Thanks for the memories…

18Mar08

PodCamp Atlanta was one year ago. It was a rollicking good time, and a hell of a lot has happened since then! At the moment, it doesn’t look like there will be a 2008 installation of PodCamp Atlanta, because no one has stepped up to organize it yet. So if you think there should be one, don’t just sit there and complain… organize one!

Some photos from last year:

Misadventures in Podcasting session

How to Interview Famous People (etc.) session

Oh god my blog is on the big screen

Creative Commons schwag

Rusty and me, on the big morning!

Many more here.

- Amber


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PodCamp Atlanta 2008 up for grabs

25Dec07

I posted this on my blog, and on the PodCamp Atlanta and Atlanta Podcasters Google groups; and it recently occurred to me that I should post it here, too.

—

I’ve been trying to decide whether or not I want to be the main organizer of PodCamp Atlanta again in 2008. Lately, I’m leaning toward ‘no.’

Being in charge of the first PodCamp Atlanta was exhilarating and I wouldn’t change anything about it. But I think this time around, someone else should be in charge and put their own spin on it.

Since I scheduled both of them, I’ve known for months about PodCamp Atlanta ’08’s proximity to Sex 2.0. People have asked, “Can you do that?” Sure, I can. But the more important question to me now is, do I want to? Because if PodCamp starts to feel at all like an obligation instead of something fun, then I know I shouldn’t be the one leading the effort.

When PodCamp Atlanta ‘07 was in the planning stages, the social media climate (god, did I just use the phrase “social media climate?”) in the Southeast was different from what it is now. It was very nascent at that time (in terms of events, that is; not in terms of how many people were blogging or whatever). SoCon07 was being planned at the same time, and was held in February 2007, as Atlanta’s first social media conference. Since then, there have been tons of other events and gatherings. There’s no shortage of people in this city who could easily lead the PodCamp effort in ‘08.

One thing I know about myself is, I have a history of taking on too much and cleaning up the mess if other people drop the ball. And it takes a toll on me, physically and emotionally. I don’t want to be put into high-stress mode come April of next year, when what I should be doing is celebrating and having fun.

Sex 2.0 is where my heart and soul is, and that’s where I want to focus my energy. Obviously, I will happily be involved with PodCamp, just as I will happily be involved with any social media coolness in the Atlanta area. To whomever ends up taking PodCamp and running with it, I’ve got a collection of great quotes about PodCamp ‘07 that can be used on promotional materials for next year, including Julie Squires saying, “PodCamp Atlanta changed my life.” That’s sure to rope in some sponsor dollars! :)

- Amber


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Would you come to a “mini” PodCamp Atlanta?

25Sep07

This post will be an amalgamation of emails…

First, I received this email from Chris Brogan:

I might have venue space for a PodCamp Atlanta on Dec 5-6. Weekday timeframe, so I know it might draw different, or might not work out for you. What do you think?

I replied that I would be out of town Dec. 6-7, and that I’m currently too overloaded with other projects at the moment to take on anything else, but that it sounds like a good idea and if people are interested, we should try to do it. (A weekday timeframe isn’t great for me personally, because I work during the week, but I think the fact that it would draw a different crowd makes it an interesting idea.) So I sent this email to the Atlanta Podcasters Google group and the PodCamp Atlanta Google group:

See note below from Chris Brogan. The location is Cobb Galleria. I think doing a “mini” PodCamp Atlanta would be cool; however, I’m going to be out of town on Dec. 6th, and have a lot going on between now and then, so I really cannot commit to being the organizer. If anyone else is interested in seeing this happen, please reply ASAP. I will forward names of those interested to Chris.

The only responses I received were two terse emails which basically dismissed the entire idea out of hand.

Today I emailed both groups again:

Okay, well, so far, the only responses I’ve gotten have been two people saying they don’t think a mid-week PodCamp would work. (Which I take to mean, *they* wouldn’t come to a mid-week PodCamp. Whether anyone else would come is another matter entirely, but I’ve not received any other input.) I still think it would be a good idea and a worthy experiment, if nothing else; but like I said, I am not able to take on the task of single-handedly organizing it right now. So, I’ll give it until the end of this week for someone else to volunteer to handle things (it wouldn’t be a ton of work, if you’re on the fence) and if no one speaks up, then we’ll just nix the idea of a December mini-PodCamp Atlanta.

Frankly, I think it would not be a big deal to do this and make it very hardcore BarCamp-style. That is, no advance planning of sessions, people just show up and propose sessions the day of, and then see where things go. Get your own food, no T-shirts or other fancy schwag, just people hanging out and sharing good ideas and conversation. (Side note: if I hear the word “conversation” used to describe the ethos of social media one more time, I think I might vomit.) Brogan seems to think there needs to be more advance organizing than that, and generally I would be inclined to agree, since I don’t like leaving stuff up to chance - it makes me nervous and sometimes physically ill. But I think that if this is a “mini” PodCamp, there’s no need to go overboard. But he’s apparently not comfortable doing it without something a little more formal. And I can understand that.

So if any of y’all are interested, please speak up ASAP. Otherwise, I hope you’ll still plan to participate in the next full-on PodCamp Atlanta, which is scheduled for May 17-18, 2008. (And I will need a lot of planning assistance with that, so consider this your heads-up!)

If interested, comment here, email one of the groups, and/or email me directly. Thanks.

- Amber


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Mainstream media all up in our junk

22Mar07

Okay, I’m just reposting here what I wrote to the Google group… because why the hell not?

—

Holy crap y’all… the PodCamp Atlanta AP story was picked up by freakin’ USA Today, Fox News, Newsday, Forbes, the Washington Post… the list goes on and on! Somehow, it’s everywhere! See for yourselves: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&ie=UTF-8&ncl=1114553505&filter=0

WTF?? I am blown away!!

This is awesome but on the other hand I’m like… wow… someone at a news desk at the Washington Post FFS thought this was newsworthy… but not our Atlanta paper? Weird!!! I mean, I think it’s newsworthy, but WP newsworthy? Forbes newsworthy? But, hey, I’ll take it - oh hell yes I’ll take it! Excuse me - WE’LL take it!!

:D

Please pardon all my exclamation points. I know they’re excessive.

Feel free to post this info far and wide.

—

And, a big “thank you” to AP reporter Daniel Yee. Want a beer, dude?

- Amber


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What would PodCamp Atlanta be without podcasts?

19Mar07

The podcasts are starting to come in! This list is a copy of what’s on the wiki, and will be updated throughout the next week or two until all the recordings have been posted. Special thanks to Deanna Spencer and Steve Eley for recording many of the Miller and Ward room sessions.

If you have posted a podcast and it’s not listed here, please edit the media page on the wiki and add your link.

Day 1 scheduled sessions

9:00 a.m.

9:15 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

10:45 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

1:45 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

3:15 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

Day 2 scheduled sessions

9:45 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

10:45 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

Breakout sessions, other podcasts recorded at PodCamp Atlanta

… More to come! Stay tuned!


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Psst… remember to make sure all your photos are “Some Rights Reserved”

19Mar07

PodCamp Atlanta was an amazing event, and I’ll write a more in-depth wrap-up post after I take some much needed time to recover.

For now, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who came! And also, if you posted photos in the Flickr pool, here is a reminder: one of the 4 rules of what constitutes a PodCamp is that all content created during/for the event must be released under a Creative Commons license. However, the default setting in Flickr is for your photos to be “all rights reserved.” This is antithetical to the spirit of PodCamp! Fortunately, Chris Brogan has an excellent tutorial that shows how to change the “privacy and permissions” setting in your Flickr account.

Thanks everyone!

- Amber


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Saturday Night (un) Pub Crawl!

16Mar07

Bring your digital recorders! Bring your drinking shoes! It’s a (un) Pub Crawl!

Join your fellow Podcampers Saturday night in Virginia Highlands for an evening of drink and food. Headquarters will be Moe’s and Joe’s Tavern and The Cavern. Show your Podcamp badge any time after 7:00pm for $5 PBR pitchers at Moe’s and Joe’s and $4 Jagermeister shots at The Cavern. From there you are on your own to pick your pleasure from the many restaurants and bars in the neighborhood. Griftdrift and his faithful assistant Moe Beers will be there to direct you to the potables and delectables.

Directions from Miller Ward House

Area Restaurants

Moe’s and Joes: Beer and wine only. Sandwiches, appetizers and typical bar food. Smoking after 8:00pm

The Cavern: Beer, Wine and Liquor. Pan Asian tapas. Smoking permitted.

George’s: Beer and wine only. Sandwiches, appetizers and typical bar food. No smoking.

Everybody’s Pizza: Beer, wine and liquor. Very good pizza. Back patio.

Fontaine’s: Beer, wine and liquor. Seafood including a variety of oysters. Back patio.

The Highland Tap: Beer, wine and liquor. Full service steakhouse with a funky bar. Smoking allowed at the bar.

Noche: Beer, wine and liquor. Tapas.

Murphy’s: Beer and wine. Sit down dining in a comfortable atmosphere. No smoking.

Taco Mac: Beer, wine and liquor. Sandwiches, appetizers and typical bar food. Huge beer selection. Smoking allowed on patio.

- Griftdrift


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St. Patty’s, PodCamp Atlanta style

15Mar07

Our boy Griftdrift has brokered drink specials at Moe’s and Joe’s in Virginia Highlands for your St. Patty’s Day/post-1st-day-of-PodCamp Atlanta boozing pleasure:

  • $5 pitchers of (hopefully not green) PBR
  • $4 tequilla Jager shots

Just show ‘em your PodCamp Atlanta badge, and you can drink yourself silly. But try to keep it to a dull roar, since there’s another day of PodCamp to make it to the next morning. Directions here, and a good Moe’s and Joe’s primer on Craigslist here. Several folks will meet there around 7 p.m.

If you decide that Moe’s and Joe’s isn’t your thing, there are plenty of fine establishments within walking distance that will be happy to take your money and get you liquored up on the cheap. You can view a list with links here.

Also, be sure to join us Friday night (tomorrow!!!) at Manuel’s Tavern at 7 p.m. for pre-Podcamp boozing.

- Amber


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Remember: YOU are PodCamp Atlanta!

14Mar07

PodCamp co-founder Chris Brogan has an excellent post today about how to best capture the spirit of an unconference with media such as blog posts, podcasts, vidcasts, and more. The answer? It’s everyone’s job to capture the spirit of the event, in any and every way possible! Unconferences are totally gonzo - so keep that in mind when you come to PodCamp Atlanta this weekend. Everything is participatory; this is YOUR event and it’s up to you to make it what you want, and show what the experience was like for YOU!

I had a good phone conversation with Chris today, too… unfortunately he won’t be able to make it to PodCamp Atlanta, but he wished us well and offered this reminder: above all else, HAVE FUN!

See y’all this weekend!

- Amber


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175! (and request for donations)

13Mar07

We hit 175 registrants this afternoon! If you want to come but haven’t signed up yet, be sure to do so as soon as possible… there’s not much space left!

Also, if anyone has any spare change they’d like to throw at us, it would be a big help. You can go to podcampatlanta.com and click the Paypal “donate” button. As things stand now, we probably will not have enough lunch for everyone on Saturday and Sunday, because the catering is really expensive and we just don’t have enough money to cover it. Worst case scenario: some people will have to go get their own lunch. Best case scenario: enough people come through with donations that we can increase our catering order and cover everybody!

- Amber


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