Today, not only do I have to leave the house, but I have to interact with people. I went to the University yesterday, but I managed to keep my hermit sensibilities. I wandered through the campus without making eye contact with anyone. Mona and I worked together in the office (she exists!), but for most of the time we were both completely silent. Somehow, I've come to the point where I've minimalised small talk.
But today I have to be outgoing. First, there's TA Orientation, and you can't be withdrawn there. First of all, it's going to be the first time that I see most of the other grad students since the spring (only a few of us were out to the opening barbeque; this, however, is mandatory). I'll be seeing The One Who Suddenly Got Married This Summer, and The One Just Announced She's Four Months Pregnant. Plus, we'll all be called upone to share what we've learned about grading papers and leading seminars. Of course I have plenty to say about that.
And it's a good thing that I'll be spending the first part of the afternoon being jolted out of hermitage, because I follow that with a meeting with my supervisor. I can not be an airhead during that.
But I think this is the best thing for my conference paper. I think the writing in it is too cerebral, and especially too writer-ly. I can't even imagine how awkward it sounds, if read out loud at this point. This paper has nothing to do with the spoken word.
I've written my best conference papers immediately after having a long talk with a friend in which I explain the gist of what I'm trying to do with this paper. I write my best conference papers at night, when my tone is more conversational. Good conference papers don't result from Three Days Where I Forgot to Leave the House and Hardly Ever Answered the Phone. (Yes, that needed capitals.) Time I spend withdrawn within my own head does nothing to prepare me for being interesting to a large audience.
Maybe it'll be wise for me to leave the rest of the writing until I've been out of the house and talking with people. I'm too boring right now.
4 comments:
I wish I was too writer-ly! That is a good thing to be. Good Luck.
I think the main dilemma here is that you are in a field where complex, confusing and largely obfuscatory thought and writing is not celebrated as genius.
But no worries, apparently I am boring as well.
Did you say boring or was it "dull"? Instead of actually looking I prefer this way.
But of course, I am fairly dull too.
It took me wait to long to get the whole "big c said...and said..."
I did say "boring."
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