I have a great geeky time at the SQL Server Magazine Connections conference. There were so many great speakers. My brain is full wonderful tips to last me for the next 6 months or so.
My favorite speakers were Brian Moran and Kimberly Tripp. Brian gave awesome classes on performance tuning, sql profiler and sql waittypes. All very very useful stuff!!! Kimberly is the ultimate speaker!!! I could listen to her for hours. I felt like I was guided around inside of the internals works of SQL Server(sort of like the Body Wars ride at Epcot). She really gets SQL into your consciousness. My co-workers are now having to deal with my SQL Server chearleader enthusiasm!!!
Check these folks out:
Brain Moran: (http://www.winnetmag.com/Authors/AuthorID/58/58.html)
Kimberly Tripp(http://www.sqlskills.com/).