Oh, Academia
I've spent the last couple days at ASECS, the American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies conference; I sneak in because technically I do work in the long eighteenth century and also it has several book history-ish panels. Anyways, I chaired a panel and gave a paper, and both went well, even if the only reason I got a question at Q&A was because I had a friend in the audience; several people told me later they enjoyed my paper and my enthusiasm, and one woman said she wanted me to hurry and write a book so she can read it.
In marked contrast, I went out to dinner with a bunch of people last night, and most of them like got together and drank and gossiped and talked job market and whatnot; me and another friend had been under the impression we were going to talk bibliography instead, so that was less than fun. Also, one woman asked me about my dissertation, so I started the thirty second elevator-talk summary, and like twenty seconds in she turned to the woman next to her and started talking to her, and so I quickly and awkwardly finished up. But what even was the point of that?? And then at the reception tonight this same person wanted a group photo with some folks I was with, and I tried to sidle out but she had me stay in, like....okay, you remember my name, you'll take a picture with me, but you don't want to talk to me? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HUMANS, I SWEAR.
(But thank god I was able to talk to Youmi last night, I would have died of boredom, the food was slow and the drinks kept coming, and just. Yeah. So we got to bond and talked about kdramas the whole time, and she said if she moves back to Seoul I can come visit her and she will take me to eat all the yummy delicious things people eat on tv that I can't even pronounce!)
And then today, I got two--TWO--emails from academic presses at PCA asking me about doing a book with them!! One was the new editor at U-Iowa Press, and I'd been in contact with the previous editor there, so I'm kind of curious if the new person hasn't looked in their files or what. The other was someone from U-Mississippi Press, who I hadn't talked to before, so that's good for the ego!! (And in marked contrast to "twenty seconds is too long to listen to you" girl.)
I head home tomorrow and the pre-flight jitters are kicking in; the flight here was the bumpiest I've had in a while, and I'm pretty sure it should be smoother, but I'm still anxious, because me. So, uh, wish me luck??!!
In marked contrast, I went out to dinner with a bunch of people last night, and most of them like got together and drank and gossiped and talked job market and whatnot; me and another friend had been under the impression we were going to talk bibliography instead, so that was less than fun. Also, one woman asked me about my dissertation, so I started the thirty second elevator-talk summary, and like twenty seconds in she turned to the woman next to her and started talking to her, and so I quickly and awkwardly finished up. But what even was the point of that?? And then at the reception tonight this same person wanted a group photo with some folks I was with, and I tried to sidle out but she had me stay in, like....okay, you remember my name, you'll take a picture with me, but you don't want to talk to me? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HUMANS, I SWEAR.
(But thank god I was able to talk to Youmi last night, I would have died of boredom, the food was slow and the drinks kept coming, and just. Yeah. So we got to bond and talked about kdramas the whole time, and she said if she moves back to Seoul I can come visit her and she will take me to eat all the yummy delicious things people eat on tv that I can't even pronounce!)
And then today, I got two--TWO--emails from academic presses at PCA asking me about doing a book with them!! One was the new editor at U-Iowa Press, and I'd been in contact with the previous editor there, so I'm kind of curious if the new person hasn't looked in their files or what. The other was someone from U-Mississippi Press, who I hadn't talked to before, so that's good for the ego!! (And in marked contrast to "twenty seconds is too long to listen to you" girl.)
I head home tomorrow and the pre-flight jitters are kicking in; the flight here was the bumpiest I've had in a while, and I'm pretty sure it should be smoother, but I'm still anxious, because me. So, uh, wish me luck??!!