The Roman (or… Sicilian) Strategy

I am sitting in the lobby of a very nice posh hotel asking myself: What a fool I was a few months ago deciding to attend EULAR. Then with all my wisdom (a metaphor for gray hair and 60+ years)  I realized that old strategies still and will always work!

1. Make an offer you cannot refuse: ROME the Eternal City, history dating back more than 2000 years, add the Renaissance, shake it with some Catholic History and especially Art, not to mention the food, the sun...

2. Then add the EULAR scientific content and the networking opportunities, plus some ad boards...

Who would turn down such an invitation? 

So what's the catch?

The Hangar Congress Centre (Fiera di Roma)! Once there (whenever or if ever you manage to get there on time) there is no escape! You spend the whole day and don't ever think of commuting back and forth.

There are 2 solutions:

1. Be a dedicated learner, knowledge seeker and get a hotel nearby but you don’t ever get to enjoy the City

2. Be an expert planner, cherry picker of very few sessions, or just play hooky and have a Great Roman Holiday

Unfortunately, there is no way of mixing these 2 unless you extend your stay!

Now let us go back and reflect on the Hangar. There is a Canadian connection / metaphor!! The Lobster Traps!! Poor Lobsters, they end up in hot boiling water or on the barbecue. Some politicians are very astute at using this strategy and actually one famous Quebec politician even described it in one of his speeches. 

Luckily some of us did not take the bait and stayed back home waiting for the engaged and dedicated folks to sacrifice themselves and come back to spread the knowledge through slide kits, post-EULAR sessions... mixed with some unforgettable experiences.

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