memories

On my last day in Orlando this week, I took a walk around the lake, the boardwalk, the beach and the Dolphin and Swan hotels.  I just wanted to take it all in again, one last time.

Myself and many of my friends have been migrating south every January for nearly twenty years to gather as a community, learn, network, and see each other in real life.  It’s been an awesome ride, but Lotusphere as we know it in Orlando, is probably finished.  Since that’s the case, that walk brought back a ton of memories, and so I thought I would share many of them, in no particular order.

• Hating the Wild World of Sports as a closing party, but LOVING the Brian Setzer Orchestra
• Going to the first several Lotuspheres not knowing anyone and keeping to myself.
• Finally engaging online at Scott “The Turtle” Wenzel’s Totally Gonzo Unofficial Lotusphere page, and talking with a lot of folks online.
• Going to that first ESPN party and meeting Scott in person and having him introduce me to many folks including Wes Morgan and Bill Buchan.
• On that fateful night, matching my friend Bill drink for drink.  The next morning I had one of the worst hangovers of my life.  Vomiting, dry heaves, splitting headache.  When I finally was well enough to hit the Sunday afternoon sessions, I ran into Bill, and he was just peachy.  In tip top shape.  I learned my lesson to never try to match him again.
• Meeting John Head for the first time when he saved a seat in the front row for me to attend one of his sessions.
• Meeting this young Irish lad who had built the template everyone was running their blog on, Blogsphere.  His name was Declan Lynch and to this day he is an incredible friend, and for some time now, also an incredible coworker.
• Being introduced to Jaegermeister and Red Bull by Ms. Terri Sciolla.
• Meeting and partying with Devin Olson, only to sit next to him the next day and not recognizing him because he had shaved off the full beard he had the night before.
• Enjoying the birthdays during the event of Liz (Olsen) Novak, Wild Bill, Terri Sciolla and most recently Dr. Marky Roden.
• Having people like Andrew Kelly and Sean (and Rhonda) Harris appear for the week of Lotusphere only to disappear again until the following year.
• Having Paul Mooney talk a pretty, young SeaWorld employee out of her lighted nightstick by offering her a kiss, and then having my wife hide it in her clothing as an accomplice to get it out of the park.  Then seeing Paul use it the next day during his session.
• The epic mini-bar theft incident
• All of the BALD dinners.
• Singing karaoke for the first time in my life at Kimono’s with a bunch of support from my friends, including Julian Robichaux who sat at my feet like a groupie.  I sang Desperado by the Eagles.
• Seeing Matt “White Chocolate” Stratton belt out Rapper’s Delight and other songs with ease on stage.
• Never being able to finish a duet on stage with Jess Stratton because we would always break out laughing.
• Meeting Jess for the first time and we were both wearing our “I’m blogging this” t-shirts.
• Doing “Summer Loving” with Kristina “U-Turn” Festa.
• Singing “If I Had $1,000,000” with Rob McDonagh or Ray Bilyk every year.
• Hanging out with Rob, and the super hero duo of Genelle “Lady Buttcheeks” Hung and U-Turn.
• Bonding over our love of cigars with John “Angry Johnny” Noltensmeyer, Rob and Francie.
• Way too much sake with Paul Mooney and Devin Olson.
• Closing Kimono’s, continuing to drink in Paul’s room until about 6 in morning, then all going directly to a 7:30AM blogger BOF while still drunk.  I honestly have no recollection of going, but I was told I spoke, was coherent, and made good points.
• Covering Lotusphere as press.
• Asking my friend Volker for advice on how to properly act as press at the event.  He imparted a lot of knowledge on me, and for that I am grateful. 
• Covering the event as one of the blogging community.  Including the one year with yellow beanbag chairs.
• Speaking at Lotusphere will always be a highlight.
• The year a certain analyst was there and we all wore our “I’m a Sicko” badges and let her know it every time she turned around.
• Dancing and playing pool at the old Copa Banana.  This is also where I first met Mr. Chris Miller.
• Being in awe at the expertise of Gab Davis and Andrew Pollack.  I used to think I knew administration, and watching their sessions made me know I had a lot more to learn.
• Meeting, hanging out with, and now being able to call both Gab and Andrew friends.
• Seeing Worst Practices for the first time.
• Walking out of my hotel room and walking directly into the chest of John Cleese. 
• Meeting Stephen Wright in between the Dolphin and the Swan and getting a selfie with him (before anyone called them selfies)
• Seeing Francis Ford Coppola, Walter Cronkite, Neil Armstrong, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Alton Brown, William Shatner, Kevin Spacey, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Jim Gaffigan, OK Go, American Authors, They Might Be Giants, Blue Man Group and others over the years.
• All of the Sunday night reception parties around the beach.
• Having an entire Disney or Universal park to ourselves each Wednesday night party.
• Mat Newman hugs
• The alcoholic milkshakes at the Penumbra social.
• The Great Geek Challenge
• The very personal and moving Spark talks put on by the nerd girls.
• The year of ten thousand attendees and people selling badges on EBay for exorbitant amounts.
• Having the NFL playoffs happen during the conference for several years, and seeing my friends Mitch and Rob very happy as a result.
• The first community photo.
• The first time we were allowed to take that photo on the main stage.
• Meeting so many excellent Loti/IBMers who truly got the platform and what social meant.  Sorry that IBM didn’t quite share your passion.
• Hanging out with Paul Steel, and seeing the Blackberry Playbook before anyone knew what it was.  Over cigars, on the beach, of course.
• The Swan boat races.
• Closing down Kimono’s, Closing down the Dolphin bar, and hanging out in the Dolphin rotunda until far too early in the morning.
• UK Night.  And having to get by the bouncers of Big Tone and Carl.
• Hanging out with Julian Woodward.  We are far too alike and get into far too much trouble when together.  It’s probably safer for mankind that for most of the year, there is an ocean between us.
• Going to Las Vegas immediately after Lotusphere for Project Drunken Leprechaun.
• Never winning a thing in the damn product showcase 🙂
• Mai Tai Night put on my Joe and Bill (and hosted by Dec and Terri for the last few years)
• The awesome Lotus Developer Co-Op giveaways from the likes of Mark, Julian, Matt and Ben.
• Seeing my close friend Kathy Brown go from hiding in her hotel room to being one of the most respected speakers around, and an IBM Champion.
• Seeing my coworker Mike McGarel start to bloom at Lotusphere Idol.  He’s now spoken, helps to put together MWLUG, and is also an IBM Champion!
• JamFest and rocking out on stage with so many talented musicians including Red Box.
• Getting to meet so many people I interact with online in person.  Too many people to name, and I’m sure I’ll forget some folks, so know that if you are reading this, you are on the list.
• The first time someone recognized me from this blog.  It floors me every single time, and happened several times this year, although this year was mainly due to Twitter.
• Sitting out on the lawn with out boxed lunch on the final day, and enjoying the sun with our friends for the final time that week.
• Yes, the pretzel cookie.

I’ve been very very longwinded with this post, and I could probably go on for many pages more and name so many additional people.  I truly love this community, and I love you people.  This community has helped me put food on the table, and progress my career in ways I could have never imagined.

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing these memories with me.  They are deeply ingrained part of me and always will be.  And even though this particular event may not live on, we will cross paths again, I guarantee it.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.