There's never a dull moment in New Orleans! This enchanting, seductive city is renowned for its magical history, southern hospitality and sultry ambiance. Every day there are hundreds of events, festivals and concerts, plus Dixieland Jazz and the Mardi Gras Museum! From the romantic courtyards of its famous French Quarter to its fabulous hotels, world famous dining and exquisite nightlife, the Big Easy ranks among the most unique cities in the world.

For four exciting days -- January 4-7, 2002 -- New Orleans will be hosting the national convention of the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) in the French Quarter's Doubletree Hotel. The theme is "Coming Full Circle," a celebration of our first national convention held in New Orleans in January 1991, and a tribute to our beginnings.

We'll celebrate the first day of Mardi Gras with a Sunday night costume banquet and dance. The convention's keynote speaker will be Lonny S. Jarrett. Known for his book Nourishing Destiny, Lonny teaches and publishes extensively on inner/spiritual traditions of Chinese medicine and pulse diagnosis. Renowned authors Harriet Beinfield and Effrem Korngold will be presenting on the Five Element Constitutional Types of Chinese Medicine.

Other highlights include a variety of internationally-acclaimed speakers, instructors, and authors, including Pamela Ferguson; Pauline Sasaki; Robbee Fian; Arnie Lade; Rylen Feeney; Steven Schenkman; Kamala Quale; Susan Krieger; Steve Mertens; Stuart Watts; Peter Tai Hom; and Michael Gaeta.

Thirty hours of continuing education seminars will be offered at the convention, covering topics such as meridian stretching; medical qigong; wholistic nutrition; headaches (outer signs, inner causes); jin qi and gu qi; applications of kyo and jitsu; pulse and tongue assessment/practice; Okazaki techniques to restore qi; the 12-hour organ clock; and professional ethics.

There will be a post-convention NCCAOM ABT Exam Preparation Course on January 7-8. Also on January 7-8, AOBTA certified instructors can attend a free COMTA (Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation) onsite-evaluator training workshop. Prior to the convention (January 3), NCCAOM diplomates can strengthen their exam writing skills at the free NCCAOM Item Writing Workshop.

The convention will provide a special opportunity to connect with other therapists, learn from extraordinary teachers, and make lots of wonderful memories. For more information on the AOBTA 2002 National Convention in New Orleans, see the AOBTA website: www.aobta.org, You can also contact the AOBTA by phone (856-782-1616) or e-mail: .