K & m do San Diego...

As my practice was finally getting off the ground in May, I started considering coming to APA this year with the goal of getting some relevant information on building a private practice. Then, I got a lucrative assessment in June that would cover the primary travel expenses, so that sealed the deal. And, did I mention that the convention was in San Diego? That was a no-brainer.

After an exhausting beginning of the week at work, we headed out to SD on Wednesday. We arrived later than expected due to flight delays, so the early session on Thursday morning was just going to further contribute to my sleep deficit (that has really been accumulating for the past month beginning with our trip to France).

Neither of us have been to San Diego before, so my first real glimpse of the beauty of the city and the temperate climate came as I walked the few short blocks from our hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter to the SD Convention Center early Thursday morning. The weather was so cool that I needed a light jacket, and the morning fog had rolled in which would dissipate by early afternoon. I grabbed a quick pastry from Starbucks for breakfast and admired the view of the bay from the terrace outside the upper floor of the convention center. That was when I realized this city is a pretty special place.

A sunnier view in the afternoon

Dole ship from Costa Rica

I'm amazed that I was focused enough to forgo the sightseeing and exploring a city new to me in favor of getting the most that I could out of the convention for three days. I definitely learned some new things, got some good resources, and got some good deals on products (I love that a "Bozo" punching bag is considered a business expense for me). My goal of getting some information to help me build my practice was achieved. A lot of the presentations that I attended with that focus really validated my experiences thus far and stimulated my thinking about things to consider as I move forward. All in all, APA 2010 was a success for me. 

Now, while I have had rather full days at the convention, K was in full-on vacation mode. He made a visit to the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier, Ocean Beach, and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. 

USS Midway

"Unconditional Surrender," WWII Commemorative Surrender statue

“A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military"

View of Ocean Beach from the 1/3 mile long pier

K braved the chilly waters of the Pacific

Don't mess with the lion

...or the gorilla

I also got to join him for some of the fun when we went to the Padres vs. Pirates game on Thursday afternoon. We had checked the Padres schedule prior to coming to see if there was a home game while we would be in town, but we obviously made a mistake because we thought they were away the whole time. We caught the last game of their series with the Pirates with a last minute notice about the game. The ballpark is located just steps away from the convention center and is overlooked by several condos and hotels (including ours).

K & m at Petco Park

 

 

 

We'll be back, San Diego. I think there might be a RNR SD marathon in my future...