Posted on | January 18, 2010 | No Comments
It’s amazing who you run into in the most random places. As an example I bumped into Robert Strojan the other day, in of all places, the DMV. I know! Who’d have guessed two people suffering the same fate at the same time.
Robert was already inside when I got there, but there was a seat next to him. I grabbed my number, which I’m pretty sure is the same number Beetlejuice had at the end of the movie.
I sit down between Robert, and … well I think he’s human, but could easily pass for either vegetable or mineral.
Me: Hey Robert how are ya?
Robert: Great John, you? Stuck renewing your license too I see.
(I nod)
Me: Yeah. Hope you’re excited about 360|iDev, I know I am, I can’t wait for April.
(They call number 365, a large black woman gets up. I’m not entirely sure, but I think they might be covertly filming a “Martin Lawrence dressed like a black woman” movie at this DMV. I keep an on eye on “her”)
Robert: Yeah I can’t wait. this is my first 360|iDev. I spent the early part of my career working as a hardware engineer so I’m really looking forward to Michael Gile’s session about the External Accessory Framework and finding out more about how to get the iPhone to communicate with custom hardware via the 30 pin connector.
Me: Yeah the hardware stuff has some promise. I can’t wait to see what products start surfacing for the iPhone, hopefully we get more than 30 different universal remotes. What do you think people who attend your session will be most surprised by/about?
The maybe-it’s-martin-lawrence-woman is throwing some kind of fit and flailing her arms. It’s looking more and more likely that Robert and I are now movie extras. Robert notices too and tried to not pay attention.
Robert: There’s something for everyone. If you’re a novice or intermediate developer you’ll appreciate the points on AVAudioPlayer and the intro to OpenAL. If you’re an iPhone guru you’re going to love the precision audio control you get after we unravel the mysteries behind Audio Units.
(Now a tiny white guy is crawling around on the most-likely-martin-Lawrence-woman. She’s swatting at him, takes out the DMV lady behind the desk, the ‘security’ guard is keeping a safe distance as this unfolds. Most-likely-Martin-Lawrence-woman gets a hold of tiny white guy (Rob Schneider?) and tosses him into another DMV customer.)
(Robert and I stand up and move to the side as the scene(?) unfolds)
Me: What are you most looking forward to at 360|iDev San Jose?
Robert: Meeting other iPhone devs, presenting my session, and learning. (He has to duck as what looks like a bowling ball flies past. Who brings a bowling ball to the DMV??)
(Looking-more-and-more-like-it’s-Martin-Lawrence-woman is swinging a broom handle at Has-to-be-Rob-Schneider. For some reason I guess he’s trying to tackle ‘her’ he’s dressed like a carrot, did I mention that?)
(The other tellers are trying to work, god bless them, they call 381.)
Me: What would you tell someone that was on the fence about attending 360|iDev to convince them to come?
Robert: (He thinks a bit, again dodging something airborne) Four days jam-packed with powerful info you can’t get anywhere else; surrounded by some of sharpest minds in iPhone development. Why haven’t you signed up?
(the action up frontis getting a little frenetic, Rob-Schneider-dressed-like-a-carrot is getting thrown around by There’s-no-one-else-it-could-be-but-Martin-Lawrence-woman. She’s really mad, not sure what he did, but she does not like it.)
(Finally the security personnel get the upper hand and manage to escort There’s-no-one-else-it-could-be-but-Martin-Lawrence-woman and I-thought-Rob-Schneider-was-dead-guy outside. I’m sure after that one of them died, or the director yelled cut. In any event the finally called Robert’s number)
Me: (as Robert gets up to go to the window) Dude, who do you think would win, Lion Voltron or Vehicle Voltron?
Robert: (As he approaches the wind0w) Lion Voltron by KO in the third round.
Robert finished his business and I sat back down. I was surrounded by people, I’d be more comfortable with not driving, as I waited for them to get to the 600′s. Robert waved as he left.
Don’t miss 360|iDev San Jose. We’ve got great things planned. I’m not even talking about the 40+ sessions that you won’t see elsewhere, at a level you won’t get elsewhere. I’m talking about the Touch Arcade Game Jam, The awesome panels. The Appfigures party, and more!
Register now! Don’t miss the best iPhone Developer conference ever! :)
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