Cutting Edge Technology Allows Etching of Digital Signature Through Eye Movement
(or, If a Blog Entry is Published in the Forest, Where do They Plug the Computers In?)

I started writing this entry about the PCA/ACA Conference, and it was so boring that I almost fell asleep. My point in that draft was that we were busy, tired, and pressed for time, but I said this in a lot more words. Zzzz... So, I tried to think of how to discuss this trip in punchier, more entertaining ways. In so doing, I tried to consider my audience. But, looking through the comments I've gotten, one would think that I have no audience whatsoever. Au contraire (Mahatma)! Friends have e-mailed me to say that they enjoy the blog, or, occasionally, people will mention in person that they enjoy it. (Thank you, my people!) If I'm getting this right, other people who read my blog but don't respond exist in "lurkdom." I've only started reading the blogs of people I don't know myself, and it feels particularly vouyeristic, so I end up commenting as a kind of "I'm here! Don't freak out! I'm looking but am completely harmless!" enterprise. Not that they'll necessarily care.

Then it occurred to me that academia has its own sense of privacy, public expression, and vouyerism, and that's how I'll talk about the Pop Culture/American Culture Conference. Thursday, I drove up to Atlanta with some friends/colleagues in an all-night undergraduate-roadtrip-style drive. We had some pretty interesting and heartfelt exchanges as well as the requisite laugh-fests. Even so, I can't remember specific things that we said nor did we think to bring a camera, so my recollection will be spotty at best.

We opted not to stay at the conference hotel because it was so expensive. At the significantly-cheaper Days Inn, we did the old two-person fakeout for a cheaper room while we filled the two double beds. Since I wasn't dating my bedmate, I thank her sincerely for not ravishing me. It's kind of weird to "sleep" with a colleague like this, but I can't imagine that hotels will go to a "four single bed" format any time soon. Note to colleagues: I have great "conference bedmate" stories, but you're some sort of vouyer if you ask for them. At any rate, we got into town at around 2:30 a.m. which left us just enough sleep to "zombie" it to Toke's 8 a.m. panel. Then, we snoozed some more and made it to my 12:30 (except for Toke, who snoozed more than the rest of us did). Two papers down, crappy dinner to go.

That evening, part of me wanted to party it up with the other conference attendees. I was particularly captivated by the Motorcycling Culture and Myth Special Event: Popular Culture Poker Walk. It was described as follows:
Everyone is welcome to join the motorcycling culturists on their first annual Popular Culture Poker Walk. The route will visit the requisite number of appropriate establishments on our way to the ultimate destination where participants will imbibe various beverages, dance, or participate in other rider ritual activities. High and low hand, 50/50. Bikes not required. Since this walk is modeled after the traditional poker run, we will travel in one pack. No minors, guns, or critters. Meet at Champions Sports Bar. Um, pop culture dudes? This is kind of what normal people do every day, so I'm not sure the event needs a title. Anyway, my tired ass missed the fun only to have a different kind of fun back at the room. Yes. We all stayed up late talking and laughing which reminded me of when my church would have lock-ins for the kids. Is it normal to have adult lock-ins? If so, I want to have an adult lock-in and, NO, I DO NOT mean an orgy (so get your freakin' mind out of the freakin' gutter).

The next day, we went to Step's presentation. She was kind of nervous in a downbeat seemingly-un-nervous way which reminded me that presenting one's work in this format can be quite nervewracking. We preserve our own senses of privacy and isolation which are rent by this dual work-disclosing and performance-demanding format. And, of couse, we have to deal with both colleagues' and peers' reactions. Dicey! Anyway, after her presentation, we checked out of the hotel and went for some fantastic vegetarian/vegan faire. I inadvertently procured a vat of fruity beverage, proclaimed it "the Marxist drink," and we headed for home.

So, I hope my version of the trip does it at least partial justice, protects the privacy of the innocent, and lets you feel a bit like the proverbial fly on the proverbial wall.