Netroots Nation Day 1

So we are a little bit into day two here in Austin, Texas and I can't wait to wake up for it. Day one was technically a half day, as I had landed at the airport just as Howard Dean gave his big voter registration drive speech outside. After being slightly confused in the airport by the Waterloo station store, I headed out into the hot, humid air and took the 50 cent bus downtown.

Once I got down to the convention center, things were already humming there and at the hotel across the street. After getting my credential and bag of goodies, I was off to check out the grounds (thankfully much smaller and more central to the city, unlike last year in Chicago) and meet people from last year and the newbies to the Yearly Kos convention.

Before I knew it was 5:30 and the authors mixer was underway and I found myself talking to some of my favorite personalities from both the blogosphere and/or the progressive literary world. At first I thought the sculpted trees of fruit were cool, but the people were far better. Then after a quick bite in the hotel, it was time to go back across to the convention center for the Keynote speakers, Wes Clark and Howard Dean (take 2). As expected, both men had the crowd of 2,000 on their feet and hands a clappin. Their introducers and the emcee of the evening were also top notch.

Then all of sudden it was 9:30 CDT and time to drop the laptop off. Browsing the famous 6th Street was phenomenal, I couldn't believe all there was to browse in terms of music and Texas outdoor 'theatre,' even if it was only a Thursday night. But that is where it ends, at least for the first day. I caught an early flight and left the house at 6:30 this morning, so time for some sleep to get ready for a full day number two.