Rhonda Tipton's WebLog

In mid-June, we took a quick 2-day trip to Fredericksburg, Texas. It is a nice Texas Hill Country community famous for the beautiful country, awesome shopping and peaches (yum!).

  

We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Barons Creekside. We loved it and will definitely be staying again in the future. They are pet-friendly too, so we did not have to board our dog Jake.

   

 

When we did go into town, our favorite places were the Fredericksburg Brewing Company and Old German Bakery Restaurant. I am sure there are more wonderful places, but those will have to come later.

 

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Can’t wait to make it back! The one thing that could have been better…the temperature! It was hot, hot, hot.

Fredricksburg Trip 2010 Album on Picasa

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This week, I attended South by Southwest in Austin, TX for the first time. What an experience and I only saw a portion of what this conference/festival has to provide.

South by Southwest (SxSW) is an enormous conference that provides a convergence of original music, independent films, and upcoming technologies. It is broken into three “sub” conferences: Music, Film and Interactive. This year I was able to attend the Interactive part of SxSW.

 

   

There were so many people…I heard someone say there were at least 5,000+ registered for SxSW Interactive alone.

 

Exhibit Hall

The Exhibit Hall was huge. There were so many booths, I am still unsure if I visited them all or not.

   

Here are a few booths that I did stop at and either have or plan to try their products –

• Sobees
• WriteonGlass
• Opera
• Appiction
• CollectiveIdea

 

Austin

Of course, after all the sessions, there was Austin itself. I have always loved this city.

  

There were so many parties going on in the evenings that I can see why the guy below was tired…

 

 

Below are my posts that recap the sessions I attended:

• SxSW 2010 – Sessions (pt 1)
• SxSW 2010 – Sessions (pt 2)

After my first experience with SxSW, I will definitely be attending again.

My Picasa Photo Album for SxSW 2010

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Below are the sessions that I attended on Saturday (3/13) and Sunday (3/14) at SxSW Interactive.

Moon 2.0: The Outer Limits Of Lunar Exploration

Twitter search based on hashtag #Moon20

Description from SxSW.com: Discussion of how the use of web and mobile technologies create opportunities for participation in future exploration of the Moon. The panel focuses on how X PRIZE, NASA, commercial space companies, and others generate greater interaction and interest in Moon missions using collaborative platforms and social media.

Panel was as follows:

• Veronica McGregor (Site | @veronicamcg)
• Nicholas Skytland (Site | @skytland)
• Amanda Stiles (Site | @glxp)
• Dave Masten (Site | @dmasten)
• Cariann Higginbotham (Site | @cariann)

Some Astronauts on Twitter

• Mike Massimino (@Astro_mike)
• Jeff Williams (@Astro_jeff)
• Nicole Stott (@Astro_nicole)

Links of Interest

• Google Lunar xPrise
• Space Tweep Society
• Space VidCast – Making Space Commonplace
• Unmanned Spaceflight
• Data.gov
• SpaceHack.org

What Can Carl Sagan Teach Us About The Web?

Twitter search based on hashtag #SXSagan

Description from SxSW.com: 2010 is the 30th anniversary of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. Not only is his explanation of our universe relevant today, it can teach us a great deal about how to create better websites.

Presenter: Mark Trammel (Site | @trammell)

Links of Interest

• Carl Sagan’s Cosmos on Hulu

How Webhooks Will Make Us All Programmers

Twitter search based on hashtag #webhooks

Description from SxSW.com: Programming will increasingly be the most empowering skill on earth… how do we bring it to more people? We can’t rely on better academic programs if nobody is taking them! We have to bring back easy discovery and instant utility. See how webhooks (user-defined HTTP callbacks) are the missing link!

Presenter: Jeff Lindsey (Site | @progrium)

Links of Interest:

• Twillio – Cloud Communications
• Clickhooks
• Scriptlets
• Notify.io
• PubSubHubBub 

Why You Aren’t Done Yet

Twitter search based on hashtag #whyyouarentdoneyet

         

Description from SxSW.com: The deadline is looming, you’ve tweeted how busy you are four times this week, and yet you just can’t get the project wrapped up and out the door. Real artists ship and you want to be a real artist, real bad, but you’re not. Let me show you how to rework…

Presenter: David Heinemeier Hansson (Site | @dhh)

Links of Interest

• Book: Re Work
• 37 Signals 

Coding for Pleasure: Developing Killer Spare-Time Apps

Twitter search based on hashtag #codingforpleasure

Description from SxSW.com: Every startup origin story is about a couple of developers who abscond to a garage and end up building the Next Big Thing. But money and fame don’t need to be your end goal. You can significantly improve your life–and impact others’ lives–by coding for pleasure in your spare time.

Panel was as follows:

• Gina Trapani (Site | @ginatrapani)
• Adam Pash (Site | @adampash)
• Matt Haughey (Site | @mathowie)

Links of Interest

• ThinkTank
• Better GMail
• Mixtape 
• Belvedere
• Fuelly
• Peepcode.com
• GitHub

Everyone Can Be a “Professional” Photographer

Twitter search based on hashtag #anybodypro

    

Description from SxSW.com: Everyone is a photographer: a camera in every cellphone, a powerful point-and-shoot in every pocket and bag, a digital SLR camera in every bag or home. With new platforms to create, distribute and sell to a wider range of clientele, everyone can be a *professional* photographer and sell photography.

Panel (Dual) was as follows:

• Allen Murabayash (Site | @photoshelter)
• Taylor Davidson (Site | @tdavidson)

Links of Interest

• PhotoShelter
• Flickr

SxSW 2010 – Sessions (pt 2)

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Below are the sessions that I attended on Monday (3/15) and Tuesday (3/16) at SxSW Interactive.

Indirect Collaboration: Collective Creativity on the Web

Twitter search based on hashtag #incol

Description from SxSW.com: This discussion will examine the role of crowd-sourced input on the creative process. We will examine art, comics, design, photography and commerce, and the role that the audience plays in directing their creation. We will make a distinction between passive decision-making (i.e. Threadless) and participatory conception (i.e. 700 Hobos Project.)

Panel was as follows:

• Joshua Glenn (Site)
• Joe Alterio (Site | @joealterio)
• Riley Crane (Site)
• Tim Lillis (Site)
• Andrea Grover (Site | @gentleridevan)

Links of Interest

• Indirect Collaboration Blog
• Coral Reef Project
• Houston Lawndale Art Center

ExpressionEngine 2.0: Total Domination!

Twitter search based on hashtag #expressionengine

Description from SxSW.com: ExpressionEngine is growing in popularity and with the release of 2.0, it’s power has expanded to the stratosphere. Powering great websites such as Change.gov, A List Apart, and Campaign Monitor, it represents an amazing way to build websites and publish content.

Panel was as follows:

• Kenny Meyers (Site | @kennymeyers)
• Ryan Irelan (Site | @ryanirelan)
• Jenn Lukas (Site | @JennLukas)
• Brian Warren (Site | @mrwarren)
• Mark Huot (@markhuot)

Links of Interest

• Expression Engine
• EE Insider
• StarterFiles.Com
• Expression Engine 2: Total Domination Slides  

Visual Note-Taking 101

Twitter search based on #viznotes

    

Description from SxSW.com: Ever since Leonardo put pen to paper, visual note-taking has been a route to improve the quality of your thinking, make information more memorable, and make your ideas easier to share with others. Learn practical techniques and ”tricks of the trade” from modern visual note-taking masters.

Panel was as follows:

• Austin Kleon (Site | @austinkleon)
• Dave Gray (Site | @davegray)
• Mike Rohde (Site | @rohdesign)
• Sunni Brown (Site | @SunniBrown)

Links of Interest

• Book: Newspaper Blackout
• Book: Slide:ology
• Scout Books
• Sketchbook Pro
• Every Person In New York
• Time Management Software – Offline version   

SETI: Building a Better Search Using Your ‘Thinkons’

Twitter search based on hashtag #setibettersearch

Description from SxSW.com: For years you’ve been leaving your computers turned on in order to process data packets for UC Berkeley’s SETI@home – that’s great! Please keep it up! Did you ever want to get more involved? Do you think about the ‘why’, ‘how’, ‘what if?’ of SETI and want to offer improvements?

Presenter: Jill Tarter (Site | @jilltarter)

Links of Interest

• Harvard Optical SETI
• Setiquest.org
• Exoplanets

Microsoft Bing: Behind the Scenes of The Decision Engine

Description from SxSW.com: One of the most anticipated, high-profile product re-branding and re-launch efforts of this past year, Microsoft’s Bing didn’t just gain mind- and search-share, it earned it through unique positioning and a holistic social media marketing strategy.

Twitter search based on hashtag #bingsxsw

Panel was as follows:

• Aaron Lilly (@aaronlilly)
• Lynn Girotto
• Stefan Weitz (Site | @stefanweitz)
• Ian Schafer (Site | @ischafer)

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About a month ago, a good friend of mine told me about a service named TripIt. This evening I was finally able to sit down and work with the service and I have to say I am quite impressed.  I pretty much had all my flight, hotel and car rental information for my trip to Sedona populated in a matter of a few minutes.

I am planning two vacations this year which is a change for me as I usually only allow myself one big vacation and a couple of small “getaways” per year.  This service has made it easier for an organization freak like me to keep my information together in one spot.

With TripIt, you have the ability to add several types of Plan Items and detailed information about them.

 

Now the part that I found most impressive.  I went to start entering my flight information and noticed the below message.

I thought hmm, I might as well try it – at least I won’t have to enter as much as inputting everything by hand.  The result was accurate to the point that I have found no discrepancies as of yet.  This feature also worked for my hotel and car rental information as well.  A very slick and time-saving feature indeed.

You can also share your vacation plans with other users of TripIt.  This comes in handy if you have a friend who is planning a vacation at the same time and you want to share or compare information.

In closing, if you are doing any kind of vacation planning, I highly recommend giving TripIt a try.

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Happy & Safe Travels!!!

I spent the past 5 days at Big Bend National Park.  This park is located in extreme SW Texas and offers an abundant amount of hiking trails and breathtaking views. 

 

You don’t have to hike to get some scenic views, but you definitely get more by doing so. Most of the hikes had to be done early as the temperature in parts of the park rose above 95.  In the desert, there is no shade.

The Chisos Mountain Lodge is the way to go as far as lodging.  It is situated in the Chisos Mountain Basin and is beautiful.  We had a room, but next time, will go with one of their secluded cottages.  There is no air conditioner, but if you go the right time of year, there is no need. 

   

The restaurant at the Lodge has great food, but is rather expensive to eat three meals a day.  Especially, since it is the only place to sit down and eat within 30-50 miles.  I suggest taking along some sandwich fixings and microwavable food for the times you don’t want to spend the money at the restaurant.  The room we had contained a refrigerator and microwave.  I think next time we are only going to have breakfast in the dining room.  Dessert in the restaurant on the last day is a great parting treat.  We can definitely recommend the apple cobbler and chocolate sundae.

It is better to have breakfast at the restaurant and if you get there early enough, there is no telling what kind of wildlife you will “run into”.  Also, in the late evening, wildlife can be spotted just about anywhere.  We saw skunk and deer off our balcony just about every evening.  Yes, I loved seeing the skunks.  Being from Houston, I rarely see them alive.

   

After a good breakfast each morning, we were ready to hike.

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Below are some of the trails we hiked.

Basin Loop Trail

   

Lost Mine Trail

   

Grapevine Hills Trail

   

Sam Nail Ranch Trail

   

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail

   

Boquillas Canyon Trail

   

Hot Springs Canyon Trail

    

We were really wanting to hike the Window Trail, but it was closed due to increased bear activity (yikes).

We also visited a couple of interesting sites outside the park.  Study Butte and The Terlingua Ghost Town.

All of the pictures I took can be found in my Big Bend Gallery.

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I have lived in Texas all my life and knew of Big Bend National Park, but had no idea of the beauty contained within.  I highly recommend to anyone looking for a place to vacation.  We are already planning to go back in 2010 as there is still so much more to see.