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Speaking of the Milblogger conference...

Let's have a little AAR, or After Action Review. For those who were present in any form, digital, physical, spiritual - leave comments with your Darts and Laurels.

If you have Darts with specific names on them - email them, please. Don't leave them in the comments. That would annoy me. Remember - you're writing for Google, too.

Snarks are allowed, of course. Just don't be mean. The object is to tweak next year's iteration.

Warning - if you write books, you'll probably find yourself on the short list for next year's planning committee. That's the voice of experience talking.

I'll open it up (this is my own note page, too).

1. Yay us!
2. Boo! Audio-visual guys at the very end.
3. Having the chat window available at the podium for the moderator was an *excellent* idea.
4. Since most hotels aren't configured for a confab of bloggers - some outlet strips for the outlets, if fire codes will allow.
5. Greta wants couches next year. We're bloggers, after all.
6. Time management. I want the half-hour back that lunch took from my panel and that Chuck ended up not needing for his panel! Dangit! I hadda whole 'nother subject to get to.

There. That should be sufficient as a starter. Let the snark begin.

On an unrelated note - it was great meeting Denizen AW1 Tim, better known to you all as Gwedd (though he wants you to get used to him as AW1 Tim from now on) for the first time in meatspace, as well as rubbing shoulders with the Milblogging Pantheon and our legion of loyal readers.

Denizen AFSis put in an appearance, putting stickers on *everything* including, it would appear, Princess Crabby's decolletage. I hereby declare publicly that Princess Crabby did not routinely reveal her foundation apparel, though she *did* threaten to do it a lot, and didn't terrorize too many people. Well, of course no sailors were safe from her grasp.

I did make an exception to the "no hugging" rule. When presented with that many good lookin' chicks who want to press themselves against you, even I got weak. The shield is back up, SWWBO only. Well, my sister too, 3 times per year, max.

5 Comments

I thought the conference was great! I killed a beautiful afternoon in GA watching it. The taps at the end brought tears to my eyes. My post on it is at: http://airbornecombatengineer.typepad.com/airborne_combat_engineer/2007/05/milblog_confere.html The only area I see could be improved (at no extra cost) was the video streaming. I've commented on how in the extenuation of the above post. Keep up the good work! Looking forward to MC III next year. Being from the Vietnam era, I don't want to see us lose another war by throwing in the towel, and doing so will just move the field of battle elsewhere (possibly back in the US). We need to stay in Iraq indefinitely until a stable democracy is established.
 
John, It was wonderful to meet you and SWWBO, as well as all of the other usual suspects. The Cotillion Crew was a hoot, and having lunch with all these different folks, sharing stories, ideas, and just plain comradeship made it worth every penny. I had an o-dark thirty launch with United out of Dulles, and they over-booked. When they asked for volunteers to take anothe flight I said, yeah.. what the heck. Hmmmm....... Well, turns out they got me another flight. On another airline. At another airport. At 9pm. Sigh... They sweetened the pot by also comping me a R/T ticket to anywhere in the US, so if I time it right, I've got free airfare for next year... heh. Anyway, they also comp me a cab, and i get over to Reagan, find out there's an earlier flight coming up here, so go standby and get lucky, so here I am. Finally. I also ran into sergeant hook, and had a great coversation with him for an hour or so before his flgith left. Last but not least, if you fly into Dulles, on the ground floor by transportation is a USO lounge. I stopped in and said high to the folks, gave them my contaxt info and dropped a few bills into the donation box. They were floored to see someone come in off the street and offer to volunteer, or even to just say hi. Worth every penny, that. Respects,
 
A thought - some of us living under occupation in NoVa would be more than willing to either pick-up/deliver out of town guests from Dulles or even host one or two in our homes during the course of the conference. How about adding a page for the next conference for potential hosts/guests to link-up? - SJS
 
I am so, so sorry I missed the whole affair... Had to call from a real gunline (I was RSO for an M240B range) to get an update!!! Seems like the external events were just as enjoyable as the internal events, and I missed hoisting a pint with ya'll most terribly!!!
 
Milblogger conference, M240 range... Milblogger conference, M240 range... Milblogger conference, M240 range... You win! 8^ D