Gnomedex 8 Wrap-Up and Review

Now that it’s over, I am still having trouble gathering my thoughts to put them into words. My experience was absolutely amazing. Being a part of the “behind the scenes” workings during the planning and actual conference heightened my experience, for sure. Chris and Ponzi depended on me for a lot of things, and I was more than happy to do anything and everything I could to help things run smoothly.

The sense of community astounded me. There were more than 300 people in attendance, from all walks of life. We all had “geekiness” in common, yes. Beyond that… we were a very mixed bunch. That didn’t stop us from bonding, and feeling as though we all belonged together, if that makes sense. I know that I, for one, made some friends that I know will carry with me through my life.

The speakers this year were just phenomenal. I love the mix of what was presented. They brought out the absolute best in the attendees… from passion, to laughter, to debates, to even a few tears. Watching and gauging audience reaction was one of my jobs, and that made each presentation better for me. Not only did I watch them, I also was able to really focus on how the rest of the attendees (and the chat room!!) felt about each one.

My favorite speech, hands down, was Scott Maxwell. Not only does Scott have the coolest job in the entire world, he’s also one hell of a nice guy. I was able to sit with him on Saturday night at the speaker dinner, and we talked quite a bit. He’s a lot of fun, and just a very cool dude. Thanks for the conversation, Scott! Running a very close second to Scott is Ben Huh, of icanhascheezburger fame. Ben is a funny guy, and even autographed his business card for me to give my daughter. I even embarrassed myself by telling Ben how many hundreds of LOL Cats I have saved on my computer! I’m seriously addicted to those… can we say “12 Step Program”?

Raising money to send Camobodian women to college, impulsive dancing on stage by more than 200 people with ‘where the hell is Matt’ and Scott receiving the only Gnomedex standing ovation were my three favorite moments. Each of those brought tears to my eyes.

Before I sign off, I have to thank everyone from the live community chat room. You guys made the whole experience even better for me, for the speakers, and for the attendees. You guys completely ROCK, and I love you all. Thank you for letting me be a part of everything, for always cheering me on, and for having such a wonderful presence throughout the conference.

Ponzi and Chris, thank you. Words just cannot express what this trip meant for me, or how it impacted my life. You know I love you both, and I am already planning my next trip to visit.