tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post9067743921346544319..comments2024-02-28T18:29:41.120-08:00Comments on Not of General Interest: Random Bullets of MLA 2022undinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05589384016564587214noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-49071079329823721242022-01-22T13:21:47.821-08:002022-01-22T13:21:47.821-08:00xykademiqz--I am completely with you on all counts...xykademiqz--I am completely with you on all counts, especially this: "This romantic notion of great bonding times during in-person conferences disregards everyone who's not part of the in-crowd, which also includes serious scientists who have no money for a jet-setting lifestyle." What about people with physical limitations for whom travel is difficult or impossible? Your example shows that inclusivity is getting left behind in all this nostalgia for in-person conferences. There are a few voices saying this on Twitter, but there are a lot more of the "Sorry we couldn't get together at the Duke gathering this year, but see you next year!" in-crowd signalling. And the cost: $2K-2.5K is what it costs now, and I'm not getting reimbursed. <br /><br />But so much this: it's about actually staying awake and listening and learning by moving around at home rather than performing listening and instead falling asleep because you're just too overstimulated and your body is trying to check you out of a conference session. <br /><br />gwinne--Zoom time can be too much, and it must be hard with kids wanting attention. It's the turning off the camera and listening while moving around that makes a difference for me, but it's still Zoom.<br /><br />nicoleandmaggie--the slides for our humanities presentations usually aren't as crucial as they are for scientists, so I have to stick with listening. I did try keeping the camera on some, but in some cases we've actually been asked to keep them off if we have an ASL interpreter, since it's less confusing. <br />undinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05589384016564587214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-56461908016207232412022-01-09T07:30:48.236-08:002022-01-09T07:30:48.236-08:00Sounds like MLA is being run better than ASSA. Th...Sounds like MLA is being run better than ASSA. The larger webinar sessions are fine, but for the smaller webinar sessions, the conference people are supposed to give all the presenters and discussants co-host capability so they can share their slides but often that doesn't pan out (most conferences I go to allow the chair full hosting privileges, but ASSA doesn't trust them I guess). As I'm typing this, one of the discussants is having trouble with his slides. <br /><br />I do like being able to go to a conference in my pajamas. (Usually I show my face at smaller virtual conferences, but I can't with webinars and I haven't wanted to put a nice shirt on for the single smaller session I've attended each day, plus there have been enough people that I haven't felt the need to be supportive of the speakers and the norm seems to be panel and discussants show faces and spectators stay blank screen.)<br /><br />I have discovered that I can't handle being talked at on my computer for hours at a time. I've been watching a lot of conference slides with the sound off and that helps. nicoleandmaggiehttp://nicoleandmaggie.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-7150978133995077692022-01-09T05:25:53.376-08:002022-01-09T05:25:53.376-08:00So glad you’re having a good experience. Everythin...So glad you’re having a good experience. Everything you say makes so much sense to me. I wasn’t presenting at MLA and almost registered for zoom version.....<br /><br />But the reality for me is that virtual conferences suck in different ways than in person conferences suck. I really enjoy the occasional lecture/ reading but can’t do more than 2 hrs a day on zoom without major bodily consequences. I tune out. And if on weekend have interruptions by kid.<br /><br />Best wishes on the new semester!gwinnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04840990153103781272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-63110351412340069322022-01-09T00:32:21.087-08:002022-01-09T00:32:21.087-08:00I am also overjoyed about virtual meetings. I am m...I am also overjoyed about virtual meetings. I am much more comfortable attending and get more out of talks in this format (I have a harder time paying attention and fall asleep in the conference room). <br /><br />Your point about being excluded from after-panel conversations is well taken. I have often been alone at a meeting and it's no fun, and neither is trying to attach to others. I have decent social skills, which is why I can get the hint that I am not wanted. The clubbiness is real. <br /><br />And, honestly, the prices are just stupid. It takes 2.5 grand to go to some of big conferences in my field for three days. They are in expensive cities, hotel is 250+ per day, registration nearly a grand itself. It's all definitely not worth it to go give a talk in the flesh. <br /><br />There is a small biannual conference I attend, and it moves between Europe, Asia, and North America. This past year we had 2x the number of attendees because it was virtual, and with some creative scheduling it was all in real time. It was a great atmosphere. Some people I hadn't seen in ages attended again. This romantic notion of great bonding times during in-person conferences disregards everyone who's not part of the in-crowd, which also includes serious scientists who have no money for a jet-setting lifestyle. <br /><br />I really hope stuff moves online in perpetuity.xykademiqzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18306861394466282929noreply@blogger.com