2011 was a year of tragedy, of loss, but also of hope and of gaiety. Here are a few notable events that took place in Second Life® in 2011; you'll find photos from all of them in the slide show next to this article.
Two events that have special importance for anyone who values the creativity that has made Second Life such an exciting place to be are the closing of the Lost Gardens of Apollo and the near closing of the replica Globe Theatre of Shakespeare, both due to the escalating cost to nonprofits of owning sims.
In January we saw Egyptian protests, using V for Vendetta masks, spill over into Second Life. We also saw the beginning of full Sim art exhibits by the University of Western Australia in Second Life with an immersive work by Betty Tureaud followed by Blue Tsuki's "Vessel" in February, and others in following months..
March brought the Burning Man event Burnal Equinox and the Mardi Gras, a well-planned event that sadly was marred by epic lag. The month also saw the passing of Second Life artist Sabrinaa Nightfire.
There was another tragedy in April: the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
June brought us the Second Life 8th birthday party, SL8B, but July brought us another physical world tragedy with a memorial in Second Life, the Norway massacre.
In August, many of us gathered in Oakland, California for the Second Life Community Convention. It was also the month when street artist Drumstick Ah had a gallery opening in Second Life, and when Burning Man held its Community Day.
September brought yet another sad memorial, the 10th anniversary of 911. Among the memorials for it in Second Life was one in which your avatar could suit up in the gear of New York firefighters and climb a 110 story stairwell in tribute to the first responders who went up the stairs to their deaths in the World Trade Center while everyone else was fleeing downstairs.
In October we had the event that many of us look forward to, Burn 2, Burning Man in Second Life, and of course we also had Halloween.
Physical world issues prevented this writer from covering as many events in 2011 as I wanted; like most everyone, I'm hoping for a better 2012.
You'll find photos from 2011 in Second Life in the slide show next to this article.
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