how to get stupid with yourself

Need to get stupid with yourself? Write checks you can't cash. Witness the following:

• 20-23 August: Society for the Social Studies of Science, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
• 31 August-3 September: Anthropology of Southern Africa, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
• 30-31 October: Schapera Conference, University of Botswana, Gabs
• 13-15 November: African Studies Association, Chicago, USA
• 19-23 November: American Anthropological Association, San Francisco, USA

In what universe did I think that writing five papers was a good idea? Admittedly, the Rotterdam and Chicago papers are basically the same, and I will try to make the Gabs paper be a version of either the San Francisco paper or one of the others. But still, people: What was I thinking?

I think I was thinking that the more little eight-to-ten page conference papers I write now, the more little ebryonic dissertation chapters will be planted, waiting to blossom from think-pieces into fully-fledged papers or parts of fully-fledged papers. It was a way to make myself write.

Well, that's fine: but, having lighted a fire under my own ass, the heat is freaking me out a little.

Nothing about Botswana; everything about trying to make the transition from fieldwork to writing.