He did it his way by Andrew Wilson

NOVEMBER 28--Every trade show has eventful moments, and one of those is the VISION show's annual party held on the show floor by Stemmer Imaging (Puchheim, Germany; www.stemmer-imaging.de). Every year, vendors of cameras, frame grabbers, lighting, and software get together for this close-to-four-hour bash to imbibe in free food and drinks generously supplied by Stemmer Imaging and its associated companies.

The live band that has played at the event for the past few years is excellent and plays a selection of mostly American pop favorites rendered as only the Germans can. This year's concert/party held on the second day of the show was no exception. After playing nearly two one-hour sets to a delighted crowd, it was time for "Professor" Stemmer, president of Stemmer Imaging, to add a few words of his own. "I see camera vendors dancing with frame-grabber vendors, lighting vendors dancing with software vendors, and even members of the press dancing with each other," he quipped as he thanked the band for their performance. "And last year," he said, "a certain member of the audience who is present here today presented me with a bet."

That person, it can now be admitted, was none other than myself, Andrew Wilson, editor of Vision Systems Design (www.vision-systems.com), who in a moment of stupidity, dared the said "professor" to perform during the concert. The chosen song was none other than "My Way," made famous by that master crooner himself, Frank Sinatra.

"Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention," 'professor' Stemmer began the first stanza in a manner more akin to a Tony Bennett vocal than the master himself. With the crowd now enraptured in the performance, many decided to wave cigarette lighters at the front of the stage to show their approval of "professor" Stemmer's singing. And, after the final close, everyone wanted more. Unfortunately, the "professor" had only prepared this single song, and it was left to Peter Stiefenhofer, marketing communications manager with Stemmer Imaging (aka rhythm guitarist), and the rest of the band to conclude the last set.

For my part of the bet, I promised to provide Stemmer Imaging with some publicity and, hence, this article. I never really thought that "professor" Stemmer would take me up on the bet. But then there have been times, I'm sure you knew, when I bit off more than I could chew, but through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spat it out, I faced it all and I stood tall, and did it my way.