You’re not going to believe this, but kangaroos actually “box” with their forepaws and prop themselves up with their tails when things get rowdy — unnecessary fact, but I had to share it.

Now: I’m pumped to attend the Internet2 Technology Exchange 2026 in Minneapolis, MN. You’re kidding, right? This is the place where the research-and-education network world shows up, not to flex, but to fix things that matter at light speed. In my humble opinion, which is correct, there’s no substitute for three days of corridor chats, live demos, and sitting inches away from the people actually building the future of networking.

Let me break it down pixel by pixel: cutting-edge transport, edge computing use cases, security at scale, cloud interconnects, and collaboration tools that don’t require a PhD in frustration. I want real code, reproducible experiments, and conversations that stop being theoretical and start being deployed. What people don’t understand is that breakthroughs happen in hallway banter and demo-room chaos, not slide decks.

I’ll be there to learn fast, argue sharper, demo smarter, and collect the kind of contacts that make Monday mornings less painful. Ms. Pixels would approve — she knows a good networking meetup when she smells one. Verdict: I can’t wait. This is going to be electric.