[Ohio-talk] The Attendance of General Sessions?

[Colleen Roth]

Hi Everett,
You do raise a valid point and it disserves an answer.
Well it may not alpear that a session will benefit you personally 
you may learn something that will benefit someone else.  Also, 
sometimes interspersed with things on the Agenda something might 
pop up that was shifted from another time.  It's not a matter of 
having the Delegation filled, it's a matter of learning to share 
with others.  Personally, I do not do well with Technology but I 
attend because I might learn something which I can share.  I may 
not understand everything I hear but I get enough to know who to 
ask I someone needs my help along the way.
It's nice to hear the different states at Roll Call of the 
States.  It gives us a flavor of the different affiliates and 
sometimes we even get an idea we can use.  I know I probably came 
off as a grouch on my last post but I can honestly say in all my 
years in the NFB I only missed one session and that was because I 
needed to lie down because I wasn't feeling well.
I know some things seem pointless but you never know what you 
will learn.
Also, if you are being sponsored by the NFBO or your local 
chapter you are expected to attend all beessions and as many 
activities as you can.  You are representing those people who 
cannot attend, and, hopefully, you will learn something to share.
We do not always enjoy every presentation but that is not the 
poins.
I think that the Presentation of the Bollotin awards was 
impressive.  This is not because I like to sit through 
Presentations of Awards but because it is good to know what 
others are doing.
Ray Kurzweil is a pioneer in reading machines and working with 
Optical Character Recognition.  The first reading machine was 
huge probably about $80,000 and the size of a washing machine.
Everett, do not misunderstand me, I did do some fun things at 
Conventions.  I still worked booths, and attended all sessions.  
By the way, this included Conventions where I had a 
multiply-handicapped child to care for.
I am not being critical, I just want people to take 
responsibility for attending things and learning.
Everett, you have a lot of energy.  I would like to see you 
channel that into getting people to meetings and getting them to 
work on things.  If you put all that energy to good use at a 
Convention think what you could do.
I hope that all of us will make a concerted effort to be better 
stewards of our time and the Affiliate's money at future 
Conventions.
It's not fair that just a few people help at tables and at the 
Exhibit Hall.  It is true that I didn't help this year but I did 
not arrive until Tuesday at 11-30 a.m.
See you at the NFBO Convention.
Colleen Roth