I made sure to store the pink, yellow and blue colored notes containing the wise words of Embrella Cat in my backpack. After weeks of anxiety and outright fear, I forced myself to get on the plane to my first professional conference...
The conference went much better than I expected! First off, no one threw rotten fruits or insults at me upon giving my paper- a very good start if I do say so myself! Secondly, I got some positive and useful feedback about my paper and, I also got a taste of how the profession works outside my own little department. Additionally, there is a chance my paper might be published in a series that comes out of the conference every year. (In the world of academia, publication is considered important, and it makes getting hired potentially easier).
Whew! I did it! And what's more, I think I can do it again:)
When I arrived at the Philadelphia airport, it was midnight, but بلدي رجل was there to pick me up anyhow! He brought me a single white rose, followed by many kisses and hugs.
This whole conference debacle just highlighted to me how very lucky I am to have authentically supportive and loving people in my life.
PS, I've since learned that بلدي رجل translates literally into something like "my man a state" and is completely non-sequitur...best keep using it then:)
4 comments:
Way to go Filly!
You are fantastic and brave and wonderful!
You're so amazing! I am so proud of you.
No rotten tomatoes sounds like an excellent reception. hee hee. You have fun standards. Also I like the image of academics becoming rowdy like ancient theater-goers and bringing fruit with them. I picture each tomato neatly wrapped in newspapers and tucked into their attaché case as they leave get ready in the morning. I also picture some very dignified old professor watching fruit fly about as he sits in the lecture hall and calmly reaching into his briefcase, and slowly pulling out an old black umbrella and holding it above his head until all the furor had died down.
I'm glad it went well :) and that you were met at the airport with hugs and kisses. most sensible.
Hooray! You are a female action hero (and we know how we feel about those...)!
Of course you did well, I never had any stitch of doubt, but I'm glad that the outside/academic world has confirmed what we obviously knew ages ago - your brain is HUGEMUNGOUS!
Your post made me smile :)
Haha Embrella! Yes, when I get my PhD I am given a diploma in one hand, and an old black umbrella in the other:)
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