is the word 'diary' better than the word 'blog'? probably not.
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Another country? Or the most American thing possible?
Another country? Or the most American thing possible?
Man, this resort hotel thing is cute. Check out my room!
I tried to capture the cute palm tree through the open door to my little balcony, but the brilliant sunlight obscured its magnificence. Also, there is a hot tub in my bathroom.
But I am not feeling so social right now, and kind of wish I could avoid the conference altogether. Maybe it�s the progesterone poisoning, or the amazing pool and spa set-up here, but somehow �Law and Society� is not pulling at me just now.
However, Alison�s contribution to the plenary address was wonderful and smart and moving and important. It was about witnessing trauma and being a bystander and having a responsibility that has nothing to do with personal responsibility. The plenary itself (five different papers) was emblematic of the many different kinds of people who attend Law and Society, so, as you might expect, I liked some papers, others� not so much. Overall, however, I appreciate the diversity, even when it's reminding me that I don't always appreciate it, if you know what I mean.
My dissertation advisor came up behind me and said, �Jill, is that you?� And it was. She said, �Oh, I figured it was you. No one else would get away with wearing those shoes.� Ha. I was wearing some cute red Fornarina wedge heels. They aren�t so outlandish, really. It�s just that they are cute. And apparently that is exceptional around here.
Get ready, Law and Society, because I have brought three pairs of shoes with me, and THEY ARE ALL CUTE.
Tonight, after Alison�s plenary, I hung out with an Australian, a Brit, a Scottish Australian, a Canadian, and someone who I believe is from somewhere in the Caribbean. We had overpriced Benihana-style Japanese food, and lots of drinks. It was fun, and I managed to be fairly entertaining despite my current desire to hide in my room and watch TV from the jacuzzi. But everytime I eat Benihana-style Japanese food it reminds me of David Lowery�s band Cracker, in a funny ha-ha way, because for some reason the only times in my life I�ve eaten at Benihana were with record company executives courting or entertaining Cracker. Until now. At least at this meal there were no ungracefully aging men in ponytails.
On the airplane on the way here I started reading my friend Nicholas� new book Big Dead Place, about living in Antarctica and working for the U.S. Antarctica program. It�s great: funny and informative and ironic and interesting, and ready to stir some shit up! I recommend! I started to write him a letter this afternoon in my hotel room, and then it struck me as odd that I was writing to someone in Antarctica from Las Vegas. So I said, �I don�t know whether I am in another country right now, or whether I am actually in the most American thing possible�.� �.
11:48 p.m. - June 02, 2005
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