April 3, 2009

• tink tink tink tink and then a rustling of a bag.

  The woman behind me in the first session types furiously; I assume she's using the first session as email time, but maybe she's blogging. Why do I assume the worst? But then in session two, females behind me barely whisper as Joe (a.k.a. "Whatdya Know Joe" & "Big Cup o Joe") and Angelic ("It's my personality and my name") present two very cool projects (that, once combined, could be of use to me which is what I love to take away from conferences): I decide that teachers are as bad as students when it comes to talking in class and not paying attention.

  I need Lesley's map from the first session; it was a map of the world with all the stereotypes Americans have about other places. Australia was a big blob with the word "kangaroos" on it. China's text was "we get our stuff from here," etc. Thoughts from her presentation: "Religious terrorism is not about religion." "It's not enough just to celebrate Kwanza."

  Joe: ecofont.eu & www.census.gov - good sites to use.

  Keynote @ Lunch: "Everything you do can be done in a different way that you've never thought of before." Ooooh. And Paul pointed out to me that when a person knows three different language, he is allowed to make up words. I agree completely.

  Dinner @ fancy Italian joint: Met some lovely (anthropology profs) ladies from Columbus Community College & a nursing prof from Sinclair Community College. I guess I was a celebrity since they'd never met anyone from North Dakota. That's cool, but I was saddened by it too. We cool NDers need to get out more - ya know, after this flooding thing calms down. I hope I represented our state with dignity... and not too much vernacular/blasphemy.

  [This concludes Day One of Michigan/Midwest Institute Conference. Stay tuned for Day Two when I attempt to be witty, yet still look like I know what I am doing.]

  • 4:10 pm
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