Let’s answer that question here for everyone. What I’m going to answer in a few simple points is why my appearance at SXSW 2011 is doubtful.

1 – The event is becoming – or has become – more society than substance. Seeing and being seen with the right people is a primary focus of many attendees. It’s almost gotten to the point where you can go to SXSW and not even walk into the Convention Center. In fact, I know some people who haven’t seen a session yet and attend every year. My friends Steve Garfield, Peter Kim and Aaron Strout certainly attend some events, but they’re also working when the show comes to town. And they use SXSW to connect with people they can’t talk to at home. *If you’re going to SXSW to talk to and drink with your friends from home, that’s just silly.

2 – There’s not enough time to do everything. The best sessions often are scheduled at conflicting times. The evening events are all set to occur at the same time. And heaven forbid that you spend a few moments trying to catch up with a friend – then your entire schedule is blown. As an example, I’ve heard that Tech Karaoke is now taking place March 15 – that’s getaway day for the majority of people visiting Austin, but there was no other time to put it with so many other events on the docket.

3 – Other events are starting to offer better content in a less frenetic environment. You can now go to Social Media Week or Mashable Conference or BlogWorld or events in your own city that offer richer connections, conversations and community than you can find at SXSW.

4 – It’s a money suck. That is, to go to SXSW when it costs $500 for a pass, $500 for a flight and $150+ per night for your hotel (if you can convince folks to share a room with you and your snoring), the final tally can be around $2000 for four or five days in Texas. You could spend a week in Paris for that. Or buy a scooter. Or upgrade your camera gear to a Canon 7D kit.

Ultimately, the only way you’re going to see me in Austin this year (and no, I didn’t make it onto a Ford Focus Rally team for some reason, so that’s out too) is if the balance sheet leaves me in the black financially, socially and intellectually.

I do have some irons in the fire and already have my pass and a hotel room reserved. But I’m willing to sell that room (Hilton Austin right across from the Convention Center) and swallow the pass if nothing materializes. I’ll miss the parties and the people, but I’ll be happier knowing I can use my time and money a little more wisely, later this year.

What’s your take? Why do you go to SXSW? What’s it costing you this year?

© Jeff Cutler for Jeff Cutler - columns, essays and opinions, 2011. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: #sxsw, conference, party, society, time, value

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It’s a grand idea for a celebration for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that September only gets one holiday. And that poor day creates angst and anger and sadness among legions of children and parents. Labor Day signals the end of summer, the start of school, the return to real responsibilities, the end of the golf season, and so much more.

TLAPD is also great because there aren’t many pirates lurking around the highways and byways of the world. That means there’s nobody around to criticize how you say Arghhh or Yarrrrrr or Shiver Me Timberrrrrs. I prefer to give a lusty thrust with my right arm and shout Yarrrrghh! as loud as I can. I find that it’s jarring to people, but odd enough that they find some glee in playing along.

You can even host movie parties and watch famous pirate films or shows like The Princess Bride, Dodge Ball or even three or four episodes of Gilligan’s Island.

TLAPD’s placement on the calendar affords many people the opportunity to have one last cookout at the beach (quite appropriate) or lake before the weather is downright miserable.

Please hold your comments if you’re a wuss who lives in some warm and weak climatic zone. If you’re from Stuart, Florida, Manhattan Beach, California or even Asheville, NC (thanks to fact checker chrislebrun.com), you can still play along, but you’d better have some of the best pirate events the world has seen because you can host TLAPD any day of the year.

Getting back to the last reason TLAPD is a grand celebration, it’s completely frivolous. Sure, we have Halloween, but that’s been getting more serious ever since Linus found the Great Pumpkin. And we have Easter, but what is that except some egg hunts on the White House lawn and lots of hams? And who doesn’t have fun when the May Day Mole leaves a little treat in your sneaker?

But TLAPD is something larger and smaller than all that. The only reason it’s prominent today is because Dave Barry mentioned it in a column about seven years ago. Otherwise, those two pirate fanatics might be living together in a retarded-men’s home on Long Island.

Regardless, TLAPD is fun in a manageable package. You can treat it like a cool summer rain on a 90-degree day. If it doesn’t occur, you wouldn’t really miss it and it’s only around for an instant. Some people at the office might wear a pirate hat or shout some Yarrr’s your way, but that’s it.

So take hold of your inner pirate and enjoy the day. The next holiday on the calendar is October 13, Columbus Day. Who’s to say you couldn’t do a second TLAPD then? Didn’t Columbus spend a lot of time on the water? He could have been our first talking pirate here in the United States.

Think about it.

Keep reading!

© Jeff Cutler for Jeff Cutler - columns, essays and opinions, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: celebration, columbus, Column, dave barry, holiday, opinion, party, pirate, Talk Like a Pirate, United States

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