Well, it’s been 5.5 years since I started Boyink Interactive, and in that time I have attended not one major industry conference.  Zero, zilch, nadda.  All the events that used to seem like a no-brainer to attend when someone else was footing the bill suddenly looked major expensive when I have to write the check myself.  Like, I could buy a good used car for that…

But this year it just feels right, I need both a break from the day-to-day work of running a business and an injection of energy and creativity. Add in being able to meet up with people that I’ve only ever interactive with online and this year it made enough sense - so I’ve booked a pass for SXSW in Austin, Texas this coming March.

I’ll especially be looking forward to finally meeting up with the EllisLab and GodBit folks.

It’ll be a bit of different trip for me than most as I’ll be driving down (20 hours on the road, yeowch) and “camping” vs. staying in a hotel—if you can call a cabin with a kitchen, bathroom, and cable camping.  I’ll have others with me and there will be more to the trip - I can’t be too specific here as this and Christmas are all wrapped up in one big mess of surprises and expectations.  Those of you with kids will understand…

At any rate as a first-time attendee, if anyone has tips for what’s worth attending and what’s over-hyped conference-crap I’d appreciate it.