deadblogging the wrbc
For the eleven folks who still peek at this dormant blog, wondering if I’ll return from my self-imposed blogging exile, the answer is (as always): “maybe”.
Last weekend I attempted with mixed success to liveblog the Western Regional Barista Competition in Los Angeles. I imagined a blog filled with some short, irreverent videos (like the fun videos on the now-vanished zacharyzachary.com), barista profiles, signature drink breakdowns, and a lot of interaction with the internet audience. What ended up happening was more of an IT wild goose chase of trying to set up and maintain a very fat, but very macguyver’d internet connection and the constant scrambling for the right cord or dongle or electrical outlet to keep the whole thing from collapsing. At some point I had to choose between trying to keep the live video stream on ustream functioning and tending to the blog. The stream won the day.
the nerve center of the wrbc2009.net huddled around our one powerstrip, photo by Ian Tobin.
Fortunately some really stellar folks had my back. The tireless Brent Fortune, Guatemalan Barista Champ Raul Rodas, Aussie by-way-of U.K. Tim Styles, and my flickr brother Ian Tobin got plugged in and kept things rolling. Foodblogger Joshua Lurie over at FoodGPS showed us how it is really done - competitor interviews and detailed play by play - picking up the ample slack.
In the end I’m filled with a sense of personal disappointment, but am pleased that the event overall was a smashing success, and impressed with the caliber of all the competitors (even the many first-timers) in attendance. We had over 200 folks watching on ustream and over 3200 visitors to the blog on our biggest day. With a little more effort and a little less duct tape, one wonders what the audience could become for these odd events in the future?
Tags: barista competition, coffee, wrbc2009
January 28th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
We appreciated the efforts and the end product even if you felt it wasn’t perfect. Watching the WRBC was a great way to spend a football-less Sunday afternoon.
Don’t know if we’ll be able to do this next week in Pittsburgh - lack of bandwidth in every sense of that word - but you’ve inspired us to at least try.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
You get a pat on the back for that shit man… I had that site directed to the flatscreen and I enjoyed it’s craziness surely more than your standard TV watching.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Nice job Tony, it was great to see you in action! I look forward to more of this type of “Fun”. See you soon.
February 1st, 2009 at 7:20 pm
man, i really really need an exceptional cup of coffee. It hurts.
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
It’s ok to have a comment.
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:04 am
I feel out of place,but I do not mind checking here once in a day for the update. However to dig and read the old posts are still very interesting. Please try to post a bit more often.
Thanks.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
I’m still a tonx fan!
February 11th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
once per fiscal quarter is fine.
February 17th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I dug the stream, beginning to end. I’m in Alaska, heading to PDX to watch the USBC. As a consumer / inspiring coffee business owner, I live in the middle of nowhere. Thank God for the ‘net, blogs, etc.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Do you like how Tonx and I are color coordinated?
April 28th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
give tim a punch in the arm from an climpson and son’s regular