Today was a bit of an anomaly at Ce Soir. We only had one show and my husband and partner Aeon was not there to enjoy it with us. The show was fabulous, as always – the inimitable Russell Eponym charmed us with his lovely “folk, blues and beyond” that we love so much. A wonderful group gathered to enjoy the music and many were new to Ce Soir – a joy for me as I met and welcomed new people from around the world. It was an international audience, as Noon SLT is open to people from various time zones and Russell‘s music drew them to us.

We had fun! We danced and sang along as we always do, enjoying one another’s company and the exceptionally good music. Russell was in fine form and a good time was had by all. (Aeon missed it, but sent his best wishes to us in his absence.) When the show was over, I noticed a few gathered round the piano – and what fun they were having! A trio of avatars seated at the piano and playing away! How wonderful! Belethil, anthrop, and Anja were really enjoying themselves and they shared some photos with me, as I looked on with a smile! I asked if I could share in the blog and they agreed. Take a look! Like I said, we had FUN!

That was wonderful, but…the goodness didn’t stop there. Feed a Smile leader Brique Topaz arrived just as Russell was putting the finishing touches on his set before rushing off to another show. I greeted her and we got to talking. It seems that there is a big Feed a Smile event on the horizon, and that several of SL’s very talented musicians are to take part – including one Mr. Russell Eponym! His participation is no surprise, for he is known for his generous spirit.

The Feed a Smile event this coming weekend will include an array of SL’s most talented musicians performing and many fine artists have donated art for sale. The schedule is on the poster above, but I’ve recreated it here also: On Friday 24 February, Funky Freddy Republic will play at 3 PM, followed by Maximillion Kleene at 4. On Saturday 25 February at The Lavender Field – where events make sense – they have an outstanding lineup: At 11 AM SLT, Russell Eponym; Noon, Juel Resistance; 1 PM SLT, Pol Arida; 2PM SLT, Rara Destiny; 3PM SLT, Terrylynn Melody; 4PM SLT, Quantamis Navarathna; 5PM SLT, AcousticEnergy Nitely; 6PM SLT, Tone Uriza. Wow! And as if that’s not enough, a number of wonderful second life artists have donated original art pieces to be sold at the event to raise money for the charity. Find some time Friday and/or Saturday to drop by and enjoy the music and art – and donate some very needed meals to the children in Kenya. You’ll be glad you did, for there is nothing like having fun AND helping others at the same time! It’s another piece of the SL magic at work. Brique, who manages both the charity (http://www.llk-selb.de) and The Lavender Field (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Alison/124/226/23), will welcome you!

All this happening today (and more – see a short note about that, below), I find the generous spirit everywhere in SL. True, not everyone donates to musicians and venues when they come round, but that’s not really what I’m getting at here. We appreciate every donation we receive at Ce Soir and use it to bring more music, poetry, art, and other beauty to the venue for all to enjoy. But there are many ways in which people support us – number one is their presence and enjoyment whilst they are here. After all, why else would we be here? I’m talking about musicians and artists as well as audience members; each has a contribution to the experiences we enjoy here and we treasure each and every one. You know, this venue thing is turning out to be just about the best thing ever! We really do love it, and are learning every day how to make it better. And not only that…it’s making a difference in our lives. We are discovering things about ourselves and each other (SL and RL) that we might not have without this experience, and we are enjoying exceptional music and dance and art, and we’re meeting some absolutely astounding people. Therein lies the true value of SL for us – and, I dare say, for many.

Another distinct pleasure was mine today, for I interacted and chatted with some truly special people. We talked about music and the venue and SL and all kind of things. (And you can look forward to some absolutely wonderful events coming to Ce Soir soon!) But it was speaking and listening about personal experiences and learning and growing that shed so much light on my day – and my life. I won’t mention any names, but you know who you are! One conversation early in the day will stay with me for a very long time, and I feel a deep kinship with a new friend. We’ve both been discovering some wonderful things about life from our SL experiences, and I feel so happy about that! One of the many things we spoke about today was how it is that we so often feel that we don’t matter or that what we do does not make much of a difference. Well, we’re wrong about that – and I am sure that many of you reading this will have your own experiences as proof positive that (this time!) I am right as rain. I just saw an African proverb on the wall over at Brique’s office. It goes like this: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.” A bit of humour is a very good thing, and the meaning is not lost.

I could go on, as most of you know, and I’m sure I’ll revisit this one again, but for now I just want to sit back with some tea or perhaps a glass of wine. May you have a day or night of wonder! Go outside as the sun creeps in over the hills or slips below the horizon – or as the moon fades in the sunlight or rises in the sky. Gaze at the expanse of blue and know you belong in it. Look at the stars. See how they shine…for you! (With thanks to Coldplay for that wonderful lyric from their song, Yellow.)

Until next time…be well and happy!