Greetings, from Kalamazoo!
So far this year Kalamazoo has been pretty great. My one big complaint however is that the WaxCraft people are no longer here. I sent off an e-mail to inquire about the status of things, and apparently the business is in the process of being dissolved, which means no more Kalamazoo trips for them. This was rather devastating news. They have an ivory carving seal called "Christ in Majesty" that is simply stunning. I wanted to buy it the last time I was here, but I had already bought one and couldn't afford to buy a second one. So I was looking forward to picking it up this year and had some money tucked away for it specifically. Except of course, that I CANT buy it because they're not here. *Insert feelings of bitterness* She told me they still have some left in stock which I could order, but the shipping fee is $14 and the seal at regular price (as opposed to the conference price with NO shipping) is $68. So that's an $82 american purchase. If there were here it would have been more like $55. I'm considering e-mailing her back and asking if they'll discount it a bit since they're trying to clear out their remaning stock. I'm not sure I can justify spending $82 on a hunk of wax, no matter how fantastic it is.
In more pleasant news however, I attended a session about naming, which is an area of interest for me, and I was speaking to the presider afterwards about whether there might a session on naming again next year. I explained that I would really like to submit a paper for such a session were there to be one. She was very supportive of the idea and was hoping that there would be another one. So I've got her card and I'm supposed to send her off a message later to discuss things further. I know I want to try and present a paper in SOMETHING next year, and I feel like this would be a perfect topic.
Other than that, I've bumped into all kinds of people that I recognize from previous conferences that I don't actually know and whose names I can't remember. (I seriously think I have a memory deficiency) The open wine hours are also fantastic, although the older I get, the harder it is to keep up with the undergrads I travel with! By around 11:00 I'm ready for bed. It's sad I know. I don't think I've made it to bed yet before 12:30 though, so I think I'm holding my own. ;)
Tonight is wine hour central... so I'm trying to get myself reved up to be social. I hate talking to people I don't know, but that's what these things are all about. So, wish me luck and off I go!
In more pleasant news however, I attended a session about naming, which is an area of interest for me, and I was speaking to the presider afterwards about whether there might a session on naming again next year. I explained that I would really like to submit a paper for such a session were there to be one. She was very supportive of the idea and was hoping that there would be another one. So I've got her card and I'm supposed to send her off a message later to discuss things further. I know I want to try and present a paper in SOMETHING next year, and I feel like this would be a perfect topic.
Other than that, I've bumped into all kinds of people that I recognize from previous conferences that I don't actually know and whose names I can't remember. (I seriously think I have a memory deficiency) The open wine hours are also fantastic, although the older I get, the harder it is to keep up with the undergrads I travel with! By around 11:00 I'm ready for bed. It's sad I know. I don't think I've made it to bed yet before 12:30 though, so I think I'm holding my own. ;)
Tonight is wine hour central... so I'm trying to get myself reved up to be social. I hate talking to people I don't know, but that's what these things are all about. So, wish me luck and off I go!