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may every diety and force of goodwill in the universe grant me the strength and composure to write sensibly in this post, because the entire shmoocon weekend is still classifiable as a surreal memory for me at this point. after some further reflection and perhaps review of people's comments and photos it will all settle down in my mind.
for now, suffice it to say that the group totally outdid themselves again, that things went especially well, and that this event is fast on its way to being one of the most popular east coast cons around.
woots...
first and foremost, massive thumbs up and warm embraces to the shmoo group and their families, whose efforts in pulling this off bore such fruit. from speaker selection to event logistics to the overall mission and goal of the con, everything was great. their intent is to make this event one with a high clue and fu factor but not sacrifice on the fun and energetic craziness... success on all fronts.
much praise for the dedicated goon volunteers -- many of whom we knew from defcon, of course -- that showed up for shifts, kept us from getting out of hand with each other (and with the fuckwads upstairs), and dedicated so much of their time to ushering things along.
thumbs up to the A/V crew... these presentations operated with swiss precision thanks to your preparedness, proper setup of screens, sound, and equipment. major praise to the guy who nearly ran himself dead making video recordings of everything. i can't wait to get some DVDs of the speakers.
and my god, the speakers! (heh, ok... so i might be biased in that comment... but the whole lineup was amazing... there was almost not a single time slot where i wasn't bemoaning the laws of physics which prevent a person from being in more than one place at the same time) most memorable for me were simple nomad, render and thorn's wi-fi work, the anonym.os team, and the BoF organized by valk & cygnus... those presentations were terrific in all the right ways: informative, engaging, and presented with finesse.
sorrys...
to anyone with whom i wanted to spend more time but was unable, next time we'll find more hours in the day. also, i felt really bad about how frenzied things got at the very end of con when i was breaking down all the picks and sample lock gear, trying to get to peoples' cars, and couldn't keep straight everyone who was talking to me, etc. i feel especially bad about never making my way back to the hacker arcade where we had said we'd assist the staff with popping open the lock on the skill crane... i don't know where we ended up but i hope that they got things sorted out ok.
thank yous...
there's more than i could ever adequately mention here, but i'll do my best.
octal & GM1 - we're all easygoing, we all snore, and we can sleep through anything... what little we sleep. i couldn't think of who could have made for more perfect roommates. anytime you all feel like splitting a room in the future, just give a shout. (and big thanks to GM1 for all the work on smooshicon... only one table this year got whacked with the slow-food stick, and that's not half bad considering the size of our group. i would count it as a successful event most certainly.)
fishsticks, redx, and phil - way to make it to D.C., even when it looked unlikely. you guys kick ass, and i'll always be glad to hang with you. thanks for tolerating how hectic i can get on speaking days.
virosa & tara - way to slide in through the eBay door, man. wouldn't have been the same without you there... and thanks to tara for surrendering you to us for the weekend and hanging with the crew on the last day.
eric - yang to my yin, your hyperactivity contrasts with my mellow side and somehow we both wind up in the right zone when we're hanging together. hope the final leg of your train journey went alright... we never heard from you late last night, possibly due to your annihilated voice or to the remaining bottle of rum we left with you.
renderman & grey freq - if eric is the yang to my yin... then you are both the super-ultra-double-dark yin to my mere mortal one. no matter how much life throws at you, i never see either of you raise voices to a shout or furrow brows in frustration for more than the shortest instant. your cool, collected, pleasant nature is what the world needs. (heh, if there's anyone else who could manage to crack an unknown safe on stage in front of a crowd and keep a level head at the same time, i certainly don't know them.) you're always eager to stop and talk if someone needs something or has a question... and always observing with your wide-angle lenses in order to see the clues that no one else notices (like grey and the badge puzzle). you guys are great... thanks for surfing a wave of fate that washed up on the same beach where i did.
mouse - what can i say... at con you are the air in my lungs that keeps me alive. none of what little i actually manage to pull off could be possible without your support and energy. all analogies involving eastern symbols are out the window when i try to describe you... you supercede simile and metaphor. (and anyone who knows me is aware that when i can't find an analogy about something, i've become seriously tounge-tied.) thank you for being you... and for doing so around me. i can't think of anything greater than that. =)
thorn - you are the epitome, to me, of why this community is outstanding. you came from a totally separate background (well, like .gov people, LEOs are naturally related to the security community... but i doubt there was much wi-fi going on at the station house in the past) and took it upon yourself to learn the ins and outs of a technology that interested you. with no formal training and only your dedication and desire to learn you became one of the most recognizable names in the 802.11 world. and despite all this, your laid back and unassuming nature keeps all of us from getting star-struck when speaking with you.
ck3k - you're a cool cat with spiffy bits of knowledge, man... big thanks for the heads-up about victorinox making those swissbit devices. never would have noticed them in the radio shack if you hadn't mentioned them.
xodia - seems like random chance that we bump into one another at the most unpredictable moments, but it's always a good time when we do.
twinvega - you're like a wind-up toy... but instead of turning a key in your back one need only but alcohol in your hands, then sit back and watch the fun commence.
noid - stories about obscure gun laws, fancy ballistics, and hair-raising interstate commerce... i couldn't have asked for more at three in the morning on friday. you also fall into the category for me of "someone who i have a terrific time hanging with but never manage to see for long enough." maybe i'll be able to make it out to your BBQ one year when things are more low key and everyone can just chill.
freshman - way to keep things together for us at shmoocon, man. you're a terrific guy who goes way above and beyond what one person should contribute in terms of time and energy. major thanks to working so hard for us in D.C. next con perhaps your job description will allow you to settle into a comfy chair and raise a glass calmly for a short while. i'll buy.
valkyrie & cygnus - your event was more than just a talk, it was a BoF in the truest sense. i wish we had all been able to grab couches and pull them together in a circle, discussing the "trusted advisor" myth/question for the evening.
panthera - sorry that you couldn't make it with us this year. you slid your admission slots our direction, but we would have traded that in order to see you. come home safe from the sandbox.
to every single attendee who showed up, had the right attitude, and contributed energy and fu to the whole scene - you make cons what they are, and this time was no exception. extra-special thanks to everyone who woke up early on sunday in order to come to my talk. (and thank you to the shmoo organizers who pushed the first sunday slot back an hour to 10:00 this year.)
i'm more than certain that there are names i'm omitting, people i'm forgetting, and general memory errors that are preventing this list from being complete. the edit button will be used as my mind settles down and sorts things through more completely with time.
of course, last but in no way least...
beetle, bruce, heidi, and every other member the shmoo group - your mission with shmoocon was to bring people together not for profit or gain... but that was exactly the ultimate result. however, the gain wasn't yours... it was ours. each of us who attended -- and the hacker community as a whole -- was made stronger, wiser, and better in a very real and meaningful way through your efforts. from the bottom of my heart, thank you for starting this event. i look forward to attending year after year.
for now, suffice it to say that the group totally outdid themselves again, that things went especially well, and that this event is fast on its way to being one of the most popular east coast cons around.
woots...
first and foremost, massive thumbs up and warm embraces to the shmoo group and their families, whose efforts in pulling this off bore such fruit. from speaker selection to event logistics to the overall mission and goal of the con, everything was great. their intent is to make this event one with a high clue and fu factor but not sacrifice on the fun and energetic craziness... success on all fronts.
much praise for the dedicated goon volunteers -- many of whom we knew from defcon, of course -- that showed up for shifts, kept us from getting out of hand with each other (and with the fuckwads upstairs), and dedicated so much of their time to ushering things along.
thumbs up to the A/V crew... these presentations operated with swiss precision thanks to your preparedness, proper setup of screens, sound, and equipment. major praise to the guy who nearly ran himself dead making video recordings of everything. i can't wait to get some DVDs of the speakers.
and my god, the speakers! (heh, ok... so i might be biased in that comment... but the whole lineup was amazing... there was almost not a single time slot where i wasn't bemoaning the laws of physics which prevent a person from being in more than one place at the same time) most memorable for me were simple nomad, render and thorn's wi-fi work, the anonym.os team, and the BoF organized by valk & cygnus... those presentations were terrific in all the right ways: informative, engaging, and presented with finesse.
sorrys...
to anyone with whom i wanted to spend more time but was unable, next time we'll find more hours in the day. also, i felt really bad about how frenzied things got at the very end of con when i was breaking down all the picks and sample lock gear, trying to get to peoples' cars, and couldn't keep straight everyone who was talking to me, etc. i feel especially bad about never making my way back to the hacker arcade where we had said we'd assist the staff with popping open the lock on the skill crane... i don't know where we ended up but i hope that they got things sorted out ok.
thank yous...
there's more than i could ever adequately mention here, but i'll do my best.
octal & GM1 - we're all easygoing, we all snore, and we can sleep through anything... what little we sleep. i couldn't think of who could have made for more perfect roommates. anytime you all feel like splitting a room in the future, just give a shout. (and big thanks to GM1 for all the work on smooshicon... only one table this year got whacked with the slow-food stick, and that's not half bad considering the size of our group. i would count it as a successful event most certainly.)
fishsticks, redx, and phil - way to make it to D.C., even when it looked unlikely. you guys kick ass, and i'll always be glad to hang with you. thanks for tolerating how hectic i can get on speaking days.
virosa & tara - way to slide in through the eBay door, man. wouldn't have been the same without you there... and thanks to tara for surrendering you to us for the weekend and hanging with the crew on the last day.
eric - yang to my yin, your hyperactivity contrasts with my mellow side and somehow we both wind up in the right zone when we're hanging together. hope the final leg of your train journey went alright... we never heard from you late last night, possibly due to your annihilated voice or to the remaining bottle of rum we left with you.
renderman & grey freq - if eric is the yang to my yin... then you are both the super-ultra-double-dark yin to my mere mortal one. no matter how much life throws at you, i never see either of you raise voices to a shout or furrow brows in frustration for more than the shortest instant. your cool, collected, pleasant nature is what the world needs. (heh, if there's anyone else who could manage to crack an unknown safe on stage in front of a crowd and keep a level head at the same time, i certainly don't know them.) you're always eager to stop and talk if someone needs something or has a question... and always observing with your wide-angle lenses in order to see the clues that no one else notices (like grey and the badge puzzle). you guys are great... thanks for surfing a wave of fate that washed up on the same beach where i did.
mouse - what can i say... at con you are the air in my lungs that keeps me alive. none of what little i actually manage to pull off could be possible without your support and energy. all analogies involving eastern symbols are out the window when i try to describe you... you supercede simile and metaphor. (and anyone who knows me is aware that when i can't find an analogy about something, i've become seriously tounge-tied.) thank you for being you... and for doing so around me. i can't think of anything greater than that. =)
thorn - you are the epitome, to me, of why this community is outstanding. you came from a totally separate background (well, like .gov people, LEOs are naturally related to the security community... but i doubt there was much wi-fi going on at the station house in the past) and took it upon yourself to learn the ins and outs of a technology that interested you. with no formal training and only your dedication and desire to learn you became one of the most recognizable names in the 802.11 world. and despite all this, your laid back and unassuming nature keeps all of us from getting star-struck when speaking with you.
ck3k - you're a cool cat with spiffy bits of knowledge, man... big thanks for the heads-up about victorinox making those swissbit devices. never would have noticed them in the radio shack if you hadn't mentioned them.
xodia - seems like random chance that we bump into one another at the most unpredictable moments, but it's always a good time when we do.
twinvega - you're like a wind-up toy... but instead of turning a key in your back one need only but alcohol in your hands, then sit back and watch the fun commence.
noid - stories about obscure gun laws, fancy ballistics, and hair-raising interstate commerce... i couldn't have asked for more at three in the morning on friday. you also fall into the category for me of "someone who i have a terrific time hanging with but never manage to see for long enough." maybe i'll be able to make it out to your BBQ one year when things are more low key and everyone can just chill.
freshman - way to keep things together for us at shmoocon, man. you're a terrific guy who goes way above and beyond what one person should contribute in terms of time and energy. major thanks to working so hard for us in D.C. next con perhaps your job description will allow you to settle into a comfy chair and raise a glass calmly for a short while. i'll buy.
valkyrie & cygnus - your event was more than just a talk, it was a BoF in the truest sense. i wish we had all been able to grab couches and pull them together in a circle, discussing the "trusted advisor" myth/question for the evening.
panthera - sorry that you couldn't make it with us this year. you slid your admission slots our direction, but we would have traded that in order to see you. come home safe from the sandbox.
to every single attendee who showed up, had the right attitude, and contributed energy and fu to the whole scene - you make cons what they are, and this time was no exception. extra-special thanks to everyone who woke up early on sunday in order to come to my talk. (and thank you to the shmoo organizers who pushed the first sunday slot back an hour to 10:00 this year.)
i'm more than certain that there are names i'm omitting, people i'm forgetting, and general memory errors that are preventing this list from being complete. the edit button will be used as my mind settles down and sorts things through more completely with time.
of course, last but in no way least...
beetle, bruce, heidi, and every other member the shmoo group - your mission with shmoocon was to bring people together not for profit or gain... but that was exactly the ultimate result. however, the gain wasn't yours... it was ours. each of us who attended -- and the hacker community as a whole -- was made stronger, wiser, and better in a very real and meaningful way through your efforts. from the bottom of my heart, thank you for starting this event. i look forward to attending year after year.
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