This will be a short blog post, because I want to get out some thoughts as quickly as possible, not waiting for that time that never comes in which I sit and craft a well written lengthy text.
Which is why I didn't blog for some years now after I visited Marc Thieles phantastic event, even though I managed to be at least once in a year at one iteration of this very special conference.

So what has changed?

Well, nothing really, it is just that I want to say "Thank You" in a more persistent form. It has been time and time again that this carefully selected melange of topics, personalities and the gravitation this event seems to have on above-average nice people -- in the audience, in the background, and on stage -- has left me with re-filled batteries, with motivation and above all with that very special feeling that I 'belong' to an iternational community of people who do care about the same things that I do, who have a similar calling. And that although my "job" is of course work, I am truly priviledged to be "working" in one of the most fascinating fields of our time. And that my internal compass, while often irritating and irritated when confronted with the realities of client work, is on the right track regarding the greater whole. Yes, sounds cheesy, but what the heck.

So instead of trying to pour my thoughts into one monolithic blog post, here's my idea:

For the next couple of days, everytime I find a pocket of free space and time, I will write a short "Thank you" post around the people I met, or listened to. And maybe all this will give an expression why this conference has become very dear to me.

But first things first:
Thank you Marc for not only keeping this alive, but for still making this a very personal and heartfelt "thing", and for being such a terribly nice person in person.
And congratulations for 8 years of seeing this through, tripling your workload with the iterations in Düsseldorf, Berlin and Munich for the first time this year.

Fat r.e.s.p.e.c.t.