Summit shows it's more fun to be looking forward than to be looking over your shoulder.

The last time interactive agencies and publishers gathered at an iMedia Summit, thin air at high-altitude -- not high-flying -- was the big story. I wrote that agencies were upbeat, but worried about blowing it.

This time, at sea-level in Maryland, it was hot and humid. That fit, because while both buyers and sellers were feeling genuinely and rationally confident, they found themselves hacking through the fetid air and jungle undergrowth that come with being accepted as a mass medium instead of an alternative one.

That's a much better place to be. It's always better to be looking ahead, than to be looking over your shoulder.

I have to give both sides a lot of credit. They came ready to do the hard work to identify issues and start working toward solutions rather than blame -- and not a chair was thrown.

Both publishers and agencies held separate working sessions before the Summit opened last week, to identify key things they each wanted the other side to work on. Then they went -- together -- into breakout sessions to pound out specific steps and solutions on four of those: code of conduct/rules of engagement, creative, Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and Terms and Conditions (which was the only time that phrase came up at this Summit). I'll bring you the results of each of those sessions during the next four BUZZ Weeklies (coming to a Tuesday near you).

Those sessions illustrated the real news from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay -- agencies and publishers seem to be moving beyond the "Hey, over here -- look at us! Please!?" phase of growth, and into a "How do we make this Internet thing work best for both brands and consumers?" phase. That can't help but be healthy.

They wrestled with video standards -- although that will be a much more fruitful discussion when the IAB and AAAAs committees make their initial recommendations next fall and open them to review. It's also a discussion that has to be split into video ad standards and video content standards.

They also wrestled with CAN-SPAM compliance. They heard the latest on reaching the at-work audience. And they glimpsed into Internet guru Esther Dyson's crystal ball, Web philosopher David Weinberger's take on lessons learned from DeanforAmerica.com, Ian Beavis' plans for Mitsubishi's world roadway dominance (why do I suddenly have the urge to throw my barbecue grill at a Toyota?), and Mike Kelly's assurance that AOL finally has its sales act together, which it seems they may (did you know they're the new "underdog?" Uh-huh. Sort of like the LA Lakers.)  We'll share in-depth content from those sessions with you over the next two weeks.

What else did I learn?

• Altitude sickness vs. oppressive humidity – who cares? They're both uncomfortable.
• Crab cakes are a helluva lot easier to eat than crab in the shell, even with a handy-dandy NYTimes.com crab hammer.
• A Laker playoff win is much more fun when enjoyed in a high-class bar, during a thunderstorm, with 200 of your new best friends.
• Dial-up is not the next killer app. The Hyatt didn't finish its high-speed connections before we got there, and it wasn't pretty. Thank you CBSMarketWatch for your life-saving WiFi Lounge.
• And I have to remember to pack my neck pillow next time I get on a plane -- although I'm doing a great Quasimodo impression.

It's all good. And it'll continue to be good, if agencies and publishers don't get ahead of themselves and slip into 1999-itis.

But somehow, after spending a sweaty three days with them, I'm not too worried.

Partying on the Chesapeake Bay.
Mediasmith's Dave Smith leads a breakout session.
	Advertising.com's Jeremy Helfand congratulates Team One's Dima Ariss, who won a big-screen TV.
CBS Sportsline's Ken Lagana, Avenue A's Lori Goldberg, Revenue Science's Nick Johnson and 360i's Erik Harbison enjoy the muggy evening.
AOL Media Network's Mike Kelly explains his sales organization's new structure and attitude.
	CNET's Esther Dyson chats with iMedia President Rick Parkhill.
David Weinberger discusses what Howard Dean's Internet success means for interactive marketing.
	FastClick's Jonathan Slavin gets crabby.