About four hours ago, I arrived at the Pittsburgh airport, ready for a weekend of education, networking, and activism known as Netroots Nation 2009.  Begun just a few years ago under the moniker Yearly Kos, Netroots Nation is now the premiere annual convention in the country for online progressive activism.  It's an event that has given everyday people, young and old, the opportunity to make their voices heard.  Because of the success of the organizing model that has transformed American politics in the last few years, including the election of President Barack Obama, a guy like me who started blogging at his parents' kitchen table in Texas now has the opportunity to speak about the issues facing our country directly with US Senators, White House advisers, and more.

I'm here both as a participant and to cover this conference on behalf of Asian Pacific Americans for Progress.  Tomorrow, we'll have the chance to listen to Howard Dean speak about health care, ask Congressman Joe Sestak and Senator Arlen Specter which one of them deserves to be the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Pennsylvania, and learn how to be more effective organizers both on and offline.  As a Texan, I've also been invited to a lunch with Democratic candidate for US Senate - Houston Mayor Bill White.  In the evening, I'll be attending a party dj'ed by artist Shepard Fairey (of the OBEY posters fame), where he'll be giving away copies of his new "Clean Energy for America" poster art.

Though I got in late today so I missed the speech tonight by Pres. Bill Clinton, but I'm very excited about what's to come.  In the last few hours, I've already met a blogger from Oakland whom I met at Netroots Nation last year.  I then took the bus from the airport to the convention center and met up with the rest of my fellow Austinites, mostly bloggers from the Burnt Orange Report, and we enjoyed the Pittsburgh nightlife with fellow attendees from DC, Washington state, and Vermont.  I've already seen familiar faces and made new friends.  Stay tuned for more updates from Pittsburgh as the convention continues!