I just returned from a conference in Keystone, CO. I gave a short talk and was the most nervous I've ever been while speaking in public. It's one thing to get up in front of 50 people you see around campus and chat about the work you've been doing. It's another thing to get up in front of people people who you've never met, but who have been working in your field for 30+ years and helped discover the protein you're working on.
Anyway, what you're probably more interested in are pictures from the trip. Keystone is very, very cold. And also very gloomy. And also very bright. The pictures will make it all clear.
so were these strangers impressed, or what? and how impressed were they after you had KILLED THEM ALL, eh, corn? eh?
Posted by: didofoot on January 12, 2005 08:25 AMThey seemed impressed. At least some of them did. I presented a poster before the talk, and I was completely mobbed. Three and a half hours of talking to people nonstop. After the talk, though, I didn't get many questions (which is generally a good measure of how excited people were about the work). So it might have been a little mixed. I'm really not sure.
Except for the killing. They definitely liked that bit.
Posted by: Jacob on January 12, 2005 08:46 AMwas it a poster for a hot new movie release, like joss whedon's upcoming blockbuster "serenity"? because i can see how people would get pretty stoked about that. or was it more of a step-by-step flowchart of how you planned to axe murder everyone who asked you questions after your lecture?
Posted by: didofoot on January 12, 2005 08:55 AMbut seriously, what was your talk about?*
*answer in ten words or less. use pizzazz in your response.
Posted by: didofoot on January 12, 2005 08:56 AMMy talk was about proteins, DNA, and stuff. Whoo! Eight words!
The poster was actually a video screen where I showed the teaser trailer for my work. It starts with a shot of field with a pretty butterfly and children playing. The gruff-voiced narrator comes on and growls, "He had the perfect life. Until primase came to town." Then there's a slow-motion shot of an explosion and lots of action sequences.
Posted by: Jacob on January 12, 2005 09:02 AMthat last comment was better than the original post. except for the pictures. which were excellent.
Posted by: michele on January 12, 2005 09:38 AMFucking primase. It comes up to you and you say, "You wanna start something?" and it's like, "Yeah, bitch. That's what I do."
Posted by: Dianna on January 12, 2005 09:43 AMi like that we got gloomy cold colorado pictures (jacob) and sunny beautiful mexico pictures (kristine and aaron) to look at on the same day.
Posted by: michele on January 12, 2005 09:45 AMDianna, that joke was excellent enough to make me snort out loud in lab (SOL?). But watch out. You got a little bio-geek on your shirt.
Posted by: Jacob on January 12, 2005 10:33 AMOn my shirt? Rats! I thought I got rid of him at the BART station!
Heehee. I was worried when Michele didn't notice it, but I knew you'd react well.
Posted by: Dianna on January 12, 2005 10:48 AM