Northern Voice 2

At last, a moment where I'm not expected to be doing something else for someone else (hm, actually, that's a lie. I have my talk for Tuesday to write still, and notes to make for the intros to each session at BlogOn, but it's another 4 hours 17 minutes before my laptop battery dies, which is co-incidentally about the same time I have before we are due to land at JFK, meaning I can take a moment before either of those events become pressing) so it's really time I blogged something that's been open in my browser window for about a month.
(Yes, I really do keep things open in my browser windows that long. Actually, the Open Rights Group pledge on Pledgebank has been open continuously since July 23 when it was made. Browser tabs seem to multiply exponentially until I go through and have a ruthless cull, but even then there are some hardy survivors that seem to have built up resistance.)
Anyway, yes, Northern Voice. Although the urge is to say that Northern Voice was one of the best conferences I went to last year, the actual fact of the matter is that it was this year, it just feels like last year because so much appears to have happened in the interim. I'd never spoken in public before NV in February, but now I feel a bit like a veteran, I've done it so much, including four stints at Speaker's Corner which really does toughen one up.
Kris Krug, one of the organisers of next year's Northern Voice, pinged me a few weeks back with the news that they had the site up for the 2006 event, and I made the appropriate noises begging to be allowed to speak. I have to fill in the speaker submission form (I just checked, and there doesn't seem to be a closing date on it, which is a relief as I'd be gutted if I missed the deadline), although before that I actually have to think about what I want to talk about.
*thinks*
OK, I've got an idea. In fact, I have two. That's good. I didn't have any when I got on the plane, so I feel we're all the richer for this shared meditative experience.
Whether I speak or not, I will be going. I could not possibly pass up an opportunity to hang out with Richard, Boris, Kris, and all the other Vancouverites again. They are officially Good People – I had a fantastic time in February and can only imagine that MooseCamp will be an essential experience as well.
If you're vacillating about whether to go or not, then stop it and book now. You won't be sorry.