Alter Ego

I had a crappy day at work today. Other people screwed up and I'm stuck having to clean up their mess while simultaneously trying to quell panic among students and colleagues. And on top of that, my older daughter is going to have a slumber party tomorrow, which means there will be 8 13-year-old girls in my house. Shudder.

Oh, but I'm going to survive this, because next week I get to climb on a plane and fly to Albuquerque and be Kim Fielding for several days. You see, Kim Fielding is a pen name--not because I don't want people to know what I write, but because I publish academic stuff under my real name and don't want the two worlds to mix too much.

The benefit of this is that I can be someone else for a little while. Kim Fielding is not a professor and does not have to deal with administrators or attend endless meetings or write pointless reports or try to please committees. Kim Fielding may have children, but they do not require constant chauffeuring and they are always well-behaved. Kim Fielding gets to spend her days traveling and writing fiction. And next week, Kim Fielding gets to attend GayRomLit.

I am ready. After my recent sprint from terminal 2E to terminal 2F at Charles de Gaulle with my heavy carryon weighing down my shoulder the whole way, I bought a laptop/carryon bag with wheels. I have swag to give away to other attendees. I have left instructions at work and home for everyone to carry on in my absence. Mentally, I'm already on my way.

Are any of you going to be there next week? If so, Kim Fielding can't wait to meet you!