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#chalkupy #a9 #oatx #occupyaustin

Filed under: Art & Literature, Being Mom, Politics, Uncategorized — Leave a comment
August 9, 2012

This is just ridiculous, guys. Will you please wake the fuck up? They are arresting people all over the country today. FOR WRITING IN CHALK ON SIDEWALKS. Are you ready to admit that this is a nationwide coordinated effort to silence all dissent yet? Because I’m getting kind of tired of having to witness this crap and trying to convince you all that this is ACTUALLY happening. In our country.Image

Today, children and adults alike engaged in some very innocent play by drawing and writing in the sidewalk with chalk. We were expressing our right to free speech and assembly in a playful, impermanent way. The same way children have been expressing their rights to assemble and play for decades.The state troopers were gathered across the street, and an undercover agent (I shit you not) was parked across the street, watching us with binoculars. (I TOTALLY SHIT YOU NOT!)Image

We had enough time to do a significant amount of chalking before the 10 or so state troopers gathered up like they do. Sort of like a copflock. A murder of cops? At any rate, they huddled up, and soon approached en masse upon the 10 or so of us who were chalking and documenting the chalking.

Handcuffs out, they targeted two people: The guy with the mask, and the woman with the “Peaceful Streets” t-shirt on. Cuffed them, as we protested and questioned whether they even had jurisdiction where we were. The site was specifically chosen because it is public property and NOT on the capitol grounds. Maude knows we don’t want to have any more run-ins with officer “Can’t tell the difference between a neon green squirt gun and a real gun, so I can’t guarantee I won’t shoot your ass if you have a squirt gun out in my vicinity.”Image

That would be Officer Cummings, by the way. He was Officer Annoyingpants at the J4 celebration. Constantly interrupting our peaceful teach-ins to remind us that they were watching us and they wouldn’t let us get away with such nefarious things as Having Signs With Political Messages On Them, Drawing Flowers With Chalk, or Engaging in a Playful Water Fight On a Hot Summer Day, or Pitching a Symbolic Tent That Symbolizes Our Right to Fair Housing And Equal Consideration In Our Political Process, Regardless Of How Much Or Little Money We Have. He was the instigator-in-chief at this event, as well. I’m embarrassed for him. I asked him whether he plans to tell his children that he arrested people for drawing in chalk on the sidewalk today. I believe he’s the officer who told the children present that they were committing a crime and that chalk is destruction of property. I’m sure that seed will sprout into a healthy distrust of the police when those kiddos realize (if they didn’t already) that CHALK washes off and destroys NOTHING. (How hard is it to be a parent these days, when police officers do so many morally inappropriate things. How can anyone expect me to teach my highly skeptical children that they should obey laws because they are legitimate, and then have a police officer cite a law that is so completely illegitimate? Officer: You put me in an incredibly difficult place as a parent. I’m kind of used to being in that place, unfortunately, as I do my best to navigate the roles of activist parent, activist, parent, active parent, parent activist…while also attempting to do my best to allow my children the sovereignty to form their own ideas, even if that means their ideas often conflict with mine. Which is something I’m being asked to do a lot lately.

At any rate, after the two criminally mischievous ones were hauled away, Officer Cummings came across the street to shoot photos of our heinous crimes. (Remember, we are still talking about chalk, here.) Afterwards, he REACHED FOR HIS GUN as a random pedestrian made the mistake of running across the street without realizing that Officer Cummings is that trigger-happy dude who, as I said above, can not distinguish a plastic squirt gun from a real gun, a piece of chalk from an instrument of Criminal Mischief (class B, because I guess they had to justify having so many officers out for NON-PERMANENT CHALK THAT CAN BE WASHED AWAY WITH A BUCKET OF WATER.) and a guy trying to catch the light from a DANGEROUS PERSON ARMED WITH CHALK WHO MUST BE ELIMINATED. I am seriously concerned about Officer Cummings. Actually, I am seriously concerned that any member of our police force would choose to reach for a gun as a first response to any sort of pedestrian encounter without any solid eImagevidence or clue that said pedestrian, or anyone else in the vicinity, has any propensity to violence whatsoever.ImageIt’s a scary fucking world we live in where people can just be engaging in a harmless, fun, creative activity – A form of protest, but an entirely non-threatening, non-violent one – and can just be hauled away in handcuffs without any warning. I really thought I had seen it all when it comes to ridiculous police response for benign non-offenses. Apparently, I had not. I came away from our action today feeling yet more radicalized and at the same time more frightened of the erosion of my rights and the rights of all of us. It was sobering.

And like I came around to feeling about the arrest at J4, I very much feel like Audrey and Corey are superheroes for being arrested. They weren’t expecting it. None of us were. I mean, who actually expects to be arrested for chalking? We’ve all done it millions of times. The moment it becomes a crime is when it stops being “innocent” child’s play and starts becoming OUR CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
Image

As a parent, I know that kids can draw their own conclusions about that.
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Criminal Mischief…

Filed under: Art & Literature, Politics — 1 Comment
July 15, 2012

For those who have not been informed, we are living in a completely ridiculous period in history where the police have nothing better to do with their time than harass individuals finding creative ways of expressing themselves in an increasingly frustrating and repressive world. You might call it alarmist to say that we live in a police state. Perhaps, comparatively speaking, it IS alarmist. However, in my opinion, when banksters and financiers can tank our economic system with barely any legal repercussions, when slumlords and property owners can force vulnerable people to live in unsafe conditions because they fear the only other option is to live on the streets, and when our own city makes homelessness illegal without providing adequate alternatives for those who are unable to afford housing AND THE POLICE INSTEAD TARGET AND HARASS PEOPLE WHO ARE PEACEFULLY ATTEMPTING TO REDRESS AND DEVISE ALTERNATIVES TO THESE POINTS, EXPRESS THEMSELVES CREATIVELY, AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING DISPROPORTIONATELY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM…I think it’s pretty fair to say something has gone horribly awry.

So often, I sit down to write a blog post such as this, and I’m so frustrated and angry with all I have seen that I don’t even know where to begin. Or end. Today, I will begin and end with chalk.

Veteran Chalking

An IVAW veteran chalks it up on the grounds of the capitol

On Wednesday, July 4th, 2012, a group of activists from across the state of Texas gathered on the lawn of the Texas State Capitol to participate in a day-long “occupation” that included food, education, rallying, and marching. As I was leaving to pick up some folks coming in from Houston, I noticed the Iraq Veterans Against the War folks drawing some beautiful chalk pieces on the sidewalk near the space they had staked out for their day’s activities.

For those who aren’t familiar with IVAW, my experiences with them have always left me with respect and admiration for the work they do. Right now, their main campaign is a Operation Recovery, and they do a lot of work with healing using art and relationship-building to support soldiers who are dealing with the mental health issues related to combat, as well as the stigma surrounding those issues that prevent them from seeking help. I felt so honored to have them among us on the 4th, and was glad they were creating a comfortable space to promote their activities and educate the public.

IVAW chalk drawing of flower power

When I returned, the beautiful chalk drawings were complete, and people were relaxing and enjoying a very peaceful day. The teach-ins were not yet in full swing, so people were talking, eating, doing bodywork, and reaching out to the general public as they passed by. All of these activities, including the actual creation of the chalk drawings, were observed closely by the dozen or so state troopers who were stationed around the grounds and apparently had nothing better to do than devise reasons to threaten to arrest the sleepy, yet productive crowd of people, who numbered between 50-250 at various points throughout the day.

I snapped some photos of the drawings as we walked by. By the time I reached our info table about 5 minutes later, we heard the police were threatening to detain the artists. We walked back to witness officers insisting the chalk must be immediately washed away, or the people responsible would be charged with “Criminal Mischief.” The IVAW attempted to reason with the officers that they were merely enjoying a holiday by creating artwork to engage passersby, but the troopers insisted the drawings be immediately cleaned up. IVAW complied, but it wasn’t the last we heard from troopers that day. (Video: Texas State Troopers confront IVAW about chalk drawings)

In Los Angeles, the LAPD have arrested at least 12 people in the last 6 weeks for chalking. Occupy LA decided to protest these ridiculous arrests by handing out sidewalk chalk at a monthly Art Walk and encouraging people to express their rights to free speech. LAPD responded with arrests, officers in riot gear escalated the situation, people (most of them not actually protesters) were threatened and shot at with “less lethal” weapons, and chaos ensued. Because of chalk. In this report, an officer admits that police presence is escalated during the Art Walk anyway. There were apparently 80 police on the scene per usual, which I feel is already a questionable use of our resources. Why are our cities so insistent on monitoring peaceful gatherings of people? Do fights and dangerous situations regularly break out at art events and assemblies? I’ve been to dozens and dozens of protests, and the only time I’ve felt the need for a greater than (already overblown) police presence is when the police themselves begin to cause confusion and chaos.

Dear LAPD: When Chalk is a crime, only criminals will play hopscotch

I heard about the events of the LA Chalk Riot while I was on my walk late Thursday evening. I felt so frustrated and helpless about the situation that I came home and wrote a message in chalk that I tweeted out in hopes that LAPD would see it – or that at least it would provide people with a bit of anger/comedy therapy. Some of my friends in Occupy Austin were also angry, so we decided a quick chalk solidarity action was warranted. We gathered on Friday under threat of rain and chalkupyed three local banks, with messages about economic and social justice, as well creating an LAPD crime scene – chalk outlines of fallen artists with crushed chalk in their hands.

Chase Bank: Quit Playing Games With Our Money

It’s a small retaliation for the large challenges we continue to face, but it at least temporarily relieved my sense of frustration and helplessness. Passersby were largely positive. Some had heard of the events in L.A. the night before, and were horrified by the actions of LAPD. Sometimes doing SOMETHING is better than doing nothing. Especially when that something releases good creative energy among like-minded comrades, and educates the public, as well.

❤ Chalk the World. ❤

Washed up…

No More War for Profit

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A change in schedule…

Filed under: Being Mom, Nerdgasm, Time Management, Work — Leave a comment
June 10, 2012

For the first time in many, many, MANY years, I am being asked to work a “normal” schedule at work. Up until now, my schedule has been pretty much Monday-Thursday and Saturday, and broken up over the course of 24 hours. Since the program I manage is an evening program, and we sometimes have activities on Saturdays, I imagine I might still have occasional strangeness in my schedule…but the idea of working within the hours of 8ish and 6ish Monday-Friday is vaguely comforting to me right now. Novel ordinariness in my life.

This change is causing me to re-evaluate my task management system that I’ve been using, where I just randomly choose areas to work on during periods that I’m not working. It seems the kids and I will now be able to work within a much more predictable framework. So I’m planning to spend some time reorganizing our daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms so they are less like unsyncopated jazz and more like, well, it will probably be more like straight-ahead three-chord punk rock – because I don’t think our lives will ever not be chaotic at the very least.

Right now, my planning system involves 7 focus areas:

Work

Kids

Community

Art & Education (I might consider splitting these up)

Friends

Fitness

Household or Housework

I try to spend at least an hour on each of these areas every day, but it doesn’t always work out – especially since work takes up a huge chunk of my day. What I might try to do is block out time on the weekend for larger household, kid, and art projects, and just sustain the rest of the week. Off the top of my head, my schedule might look something like this:

Monday

Work (8)

Kids (2)

Community (2)

Fitness (1)

Household (1)

Art/Education (1)

Tuesday

Work (8)

Kids (2)

Fitness (1)

Community (1)

Friends (2)

Wednesday

Work (8)

Kids (2)

Fitness (1)

Community (2)

Household (1)

Thursday

Work (8)

Kids (1)

Fitness (1)

Friends (2)

Art/Education (1)

Community (1)

Household (1)

Friday

Work (8)

Kids (2)

Fitness (1)

Friends (2)

Art/Education (1)

Household (1)

Saturday

Kids (3)

Household (3)

Community (4)

Friends (4)

Fitness (1)

Art/Education (1)

Sunday

Kids (4)

Household (4)

Friends (4)

Art/Education (2)

Fitness (1)

Of course, if I economize, and make the kids or my friends do housework and/or exercise and/or art/educational projects with me…that will leave me more time to lock myself in my room and be all by myself. 🙂

I’ll probably break this down even further and be more specific in the coming weeks. Because I’m nerdy that way.

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City Council Citizen Communication re: election turnout and Chase Bank

Filed under: Politics — 1 Comment
May 24, 2012

Dear members of Austin City Council,

First of all, I’d like to congratulate candidate for place 5, John Duffy, who, running openly as an anarchist, without spending any money, got 6% of the vote for that place. Secondly, Considering the voter turnout in this city was around 10%, I question the legitimacy of this body. However, since it’s the only body we have, and since the issue I’d like to address is a decision that was made, unchallenged by any of you, by Marc Ott, who is an unelected city manager…I’ll proceed.

About 8 months ago, Occupy Austin began the process of proposing to this body that we divest from Bank of America, one of the big 3 banks, and move to local banks and credit unions that can be more easily held accountable and are more likely to invest in our local community. With all of the “Keep Austin Weird” and “Keep Austin Local” rhetoric that gets tossed around casually in these chambers, we figured that was a no-brainer, and was the LEAST controversial thing we could request of the city.

3 months ago, in the wake of the ill-conceived and overzealous eviction of the brave 24/7 Occupy protesters, in which who knows how much money was spent to call in a militarized police force, including TANKS to intimidate with the hope of arresting hooligans like me – a single working mother of two young children, and my brothers and sisters of all stripes, including the anarchist who ran for city council, the city passed that resolution. We were thankful for the nod, but were soon to realize it was largely symbolic.

Which, indeed, it was, as a little over a month ago the city did, in fact, choose to divest from Bank of America…and put our money, instead, into Chase Bank.
We were told smaller banks and credit unions were too risky. That they couldn’t comply with the guidelines set forth by the city. That they weren’t equipped to handle our money. That they didn’t provide the kind of security and service one of the big 3 banks could.

Well, councilmembers…how do you like Chase now? Two weeks ago, JP Morgan chase made a bad bet and lost 2 billion dollars in one day. The total losses on that bad bet have since grown to 7 billion, with some estimates bringing the total hit to the bank to 20 billion, due to dropping stock prices.

Is that REALLY where you want to put our money? Once again, I find myself ashamed of the bad choices this body has made, or has allowed to be made by Marc Ott (unelected! City manager.) You have given the hard-earned money of this city’s residents to the biggest gambling operation in the world.

To put that loss into perspective, here are some things 7 billion dollars could have bought instead:

Enough food to feed 822,271 families of 4 for a full year.
350,000 power wheelchairs
39,000 foreclosed homes
The salaries of 160,230 high school teachers
368 years of JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s $19 Millon salary (not including his $4 Million in bonuses)
233 tiles the alleged & totally overblown cost of the Occupy movement nationwide
201 miles of high-speed rail
The annual salary of 318,181 Chase Bank Tellers, who are only paid, on average, $22,000 per year
In home care for a year for 500,000 elderly and/or people with disabilities
10,294 miles of bus transit
1 million kilowatts of solar energy (1000 megawatts
Affordable housing for 47,000 families
Birth Control for 2,333,333 women
23 days of the war in Afghanistan
…I could go on and on…

By the way, since we’re talking about numbers…
1. We are the people
2. We are united
3. The occupation is not leaving.

Expect us.

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On Voting

Filed under: Politics — Leave a comment
April 29, 2012

I’ve been having an ongoing discussion with a friend about a candidate he thinks I should vote for. While I disagree with many of this candidate’s stances on certain issues, and agree with him on some other issues, I find myself defaulting to the argument that, really, whether this candidate wins the presidency or not (and it’s highly unlikely that he will) it really won’t matter. Ultimately, I’ve come to believe that voting doesn’t matter.

Trust me. I want to believe. And I know you do, too. And I certainly won’t attempt to dissuade you from voting. But ever since I voted for Ralph Nader. Twice. And had to endure the endless accusations that my vote for the candidate I sincerely felt most aligned with was a complete and utter waste and, essentially, a sabotage of all things American…I’ve been somewhat disillusioned. If voting on principle is a subversive act, doesn’t that make voting itself subversive?

I’ve always been of the opinion that voting is only part of the equation. That once politicians are voted into office, it’s our duty to hold them accountable for the promises they have made. However, what actually happens is that politicians get into office and are only accountable to the corporations that fund their next campaign. And while certainly in recent times, with the Citizens United ruling, the effects of a corporate stranglehold on our political process has become more visible, we really can’t pretend that this hasn’t been the standard all along. We are the complacent cowards, and religion is no longer the opiate of the masses – consumerism is.

And, to some extent, voting is. Which is why I felt a not-so-vague discomfort today at the Texas War On Women rally, as women from all over the state gathered to celebrate our power, and attempt to rev up a “movement” that has long since died. Every. Single. Speaker. urged the crowd of 1500 or so to vote! vote! vote! and countless canvassers roamed the crowd to beg support for one candidate or other who honest to god would then themselves vote! vote! vote! for women to regain the rights that have been slowly usurped by those who wish for us to remain enslaved by our reproductive organs.

I wanted to SCREAM – VOTING WON’T SAVE YOUR UTERUS! But by the time I had figured out why I was not feeling energized by such a large and vocal crowd, people were already dispersing for home, having fulfilled their quota of political activism by gathering in front of the capitol for two hours, listening to speeches, signing a dozen or so petitions, and listening to watered-down pop tunes that vaguely expressed the power of women in a not-too-terribly scary or offensive manner.

Thankfully, there were 30 or 40 of us in the crowd who were equally disenchanted with the whole thing and actually wanted to bring our concerns to the street. We all met out in front of those vaunted metal gates and took the streets, our voices but a shadow of the thousands who cheered for voting and asking for permission to change things. I know it’s not ladylike to be angry, but I was pissed. What’s the point of enfranchisement when we are all so disenfranchised? Our energy is so easily funneled into the institution of elections, where we are forced to choose the lesser of two evils and hope to Hell our consumer demographic is compelling enough for the corporations to invest in the legislation we desire. FUCK THAT SHIT! FUCK IT. Ladies, I don’t vote with my uterus – I FIGHT with it, and my feet and my fists and my heart and my soul and my MOTHERFUCKING BRAIN as I work with my brothers and sisters to create a new system within the old system.

Voting is a tool used by the ruling class to pacify us. To make us feel like we can make a difference with minimal effort and thought. Which is why there were no riot cops out today. There was no excessive amount of police patrolling the Capitol. They understood it was all ok, because we were playing by the rules of those in power. We were safely aligned with the system today. We weren’t challenging things. We were abiding by their rules in their space so they could say “Look – you had your freedom. We allowed you to gather and speak, because you used the language we want you to use.”

Never in the 6 months since I became actively involved in the occupy movement have I more fully understood the power of actually occupying space without asking permission, without inviting politicians, and without what is commonly referred to as a “list of demands” but is actually code for “a candidate to vote for, or an issue we can beg our elected officials to support.” And never have I been more thankful for the small but devoted group who straggled into the streets after the rally and shouted echoed, familiar refrains as we marched to our home at City Hall – where we gathered to practice real, participatory democracy in which every one of us has a voice, and every decision presents a real choice.

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Mic Check – George Friedman of Stratfor @ sxswi 3/13/2012

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March 13, 2012

Mic check!

 

Mr. Friedman’s company Stratfor

is a private security firm

that government agencies pay

to gather “intelligence”

(and I use that term loosely)

on private citizens

exercising their rights

to free speech and assembly.

We are pleased that wikileaks

recently returned the favor

by releasing numerous leaked emails

about Stratfor’s activities

According to the leaked emails

-along with many other questionable activities-

Stratfor gathered information

from at least one Texas DPS officer

who was operating undercover

within the Occupy Austin movement.

 

We object to being spied on

by agencies who are paid

to serve and protect us.

We object even more

to private security firms

making money

by interfering with our rights

to assemble

and petition our government

for a redress of grievances.

 

Free speech and free assembly

are rights guaranteed

in our constitution

we object to attempts

to deter anyone

from exercising them.

 

 

Mr. Friedman

our freedom

is not your profit margin.

Our rights

are not for sale.

 

Mic Check!

We are the 99%

we will not be silent

about your crimes

against the populace

Occupy Austin!

Occupy SXSW!

Occupy Everywhere!

 

For more information:

http://wikileaks.org/the-gifiles.html

 

http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2012-02-03/strange-bedfellows/

 

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/01/spy-files-published-by-wikileaks-detail-massive-international-surveillance-industry/

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Mic Check – George Friedman of Stratfor @ sxswi 3/13/2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Leave a comment

Mic check!

 

Mr. Friedman’s company Stratfor

is a private security firm

that government agencies pay

to gather “intelligence”

(and I use that term loosely)

on private citizens

exercising their rights

to free speech and assembly.

We are pleased that wikileaks

recently returned the favor

by releasing numerous leaked emails

about Stratfor’s activities

According to the leaked emails

-along with many other questionable activities-

Stratfor gathered information

from at least one Texas DPS officer

who was operating undercover

within the Occupy Austin movement.

 

We object to being spied on

by agencies who are paid

to serve and protect us.

We object even more

to private security firms

making money

by interfering with our rights

to assemble

and petition our government

for a redress of grievances.

 

Free speech and free assembly

are rights guaranteed

in our constitution

we object to attempts

to deter anyone

from exercising them.

 

 

Mr. Friedman

our freedom

is not your profit margin.

Our rights

are not for sale.

 

Mic Check!

We are the 99%

we will not be silent

about your crimes

against the populace

Occupy Austin!

Occupy SXSW!

Occupy Everywhere!

 

For more information:

http://wikileaks.org/the-gifiles.html

 

http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2012-02-03/strange-bedfellows/

 

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/01/spy-files-published-by-wikileaks-detail-massive-international-surveillance-industry/

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SXSW 2012 – Sunday 3/11/12 Targeted events

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March 10, 2012

These are the events I will be playing Southby Roulette with tomorrow. Which ones I actually attend will be decided when I’m in the previous session. 

 

9:30 AM

Can Gaming Make the World Better?

Stand with Planned Parenthood: A Crisis Response

Material Change-Tackling Human Rights with Artists

The New Black? How Digital Ed is Everything

Fixing Broke(n) Governments Through Serious Games

Tech Detox: Can You Survive a Day w/o Technology?

Food Trucks Share Social Media Tips

The Mind & Consciousness As an Interface

Make a Kinection: The Future of Interactive Design

11 AM

The Nick Denton Interview: The Failure of Comments

21st Century Giving: Social Philanthropy’s Rise

Community Regeneration Through Digital Literacy

Mother Goose Got Punked: Next Gen Visual Stories

A New Culture of Learning: Gaming, Tech, Design

Out of This World Engagement

Vote4Geeks: Why Techies Should Run for Office

The Rise of Brooklyn Food Scene

Open Source & the Changing Tech Landscape

We the People: Creating a Consumer’s Bill of Rights

Driving the Change: Public Media Goes Transmedia

12:30 PM

Optimism: The Ultimate Revolutionary Act

Curing a Rage Headache: Internet Drama & Activism

Right to Be Forgotten: Forgiveness or Censorship?

No Brochures: Digital Storytelling for Nonprofits

Designing Positive Daily Addications

Public Lab: Mapping, DIY Activism & Civic Science

But Hasn’t Politics Always Been Social?

Crowdsourcing Government: Why Access Matters

How to Run a Social Site and Not Get Users Killed

Open Art, Open Audiences: The Edinburgh Festivals

Better Food Through Open Data Standards

Social Media is a Bubble and SXSW is a Fad

Turning Slacktivism into Online Activism

Once & Future King: Can Syndication Save Content?

2 PM

Ambient Location and the Future of the Interface

3:30 PM

Design, Build, Transform

White Space: Shaping Nothing for Clean Design

Preserving the Creative Culture of the Web

The Smart Grid is Inseperable from the Internet

Discardia: More Life, Less Stuff

Oh, the Places You’ll End Up Hanging Around

Funny or Die: Future of Comedy & Everything Else

The UnCollege: Learning Outside University

Reprogram Your Yard, Then Eat it

Data is the New Oil: Wealth and Wars on the Web

The Power of Contemplative Play

Video Games: The Supreme Court and What’s Next

5 PM

How Is Internet Helping People Make Their Own Laws

The Infinite Resource: Growth on a Finite Planet

Reinventing the Graphic Novel for the iPad

Hacking the Citizen Experience

4-Hour Work Week is BS: Truths of Working Smarter

Austin 2032: Shaping Future Cities with Mobile Data

Don’t Just Sell Things: Change the World

Security and Privacy in Social Networks

On the Internet, Everyone Knows You’re a Dog

How to Personalize Without Being Creepy II

6 PM

Geo Interfaces for Actual Humans

 

After all of this, at 8:30 PM, I will be attending the vigil for Byron Carter at the intersection of 8th and I-35, on the east side (northbound) of the highway. For more information about this event, see here.

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My Targeted SXSW schedule for Saturday, March 10, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Leave a comment

My plan for sxswi is to target panels of interest and then go wherever my day leads me. If you are here, you can find me at @drublood on twitter, or email me (drublood@gmail.com) for other contact information. I’d love to meet up and chat! Here’s what I have targeted for today:

11 AM

The Start-Up of YOU

The Power of Fear in Networked Publics

The Most Wanted Unusual Suspect: Markia Zuckerberg

Making Stories: Libraries & Community Publishing

A Conversation with Joss Whedon

Reflections of a Zen Digital Nomad

Big Social Media Results at Small Organizations

12:30 PM

HTML5 and CSS3: Does Now Really Mean Now?

The Great Library Swindle: Your Rights Are At Risk

Do People Really Want Participatory Government?

Building Community Engagement Around Open Content

SOPA Media Coverage Dissected

Is Social Media a Human Right?

Creative Energy: Renewing the Fight for Renewables

All of the Late Break + Future15 in Texas Ballroom 1-3 @ the Hyatt

Multiple Personalities – Not a Disorder but the Norm

Shoebox Full of Photos: Beyond Digital Storage

Cloudy with a Chance of Gaming

Crowd Sourcing Community Projects Like Tom Sawyer

2 PM

Keynotunde!!!!!

3:30 PM

The Secret Life of Links

Catch Me if you Can: Frank Abnagale 10 Years Later

?uestlove: Social Media for Minority Mindshare

Read/Write Library: Mapping a City Through Media

Communities of Transparency: Open Data in Action

Winning the Story Wars

Why Doesn’t Congress Grok the Internet?

Decentralized Organizations: Do They Work?

The Secrets and Surprises of DIY Promotion

Crowdsourcing Science

The Curators and the Curated

Rise of the Indie Web

5 PM

The View From Inside Rainn Wilson’s Brain

The Wars of Tech

Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think

Binary Bitches: Keeping Open Source Open to Women

A Carlin Home Companion

The Public is Present: Exhibition Subsites at MoMA

Beyond SOPA/PIPA Moving Forward w Engine Advocacy

Screw the Job Market: Young + Passionate =/= Broke

Welcome to the Chaos: The Distributed Workplace

Erasing Lines Between Physical and Digital Worlds

Crowd Sourced & Collaborative Story-Writing

How to Break Through the Noise with Great Events

Games 4 Change: Great Power, Great Responsibility

Reporters & Evangelists: Politics of Online News

 

…Not sure if I will be attending any evening events this year…

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On not giving a fuck

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August 12, 2011

Some high school acquaintances have started a Facebook group about their (I guess, our) high school experiences. It’s strange. When I think back to high school, I remember myself as someone who truly did not care what anyone thought of me. I had a few very strong friendships with friends from all around the Chicago area who I met at a teen dance club, even fewer close friends at school, and I had vague impressions of my classmates as people who existed in a totally different reality as mine, but not in a judging way. I wasn’t the sneering kind of punk rock kid. And for one who didn’t do drugs or drink, I spent most of my youth in such an ethereal, gauzy haze of confused yet convicted oblivion that I might as well have been stoned. In my yearbook, people I barely knew would tell me they admired me for “being myself.” I was always confused by that. Who else would I be?

I’m not even sure when I learned to be self-conscious. All I know is as I get older, I find myself feeling more and more pressured to be someone that I am not. I forget the lesson I was born knowing and have been taught to disbelieve. In my life, high school was a breeze. I didn’t feel any sense of pressure to be someone I wasn’t. That didn’t come until later. I put it off for a very long time. I’ve spent almost my entire life cultivating a lifestyle in which I feel completely at ease with myself in every situation I am in. Until very recently. I’m not even sure what knocked me off track. Is it the job? I love what I do for a living, but I’m currently responsible for a lot more than I ever thought I would be responsible for in terms of a career. To be honest, I never thought I would use the term “career” to describe how I make a living. Is it the kids? I never saw myself as a parent while I was growing up. Is it just me feeling anxious because I’m an anxious person? Perhaps. Whatever the reason, I find myself more and more having to consciously remind myself that I don’t have to give a fuck what people think of me. Steering myself back to center. Forcing myself to regain that sense of un-self-consciousness I once, unselfconsciously contained.

Reading posts from people I shared a parallel high school universe with is such a great blessing. It wasn’t necessarily a happier time…but it was a time of incredible clarity of simplicity for me. It’s good to be reminded of that.

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