Category: Special Event

So Far I Have…

  • been pooped on by a grackle.
  • dropped my digital camera from a height of four feet onto concrete (it still works, honey!).
  • been hugged a lot
  • “enjoyed” a $14 margarita. (OK, it was US$8.25 but at $1.60 for each US dollar, you do the math)
  • brushed my teeth with hot water too many times.
  • laughed hysterically at dancing kittens.
  • seen more Apple laptops in one place than I’ve probably ever sold in my life.
  • met or been reacquainted with some of the smartest, funniest, and warmest people on the web. These people are, in the parlance of Cory Doctorow, my “tribe.”

I come home tomorrow.

Greetings From The Hampton Inn

Well, here I am, settled in to my hotel room and blogging already. I just wanted to note how much nicer my hotel is than last year, and apparently it’s about the same price! The Hampton Inn and Suites just opened recently and it’s only about two blocks from the Convention Center, where all the SxSW stuff is going on.

The weather is gorgeous, sunny, maybe about 70°F. I forgot sunscreen and just had to go out and get some. Tonight is Break Bread With Brad, one of my favourite events. It’s a perfect icebreaker and a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

I spent last night with the amazing Browns. They manage to juggle two energetic boys, a crazy dog, and a cat, and still make room for little old me.

Gotta go now. I’m being IM’ed!

1337 Syncopations

Brooke took me to the ballet again today. I’m not the dance fanatic that Brooke is, but I do appreciate the hard work and creativity. The highlight of today’s performance was Elite Syncopations, a ballet choreographed to the ragtime music of Scott Joplin and others. I loved the looseness of the dancing, which seemed sometimes like a cross between ballet and the choreography of Bob Fosse. The costumes were wildly garish, too. The best piece was The Alaskan Rag, a number danced by the tallest female dancer (my newest crush, the gorgeous Julie Hay) and the shortest male dancer (the impish Daisuke Ohno). It’s played for laughs, but making yourself look clumsy takes real skill.

Another highlight of the mixed programme was The Judgement of Paris, a twist on the classic Greek tale where Paris must judge the beauty of the three goddesses Juno, Venus, and Minerva. Choreographer Antony Tudor has updated and turned the tale on its head, setting it in a sleazy “nightclub” to the music of Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera. A “customer” is choosing between three aging “dancers” who end up robbing him.

For more information, including our seat numbers, check out Brooke‘s site. 🙂