Look Out CA - Here I Come!

I'm so excited!

Today I booked my trip to the 2012 ESRI User Conference in San Diego, CA.

 This is a picture of the convention center.

Beautiful isn't it?

It's the first time I have been to this event & has been highly recommended to me by many of my peers.

So I know you are wondering how can we (meaning the county) afford to send me 1/2 way across the country to a conference, well since I am the GIS department for the county & we use ESRI software, we have available a complimentary pass (FREE BABY!!) to this conference.

My costs will consist of travel/food/hotel.

Which ironically enough costs about the same as training in St. Charles for 3 days.

So same amount of $$ spent & I get to see San Diego!

I know it will benefit me greatly with my job & I will learn/see a lot.

 (I hope to get a little sight seeing in too,

maybe we could hit up Mexico?)

It's in about a month & my momma is coming with me too!

Very excited about that!

Actually these conferences are set up for families.

They offer child care & other workshops for older children.

Even so, I'm not taking my brood with me, this time anyway.  

Steve won't have vacation time for a year (to which we hope to use going to Colorado again next summer) & I can't take both boys by myself.

I'm gonna miss them so much.  It's the first time I will be away from them for longer than 2 or 3 days.

Hopefully I will be able to go to this conference again in a few years & take the whole family.

Do you ever travel for work?

Tips/tricks/pointers?

What about flying?

I haven't flown in 7 years.

Eeek!

Have a great Tuesday!