Monday, May 01, 2006

Back in Las Vegas.

Like Andy, and pretty much all my IBM Software Services for WebSphere colleagues, I'm in Las Vegas this week for a technical conference.

I've just arrived on Virgin's direct VS43 flight from Gatwick. Eleven hours in economy was just as painful as you would imagine it would be but it will hopefully be worth it in order to spend a lot of time face-to-face with my extended team. The trip was made more enjoyable by the very friendly couple who were sitting next to me. They were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary. Wow. As a rule, I don't approve of strangers talking to me on aeroplanes but I'm glad I relaxed my "do not even think of speaking to me; can you not see I am reading?" exterior for this trip. I hope they have a great time this week... they're on the same flight as me on the way back so I'll be sure to look out for them.

I'm staying at the Rio, which is the first time I've stayed off the strip in Vegas. I've been here several times before and never made enough of an effort to get "into it". Once the first session I'm leading is over (tomorrow afternoon), I'll be able to relax and have a proper look around.

Until then, I'll be making sure the intro presentation to my round table on "When Projects Attack" lays out the terms of debate sufficiently clearly. Trying to control a roomful of consultants for 75 minutes will be impossible if I don't.

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