Going Home

01/24/2008 06:45 PM by Chris Toohey

I was very lucky to be able to attend Lotusphere 2008 - not only for the vast amounts of knowledge that I was exposed to (and to which I'm still trying to digest), but from the people that I've met and got to catch up with while in on the grounds. I was able to participate in a session this year which was amazing!!! While talking to Tim - who along with everyone ELSE at Lotus911 (who amazingly put up with my fan-boy'dom with grace ;-) ) is freakin' brilliant!!! - I mentioned a theory behind Lotusphere.

My wife is a Gulf War-Vet. She has an almost immediate and lasting bond with any other vet, which I've always felt was amazing. That's Lotusphere - and by extension the Lotus online community! We've all been through the same thing, so when we meet each other and come together in mass numbers, it's like coming home. It is an amazing feeling, being able to speak about theoretical ideas, brainstorm methodologies, and share our version of "war stories"... and the people that surround you get it!

While I'm really looking forward to getting home and spending time with my family (more than I can ever express), it's a little bittersweet. I think that I've made some solid friends in the past few days (hell, anyone that can put up with talking with me for 8-straight hours certainly makes the cut), and finally got to put some faces (and off-line personalities) to some names.

WOW - so much to take in.

I don't know exactly how to sell Lotusphere to an employer who sees attending a technical conference at such an apparent vacation spot as a company-funded vacation... but you MUST at least try to get down there next year. Not only will I pathetically keep hammering away with session abstract submissions (which you should all as well - speaking, even for 5 minutes, was a blast!), but it's a hub of knowledge - and you WILL get an immediate return in the investment.

And BTW - article is still coming (I didn't forget!!), I just need to put in the code that I keep revising and it'll be alllll ready for ya! For now, a teaser:

The title of the upcoming article is Quick and Dirty Mail Application Document Importing!