Dispatches from Buffalo, Part One

Dear All,

It's been quite a while since we've posted, no? Much has happened, and it would be an exercise in futility to try and detail it all, so I'm just going to begin where I am now: Buffalo.

As in Buffalo, New York, that is, which made my life this past week wonderful, since I was able to say, with very little irony, "I'm shuffling off to Buffalo on Friday." No, really--I said it. Many times.

So here I am, ensconced in my suite at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo, the site of the 2009 &Now Conference, an academic conference devoted to experimental forms of writing. I'm presenting my work tomorrow. (Wait, you say. You? Experimental? Well, to be honest, I'm pretty tame for this bunch. Earlier today, somebody was doing "poetry and clarinet." However, it's a pretty big conference, and it's attracted some fairly big names--Brian Evenson and Percival Everett, to name a couple. I'm happy to be here.)

I forgot the camera, though.

One episode from an hour ago: As I went down to the first floor to use the hotel's gym, I found the hotel's lobby filled with people decked out in eveningwear; indeed, the hallway to the gym had been turned into a makeshift coat-check room. I went, exercised, and, as I was walking out, asked the coat-check lady (a somewhat grim-looking lady with short, steel-gray hair) what the event was. She quickly said something about a function. Looking down at my sweaty shirt and exercise shorts, I said, "Huh! I'm a little under-dressed!" She didn't even respond.

On a separate note, there are a few Indian restaurants in town; I'm hopeful.

More to come...