Hello From Houston!

I'm not feeling as enthusiastic as the exclamation point in the title implies. My co-worker, "A", and I have had a very long day. Here was our agenda:

8 am - 10:30 am : Strategic Planning
10:30 am - 1:00 pm: Fiscal Management (eww)
1:00 pm: lunch (yes, it's true, there were no breaks in there)
2:00: Implementing Primary Care in Social Work Settings
4:30 - 6 pm: Networking with gross "heavy" appetizers

This has been a challenging leadership training to say the very least. We were flattered that we got the scholarships (plane ticket, 3 nights in the Westin, and most meals) to come in the first place - now, after the grueling pace and freezing conference room, we're feeling more trapped than flattered.

It all started when I registered us for an NMAC Leadership Training (National Minority AIDS Council). I didn't expect us to get funded because, you know, we're white and all...National MINORITY AIDS Council. I guess it is true that we serve mostly minorities. When we got the acceptance letters I'd actually forgotten about the application process back in September.

We got here yesterday, or was it a week ago...no, I think it was yesterday. Straight from the shuttle to the training. Dinner, sleep, training again at 8 am.

"A" kind of saved the day with her delightful little WonderWord puzzles that her partner, "B" clips out of the newspaper for her. We've been doing them to keep our minds active at difficult points. "A" may have more difficulty with paying attention than I do! I'll cut her a little slack, after all, I am medicated.

So now we're in the lobby, pecking away, trying to keep our eyes open. We have one more day - Grant Writing and Accessing Primary Care. I really do like the presenters, which makes it easier...and even if the long hours are killing my spirit...it's also getting me really psyched to get back and implement some of this stuff. NMAC also gave us the most useful and comprehensive collection of books for fiscal and strategic planning. The only downside is that we got it in a bag bigger than our carry-ons. Now, we have three bags on the way back - one of which contains 8 textbooks!

One interesting thing I've learned about Houston: In a mall that's reputed to be one of the largest in the country, and has it's own ice rink - NOT ONE BOOKSTORE! Strange, do Texans not read?