better habits. In truth, this is something we should try to do year-round, not just in January, but starting it anytime is a good thing. Other suggestions are:

Reconnecting with old friends; arrange to meet up with someone you haven’t seen for a long time.

Treat yourself to some shopping; a new fresh look always lifts the mood.

Plan a holiday/vacation; this is a common one and usually as soon as one vacation ends you are ready to plan another. emotionally, we miss it. We miss that rush, If you are looking for love, you could join a the freedom to eat what we want, when dating agency and put yourself out there – we want, how we want. Tucking into a what have you got to lose? box of chocolates or having an alcoholic Start a new project; maybe you could drink before lunch is totally acceptable decorate your home, teach yourself how during the festive season. But now we to play an instrument. are back to work, back to school runs and Finally, you could just kick back and enjoy back to leading a ‘normal’ life, we can’t or the calm! Christmas and the holidays are shouldn’t be doing this. So, for many there chaos and January is time to get back to is that instant feeling of both relief and you and enjoy some downtime. deprivation, leading to feeling frustrated and ultimately depressed.

Whatever you do to lift your mood, take care of yourself and remember that once So why do we do this to ourselves year the blues pass, you have a whole year after year? If the January Blues or the before they come back again.

F

For more information contact Jude Tatham

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POSE-OFF C

BY: AVA

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CHALLENGE

JHAMIN

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Once again, Mr. & Miss Model International didn’t disappoint anyone that attended the Pose-Off challenge for 2019. When the announcer said, “let’s rumble!” that is exactly what the contestants did. But, before we get into that, I would like to give a little background into what “Pose-Off” is.

L’Amour Productions Mr. & Miss Model International Competition presented the “POSE-OFF challenge on February 2, 2019. It was the 2nd challenge in the competition, and one where they were tested by each other for who brought the best poses. The poses could be anything that fit their styling and theme. The challenge was a pose off so anyone that

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was complacent in it, was eliminated. They were told to pose, pose, pose their butts off and the one remaining would be declared the winner of the “Pose-Off” challenge for 2019.

2019’s Pose-off winner was Balhem Soulstar. He came ready for a fight as Aquaman and fight he sure did. The contestants once again, were in charge of putting together an outfit that best represented who they are and where they see themselves in this pose off challenge. Understand also readers, that it was not about the styling this time, but about the poses and defeating your opponents by out posing them. Poses can be static, animated and even from a HUD, like a warrior HUD. In the first L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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***PLATINUM S

L’Amour Diversity Big Dog Iron Cust Catwalk Classy N Sassy Chop Zuey Face Paint Makeu Face Paint Style Fantastic Furnitu Havok Entertainm I.M. Collection Kody Myers Phot L’Amour Product Poses With Attitu Zibska

round, each contestant has to do three poses they are then scored on those three poses and once the scoring portion is complete, then they are told to “BATTLE. “ In each round, consisting of two contestants, the one the judges see as the stand-out goes backstage to wait for the new round, and the other contestant goes to the audience to watch and support their teammates.

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would like to thank the sponsors for MMI 2019.

SPONSORS*** ***GOLD SPONSORS***

y Magazine toms

up

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Kaju Luxe Paris The A-List! ***SILVER SPONSORS*** Heels Luna Body Art The Mall

tography tions ude

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challenge is one where the teams I would like to personally thank all of the sponsors for their support for were literally chosen out of a bowl.

There were four pairs and one group MMI - 2019 of three. They were asked to do a I would also like to thank Vichonette presentation of Heroes and Villains.

Constantine who made 20 poses to give to the contestants for use in the Our next challenge for MMI will be the Represent Challenge and Pose-Off challenge. will be held Saturday February 16, A special thank you to Rienna Lenoir 2019. For the Represent challenge, participants are asked to present for for being our Model Director. This the judges and audience what they year, Rienna was also promoted to feel is the best representation of Administrator of MMI. There are them in RL from the country, state 3 top positions to be held at MMI, CEO - Ava Jhamin, COO - Cyberdawg or municipality in which they live or Foxclaw and Administrator - Rienna have lived. Contestants are asked to style an outfit based upon who they Lenoir. Congratulations! are in RL and to show the judges and audience how that relates to their The challenge that follows Posechosen location.

Off is the Couple’s Challenge and it was held February 9, 2019. This

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TheWinter D

Dreams Show

On January 27, 2019, I embarked on what I felt was the most challenging show of my career on Second Life. I joined together three of the most amazing designers in my opinion to come together in an extravaganza like no other. I joined Face Paint Makeup, Face Paint Style, Chop Zuey Jewelry and Zibska Hair & Makeup.

rewarding things that I do and what has kept me doing what I am most passionate about for almost 10 years.

I knew it would be easy to work with Trinity Aironaut CEO of the Face Paint brand, because I have worked so closely with trin for a very long time. I already knew that working with Belle Roussel and Zib Scaggs would also be easy peasy, as working I think as a Director Producer you have to challenge yourself with Belle closely I have done each and every show. When a for almost 8 years and Zib even vision is in your head to bring though only for a couple of that to life is one of the most years, I treasure my friendship

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and working relationship with both of these incredible ladies.

I had not only their complete trust but they also knew I had their back not only for the show but for each of these designers to have their backs with their brands.

I get a kick out of thinking I actually pulled of walks with 6 people, 7 people and as many as 9 models all together with amazing synchronization and perfection. It was incredible to see and the clothes, makeup, jewelry and hair show on a stage that Trinity built especially When all was done I have never for this show was truly for me a dream come true. had this feeling of complete utter joy, of course little things that the audience doesn’t even see go wrong, and it’s only myself and the model director and models know. It was way way beyond my expectations.

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Winter Dreams will go down as one of my best shows ever, and when I think it can’t get any better it just does. I want to thank Rienna Lenoir my model director for making my vision of this show a reality. I would also like to thank all of the models, especially the very new ones for stepping up with my high demands and killing it.

Vichonette Constantine Resmay Bloodstorm Catsmeow Kitty Darkrage Dakota Lavarock Virginia (understandingcomplexity) RoyaleSun Luixa Sciavo Jan Bacon Rienna Reiko

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Thank you ladies for going above and beyond. Thank you Trinity for trusting in “our” vision and being just an amazing person to work with. Nani Xue (hostess) for coming back to second life after a 5 year hiatus to step right back into an amazing friendship and work relationship.

Also a special thank you to Matt (mth63) and Mirza Baber (soulcrack3r) for their amazing photographs, friendship and dedication to bring some of the best show pictures out there.

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Harmony

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REPRESENT REPRESENT REPRESENT REPRESENT REPRESENT REPRESENT REPRESENT REPRESENT L’Amour Diversity Magazine | Issue 22, February 2019

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In the fourth challenge for MMI 2019, the contestants were tasked with sharing a piece of their lives with the judges and audience. The challenge was to style in a theme that represents who they are and where they come from. They were to build a set that went along with their personal story and show us who they are. Everyone did very well, despite some issues with SL and they should be proud.

Saturday February 23, 2019 starts the first of two semi-final rounds and after the last semi-final round on March 2, the first cut to five will be made. Then the follwing Saturday will be the second semi-final round dropping the contestants down to five women and the two men.

Then the following week on March 9, will be the final where Mr. and Miss MMI for 2019 will be crowned. Be sure to come watch these exciting final weeks of MMI 2019! Here is the venue Slurl

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balhem

Contestants: Balhem Soulstar LeAnn Clawtooth (jaztone) Cynthia Lenoir (Cinzia Barzane) Lola Bacon (lolapandoraresident1) Hadley (HadleyCarrington) Kushy Kloud (MadamKerli) Harmony Blackhawk Tequila Mockingbird (Tequila Krovac) (Harmony2017) Richard De Grataine Souh Jan Bacon (Jan1 Ying) (RichardGrataineSuoh)

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lamourproductions.org CREATIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS GRAPHICS Magazine Layout by Rienna Lenoir PHOTOGRAPHY Photos by Ava Jhamin (4, 76 - 81, 104 - 109) Photos by Trinity Aironaut (Cover, 32 - 33, 36 - 37, 40 - 41, 44 - 45, 48 - 49, 52 - 53, 56 - 57, 60 - 61, 64 - 65, 68 - 69, 144) Photos by Soulcrack3r (10 - 23, 28 - 69, 124 - 135, 140 - 145) Photos by Jude Tatham (112 - 117) KakarotNoSantou (84 - 91)

OTHER IMAGES Pg 29 - https://i0.wp.com/www.penstrokes.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Language-of-Lust-Review-Lourdes-1030.jpg?fit=646%2C340&ssl=1 Pg 30 - https://morguefile.com/p/1026298 - lauramusikanski Pg 34, 39 - Shutterstock Pg 43 https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/everything-youve-heard-about-chastity-belts-is-a-lie Pg 46 - http://sciencevibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/WomanViking-1024x512.jpg Pg 51 - https://www.onepixel.com/en/photo/cyber-woman-abstract-futuristic-female-portrait-with-3337911 Pg 54 - https://www.kisspng.com/png-ancient-egypt-isis-stock-photography-goddess-egypt-1866796/download-png.html Pg 59 - https://onepixel.com/en/photo/steampunk-young-woman-emotional-portrait-4526667?src=c28a4dec3884fec3d46cf46cf8cd5421-10 Pg 62 - https://i.pinimg.com/236x/21/7e/db/217edb93473fe01e816459e481f04ff6--urban-chic-outfits-urban-chic-fashion.jpg?b=t Pg 67 - https://www.onepixel.com/en/photo/young-woman-with-hat-3458442?src=5896869a759b5231b67fe1acea210273-61 Pg 96 - http://worldartsme.com/images/corporate-happy-valentines-day-clipart-1.jpg Page 97 - http://clipart-library.com/img/753078.jpg

REFERENCES https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/everything-youve-heard-about-chastity-belts-is-a-lie Chastity belt - https://www.livescience.com/55390-what-are-chastity-belts.html https://sarahemilybond.com/2015/06/05/unlocking-the-dark-ages-a-short-history-of-chastity-belts

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https://www.readersdigest.ca/health/relationships/11-hilarious-valentines-day-true-stories/

Issue 22 February, 2019 | L’Amour Diversity Magazine

https://www.littlethings.com/valentines-day-horror-stories

L’Amour Diversity Magazine

Advertising Special!!!

Choose L'Amour Diversity for your advertising needs.

The following are the advertising packages for ads within the magazine utilizing your own artwork (see specifications for each package). If you would like us to create your ad, please request that from Ava Jhamin, who will schedule that for you at an additional cost. ::NOTE:: These are special pricing packages for L'Amour Diversity Magazine, which means if you purchase NOW you are locked in at this price for consecutive future issues.

If you cease to run your ad for even one month, the pricing specials will no longer be in effect.

PLATINUM LEVEL $L5,000 / Issue

$L4,000 / Issue

Full-Page Ad (full spread)

Full-Page Ad (full spread)

•

Bi-monthly 6 issues/year.

•

Size: 2048W x 1536H (72 dpi)

GOLD LEVEL

• Bi-monthly 6 issues/year.

• Size: 2048W x 1536H (72 dpi)

Includes your logo on

•

L'Amour Productions

website

Package does not include website advertising.

lamourproductions.org.

Get 1 Ad FREE if paid up front 1 year $L25,000.

SILVER LEVEL $L3,000 / Issue

BRONZE LEVEL $L1,500 / Issue

1/2-Page Ad (single page)

1/4-Page Ad

• Bi-monthly 6 issues/year.

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(72 dpi)

(72 dpi)

Package does not include

Package does not include

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website advertising.

IMPORTANT All ads must be PAID IN FULL at the time of ordering to reserve your spot immediately!

ALL FUNDS MUST BE PAID TO AVA JHAMIN. Please include a message in the payment details text box indicating what the payment is for (LEVEL/MONTH/BUSINESS NAME). Your ad must have your store or brand name included in the title. Unless told otherwise we will use the same ad issue.

Contact Ava Jhamin with questions.

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