Friday, March 18, 2011

Reflections on my first SXSW - 2011 South by Southwest interactive Festival

What to say about Austin Texas? Well as I sit in the airport after
spending 5 days here I don't think I can fairly answer that question.
My perspective on the city came from roughly 1 square mile and was
during SXSW, a time when there are more visitors than full time
residents.

What I did get, however, was a sense of calm. Nothing much seems to
phase these locals even in the midst of what I can only describe as
'spring break for nerds.' And nice, not in an artificial way, just
nice.

4 concerts (Chris Cornell, Foo fighters, Big Boi and Mr. Heavenly), 2
keynote speeches, 1 quick trip to Lake Travis, and days of training
sessions have left me in somewhat of a fog this morning as I get ready
to board plane for Denver. Mix this with a serious lack of sleep and I
feel more like I might be returning from one of those Vegas trips in
my mid 20s.

I am smarter, more motivated, excited about the future and really,
really happy I came. I loved Austin's food trucks, smoky BBQ and mole
(more to come in my Austin food post). The people were great and
weather was perfect. Wow, maybe that fog is lifting. Also, I just
checked my wallet, It still has some money, definitely not one of
those Vegas trips.

See you next year.

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