I Can Haz Conference?

[serinde]

$OVERBOSS just came in and asked if I want to go to Educause, which is some big ole thing for IT people in higher education. Indeed, I don't know if I want to or not. On the one hand, holy shit, conference; and it might even be useful for a variety of reasons, though I don't know because they haven't posted the actual program. On the other, it's, well, let me quote from their web page:


Thursday Night Party - Feel The Spirit!
Party with the paranormal at Feel the Spirit!, where you'll mix and mingle with dead ringers of your favorite musical stars at the Universal CityWalk® special Halloween fête. Rock 'til you drop with the likenesses of musical legends Elvis, John Lennon, and Janis Joplin, who will conjure up music so good, it's scary. Sample devilishly delicious All Hallows fare with your fellow boys and ghouls, and dance the night away to some seriously spooky serenades:

• Listen to Frank Sinatra croon at CityWalk's Rising Star, and between sets jump and jive to the big band tunes of The Syndicats.
  
• Elvis has not left the building! Catch him in a "live" performance at the Red Coconut Club.
  
• Push up some flower power daisies with Janis Joplin at the groove.
  
• Revel with spirited Day of the Dead dancers in the Latin Quarter.
  
• Be hypnotized by Pat O'Brien's musicians and the Big Easy voodoo they do so well.
  

[Poll #1206464]

Comments

[elibalin.livejournal.com]

That sounds more fucking awful than I have vocabulary to describe, unless I start using words like "squamous."

[xlerb.livejournal.com]

Go. You can always carefully avoid any contact with the oh-god-my-eyes.

[nancaurelia.livejournal.com]

I don't see how you can decide without seeing the program. Can you conjure up the agenda from last year's conference to get an idea?

[missionista.livejournal.com]

Go. IF the party is awful, you can find some like minded people, leave and form your own party. IF you can't even find like minded people, you can just go do something on your own. I think if your employer offers to send you to a conference, you should go.

[jayeye.livejournal.com]

If someone asks you if you want to go to a conference, you say "yes"!

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

That's funny--Steve just now got home and said the exact same thing. :D

[cobrawoman.livejournal.com]

and that's what I was going to say as well.

[caelfinn.livejournal.com]

I agree about saying yes. Do lots of your own research about the place where it is held so you can just do your own thing if you want.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

"Hmm, what can I do in Orlando..." :D

[nancaurelia.livejournal.com]

Gee, maybe you even want to add on a vacation day for other activities.

[spride.livejournal.com]

Go. Networking. Next $JOB.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

This, of course, means I have to learn how to network.

[shechameleon.livejournal.com]

You can do it. At the party, find someone who looks like they are having a similar experienct to you and say "Hey, isn't this {great|sucky}?" If they seem into having a convo, introduce yourself and chat. Exchange business cards. Repeat at all quasi-social events (lunch, coffee breaks, etc).

[spride.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there's an MT cast about it.

[briony530.livejournal.com]

Go, for all the reasons above! It will be different, and fun will be had either in the doing, or in the talking about how bad it was later.

At least you'll get to hang out with higher education IT types, who are probably a lot more fun than the either-dull-or-drunk business types I've gotten to "business socialize" with.

[tayefeth.livejournal.com]

I'm personally allergic to Elvis impersonators.

Are you sure you can't get your boss to send you to NECC (http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2008/) instead? All the cool kids are talking about it...