Packing my bags for an academic conference is much easier these days than it used to be. No need to pack an interview suit; no stiletto heels, sparkly earrings, or shiny silk blouses--just sensible shoes, warm sweaters, wool socks. A few books, of course, neatly packed on my Kindle. No papers to grade (until Friday when a new batch comes in electronically), no advisees to meet (until next Monday), no crying students in my office (unless they want to cry via e-mail).
I'm trying to travel light but I fear stowaways--a nagging concern about an absent student, a desire to help a struggling colleague. I really need to leave this headache behind because air travel alone is headache enough.
A colleague who is presenting at the same conference has borrowed a projector to take along, but I refuse. A few weeks ago the conference organizers responded to spiraling costs by cancelling the contract with the company providing projectors and other audio-visual equipment, so presenters are expected to provide their own. I'm on a panel on the portrayal of animals in film and I would love to project some wonderful images to illustrate my paper, but that would require borrowing a projector from the college, transporting it to Wisconsin, and returning it unscathed next week.
But I'm not doing that because (a) I'm a klutz; (b) can you imagine trying to haul a heavy projector through airport security along with all your other miscellaneous detritus? and (c) I refuse to carry the emotional burden of that added responsibility. The smart thing, of course, would be for me to share a projector with my colleague, but we're presenting two days apart and she won't even be there on the day of my paper, and by the time she presents, I'll be gone. Besides, what a pain. I simply prefer not to.
No, I'm traveling light, taking just what I need and hoping to leave nonessentials behind. If anyone's in the market for a good used headache, I'm selling to the highest bidder.
2 comments:
You could rent a projector (rentex.com or atsrentals.com). They would ship projector overnight to hotel, you use it and then put ups sticker on box and hotel sends it back. All can be as cheap as $75. I have done this. Works great if you really need a projector.
That sounds like a great service but that would be 75 non-reimbursed dollars coming out of my pocket. If my job depended on it, I'd do it, but there's really not a whole lot at stake for me at this conference.
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