I know about conferences because of my learnings.
Nerdery, Yay!
The Pop Culture conference was so much fun. A hotel packed full of cardigans and glasses, I was among my people (I did wear both while presenting, actually).
It was great, and childthursday and purple_seastar absolutely gave the best presentations in their respective panels. CTh has already mentioned Mr. Penis and his amazing mansplaining powers, but she was not really present when PS and I encountered Micheal Jackson's One True Fan tm who was not willing to give his paper to fellow enthusiasts because "he's had work stolen before" and "they were all out to get" him!!
Awesome, and then when we were laughing about him on the escelator he literally popped up behind us all "hey guys!!" ahaha!
CTh has also mentioned the fucking fruitcake that was chair of my panel, but I have to correct her on one point. The woman did not read out loud her own fanfic, she read out loud the transcript of a dream she'd had. A dream! About Buffy! Oh, christ it was so painful. People walked out, and I don't blame them!! But all was redeemed by the awesome power point CTh put together for me complete with Buffy Font.
Most of the conference was spent sitting in meeting rooms and squeeing in nerdish delight. I saw presentations on the Russian Trek Fandom by an actual Russian trek fan (she said wulcan!!), stuff on Jane Austen, Fan Pilgrimage, Wanna-be Utopians, Fanfic as Pedagogy, and my favorite, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Fan Shame in the Superantural Fandom." A-Mah-Zing. She showed icons. And snuck a serious discussion of the negotiation of female desire into a truly hilarious panel. Whose question and answer segment included the actual, unironic and very sincere question- "What are your thoughts on yaoi?"
It was so nice to spend time with my friends, in a super fancy hotel, and giggle about slash, and talk about Buffy while 35 grown-ups listened to me, and this is work! This is my job and I get to put this on my CV!!