Tech Ed 2008 Followed by Disney World

I haven't really been keeping up with many of my normal interests... surfing the web, napping, playing fetch with the dog. Our company decided to send a group of programmer's back to Tech Ed again this year, which was in Orlando again. So, three programmers and I headed out from June 2nd to the 6th to do the conference thing.

The one thing I'll say about the conference is that they treat you right at conferences. You have breakfast, short "sessions" (classes), tables on each hall of the convention center with coffee in the morning, then lunch around noon, followed by more short "sessions"... then the best part, fresh cookies at each table, bananas, candy, popcorn, etc. to kill the 3:00 dip in energy, followed by one last "session". Each night after the last session they usually had some kind of event, of which the best is the attendee party where they shut down Universal Studios for us to have a private go at the park. The final touch that I liked... even more than the attendee party with free food and alcohol... beanbags set up on the lower convention center floor for exhausted programmers to nap on (you better believe I napped like I was training for a tri-napathon).

It's how college should've been.

Katie and I also decided to tack on a little Disney vacation to the end of the trip, spending 4 days at the 4 different parks of Disney World in Orlando. We had a great time in Disney, and I didn't collapse from all the walking, the crush of people, or the summer heat... though I did take a nap every day after getting back from the parks.

I actually rode some roller coasters, and reaffirmed my belief that they are just not my thing. We did the one that's in the middle of the epcot ball, and the Expedition Everest one where you go backwards an forwards and such. I didn't leave the rides with a smile on my face, just a neck ache.

I DID however, enjoy getting my picture taken with goofy. Had I not done this, I would've marked the Disney trip incomplete. He hugged on Katie, and tried to push me out of the picture, then covered my face during the first picture. Good times.

One last note to Disney, it's probably not a good idea to survey the people leaving the park about their dining experiences at the park. When I was stopped, I had been in the park for 7-8 hours in the 90 degree heat, and was not in the mood to look fondly back on having waited for $10 chicken nuggets behind non-English speaking people who couldn't comprehend what "I'll be with you in a moment" means. How about trapping people as they're leaving the little restaurant, where they were most likely air-conditioned and fed. Just a thought.

Anywho, Katie and I had a good time while we were down there. We spent our tax refund like patriotic Americans should... on overpriced fast food, and man-made tourist attractions. God bless America.