Festive Friday Five--Professional Conferences

I haven't played the RevGal Friday Five meme in several weeks, so this morning I am inspired to join in the fun. Today Reverendmother is our quizmaster and her theme is professional conferences, retreats, workshops and conventions.

1. Describe a memorable conference, retreat, workshop or convention you've attended.

The Association of Presbyterian Christian Educators (APCE) in Vancouver 2005. It was a really inspiring conference and I got a lot of great ideas there, not the least of which was the idea to start my own blog. Thus Quotidian Grace was born in March 2005! It was unfortunately also memorable because I got sick as soon as I got off the plane in Vancouver and got worse when I came home--as did a lot of other people. This year when we boarded the plane for the APCE conference in St. Louis my pal Free Will and I downed Airborne tablets as a precaution (yuck).

2. Tell us about a memorable speaker or preacher you've heard.

Leonard Sweet was the keynoter for that same APCE conference and is a compelling speaker. He is a Methodist minister and a professor at a seminary as well as a popular author. It was the first time I was exposed to a major figure in the Emergent church movement and I was fascinated, especially with his focus on how and why the church should use the internet and other modern technologies.

3. Do you attend all of the scheduled events, or play hooky? If the latter, what do you do with your free time?

If my way is being paid by the church (or back when I was a practicing lawyer, a law firm) I feel an obligation to attend all the events, especially the workshops. I've attended APCE for several years now and must confess that sometimes the keynote speaker has become tedious and I have skipped out and either done some sightseeing or had sabbath time in my room or in the hotel.

4. Do you like having a roommate or would you rather have a room to yourself?

I'm happy to have a roommate if it's someone I know pretty well, otherwise I would rather have my own room.

5. What's the most exotic location you've conferenced or retreated?

Church conferences: Vancouver. Law-related: a train ride from San Antonio to Mexico City with my law firm for a long weekend of professional "bonding" time.