Blogsboro Poem Makes National News

Note: The Converge South updates continue below the poem.

The Ballad Of Converge South

They came from near, from afar;
they came from everywhere.
Journalist, poets, photogs
the whole dang bunch was there.
The bloggers in attendance,
they were a fearsome lot,
but before the day was over
their fear had been forgot.

There were scientists, teachers,
and politricksters too.
Students, Rosen, Hoggard,
and yes, Dave Winer flew (in)
Ed was in the thick of things, and please, let’s not forget Sue.
History was made today
and we made MSN news.

There were locals and yokels a mixing up.
A Pilot, he dropped by.
The N&R and N&O, yes, they gave it a try,
and though we often disagreed we laughed a whole lot more.
Yes, Blogsboro’s in the news again
though no one knows what for.

My apologies to all who I didn’t manage to link to in this hastily posted poem. I’ll be adding lots more in the next few days, I promise. By the way, did anyone see Dave?

Update: Actually this might be better called a predate because it's a few days old, but I just found out about it today. Anyway, Tom Lassider has filmed a 6 minute Quicktime Video starring several of my friends and neighbors here in Blogsboro.
Update 2: The Pilot in the poem above also has his own blog titled, News Without Paper. Ya'll go say "Howdy" to Journalist, and now blogger, Kerry W. Sipe of The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia.
Update 3:Michael is blogging Converge South in installments: a One, and a Two, and a Three. So far, so good.
Update 4: Wow, I don't remember going to Syracuse... Must have been one hell of a party.
Update 5: YesWeekly profiles Alana Davis who is our Converge South headliner this weekend. Convention attendees get in free. How Jay managed to get her here I'll never know.
Update 6: One of our younger Blogsboro bloggers, Sam Wharton has some great photos from the party last night. Sam has photos of TheShu who I heard was outed yesterday. Congradulations on your new job, Shu. I swear I wasn't drinking. I've deliberatly waited on linking to several others because I know they will be posting more tomorrow and I want to get it all.
Update 7: Narcissistic Graffiti has posted session updates with Herb Everette, Dave Winer, Amanda Congdon, and Duncan Black AKA: Atrios. Someone was really paying attention.
Update 8: One of the wonderful folks I exchanged business cards with over the weekend was Heather Yandow of the NC Conservation Network who have a blog they use to tell folks all about conservation efforts world-wide as well as their own efforts here in North Carolina. If I remember correctly (and please correct me if I’m wrong) Heather stated that Matt Gross was helping them with their project. Matt and I had a few minutes to speak on Matt and Mel’s front porch before the ‘nanner puddin’ and keg o’ beer was moved to David’s porch across the street.

By the way, the NC Conservation Network will be in Blogsboro and other North Carolina cities in coming days teaching parents about the effects of pesticides on our children. Parents, grand parents, law makers, and concerned citizens are urged to attend. If anyone blogs the event then please contact me so I can link to your coverage.

Converge South coverage is continued below the advertisement:


Update 9: Ben gives us day one and day two. Says he’s already planning next year. Burlington's David Boyd has links here, and here, and here. David Boyd points out the amazing resemblance of Blogsboro’s own David Wharton has to actor Ben Kingsley. I’m expecting an amazingly well written and thoughtful account of the events to show up at Professor Wharton’s blog most any time. (By the way, I know my use of “and here, and here, and here” is poor grammar at best, but it works better than a single comma for breaking up multiple hyperlinks. I’ll leave it to English and Journalism professors to modernize the rules of proper English so they work better online.)

Here’s the account I’ve been waiting for: Stewart Pittman, AKA: Lenslinger, who has in-fact created his own mini-blogosphere-- the goal of every blogger whether we know it or not-- pens his thoughts in an essay titled, 1105 Words on ConvergeSouth. Read Stewart's account if you don’t read anything else.
Update 10: Audio Activism has reports on the Ethics of Journalism as well as Military Blogging. Sue has her own list of Converge South links here.
Update 11: Atros mentions David Hoggard's porch and gets over 300 544 comments. I guess they like to hear themselves think out loud.
Update 12: Chris from TV Photo Blog was there. Unfortunatly he was working for FOX8 at the time and the great video he shot is the property of FOX8. FOX8 is a really cool local television station that allows many of their employees to blog (They even put me on the air in a great story about blogging last spring.) but I really wish thay would put their video feeds online so that we could link to them allowing the world to see what we see. Hey, we could live with the commercials, right?
Update 13: Ed Cone chimes in on Atros, Hoder and a whole lot more in his all day coverage of Converge South. Speaking of Hoder, it’s a damn shame the United States government decided to fuck with our conference.
Update 14: I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but here's a list of Converge South Bloggers who were in attendance. More updates coming later.
Update 15: Lots and lots of photos here. Thanks Brian.
Update 16: Every event of this type has some unsung hero who does all the work while the rest of us get the glory. While everyone else was enjoying the conferences, clubbing, listening to live music brought in from as far away as New York City, and partying on Matt and David's porches shoveling 'Q and washing it down with cold brew, Jay Ovittore was busy as music director/booking agent, roadie, baggage handler, and airport shuttle driver causing him to miss most of the conference. Please go read Jay's account and thank him for everything he did to make it all work. More updates coming soon.
Update 17: How do you know if your next door neighbor happens to be a blogger? Well Bora says he found out when he ran into her at Converge South. Bora also has a few notes here and promises more.

David Wharton comments on the comments made by Cobb as Cobb reflects on his experiences in one of our local neighborhoods. If Cobb wants to come he’ll be a welcome addition.

GoTriad got in on this a few days prior when they interviewed Blogsboro’s own, Ben Hwang, one of the excellent event organizers.
Amanda Congdon was there. Is there an archive of her Rocketboom podcasts? Yes there is and here we are.
With all the Converge South excitement going on I missed the 4th Annual Blogger Boobiethon. Turns out they raised more than last year and I missed it. Bummer! Sorry, I just thought anything named a Boobiethon needed a plug...
Update 18: Ed Cone is up early this morning (flying out for the day job.) Ed sends me a trackback ping (I wish I understood how that works) as he links to Conover. G3head, Dave Johnson, Jim Buie (again residing in the Southland after years in the Maryland suburbs) Brian Leon, and Greensboro’s own Mickey Mclean. More later...

Note: When I wrap up or think I've wrapped-up this link fest I'll post an essay of my own experiences and observations surrounding our inagural Converge South.

Converge South coverage is continued below the advertisement:


Update 19: A hero's account of what went on at Converge South. (Read it and you'll see why I'm calling him a hero.)
Update 20: Chris Weaver, another person stuck working part of the conference, posts pictures not related to work.
Update 21: Roch has audio out-takes from last weekend’s events at Converge South.
PotatoStew was there and be sure to read his thoughts.
Herb Everette from RamblinProse has a Converge South podcast over at his News & Record blog. Herb is a local blogging pioneer leader here locally who leads the session on podcasting and gives us an edited session which is great for those of us who were stuck home in bed.
Update 22: Bora sends me this link to his last Converge South post and I posted a piece titled, A Poet Looks Back At Converge South which wraps it up for me.
Update 23: Brian Clarey, Editor of Yes-Weekly-- a local print publication-- reflects on his visit to Converge South. Thanks for the mention, Brian.

If you’d like your Converge South thoughts and observations added to this list then send me an e-mail with the link to your URL(s) to idleblogs (AT) yahoo.com and I’ll happily add them. Please, don't be shy.

Tag: convergesouth

Comments

[anonymoses]

Excellent, my friend! I want to hear more!
Is someone videotaping the event?
I have been beset by problems and am finding it hard to get a ride to Blogsboro. Car is on blink.

You're in my thoughts...

-Dave

[Jude]

Great poem, Billy!
It sounds like you're having a blast.
I can't wait to hear all about it.
I talked to Dave this morning.
His car is not being cooperative.
Like Warren Zevon sang:
I thought I'd go to FresnoBlogsboro
Just to see my friend,
But my damned Studebaker
Keeps on breakin' down again

[Billy The Blogging Poet]

Dave drives a Studebaker? No wonder he's having car troubles... We need to take up a collection to get Dave newer wheels. And while you're collecting money I could use a moped as the cost of gasoline is really eating into my funding.

[Chris Weav er]

Thanks Billy for the shout out and links. Hated not to see you on Saturday. And yes, getting video online would be a neat addition. Maybe one day!

[coturnix]

Thank you for putting all this together. I have added a couple of more posts last night and will add a couple of more tonight.