a moment in time
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multi-faceted moment
If I were to describe how I operate around learning and buying things it is that I like to acquire capability. I want the ability to do things I could not do before. Or I want to be able to do something in a better way.
Computers, electronics, audio gear, video gear. Programming, speaking, design, art, writing.
I want to do all the things. So I try a lot of things, I amass low degrees of skill in many things and some things I get properly skilled in over time. I get used to dealing with equipment, I get used to dealing with software.
I have found a lot of satisfaction in applying a mixture of skills when I give talks. My favorite example is probably The Nerves Community Fleet. But if you squint you'd see it all the way back at my first Elixir talk.
Goatmire didn't just let me cut loose. It forced me to do new things, it forced me to dust off some seriously old practice. I did not do Goatmire alone. Far from it. Most things I did I had sounding boards, support and collaborators. What I did was:
- Pick a very distinctive name
- Event concept and design
- Visuals and visual design
- Website
- Print design
- Find initial speaker lineup
- Set up CFP
- Assemble program committee
- Speaker selection process
- Integrate CFP system into website to publish speaker
- Schedule talks
- Help on the budget
- Figure out pricing
- Customer support
- Sponsorship offering
- Sponsorship sales
- Stipend applications
- Speaker gifts through local tea/coffee/chocolate shop
- Concept for speaker icebreaker and dinner
- Chat with local bars about the pending invasion
- Amass hotel options for attendees
- Reach out to local press
- Work through production notes with venue technicians
- "Do you have an old but good overhead projector?"
- Handle speakers that couldn't come
- Handle ongoing hotel exceptions
- MC the event
- Chase speakers around the venue
- Speak at the event
- Marketing. A lot of social media, newsletters, etc.
- Outfits
- Work out the Nerves devices with Gus
- Make a bonus Ash-event.
This list is not exhaustive. It is just top of mind. And it isn't to brag. I hope the list is smaller if we do this again. I expect it will be different at least. For one thing I hope to delegate more practical things to our superb event-consultant Helene. It is harder to delegate the first time around because you don't know what you are trying to do. Ideally I can remove many thing I hope to add things that would improve the event.
There is not a single thing that was the true joy for me. Seeing print designs come to life is always an awesome feeling. Watching speakers unfurl into a full blossoming of ideas as they realized the possibilities was amazing. Realizing we got more people on the initial list of interested than we had tickets for was very promising. I really enjoyed the visual work. But I also really enjoyed all the working with people, we got to interact with so many energetic and optimistic people who wanted this to happen. Collaborating with Zach on the first talk of the Goatmire days was a ton of fun, taking a cool wild idea and finding a shape for it. For the Nerves name badges, Gus did all the hard work, I scored the funding and was the sounding board. But that was also awesome and very exciting.
Figuring out event design around what we want it to be and what we do not want it to be is nerve-wracking because you don't know how that translates. You just apply rules and suggestions to a completely organic emergent system and hope it does roughly what you want. I think we hit the notes we wanted very well and it hit notes we didn't dare hope for.
During the event I was on the hook for tracking the schedule which meant I lived in shorter time-increments, like 20 and 40 minutes typically. I expected that being switched on like that for several days would feel hard. I did need a nap on day 3 before my own talk but overall it was a nice type of focus. Emergencies typically make me calm, focused. This was that without there actually being a problem. It was just a live situation and I have rarely felt so present.
It is a deep satisfaction, getting to apply a bunch of skills you've acquired over time. And it is a ton of fun to stretch into new areas. I felt like I should be able to do this. But there are no guarantees, there isn't a way of trying before buying. Most of my creative efforts do not land where I want them to. That's the practice of it. This one hit so close I am slightly concerned I couldn't do it again. Very satisfying, quite irksome.
Considering how much I enjoyed this. How satisfied I feel. I definitely want to try it again.
A massive thanks to all who attended, y'all were great.
If you want to know whether we decide to do another one, you can sign up here.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate you.
