4C07

Looks like it's time for the annual CCCC retrospective. The theme this year? Skip it.


I skipped yoga (which I had hoped to get to) Wednesday night. I hadn't eaten since 8 am or something like that and also had forgotten my registration materials, so, after arriving and checking in to my hotel, I found my way to the Hilton to ask for a new name tag. I knew I was going the right way when I saw the gigantic frogs in front of the building next door. Ah yes, I thought, I remember the gigantic frogs. On closer inspection, they turned out to be gigantic classical torsos. I wondered if I had really thought, last time the Cs was in NYC, that they were gigantic frogs or if it was a case of invented memory. I'll never know. At any rate, like I said, I was deliriously hungry. So I skipped yoga in favor of getting some food.

My panel was the first one after the general session Thursday morning. I needed to do a little tinkering on the paper, so I skipped the WPA breakfast (even though I had registered) and the general session, too.

As has become somewhat usual, I skipped many sessions. While skipping one, I met two current grad students from my PhD-granting institution. One commented on how he was trying to go to every session. Ah, unjaded youth.

I thought I would have to skip the St. Martin's party because I had dinner plans at 7:00 and attended a session that lasted until 5:00 or so. But A, one of my dinner companions, suggested we take a cab to Central Park and at least have a peek at the Tavern on the Green. So we did.

I skipped a number of panels I wanted to attend, including panels by good friends, solely because they were on Saturday afternoon. I just couldn't believe CCCC was going to last all day Saturday. My plane was leaving in the afternoon, so I had to get a cab to the airport around noon. Note to self: next year, stay overnight on Saturday.

I also skipped all of the Sweet Sixteen, except a glimpse now and then to check scores. Since none of the scores were to my liking, I'll skip that, too.

What didn't I skip? Meals with friends. Catching up in the lobby and hallways. A few good panels. A few editorial-type meetings. A walk down Broadway at midnight. (Sensory overload? Oh yes.)

All in all, a good time. Some new ideas. Some new connections. Some connections maintained.

And now, at last, Spring Break.