The man behind longtime Second Life community leader Dirk Talamasca died last weekend at a tragically young age, so I asked his close friend and SL artist Eshi Otwara to write this tribute - Hamlet
Dirk Talamasca passed away March 30th, Sunday. He was only 45 years old. I was asked to write a post for New World Notes about him, but this is still very hard. It’s difficult to write something when we all know it already; In SL, Dirk was a legendary resident, land baron, content creator and most of all -- mentor. This is all true, yet I feel that it’s not enough; it’s drab, it’s just a part of him and he was so much more to so many of us.
Writing about Dirk, who could ever be just “objective”? I know I can’t. The first thing I could bring myself to write was this letter to him:
Dear Dirk,
I was so damn scared. I was scared I’d never get to meet you face to face and call you a “fucking chinch”. It always made you laugh uncontrollably so that’s why I called you that and you’d call me names right back. I checked on all the posts from all the people who love you and I felt we are stronger together. Maybe if we all stomped our feet it would have made you feel better.
Then, [your] brother Charlie told us your heart was not doing well. Mine started to ache. I caught myself trying to make a deal with God. “If you give me Dirk, I’ll paint this damn thing in the dining room. If Dirk lives, I’ll wash my damned dishes every day.”
Brother Charlie then told us you are off the respirator and you are starting new therapy. I had hope again. On Sunday I woke up with an odd sense of wanting to paint after months of hitting the wall. You know that’s a great thing because you know damn well how I struggle to get myself to do art sometimes, you’ve growled at me so many times because of this. Rightfully so, I would not have done a good half in SL without you.
”Fix that color over there, it looks weird.”
“Ok, you fucking chinch!” (laughter)
I sat down and I lost myself in the painting for a good 8 hours straight. I felt alive, I felt hopeful, I felt grateful, I laughed. Then I thought I’d better check on updates from Brother Charlie. And so there it was. “...Brother Ron...Muerto.” My tears started to flow but I smiled. This is so like you, Dirk! You sent me to that painting to be prepared.
I sat in front of the painting for a while and I remembered the deal I tried to make with God. I finished painting and I’ve kept up with the dishes since because, you see, God’s end of the deal had already been kept. Dirk, you lived and always will, in my heart.
❤, Eshi
Attempting to write this post about Dirk, I’ve revisited most of his social networks hoping I’d snag something Dirk said; a 'teaching' we could all remember, but I did not find it in words.
Then I looked at the big picture. Dirk did not advertise himself like that, he did not self-quote. Instead, he posted thousands and thousands of inspiration bits, laughter bits, beautiful sunsets, fine art, silly art - every morning he woke up, every and any moment of every day. Yes, he lived and shared all treasure he collected. He was motivated by selfless friendship and bringing people together.
Thanks to Bettina Tizzy for helping bring this post together.
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