This was my first CiviCon. I missed the chance last year. It was great to meet all the people I have chatted with on the forums and IRC over the last couple of years -- finally. I was gratified to be part of the sessions here. I presented a UI Customization session with Jim from Rooty Hollow; I shared a couple of case studies along with Gregory from CivicActions. Chatting with Lobo, Dave G, Kurund, Ninjitsu Matt and Deepak was fun and interesting.
During CiviCon I reflected both privately and publically about my first introduction to CiviCRM in '08. I've gone from a 'noob in the forums asking dumb questions to someone who knows a little about a lot - but who still knows I have a lot more to know. My personal story about the open-source CiviCRM community is a story of cautious enthusiasm, warm welcomes, giving back, and eventual understanding. I took a leap of faith but it turned out well for me. I encourage others to try the same approach.