Entry Requirements

[Jana Lewis]

Quick question.

The conference. Do we need to register or pay for a pass? What is the conference? CE? Vendors? Lectures?

On another related note, does anyone know of some decent hotels to stay at that will be close by our meeting?

[Uilleann]

Warren, are we looking at about 4 hours for this meeting? Which day? I was under an impression this would (or at least could) be a weekend long event. If it's that short, it'll be hard for me to justify the airfare out and back, but I probably have missed some important details here. Thanks for the clarification. :)

Bri~

P.S. I've now heard from 14 of us who wish to stay in the loop via email prior to the meeting. More can always be added later on if interested!

[kcount]

Update: Summit: The Future of the American Optician; Where Do We Go From Here

I am pleased to announce today that there is to be a summit to discuss the future direction of Opticianry as a profession at the Southeastern Opticians Conference in Atlanta Julu 23, 24, 25, 2010. This initial meeting will be held at 8:00 AM and last until 12:00 at the concference (room to be announced) and all are invited. So far it appears we have 10 fom the nearly 8500 views of this thread who wish to participate. I do need to know if you are coming so we can make arrangements for adequate space, so please respond if you are planning on attending.

The format will be brief presentations by Dr. Ferguson and I, and an open discussion from all participants. I hope you will consider being there.

Brian, this is going to flow over into breakouts after the summit and further conversations. Ultimately this is going to be a weekend long meet with many debates and conversations.

[wmcdonald]

Sorry, I neglected to provide the day. We will meet on Saturday July 24, 2010. I will ask Diane Drake to please provide a link to the meeting. This used to be a very large meeting for Opticians all across the SE part of the US. Attendance is around 150. I would encourage your registration and aprticipation in the conference, as there will be some outstanding CE, but I do not think it is a requirement to come to this meeting.

As to the length.......I am certain there will be many places we will meet outside this block. It is kind of them to offer a room at this hotel to us, and I do not want to take up too much time. I suspect we will have 25-30 people come, and so we will also join together at other places during the meeting. I intend to also have a large enough suite to accommodate our further discussion in the evening.

Hotel will follow with Ms. Drakes post.

Fezz........Beer!
Warren

[Uilleann]

Excellent! I appreciate the clarification Warren. This is really turning into a BIG deal! Can't wait to get this moving!

[Uilleann]

Alright Guys!

The first email has been sent! The shot hear 'round the world?? Probably not....but a step towards progress for the likes of us and our profession? Absolutely! I'll be interested to watch (and add to where I feel I can constructively) the flow of ideas as we form our thoughts and ideas together!

All the best!

Brian~

[Uilleann]

You're my *H*E*R*O* and I'm still a *Z*E*R*O*!!!!!

:bbg::cheers::cheers::cheers:

[whisper voice] pssst! FEZZ! You can send an email to everyone too! Just click on 'reply all' and send away. But PLEASE and I mean PLEASE, no more pictures of that crazy bachelor party, you know the one I mean....with the elephant and the guy who looked like Liberace and the plastic lawn flamingos. No more. I'm not even kidding this time. Seriously, that lady (or so I THINK) who dressed up as half bigfoot and half stripper really gave me serious nightmares. I simply can't afford that level of therapy for the rest of my life. So email NICE ok?! ;) [/whisper voice]

[DragonLensmanWV]

This has convinced me to get at least my ABO, of course, now I have to wait till fall.

[Wes]

There goes the N.A.O.L...

[braheem24]

This has convinced me to get at least my ABO, of course, now I have to wait till fall.

Try to stay awake during the test. I'm sure you'll be anxiously studying thru the nights.

[price]

HI , Warren
I would like to attend the meeting in HOT ATLANTA ,Ga.
I could not make the Roatx meeting I was working in Va.

Don Price ABO/ NCLE
ROATx member
Va state license
Certified Refracting Optician

[Diane]

I would like to welcome each of you to Atlanta, GA on July 23, 24, 25, 2010. This will is always a wonderful meeting, and we focus on education. There will NOT be a trade show, but there will be exclusive individual vendors available during lunch on Saturday which is included with registration. For those of you who don't register for the meeting, you could purchase a lunch ticket, and be a part of our live auction, which is done by our own Dr. Warren McDonald...always fun and exciting. We also have a silent auction and raffle. The education will be great, and is pretty much set. We will have ABO and NCLE courses as well as a business track on Saturday.

There will be plenty of opportunity for each of you to focus on this summit meeting as well as attend some good continuing education. There is plenty to do in and around Atlanta in July. I'll put together a packet for you if you are interested.

The meeting will be at the:
Crown Plaza Ravinia
4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346
770-395-7700

Our meeting PR is not up yet. :( but you will be able to access it at:
The link is www.southeasternopticians.com

Diane

[Uilleann]

I've got good news and bad...

Gwen and I have set a date of May 29th for our wedding. And by Gwen and I - I mean Gwen. So we'll be flying back east for a little wedding type thing then. Sadly, this trip and all the associated accoutrements will be draining the travel coffers and I won't be able to make this meeting in July in person. :(

However, Fezz said I could use the hall pass and be given some small degree of leniency in this case, as you only get married once...or is that twice? Three times? I don't remember, but I know he said it.

I'm still hoping to dial in via the web or even a phone conference call if I can. I also haven't seen any real traffic yet on the email sent out late last week. I'd love to throw around as many ideas as we can before the meeting, and try to work out some sort of framework beforehand that we can polish up in July. That requires discussion now guys!

Let's keep the fire hot and make sure we don't loose any momentum between now and July!

All the best!

Brian~

[Jana Lewis]

I've got good news and bad...

Gwen and I have set a date of May 29th for our wedding. And by Gwen and I - I mean Gwen. So we'll be flying back east for a little wedding type thing then. Sadly, this trip and all the associated accoutrements will be draining the travel coffers and I won't be able to make this meeting in July in person. :(

However, Fezz said I could use the hall pass and be given some small degree of leniency in this case, as you only get married once...or is that twice? Three times? I don't remember, but I know he said it.

I'm still hoping to dial in via the web or even a phone conference call if I can. I also haven't seen any real traffic yet on the email sent out late last week. I'd love to throw around as many ideas as we can before the meeting, and try to work out some sort of framework beforehand that we can polish up in July. That requires discussion now guys!

Let's keep the fire hot and make sure we don't loose any momentum between now and July!

All the best!

Brian~

Whatever the case....CONGRATS TO YOU!!!! Thank you for taking the bull by the horns! Your help and e-mails have been wonderful!

[Johns]

However, Fezz said I could use the hall pass and be given some small degree of leniency in this case, as you only get married once...or is that twice? Three times? I don't remember, but I know he said it.


Brian~

Make up your mind!! Who are you marrying...Gwen or Fezz?

[varmint]

Make up your mind!! Who are you marrying...Gwen or Fezz?

I heard Fezz was looking for someone who could buy more beer, or at least be good at brewing.

[Uilleann]

Make up your mind!! Who are you marrying...Gwen or Fezz?

Pffftttt! Johns, this is UTAH Man! I can have 'em BOTH! :cheers::cheers::cheers::hammer:

[braheem24]

Utah may be ok in the 2 brides dept, you'll however get killed for being bi.

[Uilleann]

Wait Fezz is a DUDE?! :drop:

:shiner::hammer::p:D

[Mr. Finney]

braheem, delete some pm's to make room for more!

[braheem24]

Try now.

[FullCircle]

Wow! This has been a heck of a thread to read! I actually had to go back to the first post as I got toward the end just to keep track of what the heck was being discussed. LOL

I'm a believer in education in any form. I'd be unable to attend the conference but would like to be kept informed. As I've managed to get sucked back into this profession, I figure I should become the best lab tech/optician I can. Is there going to be a forum or something so those of us not attending can keep up?

[DragonLensmanWV]

Wait Fezz is a DUDE?! :drop:

:shiner::hammer::p:D

yeah, with his black goatee he looks quite a lot like Ming the Merciless.:bbg:

[wmcdonald]

Wow! This has been a heck of a thread to read! I actually had to go back to the first post as I got toward the end just to keep track of what the heck was being discussed. LOL

I'm a believer in education in any form. I'd be unable to attend the conference but would like to be kept informed. As I've managed to get sucked back into this profession, I figure I should become the best lab tech/optician I can. Is there going to be a forum or something so those of us not attending can keep up?

If there is sufficient interest. I am not sure where it will go, but I hope it gains some momentum.

[varmint]

It's very difficult to attend these meeting on the east coast for me, but I'm hoping this gets some momentum and I can contribute here in the west. I'm hoping we will able to be kept in the loop as this unfolds.