UPDATE: Article significantly expanded after reading comments.

I’ve never been to South-by-Southwest…I just heard about it it a couple of months ago while on the 9rules forums. No idea what to expect. But people are telling me I must go, so I’m thinking about it.

I’m not very big on crowds, so the idea of going to something like this is mildly terrifying and exciting at the same time. However, it would be great to meet the people in 9rules that I’ve been chatting with for the past few months. It’s been incredibly inspiring overall; I attribute a great deal of my lift in spirit to finding a bunch of independently-minded content creators. I never knew that this was what I was missing.

Meeting actual people might give me a huge boost of energy…so yeah, I’m thinking it could have unforseeable benefits.

On the other hand, it’ll probably cost be $1500 to go, with hotel, airfare, eats, and registration. It’s a deductable junket, which takes some of the sting off. I don’t really know anyone going, other than names that I can assign to websites, and I’m wondering if the crowd is, like, way younger than my 38 years. And when did that happen anyway, getting old? My colon still feels pretty spry! Must be all the vegetables I’ve been eating lately, making up for my 20s and early 30s.

As my Mom used to say, “We’ll see.” Let the convincing begin!

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