Ignite Portland 9: How to win at Ignite or Tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Ignite experience

[HTML1]Sometimes this content is so easy, it practically writes itself. Especially when I’m just repeating stuff I’ve written before. Again and again. But it bears repeating.

So you’ve reached that special time in your life. And you’re headed to Ignite Portland 9, tonight. Exciting isn’t it? You may be experiencing some funny feelings about Ignite.

That’s okay. That’s natural. We all go through it.

Rest assured, we want your Ignite experience to be as fun and rewarding as possible. It’s a special time in your life. And you deserve to get the most out of it. So whether this is your 23rd Ignite event or your first, here are some tips and tricks for getting the most out of Ignite Portland 9.

First, the venue info:

Bagdad Theater, 3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214

7:00 – 9:00-ish PM (Doors open at 5:00 PM)

Admission is always FREE.

Tips and tricks

Here are some “Do”s and “Don’t”s that will help you get the most out of your first, second, third, fourth, or fifth… (well, you get the picture) Ignite Portland experience:

• DO bring your camera, your phone, your sketchpad, or any other way of capturing the event.
• DO tag anything and everything #ip9 and/or igniteportland. That way, everyone can find it.
• DO get there early. Really early. I’m serious. Early. Did I say “Early”? Early.
• DO be prepared to give everyone and anyone your Twitter name. (Don’t use Twitter? Get on it.)
• Now that you’re on Twitter, DO try to tweet about the event and hashtag it #ip9. That way, we can see what you’re saying.
• DO be nice to all the Legion of Tech folks and volunteers. (They’re all volunteers, actually. And they’re doing this in their free time.)
• DO take the chance to introduce yourself to anyone and everyone.
• DON’T forget how hard it is for some of these folks to get on stage.
• Still DON’T be the assholes who were heckling presenters and sponsors that one time. The presenters are taking a nervewracking risk and the sponsors are paying for your ass to be in that seat for free.
• DON’T be a wallflower. Talk to people in line while you’re waiting to get into the venue. Talk to people while you’re waiting in the food line. The Bagdad is a great venue for presenting, but talking to folks at breaks will take some doing.
• DON’T claim to be tired and skip the after party. You’d be amazed at the cool discussions you’ll miss. And of course, the after party is always much better for socializing than standing in the aisles at the Bagdad.
• DON’T have so much fun at the after party that you wander home and submit some crazy Ignite Portland 10 proposal. I mean, that’s why half of those people are up there, tonight.
• DON’T think you’re going to make it? Well DON’T despair! I suggest you DO watch Ignite Portland from the comfort of your Web browser. And if you’re from out of town, you’re more than welcome to tune into Ignite Portland, too. Just visit the Ignite Portland site around showtime.

Need more tips? Right this way, my friend. The Legion of Tech has posted a list as well.

Luck, luck, break a leg, and luck

Best of luck to tonight’s IP9 presenters:

• Carl Alviani – Not Created Equal: The history and discernment of plastics in product design
• Michael Buffington – Trout aerodynamics and other mysterious combinations
• Zack Denfeld – How To Eat a GMO: Glowing Sushi, Vegetarian Bouillabaisse and Hyper Sweet & Sour Pickles
• Jayson Falkner – Gigantic (aka Danger!) Jenga for backyard fun
• Hugh Gallagher – Night of Dave Ewalds
• Alison Greco – How to stop losing your keys, your place, and your temper
• Jeff Hardison – Society’s Attack on the Talented Recluse and What We Can Do About It
• Cory Huff – How Art Stops Urban Decay
• Joe Hurd – Visual Mathematics
• Bruce Irvin – Cool Curling
• Nova Newcomer – Love Letters to Oregon: A First Look at the Personal Papers of Oregon’s First Elected Women
• Aaron Parecki – The vowel “R”, and other linguistic curiosities
• Erin Jo Richey – Brain-Computer Interfaces and the Coming Wave of Mental Telepathy
• Laura Russell – How to Judge a Book By Its Cover
• Meredith Sorensen – Powered by Banana Peels
• Evelyn Varga – Samus: Legend of the Girl Gamer
• Aaron Tersteeg – Online Community Management the Lady Gaga Way!
• J-P Voillequé – 5,000 Games of Solitaire: The “Casual Gaming” Explosion, Internal Narratives, and Pleasure
• Colleen Wainwright – Getting truth from here to there: a five-minute crash course in acting
• Faddah Steve Yuetsu Wolf – Gypsy Jazz – why it rocks your socks off & you wanna be groupies without even knowing it

NEW! (sort of) Tips for presenters

No no no. I’m not writing new content, silly. I’m recycling recycled content. It’s all thanks to Jeff Hardison, who presented during Ignite Portland 4 and who, as luck would have it, will be presenting, tonight.

Last but not least: Party Party Afterparty

What’s a huge event without an afterparty? Well, it’s Ignite Portland 1 and 2, I think. But now, the afterparty is part of the fun.

Everyone loves a good after party. And you’re all invited to Back Stage Bar, right next door to the Bagdad Theater to compare notes with your friends about your favorite IP8 talk, and start rustling up ideas for the killer talk idea you’re going to submit for IP9. Or, just come hang out and have a drink. Back Stage closes at 12AM. I hear there’s going to be a rollicking game of Werewolf at the after party…

Well, there you go, you Ignite attendee you. Enjoy yourself. And revel in what has become a truly Portlandy event.