Still Alive

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted. I knew it had been a while, but I didn't realize it had been ten days. Sorry about that.

Of course, the frustrating thing about keeping a blog/journal is that when there are a lot of things to talk about, there is no time to write about any of it. So I'm writing right now only to say hi. I'm still alive.

I had a busy week of classes last week and then I was at a conference in KC, MO all weekend and I'll really have to tell you more about that because it was good times, but the bullet pointed summary is as follows (Because, let's be honest, will I actually ever get around to telling you the whole story? Probably not):
-This was my first time doing some sort of committee/collaborative work at a conference as opposed to presenting a paper, and it ended up being a great choice. I got to know a lot of people very quickly, and it's much easier to meet people through working than it is to have to awkwardly stare at people's chests deciphering name badges at cocktail meet-and-greets.
-Besides getting to hang out with the University Land contingent, I also got to see two of my good friends and two of my profs from my masters program. We got to spend a ton of time together over the weekend, and it was so much fun catching up.
-The barbecue IS good there.
-Dozens of buildings surrounding the hotel were linked by these gerbil-tunnely things suspended over the streets, making it absolutely unnecessary to venture outside at all the entire weekend. I was there for three and a half days and probably spent a grand total of twenty minutes outside.
-There was a ton of shop talk, and the gossip level this weekend exponentially increased from the norm (which is already pretty damn high). I don't know if it was because we spent a substantial amount of time drinking (not drunk, but just drinking together makes people want to tell good stories), or because the possibilities for gossip were greater because we could now not only gossip about University Land but about all the other people at the conference. Frankly, it kind of stressed me out, because I realize that if I gab about other people, they're definitely talking about me as well. But there's also nothing I can do about it, that's just the nature of the beast. All I can do is try not to give everyone TOO much to talk about.
-One of the most amusing revelations of the weekend? I was talking with some of my friends and my boss (a fellow grad student who is ABD and lectures the class I TA) and we were talking about the relative hotness of academics (you know, how there's "hot" and then "hot for a professor" and how those are generally two different things). So I said, "Yeah, I'll look around a room and be happy that I'm the hottest one there. And then I'll realize that it's only because the room is full of old bearded guys. Woohoo, I'm the hottest person in this room full of academics! What an accomplishment!" And my boss said, "Shut up, you usually ARE the hottest one in the room even when it's not old guys." I laughed and said, "That's definitely not true." And then she said, "Okay, full confession. Don't get mad at me...but when we first started classes last semester, my husband was asking about all the other TAs and I was listing you all and I said, 'There's Nicole and Anna and, damn it, what's her name? Pretty Pretty." And she said "Pretty Pretty" in a sort of voice that brought to mind Barbie dolls and cheerleaders. I was like, "Oh, ouch!" and she explained that she figured out quickly that I had a brain, too, but she said that to this day her husband will still say to her, "How's Pretty Pretty?" The whole thing makes me laugh, and I suppose in a way it's flattering. Better than being Ugly Bitch, for instance. But I'm not sure that "pretty" is the first impression I want to make, although I know that my boss is utterly right about me, because I don't think "smart" or "confident" are the first impression I make. Although I like to think I'm those things as well. I don't know how to change that, though, or if I really need to be concerned about it. I need to think more about it because there are bigger issues at stake here. However, like I said, it could be worse.
-I spent almost as much time sneaking away to the gym or happy hour as I spent attending sessions or panels. I don't feel at all guilty about this. And the panels I did go to were (mostly) worthwhile.
-When you're slightly drunk and with six other people that are also slightly drunk, nothing-and I mean nothing-will be more amusing than a revolving restaurant.

Anyway, I don't promise that posting will get any better this month. It's a really hectic time of year: mid-semester grading, lots of class projects, trying to apply for jobs and get my act together for the summer, working on a submission for another conference and the paper I have to present at one next month, and then spring break, of course.

So yeah. I'll do my best.