The game we play
I have a suggestion for everyone that is moving at net speed. Sometime this
week go to a local meeting of the Internet community and watch and listen
to the people around you. Don’t spend time pitching your deal or making
contacts. Just go and be a fly on the wall. Take a moment to watch history
unfold before your eyes. When in our past have the 20 and 30 year olds of
the United States had such a major impact on the nation? Was it our parents
in Vietnam or maybe our Grandfathers in WWII? If not these events, “Then
when”? I realize that comparing the technology war of today’s world to
what happened in a real war may not pay the proper homage to those that
fought but it’s the only comparison that I can think of. Since I started
writing these articles I have had to stop long enough to see and hear what
is happening around me. What I have experienced has left me in awe. The
people around me everyday are not talking about dreams they are creating
them. They do not talk about plans they are implementing them. For all of
the talk about the riches to be made in the tech world it seems that most
are going forward too fast to really worry about the possible wealth. They
just want to be part of the game, and what a wonderful game it is.
Play Ball
Jay Johnson an IP attorney at Baker Botts took me to the Southwestern Bell
– SMU Athletic Forum on Tuesday. We had a wonderful lunch and had a chance
to talk about who is doing what in town. Sitting with us was CJ Lorio of
Price Waterhouse Coopers, Brian Henchy (Corporate Law Baker Botts) and
Chris Kennerly (IP Law Baker Botts). After the food was finished, baseball
great and Hall of Fame member Nolan Ryan entertained the crowd with stories
from his years in the sport. Vextrix.com was a sponsor for the event.
Everyone Needs Access
Wednesday I spent lunch with the board of Accessibility Internet Rally DFW
(air-dfw.com). AIR is a group that started in Austin that promotes the
design of Internet sites that do not prevent people with disabilities from
accessing the sites. To help promote this cause the AIR will be having a
design rally sometime in the late summer early fall in Dallas. At the rally
design teams from area companies as well as teams of freelancers will build
sites for local non-profits that will be judged for the accessibility of
the sites. The event in Austin last year brought together individuals from
40 companies that built 20 web sites for local non-profits. If you would
like to put together a team from your company or a group of your friends go
to air-dfw.com and get involved. We are looking for sponsors and volunteers
for this project so go to the site and get involved.
On the deck
This week’s edition of the GeekMeet.com “High Tech Happy Hour” was spent on
the deck of Joe’s Crab Shack in the West End district of downtown Dallas.
Paige Dawson and the gang from ithought.com sponsored the event. We had a
crowd filled with groups of new faces. Scott Combest my new friend from The
DPC Group that I had meet at the AIR board meeting earlier in the day
brought his office with him. Tom Howard of satamausa.com brought a herd of
new faces that I had a chance to meet, including Shawn Scarsdale of Pyro
(You have to love the name), Matthew Ramsey a designer for the Boy Scouts,
Caleb Easterwood of Hutton Communications. I had a chance to talk to Steve
Navarre the CEO/Co-Founder of LovingMemorial.com about the upcoming launch
of his site. It is always great to see the excitement when someone is
getting close to launching. RareMedium.com was another company that
brought a group, John South SR VP and his team came to enjoy the
festivities. It was a great night, the wind was cool, the drinks cold, and
the conversations entertaining.
Upcoming Week
Thursday - April 6th – Golf and burgers with Chuck Adams of EMC.com and
other tech and net folks from the North Texas area. EMC , Storagenetworks,
and Electric Lightwave are the sponsors.
Tuesday Night April 12th - GeekMeet.com Happy Hour will be in North Dallas
Wednesday Night April 13th - We will be at the Dallas Fort Worth
Interactive Marketing Association Meeting. dfwima.com
As always “I am having the time of my life”!
D. Gregg Wetterman
