I’m prepping to return to Atlanta on the midnight flight: 10pm-ish take off and landing 6:10am in Atlanta. eep!! Why AirTran has only one flight to San Francisco from Atlanta…I can’t figure it out…but…thank goodness they do have at least one flight. I am exhausted by this trip, but completely thrilled with how things turned out.
I met more Second Life residents and musicians than I ever have on any other SL-related trip I’ve been on…not including the Second Life Community Convention. For me, Second Life has been an incredible blessing…not only as a place to perform music in a safe environment, but even more so…the opportunity to connect with people that I most likely wouldn’t have met. In the past two years of SL Resident-ship…I have traveled more places and met some truly remarkable people…and feel so complete being able to actually hug the necks of people that I have only met virtually.
The performances at Amnesia, Rock-It Room, ZeroOne’s House, and Central Perk were equally fabulous…because of the company of others: Keiko Takamura and James, Holli Hollwood and Angus, Rake Roux, Pato Milo and family, ZeroOne Paz and Terry, Newton Mincemeat, Haley Bailey, Melanie Keller, Aki Clutterbuck…and Stuart the sound system angel…having the chance to play music with so many musicians was so much fun!! Everyone bringing their own special flavor to the shows.
I got lost in the city as well…due to having no idea where anything was…and being distracted by all the great architecture. I enjoyed walks through the Haight district, passed Jerry Garcia’s house where indeed a couple stood gawking at its purple-ness…but I had no camera so I took no pictures of that. I saw the view from Twin Peaks at night…rode The Bart and Muni…from the city to Richmond…ate fantastic food…slept on a futon that was very exciting if you sit too close to the edge…had the chance to ride on the back of a motorcycle, but chickened out cause it was cold and I didn’t have a big jacket…experienced cognac…and spread the gospel of second life meets first life mash-ups.
Returning home after this trip is really hard for me. I keep fighting back the tears. Holli and Angus took such great care of me and I know they are just as exhausted as I am. The fact that people believe so much in me as a person and songwriter is baffling, humbling, honoring, and fantastic…because without people like that…I would not be able to make trips like this at all. I enjoy performing in SL…I do better as far as financially goes…but…for me, the REAL joy in performing is meeting people and getting the immediate response.
I will edit and post video as soon as I can on YouTube. I KNOW I did not get as much footage as I wanted…most of what I have experienced remains in my mind’s eye…some incredibly special moments shared with some very wonderful people.
How do I write just one song about this experience?