Explicitly and without apology a marketing vehicle MaryMaryQuiteContrary

You're not going to believe this but I swear to you it is true.

So I'm sitting here, waiting for the Network Computing event presentation to begin. Totally scored a seat in the second row next to Danny Malks. I'm snapping quick photos on the sly as final preparations are made and we're about to begin.

Then here's what happens next: The Big Boss says looks over in my general direction -- "You want to get the good pictures, come with me."

(or something like that; I was kind of stunned so I can't remember exactly what he said..)

I  look over my shoulder to see who he's talking to.

And I realize he's talking to me.

Holy you-know-what! The Big Boss is talking to me.

Can you even believe this, people?

I meet the guy for the first time in my adult life minutes earlier and now he's telling me that I get to go backstage and take pictures. It's a MaryMaryQuiteContrary  exclusive!

We're talking about the CEO of a Fortune 173 company who Nicholas Carr has said "has seen the future."

(I was thinking of asking him if he'd seen six lucky numbers, but I wisely refrained.)

This is my bossⁿ boss

(!!!)

So as we head backstage (!!!!), we pause to take a quick snapshot...



 with Jose Jiminez (CSC) and Paul Kilmartin (eBay), who are going to be participating with us as part of the presentation today.

I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I almost did a little happy dance, but I again wisely refrained (until he was onstage and couldn't see me).

So check this out... they did this gag (that's what Jake calls these kinds of things), where he wore a Washington Nationals jersey and he was going to hit baseballs (soft kind) into the crowd.

It is with great pleasure that I deliver to MaryMaryQuiteContrary readers world exclusive photographs of what happened backstage right before he went on...

:-)

Check it out:



Here's a picture of The Big Boss putting on the jersey...



... as he's about to go on stage...



... and is greeted very warmly by the crowd...



... Then he did this thing where he hit balls into the audience. (Nobody got hurt. Except JohnnyL. wink, wink.)



You guys, he hit one into the upper deck of the theater... up there in the balcony! It was awesome.

:-)

So, can you even believe this? I don't think I'd believe it if somebody was telling me. Thankfully, I've got pictures to prove it.

I'm over here living in La-La land. In recent days I have been:

1. On the road with U2 going to concert after concert. (We've delivered a technology infrastructure that's helping Bono enlist his fans into the ONE Campaign within the time and space constraints of a rock concert. I'm the business lead on the intiative.)
2. Participating in a press conference w/Bono and Brad Pitt where Brad (we're on first name basis) puts his hand on my shoulder and says "you come here."
3. Engaged in private email dialogue with Dr. Josh the very same day as the Brad Pitt interaction that's got me all excited about what's ahead. (hint, hint.)
4. Hosted Hal Stern and Danny Malks for breakfast at my house
5. Gone backstage with the Big Boss at the NC Event where I secured (and delivered) a MaryMaryQuiteContrary exclusive.

I am living the vida loca (wrong artist but you get the idea).

:-)

mary

p.s. I just knew it was going to be a good day. I could feel it in my bones.

p.p.s. here's a picture my new best friend Kim took of me blogging from the venue and sent to me

Some of the smartest, most talented, absolutely extraordinary professionals you'll ever meet work for Sun Microsystems.

I have the good fortune to call these spectacuar individuals not just my colleagues, they're also my friends.

Here's a picture of Maria and Christina.



These gals are awesome. I've known them both and worked with them both for many, many, many years. They're in charge of putting on this show. We're about to get started....



Real quick before we do...

So, you guys might have noticed we've got a whole new look going on.

Check out the home page and you'll see what I'm talking about. So that whole new look was physically instantiated here at the launch event.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

(Maria and Christina are in charge.)

It's so beautiful. Entering the auditorium is an immersive experience. I love it.

And I am not the only one.

I was talking to this guy from the Dept. of Labor (who I didn't ask/receive permission to name) and he just told me he loved it too. I talked to lots of people. Tons of positive feedback. People are loving it.

(!!!!)

So it's really fun. It's really fun to see the whole thing roll out when you know how much work went into it.

OK. Showtime. I'm so excited. They're going to get started in just a few mins.

mary

I'm coming to you live from nation's capital where Sun is hosting the Network Computing launch event today. We are playing host to more than 400 customers and partners on the ground here in Washington, DC and many thousands more on the web.

(Not to worry, it's not too late to get in on this action. Check out the Network Computing launch event and get clued in to the Smarter Enterprise.)

Big, big day for me and the my buddies (Dan Malks and John Crupi -- we're the troika working on the ONE campaign initative we've got going on with Bono).

<pause button>

get ready people; here comes the exciting part

</pause button>

We got to meet Scott McNealy today!! I've worked for Sun for the better part of a decade and I've never got to meet the guy that we refer to in the blog (with respect and great reverence) as the Big Boss (note, initial cap)

He was nice. He was gracious. It was nice. He seemed mildly interested in what we've been up to. Either that or he was just being polite. I like to think the former. It was very nice.

Proof. Check it out:



So how exciting is that?!

It's going to be a good day. I can just feel it.

:-)

double :-)

mary

Sun is hosting its quarterly Network Computing event, and I've got the good fortune of getting to attend in person!

(expecting to do some primo techno celeb sighting today.)

But the real action is happening online....

mary

p.s. I've got the camera.