Firework Safety

This month I wanted to talk to you all about firework safety. I know it is not the Fourth of July, but I felt the need to tell you about it. On the Fourth of July I was outside watching some kids playing with fireworks and noticed how close they were to them. It scared me. You see I have a child myself and I wouldn’t want her anywhere near the fireworks even if I was the one lighting them. Here are a few tips for adults on firework safety. I’ll have firework safety for kids next.

Tips for adults doing fireworks.

1. Use fireworks outdoors only.
2. Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.
3. Always have water handy (a hose or a bucket).
4. Only use fireworks as intended. Don’t try to alter them or combine them.
5. Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
6. Use common sense. Spectators should keep a safe distance from the shooter and the shooter should wear safety glasses.
7. Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated shooter”
8. Only people over the age of 12 should be allowed to handle sparklers of any type.
9. Do not ever use homemade fireworks of illegal explosives: THEY CAN KILL YOU! Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.

Tips for firework safety involving children

1. Do not allow young children to play with fireworks under any circumstances. Sparkler, considered by many the ideal “safe” firework for the young, burn at very high temperatures and can easily ignite clothing. Children cannot understand the danger involved and cannot act appropriately in case of emergency.
2. Older children should only be permitted to use fireworks under close adult supervision. Do not allow any running or horseplay.
3. Light fireworks outdoors in a clear area away from houses, dry leaves or grass and flammable materials.
4. Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal one.
5. Keep unused fireworks away from firing areas.
6. Store fireworks in a dry, cool place. Check the instructions on the fireworks for directions.
7. Never have any portion of your body directly over a firework while lighting.

I know this comes late, but some people still shoot fireworks on Labor day. So it all works out. Remember to always be careful when lighting fireworks. I would hate to see someone in the hospital with third degree burns. Or someone’s child in the hospital because the parent was not watching the child with a sparkler and it caught the child on fire. That would be very terrible. Have a safe and wonderful Labor Day!

Article written by Alessaismyidol Creative Director

Dear Aimi: Child Abuse

Dear AIMI: Another Informational Issue

This month, since I didn’t get anyone who had an issue to talk about, I thought it necessary to do something that hits me close to home: child abuse. It is a topic near to my heart because I am a product of child abuse. I was not physically, but emotionally abused. My mother and father got a divorce when I was seven years old. My mother never liked my father and I had always wondered why she had kids with him if she didn’t like him to begin with. When I was seven, I was supposedly molested by my father, but I don’t remember that. Then I didn’t get to see my father for fifteen years. Eventually, I got into contact with my grandmother (my father’s mom) and found out that my father had never been alone with me or my sister. I told my grandmother that I wanted to see my father. I met with him and his wife; it was a very good meeting. I was a little frightened, not because of my childhood, but because I didn’t know how I would react to him after fifteen years.

I found out later that my mother had made me say those things to get my father out of our lives. I also discovered that my father was never charged with molestation, but sexual battery on a minor and that was for my aunt. He let my mother have custody of me and my sister, but he didn’t know that what we were going through would be what we considered our own problems. I didn’t realize how messed up I was until I marred my husband. Here is what happened to me while I lived with my mother: she was remarried to a man who I had to call “Dad” even thought I didn’t like him then, nor do I now. This man was a very abusive one. He called my sister and me all kinds of names like fat ***, retard, stupid, dumb, and plain old fat (though I was really skinny then). We never had enough food in the house, so I would go days without any. In fact, all throughout middle school and high school I weighed 114 pounds. You could see my collar bone and rib cage – that was how bad I looked.

You don’t believe me? Well, my stepfather became the focus of all my hate. He took my daddy away; he favored my little half brother more than me; he made fun of my little sister because she was mildly mentally handicapped; he beat my fiancé a few weeks before we got married; he took my money from me when I started working. He just wasn’t the type that I wanted to have as a father. I made a vow when I was younger that when I had kids I would try my hardest not to be like my mother and stepfather.

Child abuse comes in all kinds of forms: sexual abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse and physical abuse. I am a product of the emotional and mental abuse. I am now starting to see things that I hadn’t seen before I was brainwashed and manipulated by my mother and stepfather. They tried to make things worse for me when I got married. I told them they wouldn’t be able to see their grandchild if they didn’t accept my husband. They couldn’t accept him. My daughter is almost two years old and she has my father and stepmother as her grandma and grandpa, but when she gets older she is going to ask about my mother and I am going to tell her the truth: I was abused by my mother and stepfather, but not physically.

I have since had to fix my mind. I have problems that I didn’t know I had until I went to see a psychiatrist. I am glad I did, for now I can finally fix my mind. If you know someone who has been abused or you are being abused, here are a few things that you can do.

1. Tell someone you trust (teacher, principal, friend), someone you know who can help you.
2. Call a child abuse hot line.
3. Don’t wait until it is too late.

I waited until it was too late for me and now I have to straighten myself out. If you are being abused in any way, don’t wait until it’s too late. That can only make it worse.

This has been an informational Dear AIMI.

Take care and God bless,

AIMI

New Product Feature:

This month’s first new product feature is Alessaismyidol’s Watch me bleed female avatar. Part of her upcoming line “Watch me bleed.” The product line is based on a line from a song titled “Rock and Roll Razor blade.” The line that inspired these items is: “Watch me bleed rock and roll razor blade.” This avatar comes with ten body triggers and ten facial triggers. She also comes with animated red hair so that it looks like the hair is bleeding, white bikini, red eyes and pale skin with tears of blood and cuts on the hands and leg. You can find this item and more in the IMVU catalog.

Click here for her cata

ALM Dress with boots

This month’s second new product feature is AviliciousMagazine’s ALM Dress with boots. This dress is in the official colors of Avilicious Magazine.

The dress was designed by Alessaismyidol and is on sale by AviliciousMagazine. This product is for females only. You can find this dress and more in the cata linked below.

Click here for the official Avilicious Magazine Cata

This month’s final new product feature is a male product done by Alessaismyidol. This is called Asian Silk White Dragon. If you have ever wanted the feel of soft silk fabric then this shirt is for you. This shirt has Asian writing on the sleeves and on the back. It also has the legendary dragon on the front. You can find this and more in Alessa’s cata.

Click here for her cata

Fall Fashion Evolution of a T-Shirt

This month, I am going to show you one of the big fall fashion trends of 2009. I came across an article on the evolution of the T-shirt that changed my mind about how well tees looked. The article might not impress you much at first glance because it describes a shirt that is “thin to the point of almost being sheer, made of high gauge long fiber and Sea Island cotton that is difficult to describe without restoring to clichés: soft as a buttered, cashmere baby’s bottom.”

Sounds to me like this shirt is softer than a normal one. Designed by Loden Dager, a New York fashion company, this T-shirt is, according to the article, “loose though not baggy, with shorter-than-usual sleeves, and it hangs just below the belt line.” As I read that article, it came to my attention that this T-shirt seems to be the perfect one, especially for the autumn. I would like to have one, but not for the price they’re asking. For $125 I can go buy diapers for my little girl and plenty of them! To read more about this new T-shirt, click here.

Article written by Alessaismyidol

Source: http://nymag.com/fashion/09/fall/58330/

Dear Aimi: An Informational one on Depression

This month’s Dear Aimi is an informational one on depression. I didn’t have anyone send me any letters this time or any issues they wanted discussed so I thought I would do an informational Dear Aimi.

I suffer from many things: Post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. My cases with each of these are pretty bad. I also suffer from Panic Attack Disorder which is very severe. However, I am here to talk about depression and why it bothers me. I also want to see what others think or have to say who suffer from it as well. I am here for you to tell me what is causing you to have so much depression and to relieve some stress about it if I can.

I was diagnosed with depression when I was 21. That was when I started seeing my husband’s psychiatrist. She told me I suffered from a lot more than what I talked about above, but what stood out more were those three things. My depression was caused by the stress of my mother and step father. My mother and stepfather didn’t like my husband back when he was my boyfriend, but when it came time for the wedding they didn’t show up. My husband was also beaten by my stepfather and I was lied to about my real father. That is something that I choose not to talk about even though it is one of the reasons I have depression.

Anyway, I’m trying to help you, not tell you my life story. I am trying to get you to see what I did to help calm my depression. When I was 16 I was so deep in depression that only my friends could help take me out of it. So if you have a friend you are close to at school, talk to them about your problems. They may be able to help you. I know my friends did, but then there was the music I listened to. I was a big Hanson fan and their music helped me get through my deep depression. I also listened to them to escape my mother and stepfather. Then there was my computer. I was on the computer more than I was in the living room with my family. The computer was another way for me to escape. I was always trying to get out of my house; I hated living with my mother and stepfather because I was always called names. That also caused my depression.

Now to get over my depression I realized that my friends could help so I turned to my friends for advice on how to deal with this depression. They told me to do many things; listen to music (which I was already doing), go see a doctor and see if they can give you some medication (but I hate meds so I didn’t go), or just talk to them (which made me happy doing that). I could talk to my friends about anything. They understood.

Now my advice to you is to do the same thing I did. Listen to music, talk to your friends, go see a psychiatrist to see if they can help you or go seek out a church and talk to the father or minister about your problems privately. They will always listen. If you don’t have anyone that understands, I am here. Just tell me what is on your mind.

Take care and God bless,

AIMI

____________________

If you have any issues or just need some advice on something that is bothering you, email AIMI at

claysbrokenangel@yahoo.com

Leave a message here

or private message here at IMVU

Alessaismyidol is her name there.

Furry Interview with AmbroseFaerie

Q: How long have you been a furry?
A: I have only been a furry for about a week.

Q: Do you like being a furry?
A: Yeah, being a furry is pretty great.

Q: What makes you different as a furry than someone else on IMVU?
A: I have fur and some people don’t accept furries. But other than that, not much.

Q: What made you want to become a furry?
A: I had always liked the prospect of being an animal, so that’s why I am one now.

That is all for today. Thanks for coming.

Furry Interview with TheEarthFox

Q: How long have you been a furry?

A: I have been a furry for four years and loving every second of it. ^.^

Q: Do you like being a furry?
A: I love being a furry. Furries are nicer than the normal population. In general, we seem to open up more and I personally love to talk a bit about cookies and pie.

Q: What makes you different as a furry than someone else on IMVU?
A: I love to do a lot of roleplay as a fox and I enjoy all the different furries that join in on the roleplay. I try to stay in creator while I am that type of furry. ~nibbles on a cookie found on the floor~

Q: What do you like to do?
A: I love music and talking about Anime and stuff; roleplay rules too. ^.^ I love to shop for hours on end for myself, but mostly for my friends.
Q: What made you want to become a furry?
A: As an Anime fan I really got in to furry characters. They were so mysterious yet awesome, they would be like an animal yet dress in human clothes, and fight better than a human. That’s what got me started, and since then I have just fallen in love with the whole community, and all the different awesome furries in it. No matter what happens, if you have more than one furry in a room, be sure to have some random fun. ^.^

That is all for today. Thanks for coming.

The New Way to Earn Real IMVU Credits

You have played the “spin free” for promo credits. You have joined Metarl for real credits. You have entered contest after contest after contest to earn real credits. You bought the prepaid cards. You became a developer to earn real credits and now you are getting tired of doing the same thing over and over and over again. Well, I’m here to tell you about a new way to earn real credits. We all got the news on IMVU about the new way to earn them. If you missed it, then I’ll tell you.

You can now earn credits by taking surveys and completing offers. I’ve done it already and got my credits in the time they said that they were going to come. My husband also did it and he got his credits in minutes. Some offers, after you complete them, give you the credits in an hour, 2 days, or even in minutes. It is a fun way to earn those real credits. If you want to stick with the prepaid cards be my guest, but I could see other things that my money could be used for.

I have found the new way of earning credits a lot more fun than going out and buying them. It is a lot easier than joining Metarl and having to wait until you reach a certain amount to get your credits. Try the new way to earn real credits - it’s easy and it really does work!

Click here and it will take you to the offers page.

Furry Interview with AIMI

Furry interview with, well, myself.

I wanted to do an interview with a furry, but decided I would try and do one with myself as a furry before
asking around for other furries. So here are the questions that I would ask a furry.

Q: How long have you been a furry?
A: Well, not very long. I would say maybe only a month.

Q: Do you like being a furry?
A: Yes. It is fun to be one. I get to show off how unique I am.

Q: What makes you different as a furry than someone on IMVU?
A: Well, I am really not that different. My skin may be made of fur, but I’m the same as everyone else. I have a good personality.

Q: What do you like to do?
A: I like to hang out in clubs, hang out with my friends and do the same things as everyone else.

Q: What made you want to become a furry?
A: I wanted to get the feel of what it was like for someone with furas their skin. I also love cats and wanted to be a cat.

That is all for today. Thanks for coming.

****

I did that interview with myself so I knew what questions to ask when I did interview a furry. I do have furry stuff. I also wanted to get the feel of what it was like for a furry. It is nice to be different when you see everyone else being the same. Sometimes it is better to be different. That is all for this article.
Take care everyone.

Dear Aimi

DEAR AIMI

hmm…
well I don’t have to many real big issues with IMVU. One complaint I constantly have is every time you shop you get signed off the page so you have to sing back in like 20 times just to get to an item. Oh one thing that bugs me a bit…. I paid for AP and I got the age verification thing, well I did what your suppose to do and it said some information wasn’t correct or something. This is what it say’s when I go to my account settings and click on age verification:

You have previously tried to verify your age through the third party age verification service.
Unfortunately, the 3rd party service could not verify your age.

Please fax us at number removed for privacy a copy of your passport, driver license, or other official government document.
You can also mail us the document. Please mail the document to:
IMVU, Attn: address removed for privacy
Alternatively, you can scan your document and email to: email removed for privacy
Please note that your personal document will not be used for any other purposes and will be stored in a secure area.

Really??? Maybe they need a new 3rd party service because it asked to enter you social and well I use mine every day because we need it to clock in for work so I’m 99.9% sure it was correct. And I’m not vary interested in sending any other personal information to a chat client that I don’t know much about in a business sense. Anyways, I paid for all the lovely features of AP, I would like my darn age verification token now!
Written by Cherie on the community site.

Dear Cherie,
Well I don’t know how well my advice will be for you this time, but I will give it a try. I had issues with CUSTOMER SERVICE myself, but mine was about credits. I would try and contact IMVU at the email address they have provided you. However, I would be very upset myself because you had paid for Age Verify and not Access pass. It is very frustrating when it seems like IMVU is not listen to any of us. I think IMVU should have a 3rd party service. It would help them out with
everything. I know if I was running a business that I would love to have some help with everything. That is all the advice I can give you right now.
Take care,
AIMI
****
Permission to use Screen name given to me by Cherie.

If you have an issue that you would like to bring to my attention for advice you can email me at
claysbrokenangel@yahoo.com

You may also send me a private message on IMVU
my name there is Alessaismyidol

You can also post in my thread here at the community.
http://aviliciousmagazine.ning.com/forum/topics/dear-aimi

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This issue of AviLicious Magazine is brought to you by the Club 69/69 on IMVU, “Outside The Box”.

Featured 69/69 Model Foxxy:
(Please click images for larger view.)