It's Nearly August... Don't Ask Me How That Happened

I don't know where the summer has gone!  With vacations, keeping busy at work and all those things we love about managing our lives and families... I just can't believe August is approaching!

Of course, Windows 10 is coming!  I've got a couple devices just waiting for July 29th, including my parents machines... so I'll be enjoying some time helping them get their computers upgraded.  

However, once August rolls around, there are other things to do, so it's time to get out from behind the computers and check out some upcoming events.

First off, for you Seattle folks, SITPUG will be having their August 5th meeting from 6:00 to 8:00pm in Bellevue.  Visit www.SITPUG.com for more information.

If you are in Boston, Portland and Denver, be sure to check out the upcoming Angelbeat events in those areas.  My Tech Evangelist colleagues and I have been presenting at those events as we can and they are a great way to get a quick update on tech topics.  The Boston and Denver events will even be having special extended sessions on Azure.

Join Microsoft DX for After Hours @Build - April 29 - San Francisco

The Microsoft Developer Experience & Evangelism (DX) team and the .NET Foundation have partnered together to bring to you After Hours @Build – a special event on April 29th designed for developers, startups, and technology leaders. Come join us to hear the latest news and innovations from Build 2015 during an exclusive evening at San Francisco's stylish Terra Gallery. You do NOT have to be a Build attendee.

Get the inside scoop from the .NET product teams, .NET Foundation, and GitHub on the innovations in .NET and the journey into open source. We'll also show you what's new and what we're building, including ASP.NET 5, C# 6, .NET compiler platform (Roslyn), and how we're taking .NET cross-platform in the open on GitHub.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015 | 6:00PM - 11:00PM
Terra Gallery
511 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA 94105 | 415.896.1234
*Must be 21 years of age, with identification, to attend

AGENDA

• 6:00PM - 6:45PM - Registration 
• 6:45PM - 7:00PM - Welcome & Announcements
  Featuring Matt Thompson (General Manager, US DX, Microsoft) 
• 7:00PM - 8:00PM - Keynote
  Featuring Scott Hanselman and Phil Haack (Github) 
• 8:15PM - 8:30PM - Closing Remarks & Event Drawing
• Featuring Martin Woodward (Executive Director, .NET Foundation) 
• 8:30PM - 11:00PM - After Hours @ Build Reception

Doors open at 6:00PM and the speakers will begin at 6:45PM. Enjoy lively presentations, delicious food and drinks, and lots of time to chat and sip with your peers. Space is limited, so register now!

Upcoming Community Tech Events in SoCal

For those of you in southern California, I've gotten wind of some upcoming events that might be of interest.  Check them out if you are in the area.

So-Cal Azure User Group - Costa Mesa, 2/24
     Register Here: http://www.meetup.com/SoCal-Microsoft-Azure-User-Group/events/220261351/

So-Cal System Center User Group - San Diego, 3/2 or Irvine 3/3
Wally's Top SCCM 2012 Features with Cool Tips and Tricks
     Register Here for March San Diego Event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/microsoft-system-center-so-cal-user-group-msc-scug-san-diego-march-2nd-tickets-15150502561
     Register Here for March Irvine Event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/microsoft-system-center-so-cal-user-group-msc-scug-irvine-march-3rd-tickets-15149810491

San Diego SharePoint User Group - San Diego, 3/11
Fundamentals of Creating SharePoint Apps with Tim Odell
     Register Here: http://www.meetup.com/San-Diego-SharePoint-User-Group-SanSPUG/events/219661901/

PFE Days - San Diego, 3/19
Getting the Best from Azure IaaS with Javier Dominguez
     Register Here: http://www.meetup.com/Microsoft-PFE-Days-Technology-Event-SoCal/events/220098582/

Los Angeles Big Data Users Group - Multiple Events (visit their link)

Happy Holidays!

It will be a light week here in blog land!  Lots of holiday cheer and keeping busy with family and friends. I hope you are spending part of your week relaxing and spending time with the people you love!

When you do get back to your desk and start reconnecting with the tech community, I hope you take a moment to check out the Microsoft Technical Community website at www.technicalcommunity.com.

If you are a User Group Leader looking for resources, this is the place to go. Register your group and you can get $100 worth of advertising monthly for your meeting or event.  Also, for each event you register you will earn 50 points to save and use toward swag for your group!  You can also request up to $250 in cash for some events - to cover food, etc.

If you are a subject matter expert looking to find places where you can get speaking opportunities, list yourself as a speaker and other leaders can contact you for possible engagements.  This is a one stop shop for connecting people who are interested in technology and getting rewarded for it!

See you in 2014!