Joyce et al
Sorry I never got back on the histonet to fill everyone in on the meeting,
I really intended to keep you abreast of the week. There was a real good
showing both from the attendees and the vendors. And although there was a
little bad weather one day it was beautiful most of the time. A lot of
people couldn't find the local fast food places because they were in a high
rise mall....looked like an office building and you wouldn't expect it to
have food places in there much less on the third floor. Strange display of
art located throughout the buildings and downtown area. Large, actually
extra large rocking chairs decorated in different motifs.
http://www.chairs-on-parade.com/ if you want to see what you missed.
Everything ran as smoothly as could be expected, there are always some
obstacles, like missing handouts and people who lose their packets but I
didn't hear of any major problems, that weren't handled well. I guess the
thing I was most impressed with, besides the home staff that always seems
to be so well organized, was the speakers who presented workshops that they
were not initially scheduled to do. I don't know the specifics but some
speakers were unable to attend and instead of just canceling the workshop
NSH picked out appropriate speakers from those that could attend and asked
them to fill in so that people would not go away disappointed. The vendors
were very generous again this year and I brought home all kinds of
edibles.....well actually most of them were sugar boost that I ate
throughout the day, but some did make it home just so I could show them
off, like slides made from chocolate and the Sakura cookies with the
company logo imprinted on them. Lots of standard goodies that we have come
to expect but still deeply appreciate, like the annual NSH glasses from
Richard Allan and the Leica bags, nice coffee cups from several vendors and
t-shirts, mini flashlights, rulers, letter openers and pens galore. And a
new cloth bag from Polyscientific.....I sure hope that is a new tradition
they are starting, because it is what I used to carry all my goodies back
on the plane. If the person in your lab that went doesn't bring you back
something they are holding out on you. I learned a lot this trip as I
always do and it was great to see so many familiar faces. I hope somebody
updates us on the "housekeeping/business" part of the meeting, I should
have gone to the meetings but the southeast US is my old turf and I spent
some time making new contacts with some old friends. The convention
committee did a great job, and continued to hand out gifts and prizes until
the last day.....did you know that Texas Pete was a NC product? News to me
too.  I know the group from Long Beach is already up for the
convention/symposium next year, because their table was bustling with
activity. It was a great time and gets bigger, better and more professional
every year. I hope next year my email will work well enough to do a daily
diary to my friends and colleagues on the histonet. anita