Have you heard “Don’t be this guy”?

Don’t be this guy

Take a moment and read Tim Mitchell’s [Twitter | Blog] blog post “Don’t be this guy” from last year.  Basically he writes about his experience at a previous summit where he did not really take advantage of the networking opportunities at PASS and really regretted it afterward.  It is really a great read and it home with me.

Unfortunately, I did not read this until after my first PASS Summit last year.  Sad to say, I was that guy last year.  In reading the comments of his blog post, it looks like there were other people just like Tim, that were that guy as well.

This year, I am not going to be that guy.  I really want to meet a lot of the people that I follow on Twitter and who’s blogs I read on a regular basis.  I am going to be somewhat of a summit stalker.

Get yourself out there.

To help with the initial conversation ice breaker I had some Moo cards made up that I plan to distribute out at PASS. Not so much of a business card, but my social contact info (Twitter, email, LinkedIn, and Blog) “Just for fun”.  I have 50 of them, so my goal is to distribute all of them during PASS.  I think they will make a pretty interesting and fun conversation topic.

Events I am going to do.

Monday : I am going to participate in the PASS 2010 Photowalk [Follow Twitter tag | #passphotowalk].  This is put on by Tim Ford [Twitter | Blog] and Pat Wright [Twitter | Blog].  Find out more about it here.

Monday night is the Welcome Reception and Quiz Bowl (6:30-8pm) and SQLServerCentral opening night party (8pm-10pm).

Tuesday : Birds-of-a-feather (BOF) Lunch (11:45am-12:45pm) and the non PASS sponsored event Inappropriate PASS Session party put on by Jeremiah Peschka [Twitter], Jen [Twitter], and Kendra Little [Twitter].  Should be fun.

Wednesday : WIT Luncheon and Panel Discussion (11:30am-1:30pm) and the Microsoft Appreciation Party at Gameworks (7pm-10pm)

Thursday : Chapter Lunch (12pm-1pm)

Please check out SQLPASS’s website for full details on all the events.  Be sure to follow #sqlpass on Twitter for any impromptu events as well.

I am ready to get my SQLPASS on!  Are you?