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12 November 2007

this is what a nerd looks like

With a "work" schedule that usually consists of reading, typing, class and yoga, I don't usually have much occasion to dress up during the day. This weekend, participating in my first professional academic conference afforded me such an occasion.

It was cool to be immersed in an academic environment, to get away from my own studies and hear other people talk about their research. It was also a lot of fun to have drinks and celebrate with other folks involved in the conference, especially Chris, who got me involved in the first place.

The conference arrived at a weird time for me, just a few weeks after I had decided to take some time off from school. Instead of applying to do a PhD (which I very well may end up doing eventually) I have decided to step off the academic ladder for a while and see where I end up.

I've applied for a government job. I would also like to work at a bookstore, or a makeup store, or certainly at any kind of journalistic outlet that will take me. I hate thinking and planning this far in advance, but since my thesis has a deadline (August) and my home has an expiry date (lease ends in July) I suppose the time is arriving to think about the future. Just as the tick-tocking crocodile haunted Captain Hook, so do the ticking of time and the necessity of decision-making haunt me with each passing day.

The best way I can explain my decision to take a break is to use yet another cheesy time metaphor. My hourglass of intellectual inspiration is threatening to run out by the time I finish my MA. I need some time to recharge myself in public life, so that I will be able to flip it over again and get the school-related parts of my brain flowing again.

5 comments:

gillian said...

LOVE the picture dal! haha you look great! very serious and academic!

I think taking some time away is a great call. spend sometime taking it easy and enjoying other aspects of your life that dont involve school!

your halloween costume.. incredible! you looked fantastic!! hope all is well in montreal! my sister was there this past weekend!

Miss you!

Chris in NF said...

I heard from a number of people that your paper was amazing -- which is quite the accomplishment, being one of the few MAs presenting at a professional conference. Still feel sorry about missing your paper. Don't forget to email it to me.

Emmett Macfarlane said...

Glad you had a good time! (We were obviously talking about different conferences the other week - mine's this weekend...)

If you do end up pursuing a PhD, you'll be very happy to have taken that break. Good luck with everything Dal!

andrew.dewaard said...

what was the paper/conference?

Unknown said...

The paper was called "The Gospel of Sex: Prophylaxis, Proliferation, Pledges and the Discourse of Innocence." It was about the current sex ed situation in the US. The Conference was the Canadian Association of American Studies, here in Montreal this year.