N.Y.YOU.

Today I went to a conference at NYU about sociology/social science careers outside the academy. All in all, it was a really inspirational gathering. They had a few people on the panel with careers that I would gladly accept as a supplement to my original ideal career as a professor. I mean, I don't need to be a full time faculty member at a university to achieve my life goal. I can adjunct and get a federal, marketing, non-profit org, etc. job and actually make more money than I would teaching. The keynote speaker was actually the head of the economics dept. at Columbia. I picked up on a lot of interesting and useful advice at this conference. One thing that was especially ego-boosting was that I didn't feel as inferior as I usually feel at Columbia. I met people who were there from other disciplines at NYU and the New School; but I felt as if this particular conference was geared toward sociology students.

During the event, they had an impressive array of cakes and goodies, and afterward there were several wines as well as a cornucopia of hors devors and samiches to choose from. I arrived to the post-conference reception room, being one of the first ones there. I quickly asked where the bathroom was, and wandered around aimlessly, trying not to look at anyone directly in the eye for fear of blundering my speech and sounding like an idiot. I guess I am weird with confidence when I feel alone. Even though I just heard numerous great speeches on how I should be confident with my career trajectory and bust into the business world with a positive networking attitude, I find myself awkward with making conversation with academic strangers. When I am at a bar, it's a different story, because I am not expected to be witty and knowledgeable about theory and names of methods and thinkers.

Before I could count to 30, I was acknowledged by two strangers. Both of whom were cute and academic looking. They weren't ins where I could make conversation, so I opted out. But I guess it gave me more confidence to feel like I fit in a bit more. I then approached the woman who introduced the speakers and made the closing remarks at the conference. She was an older woman with a short gray buzz cut and kick-ass style. She was bubbly and personable and a wonderful speaker. I told her that I appreciated her inspirational words as we were the first two to approach the wine table. We then parted ways, I got some food and sat down.

Shortly after I sat down awkwardly, eating my sandwich alone, a good looking stranger approached my table and asked if he could join me. I quickly obliged him. We got to talking. He (Blair) goes to the New School for Poly Sci and is a PhD student. We sat talking and eating for 20 minutes or so. The conversation widened and we started talking about less professional topics. He's a Pisces and is from Seattle and also lives in Brooklyn.Two other students entered our social space and we all made pleasant conversation. The event went rather well.

Upon leaving, my new friend and I wound up going in the same direction. We kept talking and he said he was going to stop at a great book store in the area which is independently owned and donates part of its profits to aids research. I am all about supporting independent book stores, so I quickly decided to accompany him. At the book store, we perused a bit and then met back up for some more conversation. It was funny, of the two books he had decided to purchase, I had read one and partially read the other. Anyway, I was increasingly becoming more and more intrigued with this cool new person I just met.

He then mentioned going to another book store in the area to search for a book. I told him I would go under the circumstance that he would accompany me to Angels and Kings to pick up my credit card. He agreed. The second book store was pretty sweet. The bar had my credit card (yay!) We continued to walk and talk and I told him that I had to go to a bridal shower tomorrow and I had no idea what to get the girl. I proposed we go to a sex shop. Eventually, after wandering around the lower east side, we found our dingy hole-in-the-wall sex shop. What an interesting first night of hanging out with someone. We came full circle, both with walking around and going through interesting places; starting at a conference, going to book shops, a bar, a sex shop...you get what I mean.

I am really excited to hang out with him again. He seems to be precisely what I am looking for right now. I am not planning our future together in my mind, like some crazy person or anything (haha like what I did on valentines day). I just don't doubt that he will call and we will hang out again, and I am pretty sure I liked hanging out with him for a bunch of reasons.

I am a happy panda.