Today was the day that I gave the paper to the MLA Convention - over Zoom. At one point it seemed as though we were going to be required to record ourselves and upload the recording but in the end it was hosted over Zoom. The MLA Convention is huge; the program which lists all the sessions this year was 126 double columned pages long and I gather it's normally four times that size. So it's a Big Thing.
Almost completely floored by Imposter Syndrome at the start when I realised that all other panellists plus Chair were Professors, and worried they would start wondering what on earth I was doing amongst them. Then I pulled on my big girl pants and reminded myself that if I had taken a different turn in my life I too might have been a Professor, or at least something a bit more impressive than just a Dr., and got on with it.
The session was timed for 1.45 EST, so early evening here and that wasn't the best thing because it meant I couldn't concentrate on anything else all day save getting ready for it. When I have too much time before something like this I suffer from pencil itch which means I start tinkering with my paper - not ideal. But it's done and actually when it came to it I really rather enjoyed it. There was someone in the 'audience' I hadn't expected to be there and it was really nice to get a message from her saying how much she had enjoyed my paper - I know her well enough to know she would not have said that just for the sake of politeness, so that was good.
I am however exhausted. So I shall be having a very early night I think.
We've missed our walks for a couple of days this week, including today, because of abysmal weather, but we managed one yesterday and here's a photo, taken on South Ronaldsay, the next island down from us.
Oh, congratulations! That’s a huge achievement - I hope you’re putting your feet up with something decadent tonight xxx
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