Attendees waiting for their badges.

Due to a mixup with our tickets (curse you Orbitz!) Calvin and I got to Austin around noon today, a day before any of the official activities started at SXSW. We did get to pick up our badges, scope out the venues and get settled in our hotel. I also got a very large red tag for my camera officially identifying me as a photographer.

It's spring in Austin- outside our hotel room.

SXSW is filled with hundreds of incredibly cheerful volunteers. The convention center has some unusual concessions, including one that seemed to specialize in boxes of DeCecco pasta and cans of San Marzano tomatoes. We are now on our way to dinner with Rachel Deahl of PW and a few parties. I am hoping to stay awake, we left the house at 4AM and made our way through the Twin Cities to Austin.

Convention Center pre-madness.

Pasta concession in the Convention Center Lobby