I'm trying to figure out how Ed Brill managed to get his own weblog on Lotus.com -- sure, it's an interesting idea, but why Ed? Perhaps because he's already started his own at edbrill.com or something... whatever. It will only add to his C.U.L.T.-hero status. It's about time Lotusphere produced a new crop of heroes, now that Ray Ozzie doesn't show up any more and Al Zollar is moving elsewhere. I don't count. Yes, I have a few fans, but I don't actually do anything except sit here and write my columns and run this website. Anybody can do that.
I have a disturbing amount of stuff to do in the next 72 hours. I'm leaving here at Friday noon, and in that time, I have to...
- finish my slides (though sorry, Ragan, I probably won't get a chance to upload them till I get to Orlando)
- change the oil in, and clean out, the Saab
- call the catsitter to come and feed the hogs while I'm away
- recover from whatever crap this is I have now that makes my throat feel like I just pulled a pine cone through it
- finish writing some code at my real job
- finish writing some code for my session
- finish writing some code for the website
- copy a ton of MP3s to my other laptop for use as background music in Orlando
- check and make sure my closing for my house is still on schedule
- pay a bunch of bills
- collect up all my usual techno-debris and load it all up
Heather and I have been back "on" again for the last several weeks, and we're both in that mode right now of how-can-I-live-without-you-for-eight-whole-days. I asked her if there was anything she wanted me to bring back from Florida. No real answer other than "yourself." She's still concerned I may be waylaid by an elevator full of booth babes with loose morals. I have no such concerns.
I am getting the strong feeling that this will turn out to be a classic Lotusphere. All the right people will be on hand, there's lots to hear about and do, there are lots of new things to gawk at, and in spite of the raw economy, I think people will be really, really ready to cut loose in a scary way. Where's Daren Nelson when you need him?
Friday, it's supposed to be kinda crappy here. Snow, ice, that sort of thing. I like leaving this region when that sort of thing happens... provided I can get past DC without incident, and then Richmond, it's a clean shot down to St. George, South Carolina, where I usually stay the first night.
Why St. George? There's a nice Comfort Inn there, and Earthlink has a dialup POP there. Simple. Have to plan ahead for these things, you know...
I am still wondering what other speakers go through... some have told me, but ultimately it's going to be things like Ed Brill's weblog that make it real for you all out there. The vortex is slowly opening up and I will find it increasingly difficult to think about anything this week that doesn't have to do with Orlando or Heather. Or both.