In the wake of this utterly disappointing situation the feelings running through my body were pain, discomfort and remorse. Kind of like getting an STD.

Other reasons why having your laptop stolen are like getting an STD:

• Having your laptop stolen and getting an STD are both preventable
• People warn you all the time about having your laptop stolen or getting an STD
• They sell things that prevent your laptop from being stolen and you from getting an STD
• Having your laptop stolen and getting an STD are both more likely to happen when you utter the words ‘it’ll be ok just this one time’
• Having your laptop stolen and getting an STD can both be costly to remedy
• Having your laptop stolen and getting an STD can have a lasting effect long after the symptoms go away
• You ponder what you’ve lost and how you’ll recover when your laptop is stolen or you get an STD
• Having your laptop stolen and getting an STD both require you to call up people you never want to speak to again warning them they might want to go to the doctor or change their business’ passwords
• You think of all the foolish things you’ve done in the past when your laptop is stolen or you get an STD
• Having your laptop stolen or getting an STD makes you angry at the person that put you in this position
• Having your laptop stolen is like getting an STD except your stolen laptop doesn’t itch, burn or erupt
• Having your laptop stolen or getting an STD can be the result of a long night of drinking
• Having your laptop stolen and  getting an STD both can be discovered after it’s too late
• Having your laptop stolen and getting an STD are similar except stolen laptops can affect gentiles too

From the Community:

• Having your laptop stolen and getting an STD both result in a huge loss of trust (hat tip @photine for coming up with this. Thanks!)

What are some other ways in which having your laptop stolen and getting an STD are similar?

This week is Stolen Laptop Week: come back tomorrow where you’ll learn how to prevent your laptop from being stolen in the first place and receive a list of some prophylactic services/programs that prepare you in the case of theft.

SXSW is now over for this year, all that’s left is that hope that you learned something and came back with new ideas and contacts. We recognize that the summation of each individual experience totals to a wealth of knowledge for the community. In an attempt to share that knowledge and capitalize upon that creative energy, this Bandcamp: SXSW AUTOPSY will be a discussion of the results of SXSW. We’re interested to hear your activities, the successes, failures, new ideas, people to look out for, tips and any tricks to share with your community. The result of this Bandcamp should be a document of new ideas and new concepts for everyone to ponder, execute or employ to maximize your exposure over the course of this year.

Even if your band didn’t hit SXSW, attend this Bandcamp to learn some new ideas that would work anywhere, not just at SXSW. If you’re not in a band but you like Houston community, attend this Bandcamp to hear about the successes from your local musicians. The best part about this Bandcamp is that it will be run by YOU as Matthew Wettergreen will be speaking at a conference the exact time as Bandcamp except in Chicago. Grace Rodriguez of AYN Brand and Ned Dodington of Caroline Collective will be on hand to facilitate but the knowledge and sharing should come from YOU the bands.

Did you know that Bandcamp has now been running for 6 months? We think this meeting would be a good time to let us know what is and is not working for you or what you’d like to see from Bandcamp in the future. If you’d like to let us know privately: mwettergreen@gmail.com.

WHAT: Bandcamp: SXSW AUTOPSY

WHEN: April 5th, 2009 1-3pm

WHERE: Caroline Collective, 4820 Caroline Houston TX

Please note that the originally scheduled Bandcamp: COPYRIGHT will be rescheduled for May 3rd so that Joe Stallone of Bracewell and Giuliani and Grounded in Music may teach the session.

About Bandcamp

Regular BandCamp sessions are held on the First Sunday of every month at Caroline Collective sometime in between the hours of 1pm and 5pm. Please mark your calendar accordingly for future events where the community education model teaches specific skills to musical artists such as, online/offline promotion, tour booking, financials, and recording. Please speak about this event to your colleagues, band members and other interested members of the Houston Music Community.

At that time I had an extreme amount of entitlement for my skills and what I was owed. When things went wrong I failed to look inward, instead, blame shifting or allowing this entitlement and a sense of animosity to blossom inside myself.

Now, not so angry, I attempt to keep an open mind in all situations and approach every situation as if I know nothing. I’ve found that learning is accelerated because my brain is set up to be a sponge rather than resisting or preparing to provide counterpoint at every step. People are more willing to help when they see an open nature and someone is interested in enrichment and personal growth.

Watching the flurry of activity at Sunday’s Bandcamp I couldn’t help but remember those days of watching Fight Club regularly. Looking at the cracks in the walls of Caroline Collective I was immediately transported to the Paper Street Soap Company where a crowd of Project Mayhem members were working towards something bigger. There was one big difference though; they were working to bring equality and success through destruction — we were working to build up and support each other through education, openness and a strong sense of community. And the entitlement and pretension characterised by some unsuccessful and angry bands wasn’t present, as each group was soaking up the information flying around the room like a sponge.

As I compared the activity from Paper Street Soap Company and Bandcamp: SXSW PREP I realized that each community had a greater sense of accomplishment and mission and each group worked fervently towards that common goal. But the difference was in the attitudes; you could witness the excitement and openness each band had to new ideas and setting up these systems. Infomation was volunteered and readily shared as idividual groups showed eachother what they had set up or explained how technology and an online presence had helped them in the past. At the end of the  two hour session, everyone felt better about their band’s position online and everyone realized the potential of putting together their toolbox to help  not only promote themselves but also EACH OTHER.

Most Bandcamps have ended with exhaustion, as the speakers give as much information about a particular topic as they can and the attendees’ heads fill with new ideas and new methods of promoting and running their careers. Something different happened this time as bands met each other and got excited about the prospects of showing themselves at SXSW. Not only did we not run over time but everyone was excited and energized at the end of the session. We selected the topic of April’s Bandcamp: COPYRIGHT and left for Coffee Groundz for post-Bandcamp discussion.

This Bandcamp was a reflection of the success of the event over the past several months. We are building something and it’s just as disruptive and passionate as Project Mayhem. The difference is that it’s not based in anger or entitlement; it’s based in hard work, education and dedication. The result will be a strong, united and educated Music Community that is self-sustained and self-supporting.

Check the twitter stream for Bandcamp: SXSW PREP by searching the hashtag: #bandcamph.

Thanks to @audioADD, @danjoyce and of course @dryvetyme for live tweeting the event.

Check out these bands on multiple digital outposts:

Bands in Attendance:

• Adam & Lena
• Benjamin Wesley
• B L A C K I E
• Davie Graves
• Days Drive
• Desmond Zavala
• Dizzy Pilot
• Espantapajaros
• Fat Tony
• Female Demand
• Giant Battle Monster
• Glasnost
• Golden Cities
• Insert Name Here
• Motion Turns It On
• Narreme
• Prairie Cadets
• Something Fierce
• Tambersauro
• Tax The Wolf
• The American Sharks
• The Bottom Four
• The Liquid Kitchen
• The Snake Charmers
• The Tontons
• The Western Civilization
• Wall With One Side
• Warblerpl
• Wayside Drive
• You (Genious)