My first AAEP Convention was in 2006. I flew to San Antonio alone, went to my sessions alone, spoke to exactly two colleagues whom I happened to run across at an alumni reception, went to more sessions alone, flew home alone, and then tried to pour out all of my excitement about the conference to my long-suffering, nonhorsey husband. Failing there, I did take the information back to the clinic where my colleagues, staff, technicians, and clients were properly interested. But, my convention experience remained largely locked behind my own skull.

My husband caught me checking my Twitter feed on my phone last night as we were walking through Disneyland. “I was just keeping up with my social media responsibilities,” I said, walking a little faster and shoving my phone into my purse. After he finished laughing at me, I explained that I had been replying to a tweet from a colleague with whom I’d been keeping up a sort of 21st century pen-pal friendship during the convention