Authored by: DanZ on Saturday, January 26 2008 @ 07:26 PM

VCAM had an out-of-control cool setup.  They were easily the coolest, hippest thing around.  I missed the Guv doing GH3, but the people I did watch only made me think of the Superbad scene w/ Michael Cera singing "These Eyes" (YouTube).  Other highlights:  cresmer's introduction of Julie Lerman was so gushing I wanted to get Lerman's autograph or steal her car or something until I heard her cough up a piece of viscous phlegm - a common theme at VT-three-oh.  I think Lerman was doped up on pseudoephedrine HCL.  I was so beat from shaking hands and giving the elevator pitch and trying not to touch my face, eyes or nose that the best I could muster was weak applause but it's clear she's certainly a hot sketch.  On the plus side, I handed out so many business cards that I found one on the floor in the main hall... oh wait, maybe that's bad news...

Other highlights:  the Vermont State IT gang surrounding me and literally pleading with me not to hate them for their RFPs and bid process.  It was great.  I actually made a pointy-finger gesture with my index and middle finger (thumb and other three in partial fist) and came this close [DanZ gestures weakly while at keyboard, suggesting a near-miss-fingers-in-sternum attack] while saying "...and I've got the following three specific complaints, in order of negative impact on vendors...".  Harrumph (brief mp3).

And did you hear me say that VCAM (bill, seth, jim, jeff, etc.) were obviously the coolest exhibitors around?  If not, re-read the last paragraph.

I'll go again next year.

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Authored by: brooke! on Sunday, January 27 2008 @ 08:50 AM

I WISH I had seen the Gov fail. I got to the booth JUST afterwards, to witness him seeing how it was REALLY done...by a 7 year old named Trevor. I congratulated Trevor afterwards, and told him how cool it was that he totally kicked the governor's bottom (he IS seven, afterall), and he shrugged and said "Yeah, I know. I'm pretty OK." I wanted to steal that child, and put him in my pocket.

Did anyone else get to see Nate Herzog from JDK present? It was a slick presentation, and for me anyway, great content on how Creatives drive technology, and yet are frightened of it and don't know how to use it. Plus, I asked him a question about viral marketing and how that can conflict with a carefully-built brand identity...and  he said he was scared to answer that question, but invited me to talk to him individually, something I simply didn't have time to do Whatever, we share a parking lot with them. HAH! I believe the OTHER public access channel is supposed to have the presentations all available on their website eventually, but I didn't find it in a quick looksie just now.

It was, without a doubt, a huge success. We went through at least 1500 programs, and probably closer to 2000 or so. I know I got really inspired by the few presentations I actually got to sit down and listen to. My feet ache in a way they haven't since I quit waitressing, but I had a lot of fun. 

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Authored by: cresmer on Sunday, January 27 2008 @ 04:19 PM

Julie Lerman is really cool, even if she was sick. She rocks, Dan. And what the hell? Why didn't you stop by and say hi?

I did, in fact, see the guv fail at Guitar Hero. He really, really didn't want to play, but was goaded into it (by me, and then by Dave Contois from Contois Music). I was glad he gave it a shot. He was a good sport about it. He managed to hit a couple notes of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll." But the thing interrupted him with "song failed." It was pretty embarrassing. I actually felt bad for him. I think that's what happened to me the first time I played.

If I had been him, I would have been like, "Hey, let me try it again. I can totally do this." But instead he got out of there as fast as he could. Too bad. I'm sure he could have gotten the hang of it.

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Friends are like the chocolate chips on the cookies of life.

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Authored by: DanZ on Sunday, January 27 2008 @ 07:10 PM

I would've said 'hi', cresmer, but i was in the WAY back.  I actually was just chillin' from all the glad-handing and wasn't there for the content.  i figured you were pretty busy with the back-to-back talks so i left immediately.  i would've stuck around for the JDK guy, who I wanted to hear, but I was toasted from all the crowds.   what a great success.  good job to you and all the organizers.

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Authored by: cresmer on Monday, January 28 2008 @ 06:54 AM

Understood, Dan.

I had a somewhat different experience because I was stationed in the film theater all day, so I could hear the surging crowd all around me, but didn't really come into contact with many people. Which may mean that I don't get sick. Ha.

Nate Herzog was awesome. But I really appreciated Bill Schubart even more. Bill's presentation was more low-key, and low-tech, but very insightful, despite the fact that he was doped up due to a bad back spasm.

I can't wait to do more with this.

And I have to agree -- VCAM's booth rocked. I was so bummed that everything was all taken down when I finally emerged from the theater.

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Friends are like the chocolate chips on the cookies of life.

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