Wednesday, November 03, 2010

the First of the Last Drafts!

It is the nature of the Korean Academic Beast that things will come up at the last minute and without a hint of warning...

About two weeks ago, my boss 'suggested' (which, in Korea, means 'ordered') that I put together some of the powerpoints I've been using in my graduate class to present at a 'small' conference that is coming up.

No problem, says I, and I cobble some stuff together and give it an ultra-hip "white text on black background' treatment, which screams, "hey, this presenter is not only criminally handsome and ferociously smart, but also handy with design. Perhaps I should hire him at higher wage than his current employer offers?"

Last week, in a casual conversational aside, I'm told, "oh, and we'll be needing a formal paper.. and a week before the conference." Seems the conference is actually rather official and features a conference document and everything....

So in the interstitial times (on the train to Busan, eating dinner, between classes) I have cobbled together a collection of high-velocity witticisms, brilliant apercus, and a pungent yet sensible conclusion...

Well, a first draft that someday might contain all that stuff. ;-)

Anyway... 12 pages in the hopper....

Now, off to watch my students do presentations on Korean culture (do you know Kimchi?)

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