Lessons Learned from the Community Frontline

How I managed to survive my first Drupalcon adventure

This week, I attended my first full-tilt Drupalcon conference in Boston, MA. I suppose I thought I was ready for this simply because I'd attended a 'Camp or two, but I wasn't prepared for the ensuing melee of the code-head throngs. I don't think there is any amount of reading material that can prepare you for the jolt of standing next to an idol who's coding skill, drive to succeed at their art no matter the compensation, and approachability are all without question, even as you realize the person to your idol's left is looking at you in the very same way. Sobering, to be sure, but still quite a shock. I suppose this experience is the very reason for planning such a large gathering of eight hundred inspired professionals in the first place, and if that's the case, may the Drupalcon Adventure never cease to exist.

Our good friend and coder, CHX, needs a new laptop if he's ever to continue kicking Druplicon-D6's ass at 3:00am. Send him a couple doubloons for his new Toshiba, will ya?

UPDATE 08-21-2007: CHX got a new lappy! It's nickname is "Tank", and it can survive falls from a nightstand without damage. Its just too bad that CHX never sleeps, or he could test that claim...

So I'm adding a second checking account to my Paypal this afternoon, and I noticed a cool new feature. They've got this thing that can confirm my Bank Of America account details in a couple of moments if I just provide them with my BofA login details. Paypal promises right there on the page that my BofA login details won't be saved.

OK, I think to myself. I'm naturally skeptical of anyone or anything that wants information from me that only I possess. Things like PIN numbers and stuff like that. Paypal wants my info, but they won't save it into some database. Alright. I'll trust you, Paypal. I'll enter my login details. (sounds of typing can be heard right about now.)

I've been promising myself that I would catalog the events of the last three tragic years of my life, and tonight feels like the right moment. Over the next few pages, I shall bring to you, the reader, a tale the likes of which shall never be made into a movie, for it would be far too unbelievable for the human eye to witness.

On the afternoon of July 13th, 2004, a massive windstorm knocked over a huge tree in my front yard. Or rather, it split the tree in half. Here, see for yourself.

As I whip out a 4.5GB DVD to make some backups of pictures from my iPhoto app, I ran across this pic. We've come a long way in a few short years. Wow. This is a 4.5MB hard disk from 1956!

I think I'm in love with motorcycles. I've been riding my new Harley Sportster 1200 Custom for about six months now. I bought it in the fall, and rode it all winter, stopping only to warm my toes-es when I had to.

Ok, so I've created my own website, and I installed a blog. I've always wanted a place to write down my random musings and my rants against the insane things that I see in life. The problem is, now I lean here against the wide-open catalyst that is my own blank page, and I have nothing to say. I should have set up this website last year, when I had stuff going on. Oh, not that my life is drab and boring right now, it's just that I have always had something to say, and MySpace was too crappy to use.