Appealing To My Guilt Levels

So one of the things that dawned on me after I was accepted into my grad program and allowed myself to daydream about a time when I would be around sentient adults most of the day was that, like probably all professional disciplines, conferences and seminars are part and parcel of the job. This excited me in a sad way, because as much as I hate to fly and travel, the thought of being in a hotel room for a night or two by MYSELF where someone ELSE would make me food and then cause it to be taken away and cleaned up out of my sight and then someone ELSE would make my bed...well, this was very thrilling.

I read this article this morning and realized, you know, I recognize the importance of here and there meeting with people face to face, but much like the author, those of us who are/will be in library and INFORMATION SCIENCE are probably spending a hell of a lot of time doing things virtually. There is even a Second Life campus, for lack of a better word, attached to the MLIS program. Second Life, for chrissakes. Julie thinks I should be a giant walking Reuben with eyes or something. I tend to agree. Perhaps if I limit myself to one 'away trip' per year or two, my inner worrywart will be assuaged. All joking aside, though, I thought it was a particularly thought-provoking article.

I've just been away for two nights for a job interview, and while it's all very stressful and exhausting, it was all, quite seriously, made almost completely worthwhile simply by the chance to sleep two nights alone in a bed with no baby in it. Really.

And the dinners out with adults were pretty sweet, too!

I think your second life avatar should be your inner hot librarian... c'mon... you know you want to....

If not that, then I vote for full on absurdist surrealist. Flying spaghetti monster? The reuben idea is good.