I think I got through your Year 1 in the first day last year and progressed right into Year 2… I think I’m ready for a nice “Year 3″ mix this year. Looking forward to connecting with some old friends and just building relationships.

See you there!

If you’re bringing a laptop, use a backpack, not a shoulder bag. Your body will thank you.

If you’re wearing a backpack, be conscious of your girth. Don’t stand in the middle of a crowd and twirl around. Nobody likes that guy.

Don’t necessarily bring a laptop every day, especially if you’re not within a 10 minute walk of the convention center. It’ll turn into an anchor.

Bring an extra phone battery or its charger with you. Twitter is your lifeline, and iPhone users especially might not make it through a full day.

Make new friends. Exchange cards like mad. Follow everyone you meet on Twitter (it’s okay, you can drop them later if it’s not a good fit).

Find someone you admire, introduce yourself, and let them know your opinion of their work. This isn’t Hollywood. Most of the people you consider to be web celebrities have no idea and are really down to earth. Except for that Technosailor guy… :-p.

You already nailed it in your post, but if you go to SXSW, go to meet people. Seriously, go out of your way to meet people. If you see someone you’ve always wanted to talk to, do it. Some of these people may be “internet famous”, but don’t let that fool you, it’s a lot like being famous at your high school. Nobody really cares ;)

And toss a few extra drinks down for me as I can’t make it this year (moving, ugh!). Have fun you lucky bastages!