Sunday, November 1, 2009

A Confederacy of Tooters


I've just spent the end of last week at a conference in Richmond, VA, schmoozing it up with all the big names in the world of professional tutors. But readers, it's not as glamorous as it all sounds. For example, two colleagues and I had to drive the 350 miles to the conference site in a motorpool minivan with bad rotors and an even badder smell -- which turned out to be the dog poop that two of us had stepped in prior to our departure.

The conference hotel, despite its $140/night room rate, did not provide free internet access -- nor many other amenities -- in its rooms, so for entertainment I spent a few hours each evening in the hospitality suite and people-watched while trying not to abuse my own liver too much, a task made fairly easy because the Shiraz ran out on night one of the conference and I wasn't in the mood for Chablis from a box or Bud Light from a can.

Besides, one of us had to be sober enough to drive back home Saturday morning....

7 comments:

  1. And what you learned from all of those tutors is to bring your own libations and a laptop with a wireless card, eh?

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  2. I would add to that list, Doug... check your rotors...and shoes.

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  3. The academic life is so glamorous! Though I did attend a conference at a very rundown institution which stretched to caviar!

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  4. Certainly makes me want to pursue a career in the heady world of professional tutors.

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  5. Does this mean I should stay the hell out of Virginia? Dog poop and no internet! Christ, no wonder the federal government is so fucked up.

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  6. Folks, I guess since my own employer threw their big conference in San Juan, I'll forever be disappointed in these events.

    (Mr. C, we imported the dog poop from North Carolina.)

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