Tonight I'm back home from a convention in Fort Lauderdale. I have to say that I didn't quite remember some things from the last time I was there, about 3 years ago, and did remember some others.

It's always nice getting together with colleagues who do some of the same things you do, or used to do, since I'm now independent and most of them still work in healthcare facilities. I find, though, that after so many years there are three groups of people I tend to categorize.

The first group are the fans, which is always nice. I use that term because there are some people who just seem to like me for whatever reason, and want to tell people all sorts of nice things about me. Some of them subscribe to one or both of my newsletters; some have seen my articles; some have used advice I've given on listserves; some I just befriended a long time ago and we're still friends.

The second group are those that, for whatever reason, I'm estranged from. I see them year after year, always say hello when we're confronted with each other, and then they either turn around and go back from where they came, or move past me without wanting to even try to think of something to say. That's always an uncomfortable feeling because it makes me wonder whether they perceive I did something to them, or whether there's just something they either don't like about me, or don't care to want to know about me.

Then there's the third group, which are the unknowns. Some of these folks I've seen year to year, some have seen me, but because there are usually so many bodies (this year we hit 584) we've never had the opportunity to talk with each other. So, I always cherish when I do finally get an opportunity to talk to one of them to, hopefully, come across in a positive fashion. Today was one of those days, as I rode to the airport with this one lady and her husband, and she commented that she's seen me at this conference for a few years and we'd just never had the chance to talk. It was a pleasant ride, and all of us enjoyed each other's company, though we were heading in totally different directions (she lives in the cloudiest city in America, whereas I live in the number two cloudiest city). I had a few of those types of things happen this year, at least half of them introductions by the fans. I only wish I could remember names better; I'm going to have to work on that some more.

Educational sessions are always what these things are about, and this year had some good ones and some that weren't so great, just like every other year. But I got to see my first astronaut in person; this has been a pretty good month for celebrity types, I'd have to say. He didn't walk on the moon, but he's walked in space 3 times; that's fascinating for me, as someone who, at one time in his life, hoped to be an astronaut.

All in all, I had a fairly nice time, but man, was it really that hot and humid three years ago?