Conversely, My Favorite Things About SXSW

So what DO I like about SXSW?

Well, people come to town

A)  The Annual Visit and report from NathanC

Nathan was two years ahead of me in high school, and I think I only met him after high school.  He wound up at Trinity University with my brother, so in the summers, we'd all hang out (and they were in the band named for the seminal comic, Stray Toasters, back in the day).

Nathan was also good friends with Jamie in college (she went to Trinity), and so even after he graduated, we all got to hang out as he found work in San Antonio.  Today, Nathan is a big-wig at Texas Public Radio in San Antonio.  He carries multiple duties, and has recently transitioned from programming and station management at the classical station to marketing and web presence for TPR.  You'll see me link to him a lot as he's also the resident film guy at Texas Public Radio, and hosts the summer series with TPR.


Nathan knows as much about film as anyone I know, and his interest and interviews at SXSW are always interesting.  He supports Texas film, getting the word out about projects that cross his path, and hitting SXSW to find more of these projects.

Really, he needs to write a book or manage a website on what he does.

It's also good to get the family updates, hear about the kids and see how he's doing, of course.  I very, very much look forward to his visit every year.

B)  Other visits

Once in a while pal Kevin Bankston, who is involved at an international level in internet privacy law (and used to be with the EFF and now with the Center for Democracy & Technology), shows up.  We were college roommates and remain in touch, so whenever he's here I love to see him.

Last year the guys in Jupe Jupe came through.  They're a Seattle-based band, but I went to college with half of them, and while I was pretty sick while they were in, I propped myself up long enough to spend some time with them.

And this year, TechnoJeff (aka: Lusine) is coming, but I'm going to really have to massage my schedule to see him.  I'm off to Baltimore for a few says here and then in Houston, so it's going to be a trick to high-five he and the TechnoJeff family.


Speaking of Nathan, he should be back at League HQ any minute, so I gotta cut this short.