Back Home From Into the Box 2021

 Into The Box 2021 is over, and I made it back home. I'm exhausted, I need a shower, and I want to sleep in my own bed tonight. But despite that, I am so glad that I went. I had a great time!

A quick history lesson: Last year, I was selected to present a SQL talk (The Golden Hammer) at Into the Box 2020, live in Houston. But COVID decided to make that an impossibility. Fortunately, they decided to go ahead with the conference and move it to an online format. Not only was I extremely happy to still get to be a First-Time Presenter (albeit, Online), but the online format was extremely convenient. Plus, it was a lot of fun, even though we didn't get to meet up in person. 

For Into the Box 2021, Ortus again selected me to present on a new topic, Insider Threat Awareness. My presentation was titled "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart: Trust, But Verify", and this time, we got to do it in person! COVID still threw a bit of a wrench into the process, but Ortus stepped up again and made the conference hybrid: most presentations were given live in a conference room, but an online audience was able to participate. And a few of the presenters were able to do so remotely. I got to do mine in a conference room, in front of live people (plus the virtual attendees on Zoom). So now Ortus has made me a First Time Speaker again; this time live.

In my opinion, this was an awesome format. There were a lot of people who couldn't come (both attendees and speakers), but they were still able to participate virtually. I know, personally, if I had the option to attend some of the past conferences virtually, I would have actually been able to "go to" the conference. So I hope they're able to continue this format in future COVID-less years. 

Later this evening or tomorrow, I'll write up my review of the conference. But for now, I think I'm just going to go take a hot shower and chill for the rest of the day.