Speech Geeks Unite!

I was in Winnipeg! Guess why I went...
No, I didn't go to the Jets game. Better. Guess again.
No, not the Bluebombers. Way better. Guess again.
Yes, Selena Gomez was in town, but, nope. Not Selena. Much better.

I went to Winnipeg to see...
wait for it...
Dr. Joseph Duffy!!!....(crickets chirping...except for the 5 speech pathologists that read my blog - they are flailing their arms around madly, squealing with delight).

NOT this Joe Duffy (but he is quite cute, isn't he?)

Dr. Joe Duffy - the real deal

Dr. Joseph Duffy is the guru of motor speech disorders. He wrote THE textbook. He is a big fricken deal in the speech world. Huge. Try to suppress your jealousy - I listened to him lecture for 2 days. In a room full of Speech-Language Pathologists. From across the world (well Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Minot).

This speech geek (love you, Anroup) thinks I'm taking a picture of her. but I'm not. Look waaaay left - that's him, folks! That's Joe Duffy's left arm!

You have NO idea. Let me sort this out for you:

Think way back to your elementary school days. Do you remember that one annoying little girl? That little girl who chose the desk front and center so that every teacher had a clear view of her springy little hand, which was constantly raised eagerly in the air. That teacher-pleasing, overachieving little girl had the answer to every question and a lengthy (almost always correct) explanation for each and every answer. While you played normal games at recess with the other children, that little girl was "chosen" by the teacher to remain indoors to mark exams. As "book smart" as that little girl was, she was oblivious to the fact that she was been used as child labor while the teacher slammed beers in the staff room. You remember that little girl? Odds are, she is now a Speech-Language Pathologist (that description is me, by the way - I know, you kinda hate me right now. I'm cringing).

So now picture 50 of those little girls, all grown up, Duffy textbook in hand, attending a 2 day conference, buzzing with the prospect of discussions of hypokinetic dysarthria, upper motor neurons, and (gasp!) maybe even palatopharyngolaryngeal Myoclonus (big impressive-sounding words make speech pathologists giddy). These ladies are eager to impress their "leader" of motor speech disorders with any remotely relevant anecdote or brain-busting question. These poor women haven't been officially "graded" in years. They are yearning for academic reinforcement. Lucky for me, my flute instructor, Heidi, was also in attendance and Ev, although not attending the Duffy Conference, had some business to attend to in Winnipeg as well.

On the way to the conference, Ev stopped at a Tim Horton's a few blocks from the hospital where the conference was being held. As we walked out of Timmy's, Ev pointed out 2 nicely dressed, eager looking women,
Ev: "I bet they are in your conference."
Me: "What? No way, Winnipeg is a big city. I bet they aren't,"
Ev: "Yep. All you speech geeks have a special "look" (he refers to us as speech geeks with the utmost respect and love) "Plus, you all walk the same."
Me: "What does that mean?"
Ev: "You speech geeks have a special strut. Probably from years of rushing to be the first to hand in your exam."
What the f? A look? A walk? No way.

I enter the conference room. The smell of Type A is overpowering. I glance around only to see that the 2 Tim Horton's ladies ARE in attendance!!! How can that be? I scan the room for signs of "a look." Shit. We DO have a look! Out of 50 attendees, approximately 35 of them are wearing a cardigan and/or scarf, "dressy" jeans, and leather boots. What's up with that? I look down. Double shit. I am wearing a cardigan, a scarf, "dressy" jeans, and leather boots. I glance over at Heidi. Ditto. Bahahaha - funny? Whilst ;) the speech geeks rush Dr. Duffy for signings of their textbooks (definitely a peppy strut), I struggle with the realization that I somehow unconsciously became a full-fledged member of this club cult  tight professional organization. Is this what Scientology is like? I am distracted by the speech geek to the left of me. She is wearing a beautiful pink scarf over her cardigan. I wonder where she purchased such a scarf. Pretty pinks and grays - such a lovely match to her cardigan. And then Dr. Duffy begins his presentation with a question. Hell, I know the answer to that! I eagerly raise my hand, with hopes that he will pick me. Positively reinforce me! Take me to the mothership.

Cardigans and Scarves: Did he just say spasmodic dysphonia? Whoo hoo!

Is that bear a speech pathologist? No, silly, he's not wearing a cardigan.

You probably assume that I've completely forgotten about Flute. Nope. Flute made the trip to Winnipeg. Flute quite enjoyed the trip and did receive some playing time. I'm not a quitter. I'm starting to see some improvement. Well, not really.

Oh I'll show you "Spirited Energy!"

Can you guess the 3 songs? Evan was super helpful in the taping of my performances.