Okies, if you’re an ardent blog-reader like myself then you’ll be completely mesmerised by the latest drama to hit the blogoverse.  Now as you all know I don’t like drama, never have, never will, and I sit so far on the middle of the fence that it’s caused me to develop another cleft betwixt my butt cheeks. (I kid you not, ’tis a medical miracle make no mistake) The problem with dramas though is they suck you in to the extent that even if you don’t take sides you’re sure to have an opinion.  It’s human nature to portray ourselves as ‘holier than thou’, but I’m afraid that it’s very rare that you’ll see someone these days who doesn’t slow down to take a good look at a car wreck.  I’m not immune to twitterings and salacious gossip, even though I’d like to think that I  don’t partake in it my halo does slip from time to time. So, now we have that out of the way, a disclaimer of sorts (or should that be thoughts?) let me point you in the direction of the two blogs in question: 

Shopping Cart Disco and Mayne Line Fashion

OK, I don’t know anyone involved, so I cannot make a definitive judgement call on who said what or who was right etc.  I’m just going by what was published on both blogs…so I recommend you zip off and familiarise yourself with all the relevent entries before you read on…back? Good.  Got a brew and a snack? Lovely….

Think about it dear reader, just how many fashion blogs do you read on a daily basis? I read *tons* I read blogs and feeds during my coffee break at real life work.  I admit, I’m addicted.  Alas NONE of them have ever filled the hole that Linden Lifestyles left when it ceased to be updated regularly.  I LOVED that blog, but as any clever reader will be aware it took blood, sweat and I expect tears to turn it into the esteemed SL publication that it became.  There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that they could make or break the sales for a designer, seriously.  It’s all still there so go back and look at the reviews..these girls knew their jam from their marmalade, make no mistake about it.  I have no trouble admitting that I aspire towards the success that they achieved, it was a great read and I know that they struggled to keep on top of the freebie pile that swamped their inventories on a daily basis. But I’m willing to bet that at no point did Salome or Sabrina ever ask for Lindens for reviewing an item, let alone payment for a positive spin.  Think about it please; that concept is just bloody absurd.  For starters, you ruin any credibility you have as a writer if you gush praise over an item that is at best, average.  You cannot do it.  People who read reviews will go and take a look and basically think you were on drugs when you wrote the piece in question, and they’ll probably not read your blog anymore.  You have to be honest, even if that occasionally means writing something that may not sit well with the opinions of others, especially the designer whose creations you are dissecting upon the page.  No writer with an ounce of self-respect, virtual or not, would do such a thing..besides, if a content creator is giving you items to review then you should be bloody grateful for the privelige! Don’t berate them because they’re the wrong colour, style etc (This is where ‘Review Guidelines’ come in handy, and any shopkeeper worth their salt reads them and understands what kind of a blogger you are and what items would best be suited to your pages based upon those credentials.  Indeed, your criteria will establish if you receive any review boxes at all!) This brings me to my next point, as a blogger I have NEVER EVER gone to a content creator and ASKED for items to review. NEVER.  I’m not saying that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that, BUT it’s not something I have ever wanted to do, even though yes I am skint and quite often I can’t afford to buy the items I want to review. If I can’t buy them I can’t review them-simple as.  A bloody shame but not exactly the end of the world! If people like this blog, then word of mouth will carry around the blogosphere and people will come along to read my ramblings and if they think I’m worthy, then send me their wares to take a peek at.  My approach has always been straightforward and honest, I’ve even written in my aforementioned guidelines that if a creator wants their items back, then they can have them. No biggy-what’s wrong with that?  Times are hard after all, and it takes hours of graft and toil to create items to flog for, let’s face it, a relative pittance in world. Why bother to blog then? Ego.  Of course it is…ego and status are what keeps us writing, surely? Isn’t it a thrill to be recognised in world, to get opportunities to appear in the real-world media and to be known by all and sundry as that blogger, that writer?  Of course there are elements of that and I am not for a minute saying that there aren’t.  Second Life has enabled me to be who I’ve always wanted to be- a virtual journalist, pure and simple, who writes about her experiences in the mad crazy metaverse that we all know and love.  There are trappings that go with that, but alas I’m not another Callie Cline or Codebastard Redgrave, twol adies who have worked damn hard to achieve their statuses.  Indeed, I’d love to get paid for my writing, I really would!  Of course during my time as a writer for ‘The Avastar’ I was making a modest income, but by modest I mean a couple of hundred Lindens a week. Enough to buy myself a few flashy outfits, but I wouldn’t have a hope in hell of paying the mortgage from those earnings.   I even installed a tip jar on this page with the thought that if people enjoyed what they were reading they may be so inclined to tip me for the ‘service’ that I’m providing,that is the entertainment from reading my pages, but as an experiment it’s been nothing short of a glorious failure:)  In all the time the tip jar has been on this site I’ve only ever received ONE donation..which of course was very gratefully received. Kittywitchin for me is therapy…in a mad twisted way.  It allows me to write about a subject I love and actually know enough about to comment upon with confidence. Whilst I could never claim to be an expert, I’m in a good position to be able to advise and guide people in the metaverse which is a wonderful feeling.  I’ve said many times before that Kitty is the me I always wanted to be, but what I didn’t realise was that by donning this pixelated mantle I would live a fabulous virtual life, make so many wonderful friends and meet so many interesting people that my real life has become 100% richer because of it.  it’s a gift that keeps on giving- I’ve experienced the thrill of helping my Dad to learn about computers and I now have the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve intoduced him to something he has really grown to love and enjoy, and I’m so proud of him for that.  But I digress from the main point at hand.  Kittywitchin is my creation, my ideas and my application so why would I ever have the audacity to even consider charging for someone to have their items reviewed on these pages? Puhlease..never going to happen.  Actually, no-that’s not true.  As a business model it works doesn’t it? Advertising and writing and all those journalistic attributes deserve to be rewarded, surely? Why shouldn’t I attempt to make as much out of my virtual life as I possibly can; other people do it after all?Because it’s just ruddy foolish-that’s why.  I’m not forcing anyone to read this blog, nor am I forcing reviewers to send me items or asking for payment when I write about them because it’s just pointless and insulting.  You can read thousands of blogs online, much better ones than this.  Then there’s the fact that I’ve not quite hit 32k hits yet, which is probably what Fabfree gets in an afternoon…what exactly would a content creator get from paying me to write about their wares? Would they get back their initial investment? (Through advertising on the site they probably would, but seeing as WordPress doesn’t allow ads then that’s a no-go anyway!) SO, why do I blog? I do it for the satisfaction I get when people come up to me and say things like, “Oh Hi Kitty, I read your blog!” which is precisely what was said to me last night as I joined the crowds at the beginning of the gride wide ‘Peace On Earth’ Hunt.  My memory being as shite as it is I’m afraid that I don’t remember the name of the lady who said that to me, but I tell you one thing, it was a bloody nice feeling and it made me smile all the way until bedtime:) If I like an item and I want to review it on these pages I will BUY IT.  Pure and simple.  I’m not saying I don’t want to be sent things to review, far from it, but what I am saying is that I have no intention of sitting by and expecting designers to drop packages at my feet, they either will or they won’t, which is why I NEVER ask for samples or review items.  Perhaps I’m selling myself short here and should actually start pestering people to send me things, but come on…is that the right way to do it? All I know is that I am not comfortable with that way of doing things, and unless it’s proven to me that I really should start thinking otherwise then that’s the way that Kittywitchin’ will stay.

I don’t need to stoke a fire that is burning a lot of people and add to the insults that are being thrown left right and centre. I have to say I found the image of an emaciated avatar (why exactly?)  on Mayne’s blog distasteful, as was the statement that ‘Shopping Cart Disco Must Die!’ but then again I also felt the jab about mental patients being off their meds was a tad unbecoming;seeing as I’m someone who would be effed up if I forgot to take mine I think I’m allowed to take offence at that one;) 

People do ‘strange things’ and we all operate in different ways, but this whole situation left such a nasty taste in my mouth that I thought I’d write about it to see what your own opinions are..please feel free to share below…..