AHA!

Last Friday, we went to New York City to attend the American Historical Association annual conference. I had never been to New York City and I was rather excited to go (despite my irrational fears of the dangers of the big city). The highlight of the weekend was getting together with people I had not seen in a while. Of course, for those of you familiar with the AHA conference, the book exhibit was also a draw, but really not as much as in the past. I wondered if that was because of the set-up (the exhibit was in two different locations and not all in one place) or did the publishers not bring as much. We did manage to add a few (or twelve) more titles to our already over-crowded shelves.

I am in that difficult career place where I need to publish something, but do not yet have something ready to publish. The book exhibit in a way is a reminder of my shortcomings. The AHA in the past has been quite daunting--all the fancy people with their fancy degrees, sexy topics, and an inordinate use of jargon. Now that I have the degree, the long worked-for PhD, it is not so daunting or fancy. Is it because I have the degree? Or is it because I am too busy and tired to care? The AHA has always been a draw for me, but I intellectually enjoy the smaller meetings. I learn more from my colleagues; I return enthused and recharged to do better, to get more accomplished. The AHA now...am I alone in feeling that is only a glorified (and expensive) reunion weekend and book fare?