I’m just getting back to Salt Lake City after spending the last 4 days in Seattle/Redmond at the Microsoft Technology Summit. Had a *GREAT* time, meeting, for the first time, a few folks that I’ve known through email and/or user groups/mailing lists and/or industry reputation (the good kind ;-) for quite some time. I hope to do a proper summary of the entire MTS08 event before the weekend comes to an end, but in the mean time…

A few days before my departure this last Tuesday I had a chance to meet Piers Hollott for the first time (in person), spending several hours talking about everything from XML and XSLT to why Facebook fills such an important and necessary gap in our Internet ecosystem, to everywhere in between.

Through our conversation I discovered he would be flying back to Victoria on the same day I would be leaving for Seattle/Redmond. But neither of us had any idea we were on the same flight! After wheeling and dealing with a couple passengers, we were able to get two seats next two each other, spending the entire flight and another hour at an airport restaurant (he had about an hour and half layover before heading on up to Victoria) continuing forward in our conversation.

Good times, good times… ;-) Great to have finally met you Piers!

Earlier in the week I had been fortunate enough to receive an invitation from Jeff Barr for an evening of dinner and fun with he and his family as well as Tara Hunt. Last night was that night, an absolutely *fantastic* evening, one I wish each and everyone of you could have been a part of. *Incredible* meal, *incredible* family, *incredible* conversation, all rolled into one. :)

I had forgotten to grab my camera before leaving the hotel, so unfortunately I don’t have any pics to share, but it’s certainly an evening I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. So if nothing else I at very least have the memories to fall back on and smile about. :)

Thanks Jeff (and family!) and Tara!

As it turned out, David Recordon just so happened to have a flight back to SanFran that left within 30 minutes of mine. We ran into each other around noon today in the hotel lobby, realized we were leaving around the same time and as such David so kindly invited me to catch a ride w/ him to the airport.

Little did I know, however, that in addition to having a chance to hang out with David for the afternoon, he had made plans to have lunch with Brad Fitzpatrick and Brady Forrest, two people I have admired for quite some time but have never had a chance to actually meet in person.

After meeting up with Brad in Renton, it was off to the Coastal Kitchen in Capital Hill to meet up with Brady. *Great* conversation, *great* food, and an overall *FANTASTIC* ending to a *FANTASTIC* trip to Seattle.

Thanks David, Brad, and Brady! :)

I forgot to pull out my camera at the Coastal Kitchen, but I did snap a quick pick before dropping off Brad (who had just arrived in town for a conference) and heading on down to SeaTac airport.

Hope to be back with a follow-up summary of MTS08 later this weekend. Until then, enjoy the rest of yours! :D