I recently received some considerable criticism for not spending more time in the Second Life environment. I was chastised for not being more “involved” and for not performing more shows. There were references to other musicians that play “every day” sometimes more than once a day. This was the baseline comparison I was given and I was apparently expected to meet this qualification of standard.

I can only say this. Second Life is a great place to network, a great place to find live music, to explore new interests, to learn about new technologies, and more. However, Second Life is not MY life.

I am a very busy person. I have a fairly demanding career position in media relations and safety education with a suburban fire department. I am a voice over talent creating content for clients during my “non-work” hours. I am a singer/songwriter that is also desperately trying to find time to finish producing an album. I have two children, both active in a variety of activities. I produce two independent media programs (podcasts) and one for my employer.

I would say that I do quite well with a performance or two each week in the Second Life environment. I would like to spend more social time, but I have to realize my limitations. With the extended obligations that I have committed myself, I must also find time to spend with my family. They certainly deserve the attention, right?

And, considering that I have been a Second Life musician for going on two years, I believe I’ve developed a healthy balance of reality and virtual presence.

Please don’t give up on me, though. I’m still around, I’m reachable via IM (through my email when I’m not online) or at safesongs [at] gmail {dot} com, or even via this blog.

And please don’t think that I’m not a contributing member of the SL live music community just because you don’t see me every day or that my shows aren’t more frequent.

I’ve finally gained enough strength and interest to add a post here (and on other sites I manage).

My many thanks

I want to thank each person that visited my shows this past Monday… and especially those of you that stuck around. I had truly looked forward to the performance at StageBar and was hoping for a top-notch performance.

However, as the set drew on I gradually lost my voice. By the time the set was over I had nothing but raspiness and loss of air. Some of you are very dedicated to have stayed on for the entire hour.

My work ethic

When I perform I try to do the best job I can every time. And I dislike performing when I know that my voice is not up to standard. However, because I’m not on the grid performing as often as others, I also hate to cancel shows. It creates a dilemma because I feel extremely obligated to honor my commitment to the venue owners and managers.

I do appreciate the well-wishes and great comments from the audience this past Monday. I know that people are extremely supportive in this environment. It is one of the reasons that I continue to perform in the virtual world. Audiences there are amazing.