I’m feeling pretty energized these days. Fabulous wife, two awesome kids, house that I can call home. My job has settled in to become something I enjoy (most days). The show is everything I hoped it would be (although I could do a better job of marketing it). And my network of librarianly friends and acquaintances seems to grow on an almost daily basis. Things are firing on all cylinders.

It’s the perfect time for a conference.* After a bit of a hiatus, I’m returning to the ITI conference scene for Computers in Libraries 2008. And I’m pumped up about it.

I’ll be speaking twice. First, with the estimable Matt Gullett, I’ll be talking about Libraries as Laboratories for Innovation and, more specifically, about the efforts of our innovation team at my workplace.

The second presentation is a bit more unconventional, at least by library conference standards. It’s called a Pecha Kucha. The idea is that each presenter is allowed 20 slides that are displayed for 20 seconds each. 6:40 to get up, get on with it and get off. Beautiful. That’s about the limit of my attention span.

In this particular Pecha Kucha 2.0, as it’s billed, each participant will be evangelizing for a particular 2.0 technology (naturally, I’ll be covering podcasting) with a final presenter taking on the role of naysayer. Should be good fun and the fellow participants are all noteworthy presenters.

But as many of you know, the real joy of a conference comes from the other attendees, and in particular, the conversations you have in between sessions, at receptions, over meals, and so on. This year, I expect to be fully overwhelmed.

Beyond the old friends with whom I’m anxious to reconnect, there’s a whole new web of acquaintances that I’ve made through the show and through the wacky world of social networking, especially Twitter and Facebook. I can’t wait to meet as many of them as I can in person. I’m all about bringing people together right now. In many ways, that’s what Uncontrolled Vocabulary is all about.

Anyway, all of this yammering on is for no greater purpose than to share some of my excitement with you. I feel we could all use a little more good energy around this little chunk of the blogosphere. So here, have some of mine.

* I know that this is a bit early to discuss a conference in April, but I can’t help myself. I’m excited now!