This year at AU 2012 I’m presenting in the last half of AU instead of in the first half. As of late I’ve typically had Leadership Forum presentations (great stuff) and a busy ADN (Autodesk Developer Network) schedule on the Monday before AU officially kicks off.
I really can’t remember when I wasn’t checking into my hotel on Sunday PM before the hoard arrives.
I can’t remember standing in an AU Registration line…like ever.
Do Closing Acts instead of Warm Up Presentations
On the AU schedule I’m used to starting things off with first morning sessions in the regular schedule. As fate would have it I’ve been done with my Speaker work in the early PM every day as long as I can remember. Weird. This year I’m presenting at the end of days instead of in the mornings as well.
This AU started out as all together a different sort of experience.
I run around all day getting filled from the fire hose of other people’s great presentations.
That appears to be the bedrock of the AU inundative/inhalation experience. How much can you suck up?
But I still have work to do.
Somehow I have to try to get my act together and get focused to do my thing before the evening’s events.
Can’t Be Late
Like the White Rabbit I found myself checking my watch all the time.
People might think I’m rude – like I’m trying to avoid them or run away.
I’m not. I’m not done. Can’t be late…
Did I really leave myself enough time?
STOP! This is Vegas.
It is the “engineered” experience.
This is a convention. A gathering of people of like mind (if there is such a thing) for a like purpose (if there is such a thing).
For all the sophistication of the architectural and scheduled crowd control of AU in Vegas (which to me is very interesting stuff), the most important thing I always take away from AU are the interesting people I meet.
Sure some of them have something “important” to share about the mechanics of what we do. Cool stuff.
Some of the most interesting to me were just there to get washed in the mass outpouring of others.
But Who they are seems to me to be more substantive than the What by far. For me…
The Human Life at AU is More Important than My Experience
Now That is the pause that refreshes.
(Yes this is a beer commerical knock off...It seemed appropriate.)