And miles to go...
Well, after a very long, and somewhat roundabout route, I've made it to Princeton for my conference. I flew to Baltimore, through Atlanta; was picked up by my father-in-law and driven to Philly; ate dinner; and drove to P'ton, where I'm staying with a friend who's a grad student there.
It's been a very long day, and being pregnant doesn't make traveling more pleasant (what, I have to go to the bathroom, again!?). But I did want to show off my belly, show everybody that passed that I am pregnant. Last time I traveled, I had just found out that I was pregnant. It felt a little surreal the whole time.
I had a nice visit with Erin Liv'ton and her two cuties (and impending cutey). I love how with some many Cov folks, even ones you didn't know so well then, you can just pick up and talk like nothing else. Maybe our brains all get wired a certain way there. I was also blessed with some great maternity clothes from her! The generosity that has been shown to me in the Mat Clothes category has really overwhelmed me, and I'm so thankful.
I've decided that this is the only conference I'm going to go to this semester. It's a lot to pick up and travel, stay somewhere primitive (I'm lucky this time to have a friend), sit through sessions, etc. It's just not worth the time and money right now. I'm looking forward to this one; I think it'll be good. I think I can skip a 7 months pregnant Kalamazoo medieval conference (aka "camp" for medievalists) without any qualms or reluctance. I'm a little nervous about my paper tomorrow morning. We'll see....
It's also weird to be back up North. There's a part of me that hates it. Since I grew up in the North, that is what is normal. So my new life now in Crazy Exotic City (NOLA), which now feels so much like home, gets shown for what it really is...not home, but crazy, exotic city in light of Normal North. I don't like that. I want to live in NOLA and be part of it in an integral way. Whatever...what is more likely is that we'll find a new place to live...a new city some day. We won't stay in New Orleans in forever, though it's the kind of place that lulls you in to thinking you can.