Whirlwind Tour

I’m starting to learn just how much work it is to be a speaker at conferences. I always thought you just showed up and spoke. Now that I’m on the other side of this, I realize just how much work it is to find flights, coordinate the hotel, make sure that none of your trips overlap, and finally, see if you can afford to attend if the speaker package doesn’t cover your travel expenses. So, be sure to take a moment and thank your favorite conference speakers. It really is a labor of love for all of them. Continue reading “Whirlwind Tour”

@&#* ’em – You’re Just as Smart as They Are

Once upon a time, I was a nobody in the PHP community. Then I ran into a problem and needed to ask someone…gulp…a newbie question. The responses I received were awesome and encouraging, so I started getting more involved. As I started attending conferences, I thought, “Wow, how amazing that these people know enough to get up and give a talk. That would be so awesome if I could do that.” Continue reading “@&#* ’em – You’re Just as Smart as They Are”