this is sippey.com

A friend of mine recently gave me some invaluable advice: “reality before virtuality,” he wrote. This pearl of wisdom came via email, of course, which I found more than mildly ironic.

I’m taking his advice.

The Obvious is going to be dormant for a few weeks. I’m not one to bare my personal life online (not that there’s anything wrong with that, Mr. Knauss). Let’s just say that I’ll be taking a once in a lifetime walk, and then a once in a lifetime trip. With a once in a lifetime partner in crime.

And I’m not bringing my Powerbook.

Alas, I’m quite sure the web will go on without me. Companies will make more Internet strategy announcements. Products will advance to the next stage of beta. A new search engine will go through growing pains. And a man named Larry will continue to make pronouncements about how earth-shattering the Network Computer is going to be.

Some friends have asked me to document what it’s like to spend 2.5 weeks away from my PC, away from the ‘net. They know I’m addicted to URLs; they know that I haven’t spent more than 48 hours away from my email account in nearly four years. If I can remember how to write with a pen, I’ll be sure to note what life is like without my daily trifecta of Suck, Netly News and the NY Times crossword puzzle.

And if I can decode my chicken scratch, when I get back I’ll fill you in on what I find out on the other side of the monitor.

P.S. While I’m gone, be sure to follow Justin Hall’s trip around the country, spreading the ‘net religion. If he’s coming through your neck of the woods, and you’re into his sort of thing, drop him a line with offer of food or bed.