Conference Inside

Waking up at 5 AM meant that I slept in, and somehow I managed to laze my way to the convention center to arrive past 8. The sessions start at 6:30 to 7 and end at 3, so to give us a few hours to enjoy the sunshine and the beach. I found a nearby Starbucks for internet and expresso, and walked the mile to the stunning glass walled meeting sight. The sun was shining and with a slight breeze, the mounting temperatures were very comfortable. I think it reached 82 degrees today.

The APA has arranged for buses to travel between hotels every 20 minutes from 6 until 3. The walk was delightful though, although I was confused when my iphone sent me astray. I wonder if the convention center has just been finished and I was sent to the older one.

I am always overwhelmed at these meetings and find it difficult to decide where to go and what to do. I focus on particular patients and challenges and therefore found myself at a series of lectures about dissociative disorder, a presentation of what it is like to be a child of a psychiatrist (turns out that children of psychiatrists are usually just fine---whew!), the psychiatric evaluation of patients who pursue bariatric surgery and most compelling was the presentation of a silent film about Joan of Arc from the 1920's, accompanied by an incredibly beautiful modern score based on lyrics and poems from the middle ages. Apparently a transcription of the trial leading to Joan of Arc's execution was found in the archives in Paris. Listening to Joan talking about hearing voices and having visions, I wondered what a psychiatrist would do today; most likely she would be on antipsychotics.

The mountains around Honolulu were drenched in mist and clouds. It was hotter when I walked back to the hotel. I changed into my bathing suit and found an umbrella on the beach in front of the hotel and watched the surfers on the water and the beach crowd running in and out of the water. Later I walked along the beach checking out the bodysurfers, regular surfers and paddle surfers. I saw a gathering of spectators and sat with the crowd until a group of musicians and dancers arrived to entertain us with folkloric dances and songs. The sun set and torches were lit, and the sinuous moves of the colorfully dressed women and chidden entranced us. The native language was delightful to listen to, and the music felt old fashioned and relaxing. Walking along the beach again to my pink hotel in the dark made for a perfect evening.