This year I volunteered to be an iReporter for CNN at SXSW. The concept was to “demystify” the conference and in my seventh year attending, I felt qualified to help portray this. The hitch? I’m a bit of a video amateur. It’s an area I’ve been dying to get more experience in so I jumped with two feet into this opportunity and hurriedly borrowed a video camera and tripod to bring with me to Austin.

Cue SXSW overload. What was I thinking? I already have difficulties managing my schedule with so many options, the last thing I had time to do was teach myself any video and it was too awkward to carry around to many places when it wasn’t my primary focus. On top of this, I was having issues getting into the CNN Lounge to upload the bits of video I did take and join the relevant meetings. I ended up contacting Lila from iReport to tell her I wasn’t going to be able to contribute, which I felt terrible about but she assured me they had plenty of content.

Here is a great video from CNN, “SXSW By The Numbers,” that still credits me in the end which I don’t quite deserve. Props to those who did contribute… and much respect! I will work on my video skills in a less stressful environment and be better prepared for badassery next year.