Tuesday, June 02, 2009

In Florida This Week

I'm in Florida this week, manning my company's booth at the SOFIC Special Ops Forces Trade Show. This trade show is kind of like the winery trade show I went to a while back, except instead of selling wine stuff, they're selling death and destruction.

There were all kinds of exhibits of guns, RPGs, body armor, SCUBA rebreathers, UAVs... you name it. I was walking the floor of the show and happened upon a bloody and dismembered mannequin lying pathetically on the floor. He had blood all over him, his face was frozen in a death scream, and bones spurted from what was left of his limbs. Really nice. Eddie would have fainted cold from shock just seeing it. Luke would have thought it was cool. I guess it was some kind of medical trainer, but I could have done without seeing it myself.

Anyhow, trade shows like these are always a little tedious. It doesn't help that I don't like talking to people that I don't know. Plus, most people aren't truly interested in your work anyway, since they just want to grab the free flashlight or sunglasses you're offering and beat cheeks to the next booth. And standing on your feet all day as a "booth babe" is wearing.

I've done dozens of shows like these, both in the government sector and in my old telecom sector, and I have yet to ever hear of a single business lead from a show like this.

Frankly, the wine show was more entertaining.

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