Friday, May 18, 2007

how do you get away with it

All these trips n stuff...
How do you get away with it ?

The honest answer is: I just tried it, and it worked - so far.

But it still amazes me more then anyone. I'll enjoy it while it lasts. My employer is OK with it as long as I fly the company flag (it is yellow).

Here is the plan for December: UKOUG Conference in Birmingham.



I will sound like a vendor myself now, but sometimes one must fight Fire with Fire and FUD with FUD. Independent Usergroups are one important way to keep the marketing-hype from large vendors in check. And these events, where you can call a spade a spade without some mitigating vice-assistant cleansing the slides, can be a real revelation.

This conference, and participation in a usergroup in general is a must for every Oracle Customer. And dont tell the suits, but the Annual Conference is generally a Great Party at that. See my company blog from Last Year for more Serious information on this event.


Background:

my tumi...My aim in life is to visit as many places as I can, and preferably get to know places and people by working there. E.g. I didn't get to know Philadelphia by just visiting Liberty Bell and the Rocky-steps on a one-day-drive-by. I actually worked there several times, two or four weeks at a time. I now know how to walk from the Museum to Betsy Ross house. And I now know my way around the King of Prussia.

One way to get around is to present at usergroups and other nerdy-gatherings.
A nice example is the UKOUG mentioned above. I have "submitted" in the hope of getting my blurp accepted. And that will then provide me with a free entry to the conference, my employer with some exposure, and it is a perfect excuse to visit Birmingham.

It worked for me: check the list of links on the Right.

So do me a favour, and mention my name when you click on my employers website...

I'm off to catch another train now...

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Apologies


To all you occasional viewers.

I've been in too many different places lately.
It was great fun (well, most of it, not all of it) but I'm way behind on updates to the blog.

Will try to post my pictures of the trip to the angel soon.

todo list:
- contact all the interesting folks I met, notably in London.
- submit abstracts for UKOUG brum (two, I now have them written).
- plan/book/arrange trip to Wolverhampton (I found it on the map...)
- file expenses...
- finalize my ppt for the DBF-Scotland.
- update this blog (bottom of the stack)
- post my piccies from the field-trip to the Angel.

Oh, and take some time out to recover.




Edit: I need some quick links, and this a good way to store them:

ILM

Databases and Systems

connection pools

Revealing RAC SIG

UKOUG 2006

UNIX SIG jan 2007

RMOUG


Norther Server Day


UKOUG announcement


 

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