April 7, 2019

Reflections from an academic conference, especially since the keynote speaker encouraged all of us to reflect frequently as part of happiness.

Reflections In A Stagnant Pool^*

^{From the outset, I am among the walking dead.}

^{8 AM we set out, shuffling to sessions ahead.}

^{The discomfort of a foreign bed,}

^{Regardless of the room we had to spread,}

^{Leaves us cautious about the skin we'd shed.}

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^{Our theme is all about pathways maps.}

^{Presenters warn us about all of our traps,}

^{Tell us to be mindful of the gaps,}

^{But it doesn't take long for all info to collapse}

^{Into the deep desire for naps.}

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^{We all want to set our institutions on the right path,}

^{Earnest to scaffold from a thin-bare lath,}

^{But when speakers say, "I don't do math,"}

^{While suggesting such classes should take a bath,}

^{The exhaustion quickly equates to wrath.}

^{-----------------------------------------------------}

^{The language can quickly descend}

^{Into the jargon on which our illusions depend.}

^{Transform?  Transgen?  Transcend?}

^{I'd like to transition to the bar, my friend,}

^{And reverse the day's downtrend.}

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^{It's not that I don't think there is worth}

^{In the sessions and lessons set forth.}

^{But we're all jammed into tight berth,}

^{With little room or time for spiritual rebirth,}

^{You might as well shovel on the last bit of earth.}

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^{We want to see our industry from inside out,}

^{But our time together puts that all in doubt.}

^{Our collective voice should build to quite a shout,}

^{The singularity should represent true clout,}

^{But gets twisted to reflect savage drought.}

^{Bob Dylan, "License To Kill." Infidels. 1983.}