Martin, I thought it was great that you were updating Emdashes from Austria as I was actually sitting in the Skirball Center at the Conference itself!

I had a notion to tweet, but every time I got out my iPhone I got a wave of disapproving thought-glances that implied, “Oh, you multitasking ADD-addled Gen X and Y! [I am Gen X, btw.] You just can’t stay away from your smartphone when the rest of us are sitting still, nodding thoughtfully and actually becoming smarter!”

So I didn’t do much digital reporting, because I’m very sensitive to societal disapproval, but took PAPER NOTES that I will transcribe later tonight.

Oh, that is hilarious, on so many levels. Like for example, this used to be — and still is — a Conference/Summit dedicated to the future. So to run into that attitude there of all places … ! It boggles the mind.

Also, now I understand what Rachel Sklar puts up with! She must be tough as nails….

I was sitting near Rachel at a New Yorker Festival event a year or two ago when she got reprimanded by an attendee for typing on her laptop during the event. But surely everyone’s used to seeing bloggers during this sort of event by now. I think iPhones are a delicate in-between because it really did look like I was rudely texting; how would anyone know I was trying to file?