Is it me or is everyone else stupid?

So, Im over here at this DomainFest in LA.. Flew in on the red eye.

The event is being held at the same venue its been at for several years apparently, which is the Renaissance Hotel, situated at the top of the street where all the hollywood celebs stick their feet in the concrete and have them preserved forever in posterity. Its a laptop throw from the Kodak theater where the Oscars are held.. Super Duper eh…

Anyway, for all those who’ve never been to such an event, here’s what you can expect.

The Domainfest reception is up on the 5th floor of the hotel. As you’d expect, there’s maybe 10 or so identically dressed domain sponsor bods all buzzing around behind their registration / greeting counter. When i got there i was alone and so I found it a little strange to walk up to this desk only to see that 3 or 4 of these folks not only ignored me but also had their focal points way beyond where i was standing. Not being American myself I am used to ignorance in the face of custom but here i found it odd. Its not like these people have to stand there everyday FFS, its a one off. Anyhow, my gathering sense of bewilderment and wonder quickly dissipated when i realized that their lack of interest in serving me was because Ron Sheridan had entered the building .. (Feel free to do your Elvis announcer voice at this point) .. Moving my head slightly into their line of sight I announced in my most dynamic of voices “Hi..”. Actually, it was more of a “HI..!”. I then get served, pay what amounts to nearly $1k (this better be good me thinks) and toddle off with my goodie bag. (To add with the other 15 goodie bags i have stuffed under my bed at home (none of which ever containing any “goodies” per se))..

Wait.. Go back.. Forgot to mention. Had the most bizarre conversation with the reception lady. Whilst being served she asks me “What T size are you?”.. Im like, “any…” (like im gonna be wearing a domain sponsor T shirt at some point). And with that reply the girl gets noticeably upset with my lack of interest. Brain thought “Hey Lady, you may think in your tiny pool that domain sponsor are what living is all about, but i live in the real world where people don’t give a shit”… Mouth said nothing.

Ok so i’m 1000 bucks less change lighter than when i first came in. Time to start recouping some of those costs thinks i. The conference lobby (i guess you could call it that) is some 3 floors lower. This is the area where all the other companies set up their booths. I enter, and the first and most obvious thing is that i did just that, walked straight in. For $1k, and in the very least, i would’ve expected to see crowd control barriers, people in high vis jackets checking the bonafidity of the delegates, irremovable wristbands. Nope. just bowl in and start filling up your goodie bag with tat.

Coming from the UK and having attended all of the fledgling “fests” (for want of a better word) there, I got an overwhelming sense cliche’ness here. Not in a bad way I should state, for the US “fests” are but only a few years old themselves, so its not exactly an old boys network. And perhaps its my naivety to believe that the wholesome and somewhat country kitchen style UK domain conferences wont turn out the same way when people there get to know one another a little better. But here, I noticed people spoke in groups and very rarely wandered about randomly chatting as is seen in the UK. And I thought it a shame. I mean how much will you gain by just hanging with the person you chat to on your Skype or IM probably everyday. Maybe next time the DS folks should organize a “Speed Domaining” event where you get to spend 30 seconds with another domainer whom you don’t know. Good idea huh.

Ok, so the booth people look bored. I guess Im late in so they have been at it all day. The central food isle was a blend of cookies and coffee and then this sort of ensemble of what looked like brown goo, some chopped apple and (as someone informed me) peanut butter. I pass on the food. Quick shimmy around and a quick look at the bizarre list of names they have in the snapnames auction.. wordoftheday.mobi for $5k was the one that sticks in my mind.. I’ll see how that one gets on and report back. And then it was cocktail party time. This was also held in the hotel and was a noisy, male testosterone filled event with a sprinkling of very pretty young girls (some were being paid as they were allegedly “bunny girls of the year” at playboy). So long as the years weren’t 1974 – 76 you should be ok I said this to one of the domain sponsor guys. He replied with “no, i think they are all from very recent years..” Ya think…

i spoke with a few domainers and what gets me with your average domainer done ok… (Hey, just invented a new acronym “average domainer done ok” ADDO), is that they talk about domains and their investments and their portfolios like city investors. Like they researched and did some analysis back in the day and their futures forecasts they learned from years of study that domaining was somehow a good way to invest money. When the truth is that most ADDO’s either stumbled into it and depending upon in what year they stumbled into it reflects their level of “ok’ness” or they just fancied doing something that involved no effort and they wouldn’t have to work that hard. No problem with that i hear you cry. And no, rightly so, they are entitled to make money in whatever moral way they want, the same as the next man, but do they have to keep talking such drivel about “hows your folio holding up?” and “ya, I think .info is the new .mobi”… Makes my skin crawl. 21st century yuppies.

Ok, off to see what Frank Schilling has to say for himself and i’ll be back here laters.