Mike reflects on chicago code camp | Ramblin' & Amblin' | Nov 3, 2026

All right, talking about user groups and some history in the area from the user groups I've founded, co-founded, nothing is, I mean, yeah, I founded Cloud Developer Group and I founded SCMC Nothing is done alone, I knew I couldn't do it alone, so it is a confounding situation, but it's a false modesty to say that it wasn't me that got up and got it going, but it is also a false effort to say that I did it by myself I'm grateful that That it still exists and that everybody did What they did to make it real, but I'm going to just talk about the early days And I'm still struggling with my own Feelings about how all this Has panned out I don't know Should be a lot happier than Everything than I am Still there Somebody's glasses That's not what Underneath This is a vlog Not a Perfect record of everything I'm trying to remember And If it sounds like I'm taking away from anybody I'm sorry I'm really trying not to I've been reasoning with this myself I don't mean to diminish anybody That was never my goal I've always Was trained to live a Life of service Between religion and scouts And Lessons from my mom and my father Did some good come of it I'd like to think it did But uh It sure doesn't feel like it I feel pretty alone Like I did this stuff And Just I ended up annoying more people And disappointing people And instead of this being a joyous fun thing It's um I regret it Wish I never did it Wish I never did any of it Wish I'd never been with Chicago Code Camp It's like I'm made fun of For my work By someone who was just some corporate hack And he's Not afraid to go out and get people to do things for him And then mock the efforts Of the people And I am talking about Clark Sal Because I know That he's the one who pushed me out of it Because I know the people who told me And uh You know with uh The user group You know I couldn't do it after two years I can't even begin to describe How Bad my situation was at the time Of my parents My mother-in-law My father-in-law Was just An absolute useless Lump of Nothing And uh Um Just Put more burden on my wife And my kids I mean uh I had no energy left I was putting everything into it Because I thought it was the right thing to do That I was making the world better I was wrong I was not I was making Things worse I guess when I finally Couldn't do it anymore You know I didn't handle it as gracefully as I could And hurt people's feelings And then For years I was Estrange from my own Group That I should have You know I thought I would be Beloved in the group But I wasn't I was resented And uh They didn't want me at the meetings anymore Just because I don't know why I mean I know why Don't get me wrong I know why I know that they were frustrated too It's Evil They weren't Planning against me I Left them in a Tough situation too Because remember I said You know I was the first mover But I was not the only mover And a lot of people Did a lot of work To make it happen On their own Not because I made them But because they wanted to See something good too They put the effort in The last thing I wanted to do Is take away from Them Even in Utastic I tried to Try to use it to A couple of interviews To Tell A history Maybe even lead into Too hard Trying to be accommodating And say Hey Ryan I'm going to interview you too Talk about it But if you watch those interviews You'll see how uncomfortable They are See some Not super jazzed With me at the time Either And um It hurts And uh Yeah Getting made fun of For For the Chicago Code Camp I mean go look at The Wayback Machine And what I built I was learning Ruby I was supplying Accessibility I was supplying I was running Rails I built that When I say Almost single handedly I mean that Effectively single handedly Um But I will say that My friend Sergio Um Came out and he helped And repaired one time At least I can remember And that was nice But um But um The uh Parable of the uh Man who plants a tree That he won't feel the shade of I I don't feel shade I just feel Bad Because uh I couldn't keep it up So like even now I'm afraid to really restart this Because uh While it is I feel like closing a door On um The project And finally Making good on everything I started With Ugetastic Bittersweet Isn't the word for it It hurts It really hurts I'm trying to find a job I feel like I'm begging people That are Ten years plus And then they talk about Craftsmanship And it's like Hey guys Um Yeah Don't Don't misunderstand That I'm here applying For this job For I wasn't there All those people Those books you have On their shelf I was I was learning And practicing With them Directly Indirectly I was working with the people That were Doing the thing I I I did the thing But it was so long ago That nobody cares It's just Old man I was just fucking talking I'm sorry This isn't where I wanted to go With this Video But it's where I'm at Wherever you go There you are And I And I'm always there And I wish I wasn't I really do Wish I wasn't God damn Disappointment To everybody And all the wild Worst people Can imagine Are just dancing Jumping up and down On the stage Changing laws Taking everything Good about Technology Enabling And just Turning it against us All the wild People that are Just never really Had to feel Any of the consequences Are just Happy And they think it's you They think it's me It is It is me I've been a fool I should have been like them And focused on I could have been a VP Could have been a director If I Doesn't focus on other people Trying to build something They can just take it for granted Or just forgotten It doesn't matter Alright thanks bye