Love to Verna

DJ, builder, landscape creator, loyal friend, photographer, and welcoming hostess at so many events, Verna Avril has been a valued friend and a familiar face in Opensim for a decade. Her long career of creativity in virtual worlds, going back to the days of Second Life.

 Here's a shot of her handiwork from 2012, on a sky platform on a SL sim called Sharks Cove. The environment she made here was called ' Dragon and Angel Palace' and Verna's love of fantasy comes through, all these years later... 

Verna's Dragon and Angel Palace

... but of course, SL could never be big enough for such a passionate builder! 

Verna landed in Osgrid back in 2012. She has accounts on several different grids, but Osgrid is home to most of her building projects. In 2022 she told me she had ten 4x4 regions, many of them rich environments, and several under construction. She's always been a big thinker - whether it's landscapes, roleplay, or having fun.

Right now, Verna is battling health issues, but even if she's not inworld, she is definitely not forgotten.

Lots of friends all send the same message - prayers, good wishes, and a reminder to stay strong! They include Jaime Wright, Mystic Moonlight, Ozzmosis Ozzy, DJ Purr, Hyacinth, Destiny, Dan, Quaesar Agnomen, Unadecal Masala, and Kylie Brimmer.

Event Plaza

Victoria Logan: Dear Verna, in each of your sessions as a DJ, I have been able to travel through my memories and enjoy your music. Excellent person always willing to help, I know this from my own experience. My hug is with you.

It wasn't only on Event Plaza where Verna made her mark.

Ellen Tiratzo: Verna  Avril had “her corner” at LBSA, and no one dared stand near or in front of it. Hicks crowned her the “Queen of LBSA,” a title that couldn’t have suited her better! From her special spot, Verna started countless dance parties, lighting up the grid with her energy, wit, and charm.  

Ellen Tiratzo on LBSA

Here is Ellen, on LBSA Plaza, keeping Verna's corner warm... look at that bad girl strut!!

Ellen Tiratzo: Verna was my first and dearest friend in OSGrid. I met her at LBSA—or as she fondly called it in voice, “LOBSA.” From the very beginning, she welcomed me into her world with open arms, offering me a home in her castle (complete with a “dirty sex mattress” in one corner and a feral animal sex bed in the other!) and land to build on. Verna’s patience and kindness were unmatched as she helped me learn to build, never once “mansplaining” like so many others did.  

MillyAnn Morgana and AMusic Man aka Aussie Envee

MillyAnn Morgana: Aussie and I sure do miss Verna. She was always saying..~AfterParty! Event Plaza!~ and this photo shows just the kind of fun she was talking about!

That parrot has got rhythm for sure! 

Ellen Tiratso: As a DJ, Verna made every show an experience to remember. She loved spinning quirky, fun tracks and even created an entire playlist of songs about alligators, New Orleans, voodoo, and Louisiana just for me! She poured her heart into every set, spending hours curating the perfect songs for her famous AFTER PARTY sessions.  

Being social in Opensim isn't always easy, the people behind the avatars all have very different situations, speak different languages, are in different time zones and so on. But with kindness and a spirit of fun, and plenty of good music, Opensim offers a chance for the whole community to come together, put aside for a moment our worries and problems, and just enjoy one another's company and sing along to a song or two.

Ellen, who inspired the writing of this blog post

Ellen Tiratzo: We shared countless unforgettable moments. Our little posse—Verna, aka Pork Chop Butt, Chopsy, aka Iconic Butt, and me, aka Skinny Butt—were always up to something fun. Photo shoots were one of our favorite activities, and two unforgettable ones were our Charlie’s Angels shoot and the Rocky Horror Picture Show photos, where Yuri hilariously rocked a gold thong as Rocky! 

Sharann Cousine - she's always dancing!

Sharann Cousine: What I love about Verna is that she is a dynamo in a small package! Her high energy always is an attraction to those in contact with her. She's always ready to greet all and draw them into her circle. Hugs Verna, Jeremy and I are praying for you.

Bliss Hearts

Bliss Hearts: Verna is a sweet person - my best memory of our time together inworld is that she always like country music and she made everyone smile. Please Verna, get well soon !

Ernest Moncreiff

Ernest Moncreiff  ran the Art Factory on Osgrid for a long time, together with Ellen Tiratzo - it was a place for artists to meet up, display their work in a beautiful and lively set of sims. Verna was a stalwart there too.

Ernest Moncrieff: Whenever I think of Verna, I remember her giving it her all, trying everything and documenting it on Flickr profusely :)  - a particular favourite of mine is the photo she took of the Factory Events, great memories!

Kingdom of Aragon

After her Djing, Verna is best known for her builds. Her region Kingdom of Aragon is based on the "All Souls Trilogy" by Deborah Harkness  a series of novels about Historical Fiction of the History of Aragon Spain. Her region Bell City is a tribute to Bellingham, Washington, a town close to her heart, and many other regions by Verna are set up for watersports, hiking and socializing. But she also built on other grids.

This is Queensland on Neverworld, Verna made a great beginning on this sim, with some dramatic scenery.

Govega Sachertorte:  When we first started our gatecrashers events program Verna was here and did a few sets at BT Ultra Music Club for us.  She is a busy gal so she was not here alot but we appreciated her professionalism and her taste in music!  

Ellen Tiratzo: We created so many amazing memories together—dressing “street,” as she called it, which meant wearing something short, black, and leather; hosting wild parties at the bordello; Ramen Hair and chopstick legs; that unforgettable Thanksgiving dinner with Chopsy and Stevey; and all the chaotic fun, like the ghost car that went underground, the 1,000 teacups I made for her Tea Room, poor, poor Pugsley, or even my own dog that mysteriously went missing. Verna had a way of bringing magic, fun, and mischief into everything we did.  

Ellen Tiratzo: Dear Verna, you bring magic, laughter, and joy to every moment. You aren’t just the Queen of LBSA—you are, and always will be, the queen of our hearts.