Giving Promo Blocks credit, and preparing for #oow 2012

I had a very busy month in October 2009. While I spent time researching things in my former proposal world, I fulfilled my product management duties by attending Oracle OpenWorld 2009 and my company's User Conference, before publicly announcing that my interest in proposals was more than academic.

Although I have left the product management world behind, I have retained one item from those days - the building blocks that I acquired at Oracle OpenWorld 2009. The blocks, of course, were meant to illustrate that Oracle is able to provide all of the building blocks that you need to create a business solution. I, however, have used the blocks as toys during tense proposal periods.

I've had those blocks for nearly three years, but never took a close look at them until this week, when I noticed the following words etched into the blocks:

PROMO BLOCKS
I knew that the blocks were not Lego blocks, but I never researched to see who actually made them for Oracle. Enter Imagery Group:

Custom Full Color Building Promo Blocks

Take your ideas, concepts or program features to the next level with eye-popping Full Color Promo Blocks. Our Full Color Promo Blocks come on white blocks and include one full color digital decal on one side and are individually poly-bagged. A second digital label or screen printing is available on the second side at an additional cost.

Production time: 10 working days up to 500 sets

You'll notice that the standard product comes on white blocks. The blocks that I obtained at Oracle OpenWorld 2009 were red. Oracle OpenWorld 2012 starts next week, and if this is your first time attending Oracle OpenWorld, let me clue you in on something that you will soon discover: Oracle kinda sorta likes the color red.

I don't know if Oracle Technology Network still hands out building blocks in the post-Kestelyn era, but I'm sure that they'll have something good for you if you go by their tent.

And if you're technically inclined, see what the AppsLab has planned for the week.

P.S. Yes, the hashtag is #oow, not #oow12 or #oow2012. Perhaps this is meant to appease four digit year fans like myself, or perhaps it's an attempt to make #oow a permanent part of your existence. Get the red sunglasses.

P.P.S. "Get the red sunglasses" actually refers to something completely different, but it's not appropriate for me to share it yet. Expect me to share it later. And no, it doesn't have anything to do with another job change.