I left my shoe on Bourbon Street

Woke up in my own bed this morning: quiet, but strangely disorienting. Many thoughts germinated on this trip, intellectual and strategic. OK, and some absinthe and dancing and beignets and beads as well. It *was* New Orleans.

The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine members are a select group, I find. There were many ED specialists there that I've known a while, but a number who until now I hadn't had much time to chat with and learn about. Here's what impressed me most: the quality of expertise. This wasn't a crowd of people who were dithering over whether or what "evidence-based" is. They weren't caught up in idiotic in-fighting about particular words or modalities because they actually understand what they mean and can get on with the how and when and let's share ideas on new innovations.

The quality of the presentations reflected that, as did the questions - which were real questions and not just speeches and self-promotion in the form of a question. The hallway conversations led to at least three new initiatives for F.E.A.S.T. and two meetings ended up moving projects forward in a way that a month of email and phone meetings would never have.

MB Krohel, my friend, social director, catering and networking wizard, dowser of the right person for each job, and head of the F.E.A.S.T. Medical Education Task Force, is a FORCE to be reckoned with. She earns her reputation for getting things done just as she does her Mardi Gras beads: with focus and integrity. And she knows how to party.

I continue to learn from Rod McClymont of Bathurst, or "He Who Knows Everyone" who can always be found surrounded by other clever people - in this case an international and spicy melange perfect for New Orleans. 

Glad to catch up with Ellen Rome, Debra Katzman, Walt "I'll do anything for beads" Kaye, Richard "ready for St. Patrick's day" Kriepe, Laura "noisy brain" Hill, and ever in passing Rebecka Peebles. 

Now, I lost a shoe and at least an hour's worth of memory on Bourbon Street, so - you know who you are - if you find them just leave them as a token of my affection.

Food, music, friends, good science, and an optimistic view to the future of eating disorder care: that's a week worth having. But I need a nap.

Comments

  1. Moar deaderer than Irish about this.

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  2. Wow - I'm surprised you can still stand after all that. There was no dancing in the streets of London and all shoes remained on feet (well mine did anyway which is just as well as I only took one pair) but there was optimism and hope at our conference too and masses and masses of learning

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    1. Standing is over-rated.

      EDIC sounds like a rich and varied experience that will bear a lot of fruit over time. And lose fewer shoes.

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  3. Laura, I have to admit I am just the tiniest bit jealous. Absinthe? (last time I saw it for sale here it was a watered down version called Absente!), dancing, beignets, beads?? - we don't have the reputation of NOLA in London, certainly, but in my one day at EDIC, we managed a cold beer (or two) over a hot curry, a bit of loosened conversation as a result, a slight stagger to a taxi rank (in the absence of an obvious bus stop), and a bit of a giggle on the way to the train home - we are lacking the glamour and, dare I say it, the loucheness of the Big Easy. Damn! You have trumped us.

    Green eyed monster aside, glad you could let your hair down, sorry that you lost your shoe (although, a little bit envious of having had the opportunity) sounds like you had a great time - can't wait to hear more. Hope to hear more from London too from those who were not such lightweights as myself; I clearly have much to learn.

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    1. I'll never have absinthe again, I assure you. Once in a lifetime.

      A pint, a stagger and a giggle sound pretty darn good to me!

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    2. Pint, Stagger and Giggle is now officially the name of my next All Girl SteamPunk band.

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  4. Oh Laura, I am brimming with excitement! Did you meet anyone amazing and newly enlightened from the New York area? Anyway you deserve to have had the time of your life. You continue to bring hope and change to a much needed demographic...

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    1. I did meet one doctor from Manhattan and I think I offended her when I asked why NY is such a black hole for evidence-based treatment. She protested, citing one clinic in the city (that is too busy to take new patients) and one outside the city, but then laughed when it was pointed out that there are hundreds and hundreds of people treating EDs in the city that are NOT.

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  5. I had the great fortune of meeting Rod at ANZAED last year - an very delightful man.
    Sounds like you all had a blast!
    Cate

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  6. Rod is delightful: smart, clever, and a gentleman! Also, a wry humor that makes sitting near him at sessions a treat.

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