Someone caught me speaking at Amy's Salon on Friday night. Thanks to Luc Van Braekel

Its day 4 for me here now at SxSW interactive in Austin, Texas. Its been an amazing conference so far for this no longer a SWirgin. I came here with the tech expirement that I would attend and participate using only my blackberry, my flip, and my camera.

For the most part this has worked. I have been able to capture notes, tweet, and take pictures to capture this experience.

I have also luckily been able to stop in on occasion to the connection centers (this is where I am now), where laptops are available for short quick use, if you are ok with standing. Which, on day four… I am really not. I have learned that good shoes, hydration, and mental and physical rest are keys to survival for a productive conference.

This blog post is a quick teaser to the epic one that will follow with complete links to my media output and thoughts on sessions I attended. This will be posted later in the week when I return to DC.

I will say, this trip has been more geared to listening and participating in discussions on women’s issues, especially ones in tech. I have met many great people and have been able to also connect with my twitter friends who were only virtual creatures before this point. I am also greatful to the new friendships of people back home whom I’ve only seen a few times, bond over the experience.

Quick takeaways until the big post:

• Yes, this was worth it to be physically here.
• Networking and meeting people in real life alone is valuable.
• First person I saw at the convention center was Kevin Marks
• I am admittedly a google reader fan
• Gary V. still brings the Thunder
• Next year I am doing Cogaoke
• So many efforts out there to elevate woman’s issues in tech
• The Austin Convention center is “teh suck” in architectural design and layout – can’t find $h!7
• I wish I could stay for the music, but it already feels like I have been here too long.
• Tara Hunt first in real life impression awesome, while Julia Allison‘s rude and inconsiderate.
• Even though I didn’t go to the sessions, I know what “making whuffie” is about
• @wefollow – so far maybe the biggest thing out of the conference
• The Keynotes were mostly unimpressive.
• Giving out your twitter handle and posting a specific hashtag for sessions makes the session more connected.
• The events I picked before hand online, are not necessarily the events I ended going to.
• Parties are fun. But don’t overdo it.