Lotusphere 2010 – The Surreal Year
This was my third Lotusphere, I attended in 2008 and 2009. Both years, I mostly hid out on my own, attended sessions and not much else. The first year, I didn't even go to the Welcome Reception, for fear of not having anyone to talk to. (Please feel free to approach me with your hand in the shape of an L placed on your forehead the next time you see me.)
What a difference a year makes. Since Lotusphere 2009, I really started blogging and tweeting. I got involved in the community, which meant I “knew” lots of people coming into this year's Lotusphere.
“The Surreal Year” started off tweeting from the airport in Manchester, NH and having Mary Beth Raven tweet back that she was on the same flight. I saved her a seat and flew down with her. We shared a cab, along with Rob McDonagh, whom I had met for the first time at IamLUG last August.
I arrived on Saturday and headed off to BALD, the Bloggers Annual Lotusphere Dinner where (surreal alert) I met my co-presenter for the FIRST TIME. Yes, that's right folks, Tom and I had never met in person until the day before we were going to present.
I had a great time meeting people in person that I had met long ago online, mostly on Twitter.
Further surreal moments -
When I presented a session AT LOTUSPHERE, twice!
When Mary Beth Raven mentioned me in the Nerd Girls panel.
When Ed Brill asked my opinion during Lotusphere Idol.
When Rob Novak called out my tweeting during his Code Giveaway session.
When I met some “stars” of Lotusphere and they knew who I was.
When some Yellebrities (yellow + celebrities = yellebrities) took off their shirts to show me their tattoos.
When I sang at Kimonos (never done karaoke before) with my back to the crowd and turned around to see half of Lotusphere had walked in to the place.
And the number one surreal moment of Lotusphere 2010:
When closing session speaker Brian Cox was sitting in Kimonos on Thursday night. I approached him for a picture, and he said I sang well!!! AND, he posed with Papa Smurf. AND he said I could take the pic if I would “twitpic it”!!!
More to follow on Lotusphere, there is just so much to write about that I had to mentally break it into chunks.
Comments
As you've shown, if you throw yourself into being part of this community, it pays you back in more ways than you can ever imagine.
You're definitely now a Yellebrity yourself!
Posted by Stuart McIntyre At 11:12:03 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
Posted by Curt Stone At 11:24:00 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
I'm glad you had such a wonderful week. And thanks for spending a few moments of it with me.
Posted by Tim Tripcony At 11:47:42 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
As for the yellibrities - tried to explain it to the wife and she thought I was insane.
Posted by Mike At 14:27:29 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
Posted by Volker Weber At 14:37:19 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
Posted by Mike At 14:59:45 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
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Posted by Turtle At 20:08:48 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
Posted by Peter Presnell At 22:27:07 On 25/01/2010 | - Website - |
You are a case study on how one can come into the Lotus community and totally insert yourself into the middle. Nice job
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