Home from Direct Supports Conference 2006

We are back from the conference on Direct Supports at Oregon State University. Billy Ray did fine while we were away but seemed really glad to see us and we him. He is very much back to normal (active and a bit noisy) this morning.

The conference was wonderful. I enjoyed it very much and learned a lot. My own presentation was a little disappointing. I got lost with my power point slides and it threw me after that. My audience was gracious and we had some good interchange. I was talking with my pastor about my presentation later that day. He laughed that after all these years of speaking he had the same experience last Sunday in the first service. I expected it to happen when I started speaking a couple of years ago but it has gone well for the most part. It was surprising to sort of freeze up after I’d had some practice. It might be learning to use our Power Point projector. For whatever reason, we just need to get past it because there is still information to share.

I wish that all of you could have been there to hear Dr. David Pitonyak, one of the keynote speakers. I also had the opportunity to attend several of his other sessions during the conference. He is absolutely wonderful. His humor is a powerful tool in making his points. He definitely catches your attention. I got an opportunity to chat with him at the hotel when we were both getting coffee one morning. I asked his permission to share some of the things he said with you. I will be sharing some of it with you here and on my Amazon blog soon. I don’t want to get too much into it on a Saturday blog since I write under the influence of Billy Ray (smile).

The other keynote was Nancy Ward who has been actively involved in People First. Hearing her talk about her experiences and those of several of her friends who experience disabilities was very enlightening. I had the opportunity to chat with her over dinner the first night as well. I enjoyed meeting her very much.

Until next time,
Peggy Lou Morgan
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