Remembering Laguna Niguel

I recently sat in on the Symposium wrap meeting held at the Seattle Study Club Headquarters for the staff to discuss this year's Symposium. Fully rested, they were ready to debrief the week and I observed as they excitedly reminisced. 

Remember when you walked right into LeRoy Bell’s green room and asked him for a picture? Starstruck.

Remember the sunset on Tuesday night?

Are you kidding…remember the sunset every night?

Remember how packed the ballroom was Monday morning?

Remember when Eclipse rapped the names of all the speakers? I loved that.

Remember when Dr. Cohen went into the photo booth over and over again? Ha ha! And he wore the big glasses? His pose with Gene Ranieri was hilarious!  Hmmmmmm… 

Remember when…  

They went on and on. It got me reflecting about the week, about what I’ve heard from attendees and what moments seemed to have the same remember when… excitement. Most often Symposia “moments” are planned, but I’ll admit that sometimes there are surprises that, though not intended, end up creating the longest-lasting memories.

Traditionally at Symposium, the clinical program invites us to sit and listen to top-notch clinicians and speakers who present using compelling cases and profound material. We were fortunate to have first class speakers again this year, but we tried to be more deliberate about adding you, the audience, into the mix. This year’s Symposium saw more interactive sessions than any other year. Monday morning featured engaging treatment planning breakout sessions that  inspired us to debate each case’s complex problems. On Tuesday we were invited to take part in the competitive Aesthetic Face-Off presentations between Team South America and Team USA. Friday brought us another opportunity to debate among ourselves as two panels of well-known clinicians were put in the hot seat. Presented with a treatment planning challenge, each panel had to develop a diagnosis and treatment plan. The interaction was better than I could have expected and everyone loved the opportunity to engage. 

It wasn’t just the interactive sessions we’ll always remember in the clinical program. What about when world-class speaker Brahm Miller was portrayed as an animated dog? Or James Cathcart helped us sort our big and little rocks? Remember when Daron Praetzel transported us to the military hospital in Balad, Iraq? He shared his experience with “combat oral surgery,” facial trauma and the story of Abdeen, the Iraqi boy, whose life Daron saved and then used cutting edge techniques to grow facial tissue for restoration—all while attempting to preserve the papilla. I think we all appreciated the well-placed humor in his captivating story. 

It seemed to me, though our clinical and non-clinical programs were among the strongest I’ve seen, our evening entertainment never fails to steal the show. Maybe it’s because we get to let our hair down and relax after a substantial day, or maybe we are riding the wave of exciting knowledge we’ve gained during the day. Whatever the case may be, this year was no different. I don’t know about everyone else, but Wednesday night may have been my favorite of all time. The trifecta of talent that we had was fantastic. Experiencing The Westminster Chorus in such an intimate setting was remarkable. Comedian Dan St. Paul was nothing short of hilarious. If you saw me, you know I liked him—I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile. Topping off the evening with LeRoy Bell was the ultimate experience. It was great to have the X-Factor star back on the SSC stage and he didn’t fail to wow us a second time. But then, after The Fab Four and Ed Sullivan on Friday night… Those guys are talented and they transported me back in time to when I was young. That Beatles tribute band never fails to impress any age audience – just ask little Maya Raigrodski. Remember when she took corner stage and danced to “Twist and Shout?” It really is impossible to choose one favorite!   

Whether you’ve been to one SSC Symposium or all ninteen, anyone who has joined us would be hard-pressed to go home without a few memorable moments among the Seattle Study Club crowd. Our attendees are all skilled clinicians, well-rounded, well-respected, fun people who make all the planning for Symposium worthwhile.

High on the excitement of a memorable Symposium this year, we’re already jumping into planning for next year’s meeting. The 20^th Anniversary Symposium will not be one to be missed. People won’t be saying “Remember when…” but, “I was there when...”