DeadpanAnn (old blogger version)

The conference is going okay so far, with one day down and four to go. The history people decided to take a field trip to the MLK Museum in Memphis on Thursday, and our group hopped on board, so really there are only three days to go. I don't consider visiting a museum to be much work, although I am supposed to be learning something about rhetoric while I'm there.

Last night we went to eat in town, then stopped at Square Books before coming back to the hotel. My colleagues saw someone semi-famous in the book store. I didn't recognize her, although the voice was familiar, but she apparently played one of the girlfriends in Bio Dome, among other roles. Of the three movies my coworkers listed, Bio Dome was the only one I had seen. You know, because it's such a fantastic film. Them's the kind of movie stars we have around here, although I think we can claim Morgan Freeman. Having him on our roster brings some balance, what with Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney also being on the list.

We also had a little fun in the restaurant. Mr. L and Ms. J walked in first to check it out while the rest of us stood around on the sidewalk, lollygagging. Now, Mr. L is a white guy, and Ms. J is a black lady, and apparently the town of Oxford is not prepared for interracial couples, because according to them a needle slid off a record somewhere and everyone stopped and stared at them when they entered the restaurant together. So we discussed that loudly at our table and had a few good laughs at the Oxfordites' expense.

I like Mr. L because he hates Ole Miss. And he makes fart jokes, but mostly because he rags on Ole Miss nonstop.

The workshop itself is a bit bland. There are 10 people in my group including the leader. Two are from Petal, School District of Dreams. Another is from a suburb of Pittsburg where a large portion of the students aspire to go to ivy league schools. How bout that? She's just a Delta girl though, so she isn't too haughty about having won the teacher job lottery.

Yesterday the class-- or whatever you want to call it-- started out kinda slow. I just thought someone in that room needed to get laid or something, because everyone was so reserved and prim and proper. Imagine all the pretense that is associated with English people, then pack that into a small classroom and divide it among 8 teachers. I say 8 and not 10 because my colleague and myself are exempt, of course. It was a tad uptight. Lots of smug in the air. But thank God they must've put something in the food because everyone returned from lunch a little more relaxed.

My primary complaint is not having to read test questions and analyze them, having to pretend that I've read most of the books in a long list of classics, or even that the lady next to me will not SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY. I can deal with all that, but my feet and ankles are starting to swell when I sit for too long, so I'm starting to get uncomfortable. I hate getting up and leaving the room during these things, but I've had to do that a lot, despite the well-spaced frequent stretch breaks.

More later. I have to put on makeup and go meet the posse.