Second Life

Philip’s Grand Adventure

I feel like I owe Philip an apology. He’s been commenting in a few places on his absence from SLCC this year, including this blog:

SLCC is incredibly important to me, and right now I need to be there more than ever. However, my family is very important to me as well. I’m leaving to drive to Yosemite literally that morning, on a trip that has been planned for over 6 months. If the SLCC organizers want to check with my schedule before planning the event, we can make sure I can be there.

Family is important. Downtime is critical. Yosemite is supposed to be really spiffy and it’s off the Grid, which is where you should be on vacation.

Now I don’t think the SLCC organizers felt that he was part of the picture when they set the date – so that’s kind of an unfair comment, as if they intentionally set a date without checking in with him. At the time, Philip wasn’t playing an active role in the Lab and so there was no need.

And I’m sort of reassured by his reasons. Clearly the ship isn’t sinking, Second Life isn’t at a mission critical crisis point, the community isn’t at a pivot where they’re deciding whether to stay or go, and the metrics aren’t something that scared him into canceling something that we should never lose sight of: time with family.

There will be other Lindens to look in the eye, as Catherine points out. I still feel that it’s a massive loss not to be able to look Philip in the eye as well, and so he’ll be missed, although it’s the community you go for over everything else.

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