How will YOU rawk this years SXSWi?

[Ernie]

So this year I've been fortunate enough to be on the How to Rawk SXSW Panel, subbing in for a very pregnant Min Jung Kim, and I'm looking for other people to do my work for me!

Okay, not really.

But given the financial nuclear winter that has been the past couple of months, there will definitely be a different vibe than previous years before. But for the veterans that have been to SXSW a couple of years, how will that change your interactions? WILL that change anything? And what suggestions would you give to someone who's never been to SXSW before?

(Note, I may use this in my presentation on Friday afternoon. I will give you credit if I use it, of course.)

Thanks,
- Ernie

[Ms. Jen]

Hi Ernie!

Are you going to tipple from the panel like MJ did in previous years. Please say yes.

My big advice is to drink lots and lot of water.
My 2nd piece of advice is to get out of one's comfort zone and talk to the person next to you or someone who smiles in the hallway. Lots of new folk feel shy and the only way to meet others is to say hi. Some of my all time favorite folk ever on the planet, I met at SXSW.
My 3rd piece of advice is to eat regular meals and drink water.
My 4th piece of advice is to go on walks around Austin, it is easy to miss what a lovely city it is by staying cooped up in the convention center.

As a veteran of SXSW during the last recession/dotcomnuclearbust, I found that it was important to make sure I set a budget for myself, pay for things in cash (or at least pre-pay your credit card before departure), and to make sure I went out for at least one nice meal with a friend rather than just eating scary things at parties and on 6th St.

I will stop typing now. ;o)

[urban_mermaid]

i don't know that i'll be doing much different in terms of how i structure my week. however, i will be looking forward to more conversations with people that might some day want to start a company with me, or to hire me for their big mega-corp, or allow me to pursue other things. given the current downturn, it seems a ripe opportunity to meet people and start stuff up!

for those who have never been, i do think you have to go prepared to make decisions on the fly, to follow up conversations and interactions as they arise and to go with the flow. i tend to over-prepare in the weeks leading up to interactive, reading through session descriptions, talking with friends and sort of figuring out what i might want to get out of it. that said, i'm not wedded to anything except showing up for my own panel, and to a few must-attend social gatherings (20x2, for example), i'd be sad to miss otherwise. it's more important to meet people serendipitously and go from there.

my other piece of advice for those coming for the first time with friends: do your own thing. it'll be freeing -- and you'll get to meet more people and learn new things. (if that's what's important to you. otherwise you can just drink beer alone.) people sometimes have a hard time walking away from the teeming masses of their friends, but last year, while waiting for lunch, a person by themselves ended up joining our little group and we had a great chat of it all.

also: hydrate, bring snacks, power supplies and a good attitude. (i know, i sound like mom, but since yours will likely not be with you, you might as well take the advice.)

[urban_mermaid]

oh. oh! pursuant to ms. jen's advice: carry cash -- it takes forever to get checks some times and it's much easier to split checks at meals if you've got cash on ya instead.

[Jason]

Here's a tip for you, Ernie. Since you're replacing MJ, you have to bring the booze. That's not my tip. My tip is -- don't drink as much as I did last year. The bulleit was so good but by the end of the panel people were afraid I would be able to blow fireballs from my mouth.

[Joyce Schwarz. author THE VISION BOARD book]

Hi, I decided to make my booksigning of THE VISION BOARD on 5 p.m on Friday, March 13 into a fundraiser for an Austin-based charity called SCARE FOR THE CURE which builds an awesome interactive Halloween house each year to raise $. AND YOWZA now the founder of that charity, who is an Austin police detective who just happened to win Stan Lee's SCI FI CHANNEL WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPER HERO is helping me promo the book signing and will be on hand early that day for a press VIP preview/photo opp & in turn I will donate profits from the book signing. So it's a win-win situation! I'm going to list the event on Facebook and take reservations so that I can be sure to get some peeps there -- the event is free to Interactive badge holders & press of course but I want to be sure I have some peeps signed up in advance so I rake in some coin for the charity! Hope to get some Austin media promo in advance. Can't take chances in this economy that peeps will jsut show up!

[Glenda]

Ernie, you biatch. Sleep with one eye open, I'm not letting you off the hook that easy... a simple forum post on Ning won't do!

Much love and huggles,

Your future roommate and panel moderator/charioteer into chaos