It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy…
I was one of the lucky several hundred people or so who got to go to Ignite Portland 3 Wednesday night at the Bagdad Theatre. (Don’t know what Ignite is or why you should now feel like you missed out? See this or this or that.)
During the early networking break, I was even more lucky - I got a chance to talk to Rick Turoczy, the guy behind his own labor of love - the Silicon Florist. Silicon Florist, in Rick’s own words, helps “provide a repository for interesting technology news from Portland, Oregon”… (Again, if you’re involved in the PDX tech community at all - or want to be - you’re missing out if you’re not already following his site.)
Rick was in total, typical self-deprecation mode. See, he needed to get on stage shortly and give a fifteen second statement as one of Ignite’s sponsors. But he didn’t really see it as a Big Marketing Moment.
“Nobody really cares about Silicon Florist, you know,” he said to both Jason Grigsby (one of the evening’s star presenters and founder of Cloud Four) and me. And then he shrugged his shoulders, brushed off our protestations to the contrary, and the conversation moved on to another topic.
Well, Jason and I were Right and Rick was Wrong, Wrong, Wrong. See, I don’t know what Rick ended up saying for his fifteen seconds of fame.
The cheers and whistles and stomps and hoots and hollers and just overall love and appreciation from the audience just totally drowned him out.
But that’s not why Rick’s one of the nicer guys in PDX.
In his post-event roundup post, Rick apologizes to the Ignite attendees. Because he forgot to say thank you for the warm reception.
And that’s why he gets all the love…
I completely agree. Rick is the nicest stinking guy in Portland. And he’s also one of the most optimistic, usually about the potential and future of whomever he’s speaking with, which is also part of Portland’s love for him… He’s our own cheerleader.
Go @Turoczy.
Yep, that’s Rick. I was the one trilling in the audience when he got on stage.
BTW, Rick always associates himself with Silicon Florist, but doesn’t ever mention that he actually has a job and tries to make a living as one of the founders of Return (http://returncorp.com/), blogs at More than a Living (http://morethanaliving.com/blog/), and has a side project called Hello Kumquat (http://hellokumquat.com/).
So if you like what Rick does at Silicon Florist, check out one of his other projects as well or hire him for your work.
I had to say all of the above because Rick will never say it for himself. And that’s why we like him.
I love Silicon Florist. I’ve never met Rick, but he was very kind to write a glowing review about my blog and to give me thoughtful advice via email. And Silicon Florist just exudes a nice, enthusiastic vibe. Wish I could have made it to Ignite.
i saw rick give a kitten a dirty look once, but other than that i love the guy too.
his blogging skills are a model for us all
It’s your fault I’m so optimistic. Yes you. Each and every one of you super talented, incredibly intelligent, and truly inspiring Portland people.
Don’t give me that “Who me?” look. Yes you!
P.S. I’m not putting on the skirt, Glaspey.
Rick is the most humble guy I know, seriously. His shyness and humility are part of what make us love him so much. He’s a real asset to Portland, and I’m grateful that he does what he does.
He’s also one of the hardest working, “on top of things” bloggers I know. Not much gets by him, if anything at all. And he says such nice, positive things about everyone (including Ignite Portland and all the other Legion of Tech efforts), that I feel like I should be paying him to be our PR agent or something.
Hats off, Rick, and keep it up. You’re building the most valuable thing of all - trust, friendship, and strong relationships with your fellow human beings.
Rick in a cheerleader skirt? That image is going one I’m going to have to burn out of my memory.
Why do you have to keep saying things I can’t unhear?
And another question. Why can’t I write coherent blog comments?
Jason, I’m a little confused - are you filing a feature request about a software limitation here? Or is this a more general observation about your communication style?
If it’s the latter, well - sorry, can’t help you, dude!
It’s heartening to see I’m not the only one who fawns over Rick. My affection for him has manifested itself into the kind of crush in which, if he had long hair in a braid and sat in front of me in a mid-nineteenth century school house, I would TOTALLY be pulling said braid when the teacher wasn’t looking. Love hurts, man.
A guy who puts up with that kind of abuse is a freaking saint. And he’s cute, too! (Surprised no one mentioned that.)
@mediaChick -
The whole ‘he’s cute, too!’ bit? I can’t speak for everyone else, but I left it out ’cause it’s just that freaking obvious…
Rick has managed to make me feel like a welcome & integral part of the PDX tech scene. How does he do that when I in fact live in Leiden, The Netherlands?
If he carries on this way I plus many others will have no choice but to move to Portland. Then what are you all going to do when the place becomes overrun with megageeks?
Hopefully this effort will lead to Portland becoming one the most successful tech areas in the US.
It already feels as if PDX is on the verge of hitting the hockey stick upwards on the graph of success.
If i can, I would really like to be there & help jack it up to an even steeper angle.
In order to honour all the hard work Rick has unselfishly put in to “making Portland happen #MPH”, I was thinking maybe he deserves some kind of tribute.
Statue in the center of town seemed so 1950’s but maybe getting Voodoo to create the “Turoczy” bacon doughnut would be a way to bring the name of this great man on to everyones lips
Rick: If you ever need a hand with anything, just give me shout. I don’t mind going “polyphasic” for a week or two if that’s what it takes.
“Then what are you all going to do when the place becomes overrun with megageeks?”
When? When?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
That’s vegetarian megageeks that will need to learn to eat Voodoo Doughnuts bacon “Turoczy’s”.
If you want to know when, ask Rick for a look to show you the names in his little black book
I think Corvida will be the first wave, after that geeks we be parachuting in from b52 bombers. It’s going to be a nightmare. Warn the general public to stock up on beer chips, redbull & jolt cola because the megageeks will vacuum up all the supplies in city clean.
Some very kind words for a friend I’ve known for a very long time. Rick has always been one to take the time to explain the world of tech to me in a very simple way, such that even a business guy can be in awe of some of the amazing innovation that hasn’t yet found it’s “real world” application.
Now isn’t this fun, heaping mega-love on a guy who shuns it? Either he is squirming in his well worn Internet cockpit, or his secret insatiable craving for attention is being drug to the surface. My guess? It’s the former and the more we talk about this shining man of the Silicon Florist, the more pressure we put on him to perform.
Rick, we love you - obviously. Now, keep it in balance and put yourself and your family first. We are content with #3. Don’t worry about juggling - it’s a difficult skill to master and #1 and #2 should never be dropped - they are too precious!
Ricky the T is history’s greatest monster.