This year I was able to attend Gig City Elixir in Chattanooga, TN. I had been searching for Elixir meetups near me when I ran across this conference and realized it was happening just two hours down the road and only two weeks away. I was quite nervous booking a ticket, as I was just learning the language while reading through books, but I’m so glad I went.
I laughed when I realized that the conference organizer was none other than Bruce Tate and his wife — the same Bruce Tate who was the author/editor of so many Elixir books.
So many great speakers kept me engaged for the two days, but a few stand out when looking back:
- Randal Thomas spoke about the importance of working on things that matter and aren’t destructive. We all need a paycheck, but at what cost to us and our society?
- Kimberley Erni showed how determination and grit started her career and how we all feel like imposters as we learn.
- Alexa and Frank Hunleth chronicaled a gift designed to bring joy. Using nerves they built a piece of hardware to track the Tates’ boat trip around the country. (Special thanks to Frank for hooking me up with a Mango-Pi!)
- Bryan Hunter showcased a technical marvel that brings real improvements to outcomes in healthcare. Everyone came away from this talk inspired. For me this bookended Randal’s call to work on things that matter.
The conference was a great size, the speakers were excellent, the hospitality went above and beyond, and I came away inspired and determined to go back next year.