I have some thoughts about acupuncture as we close out the decade. Apparently, so do some journalists who are including acupuncture in their lists of "Things that changed our lives in the past decade." Acupuncture and alternative medicine are on those lists, right up there with reality TV, crocs and google. I graduated acupuncture school in 2000, so I've been riding the growing wave of popularity for the past ten years. I've definitely seen the surge and think that it's much easier for a new graduate to build a practice now than it was ten years ago. I like to think that I've been a small part of the mainstreaming of acupuncture by getting some articles published in national magazines and creating the event Acupuncture Happy Hour. I've introduced hundreds of people to acupuncture who hadn't experienced it before. However, I think the popularity of acupuncture is mainly due to it's effectiveness in resolving or mitigating many medical conditions and the fact that it has no side effects. I like the direction that medicine in our country is going, where alternatives like acupuncture are being utilized in combination with conventional medicine. I'm sure that eventually, acupuncture will be commonplace in clinics and hospitals, but maybe not in our lifetimes. Until then, I appreciate how many people support solo practitioners and I'm glad that the press has recognized the trend of more and more people seeking us out.