Fellowship

Hey,

Just another week in paradise.

I finished watching Black Hawk Down. They did a very good job with the movie.

I just picked up the book To Kill A Mockingbird. We all have read this in high school but I don't know about you but I don't remember anything from high school.

I had a kid come into the office this week and he is reading a book for school (you know, summer reading) and it was (something like) How to Read like a Literature Professor.

I said this is just like our schools. Lets make all the high school boys HATE reading by forcing them to read a book like this. Reading is suppose to be fun. This is why I never got into reading as a kid because I had to read books like Catcher and the Rye.

(by the way, as an adult I got back into reading and decided to pick it up to see why the uppity ups like this book. I hated it.)

But there are books that are "Literary Masterpieces" that are just not fun to read, and if you are trying to get a young man to read then try to make it fun for them. I understand these books are important but if kids hate reading it is much harder to appreciate literature.

And I talk about boys and young men because I was one of them (and still act like one of them and we all knows boys and girls are different. Let's face it...girls are just smarter.

Anyways...I am going on vacation again next week. I know, I know..."Didn't you just go on vacation?" Yes, I did.

I take two weeks off in the summer and two weeks off at Christmas time.

Then I mix a week in here or there around the year. Yeah, it is good to be the king.

So anyone want to write a ghost writer blog?

As promised I wanted to write to you about the Fellowship Award I received.

It was pretty good. The ceremony was well done. I felt like such royalty.

One of my teachers and mentors got the main award, Dr. Henry Gremillion.

Just a note about Dr. Gremillion. The guy is wicked smart (I bet he didn't like to read as a kid).

But he was so good at teaching. At taking the time to come (way) down to your level to make you

understand.

I remember as a young dentist I would call him up. He would either come to the phone or call me back. Now that I am a mature dentist I realize how busy he must of been and I just thought calling me back was the only thing on his schedule. Luckily he did call me back and I am a better dentist because of him.

Fellowship...did you know that only 7% of all dentist get this award. Huh?!!

I am so high brow now.
But the ceremony gets you pretty pumped up to keep up the fight for your profession. You are sitting next to people that really care. The ones that have taken the classes, have taken the test, that ones that put up all the money it takes to move forward. They are paying money to make this profession just a little bit better.

And I think the AGD does a great job promoting this kind of dentist. That is what the

organization is all about. It is not about just paying your money to be part of an organization (I am not saying who I am talking about). They have a purpose and it is to educate their peeps and

make the profession better.

Now this ceremony is the culmination of the organizations successes and individual successes.

There are mature dentists their getting there fellowship and real young guys getting their Mastership. It is a celebration.

Speaking of celebration there was some party afterwards. It cost $85 to get in (Ouch, don't they know we are all cheap dentists and it was a cash bar. You could get a beer for the low low price of $8. Yes I said EIGHT. That is $50 to get a buzz on, he did not just say that).

But I have to say we had a really good time at the party.

I ended up seeing a couple of my friends their and we had a blast.

They had three HUGE rooms set up, all connecting but separate. One was an 80's room. This room had billiard tables, Foosball tables, video games, air hockey and a band and a DJ when the band was taking a break.

The next room was a Jazz room. It was simple and it just had a Jazz band in it.

The middle room had all the hours de vors in it and it had "Dueling Piano's".

There obviously was a ton of thought and work put into this party. When I tell you it was huge I mean it was huge, my wife and I were very impressed.

Outside all the rooms was a dessert stand. Also outside there was this karaoke studio set up where you can sing a song and they would make a DVD of you singing. Problem was there were speakers so everyone could hear you sing. I love singing in the shower but I don't want anyone hearing me.

So when you think about it $85 doesn't seems so much. I am not backtracking because I still think $85 is alot...but you are getting alot for your money (but $8 for a beer, I am bringing my flask next time).

Great time had by all. It was a huge deal and I felt pretty honored to be a part of it.

Here is a couple more pictures.

Isn't my wife beautiful?

Have a great weekend.

Remember I am on vacation next week and if you want to write something you can

just send it to me Jgammichia@aol.com

Faithfully,

john