Decaffeinated

I have never been happier to be back in Birmingham. The conference itself wasn't too bad, but the "city" of Loma Linda totally sucked. I stayed in a Comfort Inn in San Bernardino (equally crap) that had a shower head that was a full head shorter than I was. So, I was completely bent over backwards trying to wash my hair for the past week. Then of course they had those wimpy hotel hairdryers, so it took 10 years to get half of my hair dry. Needless to say I've spent the past week looking like a greaseball. I just got out of the shower here at home, and wow. It's a great shower.

So, Loma Linda University. So much to say- where to start? Okay, so the first day we have to be at an orientation breakfast at 7 AM. Needless to say, we're all very tired and not wanting to be there. But we are. We get in line, there is no meat (not a problem for me, the veggie) and there is no coffee (HUGE PROBLEM.) We enquire as to the presence of coffee and are informed that it is a Seventh-Day Adventist University and they don't serve meat on campus, and they don't serve caffeinated foods or beverages on campus. Samantha almost died. We had lunch, there were sodas, but they were all caffeine-free. I was sitting in the same room for about 10 hours a day. Listening to lectures. With no caffeine. Death was imminent. Luckily there was intervention.

The best part of the conference was the fact that there were 24 students from all over the country. 24 other people who were equally shocked and appalled by the lack of caffeine and the profuse suggestion of "prayer" as a solution to public health problems. I am a Christian, yay prayer, but this is a scientific conference. It was uncomfortable to say the least. We're all exchanging looks, wondering if we need to back away slowly and wander toward somewhere with a Starbucks. Luckily after the first day, none of the other speakers were on the religious track. So, it was cool. The other students there were awesome. It was the first time I've gone somewhere and actually talked to people I didn't know and liked them. We went out everynight for dinner together. It was one girl's birthday and we took her out and got her a card and everything. It was a lot of fun. I made a couple really good friends. I think that I am a 38-year old gay man magnet. Which is cool cause they tend to be my favorite people. Either way, we'll all be keeping in touch, and one of the girls already sent the pictures she took so I'll post a couple of those here soon.

Another great part of the conference was the weather. It was beautiful, in the high 70's the whole time I was there. And from the campus you could look up and see Big Bear Mountain (I think that was the name) which was covered with snow. Totally cool. Not totally cool was the amount of smog in the air which on some days obscured the view of the mountain. Then yesterday I had a layover in Phoenix, AZ and it was 88 degrees there. It was 41 degrees when I touched down in B'ham last night. Stupid Alabama. Anyways...that was my pretty enjoyable trip to California. Once I met some people that had transportation, Loma Linda wasn't too bad. I even got to ride in a convertible for the first time!! Cruisin' in CA with the top down. Hells yeah :) Laters!