aerial bday party

Originally uploaded by sogrady

A day late but hopefully not a dollar short (as usual) comes this belated thank you. As long as we’re into clichés, better late than never. The thank you emails, texts, Facebook messages, voicemails and IMs began rolling in yesterday – one even before we’d closed the tab and stumbled home – and they’re obviously appreciated. We’re happy when you are all happy. Obviously.

But in nearly every case, misplaced, because it is us who should be thanking you.

Yes, the alcohol was on us. Yes, we did the bare minimum in organizing the event. And yes, we issued – in most cases – the invites. But the only way we could organize, fund and hold the gathering in the first place was you. Each and every one of you. Everyone that’s sold us, linked to us, mentioned us, paid us, educated us, and even criticized us. I know it’s trite, what with the Time piece and all, but it’s no less true for that. What influence is given RedMonk is far more your doing than it is ours. The Power of All of Us, and all that.

Even more than the packed House of Shields you provided us with on Wednesday night, or the five great years to date, I and my colleagues would like to thank you for the greater gift you’ve provided: the chance for five more great years.

As I said the last time someone had something nice to say about us, it’s the support that we enjoy among the people that makes this job fun,keeps us employed, and – frankly – keeps us going.

Thank you.

Redmonk Schwag!

Originally uploaded by ric.hayman

No, RedMonk’s not marrying anyone. As far as I know, anyway. But we are turning five, and cordially invite order you – all of you that are in or can make it to San Francisco, anyway – to join us in celebrating that fact.

Who knew that we’d still be here all these years later? It was five years ago in December that I informed my family and friends that I was starting a business in an industry they’d never heard of with someone I’d met in person _maybe_ twice, all during a serious downturn in the wider technology business. And yet the calendar says 2008, and we’re still here, doing our thing. Pretty cool.

Because you undoubtedly have questions, I have answers. With questions. Of course.

Q: What’s the date again?
A: Early evening on Wednesday, February 6th. Here’s the event listing on Upcoming (just added one on Facebook). Book it.

Q: Why is it on a Wednesday?
A: Because it’s difficult to get all three Monks in one place at one time, and this was one of those once in a lifetime, planetary alignment sort of deals where we’re all there and all can spare a night. Had to capitalize.

Q: Ok, why San Francisco?
A: We’re fortunate enough to know people from all over the world. Literally. That’s great, but makes picking a spot something of a challenge, because we can’t make everyone happy. After talking it over internally, San Francisco seemed like the best compromise, as a good number of our colleagues, clients, and just friends are based there, and those that aren’t often have reason to pass through. So in spite of my personal preference for Denver (convenience) or Boston (proximity of Fenway), we’re going with San Francisco.

Q: Gotcha. What about venue, where is this thing being held?
A: TBD. I’ll personally feel a bit weird if it is not at the House of Shields – it’d be like cheating on our official bar – but I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with my colleagues yet, so we’ll see. More on the venue shortly.

Q: What if I don’t have plans to be in San Francisco that day?
A: Make some. We already have folks looking into flights and rearranging client work to accomodate, and an email I got earlier today from two of RedMonk’s best friends indicates that both hall passes and hotel rooms are being explored. If they can make it happen, why can’t you?

Exactly.

Q: What do you have in mind for the evening?
A: Nothing less than good times. We’re very proud of the extended RedMonk community’s diversity, breadth, and fondness for beers, so the evening is guaranteed to be fun or your money back. I want to keep expectations manageable, but it’ll undoubtedly be the best. party. ever. At worst, it should be a good networking opportunity, given that we expect representatives from individual developers, software vendors, open source projects, hardware manufacturers, Web 2.0 firms, Cloud people, and a cast of characters vaguely associated with the technology business. We’ll have marketers and developers sitting at the same tables, dogs and cats living together, and you probably get the picture.

Q: Can I bring a friend/spouse/father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate?
A: Knock yourself out. Our gatherings tend to be 10% shop talk / 90% rambling anyway, so the more the merrier. Plus, it’ll be less than two weeks until baseball by that point, so the whole town knows I’ll be talking about that. Which is why I’m likely to be sitting by myself. Why won’t anyone talk to me?

Q: Will there be schwag?
A: Two words: hell. yes. Not enough for everyone, presumably, but we’ll figure out the most entertaining means of distributing what we bring. I wonder if the House of Shields would let us hook up a karaoke machine…

Q: Should I plan on being at work bright and early the next morning?
A: We’re not, but hey, maybe you’re better than us.

Q: What if I have other questions?
Q: We’ll totally answer them. Just show up.

Denver Tech Meetup

Originally uploaded by chrisheuer

Why our holiday decorations are still up, I couldn’t tell you, but I do have the answer you’re all looking for: the date of the next Denver Tech Meetup. You remember, the Denver Tech Meetup? The User Group without the User Group? But with beers? Denver’s least ambitious monthly(ish) (ha!) gathering of technology workers?

Yes, I’ve failed spectacularly in my ambition to hold these things every other month, as was the expectation back in 2005, but I’ve been a little busy. And as I’m fond of telling our clients, a percentage of something is better than an entirety of nothing, right?

So ignore the inset picture – I posted it merely for nostalgic reasons; two Thursdays from today we’ll convene at our probationary new venue (my bartending friend is now way uptown) and frequent Jabber hangout, the Celtic. 18th and Blake, for the Denver folks in the audience. Still very easy walking distance for yours truly, not to worry.

Let’s you and me cram as many Tech Meetups in as we can before I flee back east before the hell that is the Denver summer. If things break as I hope they will next week and the week after, it’s possible that I’ll have my own not-so-captive audience to drag along.

See you at the Celtic. No Smithwick’s, sadly, but there is Murphy’s.

While the term “monk” might conjure up impressions of strangely tonsured and bearded ascetics that have taken vows of silence, we do things a bit differently around here. Our particular sect is actually quite social, fond as we are of meetups and that most excellent friend of meetups, beer. Our evening services, I think you’ll find, are a departure from most of our monastic brethren.

Though last week’s Boston meetup netted only a small audience – turns out people want more than a couple of hours warning, go figure – we’re confident that with weeks to plan, our devoted acolytes will be well pleased to join us for a libation or three.

RedMonk Evening Service – NYC (Tuesday, September 4th)

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Upcoming Link / Add To Calendar: Following a work dinner I must attend, I’ll be meeting any and all interested NYC area parties at a venue TBD the Stoned Crowe for beers and, presumably, conversation. I’ve got my own venue preference, down in the West Village, but will need to confer with potential attendees such as Friend of RedMonk Luis Villa to determine whether or not that’s suitably convenient. Suggestions and preferences, as always, are welcome. I’ve conferred with the necessary folks, and we’ve got consensus approval for the Stoned Crowe. It’s an old favorite from my time in NYC, an NYU pool bar run by an elderly lady named Betty whose outfits are…interesting. Even better, it’s a block off the Christopher St stop on the #1 Line, so it should be good for those of you coming from the subway. I considered the White Horse – a regular haunt of Lou Reed and Frank McCourt in their day – but it’s been absurdly jammed the last few times I’ve been.

RedMonk Evening Service – San Francisco (Thursday, September 6th)

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Upcoming Link / Add to Calendar: Assuming that I emerge from our Tuesday services unscathed, I invite all available Bay Area technologists to join me at the House of Shields around 8ish. Interest in this event is already peaking, as our new favorite PR rep (Sox fan) has promised to be there with colleagues a full hour early to warm up for the event. It will be, obviously, the event of the season. Plus, you’ll be fresh off Labor Day vacation – what else is there to do?

Looking Down the Charles Towards Back Bay

Originally uploaded by sogrady

Party might be a slight overstatement, actually. So how about the simpler “beers and dinner.” The occasion is that I’ll be doing some for work for a client just outside the city for the afternoon, then heading into town early evening.

So here’s the plan: I’m going to be at the 21st Amendment – AKA Boston’s House of Shields – sometime between 7 and 8. It’s not particularly close to where I’m staying – my usual choice, the Hotel Marlowe, wanted a crazy $330 for a room – but it’s the only venue for RedMonk.

If you’re in town, and would like to join me, please do. As usual, I’ll be the guy in the Sox hat. The one that’s been bleached to a sickly grey by a summer of sun and salt.

Solid first day at the MySQL conference, with lots of interesting conversations to report on and some interesting announcements with more on tap for tomorrow.

Before I get to the Day 1 summary post, however, I need to grab a quick workout and then I’m going to head over to meet the Joyent gang at the Faultline Brewing company in Sunnyvale around 7ish.

I’m going to try and get there without getting on 101 (even for an exit), so this part is important: if I don’t show up by 9ish, send out search parties. Tell them to look for the red Chevy Cobalt with roll up windows and manual locks.

While I will not be indulging in the Joyent provided free wings because they have bones in them, I’m definitely game for a beer or two. If you’re at the MySQL show or just live in the area, stop by and say hi. I’ll be – as usual – the guy in the Red Sox hat (good guys are down 4-2 as I write this).

Great evening last night at My Brother’s Bar with the other Denver Tech Meetup attendees. As someone remarked, it’s a very interesting and diverse group. Whether it the details of converting iCal to and from Outlook VCALs, the story about having shut off processors on a T2000 because it was too fast, or kicking around possible calendar related business models and economics, it was an educational night. But with Smithwick’s.

Thanks to everyone who took the time out to attend, and look forward to seeing those of you who couldn’t make it – due to sickness, conflicts, or March Madness – at the next iteration, probably in late April.

In the meantime, Alex has a writeup and some pictures here.

Looking forward to seeing the Denver residents in the audience in a few short hours at the Tech Meetup. A couple of reminders:

• Everyone’s welcome. A few of you have asked if this is an exclusive or private event and the answer is an emphatic no. We may run out of space b/c I don’t have a complete picture of how many are attending, but we’ll figure something out. Come one, come all.
• Time is between 6 and 6:30. I’ll be over earlier – in the 5:30ish timeframe – to arrange things, but most people are showing up between 6 and 6:30. Get there too late and you’ll miss out on the RedMonk sponsored first round.
• As Joe kindly pointed out in the comments earlier, if you’ve never been to My Brother’s Bar note that there is no sign outside. It’s the venue on the corner directly across the street from the Vitamin Cottage.
• If you’re having trouble finding us, look for the guy in the Red Sox hat. That’s me.
• If you’re still having trouble finding us, call 617 395 5685 – that’s my new Grand Central number (more on that in a bit), and it should ring my cell.

See you all in a bit.

When all is said and done, scheduling may be my all-time least favorite activity. Ok, not really, but it’s close. Case in point: this month’s Denver Tech Meetup. Many of you have been kind enough to check in with your availability via comments and IM, but as near as I can determine everyone’s available on different days. So my options are: a.) pick a day and see if a quorum – read: two or more of you – can make it, or b.) push until next month.

While I was leaning towards option B, given the fact that I’ll (in theory) only be in Denver for another two months before I head back East for the summer, I feel compelled to cram as many Tech Meetups in as we can.

So for now let’s plan on this Thursday, around 6 – 6:30 PM. I can’t do Tuesday any longer, and Wednesday’s a bad day for one of our regulars. Because of the way they treated a friend of mine, the Wazee Supper Club is out as our go-to venue. So let’s plan instead on meeting at My Brother’s Bar on 15th and Platte St (right next to the REI mothership and, conveniently, I-25).

For those of you unfamiliar with said establishment, it’s the oldest bar in Denver and very, well, old school. If you’ve lived in NYC before, My Brother’s Bar is sort of the Denver equivalent of the Corner Bistro – particularly when it comes to the food. It does have some parking, and it’s usually pretty simple to park along Platte St as well. One additional note: if you’re one of the folks eyeing The Hive co-op office space, this is a good opportunity for you to scout the local area (you’ll love the Vitamin Cottage grocery store, I promise), as My Brother’s Bar is directly across the intersection.

Do me a favor and let me know if you guys can make it, and I’ll see about getting us some space over there. Maybe, if we’re lucky, on the excellent patio out back, assuming the weather holds up. Hope to see as many of you as possible for a good warmup to the St. Patrick’s Day main event.

You guys tell me. I’ve been woefully neglecting my responsibilities in scheduling our little users group without the user group style meetups, but I’m back on the horse. Dates currently available on this end include March 13-15, which would be a nice warmup for St. Patrick’s Day that Saturday, or the 19-21 as requested by Anne (slightly more problematic). It’s possible I’ll have travel complications for one of these dates, but for now I’m good.

If you can make these dates, do me a favor and let me know. I’ll pick whatever date the most folks can make, and once I know about how many I’m talking about I’ll look at the venue.

Hope to see you all soon.