Posts
Human 2.0 was absolutely amazing - An Excellent web cast archive is on the MIT Media Lab's site. I almost wish they'd throw it up on Google video so it can be downloaded to a PC easier. Too many amazing highlights - it was cool seeing the Hockenberry Family making a day of daddy's new job. It was my first time meeting Zoe and Olivia, they seemed really shy, but at the end of the day, Daddy's wheelchairs was the coolest play toy. Oops...I'm jumping ahead. The auditorium was extremely hot, but it was a gorgeous day out.
I'm trying to remember what presentation was my favorite and it's totally impossible to rank it. The speech between design guru Michael Graves and John Hockenberry was stellar. That and Oliver Sacks speech was the highlight of the morning. Well and the mid morning break when Hockenberry's wife said hi to me and knowingly asked "Did you whoop when John came out?" Umm Guilty... Yeah, when your friends email you saying "I so totally heard you on the web cast." Look okay in my mind,it was like a concert and it even got Frank Moss stoked. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever done.
Afternoon was spent trying to figure out if my digital camera was dead (it wasn't) but my video is horrid compared to the media lab web cast. I was also agonizing how to figure out how to introduce myself to Amanda Baggs, and sent emails to mutual acquaintances, I was not going to bug her, since she has all the CNN lovers bugging her and like, that WAS cool, but her website against Autism Speaks was so much better. I ended up waiting for Hockenberry and so was she, and we ended up talking for a while and she is such an amazing writer and just has such a grasp on trying issues together or describing sensations or really good conferences. Well, she writes incredibly well and she is very verbose. Do a Google search on her name to find her blog. There is literally hundreds of posts and it is so good, like - it makes this stuff look very, VERY, lame.
The stuff from Hugh Herr about prosthetics and amputees and the strongest ankles in the world was really cool. He also seemed cool when I chatted with him after the event.
But the high point, well there were several, but Dan Ellby totally rocked the house down. Watch the last twenty minutes of the web cast for his song. He needs an Ep on Itunes, trying to describe his work lends me to say ambient electronica, but with orchestetration like mu-ziq or warp records stuff. As Dan finished, Hockenberry rolled out on a modified Segway that had a seat, and Hugh Herr climbed this Extremely DIFFICULT rock wall as a end. it reminded me of Moby's Play Tour encore of "Thousands", but with much more crip powered geekiness.
The end of the conference led to wierd hor d'overs, and a catered full bar. And someone who let ME, spastic dorkiness, try a segway. The Segway was so completely cool. I ski, I have rode a half pipe on a skateboard and bike, and the segway was just so totally...COOL. Hockenberry said I had the biggest smile on my face, and given the drama the week had provided (wierd family issues), that was a definite upgrade for me.
(i really should post that photo of me on the segway but it is late...)
Interview with a Presidental candidate coming soon
Mike R.
