Channel 9 is running a contest called “Blog'n my way to the PDC” in which the winner goes to PDC free.  I certainly can deal with that. Check out the details in Jeff's post: How to enter the Blog'n my way to the PDC Contest at Channel9. There's also a contest “Code'n my way to PDC” where you're entry consists of a shareware application written using the Shareware Starter Kit.  Again more details provided by Jeff on a post titled: How to enter the Code'n my way to PDC Contest at Channel 9.  While you're there, check out the PDC Flair located here: http://channel9.msdn.com/pdc/default.aspx?viewtype=3.

Now, here's the portion of this blog post that contains my Official Entry. Ohhh... and if you get a chance please click the banner to the left ;) First off let me explain the reasons I'd like to go. 

• I'm the average person who works in a small company out in corporate America who acts in so many roles it can be confusing. Sometimes a web developer, sometimes a windows developer, sometimes an architect, sometimes a documenter, sometimes a database developer, sometimes a tester, the list goes on and on. I feel that my wide spread usage and knowledge of many technologies will help me to get the most out of PDC, since I'll be able to participate in a wide variety of activities. 
• I have a passion to learn new technology.  Although I work my 40 - 60 hours a week at my day job, I do as much if not more at home learning, researching, reading, coding as much as I can.  This is not for work reasons, it's because I love this stuff.  I'll be coding until my last day ;)
• I support the community as much as possible.  Take a look at WebJots, a complete website written entirely in ASP.NET Beta 2, with all of the source code publicly available in a Starter Kit.  Plus I'm frequent poster on the ASP.NET Forums helping out those I can and I act as a mentor to developers around me. Not to mention my .NET based blog...

Going to PDC 2005 isn't all about me, there's some cool stuff in it for you too! Here's how I'm going to use the PDC experience to give back to the community.

• Blogging many, many, many times daily.  I'll be blogging daily on everything I can find.  Every single session, key note, contest, activity, cool vendor, piece of swag and as many hands on labs that I can get my hands on. I'll strive to participate in everything no matter what the consequences.  Sleeping, eating, resting out of the way, PDC is here. Sessions at 3AM, great I'm there! I'll not rest until everything is blogged!!!
• Unlimited continuous flow of digital Photos posted on the Web.  I will take continuous photos of everything, so much so that many people at the PDC may find it extremely aggravating, but I'm willing to take that risk :)
• Education to those that I work with.  I'm the “new technology guy” at the office.  I am continually educating developers, managers, executives with the latest and greatest things they need to know about.  When I come back, I'll be holding classes and sessions of my own for all those I work with.

The knowledge I'll be able to bring back from PDC will help me to help those around me.  From forums posts to blog entries to peer education and probably to a few more starter kits, help me go to the PDC so I can help as many people as possible to get excited about the evolutions in development from Microsoft.  So take a moment, click one of the links and vote for me, if you think I should go.