My First Macstock
Mac Power Users would feel at home at Macstock. If you are into Apple, no matter the platform (iOS or MacOS), you will love Macstock. I have gone to a lot of comic book, pop culture, and horror conventions, but never felt like I totally fit in. I never felt they were my people. I was into the things those conventions were about. I felt at home at Macstock. The people attending the conference are my people and when you are with the conference attendees you feel that.
I am usually using my iPhone or iPad, but after some of the presentations I went to, I want to use my MacBook Pro more now. There were presentations are personal productivity, tagging, creating a productive workflow with iOS, markdown, and mind mapping to name a few. One of the presentations talked about the Apple Watch and I picked up things I didn’t know because I never dove deeper into it. The bigger thing about the Watch is that you can set-up Favorites to be in your dock. You can only have ten apps (I hope Apple changes that).
I was having a good time, but it was made even better when Allison Sheridan joined me at dinner Saturday night. If you don’t know of Allison or her podcasts (Chit Chat Across the Pond and NosillaCast), I would suggest subscribing to them. Check out her website, Podfeet Podcasts I arrived to dinner late because I had fallen asleep after getting back to the hotel. She saw that I was sitting alone so she got up from where she was sitting at a packed table and came and set down. We talked about a lot of things. She also called people over and was introducing them to me. She didn’t have to come over or even introduce me to people.
It was great meeting podcasters I listen to like David Sparks, Dave Ginsburg, Brett Terpstra, Guy Serle, Mike Schmitz, Adam Christianson, and Tim Robertson and many others.
I had a great time and I plan on going back to Macstock every year. If you go, you won’t be disappointed.
Please check out the Macstock website.
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It sounds like it was a great weekend, I’m really glad you enjoyed it.
The dates for next year have been announced!
I have already put it in my calendar and plan to attend (this year was just too tight timing wise sadly).
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They announced the dates fast. I will be placing them in my calendar too.
I look forward to meeting you next year.
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Rose,
I have an Apple note with information I gathered for this year’s Macstock. The note contains public transportation information and other things. If you or anyone wants it to help prepare, I will send it. I didn’t use everything, but it can give people a start. Just let me know.
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It might be worth publishing that here? If it contains nothing personal/sensitive of course. I’m sure it would be beneficial to a lot of people!
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I don’t think it does, but I was planning on going through it anyway to make sure it was readable to more than just me.
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Macstock Trip Information✈️
July 21 - 22
O’Hare Airport: 10000 W O’Hare Ave, Chicago, IL 60666
Hotel: The Hampton Inn of McHenry,
1555 S. Route 31, McHenry, IL 60050 (51m from airport)
Conference: McHenry County College (MCC),
8900 U.S. Hwy 14, Crystal Lake, IL 60012-2761 (13m from hotel)
American Airlines
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/food
Directions to Hampton Inn McHenry Hotel near Fox Lake
Taxi service (Black cab Taxi & Shuttle, Inc.)
Black Cab Taxi & Shuttle
6308881275
Rate: $70

L to train station (Jefferson Park) [pricing in PDF]
Train (Metra) comes into Crystal Lake
https://metrarail.com/maps-schedules/train-lines/UP-NW/stations/MCHENRY.
https://metrarail.com/maps-schedules/train-lines/UP-NW/stations/JEFFE
RSONP



Call hotel a week ahead to make sure driver is available to pick me up.

Enterprise (one day price)

VEHICLE
Intermediate
Hyundai Elantra Or Similar - Automatic
$ 30.41
Unlimited Mileage
Included
TAXES & FEES
LEARN MORE
Concession Recovery Fee 11.10 Pct (11.1%)
$ 3.48
Customer Facility Charge 8.00/Day
$ 8.00
Lessor Tax 2.75/Rntl
$ 2.75
Vlcrf $.90/Day
$ 0.90
Auto Rental Tax (12.0%)
$ 4.17
Chicago Transaction Tax (9.0%)
$ 3.13
ESTIMATED TOTAL
$52.84
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It looks like the pictures and PDF I had in the note can’t be shared this way, but the rest of my information seems to have been shared.
@MacSparky can you send me the picture we took at Macstock?