Conference Review

I'm back in Gorgeous City (where the weather is still warm during the day) after a very chilly conference in Windy City. The conference was fun, but very busy. I didn't get much sleep so I slept for about 10 hours last night after my flight got in--it was much needed.

During the conference I:

• Presented three papers, all of which were pretty well received. One of the big names in the discipline responded to one of my papers and requested a copy of my dissertation. I need to get that to her soon.
• Attended a number of interesting papers and panels--one of which gave a call for papers at the end.
• Hung out with my Matron of Honor and her husband. It was SO great to seem them. I can't wait until they get to come South for my wedding--I always seem to see them in the Midwest or the West.
  
• Made a new friend--Meg (or at least transformed an acquaintanceship into a bit more)! While I was in graduate school, there was a woman in the department similar to mine who sent out an email asking for participants for her Master's Thesis study. I hooked her up with my students and encouraged them to participate for extra credit. Ever since then, we stayed in touch, but never really hung out. Her advisor works on projects with Matron of Honor's husband, so we always cross paths at conferences. But this was the first conference during which we've spent time together. We had a really good time and it is nice to connect with another woman of color who is also a second year faculty member.
• Interviewed with three schools. Two of the schools are within an hour of Dr. J, but at least one of those schools has a 4/4 teaching load, and so it is taking everything in me not to rule it out completely. It is the type of institution I would like to teach it--very similar to where I am currently, but the department is brand new (it use to be a part of a MUCH larger division). The third school that I had the best interview with is an R1 and I've found myself hoping more and more that they'll invite me to campus. It would mean Dr. J would have to relocate again (which I don't like the idea of), but it would give me a great opportunity to work with great colleagues and to be on the same campus as Meg!
• Ate out way too much. (But I had some wonderful desserts!)
• Didn't finish grading papers--which means I'll be up all night tonight so I can get these things back to them before Thanksgiving.

Now I'm suffering the consequences of a very long week.