PodCamp Boston 2 Prep: Setting Expectations

For those who follow my blog and aren’t already aware, PodCamp Boston 2 is happening this weekend - and I’m going. Huge thanks to Justin and Locobone for their grassroots effort to get me there, too.
Now, I wouldn’t say I’m a PodCamp newbie… I’ve been to 2 PodCamps (Pittsburgh’s first and second) and the smaller-sih [...]

For those who follow my blog and aren’t already aware, PodCamp Boston 2 is happening this weekend - and I’m going. Huge thanks to Justin and Locobone for their grassroots effort to get me there, too.

Now, I wouldn’t say I’m a PodCamp newbie… I’ve been to 2 PodCamps (Pittsburgh’s first and second) and the smaller-sih bootcamp that Pittsburgh held, and I was at a paid conference (Podcasters Across Borders) in June… So I’ve certainly seen my share of these gatherings. So why would this one be any different?

Well, for one, PodCamp Boston is HUGE. There are well over a thousand people going… Compare that to the few hundred Pittsburgh saw or the <200 at PAB. My first “big” podcamp was supposed to have been Toronto’s… But sadly the weekend conflicted with pre-existing plans, so that didn’t happen.

The other reason this one’ll be different, at least for me, is the community. There will be a lot of people there whom I haven’t yet met, and a lot whom I have. The Pittsburgh PodCamps are great because I already know a large group there… I pretty much walk in and am greeted from all sides. While it wasn’t like that the first time back in November ‘06, it wasn’t too bad because I knew nobody. PAB wasn’t bad either - while I had met one or two PAB attendees prior to the event, for the most part, I was the new guy there - having missed my chance to meet everyone in Toronto.

I can’t wait to get to Boston and meet everyone. Regardless of the number of people, it’s sure to be one hell of an event. Are you going?

Hold the Quechup, please!

So… It’s shortly after midnight. I wanted to be going to bed right now… But I just got an email that has me livid. Again. Over the same topic as the last time… But this Time I’m posting about it.
The subject line of said email read: Invite from John Doe*… And the body contained John [...]

So… It’s shortly after midnight. I wanted to be going to bed right now… But I just got an email that has me livid. Again. Over the same topic as the last time… But this Time I’m posting about it.

The subject line of said email read: Invite from John Doe*… And the body contained John Doe (…@gmail.com) has invited you as a friend on Quechup… …the social networking platform sweeping the globe*

My jaw hit the floor. Not because it was yet another social networking site… Not because I got an invite to it… But because of which site it was, and who got bitten.

Quechup has been called everything from a spam network, to a menace to a trust virus. If you haven’t heard of it, let me give you the rundown. Essentially, you sign up just like any other network… You give it your name, your email and the like. It then asks for your gmail details to check to see if any of your gmail contacts are using Quechup. Fine, sure… Lots of services do that. I just did that with Twitter the other day. This is where it goes too far. Instead of simply CHECKING for friends, it takes EVERYONE you have EVER corresponded with via gmail and invites them to join you on Quechup. Yep, all of them. Pretty bad, eh?

I don’t believe they’re the first to pull of this kind of slimeball-like move, but they certainly gathered a lot of press for it. What floored me so much tonight though,  like I mentioned, is not the invite itself, but who it came from. I’m not naming names, to protect the innocently duped, but they’re someone I consider to be pretty well connected. Had it been a few weeks ago, when everyone else in the new media space was being hit, I would have let it slide. But it’s just happening now. And with all of the bad publicity throughout a quick search… It surprised me.

Transition Week - Day 1

To I twittered earlier today that today was day one of a week of transition week and that I’d expand on the blog. Well here goes.
As most of my regular readers know, I got married just over a month ago. As a result of the wedding planning the whole house, and specifically my office, became [...]

To I twittered earlier today that today was day one of a week of transition week and that I’d expand on the blog. Well here goes.

As most of my regular readers know, I got married just over a month ago. As a result of the wedding planning the whole house, and specifically my office, became wedding headquarters. I slowed down on clients and work load so that I could focus my free energy on the wedding and the house was a general wreck because of the planning. We had books, magazines, phone numbers, decorations, paperwork and seating plans all over the place. We also had gifts starting to come in. The house, and my office has been a nightmare.

One thing I had planned for quite a while, was to make a transition from work + wedding, to work+house+business after the honeymoon. We got back a few weeks ago but had some family things get in the way of the transition week, but it’s finally upon me.

Today’s goal was to start on the house and tackle the office. Tomorrow will see that complete and plan my daily/weekly schedule. You’ll get more updates tomorrow.