Only 6 More Hours.... Howl of the Lone Wolf

If all goes well, in six hours I will be at Autodesk University!

I am not quite sure how this became such an exciting thing for me.

Last year was my first AU, and I did have a great time. Beth and I geeked out from 6AM until 7PM then went back to the hotel and grabbed a quick meal and worked... So we didn't see Mickey even once.

We learned a TON and had a great time- it was amazing to get that much knowledge in a few short days. But we were kind of shy... and didn't know anyone but each other. So we didn't truly get as much out of it as we could.

This year... This year is a different story. Beth will be there, as will all our friends from the Cadapult technical staff... and the Civil3D.com team... and the folks that we met from Autodesk over the course of the past year... and some folks from the Discussion Group...

I guess my point is that I once approached learning Civil 3D as an activity that I undertook alone. I would sit with my laptop on a TV tray and drill, drill, drill- all alone. Beth and I did trainings together, projects together and implementations- but it was just us and our users. We didn't know where to turn for additional support or who we could bounce ideas off of. I started mildly in Fall 2004, and then in earnest in Spring of 2005.

The Lone Wolf (Wolves).

I learned a heap, yes, but my true mindstorm and skill explosion didn't hit until I began participating in the Civil 3D community- both online and in person. I learned more from May 2006 forward than I did in the entire 18 months beforehand. What did I change? I started having conversations. I stuck my neck out on the Autodesk Discussion Groups. Started my Yahoo Group. Blogged every idea and every technical question that I was asked. Took a chance and submitted two AU abstracts. Broke down and downloaded gtalk and started having dialogs with those Civil 3D users out there that were seeking a symbiotic relationship of idea swapping. Attending Autodesk University this year with more in mind that just quietly listening.

(**Authors note** those of you who know me will find it very hard to believe that I did, at one time, sit and listen quietly at AU)

So, Lone Wolves, seek each other. And if you aren't coming to Autodesk University this year, start savings your pennies now. I want to see you there in 2007.