I suggest you try it.  The no-ticket ticket lets you: attend the best parties, catch some unofficial keynotes, and meet other cool people from the interwebs.

Highlights of the week:

1.  Rolled into Austin, walked two blocks from the car to sit in on a live of taping of This Week in Startups., with guest Tony Hsieh.

2.  Enjoyed a fantastic Philly Cheese Steak from a vendor at 2am on 6th.

3.  Took Dad's advice to heart (he attended UT-Austin post-Nam in the 70's) and toured Zilker Park, randomly walking into the Zilker Park Kite Festival.  Video here.

4.  Donated to Charity:Water at the Digg Party using Square (the only company I'd invest in where I don't call the shots)

5.  Bumped into Hippie Glenn at Lanai.

6.  Discussed footwear with Tim Ferriss at the Driskill Hotel.

7.  Checked out the Whole Foods flagship store and Lance Armstrong's Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop within a few blocks walk.

So, all in all, THANKS AUSTIN!

and special thanks to Kienan, Tim, and Dave for hosting...and the nice lady at Delta for getting my flight bumped up on the way out!

I'll be back next year SXSW!