There is something rather peculiar about spending enormous amounts of time developing places that don't physically exist, only to discover that managing them involves practically every complication imaginable in the physical world.

That is probably the best way I can describe my recent adventures in Second Life.

What began as an interest in creating interesting entertainment venues has gradually developed into an elaborate collection of clubs, performers, staff members, automated bots, websites, event schedules, promotional activities, and technological experiments.

At some point, I stopped thinking of these projects as simply things to do in a virtual world.

They became ventures of their own.

And while I might come up with the ideas, I certainly don't make everything happen by myself.

There is a remarkable collection of people involved, from the owners and managers to the DJs, singers, hosts, creative contributors, security staff, and technical helpers. Then there are our automated characters, some of which seem to have developed personalities of their own.

And perhaps most importantly, there are the guests.

The people who actually visit these places, attend the performances, dance, socialize, bring their friends, and give us reasons to keep improving everything.

Without them, we would have some very attractive virtual buildings and an extraordinary collection of software.

But not much of an entertainment experience.

Bringing Phat Cat's Back to Life

One of my biggest undertakings has been the revival and expansion of Phat Cat's.

I didn't want to create just another Second Life ballroom with a dance floor and a music stream. There are plenty of those already.

I wanted a place with personality.

Somewhere people could dress elegantly, enjoy music, dance, attend performances, and experience an atmosphere that was recognizable.

Phat Cat's has always appealed to me because of that combination of elegance and entertainment.

There is something enjoyable ab