SocialCampMemphis SocialCamp Memphis A Retrospective...For some people, time marches on. For me, if feels like I’m being run over by it! September has proven to be an extremely busy month and October does appear to offer any reprieve. But such is my life… I’m not complaining mind you, I get to do some awesomely cool stuff and meet even more awesomely awesome people! (BTW, you can thank @RodKirby for all the awesomes! I know I do!)

One of the really cool things on my calendar recently was SocialCamp Memphis, a decidedly un-conference in the BarCamp tradition. Now, if you’ve been reading Life in the Internet even a short time, you’re gonna recognize that term from my ramblings about BarCamp Chattanooga. Well lets suffice it to say… I’m a big fan of the format!

In fact, it was BarCampChatt where I met Dave Barger (@lalunablanca), the driving force behind SocialCamp Memphis. (Thanks Dave, it was awesome!) But I can hear you out there asking now, “What is a social camp anyway?” Well, I’m glad you asked!

SocialCamp is about Social Media, Social Networking, and the community of people that use it

I had the distinct pleasure to start off the morning leading a discussion about the line that exists between our on-line and off-line personas. Wow, what a group! Its not unusual in a forum like that for the speaker to have to work at least a few points into the preso to get the questions and discussion flowing… well not with this bunch! I think I did a brief intro, setup the topic and asked a question. The rest of the hour the room was filled with lively, some may say “spirited” debate, discussion about rights and wrongs in the social space and all things in between. It was one of the easiest and most enjoyable conversations I’ve ever had! Thanks to all!

Leading the Conversation at Social Camp Memphis

Leading the Conversation at Social Camp Memphis

The rest of the morning was filled with too many great topics and presentations to get to them all. I guess that’s one of the downsides to the camp format… too much greatness to take in! If I could only get that cloning thing to work…

It was more of the same during lunch as the conversation continued over plates of wonderful Memphis BBQ. Follow ups, meet ups, and debate make for a terrific side to some smoked sausage! And then it happened…

PowerPoint Karaoke
I know, it sound strange right. Well it was one of the highlights of the day to be sure. The basic premise is you have three contestants. Each has a 20 slide presentation to narrate with only a few seconds per slide. What’s the catch? Well, the contestants are seeing the slide with you, for the first time. If you’re quick on your feet and can rattle off for five minutes, this is definitely your game! Try it some time.

And then there was the afternoon… more and more and more!

Too Many To Thank
Coming out of something like SocialCamp Memphis, I kind of feel like I’ve spent the day drinking from a fire hose. There is just so much to take in… you take notes, record what you can, exchange business cards & twitter names, and hope you can absorb a fraction of what you’ve heard.

There are many spectacular sponsors worthy of thanks and praise. Rather than list them all here, I’ll point you over to the SocialCamp Memphis blog where they’re all named and linked.

Of course the organizers, you guys rock. Without you there would be no camp!

And one of the groups that is probably left out when its time to spread the love… the attendees. I know as one of the presenters, it was totally the other folks in the room that drove the conversation and gave back to me, I just happened to be in the front of the room facing the wrong way. If you have an opportunity to attend a camp meeting, I strongly encourage you to do so. The wealth of communal knowledge present in the group is hard to replicate and may never be in the same place at once again.

WordCamp BirminghamWordCamp Birmingham 2009
So I’m taking some of my own advice. Vickie and I are headed down to Birmingham for the weekend to attend WordCamp Birmingham. I am totally stoked, can’t wait to get there, can’t wait to try and recap that one as well. If you’re at WordCamp Birmingham, track me down, I’d love to connect with you!

@jtrigsby

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