Edit: In my haste to post my write-up of these first two days of the conference, I didn’t do much in the way of linking and I forgot to write about one of the coolest things that happened on Saturday, the flying robot blimp. Bear with me as I edit this post to add some much needed links and visuals.

Friday, July 10, 2009

After work, I walked over to the Metropolitan Hotel to get my badge. My kit included a schedule, a large poster, a crimson t-shirt with black Russian-propaganda style Future Ruby logo, a bottle of water, a pack of matches, a patch with the Future Ruby logo on it (for sewing on to backpacks and the like) and a TTC pass valid for the length of the convention. All of this was stuffed inside of a rugged, dark green bag with the Future Ruby patch sewn on it. This is by and far the best swag I’ve ever received at a conference, ever.

After that, I got dinner and headed down to Unspace HQ for a wicked awesome patio party. Unspace HQ seems like an incredible place to work — prime location, lots of outdoor space, and a pretty nice collection of knick knacks, including a working pinball machine — but it is also an excellent space for a party. The highlight of the night for me was seeing two CF18’s doing a fly-by. Although I’m not a huge fan of military hardware, watching the way that they turned through the air was a unique experience.

I went home early to give myself enough time to commute home and get at least 5-6 hours of sleep for the next day.