More post-BarCamp Nashville chatter...

Working from home this morning, having some problems with my VPN, my email client, the works.... pretty frustrating...

Soooo, I'm reading through some more of the post-BarCamp blogger chatter.
I'm just a so-so personal blogger.. an IT guy with an English degree in his back pocket.. so I don't always feel 100% qualified in either the blogosfera or the coder communities, but feel like I've just got to say:

Everybody chill!

I'm really glad I went to BarCamp Nashville. I'm really glad that Dave and Marcus had the (truly) bright idea to put it all together.. to say nothing of all the long hours and hard work that went into making it all come together.

So I'm really glad I went. My eyes have been opened to some new possibilities. I feel engaged in something. I feel energized to get involved. Like I said, I've worked in IT in this town for 10 years.. and there were-- of the 500+ attendees at that thing-- 498 people I'd never met before.

But I'm also disappointed in myself. Disappointed that I didn't get even more out of it. That I couldn't stay longer, meet more people, do more than just make snarky Twitter comments along the way.

It was a great event. A great first BarCamp for Nashville... kicking something off. Who knows what it could lead to. Or what the next gathering could be like. And I'm sure everyone has lots of ideas for how to refine and improve on what's been done so far.

BarCamp Nashville Recap

Kate O offers a recap of the BarCampNashville over at Music City Bloggers complete with a BarCamp picture-- the first I've seen-- in which Manundso and I actually make an appearance..

BarCamp Nashville

Spent a few hours at BarCamp Nashville this afternoon-- it was very interesting... though I'm not sure it was so unconference as everyone likes to say.
And it was, as expected, very warm. That was very unconference. They cranked up the A/C at the Exit/In (also unconference), I'm sure, but it just wasn't enough...

Brought Manundso along with me and, while I don't think he got quite as geeked out as me, he enjoyed the first several presentations. Presentations were mostly good. Mitch Joel stole the show, hands down.

Lots of marketing-speak-- I'm a little conflicted about technology seminars that turn out to be all about sales. But nothing here was as slimy as what went on at Oracle AppsWorld in 2003, for instance (i.e. mock-turtles and chunky eyeglasses as far as the eye could see; and not an analyst or coder in the crowd).

I'm also a little bothered by how 'planted' in my seat I felt. I'd have liked to be able to get up, move around, mingle a bit.. but space was at a premium, we didn't really know anyone as an entrypoint, and there was no real 'networking' space available-- with the possible exception of the bar.

Not able to stay much longer, unfortunately... the beer has started flowing, judging by the Twitter feed, but SleepyMom and I are planning to see a movie tonight while Aidan is at a sleepover (his very FIRST!) and Bryce spends some quality time with his aunt..

So I'm cleaning up a bit around here and making some notes about all the local talent I've been exposed to today. This BarCamp experiences really has gotten my entrepreneurial juices going.. maybe it'll turn into something.

Some of the names to note:
Dave Delaney
Marcus Whitney
Jackson Miller
Mitch Joel
Chris Houchens (the very Cluetrain presentation)

One take-away from BarCamp that I think will be valuable-- I look forward to getting more plugged into the local group here. Having worked here for 10 years, I've managed to get to know quite a few people in the technology sector around town.

What opened my eyes this afternoon is that not a single one of them showed up. So who are all these other people? And where the hell have I been? I'm looking forward to getting to know-- and perhaps working with-- many of them in future.