Overheard: I Survived SXSW '09 and Lived To Talk About It (part 2)

Here's the thing about SXSW. It's just too great an experience to contain in one wrap up post. Last week, I wrote the first installment of my SXSX experience summary which gave six of my highlights from the event. Now it's onto the second post about the event also known as "geek spring break":

• Mashable | Blurb party - this was one of the most stressful yet rewarding events of SXSW, mainly because my company, Powered, was sponsoring it. While there are dozens of reasons I loved the party, here are a few highlights that stood out to me:- An opportunity to spend some time with my awesome colleagues Beth Lopez, Doug Wick, DP Rabalais, Bill Fanning, Natanya Anderson, Don Sedota, Trey Anderson, Doni Wilson, Liam Kernell, Rebecca Frasier, Alex Cheng, Tim Thompson and Pearl Russell.
  
  
  
  
  - More of the #sadmadglad photo meme w/ Jim Storer
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  - Meeting Peter Shankman aka @Skydiver of HARO fame and Lara Dalch who is an absolute peach.
  

  
  

  
  

  - I also met my new protege, Sydney Owen, quite seredipitously. Back story here.
  

  
  
  

  - One of the few times I actually got to see my #BostonToAustin bud, Bryan Person. Also got to spend more time with Bill Johnston, Andy Kaufman, Laura Fitton, Deb Micek, Cappy Popp, Kate Brodock, Jeff Cutler, Rebecca Corliss, KurtyD, John Maver, Derek Wilmot, and John Johansen.
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The TechSet Blogger Lounge and sponsored by Windows Mobile. While I didn't get to spend as much time in the lounge this year, it's still my favorite place to hang out. Huge props to Stephanie Agresta and Brian Solis for putting this together and to Windows for sponsoring. Nothing like coffee and bagels in the morning, power and wifi for lunch, beer, cheese and grapes for happy hour and non-stop networking and blogging with folks like Jim Turner, Chris Kieff, Kyle Flaherty, Tim Walker, Liz Strauss, Jason Falls, Lee Odden, Amber Naslund and many more. Oh yeah, this was also where I brokered an introduction of two of my favorite social/community people - Chris Brogan and Charlene Li (pictured below)"
  
  
  
  
  
• Connecting with dozens of "online" friends like Zena Weist, David Armano, Mack Collier, Connie Reese, Just Kate, Erin Kotecki Vest, Chris Tolles, Lani and Benn Rosales, Peter Kim, Beth Harte, Jackie Huba, Ben McConnell, Katie Paine, David Alston, Zaneology, Bryan Person, Lionel Menchaca  at David Armano & Dell's All Hat's, No Boots tweetup at Guero's. This event was single-handedly responsible for the numerous cowboy-themed avatars on Twitter.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Nice pics by David Alston here too.
  
  
• The Pool 2.0 party/hanging out with Peter Fasano, Andy Kaufman, Shawn Morton, Doug Wick, sister Heather, Jim Storer, Peter Kim, Chris Heuer, Kristie Wells, Todd Earwood, Marcel LeBrun, David Alston, Bill Johnston, Rocky Barbanica and Scott Monty.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The funniest part of the night ended up coming at the Rain after party where I finally got to hang out with Julia Roy, said "what up" to Gary Vaynerchuk, and partied with Mike Schneider, Christine Major, Robert Scoble and many others.
  
  
  
• A little SXSW re-do with Andy Kaufman, Ginger Wilcox and Deb Micek on Wednesday night after SXSW Interactive ended. Let's just say that food and drinks at the Cedar Door, mobile RV, billiards, live music and an attempt to "talk" our way into Pure Volume were involved.
  
  
  
  
• Wrap up posts because you can never cover everything. I'm sure there are hundreds but here are a few written by some of my closer friends:
  
  - Jim Storer (@JimStorer)
  
  - Rachel Happe (@RHappe)
  
  - Mike Langford (@MikeLangford)
  
  - Kyle Flaherty (@KyleFlaherty)
  
  - Adam Cohen (@AdamCohen)
  
  - Zena Weist (@ZenaWeist)
  
  - Christine Major (@CMajor)
  
  - Jeff Cutler (@JeffCutler)
  
  - Amanda Gravel (@AmandaGravel)
  - Peter Kim (@PeterKim)
  - Bryan Person (@BryanPerson)
  
  
  Photo Credits: Jim Storer, Brian Solis (Aaron & Scott), Andy Kaufman (Aaron, Deb, Andy & Ginger) and Mashable (Powered folks + Brett)