The 2005 Summit provides me this memory: winning an iPod in the Quiz Bowl during the Welcome reception. It was only my second Summit, but I had been volunteering my time with the Web SIG (Special Interest Group, which was dedicated to helping create and maintain the PASS Website, the SIGs are now called Virtual Chapters). So I “knew” a few folks already, as I had been having regular meetings with them through the year. That’s right, before Twitter I used to interact with folks I didn’t know by using the old-fashioned method of conference calling.
Anyway, I showed up at the Welcome Reception and already “knew” about eight folks. One of them was supposed to take part in the Quiz Bowl but didn’t want to, so she decided that I could have her spot. So up on stage I went. Tim Ford (blog | @sqlagentman) was the host (of course) and that was the very first time I had met him as well as Louis Davidson. My team won, we were handed iPods (30GB bricks, no video, and I still have it today) and I got to spend some time with Tim that week. In fact, when we were getting ready to leave, I went into a gift shop looking for something to bring home to my children. Tim was with me and helped me pick out a crocodile for my son, who still sleeps with it near his bed every night.
Thanks Tim, for the iPod and for having been my good friend these past six years.
