Quick Hits: Summer Funnin' Edition

The typically busy end-of-school-year and laid back beginning of summer means that I have not checked in here in quite a while!  I think about it often, just never seem to find the time to sit down and crank out a blog post.  So how about some quick hits, summer funnin' style?

Life on the patio

Back In The Saddle

School was out on a Friday afternoon and I was at the Mesquite Rodeo Ride bright and early on Saturday morning.  It felt great to hit the open road again and I was missing my bike, Johann, as I had not been on it much at all this spring.  The folks in Mesquite always put on a nice rally with a well marked route, officers at the intersections, precious little chip seal, and delicious food at the end.  I was ready to be done by the end of the 40 mile route and very thankful that I was not riding the 60 mile route that day.

The next Saturday brought another favorite, the Collin Classic.  I had memories of last year being hot, windy, and miserable at the end and I looked forward to getting that monkey off of my back.  It turned out to be a great day with lots of cloud cover and the occasional rain shower.  Hard to top that in June!  Once again we were treated to a great rally with a nice route and terrific food at the end.  This time it was 45 miles and I was ready to be finished and grateful that I was not riding the longer course.  I think I am finally starting to realize that I don't have to chose the longest route every single time.

Leaving My Comfort Zone

I got up super early on the second day of summer and headed towards Mesquite again, this time for an open water swim clinic put on by Tri-Now Endurance.  I was so nervous and excited and I knew that I was taking a big step out of my comfort zone - which is exactly why I should be doing it.  I have taken to swimming fairly easily in the pool and I spent countless hours in Lake Texoma growing up, but it had been many years since I had set foot in a lake.  I took a moment to collect myself upon entering the lake, and then I was off.  I did not swim too far away from the shore as I had trouble seeing with my non-smoked goggles and I had not taken the clinic yet.  I swam around for a while, getting a little farther out each time, before the clinic began.  Coach Frank taught us some of the finer points of open water swimming and gave us a chance to practice these things in the water.  I was having so much fun, I didn't want it to end.  I can't wait to get back in the open water again; however, the lakes nearest to me are still extremely high due to the record rains this spring.  I am looking forward to getting back out to an open water swim with Tri-Now very soon!

Open Water Swim Clinic - I'm one of those bodies in the water! (Pic: Tri-Now)

Half Ironman Training....and go!

Soon after my hugely successful second triathlon in April, I decided to take a leap and sign up for Redman 70.3 in late September.  You can only imagine how sweaty my palms were as I hit the "enter" key on my registration.  Training started on the first Monday of summer vacation and I have really been enjoying it.  I really am a geek for training, I love the process, the hard work, and the nitty gritty of it all.  I was able to focus just on training during the first two weeks as there was a break between regular school and summer school.  I am excited that most of the training will fall during the summer months so that I can treat training like a part time job.  I've been swimming twice a week, riding my bike 3 times a week, running 3-4 times a week, and hitting the weights a couple of times each week.  The workouts will increase in time and intensity over the coming weeks and I'm very much looking forward to it.

No swimming...or running...here for a while!

Frundraising

If you have followed me for a while, then you know that I like to chose one big race each year to "give" to the American Music Therapy Association.  I am happy to announce that I will be tri-ing for music therapy this year at the Redman 70.3 Triathlon.  My fundraising is already off to a strong start and I look forward to reaching my goal in the coming months.  I would love it if you would check out my page here and pass it along to those who may be interested.

Of course...Rangers baseball

I can't leave out baseball!  I was lucky enough to catch a Rangers game last Thursday and I hope to get to some more games soon.  I love a summer weekday game, it is so worth the sweating just to feel like you are "getting away with something" while everyone else is working.  

I can hardly believe that June is already behind us and I am hoping that July passes by a little more slowly!  I am already looking forward to Liberty by the Lake 5K and El Scorcho 25K and many more adventures on the bike and in the water.

Monday Musings: 2 Half Marathons, a Conference, and Hay

There have been so many good things going on since I last checked in - time flies when you are having fun, right?  I must be having a blast!  October and November are my favorite months of the year, I almost hate to see them pass by so quickly. How about I hit the high spots?

13.1 Marathon Series

On October 25 Erin and I met up and headed to downtown Dallas for the 13.1 Marathon Series Half. It was perfect timing as I had 15 miles on my plan and Erin needed a 13 mile run.  I have heard great things about this race and always wanted to try it, but it always fell in the "wrong" place on my calendar.  The race started and ended in front of the Winspear Opera House in the Dallas Arts District.  I thought that the race did a great job showing off some of the best parts of Dallas - from the Arts District, down to Lakewood Village, through the M Streets, down the Katy Trail to the American Airlines Center, and back through the West End to finish where we started.  It was warmer and more humid than it should have been on October 25 and I could really feel it.  I agreed to run back out to mile 12 after my finish to meet Erin so that I could get my last two miles.  I was thankful that she was expecting me because I really did not want to run anymore after I finished my 13.1. There was a pretty medal for my 46th half marathon, free beer, and we found ourselves some breakfast tacos post-race.  Not a bad way to spend a training run!  

DRC Half Marathon

The DRC Half Marathon is a sentimental favorite as it was my first half marathon back in 2008.  But even before that I had volunteered at this race in 2004--I worked at a water station around mile 10 and I thought those runners were just so cool. I just couldn't imagine running 10 miles! I always wondered if I could do a half marathon, but wasn't all that interested in finding out for sure.  All these years later, it still makes me smile when I run past that aide station.  Now 6 years and 47 half marathons later....

There is something about the DRC Half that just makes it feel like "family." I suppose it is all of the familiar faces there year after year.  It is a big race and one of the oldest half marathons in the country and I intend to be a part of it every year.  They are in the middle of a 5 year medal series honoring the various landmarks around White Rock Lake.  This year was Winfrey Point - a special one for Mr K and me as this is where we both started running at White Rock and it is where our long runs begin and end, even to this day.  

We had 20 miles on the training plan for the day and I knew that it would take some extra discipline to get there early and get the first 7 miles done before the start.  We were not about to leave any miles on the table after the finish line - too tempting to go and visit with friends and enjoy the post race festivities.  Thankfully, we moved our clocks back an hour that weekend so the stoopid early alarm did not seem quite as stoopid to our bodies.  We arrived in the dark and got those miles done just in time to start the race.  The weather was beautifully cool and it might have been my most enjoyable 20 miler ever.  The course highlights the best parts of White Rock Lake and the spectators were terrific - I especially enjoyed seeing That Pink Girl in her brand new panda suit!  She and Robert are such a positive force out there on the course, I love it when they are in the role of spectathlete.  

American Music Therapy Association Conference

Another highlight of the fall calendar is the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) Conference.  This year it was held in Louisville, Kentucky the first week in November.  I am fortunate enough to find a field in which my colleagues feel like a big family and our conferences feel like family reunions.  We were in Louisville for conference back in 2007, but that conference is just a blur as we did not get out and do anything at all that was fun or memorable.  One of my goals for this one was to make it a good one, something worth remembering! Mission Accomplished.  We started out with a tour of the Louisville Slugger Factory which was walking distance from our hotel. Our tour guide, Doug, was the best and let us play with all of the HUGE baseball props after our tour was complete.  I had an absolute blast - a must see for any baseball fan!

Another highlight of conference is running with the MTFrunners bright and early each morning.  It is always so hard to get out of bed after a busy conference day and a late night, but it is so worth it. This year we ran to Indiana!  Don't worry, it was not as far as it sounds - turns out Indiana was only about 2 miles from our hotel.  The weather was so nice and chilly and we were treated to a big, full moon and a beautiful sunrise - things that I would not have seen if I were not out running.

A selfie of a selfie while straddling the line between Kentucky and Indiana.

The conference itself was fantastic.  It is such a boost to be around so many energetic people who "get" who you are and what you do.  I always marvel at how far our field has come since my first conference way back in college. I've formed some really great friendships over the years too, and I'm sad that I only see some of these people once a year.  I always come away from conference realizing how precious time is, I wish I had more of it to spend with my music therapy colleagues.

Hay Is In The Barn!

On Saturday Mr K and I ran our last 20 miler of our marathon training cycle.  It is so hard to believe that we are already into taper time, it is such a huge difference when your training cycle starts in late August instead of June.  I wouldn't say that it has been "easier" but it has been "different."  It was a bitterly cold and windy day and I just had to put my head down and get the work done.  Who knows what race day will bring, but I can say that I have enjoyed the training process and I have learned and grown along the way.  That's kind of what it is all about, right?  Next long run will be in California!

AMTA Conference: Here's to the Frundraisers!

Mid-November brings what is easily a highlight of my year, the American Music Therapy Association Conference. I always say that I'm lucky enough to work in a field that feels like family with conferences that feel like family reunions. I find this to be more true with each passing year as friendships grow and evolve. This year's conference was held in Jacksonville, Florida -- a perfect warm escape as Texas was blasted with a nasty cold front.



We were treated to this spectacular view each night

We arrived in Jacksonville on Wednesday afternoon and immediately found ourselves in a shuttle with some of our favorite North Dakotans -- Meganne, Natasha, and Emily.  Texans and North Dakotans...sounds like an unlikely pairing, who knew we would be the best of friends?  Turns out that running and music therapy also go hand in hand as we have established a diverse group of Music Therapy Frunners.  We scheduled runs each morning of conference and I made it a goal to be at all of them.  This would be quite a feat with sessions starting at 7:30 and evening activities stretching long into the night. 

Kicking conference off frunner style w Meryl, Deb, & Emily (photo: Meryl)

My conference started before the official Opening Session as I serve on the Student Affairs Advisory Board (SAAB). Sounds pretty fancy, right? I will spare you the long explanation...the SAAB is made up of a student and professional from each region of our association. I have served on this committee for many years now and I LOVE it. I always tell the students to find their "niche" and serve it the best that they can. This is totally my "niche". This has to be one of my favorite committee meetings of the year. If you want energy, go to a music therapy student meeting. These kids are so smart and so tech savvy and I am thrilled to know that they are the future of our profession.

SAAB Committee -- you are looking at the future of music therapy

I love the energy that opening night of conference brings.  It is hard to believe that conference is finally "officially" starting as I have been in meetings and busy all day.  This might have been the latest night with festivities scheduled until 11:00 pm and beyond.  I could already tell that this was going to be one of my favorite conferences.  I had the honor of serving on the official conference Social Media Team.  It was so much fun to live tweet various conference events under the official conference Twitter handle.  I loved this opportunity and I hope that they continue to have it at future conferences.

These statues were a hit!  Thanks to CJ for one of my new favorite pics.

The MT Frundraisers were buzzing with excitement on Friday morning as we had a very special announcement to make at the business meeting.  As you know, I have decided to "give" my annual marathon to AMTA via fundraising.  This idea came about last year when the Chicago Marathon was the same week as AMTA conference, which was also in the Chicago area.  I would have never dreamed of running to raise money for AMTA until Andrew, who was also running the Chicago Marathon, brought it up one day.  We had a spirited "competition" between regions (which I won) and ended up raising $3,338 for AMTA.  Click here for more of that story and a hilarious video.  Our efforts were such a success that Andrew had the brilliant idea to expand our efforts and create a team of frundraisers (frunner + fundraiser = frundraiser).  We amassed a team of 16 dynamic, creative, and energetic music therapists and raised a total of $6,670 between our kickoff in August and our conference in November.  This brings our two-year total to just over $10,500 -- I am so proud and a little overwhelmed!  These projects are ongoing, so be sure to check out FirstGiving to see who is still hard at work and give them your support and watch Andrew's video to meet the Frundraisers and hear a little of their stories.  It was an honor to work with and get to know these Frundraisers better over the last few months.  I can't wait to see what is next for our group!

"What They Didn't Teach You in College" with Stephanie, Mary, & Carolyn

On Saturday morning Mary and I represented our internship in the Internship Fair.  It is so fun to see so many music therapy students shopping for their ideal internship experience.  We met so many students who were interested in our program and eager to come and intern with us.  I hope that they all apply, but it is going to be hard to pick just one!  In the afternoon Mary, Stephanie, Carolyn, and I presented "What They Didn't Teach You In College: Internship and Employment Tips" to a full house.  We had a great time sharing our experiences with students, young professionals, and interns -- we hope that they learned a little something and had fun too.

A visit with Touchdown -- the Jacksonville Jaguar

Our frunner group had a great time too.  I managed to make it to all of the morning runs, as many in our group did.  It is amazing how I can feel so tired when the early alarm goes off and then so alive once I start running.  I think that the daily runs really helped me to feel more alert and "with it" and I plan to continue my conference run streak in the future.  It is a relief  to know that we have established this great network and I will never have to hit the streets of a unfamiliar city alone again.  Jacksonville afforded us some terrific running and we visited Touchdown, the Jacksonville Jaguar mascot, twice during our time in Florida.  I should note that the notoriously bad Jags have gone on a 3-game win streak since we visited Touchdown.  I'd like to think that we had something to do with that. You are welcome, Jacksonville.

One conference run with Andrew, Meryl, and CJ (photo: CJ)

The whirlwind that is conference always seems to come to an end too soon.  It is a blessing and a curse to have created such great friendships with music therapists from all over the country.  I am so lucky to know all of these people, but I always start to miss them before I even make it home.  It just seems unfair that we only see each other once or twice a year.  Until then I will look forward to our Southwestern Region Region conference here in Big D in late March and, of course, the next AMTA conference in Louisville, KY.

Chicago Story: Part 2

There was so much more to my Chicago experience than just the Chicago Marathon.  I was away from home a whopping ten days when it was all said and done, with the trip having essentially three phases: marathon, vacation, conference. 

The Chicago Marathon was the center of a perfect storm of events as the American Music Therapy Association annual conference was held in the Chicago area the week following the race (traditionally held in mid-November).  AMTA Conference is always a highlight of my fall as it is a wonderfully busy time of renewal, service, networking, learning, energizing, etc, etc, etc. 

 To add to the fun, Andrew (the original music therapy frunner) from the Frozen Tundra (aka North Dakota) was also running the marathon and challenged me and my region (Southwestern Region) to a fundraising duel with his region (MidwesternRegion) with all funds going to support the mission of AMTA. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of my colleagues, frunners, family, and friends as I was able to raise $1,728!  I still can’t believe THAT happened and I am sincerely thanking all of you for your support in this endeavor.  It really made the marathon experience that much more special knowing that you all supported not only me, but a cause that is near and dear to my heart.  Okay, enough of the uncharacteristic mushy stuff….you are probably wondering who won the challenge. Well, Andrew and the Midwestern folks put up a good fight, but I am proud to announce that the Southwestern Region was crowned the champions!  The contest was close with Andrew’s side raising $1,610 for a grand total of $3,338—making AMTA the REAL winner in this contest.  Check out the humorous video that Andrew created for the conference….you don’t want to miss this!  It tells the story way better that I do, and only takes a few minutes.

Original Music Therapy Frunners

Conference seems to get bigger and better each year and there were over 1,600 music therapists in attendance.  I had a terrific time catching up with old friends, making new friends, shopping in the exhibit hall, and dancing the night away in the cheesy hotel restaurant.  While dancing might have made for great marathon recovery (Gangnam anyone?), I was happy to be able to catch an early morning run with the rapidly growing AMTA Running Club.  This is such an exciting thing because I used to have to brave the streets of various cities alone just to catch some miles.


AMTA Running Club

I attended many great sessions with a wide range of topics, I am lucky to belong to such a dynamic field full of engaging professionals. I also went to lots of meetings as I serve on a couple of boards and committees—it is a great way to give back.  My lucky streak continued as I entered a drawing held by the Illinois Assoication for Music Therapy and won a beautiful djembe. How cool is THAT?  I always walk away from conference with new ideas, a new focus, and perhaps a nudge to move out of my comfort zone (comfort zone…see quote in top right column).

SHSU Alums are so colorful!!  Eat 'em up Kats!

While exhausting and a little overwhelming, I am always sad to see the end of conference.  I have said many times that I am fortunate to belong to a profession that feels like a family with conferences that feel like family reunions.  I am already looking forward to AMTA 2013 in Jacksonville, Florida!

Leaving AMTA in style!

Stay tuned….there is one final phase of the Chicago story left to tell!

Quick Hits--Summer Funnin' Style

About a week ago reality started to tap me on the shoulder and today it got more brave and stared me right in the eye.  I will be back to my full-time work gig exactly one week from today!  Umm...where did the summer days go?  I have no complaints though, looking back on it I can see that this has been one of the most fun and active summers I have had in quite a while. As I prepare to heed the call of the school bell, I wanted to take a moment or two to share some of the great things that are ongoing in my world these days.  Thus I give you...the quick hits....

Dreamin' Big--Chicago Style
A huge obsession ongoing process of this summer has been training for the Chicago Marathon coming up on October 7.  Mr K and I have been working hard as a team and our training kicked off on June 18.  I have a long history of resentment and struggle when it comes to training in the summer heat.  I don't like it, it is hard and it is very humbling....but I do it...every summer.  It is one of those love/hate things because I always emerge a stronger runner in the fall, but I have just never handled it with much grace (translation: lots of whining, moaning, and gnashing of teeth usually ensues.).  However, this summer I have adopted a firm "no whining" policy about the heat.  No more checking the temperature when I wake up, obsessing over the humidity, or dreading the sweat--this is Texas, it is hot and that is not going to change. Time to get over it.  I decided to embrace the heat and let it challenge me and make me into what it will.  The result?  I have never run stronger in the summer.  (Exhibit A: a new course record at the Liberty 5K) The mind is a strong thing, y'all!

I have only run one marathon and I followed a fairly conservative training plan.  I wanted to survive relatively unscathed and have an experience that would make me want to run more marathons.  The training plan called for a bunch of miles, but no specific paces or speed work.  It took me a solid month of hard work to get back to speed after that race and I decided that from now on all marathon training would include an element of speed work.  I also decided that I wanted to really "race" Chicago, not merely cover the distance--but truly push myself.  I have found a training plan that fits me so very well.  It is a great mix of speed and endurance and it challenges me every time I lace up my shoes.  Each time I read the planned workout I think "I don't think I can do this, but I will try." and most of the time I end up meeting the day's goals.  It is exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time. 

My Current Obsession

One more important note on Chicago: this marathon is something of a perfect storm of events at the national American Music Therapy Association annual conference will be held in Chicago the week following the race (traditionally held in mid-November...see? Perfect storm.).  Andrew, a music therapy frunner from the great white north (North Dakota actually) has challenged my region (Southwestern Region) to a fundraising duel with his region (Midwestern Region)--all funds going to support the mission of the American Music Therapy Association.  So please check out this link, watch the hilarious video that Andrew produced, and please give a few bucks in my name to support the greater cause of music therapy.  I would appreciate it mightily!

Runner on Wheels
In addition to marathon training, I have had a second project going on this summer.  You will remember that I got a bike at the beginning of the summer and my goal was to become a fairly proficient rider by the time school started again.  I am happy to report that I installed some proper pedals, got some shoes, and have been successfully clipping in and out during my rides this week.  I have so much to learn, but have enjoyed a couple of bike rallies now and feel comfortable enough to go on longish rides with my friends.  Do I still feel like a runner pretending to ride a bike? Yes!  And I still have so very much to learn!

Donkey Ride Buddies-TPG, Robert, and Heidi

Aside from the Dr Pepper ride, I have had a couple of other memorable experiences on the bike this summer.  In July I was thrilled to go on my first Donkey Ride.  My friends have this great route that goes through the edge of the suburbs and passes a field with some of the friendliest donkeys you will ever see.  If you know me at all, you know that donkeys are one of my favorite things.  Imagine how my heart filled with joy as I snapped these pictures. 

I also took part in the Blazing Saddles 40 mile ride out in mountainous Granbury this past weekend.  This ride was brought to me by the letter "H" for hills, headwinds, heat, and humbling.  I knew that Granbury was hillier than the Metroplex, but I didn't know just how challenging it would be.  There was one steep grade that came from out of nowhere (a friend estimated the % of the grade--but I forget those details...I just saw STEEP) after a sharp corner and a quick downhill.  There was a pile of cyclists on the ground, people on the sides--it was madness!  This is when I hopped off my bike and pushed it up the hill....and I giggled the whole way.  I couldn't believe that I was pushing my bike! The ride was quite challenging at times, more fun at other times, and overall I had a blast.  The day was made even better as we hung out under a sparse shade tree waiting for Debby and Erin to finish their 75 mile ride.  Yep, 75 miles on those hills and in that heat?  These women are beasts! 

Blazing Saddles!

Add in a splash of part time work, time spent with friends, lots of time hanging with Mr K, tons of Olympic watching, and a somewhat unhealthy obsession with Rangers baseball and you have my summer in a nutshell.  I am always grateful for a job that allows me a bit of "down time" each year to recharge my batteries and rev up for another challenging, yet fulfilling, year at work. As I head back to work next week I will carry with me a mind full of memories, a heart full of happiness, and a body covered in odd and random tan lines.

Cleveland Rocks: AMTA Conference Report

Warning: this blog will have absolutely nothing to do with running. However, it has everything to do with my other passion: music therapy. I have just returned home from the American Music Therapy Association conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Most of you know that I am a music therapist and AMTA is my professional organization. You might not realize that this conference celebrated 60 years of music therapy as an official, organized profession. We have this conference every year in November and it is a wonderfully busy time of renewal, service, networking, learning, energizing, etc, etc, etc. I am so exhausted as I write this, but I wanted to capture my thoughts before I became wrapped up in Thanksgiving preparations.

I felt like this conference brought me full circle, my first conference as a MT-BC (Board Certified Music Therapist) was in 1998 in Cleveland, we were even in the same hotel. I know that everyone says it and it sounds cliche, but I cannot believe that 12 years of my professional career have already passed. It really just seems like I was at the same conference trying to figure out how to make it in the world as a young MT-BC. I cannot think of a more rewarding and vibrant field in which to belong. Seriously, my colleagues blow me away every time we get together in a big group like this. Did I mention that 1400 music therapists came together in Cleveland for this conference? There is no other energy like it!


Conference Roomies and Dear Friends
Carolyn and Stephanie

I started my conference with my committee meeting. I serve on the Student Affairs Advisory Board (SAAB). Sounds pretty fancy, right? I will spare you the long explanation...the SAAB is made up of a student and professional from each region of our association. I have served on this committee for about five years now and I LOVE it. I always tell the students to find their "niche" and serve it the best that they can. This is totally my "niche". If you want energy, go to a music therapy student meeting. These kids are so smart and so tech savvy and I am thrilled to know that they are the future of our profession. Just check out the AMTAS website. It has also been an honor and a privilege to serve with this committee's chair, Dr. Petra Kern. Petra is stepping down after four years of dedicated leadership. I will miss working closely with her, but am thankful for the opportunity.

And conference just kept getting better. We had an amazing presentation on Friday morning as we were treated to a concert of sorts by Ken Medema. To say that Mr. Medema is a performer and music therapist is a tragic understatement. He is amazing in that he is the improvisation king, he can listen to a story and then sing a beautiful song with complex piano accompaniment. Since it is our 60th anniversary, a different music therapist told a story from each decade. Mr. Medema listened to the story and then performed a song based on their story. I find myself unable to do it justice in this description. These songs were so good that we were crying, laughing, dancing, clapping, and the list goes on and on. My friend Janice was chosen to tell a very inspiring story that happened to her in the 2000-10 decade. We were all in tears as her story was performed in song by Mr. Medema. Moments like this make me feel so blessed and lucky to find myself amongst this group.

Conference moved along at a blinding pace. I attended sessions on Universal Design, using your public library, social skills development, and Imagine (the early childhood online magazine) to name a few. I also attended and participated in meetings of our regional and national organization. And I must not forget another favorite element-the internship fair. It is just fascinating to meet students from around the country who are looking for that perfect internship.


Mary and Intern Paula at the Internship Fair

I must not forget to mention the Exhibit Hall--a place for music therapists to gather and try out all of the latest instruments and gadgets. I spent an afternoon there and walked away with a ukulele. They are so affordable, fun, and easy to play, I'm looking forward to adding it into my current music therapy practice. The Exhibit Hall is also a wonderful place to network and I had some fascinating conversations with music therapists that I hope to collaborate with in the future. I ran across an interesting fellow named Tim, through the course of our conversation I learned of his unique journey and passion in life. Be sure to check out his website and blog. I believe that everyone has a story and I heard some good ones within the Exhibit Hall.


Introducing....Uke Ellington

Lastly, the best part of conference might be simply spending time with my friends. We have our usual conference group of Stephanie, Carolyn, and Mary along with Jennifer (Little Bit), and various others. We have so much fun together just being silly--I can honestly say that I laughed until my face hurt and my sides were sore. I treasure this time with my friends because we are currently spread from coast to coast. It is like having Girl's Night Out four nights in a row.


Me with Mary and Stephanie

Conference always flies by way too quickly, but I come home energized (despite the exhaustion) and ready to approach my practice with fresh eyes. I am astounded by the amount of talent that surrounds me in my field. I am blessed beyond belief to have found such a vibrant group of people to stand amongst. Yes, we "rocked" Cleveland in a grand manner. Watch out ATL....we are coming your way in 2011!