Hey, sorry, loyal reader, I’ve been derelict in my duties: I promised some recap/thoughts on SXSW Interactive almost two weeks ago and I’m just now getting to it. No, it’s not because I’m just now finally recovering from the many parties I attended that week… though that is a part of it. I had two big deadlines I had to attend to at work, as well as familial duties, and so I am just now posting this.
Anyway, it was my first time attending SXSW Interactive, and it most certainly will not be my last. What a blast – seeing some really provocative panels, meeting some great people (including the CEO of Mint.com and designer extrodinaire David Carson) and enjoying some fine dining in that mecca of culture, Austin Texas… totally worth it.
Some highlights:
Meeting the writers behind the characters on Mad Men on Twitter. They have created a virtual universe that shows us what the characters on Mad Men do when they are not on screen – drawing us into that universe even more. Awesome. Checkout their website.
Actually getting a hug from a beautiful woman because of the work I have done as a UX designer to increase the number of people who get their bills delivered electronically instead of in paper, killing trees… again, awesome.
Attending the SXSW web awards and being thoroughly entertained by The Onion editor Baratunde Thurston’s take on the Skittles Twitter campaign… Here, watch:
Becoming a member of the Theremin Army, having the chance to meet a lovely lady who loves the only new musical instrument created in the 20th century. Here’s her website…
Watching Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh talking about why customer support is the most important thing… Again, watch:
I posted an update in my Facebook profile just before I took my three sons to see Monsters v. Aliens that I hoped that none of the characters in the movie had a paddle ball (which is the cliche’ when it comes to 3D movies, going all the way back to the House of Wax). So, of course, the first character we see on screen is… playing with a paddle ball. Of course.
Monsters v. Aliens is by no means a great movie – it’s the cinematic equivalent of the popcorn you consume while watching such a flick: filling, but not very nourishing or satisfying. However, it is a very good movie, and is a highly entertaining kids flick – and some days, that’s enough.
I was impressed with much of the visuals and character work in the movie – the main character of Susan is great, and I chuckled at jokes about her “monster name” considering that my wife shares said name. Will Arnett as the Missing Link (AKA The Creature from the Black Lagoon) is wonderful, but again, I’ve been a fan of Arnett’ since Arrested Development. Hugh Laurie as Vincent Pri… err, I mean Dr. Cockroach, was exquisite. The sequence on the San Francisco Bridge – WOW. Can I have a full-bore CGI monster movie, in the vein of the great Toho Godzilla films, soon? PLEASE?
The plot… well, it’s kinda meh. It’s about alien energy, absorbed by Susan, which becomes the macguffin the bad guy wants, and… well, ya don’t need much plot here, so the fact that it’s kinda on the thin side doesn’t matter. It’s a fun movie, and I’m glad I went. And you HAVE to see it in 3D – it’s incredible.
I still kinda feel for the guys from Dreamworks Animation, though… you watch this movie just after seeing a trailer for Pixar’s Up and you realize, well, some teams are the New York Yankees and some… are the Montreal Expos.
5/15/09
UPDATE: I was almost completely wrong about with my predictions below – apparently they were not spoilers, they were foilers (fake spoilers) that were being spread on the ‘net that I picked up on. The idea was that the Oceanic Six effectively set into motion everything that happens in the show in the past because they realize that the events HAD to take place. Well, that still MAY happen – but it looks like the producers are going to pull a “reset” button in the last season, so please disregard this (and any future LOST spoiler speculation) on my part.
Keeping this post up for the historic record to show how Wrong I Was.
4/2/09
UPDATED WITH MORE STUFF!
OK, been reading various sites and sources and I have this year’s LOST spoiler prediction for the season finale….
Remember, I correctly pegged that Locke was in the coffin before last season’s finale…
OK…
We will see the “committee” that rules the Others in 2007, and among it’s members… a 70-year old Jin. See, he stayed in the 70s while the rest of the Oceanic Six that landed back then… Well, something else happened to them.
They… became Very Important.
Well, except for Juliet… who won’t be around for much longer…
And as to Faraday… well, we have already SEEN what happens to him, just not in complete detail… That Faraday, always experimenting on something… or someone…
And that recent news about Jacob being cast. That’s A Jacob, not necessarily THE Jacob…
Kay, I know I’m being vague but if what I’m reading comes together and pans out we will be having a big old WTF moment that will make us revisit EVERY EPISODE of the show’s first two seasons.
”There are those who believe that life here, began out there…”
THERE BE SPOILERS HERE.
I was completely satisfied with the final episode of Battlestar Galactica. Yes, it meandered a bit in the last 45 minutes, making sure every character had their final moments (almost typed “moments in the sun” and realized that, for the character of Anders. this was literally true). Yes, it made me cry like a baby (especially when we saw the death of Adama’s two loves, Roslin and the “old girl”). Yes, the religious solution that landed the surviving characters on our Earth was a little contrived (Deus ex Machina indeed). Yes, there was no clear-cut explanation of who Starbuck was. But, imperfections aside…
The ending was completely in character – the character of the show Battlestar Galactica, an imperfect show that has always had high peaks and low valleys. A show that, like so many of their characters, was all too human – even the machines were imperfect creatures. And if the bow wasn’t perfectly tied, if there was some shoving to get the final gift the producers would give us to fit in the last box they had… well, that’s fine.
It’s still one of the best frakkin’ shows I’ve ever seen, and one I will revisit for years to come. The last TV show I loved with such passion was Homicide: Life on the Street, another program filled with all-too-human characters struggling in a bleak situation… and a program that even its fans say lasted two years too long. Well, Galactica did not outlive it’s welcome, and went out as close to it’s height as any four-year old program could… and I’m glad I was part of the journey.
I had a chance to meet many of the cast members last fall, and I clearly remember what I told them all – “I’m probably not alone in this, but I’d like to thank you for everything you have done, and we’re gonna miss seeing you every week. Thank you, thank you, thank you…”
I… am… happy… toannounce… that today is. Not. Only. WilliamShatner’sbirthday! Itisalso. International. Talk! Like! William! Shatner! Day!
Thanks to my Facebook pal (and noted voice over actor) Maurice LaMarche for the creation of such a fine holiday… To celebrate, I plan on wearing my gold Trek tunic and putting my wife in a red mini-skirt before making out with her…
@amyhillman again, wait till June on the iPhone – Bet ya a million smackers (not a unit of legal tender) a new one will be out then
about 21 hours ago from web in reply to amyhillman
Omg I just bought the complete Abbott and Costello Universal Studios collection for $58!!! 28 movies!!!!
about 22 hours ago from Tweetie
Just got out of a pitch meeting for some new designs – went well. Feel like @_dondraper
3:47 PM Mar 19th from Tweetie
http://twitter.com/Felbsie/…
3:46 PM Mar 19th from Tweetie
http://tinyurl.com/susieonTV (via @Felbsie) cool! Susie’s gonna be on tv!
3:45 PM Mar 19th from Tweetie
Living in the #SXSW petri dish for a week finally got to me; I’m getting a cold. Green tea and megadoses of vitamin c, here I come…
7:30 AM Mar 19th from Tweetie
RIP Natasha Richardson… Feel so sorry for her family. This is a sad reminder to enjoy every moment, because someday we won’t be able to
7:24 AM Mar 19th from Tweetie
Finally got @amyhillman to join twitter. Welcome aboard, and enjoy your decreased productivity!
7:15 AM Mar 19th from Tweetie
Updating all my contacts with all the cool peeps I met #sxsw. Man, that was fun.
9:59 PM Mar 18th from web
Just had the sudden urge to post a photo of my desk so here: http://twitpic.com/285q2
5:15 PM Mar 18th from Tweetie
Omg just installed Tweetie on my iPhone – I feel like I’ve been “tweeting blind” all this time..
5:11 PM Mar 18th from Tweetie
How important am I at my company?not one voicemail awaited me when i returned after 5 days #sxsw. Now email in the other hand… Oy.
12:43 PM Mar 18th from twitterrific
@CarriBugbee be happy you left yesterday – my design partner from #pdx is leaving today, and the airport will be Cah-razy.
10:36 AM Mar 18th from twitterrific in reply to CarriBugbee
Just heard that At&T had to put in extra towers to cover all the demand #sxsw. Sorry I downloaded all those torrents on my iPhone – my bad.
10:32 AM Mar 18th from twitterrific
Rereading some details from yesterday’s iPhone announcement and disappointed that they still do not have an API that does foot massages.
9:53 AM Mar 18th from twitterrific
@Felbsie Bye, have a safe trip back – I just got back in the ATL (and ping me if you ever come down for meetings)…
12:52 AM Mar 18th from web in reply to Felbsie
I'd like to thank the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, without whose assistance this site would not be possible.
About Joe…
Joseph Dickerson is a User Experience Architect focused on improving the usability of on-line and mobile applications. With over a decade of experience in software design and user research, Dickerson has made it his mission to make technology easier for people to use.
@DVDGeeks Absolutely. I've stayed at Marriott so much for business I've reached Latinum status. The CEO called the other day to say "thanks" in reply to DVDGeeks10 hrs ago
