I went to PyCon this year and last year. I have taught high school math and science for about 15 years now. My father was a software engineer in the 70's and 8

I went to PyCon this year and last year. I have taught high school math and science for about 15 years now. My father was a software engineer in the 70's and 80's, so I had played with programming all my life. When my father passed away a few years ago, I went through his computer and saw the programs he'd been working on for years, which would never see any actual use. I decided then and there to take my own programming more seriously, and try to do something more meaningful with it. I was incredibly intimidated to go to a professional programming conference as a non-professional programmer. I couldn't believe how positive the experience was. The first year I went to PyCon I got a clear sense that I could do something meaningful. The second year I made all kinds of connections that I continue to build on, and I have a couple really meaningful projects started. Short version: Going to PyCon helped me jump-start a second career, and makes me a much better teacher as well.