On SXSW, as best I can recall (as yet incomplete, but read away)
Strap in, this will be a long one………
It began on a quiet Friday afternoon, standing in line at Volunteer check in, where once again the system has managed to lose my badge…. no wait.
It began In January, at the first volunteer call, signing up to work the same crew with old friends and looking forward to new horizons…..no, that’s not it either.
I think it began in the womb, because I can not think of any thing that can fully recharge my soul like the people and music of SXSW, except maybe making spaghetti sauce. Or Pez.
Everyone shows up on Friday, some in big groups, some in harried rushes from the airport, all prepared to Break Bread with Brad. I had to hit and run, as it was not officially vacation time for me yet. I said hello to a few folks who really counted, marveled at the talent and intellect around me, and lamented a bit that I had to go to work and listen and deal with the banal while these gods of the night were tramping about in it, without me.
A few hours later, something magical happened. It was the first of many. These same gods, or devils as some cases later proved, appeared from the night, just to say hi. Most were not Piano bar types, and said their polite “Hi, but we gotta get somewhere that isn’t trying to blow up our heads like that cat in Scanners” Most, but not all, were gone as fast as they came, but the promise of things to come made the night fly by on dark but spirited wings.