Me Too!

When I read Mike's post last week on his Yearly Kos panels, I nearly cried. Last year, I was working for the movie The War Tapes and got to go to the conference and screen the movie as part of my job, and had one of the best times of my life. Sure, the chocolate fondue fountain atop the space needle is the aspect that I talk/joke about the most, but the people I met and the connections I made while there were what really stuck with me. Given the diffuse nature of this networked world, getting to meet in person with people whom you work with and talk to online is invaluable. There is no better way to build the trust and friendships that these networks depend upon than teaching, learning, and getting pandered to together in person.

But, alas, the unemployment that came after my last campaign left me broker than broke (and completely turned off to working directly for a candidate again, but that's a whole other story), and so there just didn't seem to be anyway that it would be possible for me to fly to Chicago and spend a few nights in a hotel, despite how useful the conference might be. But thanks to a large financial turn for the better (I really don't know why I didn't think of doing Drupal/Web/Tech work before this month), and a generous donation of a ticket from a fellow politico who couldn't make it, I'm heading out to Yearly Kos this afternoon.

But please don't worry, I'm not on any panels, and I'm easy to spot in a crowd and thus easy to avoid. But if you do want to meet in person--and I'm sure there are some masochists out there--just look for the guy with the pimping hats, which I wear anytime I'm not asleep or under water. Or just ask for the "Hebrew Hammer" (As the saying goes: Half man. Half streets. 100% Kosher) Someone will point you in the right direction. But please don't mistake me for Hunter S. Thompson "Outlandish" Josh Koenig, or he will get really really mad (besides we look nothing alike).

I'll try and do some live blogging while I'm there, and if you want to join up with a bunch of us youth/culture focused folks, please head over to the Living Liberally Caucus, where you're sure to find a decent sized contingent of us.