Flickr has become quite the social networking tool for shutterbugging residents. Sign up and show off your in-world photography paired with your Photoshop skills. Users capture a wide array of subjects - everything from day-to-day life, model/photographer portfolios, designer fashion releases, in-world events … some even show off their questionable “assets” thanks to the Second Life Porn group (I’ll save you the effort of googling it). It was through this wonderful medium that I came to meet the lovely Miss Puma Jie and a man whom she calls “Hobo”, a man named Alan Wijaya. Their peculiar brand of SLove becomes quite apparent upon first meeting them. She teases and endearingly chides him while he giggles and occasionally gives her a little verbal jab, then she becomes the giggler. The cycle repeats again and again during the course of a day until he has to go to work or she has to sleep. It’s a thing of beauty.
Even more astounding is watching them work as a business couple, building up Alan’s brainchild, Corduroy, an eclectic furniture boutique showcasing his creations. The fledgling store - a fruit of both their tireless efforts - has a selection of modern and old fashioned lighting, hanging bead screens, comfy houndstooth chairs and includes some of Puma’s original artwork. Alan has recently taken to designing clothing. Leggings are the dish du jour with more helpings of fashiony goodness on the way. Puma? She is total PR. She moves and shakes, tap dances, networks, coordinates shop space, photographs some of the vendor ads, sets up vendors and maintains the store blog. It’s complete balance. Like that crane move in the Karate Kid. Read the rest of this entry ?
