spring break....

I have been terribly lethargic about blogging lately, and I'm not too upset about it because blogging sucks up a lot of my time which should otherwise be spent writing papers etc. etc. so I welcome these periods when I don't feel like writing anything.

Anyway, the conference was fabulous. I presented my paper on Saturday and was thinking the session would be really tough because they had squeezed 6 of us into an hour and a half panel, which meant we each had 10 minutes each. Annoyed though I was, I pared my paper down a little more. I was going to cut out my film clips, but then I decided to keep a few of the shortest ones and just fast forward through the middle of my long one. Well, even though I ended up having to cut off my elegant little conclusion at the last minute because i was out of time, it turned out to be (I think) my best presentation ever. (In fact, it was good that my powerpoint was not working because that meant I had more control over my video clips.) I got excellent feedback, especially from the one I was the most "looking forward to/nervous about" hearing me: Prof. K. Harrow. (I'm abbreviating so that google searches won't find this blog.) He really rattled me with his final question, but I got to talk to him for about 20 minutes afterwards and he was EXTREMELY encouraging. Then for the rest of the evening (I left the next morning at 4am) people kept coming up to me and telling me how much they liked my paper. (Granted a couple of them were drunk when they told me this... ie "Your paper warsh the Beeeeeesht. ") I realized that I love these conferences because you're with like minded people, who are interested in the same things. I go to conferences because I get the sort of affirmation that I rarely get in my own department. Of course, part of it is just that is is really fun to present on film--especially video-film. I was armed with handouts and film clips, and I think the key to a good presentation is keeping people amused... There's nothing like a long dry paper full of theory to put people to sleep.

Now back in [my little college town], it is spring break here, with temperatures in the 20s F. sigh. I have gotten very few items on my t0-do list done. I keep wanting to go to sleep.