d.c.: an antidote against ennui

the session went fine and well even yesterday afternoon. sadly, joseph, the totally fabulous mensch who organized our panel, couldn't come; he was detained with meetings and work at slu. but it (our panel) went fine. i was really looking forward to seeing him. i don't care for these big meetings and joseph would have been my antidote. but i did get to see some of the people i really like and admire at the meeting. i saw very briefly some academic women who have been kind to me in the past especially at sacrph meetings. i saw some of the men too i really like -- mostly ones i know through sacrph as well. and i saw some erstwhile pals from merlin. i was glad as ever to see isa and the african americanists in history who came after me.

this afternoon, i also had lunch and autographing session with the very fine, very fabulous: jason! scott! smith! i love this dude. in all senses -- agape, philagape, erotagape. you rule, jason, even when slightly diminished because of drinking a little tiny too much with your sister and bob. darn that bob for making you drink. and even before we placed our order, we--quite unexpectedly --bumped into an animated amy h. you rule too girl. thanks for always looking out for me even though i have been slow to reply to your email.

i do not know why i am always dwelling on how little i like academicians because clearly, i am so lucky to orbit so many great people in the academy. thanks friends.

last night, directly after my session, i wheeled to the blue room to meet underbates + wes and stan to support amy saidman's new solo enterprise -- the speakeasy has officially separated from wst. she hosted a fundraiser for their new efforts on a soggy night. i miss the storytelling people too. it was really good to hang out even though i was X-hausted after all the manic antics of the week. sinead, thanks for the lift back to the hotel. i am glad that we got to have a little bit of time one on one.

i am delighted because imminently miss bird arrives here for an ovular.

i am pleased to be back in my element. tho this trip is a little too quickly paced, this is just what was needed.

i spoke to my parents this morning. my mother shows me the way through many things. today, she hosted an annual luncheon in honor of her late high school girlfriend, phyllis. ms. phyllis died a few years ago -- she followed her husband and young son, my brother's peer, into cancerous death, and a more restful, disease free afterlife, i hope. now, my mom convenes the funny women who circled their group once a year. such a winning combination -- friends and food and ritual.

i know not one thing about these little doors in ann arbor that the post's travel section will publish tomorrow.