Oh, I do love conventions!

-or- a week-long snuggly hug with brilliant people.

I’m coming down from the convention high. I spent last week in Minneapolis at the AMTA National Convention.  It was my 3^rd national convention, and I’m thinking I’ve finally got the hang of it.  Here are the highlights. (I’m still in Minnesota visiting friends, I promise you’ll get more stories and pictures soon!)

The people

With the Mass Chapter crew and our shiny awards

Getting to hang out with the people I know (from real life and from Facebook Land) was the best part. Having time to play with Angela Palmier & Chris Alvarado of Resource ETC,  is always inspiring for me. I come away with a thousand new ideas and a boosted self-esteem.  Michael Reynolds is just as cool in person as he is in the virtual world and officially became my hero when I found out he ordered a milkshake from the hot tub. Genius. Hearing Ruth Werner report on the activities of the Massage Therapy Foundation and the current RISE Campaign moved me to create this fundraiser to involve my clients. (You’ve heard this rant before.) It is incumbent upon us to support their mission, “To advance the knowledge and practice of massage therapy by supporting scientific research, education, and community service.”  I didn’t get nearly enough time to talk to Eric Brown of Bodywork Biz and the World Massage Conference, but it was long enough to find out how experienced he is in our field, and how much he has to contribute.

Yeah, the people were my favorite part.

The collaboration & the irony

By now you know that I serve on the planning committee for the New England Regional Conference. A highlight of the week for me was at the opening session when we received the *New* Collaboration Award of Excellence. For 27 years, 6 state chapters have worked together to create an event featuring all the variety and resources of the National Convention with the ambiance and friendliness of a local general store. I’m honored and humbled to be one of many, many volunteers who contributed over the years.

In contrast to this wonderful acknowledgement of teamwork was the AMTA’s refusal to allow NCBTMB &  AFMTE booth space in the exhibit hall. Uncool. As a co-chair of both my state chapter’s education committee and the 2011 NERC I really could have used some pow-wow time with the education specialists. I strive to bring quality education to members at the state and regional level. It would have been beneficial to me, and therefore the members I serve, to have access to those resources while here. Yes, I can call the good people at the NCBTMB any time, but an in-person interaction is so much more valuable. And isn’t that why we’re here? Boo, AMTA. Boo.

The education

I took a class that I’m pretty sure will change my life. Emotional Intelligence at Work with Patricia Pippert.  I had that moment when you realize you’re in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. All the reading I’ve been slugging through over the past few years made sense, the Covey and Godin and Peters, converged in a synchronicity that would’ve knocked Jung’s socks off.  I learned the 5 components of emotional intelligence and completed a little assessment. Patterns emerged. I have some work to do on me, my reactions, my communication skills.  This is gonna be fun. No doubt you’ll be hearing more about this in posts to come, right now I’m busy becoming Patricia’s biggest (stalker) fan. Really, a 4-hour class and I was riveted, engaged, enthralled every minute. She was a captivating presenter who spun personal stories into applicable examples and made every point succinctly and with humor. I want to be her when I grow up.

Slightly less awesome was the chapter leadership training I attended. Before the big stuff kicks off, National offers training for the  chapter leadership to provide us with tools and resources to bring back and benefit our members.  This was my first year attending and they were trying something new. National offered 6 modules and there was time available to take 3. Event Planning, Elections, Using Social Media in your Chapter, Treasurer/Financial Duties, How to Facilitate a Meeting, and Delegate Responsibilities and Position Statements. So of course I took the Social Media component 1^st. (Actually, it was the only module I attended. Attention span of a fruit fly over here.)

I was underwhelmed. It was clearly well-intended, and let’s throw a little love to the volunteers who put these things together, but the information was lousy and at times, misleading. Michael Reynolds covered this, and all the tech stuff, in much more detail, I encourage you to check it out. But I was underwhelmed.   I heard wonderful comments and feedback about other modules and LOVE LOVE LOVE the efforts made to give chapters more tools and resources.

The fashion faux pas

There were many. ‘nuf said.

The beauty

Sometimes there are people you meet, officially or in a quick passing manner who just, well, shine. Dan and Virginia Barrow are such people.  Mr. Barrow has been the moderator in the House of Delegates for several years, and he works that podium with a grace and skill and humor that leaves me still in awe. He shared his story of coming to his 1^st convention 20 years ago scared and shy and not knowing anyone, and how the AMTA is now a big chunk of his life and the source of great happiness. Specifically, that he met Mrs. Barrow here.  One brief interaction with her in an elevator and I could tell she oozes the same warm fuzzy grace. Just watching them together is a thing of beauty, warms the cockles of my heart and makes me believe in true love like a Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie never could. And really, when a dude with a beautiful silver braid down his back compliments MY hair, well, I was in heaven.

The food

Oh, there was food. Green Eggs & Ham panini with Bloody Marys upon arrival in the city. Bison Burger at a restarant with a Kissing Room. No lie. Hot Dog at a ball game. Multiple breakfast croissants and coffee. A Juicy Lucy burger at the 5·8 Club. Best Cobb Salad I’ve ever had at Hell’s Kitchen. Pancakes at The Newsroom. Shrimp at 3 Monkeys. Samosas and curry and kabobs at Bombay. Scallops followed by chocolate cake. Fish and Chips. A Sushi Adventure that was insanely fun. Hummus. Calamari. Fried Chicken. Omlette. Pancakes. Pumpkin bisque. Fancy vegetarian thing. More chocolate cake. And then a finale of late night pizza and waffle fries with 2 of my favorite people.

Luckily, I spent a great deal of time walking around the area exploring and finding perfect places to eat. But I’m pretty sure I still gained 5 pounds while here and will be adjusting my dress code to include stretchy pants for a few weeks. It was worth it.

The conclusion

This convention left me giddy, exhausted, inspired, sleep-deprived, elated and a little more curvy. I could not be happier.

I did not make time to spin around and toss my hat in the air a la Mary Tyler Moore, but this isn’t the last Minneapolis has seen of me.

Consumed while writing this post: see above section entitled “The food”

Possibly Related Posts:

• A very special guest post
• Massage Nerd, Community, & Writing for your Business
• She called me a ‘colleague’.
• The Spa Junkie and the Plan Bs
• Blogging for your Massage Business. I do, will you?