The Background

Regular readers of HackCollege know that Chris and I hated Twitter. First, we tried finding other uses for it. Our favorite was to use Twitter as an emergency messaging system.

Then I signed up for it and slowly began using it. Little by little, I started integrating it into my life more and more. Chris also started giving me more and more shit, but I stuck with it.

FOWA Revisited

While not too many people were using Twitter at the Future of Web Apps conference in Miami last weekend, everyone there had a Twitter account. I shamelessly “followed” some weblebrities and some other people that I had met.

Most importantly, I started following Bryan Thatcher.

One Stupid Twit

During the FOWA hangover period, all the “Internet famous” people I was following started chattering about SXSW. I was not going. I had class. I couldn’t foot the $450 walk-up pass. I was sad.

Unfortunately, a lot of Twitter is what I consider “away messages”; stupid pointless updates on what people are eating for breakfast, what their cat just did, etc. I posted one of these emo messages saying “@bryanfuse Bah, I wish I could even afford the ticket price in the first place =\” And that twit in response to Bryan changed my weekend and maybe my life–we’ll see.

Windfall

As it turns out, Bryan needed a temp for his company Empressr. Paying for my conference pass would be much cheaper than outsourcing to a temp agency. And, I like to think that I am smarter than your average temp.

My frequent flier miles got me here and my Twitter luck is keeping me here. SXSW is the one conference that every geek needs to attend. It’s too much fun and the parties are better than the best party you’ve ever been to. Even better than Interhouse at Caltech.

So get on Twitter and meet some rock stars. And friend me in the process: twitter.com/kellsutton