It's only the first official day at Tech·Ed, but I've already got a bunch to write about.

Yesterday, I registered, got the awesome handout backpack/laptop carrier that they give you at registration, and went to hear Ron Jacobs' pre-conference Architecture seminar (the one that was going to be co-presented by Scott Hanselman).  I enjoyed Ron's presentation immensely, though.

Then I went to the Party with Palermo.  That was a blast, and the pictures prove it. 

• Here I am in front of the Glo Lounge, hanging out with the awesome Alan Stevens of the East Tennessee .NET Users Group.  He and I were the first to show up, yet we ended up around 20th in line.  Fortunately, we were early enough to have caught an eyeful of the four very young and very naughty-looking Russian girls who tried to invite themselves to the party.  Trust me, there's no way they were Tech·Ed attendees, but Alan and I both thought they should be allowed in anyway.
• I'm in the background here chatting up Stuart Celerier of Corillian (his back is to the camera).
• Stuart and I were asked to strike a pose.

This morning I caught another of Ron Jacobs' architecture talks (a much shorter one), and I went to a lunch seminar on getting your technical book published (I don't have any plans, I was just interested in the process).  Then I looked at my schedule for the rest of the afternoon and realized that nothing really struck my fancy too much, so I went to the certification and testing area of the conference, where I took (and passed) 70-340, Implementing Security for Applications with Microsoft Visual C#.NET. Passing that test, in combination with previous tests I've passed, means I am now an Microsoft Certified Application Developer. 

But then it gets better.  Now that I was an MCAD, I was only two tests away from Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD).  With a study hall full of training material and practice tests at my disposal, there's no time like the present, right?  About two hours later, I passed 70-316 (Windows Applications with C#).  And I'm scheduled to take 70-300 (Requirements and Architecture) on Friday.

Then I went and schmoozed on the expo floor for a while, before finally retiring back to my hotel.

Personal Heroes of Mine to whom I have Introduced Myself and Shook Hands

• Carl Franklin (Ambushed him at the bar at the Party with Palermo)
• Richard Campbell (Same as with Carl)
• Mark Miller (I actually stood at the DevExpress booth and heard him demo CodeRush for about 20 minutes before he asked me if I was interested, to which I replied, "No, I already use CodeRush.  I'm just a Mark Miller fan."  Which he seemed to think was kind of creepy...)
• Rockford Lhotka (He wandered up to the DevExpress booth when Mark was demoing CodeRush)
• Miguel Castro (He was at the Party with Palermo)