We all have those moments during our day, week, month or year that we absolutely look forward to. Morning coffee, 3:00 Friday afternoons, summer vacation, an upcoming conference. Tech Field Day has worked its way into my 'something I look forward to' category. I honestly love hitting the do not disturb button, firing up the browser, logging into twitter, throwing the headphones in, and connecting up to the live stream. I have found myself camped out in the lab, a remote part of the datacenter, hotel rooms, and sometimes in the convenience of my home office to take in all of the TFD goodness.
Some folks like reality television, sitcoms, or bing watching their favorite series - but for me, I must admit Tech Field Day provides for me a simliar level of enjoyment. Maybe it is the thrill of being "front and center" and catching the latest in what the industry has to offer. Maybe it's the joy of the "damn that is cool" or "why didn't I think of that" thoughts that cross my mind. Maybe it is the guilty pleasure of watching the interaction between the delegates and the presenters, anticipating what is going to happen next. Maybe it is spontaneity of the whole thing - like the nerf gun war during the Pure presentation, which I still remember to this day. Maybe it is the "ah ha" moments and realizing just how much I don't know and jotting down a bunch of things I need to go learn about. I am sure it is a combination of all of the above.
Last year, I was fortunate to engage with TFD in a new way, and participate first hand at TFD Xtra at VMworld as a presenter for DataGravity, which was an absolute highlight. Once getting warmed up and getting a few of the nerves out (which goes along with sitting in the proverbial "hot seat"), I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was a blast to share customer stories, dialogue and answer questions from the delegates, as well as listen and gather input. TFD provides such a valuable format for all those involved and as I have seen directly the impact it makes for a presenting company, with new features and functions being introduced as a result of delegate feedback.
And so now, in less then two weeks I have been invited to participate in yet a new way to this series of events for which I have become so fond. It is an absolute privilege to be asked to participate as a delegate at the upcoming Storage Field Day 10. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that all of this is happening but not for too long, as there is some good work to be done. After all, this is my rookie debut as a delegate and so some solid preparation is required - like reading the newbie FAQs, reviewing past presentations from the tech vendor lineup, and catching up on some rest before the event.
To state that I am excited would be a major understatement. What a great opportunity to engage with TFD in a new way, with a new perspective, working alongside amazing delegates - all while learning about some of the great new innovations coming out of the tech community. My geek tank is full. See you in Silicon Valley or on the twitter stream at #SFD10
Disclaimer: I am attending Storage Field Day 10 as a guest of GestaltIT and they paid for travel and accommodations. I have not been compensated for my time and am not obliged to blog.