What’s up? I’m liveblogging from the first session @ SXSW 2008 Interactive Week. Thus far, it’s fabulous. I say that because I registered early, essentially without a line. The poor saps out there who waited are in a line that spans a city block and four floors. that left me time for a fabulous, long lunch at Moonshine and chatting with fellow marketing geeks. It reminds me of Where’s Waldo? in here. People that would stand out in the midwest are a dime a dozen in here. There are literally hundreds of people sitting around with their Mac laptops and edgy hair. My normal friends not in this industry, let alone this niche, would be overwhelmed at my liveblogging geekery. Here, it’s not just cool, but it would be cooler if I were doing it via my iPhone or crackberry, complete with podcast. This makes it probably the best place on earth at the moment, as far as I’m concerned. My tribe has converged! I gotta tell you, I’m already trying to think of a panel we could put together for one of these in the next year or two. I’m sure everyone else is, too. Our own Tom Parish has a panel tomorrow on Social Media Marketing Metrics. He will answer the question we all have–where are they? And now, I have to learn how to rock the next few days like the total ninja that I am.

I’m going to the Interactive portion of SXSW in a few weeks. Got any recommendations for panels and parties that aren’t to be missed? Or ones to miss? Our own Tom Parish is leading the Social Marketing Strategies Metrics, Where Are They? panel on Saturday, which will be excellent. I’m hoping it doesn’t overlap with Social Network Coups: The Users are Revolting! (Annalee Newitz), The Suxorz: The Worst Ten Social Media Ad Campaigns of 2007 (Henry Copeland) or Creating Findable Rich Media Content (Jennifer Taylor) that are all on the same day.

If you’re going, shoot me an email or comment and maybe we can meet up. I’ll be the one in jeans and a Threadless shirt with an iBook liveblogging… no, wait! That’s everyone. My bad.

If you’re going and you’re not from here, I’m happy to make recommendations before people send you to eat really awful Mexican food and make you wonder what the fuss about Austin restaurants is if this is the best we can do. (Hint: if the margaritas are supposed to be great, they’re either really cheap or only good if you substitute the primo tequila so they make it with limes instead of mix. This will serve you well at Matt’s El Rancho/Trudy’s/El Arroyo).