I’m looking forward to a fantastic summer. We’ve got vacations to go on, parties to host/attend, a paver front walkway to rip out and redo (yuck) and time to sit out on the back porch with friends. With all that on tap, I’m still looking forward to attending SharePoint Saturday Chicago in early June. Here’s a few key reasons why:

• It’s the *first* SharePoint Saturday I’ve had the chance to attend (outside of SPS Twin Cities)
• It’s launching a new SharePoint 101 track I’m incredibly excited about! The track includes 4 building-block sessions that layer together to provide a complete roadmap for SharePoint. It’ll take you from the basics (aka what is SharePoint and what can I do with it?) through the requirements definition and future-proofing/governance processes and culminate with a look at real-world implementations and guidelines for calculating ROI on your implementation. An incredible track of sessions, all available for FREE just by attending. (Note: The final schedule has not been posted yet, but it looks like I’m the final leg of this 101-track, coming in at the end to present on ROI.)
• It’s giving me the chance to catch up with some SharePoint friends I don’t get to see too often (Chris Geier, Ruven Gotz, Richard Harbridge, Cathy Dew, etc.) while also giving me the chance to hang out with local Twin Cities SharePoint gurus Wes Preston, Virgil Carroll and Raymond Mitchell.
• It’s the first SharePoint event I get to bring my hubby to! Jason is usually holding down the home front while I get to wander about and talk about SharePoint. I’m looking forward to bringing him along for the ride. We’ll have to wait to see how much of a heckler he is… 

Want more information? Check out the SPS Chicago site. Here’s a marketing blurb from the event’s organizers:

This year’s suburban edition of SharePoint Saturday 2011 will feature 3 unique tracks in hopes to provide more value to the attendees.  These unique tracks will be

1. SharePoint 101 and will seek to walk users through the beginning of their SharePoint journey from the basics of what is SharePoint to planning your implementation.

2. Office365.  You have heard about it, but what is it really and how may it apply to your needs?

3. Advanced topics in SharePoint.  If you are one that typically does not go to user group or community events because there is not enough depth. This track is for you.  We will be showcasing some experts in the SharePoint community imparting their bits of wisdom. 

In short this year’s suburban edition will seek to provide something for everyone, and attract an audience from the entire spectrum.