I arrived in Halifax today, but was unable to make it to any of the presentations of the GLBTQ Preconference, which I wanted to attend but was unable to due to my plane and travel schedule. I was able to see Julie Gedro of Empire State College, who is a colleague of mine for several years now through AHRD and AERC and whose passion and energy in her teaching and research inspire me when I face my own academic hurdles. With her I met Tonette Rocco who is at Florida International University and is the Editor of New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. was reintroduced to David Brightman, the editor at Jossey-Bass who I met last year and who supports the work and efforts of many of the scholars who attend this conference and help to make it happen. I then bumped into Andre Grace, the coordinator of the preconference / president of CASAE / supporter and encourager of my own preconference presentation last year, who invited me to one of the professor’s who spoke today who was having a gathering at his home here in Halifax. 

What a wonderful way to start the conference itself. I did not have any wine or cheese or food or drink; but to be around some of these people again lifts my spirits and makes me both look forward to tomorrow as well as be thankful I was able to make it here again this year. I wonder who else I will see tomorrow, both from the past as well as new into the future. Ahhh, the ideas and thoughts that await. Interesting way to begin a research project!