Michael Lord

With the realisation that SolidWorks World 2013 is now just a touch over a just a week away (before I fly out), I think now is a good time to check that I’m getting ready to go!  

•  Passport – Visa ESTA 

• Flights – Sydney – Los Angeles – Los Angeles – Orlando 19hours flying time!   Add in getting to & from airports, a few hours of hanging around Airports and getting through Immigration. I should knock over the trip in 27hours door to door!

•  Accommodation – Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel

•  Telecommunications (A rant against the Telecommunication companies world-wide!)  I wanted to be more self-sufficient this year instead of just relying on just Wi-Fi where I could find it! Simple I thought just unlock my iPhone and pick-up an international SIM.  That would be fine if all I wanted was phone calls and SMS but more importantly, what about data!  Simple I can get an AT&T SIM (which I could get locally before I leave) and a Prepaid Plan with Data for the month.  What! AT&T disable Personal Hotspot! That makes it a little difficult to use my Nexus 7!  So I simplified the problem, bought an Unlocked Mi-Fi and a AT&T SIM Data Plan.  In this day and age with the amount of International travel you would think that the Telecommunication companies would get rid of their outrageous Data Roaming rip-off charges! Start to cooperate and then we all just travel without changing SIM’s and use our normal Plans!! 

• New Screen for the Laptop.  Despite the technology available with tablets I still prefer to edit images and video, as well as post, with my Dell Studio XPS16.  The last few year of rendering I believe has taken its toll on the screen.  The lower right hand corner had started to show discolouration.   At first it was only when the laptop was getting hot but over the last month it was from start up!  The three year warranty has paid off.  Notified Dell and two days later the technician arrived and 15 minutes after that a new screen for SolidWorks World!    Now I just need to add in the additional Battery Chargers and cables for the Nexus 7, Mi-Fi and Camera to my Crumpler!  To join the already multitude of life’s necessities that reside in there on a daily basis

• US Dollars.  Whilst nobody likes to see the US continue with its current economic situation I do appreciate the $1.0509USD to $1.00AUD I received this morning. (it’s certainly better than the $0.66 we saw not that many years ago!)    Besides I may need those additional extra dollars based on the following discussion! (Wednesday night wind down Poker night)

• Travel Insurance.  Never had to claim, never travel overseas without!  But you never know!  As I sit here and type this with a numb cheek and jaw after a unscheduled and emergency visit to the dentist today!

•  Finish meeting scheduling and Breakout Session selection to Outlook Calender (Double Check that ALL appointments are set to Eastern US Time zone because there nothing like a reminder going off a 2o’clock in the morning!)  I have settled on the breakout sessions, with alternatives!  Sessions can be full, I can also have “what was I thinking moments”!   I haven’t ventured to far away from my “normal”, Assemblies, Rendering and Surfacing.  Although I am venturing into the world of Dumb Solids!       

• Upload travel and associated documents to Evernote

• Apart from being the dutiful son and visiting my aging mother!  Putting in four days of work, finding a night to submit something to this month’s Render Contest   and download a book and movie or two .    That just leaves putting some clothes in a bag and I’m off, ready for SolidWorks World 2013