In a few days time I have to go to Inverness. Long time readers of this blog will know that this is not a prospect that fills me with joy. Inverness is, and has been for many years, some sort of strange nemesis of mine and I can never go there without something awful happening.
Why then am I going? Because it's the UHI Post Grad conference. It moves around the constituent colleges of the University every year and it's just my (bad) luck that the first one I'm eligible to attend is in Inverness. On the upside, it's unlikely to be in Inverness again before I have finished so this may be my one and only Inverness one. Fingers crossed, eh?
I am even, despite the fact that I've only been playing this game for about five minutes, giving a presentation. I wasn't planning to but when the notification of the conference came round I had a conversation with my Director of Studies that went like this.
Me: This conference, should I be registering to go?
Her: Yes of course. It'll be a great chance for you to meet some other Ph D students. X will be there. And maybe Y. And that'll be just the three minute presentation.
Me: You think I should do a presentation? Even though it's my first time there?
Her: Yes, of course. Just the three minute one.
Fairy Nuff. I duly filled in the relevant bits of the form. And this week we had another conversation about it that went like this.
Me: I've just booked my travel for the conference.
Her: Oh good. It's quite close now isn't it. I'd best get on and prepare my talk. (She's the keynote speaker)And I'm so pleased you decided you would do a presentation.
Me: I decided? You mean it wasn't a 3 line whip?
Her: Oh no of course not. Is that how it came over?
Well yes it is actually. Although I'm not complaining. She's very good, very encouraging and I've learned a lot from her, particularly about having a positive attitude. And actually I rather wish I was doing five minutes. Because three minutes, as I have discovered, is no time at all.
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