The Big H

This week - Houston! 

I'm in Houston for Offshore Technology Conference; more than 60,000 people are in attendance. That's not a typo - really, 60,000+ people attend this conference.  Hotel room are sold out for miles.

Autodesk has a booth here where we are showing software solutions relevant to the offshore community - AutoCAD P&ID, NavisWorks, Inventor, Buzzsaw, and Constructware. One of our partners, CF Design, is also here showing computational fluid dynamics & thermal simulation.  I feel my rusty mechanical engineering memory come back to life just watching the CF demos.  I used to know about calculating laminar/turbulent flows and convective/conductive/radiative heat transfer.  But I'm no longer that cool. I like wandering the floor, checking out the giant equipment and learning new words.  That's a photo of me an a large (DN400) ball valve.

Contrary to popular opinion, it is possible to have a good time in Houston.  Ok, so it took me a decade to figure out how, but it is possible.  After a long day at a trade show, one can take in a baseball game, hit a favorite blues club, get a good meal (crawfish! shrimp! Texas BBQ!), or go to a nightclub to see the Spazmatics. As I under stand it, the Spazmatics always play to a PACKED house. Maybe I can get in some shopping while I'm here. 

So really, I'm here to work.  I give a few P&ID talks in the booth theater every day.  I also work the Plant Solutions pod, demonstrating AutoCAD P&ID 2009 and being evasive about future Plant applications.  In case you haven't heard, AutoCAD P&ID 2009 is now out, so I get to demo the latest and greatest. 

That's my life - non-stop fun! 

Comments

[damian]

at least you're having a ball....well, a ball valve that is ;)

[Tom Proctor]

Sounds like a lot of fun being at the Comdex of the Offshore industry, Ursula. 60K people is huge. Have fun and enjoy all that Texas cookin'

[Aaron Taylor]

I was almost gonna shoulda be there. Looks like I missed out on a good time!! --aaron

[Ursula Sadiq]

Hi guys! - yes OTC in Houston was amazing. 5 days later and I'm almost recovered. If anyone working in Oil & Gas gets the chance, OTC is definitely something to check out.