Well, this long year is now over in terms of classes (lots of grading still to do!), but what that also means is that its time for a trip to Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the annual International Congress of Medieval Studies, the biggest gathering of medievalists in one place in the world.  SLU always has a huge contingent in attendance (this year we are driving six vans up…a record!), and always has a large presence do to the work of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, which sponsors a number of sessions and a big gathering on Saturday night.  The Congress is always great fun for me because its a chance to meet up with colleagues and network, and also to catch up on new books at the book publishers hall.  Its also a chance to catch up on the latest apparel style of old crotchety professors.

The drive up to Kalamazoo is always sort of fun, because being stuck in a van with a bunch of medievalists is always interesting…as is stopping at a truck stop for lunch.  I usually try to schedule a visiting lecture at SLU by an archaeologist from Europe who can then drive up with us.  This year Dr. Oliver Creighton of the University of Exeter delivered a lecture on castles yesterday that was well attended and received given that it was Reading Day.  My cousin’s father-in-law gave me a couple tickets to the Cardinals game last night, so I was able to showcase our great stadium to our visitor.  Unfortunately the Cardinals lost, and Molina’s home run didnt make it into Big Mac Land…

I will post more sights and sounds of the conference over the next five days.