This is my fourth year attending Podcamp Boston (#pcb4)(which, for those of you counting means that I've been to all of them).  It is always fun, enlightening and a LOT geeky.  This year, I had the added benefit of also getting a bonus where one of the attendees actually got the virus off my computer that had been sitting there for months while I tried to figure out how I could do without it for a week while Staples worked on it.  A wonderful good samaritan (who will remain anonymous by request) did it while we sat in sessions and chatted at breaks.  It was painless and done gratis because he likes me and it was easy for him.

It's funny.  I usually come back from Podcamp with a TON of new tech toys to talk about.  I have a few this year (which I will share over the next few days), but not as many as in years past.  I think this is partly because of the format of the breakout sessions as "discussions" rather than "presentations", so there wasn't as much touting of "cool new stuff".  Part of it was because of the economy - there just isn't as much new stuff.  And part of it is that I've been coming for four years, so I know all of the basics and I have heard about a lot of the new stuff from my friends that I met at previous Podcamps or discovered it on my own by searching for tools I needed.  It seems that this year I graduated. 

This year, the newbies were coming to me for advice.  This year that experienced people and I were talking on a peer level.  This year, I knew more.  I didn't feel so clueless.  There weren't any discussions that I just couldn't follow.  I'm telling you - it was wierd.  I'm used to being out of my depth.  There's a TON of stuff to learn in the internet sphere.  And it seems, that as much as I'm constantly learning something from someone, I've finally gotten to the point where I'm not running to keep up.  Whew!

I felt so comfortable, in fact, that when one of the discussion leaders didn't show up, I offered to facilitate the conversation for the room.  The conversation was lively and a lot of people learned a lot of things - including me.  The great news was that I got to facilitate and I didn't even have to sign up or schedule the room or pick a topic or anything.  Many thanks go out to the person who failed to show. 

Michelle Wolverton, @Chelpixie to her Twitter fans worked her butt off making the event a success.  I wanted to publicly say "Thank You" to her, Chris Penn, Chris Brogan, and Whitney (sorry I don't know your last name) as well as the other organizers.  You guys rock.  And they do it all for free - in fact - they pay to attend the event.  How's that for passion?

All I can say is that if you have the opportunity to attend a Podcamp (and they happen all over the world now), do it.  You'll never have a better time with a more kind, caring, giving group of geeks.