2 Guys, 5 User Groups, 491 Miles

Michael Ossou, one of our developers and frequent contributor to this blog, gave a presentation last year at the SoCal Code Camp. The presentation, titled “Obama, JQuery, & ASP.NET SignalR: Getting Started with the Real-Time Web”, was received so well that Michael decided to take the show on the road. He asked me to join him because, well, he needed another body to use the carpool lane. We were invited to give presentations to five groups in the Southern California area.

That was a lot of pavement covered. I had fun meeting all the organizers, members and customers! But the time on the road is another story. Michael is a fearsomely angry driver, zig-zagging and red-lining all over those 491 miles. If there are more presentations ahead, I’ll need hazard pay. And Michael needs decaf.

I brought my GoPro and we put together this video:

February 11th – Inland Empire .NET User’s Group
James Johnson heads this smart and energetic group. DiscountASP.NET has sponsored this group for many years, but this was the first time either Michael or I got to meet James and the other members in person, and we’re glad we did!

March 3rd – Los Angeles .NET Developers Group
This group is (co-)organized by Hattan Shobokshi, who also now organizes the SoCal Code Camps. We’ve known Hattan for quite a while now, but we’ve never been to one of the group’s meetings before. Unfortunately, Hattan was out of the country couldn’t attend Michael’s presentation. We had a great time meeting the rest of the group. And we look forward to seeing Hattan during the next SoCal Code Camp.

March 5th – San Diego .NET Developers Group
We had a blast down in San Diego. The SD .NET group is run by Woody Pewitt and Kim Smith-Rohlfs. Woody is a fixture in the SoCal dev community and a real hoot! DiscountASP is a long-time sponsor of this group as well, and all the member were very grateful for all the pizzas we’ve bought them all these years.

March 10th – HTML5 Developers LA
We want to thank ShaRon Folio for inviting us to present to the HTML5 group. The presentation was held at the gorgeous Microsoft offices on The Reserve in Playa Vista (replete with Xbox One gaming stations). We would also like to thank Adam Tuliper, who hosted on behalf of Microsoft.

March 12 – jQuery LA
Natalie MacLees organizes this fun group that meets at in two locations, in Westchester and Chinatown. We met them in Westchester, in the eccentric orange-colored office of Q, where “coffee is for closers!”