reflections-on-communicating-worldviews-faith-intellect-ethics

Music: O’Hare Muzak “Don’t Disturb This Groove” (dunno the artist)

As I sit here in the airport Chili’s, I’m feeling nostalgic and somewhat wistful, and because I have a couple of hours before my plane boards, I thought I’d take a few moments to reflect on my conference experience this year: reflections-conference-chili’s-airport.

First, however, I would like to mention that Nancy is among the most unpleasant servers I’ve had in some years. I am wearing a cowboy hat, which makes me conspicuous, so they hid me behind the server’s station, crammed into a corner on a very small table, next to another very small table, and I put my cowboy hat on the neighboring table, and Nancy angrily ordered me to keep all my stuff to “my” table. She does not smile. She slams down plates and glasses. She is having a bad morning.

I, however, am having a slow-moving but nevertheless relaxed morning. I’m slightly hung-over, which oddly makes the moo-moo-I’m-a-cow routine at the airport less irritating. Finally, I am no longer hungry. With departure imminent but many hours off, I am caused to reflect on this morning’s panel, “(Re)Communicating Worldvies: Repetition, Yet Again: Five Years Later: A Retrospective [title abbreviated for brevity],” to which no one came, except for a wayward soul from Tokyo, who was a friend. We didn’t sell any more of the t-shirts, and we have a but load of our “panel-in-a-box” sets (we decided to franchise the panel this year). So, dear reader, if you’d like to submit the panel yourself, you can get the deluxe set (t-shirt + DVD) for $15.

Some vivid memories from this past week include the “parties,” where I found free booze and lots of smart, prospective graduate students. I laughed until I cried having drinks with Tom Frentz and Joyce Rushing (the saucy bartender had us howling). Rooming with the Shaunnesy: that comment about shampooing conditioning your back hair was priceless. (Oh my god! They’re playing Billy Ocean! “When the goin’ gets tough . . . . “). I remember getting off the elevator unsure about which room a group of friends was in, only to find it rather quickly by following the strong stench of burning oregano (I mean, it was ridiculous!). I remember some rather good papers; Julia Wood is so good. I finally met Phaedra Pezzulo (I’m a fan---and I think she thought I was a leetle nutty in my fandom). I remember taking lots of photos (check back later for more of those). I remember the effing shower: a small stall and a bolted shower head that sprayed you hard and directly in the face. I remember the Oasis People (thank god for Rosa).

And I remember a polite but promising kiss at the elevator.