I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “why” lately, inspired by Catherine Caine’s Goddamn Radiant program that I’ve been making my way through for a new thing I’m working on. In the first part of her ebook, she talks about “why” and points to Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why.” “Why” is the most compelling part of anything I do in my personal and professional life.

Since February of last year I’ve worked at MIT Technology Review’s tech community arm, the MIT Enterprise Forum. When MIT Technology Review relaunched their brand with a new logo and design at EmTechMIT in October, they started to use the phrase “technologies that matter” to describe the company’s approach. This is awesome. There is a lot of technology coming to life every day — but how much of that really matters? I like that at MIT Technology Review, there’s a filter for what matters.

I’m attending my ninth South by Southwest Interactive Festival in a few days. I missed 2011 and 2012 which means I’m not likely at all prepared for the massive crowds that will be in Austin. When I first started going to SXSW back in 2001, it was spring break for web geeks attended by a couple hundred of my peers around the world. Ah yes, those were the days! But I’m still excited to be making my way down in 2013 — massive crowds and all. Festival director Hugh Forrest and his team have built something amazing and useful and fun over the years. I’m proud to be part of the advisory board. Everyone talks about the parties — and they are a lot of fun — especially if you enjoy standing in line. But this year, I’m going to make a better effort to attend sessions at the conference, see a few movies at SXSW Film and attend 20×2, a long-standing evening event at SXSW Interactive that has managed to maintain the community vibe of the early festival years.

While I’m at SXSW, I’m conducting short video interviews with company founders who are tech innovators. Everyone will tell the story about their work and why it matters. I’ve already rounded up several people to interview including Nataly Kogan, Chief Happiness Officer at Happier, a new Boston company who recently launched their Happier app in February. The videos will go up on the MIT Enterprise Forum’s global video website where Enterprise Forum chapters around the world share content.

If you are a founder of a technology company and you’ll be at SXSW Interactive with something to say about your work and why it matters, please get in touch with me to discuss my project! I will be conducting interviews March 9-13.

And every cooking adventure has a soundtrack, of course! Listen to the “Music While Cooking” playlist on Spotify.

Listen to music by the bands and say you’ll be there by RSVPing on the Facebook event page for Soozapalooza 3. You can buy a ticket in advance for ten bucks or pay $12 at the door. Doors open at 8pm and it’s an 18+ show.

Good Night, States

If you follow me on Twitter and/or we’re friends on Facebook, then you already know how much I LOVE Pittsburgh’s Good Night, States. L-O-V-E. They performed at the first Soozapalooza in 2010 and I’m more than just a little excited that they’re back this year. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. The music below is from the band’s earlier releases. They’ll be performing music from their new, not-yet-released album at Soozapalooza.

The Phil Aiken Army

Phil Aiken released his first EP recently with The Phil Aiken Army and a full-length album is in the works. If you want to hear supercharged pop songs with an all-star cast of players, you definitely need to be at Soozapalooza on Friday to see The Phil Aiken Army. Oh, snap — more A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Somerville Symphony Orkestar

There’s no better way to start a party than with the all-original Eastern European punk funk band from the Slavic heart of Greater Boston — also known as Somerville Symphony Orkestar. The band describes it better than I could: The SSO spectacle is a carnivalized punk show that turns its audiences into equal parts mosh-pit and horah. Complex six-piece arrangements reign in the chaos only to explode in shuddering “fun-gasm” after “fun-gasm.”

Don’t be surprised if Penelope the elephant makes an appearance during Somerville Symphony Orkestar’s performance.

Sooz photography provided event photography services for The Catalyst Awards, Science Club For Girls’ annual award ceremony and fundraising event featuring 2011 honorees Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister (CEO, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center) and Douglas Banks (Publisher, Mass High Tech). Festivities were held at the Broad Institute in Cambridge.

View photos from the event in the photo gallery.

Get to know Science Club For Girls: Twitter • Facebook • Website

About Science Club For Girls:

Now in its seventeenth year, Science Club for Girls (SCFG) has established an excellent reputation as a nonprofit organization with expertise in girls-specific programming in underserved communities. SCFG was recognized with one of six national MetLife AfterSchool Innovator Awards in Fall 2010 for the design and impact of our Science Clubs and CELLS program. We are also the recipient the Nonprofit of the Year award by Cambridge Chamber of Commerce in 2009.

Currently, SCFG provides free, hands-on science and engineering programs to over 1,000 girls in five cities in eastern Massachusetts (Cambridge, Lawrence, Boston, Newton and Fitchburg), and in Pokuase, Ghana.

About the Catalyst Awards:

The Catalyst Awards recognize individuals who are strategic, innovative and effective in promoting diversity in science, technology and engineering; who are skilled and dedicated to effecting change from a systems level down to a personal level to help individuals and groups realize their dreams; and embody those qualities that inspire the best in us: a sense of justice, dedication to excellence, and genuine engagement.

Governor Deval Patrick at NAEP education symposium.

Sooz photography provided event photography services for the National Assessment Governing Board’s symposium on October 24, 2011  at the Westin Waterfront in Boston. View the photo gallery to see more photographs from the event.

About the event:

The NAEP 12th Grade Preparedness Commission is currently hosting a series of symposia across the country to discuss how The Nation’s Report Card can serve as this critical indicator. The Boston symposium, the second of the series, will convene regional leaders in government, education, business, and civil rights to obtain local perspectives on the utility of the NAEP initiative and its relevance for Massachusetts.

Here are a few of my music playlists. If you’re on Spotify, click the subscribe button to save the playlist so you can come back to it later. This is especially handy for playlists that are updated more than once including my Boston Rocks! playlist.

Nostalgia For The Present– new songs I’ve dug up
Boston Rocks! — songs by bands from the Boston area, 5+ hours
The Tragically Hip — my favorite Hip songs spanning their 20+ year career
Lloyd Cole — one of the most talented singer/songwriters of our lifetime
Everything But The Girl — I’m not as into the newer “remixy” music but this band remains a favorite