Reply | Original | Permalink | TweetThanks that is very kind. A+ right back atcha
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Mary – Tamar already replied, but SXSW (South by South West) is a huge media conference with music, film and “interactive”, ecompassing everything from movies to video games. Bit too big for me I think. At the other end of the scale is SOBCon which is Liz Strauss and Terry Starbucker’s conference, it is more intimate with everyone sat at tables in one room (mostly), and people really get to know each other. It’s the only event where you get quality time with other attendees and the likes of Brian Clark, Chris Brogan, et al. There it is one big group where everyone talks, no “cool kids clique”. Blog World is somewhere between the two – lots of panels, parties, but not too many.
@Valeria – You were the opposite of suck, you rocked
@George – My wife is the outgoing one in our pairing too, but she is really not into this world and only tolerates it because it pays the bills, heh Well, take that back, she thinks some of the people are really cool providing they don’t talk shop
@Tamar – Would love to catch up with you. You must come to Blog World, let’s not wait a year!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Darren – Shame you couldn’t make it over from Dallas but I am sure there will be many more opportunities
@James – Deb’s halo does that, plays havoc with getting my paparazzi on
@Darren – Yeah, I tend to go for the round table sessions, meals, quiet beer, coffee etc. Problem is that doesn’t scale so I have to break out of my comfort zone to see everyone even fleetingly :/
@Amber – Blog World is going to be even more awesome this year as it is happening right at a hotel, even easier to get back to your room for a recharge that way! Make sure you say hi
@Lana – It wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t at least a little critical of myself Glad you liked it
@Henri – Me too, and it is over the meals you really get to know people rather than the fake elevator pitches and lame jokes (I didn’t do any of the former but lots of the latter, heh)
@Derek – I love it when people introduce theirselves to me, saves me doing it in the other direction Always say hi if you spot me I’m actually getting better at it though, I had some nice conversations in taxis of all places
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Cori – Heh, yeah getting people to talk would be the real trick
@Debbie – Yup, totally. And who doesn’t like a bit of Barry?
@Devin – It all worked out good and yeah my daughter was/is fine which is the best bit
@John – It was good that there were so many people in one place, but that was also a downside too. Hard to get quality time with people in that situation, and without a compelling business case as you say …
@James – Got several mugshots with Darren, it was like the last 5-6 years of missed photo opportunities in one week!
@Keiran – I introduced myself a few times and it never stops feeling awkward, thankfully 99% of people are lovely about it, and those 1% … well, concentrate on the 99%
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Taylor – OMG, beer cupcake? Awe-some. I will concede the cup of cake thing … but still think your avatar should be your face not your butt
@Cori – I think at the next event I should organise a shy social – like a support group
@Joel – Expect you are right to a degree. I read about an experiment where students were asked to wear a Barry Manilow t-shirt, the students felt embarassed but only a tiny percentage of other people even noticed what they were wearing.
@John – Misery loves company?
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Sonia – Was lovely to see you again – hopefully soon I will be traveling down from the true north so won’t be as expensive or as big a logistical nightmare. I should be able to do a few more of these things and the smaller, less intimidating ones, instead of only the big ones
@Andy – You were and continue to be totally awesome, dude
@Thursday – Was a pleasure hanging out with you, even if I think I called a couple of people Thursday who, um, weren’t
@Rebecca – Hug transferred to kid with thanks I hope nobody was afraid of approaching, that is kind of the catch-22 of introverts meeting introverts isn’t it? :S
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Chris – Yeah I think relationships are the real benefit and where the big fun comes from Great to meet you in person!
@AJ – Good tips I could see on the plane to Austin that SXSW was going to be full of geeks – lots of macbooks and iphones everywhere
@Nathalie – Thanks, the move is in motion as it were so will be hopefully going through very soon!
@Ali – I think from the tweets I just missed you a couple of times :/ ah well, next time!
@Henri – I think you inspired this post with a question IIRC?
@Gayla – Getting your own DebNG really helps (not the actual Deb though, I am not sharing, heh)
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Cynthia – Well, I am human, but about 99% perfect
@Kelli – Glad to help
@Mary – My daughter did play on my mind but I needn’t have worried, she was fine. It was brilliant to see you
@Deb – Sorry for following you around, I sure hope at this Blog World I will be in a position to get my own perfectly legal breakfast instead of smuggling contraband
@Michael – I am looking forward to seeing you Michael – SOBCon is going to rock, it always does. Much more my speed and an ego-free zone. No them and us there, it’s all us
@Johnny – I just know where the bodies are buried. (Hint: where do you think all that BBQ came from?)
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Charlie – Thanks Charlie, you are definitely a cool kid in my book and meeting you was awesome (there is that word again!).
@Brenda – Think Visibility is a nice one in the north, and A4U expo is pretty cool for anyone into affiliate stuff.
@Albert – Thanks for the link, will check it out
Reply | Original | Permalink | TweetMy daughter is 100% back herself, thanks I still think Blog World Expo and SOBCon are my “must attend” conferences, but I did have a great time at SXSW, I just think it is too much for me. Might still give it another go next year though
Reply | Original | Permalink | TweetMaryl, thanks for this. I have no excuse other than cowardice SXSWi was huge and I kept hearing it is the fastest growing if not the biggest part now – my theory is the music and movie people were piling into the interactive because that is where their industries are heading (interactive is a channel rather than a medium).
Reply | Original | Permalink | TweetGreat tips John – you should make it into a post!
I did get to see some of Austin, great place. I walked along the river to go see Darren, and then he and I walked out for breakfast and to AT&T to try to get a sim card. Next morning I walked the other direction to see Terry and Jonathan. WOuld definitely explore more next time
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweet@Pat – Definitely, always up for that
@Nancy – Thanks For me the social in social media is a lot easier online than in person
@David – Very true, if it wasn’t for Deb I would have found it much harder going
Reply | Original | Permalink | TweetI’d love to be able schedule tweets from within TweetDeck – it bugs me that if I want to advance tweet I have to sign into a service that allows it and then come back to TweetDeck – being able to sync with these services to do it from within TD would be GOLD!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Tweetthanks for answering the questions.
Its not for me but I’m sure many will find it of benefit.
