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I think I may have done a bad thing to my rep as a misanthropic curmudgeon last night, but that's okay. See, a few of us who have been speaking at Macworld Conference & Expo for a long time all got together, chipped in and got Paul Kent, the VP of Macworld a Gibson Les Paul Studio, and the Microsoft Mac BU chipped in too and got him a "Scarface" Coffin Case to go with it. I gave it to Paul at the Macworld Blast! party right before Devo went on, so it was hectic, we couldn't get everyone in to sign it before hand, etc. So, here's what I wanted to say, if I'd have had the time.

"A lot of you here tonight know Paul as the VP of Macworld Conference & Expo, a job he's had for the last 2-3 years. What some of y'all may not know is that for over a decade, Paul's been "da guy" for the Macworld conferences. If you were or are a speaker, Paul took care of you. He kept you fed, caffinated, gave you a place to sit down and do last minute prepwork, or just hide from the constant running that is Macworld. He was the guy who helped first time speakers deal with the nervousness of presenting at Macworld, and provided a pat on the head or a foot up the ass to whomever needed either.

It means he did an insane amount of work in the true sense of the phrase. Over time, a lot of us here not only grew to see even a sliver of how much work Paul and his crew really did, but saw Paul as not just the guy running the speakers, but as a friend. We also learned something: It's sometimes really hard to thank Paul. Because when you do, like any good leader, he'd make sure to deflect praise to the people under him, who work just as hard as he does. However, just as an organization rots from the head down, it also shines from the head down, and so a few of us figured out a way to thank Paul in a way that he cannot deflect.

Paul is a guitar player, and a damned good one. He's been playing for most of his life, has a band, a good one too. If you go to the Your Mac Life party, you'll get a chance to hear Paul's band play. Paul's a Fender man, plays a Telecaster. When I set out to learn how to play guitar, something I've wanted to do as long as Paul's actually been doing it, I of course, got a Les Paul, because I'm a Gibson guy. Paul and I would chat back and forth about guitars and playing, and he always would have some small bit of sage advice for me, that I would always take seriously. But every so often, he'd talk about getting a Les Paul, then kvetch about the prices.

So, when I was trying to figure out a way to show Paul what he, and his work meant to these people who have, over the years, come to think of him as not just the guy who lets you speak, but as a friend, the way was clear. I emailed some folks who've been speaking for a while, or playing with Paul in various pickup gigs, and asked them if they wanted to help. The answer was immediate and unanimous: YES, and how much do you need? When I asked Sheridan Jones of the Microsoft Mac BU if we could present this to you here, tonight, before Devo goes on, the answer was just as immediate: YES, what a wonderful idea! Can we help too?

So Paul, from me, Chuck Goolsbee, Sarah Hindmarsh, Chris Breen, Dori Smith, Jim Dalrymple, Duane Straub, Dave and Brian from The Mac Observer, Web, Sly, Chuck LaTournous, Dave Pooser, Mike Sebastian, Schoun Regan, and the Microsoft Mac BU who chipped in with the "Scarface" Coffin Case, here man: That Les Paul you've been talking about. Thank you for all that work you do, for the friend you are. Thanks man, we love you."

What I really said was something kinda babble-y, because there was no time, and I was kinda hyper at that point. But I think it worked out okay anyway.

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Macworld Expo, Paul Kent, Thank You

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