Last week was my first Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Boston. It was the event that I’ve wanted to attend for more than a year. The product I work on, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, is built on a partner network that spans the globe. Partners serve as our force on the ground that work directly with customers at a scale Microsoft could never reach. It’s been my goal to develop better connections with this group and WPC was the right place to go. Using a tool called RIO that facilitated “structured networking“, I met with successful CRM VARs and ISVs in countries as far as Germany and South Africa. There was also a lot of “un-structured networking” in the evenings, if you know what I mean.

In a stroke of coincidence, WPC is put on by CRG Events, the company that my friend Marcie works for. Marcie was on site for the event, so we made plans to spend an extra day hanging around the fantastic city of Boston. Despite the mugginess of the climate, we entertained ourselves taking strolls in and around Boston Common, taking detours to pop our heads into a small selection of tourist spots off a menu rich in American history. We ended our day by going for a sail on the tall ship Formiddable, a modern version of a Brigantine, which took us for a spin and tour around Boston Harbor, complete with a (slightly cheesy) mock naval battle on the seas. It was a fine way to cap off a fun and exciting visit.

I’ve posted pictures of my escapades in the Big Apple and Boston up on Google’s new Picasa Web Albums. Despite two solid and very late nights of tango in New York, I’m sorry to say that I don’t have any milonga photos. Next time! New Yorkers dance wonderfully and it’d be a pleasure to return.

New York

Boston

It seems like my life never eases up from its 100mph pace. Today, the road of life has led me to New York City, where I’m spending the weekend before heading to Boston on Monday to attend Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference. I’ve ducked into the new Apple Store in New York (yes, the one modeled after the Louvre with the glass elevator) for some free Internet off decent machines.

New York is a wonderful city. For some unknown reason, I’ve always had some apprehension (fear?) of coming here—maybe I’ve seen too many action movies where New York is the center of crime and ass kicking. Realistically though, New York is as safe or safer than any other city I’ve been in around the world.

I got in yesterday afternoon and checked into a hostel on the southwest corner of Central Park, walking distance to just about…everything. I had dinner with my cousin Derrick, his girlfriend, and her family. Derrick and Shirley planned to be in New York the same weekend I was so they could take me around the town a little bit (thanks!) and we’re headed to a comedy club tonight.

New York also makes the fifth city I’ve tangoed in, adding it self to a list that includes Seattle, Portland, Budapest, and Vancouver. I went last night to Tango Lounge, a dance studio located on the fifth floor of an otherwise unremarkable office building. The monthly all-night milonga is tonight and I’m looking forward to dancing my feet off.