On not conferencing

So it seems that Collin, Jenny, and Jeff are all at the big KB Conference at Penn State (as is, I believe, my colleague Jim). I don't recall whether I thought about proposing something for this conference or not. Probably not, as I did too many conferences during 2003-2004 and so resolved to only do CCCC this year. But, technically, the Penn State Conference takes place at the beginning of the fiscal year (in July), so it's really next year already (as far as university budgets go). And that's the reason, in part, that I've never done the Penn State thing: at my previous institution, it seemed practically impossible to request funds in advance of July since the requesting of funds didn't happen until the semester was well under way. (There I go, airing dirty laundry about my former department. Tut tut. Seems Ivan the Terrible is right about us bloggers.)

At any rate, I'm a little envious, because a look at the schedule suggests some potentially good papers: D Lynch on Burke and affect, for one--something I've been wanting to work up and will be working through in my fall grad seminar. So I'll hope to see a little conference blogging after everyone returns home.

And, happily, my current department simply gives everyone some money for travel. No request needed. Not that it's a lot of money--but at least I know it's there. So maybe I'll make it to the next Penn State Conference.