It's funny sometimes the way energy cycles around...

Hi Peeps,

Once again there was a longer pause between posts than I would like. Does anyone else find that having a smart phone pushes your visits to an actual, real computer further and further apart? That's been my observation and I definitely think it impacts the blog. Convenience can be a double edged sword at times.

I have some really big news but first the happy news to share is that I was re-elected GA Delegate. I was one of three NPs to be elected, the third being an alternate. Hurray NPs!!! Nearly inconceivable is the fact that by the time the 2011 House rolls around I will no longer be a New Professional. Five years go by quickly when you're trying to take over the world. And to be honest, I've had the thought on more than one occasion recently that I did not play my cards very well in those years. I guess it's human to second guess the course of one's actions. But with the dual disappointments of thinking I had a shot at PTAG President and later thinking that I would be asked to serve as Georgia's Chief Delegate, perhaps the youngest PT in either role, my APTA energy was pretty low. It's not that I begrudge anyone their reasons for withdrawing their support or changing their plan. I choose the word 'disappointed', well, pointedly.

Through a combination of my own experiences, both good (the Physical Therapy and Society Summit, presenting at a CDC symposium on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, and being at the House of Delegates with "junior" Chief responsibilities) and bad (discovering my own ineptitude in the Georgia Membership Secretary role, struggling with acceptance of the idea of a Preventative Health specialty at the APTA and University level, and crashing and burning on a post-PASS website initiative), I had begun to question how truly ready our organization was to bring my generation of young leaders out onto the stage. Which is why a recent email caught me completely off guard...

Someone has nominated me for the APTA Nominating Committee. That's a huge honor. I'm not sure where the process will go. I imagine it would take a seriously progressive Nom Com to allow me to be slated. Back when I was a new NP, my plan was to have a certain other NP run for APTA Board of Directors in his first five years. Unfortunately, he went and messed it up by becoming staff. Punk. I never saw myself as the one to try to break through that barrier. I'll have to let everyone know what develops. My thought is, "Why not have a run at it?". If nothing else, what better way to learn about the process and test my 'true readiness' theory, right? I'll definitely be looking for feedback and support from all of you. Let's see if a New Professional can shake up the election process!

Be excellent to each other and cheers,

Ben