Tuesday, 25 December 2007

MLA for Thee but not for Me

My decision not to attend the MLA was a wise one.  I'll miss the talks, the panels, the blogger meet-up, the other blogger meet-up—but if I'd flown to Chicago I would've spent every talk, panel and meet-up with my head in Irvine, and I would've missed something even more important than my career.  I won't bore you with the details—not that I think you lack sympathy, I'm just not much in the mood to re-live the last three days.

Needless to say, blogging will be light for the foreseeable future. 

Dec 25, 2007 8:19:48 PM | Academia

11 Comments

Flavia

I'm so sorry, Scott--both selfishly sorry, not to have the chance to see/meet you again, and more genuinely sorry for you and Rachel. I hope the new year brings better things.

Posted by: Flavia | Tuesday, 25 December 2007 at 09:47 PM

JPool

Deepest sympathies

Posted by: JPool | Tuesday, 25 December 2007 at 10:06 PM

Megan

I'm very sorry, Scott. They fit so perfectly and then they leave such a hole. I miss mine still.

Posted by: Megan | Wednesday, 26 December 2007 at 12:22 AM

Sisyphus

Oh no! Sending you best wishes and positive thoughts...

here's to a better year with 2008?

Posted by: Sisyphus | Wednesday, 26 December 2007 at 01:37 AM

Karl Steel

Damn. Sympathies and take care.

Posted by: Karl Steel | Wednesday, 26 December 2007 at 08:19 AM

Charlotte

Oh man! We're sending you and Rachel our best beat-the-cancer vibes ... and our congrats that, in contrast to some other folks in the trade, you've got your work-life-balance dial screwed the right way.

Posted by: Charlotte | Wednesday, 26 December 2007 at 01:25 PM

The Necromancer

Hang in there, bro. It's all about the war, not the battle.

Posted by: The Necromancer | Wednesday, 26 December 2007 at 03:36 PM

alkau

There are some moments that define what type of person you are - this has been it for you. You are a kind and loving person who feels not just for humans, but to animals who enter our lives and who give love freely. Rachel is that for you and I am happy you will have more time with her. Just don't keep her for you and not for herself. You are her mother and the love you give her is as strong as a mother's love. Enjoy the time you have with her for now. For one who was alone this Christmas to another who was alone it is hard and makes you realize the balance between work and home sometimes makes you realize just what is important.

Posted by: alkau | Wednesday, 26 December 2007 at 08:35 PM

New Kid on the Hallway

I'm so (belatedly) sorry.

Posted by: New Kid on the Hallway | Monday, 31 December 2007 at 12:24 AM

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"Cautiously Optimistic" Before I begin, I want to thank everyone for the well-wishing. I would've responded, but I haven't had ready access to a computer since my laptop died a sudden and inexplicable death earlier this week—Sunday? Monday? Can't be sure. My week was a blur of 3 a.m. Christmas eves and 1 a.m. Christmas mornings in waiting rooms of emergency care centers. You know the drill: You stare at fake plants potted in real soil, avoiding eye contact with the woman in the nubby skirt whose dainty tidiness in these wee hours offends you. Did she really have to put herself together to attend the opening of her purse pup's Diabetes? Couldn't he have slipped into a diabetic coma while she selected complementary pumps? Under normal circumstances I'm not so judgmental, but I'd been beating myself stupid with couldabeens and shouldabeens all night, so condemnations I typically reserve for myself spilled out. (That and every time my eyes contacted another's an undammable flow followed.) Between self-loathing and fearing-the-worst, I became Joan Rivers. Not my best night. Tonight is a different story. According to the MRI, there is no brain tumor. There has been a "brain event." There is a lesion, the result of a (treatable) stroke or an (even more treatable) fungal infection. This might not be the beginning of the end. (My stomach unclenches some typing that.) There are other things. (There always are.) They might be bad. (They might always be.) But the same veterinary neurologist who prepped me for the worst on a cold dead Christmas morning is now "cautiously optimistic." That's enough for me. UPDATE: HEADBUTT!

Scott Eric Kaufman

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