Plain and simple

I really do want to get back to technical blog posts but I have one more announcement first. Victor Gaudioso will be in Dallas September 25th and 26th.  This will be the first of what I hope will become a series of weekends with Silverlight related authors that I am calling "sharing the light".  If this works out well, I am hoping to organize 4-5 sessions a year.  They will be one or two days -- authors choice.  Please sign up for Sharing the Light - Victor Gaudioso dives into Silverlight Development with Blend at http://sharingthelight.eventbrite.com.

OpenCa.mp is a muti-platform web content-creation event taking place in Addison, TX (north Dallas) on August 27-29th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel

OpenCa.mp isn’t about a single technology as the “best” solution.  It is about sharing experiences and discussing what works across several platforms.  The format of OpenCa.mp is different from other multi-platform conferences with mornings full of common sessions and afternoons of brief focused break out sessions.   Again, the focus is to bring people together and get conversations started.  The parties, morning sessions, and expert areas are focused on the whole community sharing ideas and building better experiences across all platforms.

If you use Drupal, Wordpress, Dot Net Nuke, SiteFinity, or mojoPortal, it is obvious why you should attend OpenCa.mp .  But what if you are not a power user of any of those products? Here is some of the reasons I am attending OpenCa.mp 

• I have a blog but am not a focused blogger – I want to go to OpenCa.mp to take advantage of suggestions and knowledge from people who do focus on blogging.
• I know what I use in social media but not much else – I want to know if there is anything I am not using that works well without researching every site on the net.  I also have some questions about things that bother me with my current social media tools and hope to find answers at OpenCa.mp.
• I enjoy knowing about a lot of different tools – People often ask me about how they can put up a site for their company, event, or self.  Being at OpenCa.mp will give me the ability to see and talk to users of many different content management systems.  With access to the help desk, I will also be able to get answers to any questions that come up.
• I am interested in what other people are getting from the net and what they want – The networking opportunities at OpenCa.mp will allow me to socialize with a huge variety of people who are interested in web content and have valuable insight into what works for them and what doesn’t.
• I don’t want to become a podcaster but I am very interested in streaming media – There will be some major podcasters at OpenCa.mp where I can learn about their experiences with podcasting and if any of them have tried streaming.

I am a little disappointed that there is not more Silverlight at OpenCa.mp (especially since I am on the planning committee).  Remember, I said OpenCa.mp was more about getting people together so if you are like myself and have a passion for Silverlight or are having some Silverlight media specific problem, find me.  I will be at OpenCa.mp, laptop in hand, always ready to play.

I am very excited about OpenCa.mp and hope to see you there!!!   Register soon!

People laugh when I say that I am shy and maybe lately, I have come a little out of my shell.  But then something like this happens and suddenly I find myself thinking “where is that shell again”?? 

I was recently honored with recognition as an INETA community champion.  The word community is certainly key here.  I am being credited with a few events like Entity Saturdays, Technically Speaking, and Silverlightpalooza that we put together as a community.  In addition, my husband Robert and I are known to volunteer for everything we can. It is purely selfish!  The community gives us back much more than I feel like we put in.   I cannot count how many times I have smiled and laughed or quantify how much I have learned at these events.  I would never trade anything for the experiences and the opportunities to meet the amazing people that we have gotten to know through community events.

A strong community is one made up of creative problem solvers and that is what we, as developers, have.  The development community as a whole, and the Dallas/Fort Worth development community specifically, is amazing.  It is easy find members of the community to help with projects, or problems… big or small.  Most of the time, they take on your problems like they were their own.

I am not going to mention the people that specifically nominated me.  Instead, I want to take this opportunity to thank EVERY active developer EVERYWHERE for being incredible members of a community that is like no other… the .NET development community!

- side note – if you are interested in putting on any events like the ones we have, I would be happy to help with any ideas I have.