Just in time for Halloween, “At Home With!” is visiting today with Mhaijik Guillaume, one of SL’s most talented jewelers and well known vampires, who would rather spend her time in Costa Rica working on her tan than sleeping in a coffin. Let’s get our holy water, garlic necklace, and crucifix and prepare to guard our necks…

Ryker: Hello Mhaijik! Welcome to "At Home With!" Thank you for chatting with me :D

Mhaijik: Thank you Ryker, this is an honor ;p

Ryker: Ah, the honor is all mine. Let us begin with our classic starter: Tell me, how did you discover the Costa Rica Sims?

Mhaijik: I have been thinking about that and I am not sure exactly. I think I attended a party here and fell in love with the scenery. The mall of shops also interested me in this lush paradise.

Ryker: Do you recall what made you decide to move here?

Mhaijik: I have my main shop on a mainland sim, but on my land there, I have used all my prims, so to create any of my jewelry I was always searching for sandboxes. When I saw Costa Rica, I thought this would be perfect for a refuge and a workshop in the sky. No more searching for a sandbox where I can create my intricate primmed creations.

Ryker nods with understanding and smiles.

Ryker: You are probably the most well known Vampire in SL. Why did you decide to become one?

 

Mhaijik: It was kind of a surprise actually. Way back in SL history, I went to a party for the celebration of the day Obscuro Valkyrie got his first island – Transylvania. He made me a vampire that eve ;) This was like the hour he got it, so it was all rock - no terraforming or buildings just a bunch of us entranced by the music and the crowd.

Ryker: rawr ^^

Mhaijik: No going back I guess ;D

Ryker: Hahaha, true true, sounds like a done deal. Are you a vampire in RL as well? :D

Mhaijik: No sad to say I am not one RL, although I do bite RL.

Ryker: hoooo!

Ryker: You have been in SL since 2004, and since you are a vampire you have lived through many eras here, lol, tell us a little about the way SL looked when you first arose from your coffin?

Mhaijik: It was very small compared to now. You could see all the sims on the map easily. Buildings were not as sophisticated, but everyone was learning really quickly and you could see the changes almost daily as people learned to build better. The events were announced by Lindens, so you constantly had a blue window popping up telling you what was going on. It was like a huge family - kinda like Costa Rica is now. :)

Ryker: Can you say that in general, SL is a better place than it was in 2004?

Mhaijik: Technology-wise yes, visible talents - yes, but for me - this SL is so huge - it is like my 'neighborhood' grew into the 'world' in size comparison. I used to fly all over looking at new things - now that task feels daunting - so I only explore once in awhile.

Ryker: Many residents have said that they value the sense of community here in Costa Rica as a huge draw for living here. What are your thoughts on this?

Mhaijik: That I too agree, this feels homey and nice and comfortable. The CR events and the communication through the webpage make it feel like home.

Ryker: Mhaijik you are the owner and creator of the Jewelry Mhaijik Things & Guillaume pour homme brands. Tell me about the company, how it got started, and what sets it apart from the rest?

Mhaijik: I love jewelry. I loved it when I saw it in SL as well. In RL, I am somewhat of an artist, so I tried my hand at a necklace for myself. My first necklace was made July of 2004, a month after I joined. I tried making everything in here: buildings, clothing, and jewelry. I tended to do better at the jewelry and loved creating it. My jewelry is mostly from my imagination and heart. I see something in my mind and feel it - then try and make it here. I think my shops stand apart because I have a unique and unusual imagination and personality. I also have worked many years in retail in RL and know customer service is key. There are no words in my profile telling customers to not IM blah blah like some people. I will make custom orders. I rarely turn anyone’s request away. I only would do that, if I know a jeweler in here who already makes the item, or I know would make it better than I could. I spend hours on the custom requests. The challenge justifies the work, solving the puzzle.

Ryker: I must say Giancarlo and I love your designs. Most people don’t know that you were the one that created our custom engagement rings. Are rings the pieces that you get the most orders for? What are your most popular creations?

Mhaijik: I think actually my Organic collection, a 2 piece set, necklace and ring. I did start out only making ladies jewelry. But my personal tastes are more androgynous and lean to masculine, so I gravitated to Men's Jewelry creation almost totally after being asked to convert some of my ladies designs to fit men. My most popular custom orders are for Partner rings, or wedding sets.

Ryker: Few months ago, you also came up with a custom set specially designed for the Costa Rica Sims, a set made of Cocobolo Wood, one of the most beautiful and precious woods in Costa Rica. How did you come up with this idea?

Mhaijik: I wanted to pay a tribute to these beautiful sims. So I did some research on Costa Rica to find out what gems were native. I found they did not have many gems, but the Cocobolo wood was not only beautiful in itself, but also rare, it was perfect!

Ryker: Yay :D ok, quick technical question. How do you go about making jewelry in SL? I mean even just fitting hair drives me nuts, so you must have the patience of a saint. Well a vampire saint :D

Mhaijik: That takes practice. I have been squishing prims and making jewelry in here for 4 years now. So a lot of patience and practice. Also, the SL performance and how good the client I am using is. Some days I come in to create and find my tiny bits of gem or metal flying far off track, so I leave. One funny time I was making a necklace at my old house and I flung a little bit of metal far aside and it ended up in my neighbors land. I IM'd him to say I was sorry and he had one of my parts. This was before auto-return. :P

Ryker: Hahaha, ah the good old days.

Mhaijik: He just laughed at me =D

Ryker: Let’s talk about Mhaijik now. In your profile you have quite a few words that you use to describe yourself: enchanting, mysterious, unknown, wild child, the rebel, the nonconformist. If I may say, you sound like a very complex person. Is this one of the reasons you identify yourself with vampires?

Mhaijik: That could be so - the outsiders, the quiet ones (well this was before SL got invaded by that 'game'). The words in my bio are my RL self portrait and old poem I had written. With bloodlines in here sometimes I am embarrassed to be a vampire, but I just make sure people know I am not one of 'those' ones. To get me to bite, you have to, well, be very special.

Ryker: For those of us who are outsiders to this world, would you mind elaborating a bit more, and explaining what you mean by "that game."

Mhaijik: Bloodlines - the RP game where I guess the vampires get points for biting people - It is all over the forums - people hate being harassed by them. I am surprised you have not had a gazillion requests for being bitten. Maybe Costa Rica keeps us safe from them.

Ryker roars laughing "no actually, this is the first I have ever heard of this. So you do not participate in Bloodlines I take it? What are your thoughts on this kind of game in SL?”

Mhaijik: I think it has a place - RP is fine, I just do not agree with the tactics some use. Hanging out where new people come in, or in malls, trying to bite everyone and anyone. Take it back to the game level, stop the harassment factor.

Ryker nods and agrees.

Ryker: The look of your avatar is unique among the clones of models here in SL. How do people react to your image? Do you have any memorable stories of a positive or negative reaction to your appearance?

Mhaijik: Well I guess I have never had a negative reaction from anyone, that I know of. I do get people asking me if I bite, or asking me not to bite. Oh the usual question about the sun. I love the sun so oh well a contradiction as I am a lot.

Ryker: How do you feel about dating in SL? Are you currently dating anyone?

Mhaijik: Hmmm, I think dating in SL is a good thing. I come from a long history of online venues, and met my RL boyfriend online. So no I am not dating in SL. I think meeting online can be a great way to meet people, it worked for me. Just the drama factor can be intense, but the emotions are as well.

Ryker: What kind of man can make the pale skin of a vampire blush?

Mhaijik: lol and I have blushed in here. It takes a very witty off-sense of humor person that would take me by surprise with a play on words or an innuendo.

Ryker: Some people say that vampires are kinkier when it comes to sex, do you agree?

Mhaijik: I have heard that. I have no hidden dungeons though.

Ryker chuckles and looks around for hidden pose balls.

Mhaijik: Only in the hot tub and they are very innocent ones. Look at my profile picture - is that not the picture of innocence?

Ryker checks out your profile picture and sees the halo, wondering if there is an invisible prim holding it up.

Mhaijik Guillaume: lol actually that was some sign in the background, it just all lined up perfectly.

Ryker: LOL. Let’s say you were single and met someone in SL and all of a sudden feel that connection, would you change your skin to a golden tan and put on blonde hair if he asked you?

Mhaijik: No =D

Ryker: Hahaha, I see we have found the line in the sand. Let’s talk about your house a little. Wait there is no house, just a white sand beach. One would expect to find you in a dark castle avoiding the sunlight, how come you have totally the opposite?

Mhaijik: I love the gothic builds people have - I just never desired one. I am a bit of a contrast I love the beach here, the sun, the water, I did not want walls hiding it from my sight.

Ryker smiles and looks around, admiring your unobstructed views.

Ryker: Well one last question, since we are nearing the end of our time together. If some of your fellow vampires were to ask you why they should consider The Costa Rica Sims for their SL home what would you tell them?

Mhaijik: I would tell them of the peacefulness, the lack of intrusions, and the privacy. I would also let them know that it is like family, like back in the old days on another island.

Ryker grins "I think that about wraps up our time, but thank you again for sharing with the community about yourself and your wonderful creations."

Mhaijik: Thank you Ryker  =D

Mhaijik sends a shower of roses onto Ryker’s lap.

Ryker: Awww, ty ty :D

~End

Well it looks like we escaped without shedding a drop of blood, this time anyways. Be sure to stop by Mhaijik's shop in our shopping district and stock up on those family jewels. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Laguna%20Arenal/145/88/23

Next time we are going to be with Clyde Saunders, member of the Executive Team, Estate Photographer, and rising star in the modeling world who is on track to becoming one of SL's top fashionistos. Until next time...

Ciao!

Ryker