What a group!
GCAC freelancers convened the first meeting of the year surrounded by good food, warm souls, and powerful ideas at Lara Pullen's home. Part of the get- together was spent meeting those in attendance. What a varied group of people! From software trainers to biology majors, from PhDs to computer science gurus -- all had unique experiences to share and pearls of wisdom to impart. One AMWA member received the Loyal Follower Award. Mike Coco traveled from Atlanta just to make it for the meeting! Many seasoned members helped newcomers walk through the fear of starting new careers as medical writers. How fascinating to see words and images used to conjure up ideas, offer encouragement, and give brutally honest advice. It was group therapy and brainstorming on steroids! And we drank only coffee and tea!

What’s the Agenda?
Oh yes, there was an Agenda! We discussed how to organize and archive ongoing and completed projects. From notes and background information to CDs, emails and PDF files, the group left no rock unturned. All informational media was dissected, evaluated, and given its proper place in our world based on its proven track record for utility. The group was fascinated with indexing programs, remote servers, and disaster recovery plans. We witnessed many light bulb moments, big smiles, and nods of consent. We were like children in a candy store!

What's Next?
Future meeting topics? Many received nominations but only a few survived. The most-voted for, coming to “a meeting near you,” were 1) Website Design: Tips and tools on revamping your Web site and 2) Diversity Showcase, where each member will share 3 recent projects they have worked on to demonstrate the breadth of talent in our group. Our motto? Build “biz” in 2006! The GCAC is on fire!

-- Sandra Checri
February 6, 2006

Freelance Fulcrum