APS convention is coming, and I've been busy!

A month has gone by with many boxes being collected for our big move, and lots of planning with my future coworkers and bosses for the upcoming semester's course offerings. Is it too nerdy to say that it's so *fun* to do those things? :) Choosing textbooks (and getting sample copies for free!) is a singular joy of being a professor.

Anyway, I noticed that the APS convention is coming up in May (which I haven't been to in nearly a decade when it was in New Orleans!), but since it's a) in Chicago, and b) soon before our move, it wasn't even on my radar until recently. When I was on their webpage checking out the contents, I came across a series of interviews called "Inside the Psychologist's Studio" - probably a spoof on "Inside the Actors' Studio" - where they are interviewing heavyweights like Elizabeth Loftus and Paul Ekman. This year's convention will feature an interview with Brenda Milner, the psychologist who was famous for publishing the account of H.M.

Cool idea, APS!

Last for today, here's my newest "modern-art" (can I call it that?) find for office decor. Good grief, Etsy. So much cool stuff to be seen.

I could get totally excited about this

For anyone who doesn't have major dealings in Austin, SXSW = South by Southwest, a conference that (I thought) has its roots in the "up and coming" music scene, with record label people and indie musicians taking over downtown trying to get promoted and/or signed. Then, it expanded to include a film fest, then the "interactive" with all the new and upcoming technology. Every year there's a big to-do about super secret shows by big names and pre-pre screenings of the next "big" movie with superstars wandering the downtown Austin scene.

I'll say it: I'm a nerd and I hate traffic. Even having a musician for a husband, he played SXSW once and it took forever just to wait on the curb for him to go and get his performers' wristband.

Well, this year there is something new added to the SXSW lineup. I got an email today from a colleague inviting us to SXSWedu, which is a 3-day series of speakers related to "modernizing teaching and learning". I'm totally interested in this  (But not in the $300 price tag!), so hopefully my department has some funds left for professional development and conference attendance. I'm all about increasing my knowledge and using that to be a better educator!