Charles Stricklin

I’m in Ontario, California for the 3rd annual Podcast and New Media Expo. I got in yesterday afternoon and checked into the Marriott across from the convention center, and was immediately dealt a few setbacks.

First off, the business cards I ordered from OvernightPrints.com (no, I won’t link to them) three weeks ago expressly so I’d have plenty while here, still aren’t finished. I had to wait about 30 minutes to speak to a customer representative to find this out, which nearly drained my phone’s battery. After I expresses extreme dissatisfaction and asked that she relay that to management, she offered 15% off my next purchase. I politely told her there would be no “next purchase” and that if she wanted to extend the discount to the current purchase, I wouldn’t object.

Also, the hotel I’m staying at, the Marriott, charges $9.95 per day for the use of broadband Internet in your room. I find out this morning that absolutely no Continental breakfast is provided. I suppose I shouldn’t complain for the rate I receive by reserving a room through the expo, but it drives home the point that Southern hospitality really does exist, since any Best Western worth its salt offers free Internet in every room and at least some apple juice and Fruit Loops in the lobby every morning.

However, not everything that happened yesterday was a disappointment. I spoke with my friend Kris Smith of Croncast for a moment in the lobby and met his lovely wife, Betsy, but it was only for a few moments. I then met up with Jason Van Orden of Podcasting Underground (among others) and finally met his lovely wife, Melanie (PunchBuzz, Podcasters Against Genocide) and had dinner in the hotel pub while discussing, of all things, covenant marriage and several little-known events surrounding the Gulf War, (all because Jason kept asking me questions knowing full well I talk too much.)

Jason, (unlike me) is a pretty popular guy in podcasting circles, and he kept being greeted by his fans and well-wishers. One such person was Chris Christensen, who produces Amateur Traveler, and I enjoyed hearing of his travel to foreign lands, and particularly how his sponsors make doing so financially possible. We were also joined by Dan Bach of Dan’s Math, who admired my t-shirt for its math geekiness (or would that be geeky mathness?) I, then, had a pleasant conversation with Jamie of The MedicCast in the lobby, mostly about Association for Downloadable Media and the meeting they have this morning before the expo officially opens, but other stuff as well, all this while I waited for Jason and Melanie to “freshen up.”

We then made our way to the Doubletree where PodShow was hosting a party there. It was loud, it was hot and everyone moved around a small hotel room like sardines writhing in a net. I met Michael Carrino from Feast of Fools, a GLBT podcast, briefly. I also spoke briefly with Don McAllister of ScreenCastsOnline.com and Adam Bloom with PodShow, whom I met at WordCamp San Francisco a few months ago. However, being the old fart that I am, I couldn’t take very much of the insanity and noise, and quickly retired to my swanky hotel room.

This morning I woke up at 4:00AM since I’m still running on Central time back in Louisiana. I’ll be getting showered and starting the day properly in only a few moments. Looking over the sessions, three of the four have presentations I plan to attend: At 10:30AM there’s Distributing Video in Various Formats: How To Make the Right Choice with Craig Syverson of gruntmedia and Kenji Kato of Edge-Runner, at 1:45Pm I’m supposed to be interviewed via Skype by Cali Lewis of GeekBrief, at 2:00PM there’s Striving for Excellence: The Passion and Pain of Producing a Professional “How To” Video Podcast by CAT and Eric Susch of LetsKnit2gether.com, at 3:15PM I’ll try and make Screencasting 101 with the forementioned Don McAllister of ScreenCastsOnline.com, and then after a little networking time I’ll make my way back to the Marriott for Jason Van Orden’s Pool Party.

There’s so much to do, and despite my girth, only so much of me to go around.

Several weeks back I lamented, “Why does iTunes keep having problems burning CDs?” It turns out, a link detailing problems burning CDs caused by the installation of virtual CD drivers helped me fix everything.