Happy Halloween 2026

 And published on the correct day, this time! I've been feeling a little fiery lately...

...not unlike a certain also-red-haired X-Man. (Yes, I am a huge nerd behind the keyboard, thank you.)

Road Trip, Stop Four: Pacific Northwest

 My next stop is in the woods of Oregon, not far from the Washington border; I got offered the use of a small cabin there to relax after some big-city busy-ness.

The air's crisp and clean here, and the woods mostly quiet aside from the occasional rustling of wildlife in the underbrush. (While I'm sure most of it is raccoons or deer or chipmunks - I'm still glad I have a cabin to stay in here, not just a tent.)

Feeling Like Fall

 Not an official part of the Road Trip series, just a pose/outfit combo I picked up last autumn - then I ended up not even unpacking the set, much less using it. 😵

So! To make up for that, it's fall leaves time! 

(Not-so-fun factoid, I had all the style info for this look written up in a notes file, and my computer decided to fart it out into the ether. And as it turns out, I had forgotten to save the outfit - probably because I'd already taken the picture. Soooo I can't for the life of me remember which face skin I have on for this shot, apologies to its creator.) 

Road Trip, Stop Three: San Francisco

 From Glamour Girl to glamping! I spent the night in a cabin-tent at a foggy campground outside the San Fran area proper before making my next actual stop.(Have to get a good night's beauty sleep before these things, you know.)

In the morning - off to sight-see!  And would you believe I got photo-bombed in the Castro District?!

 You didn't believe it? That's actually good, because Phil and Merlyn met me there to show me around. The guys were absolute sweethearts about playing tour guide of their stomping grounds.

I also couldn't resist a shot of the two of them together. 💜

Road Trip, Stop Two: Los Angeles

 ...no, I didn't stumble into a starring role darn it!, or crash a Hollywood event.

Rand, on the other hand, did have a supporting role in a film, and invited me to the premiere. (To be honest, I think his offer was mostly to prove to his ex that he isn't pining away, but let's be real - how many chances does a non-actor get to walk a red carpet? Of course I went!)

Rand's Outfit:

Body: Legacy M
Head: LAQ "James"
Skin: leLAPEAU "Mario Skin NF" Medium
Hair: WINGSDG "gift 06 Male Hair B"
Clothing: ONEDAYs "CHRISTOPHER OUTIT /// LEGACY" (Access 8th Birthday Gift); 
            T&C Creations "Men's Dress Shoes" Black
Jewelry: Romazin "Chain <Sinbad>"

My Outfit: 

Head: LOGO "Christina"
Eyes: S H I M M CDVI Set [BOM] 4
Skin: leLAPEAU "Dallas Skin" Rosekiss
Hair: WINGSDG "EF0108" BLondes & Reds HUD
Makeup: VELOUR "DREAMIN'" Eyeshadow - Gold; Navzar Beauty "First Kiss Lipstick 2," 75%; 
            Sera "She Basic Glitter Dust Undereye"
Manicure: e.marie "Laila Nails" Neutrals 
Clothes: Pixicat "Selena Dress" SL23B Gift
Jewelry: "Ordem da Rosa Diamond Choker," Chop Zuey "GLoriana Diamond Earrings;" 
            Kibitz "Mia's Rings" Gold

 Background: Moonlite Backdrops & Poses "Walk of Fame" (SL23B Shop & Hop gift); 
            Drama Libre "Studio Crew NPCs"

Road Trip, Stop One: San Diego Comic Con

 I had planned to start my road trip in New England, Susan's stomping grounds, in honor of her help in choosing the next theme.

When I get a call from Mei Lin, it turns out to be a good thing I didn't make my travel arrangements yet.

"Tarra, I need help! I wanted to do a C-Drama cosplay at San Diego Comic Con, but the friend who was going with me got sick and had to cancel at the last minute!" she says.

"That's awful, I'm so sorry," I tell her. "But how can I help? I'm no doctor - don't even play one on TV."

"Noooo, but you are almost exactly the same size as Valerie, who was going to wear the other costume. Any chance I can talk you into coming out to model it?" Mei wheedles. "You won't even need to wear a wig!"

...which is how I find myself in California, dressed as a nine-tailed fox spirit and loyal companion to Mei's young goddess going through her tribulation.

 "Are you sure it's okay to wear this here?" I ask. "It's not really comics related."

"Neither are Forrest Gump or the Phantom of the Opera, and they've both made appearances," she says with a laugh. "Anyway, if anybody complains, just tell them we're from a Shang Chi AU." 

I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I guess I'll just have to trust my young goddess!

The Idea

"I don't know, it's just staring to feel... stagnant?" I said. "Put together an outfit, snap the picture, post, then lather, rinse repeat. I'm just afraid if I don't find a way to shake things up, I'll lose interest and dip out of the grid again."

 

"Hmm." Perched beside me on the picnic table, Susan stared across the yard in thought. "What kind of things are you thinking of to shake it up?"

 

"Well, I don't want to just give up again. I've considered doing portraits for other people?" I offered hesitantly.

 

She tilted her head. "Okay, and what are the downsides of that?"

 

"Logistics, for one thing." I shrugged. "You know how long it took just for the two of us to meet up in-world. Also, having to advertise to get people interested - I'm not great at promotion."

 

Susan nodded. "And working with an agent or manager would run into the same logistics problems. Okay. What else?" 

 

"Add in some scenery shots?"

 

Her eyebrows went up. "That could work, especially if you come up with a 'fit that goes with the location, instead of finding a location or making a backdrop that goes with the clothes."

 

"Or at least vaguely goes with," I admitted. "So basically... SL Road Trip? Around the Grid in Eighty Days?"

 

"Like that! But don't limit yourself to a specific number, in time or number of locations."

 

I thought about it. "Yeah, and there are some areas of the Grid I'll probably skip rather than trying to get everywhere. This could help, though."

 

It would take more research than the stufved been doing, and probably more Lindens since I'd have to dress appropriately for the location instead of just working with whatever was on the weekend sales at any given time. But - this just might work.

 

"Okay, Road Trip it is!"