Greetings from Lost Vegas! I am attending a three-day conferences, powwowing with my fellow wizards, many of them well over four feet. Most folks when they think of a shrink envision a Freud-like old man in glasses and bow tie (if only!). Truth is the profiles in the conference room resemble a GOP nightmare of diversity. It also resembles a night at the theatre viz. everybody is old. There are few who look under forty. Like the opera or the symphony there is a general decline in attendees for ‘live conferences’ ; the older ones die off and the youngsters don’t come. There are many reasons for this. Truth be told I wouldn’t have bothered but it is only a 4-5 hour long drive and I get to spend Lost Vegas as a tax deduction and Someone promised he’d go with me.
I am pleased as punch Someone came with me; I hate being alone in hotels. Neither one of us are good at “doing nothing” so it was a challenge to get him to come with me. He doesn’t like to sit in hotels either. He has to play doctor’s wife all day and try to keep himself amused while I learn things.
More challenging than Someone doing nothing is Urs Truly sitting still for eight hours. My hummingbird-brain goes less patient with long hours of concentration. During the more dull or unimportant lectures today I plan to look like I’m listening but do something else. Spo-fans with blogs shouldn’t be surprised to see comments popping up on their blogs. Take it as a compliment: I would rather read what you are up to than listen to “The practical approaches to managing ADHD co-morbidities”. I think there’s some irony here but it looks like the lectures are commencing so I’m off.
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December 2, 2018 at 9:54 AM
sebby holmes
Good luck. Hope you keep up the concentration 👍
December 2, 2018 at 10:13 AM
Urspo
Send adderall.
December 2, 2018 at 10:11 AM
Old Lurker
No! Bad Dr Spo! Keep the phone and Internet off while you are attending lecture. Once you start looking at blogs you won’t tune back into whatever incredibly important topic your fellow wizard is droning on about.
If you cannot handle the distraction by taking notes (typed or handwritten) then bring a paper notebook with you and doodle in it as you did during grade school. You will still have a better chance of paying attention to the lecture that way.
December 2, 2018 at 10:13 AM
Urspo
Wise and sensible all of this! I am taking handwritten notes for this reason.
December 2, 2018 at 10:14 AM
anne marie in philly
oh the irony (ADHD) indeed! I hope someone finds something interesting to do.
December 2, 2018 at 2:46 PM
Urspo
He is sending me reports he’s walked around seeing the sights and he won 8 dollars playing a video game. He lives life on the edge.
December 2, 2018 at 10:29 AM
David Godfrey
The best part of a conference is the socializing outside of the meeting rooms, the best conferences to go to are your spouses. Verify that Sin City lives up to it’s name.
December 2, 2018 at 2:45 PM
Urspo
I just came from the long line for lunch. While in line nearly all were looking down into their phones, including the fellows in front and back of me. No socializing here.
December 2, 2018 at 12:27 PM
finlaygray
I wouldn’t leave the hotel las vagas has never interested me
December 2, 2018 at 12:34 PM
Urspo
It’s a bit of a nightmare. I see it as a really over the top dessert to have maybe once a year
December 2, 2018 at 8:13 PM
Debra She Who Seeks
One of the many blessings of retirement is never having to attend work-related conferences again.
December 3, 2018 at 11:38 AM
Urspo
There’s a few retirees here apparently for a tax deductible holiday
December 2, 2018 at 10:57 PM
wcs
I would go. Then I would sit in a casino feeding quarters into machines and drinking. Then, to sober up a little, I would jump on the people movers for a ride. Wheeee!
December 3, 2018 at 11:39 AM
Urspo
Dear innocent, the lowest denominator seems to be 10 dollars here.
December 3, 2018 at 11:06 PM
wcs
Shows you how long it’s been since I’ve been to Vegas.
December 2, 2018 at 11:22 PM
Ravager619
Good luck and don’t forget to feed a quarter slot machine $20. Back when I went to Vegas on a regular basis that $20 would become $100 with a couple of lucky pulls.
December 3, 2018 at 11:39 AM
Urspo
I don’t gamble as I am a sore loser 😝
December 3, 2018 at 2:51 AM
Moving with Mitchell
We’re headed there in February… thankfully NOT for a conference. Oh, torture. ADHD would be the right topic for me; I couldn’t stand being “caged” for a conference. Hope Someone has a good time!
December 3, 2018 at 11:41 AM
Urspo
On this second day I am already as restless as a squirrel 🐿