2 days of mental exercise!

Conference Center

Conference Room..AKA Meat Locker

Well, I had to go to a CME conference this weekend, because I am woefully behind on my continuing education. So, Friday Morning EARLY, I crawled out of bed and made the drive down to ATL. The Conference really was pretty good, and I think that the lecturers had a lot of good information that they passed on, but there is just something about sitting in lectures all day that just saps the energy out of you!!! On top of that, I probably burned 2000 calories just trying to stay warm. They had the conference room FREEZING cold! I had even brought a jacket with me out planning for the possibility of it being chilly...but it was RIDICULOUSLY, mind-numbingly cold in that room! I could have had on a hat, gloves, and down jacket and still been cold...I am planning on taking an inventory of my fingers and toes to see if I have lost any to frost bite!

Last night, I stayed at a friend's house near the conference center so that I wouldn't have to drive back home and repeat the crazy early morning...and to save some gas! So, this morning, I got to sleep in a little later and then head to the conference.

I really don't enjoy going to things like this alone, because while the conference was good and while you typically chit chat with others through out the day, there is just something about having a friend there to talk to...someone to keep you awake!

instead, I had to pretty much continuously eat this candy...and it really wasn't good...and you can imagine my guilt while shoveling this sugary substance into my mouth and learning about new guidelines in Diabetes.

another tactic I tried to stay awake was meaningless note taking...

Today, they lectured through lunch...here is me multitasking...
or I should say finding yet more things to do to stay awake...
AKA sneaking my camera out and trying to take pictures without anyone around me seeing.

There were several things about this conference that I thought made it great.
1. It was free!!!
2. Free breakfast and lunch.
3. 13 hours of CME were offered. (Yay!!! 13 more down only a few more to finish before Tuesday!!)
4. The lectures were informative and interesting and they were typically given by entertaining lecturers...a big plus! (Although, I will admit that I was nodding off during the lecture on insomnia yesterday!! lol!! oh the irony! Not due tot he fault of the lecturers, but because of my early morning!)

Another thing about medical conferences that I have always found interesting is watching all of the medical professionals. There is such a wide spectrum of individual there...some are very interesting characters! And, while you would think that people would dress professionally to attend a professional meeting, you would be shocked at the things people find acceptable to wear! You have everything from cute little old doctors in there suits and hats to someone in ratty jeans and a t-shirt..it's fascinating really...but then, I guess that I shouldn't say anything, because I was SERIOUSLY thinking about looking for a snowsuit to wear today!