Oh My this is getting a bit past where I wanted to go with it...
Last night Jeff Wharton blogged thusly...
It's a sad day for the Canberra user group community with David Mackie resigning as the leader of the Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group. Just want to say thanks Dave for all the hard work and effort you've put in over the years and wish you well for the future. Don't be a stranger!
http://blog.wharton.com.au/2007/08/canberra-windows-user-group-times-are.html
Kind of sounds like I'm leaving doesn't it? Well here is where I was going with it, I won't re hash what I said about .dotNET Solutions coming to the rescue you can go read that yourself.
Here is what I am doing and how that will make it better for me and better for the ITPro and Developer Communities in Canberra...
- I'm transitioning leadership to Athena and her team
- I'm showing up to all CBRWINUG Meetings unless I'm out of town or dying
- I'm actively supporting Athena, in anyway she needs and will step in to run things in tough times (if asked)
- I'm looking forward to presenting next year (maybe two sessions not nine)
- I'm going to keep coming to the Developer Group adhoc to have my regular sit down with Athena
- I'm going to start coming to SQL as a punter (depending on Topic)
- I'm making myself available to both Athena and Jeff for what ever they need (Wife Permitting)
- I will provide open and honest feedback, help plan speakers and sessions and say what I would like to see. (believe it or not this is the hardest part, getting the punters to say what they want)
- Actively encourage all punters to get involved and make their group what they want it to be.
So yeah I am going to do more not less and I am definitely not leaving, so there is no risk of being a stranger. I hope I can go from trying to be all things for all people in my old group leader role, to being a positive force in all the groups (you may even see me with a forced smile, but not Vice President for Smiling).
I really do think IT Communities in Canberra need nurturing and now that I don't run one, I can help build up a rank and file resurgence of active participation (I hope)