I’m seeing a lot of friends online bumming out because they can’t make it to Black Hat, BSidesLV and DEF CON this year.
I feel for them.
I missed four years in a row — 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 — because of a scheduled family event that landed in the same calendar position as the Vegas events. I don’t regret skipping Vegas those years. Not for a second. In my world family comes first.
But I won’t lie. There were points along the way where I got depressed.
I love going to security conferences. I like the feeling I get when I’m able to do a lot of writing about the proceedings. I like getting out of my familiar environment for a few days. I like seeing people face to face. This is all pretty normal. But I used to fear these events.
Because I lost the fear, I got to like travel to the point of greediness.
The last time I missed Security Summer Camp — 2011 — I felt particularly depressed about missing out. I did a lot of travel early that year and it blew up in my face. After that, I decided to add discipline to the travel schedule. The family schedule didn’t conflict as it did the three years before, but I stayed home anyway.
But there’s a bright side.
I made some great family memories the years I skipped Vegas. My wife and I took some fabulous trips to celebrate our wedding anniversary. And that last year I got a ton done while working from my back deck during a beautiful week of weather.
There is life outside of Vegas.
You’re going to miss it no matter what I say, and that’s ok. But you’ll get over it.
I did.
Just like I’ll get over missing some other conferences later this year.
