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Posts Tagged ‘ SXSW ’

I’m Not Going to SXSW

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011

After a lot of deliberation, I’ve finally come to realize that I’m not going to SXSWi 2011. You see this title and probably think this post is some diatribe about how it’s gotten too big, or how Social Media “gurus” have taken over, or how last year’s keynote was boring, but it’s not for any of these reasons. smcstl-panel

Why am I not going? Well, I have a muscular disease that I’ve kept really quiet for the last 5 months, but it has damaged my muscles to the point where I’m usually walking with a cane right now. Without going into all the details, I have hope that this damage is reversible (although not curable), and with the right treatment I’ll hopefully be back to close to “normal” activities by late Spring or early Summer.

Looking back on last year’s SXSW (which was a great time meeting a lot of people and learning a lot), I realized I walked. A LOT. And no matter how much I want to, I wouldn’t be able to do it this year.

I know I could still go to SXSW and not walk as much, but I’m worried that I would be end up being disappointed with my experience, and likely in a lot of pain even after limiting my activities.

So I’m not going to SXSW this year… I will miss catching up with the DCTH crew, Scott Bishop and his crazy pirate friends, friends from St. Louis, Roberto and others. I will also miss trying to find a worse session that this one and then blogging about it.

No worries on my end though because I know this is the right decision. I am sure I am going to Big Omaha and probably An Event Apart – Atlanta (I figure there will be a lot less walking for these events). Hopefully I run into friends at these, see some great speakers and learn a lot at the sessions.

SXSW Interactive Tweets – What should I do?

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Do you have an opinion on whether I should create a separate twitter account for my live-tweeting from panels / keynotes at SXSW?