Although I was there last year -- writing, blogging, communicating to the community -- I don't have a pass to JavaOne 2008 yet. Unfortunately, I have no concrete plans. No corporate or community sponsor has agreed to help yet either. It's a sad, sad thing. Indeed, these are trying, desperate times.

I want to go to JavaOne...and I'm willing to take drastic action. Sure, I could just put up the money myself. The $1595 price tag for a 4-day pass is expensive but not entirely out of my budget. Still, there's no fun in that, especially if I can do something more interesting than just sending in the registration cash. So, I'm going to do something a little different in order to participate this year. I'm hiring myself out!

Yes, that's right. The first sponsor to offer a full 4-day Conference Pass and room will receive my professional consulting/writing/blogging/programming/go-fer services for the duration of the event!

Here's what you'll get:

• One full week of blogging for your products of choice at the JavaOne conference.
• Booth duty...you know you need a break from the pavilion booth at some point. Let me help.
• A feature article...or two...from me if you're the editor of a Java-related journal.
• Any other reasonable task that you might need.

Yes, it's a bit unusual. But the JavaOne conference is unusual too. I think this is going to work out just great.

You know how to reach me: john at joconner dot com.