I thought about going for the first time this year. Decided not to. Then changed my mind and decided to go. And then decided not to. Could not decide if it would be energizing or overwhelming. Thanks for confirming my profound ambivalence!
Sebastian!!! AWP!!! I feel like we became real friends through bonding at AWP, and I have an awkward elevator story of my own (also btw hi Alexander Chee, I’m a huge huge fan):
I think it was Chicago AWP 2009, and I was young and extremely broke but staying in one of the conference hotels for the first time (albeit with many roommates) and I saw my friend in the elevator and breathlessly exclaimed, “They’re giving away FREE ISSUES of Poets and Writers at the Book Fair!!! Isn’t that amazing?!” And then, right at the next floor as he departed, Kevin Larimer looked at me and said, “I’m the Editor of Poets and Writers” before departing and I was mortified. But in retrospect, it was kind of sweet and odd and awkward. If he’d been wearing a hat, he would have tipped it.
I love this, despite being retraumatized. Never at AWP but at annual meetings of American Sociological Associtation. I gave some papers or :"presentations" (until a woman I fancied said "presntations" makes it sound like being a horny monkey). I learned in grad school that academia runs on renewable fuels - insecurity and envy. Competition! What a curse!
And "so much poetry!" Yes, I put a lot of energy into publishing poems. Why?
whelp, that was intensely privileged, self-centered and boring AF. do you need that swag or just covet the dopamine rush of acquiring. how are your stores of deadly visceral fat doing?
I love this memory. Thank you!
I’ve thought about for 15 years, even as we’ve followed each other across various platforms! A slow-burning mortification.
This is weird to admit but seeing the photos of the booths and readings lowers my first-timer anxiety.
I'm glad! You really just have to let go and enjoy it. You'll miss some cool stuff, but ideally it's because you're busy with other cool stuff!
Maybe we'll run into each other! (And maybe not!)
I thought about going for the first time this year. Decided not to. Then changed my mind and decided to go. And then decided not to. Could not decide if it would be energizing or overwhelming. Thanks for confirming my profound ambivalence!
Next year in Baltimore! I'll show you around!
Making me very excited for conference season!
Sebastian!!! AWP!!! I feel like we became real friends through bonding at AWP, and I have an awkward elevator story of my own (also btw hi Alexander Chee, I’m a huge huge fan):
I think it was Chicago AWP 2009, and I was young and extremely broke but staying in one of the conference hotels for the first time (albeit with many roommates) and I saw my friend in the elevator and breathlessly exclaimed, “They’re giving away FREE ISSUES of Poets and Writers at the Book Fair!!! Isn’t that amazing?!” And then, right at the next floor as he departed, Kevin Larimer looked at me and said, “I’m the Editor of Poets and Writers” before departing and I was mortified. But in retrospect, it was kind of sweet and odd and awkward. If he’d been wearing a hat, he would have tipped it.
I gushed about all this and more in the brevity blog, some years ago, so it prob needs some addendums, but sharing in case you’re interested: https://brevity.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/in-search-of-lost-swag-my-decade-of-awp-conferences/
This is an amazing story! See you soon?
I love this, despite being retraumatized. Never at AWP but at annual meetings of American Sociological Associtation. I gave some papers or :"presentations" (until a woman I fancied said "presntations" makes it sound like being a horny monkey). I learned in grad school that academia runs on renewable fuels - insecurity and envy. Competition! What a curse!
And "so much poetry!" Yes, I put a lot of energy into publishing poems. Why?
Thanks, Jim! I know, so many people hate conferences, and I get it. But I love this one.
whelp, that was intensely privileged, self-centered and boring AF. do you need that swag or just covet the dopamine rush of acquiring. how are your stores of deadly visceral fat doing?
I’ll cop to the privilege for sure. And the self-centeredness—it’s kinda my blog? I’m sorry you were bored, and I’m working on those fat deposits.