Back from Kentucky

I just flew back from Kentucky, and boy are my arms tired. 🙂 My brother is getting married in early September — woohoo!! — so on Friday my wife and I flew to Kentucky for a wedding shower. We flew back today. It was really nice to see lots of family and friends and wear my Ale-8 T-shirt with pride.

The only real downside (other than all that flying time) is that I’m several days behind on email now. Not the situation that I’d like when going into a multi-day search conference tomorrow, but such is life. If you see me at the conference, please say hello! Also be on the lookout for several other Googlers who will be presenting or hanging out at the webmaster tools booth.

Last but not least, here’s a really useful piece of advice. If you’re attending the Google Dance on Tuesday night at Google’s headquarters, don’t just spend your time chilling with Googlers, dancing, and drinking. There will also be a “Meet the Google Engineers” room in building 43 where you can ask lots of different questions. There will be folks from search quality, search infrastructure, Google Reader, AdSense, Feedburner, invalid clicks, mobile search, and many more teams. Save some time to drop by that room and meet some Google engineers. I plan to be there too.

30 Responses to Back from Kentucky (Leave a comment)

  1. Matt,

    Ok. So Ross “The Inventor” Cutts is getting married. Tell us more about him, Matt? What kind of guy is he?

  2. “Meet the Google Engineers” room in building 43 where you can ask lots of different questions. There will be folks from search quality, search infrastructure, Google Reader, AdSense, Feedburner, invalid clicks, mobile search, and many more teams. Save some time to drop by that room and meet some Google engineers. I plan to be there too.

    What is problematic with this….when an event like this is held – only a relatively few will be able to meet in person with these Engineers.

    Why not have periodic live, interactive video chats with Engineers?

    The difference is that instead of a just few dozen people interacting in one room – A few THOUSAND can participate worldwide and share massive amounts of knowledge. 🙂 🙂

    It is unfathomable that with all the hi tech at society’s disposal, it is just not being incorporated – people are still doing important things in the limited traditional way.

    There is no reason why this Engineer event can’t be expanded to take advantage of Web 2.0 tools.

  3. Dave (original)

    Gotta agree with SEARCHENGINESWEB on this. It’s astounded me for Years now.

  4. SEARCHENGINESWEB

    yess.. dont get caried a way with video conferencing etc has its uses but when it comes to the more social aspect of interaction it sucks to use a technical term.

    Forums like this and the groups google do have a great deal of value but people are social animals and FTF interacton is still the best way.

    I rember a guy in BT (who is a RSM in the TA – trhe national guard in US terms) saying that one of the best team building methods was socializing was having a few beers together.

    Pity you not running a london version of this event 🙂

  5. So, Does the accent come back?

    Where did you go to eat?

    dk

  6. Dave (original)

    yess.. dont get caried a way with video conferencing etc has its uses but when it comes to the more social aspect of interaction it sucks to use a technical term.

    Debatable and irrelevant. Those who believe it “sucks” can make the journey in person. Those who cant or wont, can watch the video. Win Win.

    BTW, Matts many videos on technical aspects has proven very useful to ten of thousands.

  7. Nice tip for those who are going. I’ll know I’ll make it one day 😉

  8. Hi Matt,
    Here is a funny story. 2 years ago I was at your HQ with SES and you guys gave us out t-shirts. My friend got tired of carrying his around and it was a little chilly, so he put his on.

    We then went in to meet Google Engineers. You were in there along with a ton of other people. Too many people were crowded around you guys so we just sat down at an empty table.

    As we were talking about SEO people started crowding around and started asking questions about Google. We had like 20 people standing around us asking my friend questions. He kept saying he was not with Google but these people didn’t believe us! Every time he said he was not with Google people were winking and saying, “Yeah right”. This was hilarious and my funniest moment at your HQ.

  9. Hello Matt, Congratulations to your brother! It’s about time, right? I hope you had a nice trip. Unfortunately you always have to pay for it when you come back, by having all that work waiting for you.

  10. Sound like you’re having a real wing-ding over there at the plex. It would be cool to be a fly on the wall at building 43. Anyone going to let the rest of us know what type of Q/A were covered there?

  11. Harith, he likes his privacy, so I probably won’t go into much detail about him. But he’s a great guy. 🙂

    SEARCHENGINESWEB, regarding that people have to register at SES to attend, remember a couple things:
    – I know that at least in the past, we’ve had Google Dances where you didn’t have to be an SES attendee to come. It might also have been possible to get a low-cost Expo pass and sign up as well. Those were free in advance.
    – My last speaking conference was WordCamp. The price for that was $25 for two days, and you got a T-shirt, food, and other perks.

    Dr. David Klein, the accent does come back. I’m still shaking it.

    Mike, I hope you didn’t use that chance to change any major policies at Google. 😉

    Bruce, it hurt going to Eastern time, but now at least I get an early start to the day for a couple days.

  12. With an Expo-only pass to SES this year, you can attend the exhibit hall, keynotes, and some events, including the Google Dance. I work at a small non-profit and we do not have the time/money to send someone to the conference. We send our thanks to SES, Google, and the others that make this inexpensive option available.

  13. Matt,

    “Harith, he likes his privacy, so I probably won’t go into much detail about him. But he’s a great guy.”

    Fair enough. You say hello from me and wish him and Mrs. Cutts a happy, peaceful and prosperous life together 🙂

    It just happened that I stumbled over his name and few details while preparing for my next post: Five things you don’t know about Matt Cutts 🙂

  14. No Matt sightings as of noon Monday ?

  15. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but even I’ve got to agree with SEW on this one. It would likely be less expensive for all parties concerned to do some Plex moderated video conferencing for tens of thousands of people.

    People who still want to socialize in a conference atmosphere can still do so, and those of us who are fine with the video conferencing get what we want too. Like Dave says, everyone wins.

  16. I like that idea as well Multi-Worded Adam, we are not all able to be places, I got a son, business and life to deal with here.

    Drove thru Kentucky the other day with family, it was a nice ride other than the old folks who nearly knocked us off the highway when they merged into our lane. I wonder how often seniors take out entire families in the US? Is it a daily occurrence? Not to change the subject, trying to keep my ADD in check, carry on… ;-(

  17. JEEEEEZ — Everytime *¨¨*:•.(¯`’•.¸ Search*EngineS* WeB ¸.•’´¯) .•:*¨¨* makes a suggestion it stirs passion and intrigue among Humans on virtually EVERY site.

    Kindly, do not include any replies to
    *¨¨*:•.(¯`’•.¸ Search*EngineS* WeB ¸.•’´¯) .•:*¨¨* in the same posts with other replies.

    *¨¨*:•.(¯`’•.¸ Search*EngineS* WeB ¸.•’´¯) .•:*¨¨* deserves a separate, isolated reply to fully do justice to the intelligence and sophistication of these posts and brilliant suggestions.

    As everyone knows, these innovative posts have changed longstanding policies in Google – even to the point of modifying algos.

    These posts have added sizzle and zest to this blog, and helped it become more exciting.

    These suggestions are read by all the top search companies and are very likely influencing THEIR policies, politics and behaviors, by helping them develop and enhance their thinking.

    So in a sense …
    *¨¨*:•.(¯`’•.¸ Search*EngineS* WeB ¸.•’´¯) .•:*¨¨* is influencing the world, by changing mindless templated thinking. 😮

    It is only fitting that any replies are offered that fully illustrate & demonstrate reverence and humility.

    Also, allow *¨¨*:•.(¯`’•.¸ Search*EngineS* WeB ¸.•’´¯) .•:*¨¨* to post in color so that these intriguing, historic posts can immediately, visually stand out from the mediocre – and remove the NoFollows so that Trust Rank and Page Rank can find their way to these brilliant sites.

    This will please! 😀

  18. Keri, thanks for contributing that. So anyone that planned ahead and got the Expo pass for free could have signed up for the Google Dance. Good to know, especially for the future.

    Joe Duck, I was in the universal search session and then ate lunch in the regular conference lunchroom. I saw Bob Rains in the lunchroom and met a couple folks from an agency in Costa Rica. A nice fellow (Manny Fernandez) said hello and asked what I did at Google. 🙂

    SEW, I don’t think it’s in everyone’s interests to add color to your posts. 🙂

  19. Sorry I missed you today Matt but hope to get a chance to say hi at Google Party if not sooner.

  20. Matt,

    Btw, didn’t you meet just by incident, during your last weekend visit to Kentucky, Michelle Banzer Miss Kentucky 2007 . Next stop: Miss Universe. After that? Miss Multiverse, baby. 🙂

  21. congratulations to your brother .
    i am really intrested in attenting the google dance but i am in thailand ,
    wait for your next post about that .

  22. I didn’t realize you were from Kentucky Matt. Where are you from in KY? I live in Lexington right now. And yes, Ale-8 rocks! 🙂

  23. SEW: that may be the first time ever that a post with no animation and no colors causes an epileptic seizure.

  24. Matt,

    Looking forward to seeing you again. Last time 2 years ago Larry came up in the middle of the conversation at the meet the enhineers session and provided some excitement for everyone standing there listening to you.

    Lew

  25. “Ok. So Ross “The Inventor” Cutts is getting married. Tell us more about him, Matt? What kind of guy is he?”

    Disturbing: in a kind-of-stalker way.

  26. I recall when I was at high school, attractive girls tend to use the words “stalker way” too loosely 🙂

  27. Dr. David Klein, the accent does come back. I’m still shaking it….

    Matt,

    Having the Kentucky accent is nothing to shake. It is actually more fun to walk up to someone with a disarming southern drawl then blow their socks off with your knowledge on a particular subject.

    Next time you are in Kentucky, holla! We are in Madisonville in the Western half of the State just above Hopkinsville. Maybe we could do a Google Engineer Meet and Greet at Difabios (great Italian Restaurant).

  28. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but even I’ve got to agree with SEW on this one. It would likely be less expensive for all parties concerned to do some Plex moderated video conferencing for tens of thousands of people

  29. I didn’t realize you were from Kentucky Matt. Where are you from in KY?

  30. Tube, I agree with you to. It would be for all parties less expensive.

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