Into The Box 2021 - Write Up - Post Day +1 - Saturday, September 25, 2021

 

I got invited to speak at the Into The Box 2021 Conference in Houston, TX. These are my thoughts.

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Good god it's early. Quick shower then downstairs to meet my Uber.

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Waited for a few minutes and my Uber driver stopped around the corner, but he got me squared away and to the airport with plenty of time before my flight. Not one single issue going back through screening. I've got about 40 minutes before boarding starts. There are a surprising amount of people in the airport this early. The stupid sun isn't even up yet.

.... 

On the plane, and it's a fairly empty flight again. Message sent that I'm on my way home, and now to decide if I want to try to watch a movie or just chill. 

.....

Chill it was. Made it safely back to Nashville. The landing was probably one of the best landings I've ever seen. Not sure which pilot was flying this morning, but whichever it was squeeked it on at BNA. Very nice job. 

Got my bags picked up and now just waiting on the wife to pick me up and take me home.

...

And I am back home! And very tired.

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All in all, I had a _GREAT_ time at Into the Box. I got to see some people that I haven't been able to see in a while. There were a few people that I would have liked to have seen, too, but they couldn't make it. Things are still a little iffy with COVID, but it was kinda nice to be able to attend an in-person event again. I very much liked the hybrid nature of this conference, and I hope other conferences do the same. There are a lot that I haven't been able to attend in-person, and an online option would have been great. Granted, an extremely large part of any conference I've ever been to has been the "Hallway Track". So I don't think they should all go all-virtual. 

I want to offer a huge _Thank You_ to Ortus Solutions for having me speak again. They are now the group that has given me my first speaking opportunity (ITB 2019 Virtual) and my first in-person opportunity (ITB 2020 Hybrid).

I hope to see everyone again next year!

Shawn Oden 

September 30, 2021 

(written Sept 22 - 25)

(procrastination time - September 25 - October 22!)