Last year, I was completely overwhelmed by SXSW. I had just started working full time for VentureBeat, and wasn’t yet fully aware of how to handle this whole blogging-as-a-profession thing, let alone how to cover a huge conference. And one that has a Spring Break element to it on top of it all.

This year, I expect it to be different. I’d like to think that I have now achieved double-0 status in the blogging world, which some may call, a license to shill. I can handle most any workload thrown at me, but it may be a bit more difficult to work given that I now know a significant percentage of people attending the conference. And especially hard given the number of PR people who now know me (yes, I’m getting all those emails guys).

After last year, I wrote that SXSW was a must-attend for any person trying to make it in the blogging world. With the economy now officially in the shitter, that may be a bit of an overstatement given how expensive it is. But if you can afford it, I think you’ll find that it’s definitely worth your while. It was a professional blogging trial-by-fire of sorts for me, but I made contacts that I still maintain one year later.

If you are going this year, feel free to come say hello if you see me. I’ll be that guy in the dark, thick-rimmed glasses in the corner on his MacBook not talking to anyone. Okay, that describes just about everyone there. Best just to follow me on Twitter.