First impressions at Pop!Tech
Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 5:36PM DATELINE: Camden ME, 19 October 2006
Got here just in time to catch last session of day, watching Alex Steffen's very interesting presentation (key word: "dematerializing," which is very Trekky take on environmental conservation) and heard a bit of Bruce Sterling in Q&A (seems pretty pissed off as a rule, but maybe it was just the questions). Also had Brian Eno walk by and talk to people I was talking to (Pretty thrilling, actually, as in college I used to pen the following graffiti everywhere I could: "Eno is God is dead is Eno." Lame, yes, but I was 19). I don't intro myself in such situations, because I'm not a gusher externally, plus I just like to observe famous people without bugging them. I will confess: without his name tag I have no idea who he is.
I think I crossed paths with Tom Friedman, but I wasn't sure because the guy didn't have a badge and he seemed too tall for Friedman, whom everyone says is pretty short.
Is it me? Or were Kevin Kelly and Jared Diamond twins separated at birth? Former is here, but he probably already spoke and cut out. That's what I figured happened to Friedman, since I saw his badge at the counter of the check-in.
Really, it's weird to sorta maybe see famous people wandering Camden ME--like dogs walking on their hind legs, it just seems so incongruent.
My wife thought it was cool I saw Eno though. She knows him from my Heads obsession and that album I still regularly play ("My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" with David Byrne). I still think "Remain in Light" is the greatest album from my youth.
Taking it easy tonight. Got my brief ready. Want to get a good night's sleep. See you on the web tomorrow morning.
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