Hey Vulcan,
You really made me laugh, with your reply to attending an Ostomy association meeting/ convention.
You sounded like I did, when I was 15, and my parents dragged me off kicking and screaming to my first meeting after my ileostomy surgery. Funny, I Actually found I I liked it, met a lot of nice people, and many teens and young adults in NYC / Met. area. We even started our own, young adult group, so we could talk about topics we didn't want the "elders" to hear. S-E-X. But time passed, and most of us grew up, and moved away, and once I married, had kids and settled in NJ, I no longer felt I had a need for meetings.
But then I found this site a few years ago, met a few people, and decided to go to last year's regional conference in The Washington DC area. I met Lady Hope in person, and actually enjoyed seeing the new products different vendors were showing. Got a lot of free samples too.
I don't know that I'm anxious to keep going, but I'd advise anyone new to life with an ostomy, to give a meeting or conference a try. Like you, I have many other interests, ( travel!!!) and things I'd rather chat about. For seven years, I flew around the country ( USA) Mexico, Canada, Carib, and even to Haiti, in the co pilot seat of a single engine plane. ( Bonanza). That was a fabulous way of seeing this beautiful world. And when that ended ( my friend/ travel companion & plane went "missing" and was never found) I toured the rest of the world....Europe, Israel, South Africa, China, Japan.....and to Australia 7 x to see my son who lives there with his wife and kids.
I don't know if I would have been as adventurous ( with the ostomy) had I not been as involved with others who were living a full life with an ostomy.
Best regards, Marsha