I am back

I have just returned from San Diego and I am exhausted. The trip was amazing. This is my fourth ABA convention and I have to say this was the best trip ever. Why?

1. There was no roommate drama. Stella and I shared a room. No one yelled at me. No one was bossy. No one talked about one another behind their backs. There was however excessive amounts of laughing, sarcasm and moments of pure insanity. It was a week long moment of hilarity with Stella and I'd do it all again tomorrow if I wasn't broke.
2. The location rocked. Right downtown, by the water, close to public transit, close to restaurants and shops and the ever required margaritas.
3. The hotel was amazing. Beautiful, great pool with firepits and margaritas deckside and really nice staff.
4. The conference, as always was mind expanding and I attended multiple talks on areas similar to my thesis.
5. I now have a lot of friends who go to this conference and every night was extremely fun. Perhaps too much fun... Way too much fun.
6. I ate fish tacos. many times. Sooo good.
7. I stocked up on books.
8. I bought Sniffy the Virtual Rat to run some operant conditioning experiments on. Seriously good times people!!!
9. I (and 7 other women) had drinks with a man who I greatly respect and who is a BIG name in our field.
10. I was id'd 6 times and enjoyed the look of shock when the id'er actually saw how old I was. I was also told "You look Gooooooood..." by a young man who had id'd me and received a double eyebrow gaze from a very handsome man. For the record I did not return it but it was a boost for my somewhat crushed of late ego.

but best of all....

11. I came home to a wonderfully clean house (no chaos, no crazy insanity greetng me at the door) and two children who literally leaped into my arms and told me that they had missed me so much. When they were done the cats went crazy with kisses tell me they were glad I was home and then my husband made me feel very appreciated and loved when he told me how much he had missed me. Perhaps going away periodically is a good way to make sure no one forgets what I do ever day.