Shoud I go to a professional development conference, or should I go to a con and meet Monte Cook?

[Jerald Schrimsher]

I know these boards may be biased, but I think there are some level headed folks here who could give me some advice.
March 25-27th 2011 I have conflicting needs/desires. There is an academic conference in St Loius, MO in my discipline that is the yearly migration for most of my department. I am a grad student approaching my dissertation and I have been "encouraged" to present my research at a regional conference (I already did one, but it was smaller and less known). On the same weekend, Monte Friggin' Cook will be at my favorite Con in Memphis TN. So, my question to you, should I go for personal and professional development, placating my advisor and potentially becoming more visible to potential employers or should I meet a gaming figure who was a major player in developing an improved version of my favorite game, which has directly lead to the creation and proliferation of many more new favorites (M&M, Pathfinder). What to do?

[Lord Fyre]

Jerald Schrimsher wrote:

I know these boards may be biased, but I think there are some level headed folks here who could give me some advice.

March 25-27th 2011 I have conflicting needs/desires. There is an academic conference in St Loius, MO in my discipline that is the yearly migration for most of my department. I am a grad student approaching my dissertation and I have been "encouraged" to present my research at a regional conference (I already did one, but it was smaller and less known). On the same weekend, Monte Friggin' Cook will be at my favorite Con in Memphis TN. So, my question to you, should I go for personal and professional development, placating my advisor and potentially becoming more visible to potential employers or should I meet a gaming figure who was a major player in developing an improved version of my favorite game, which has directly lead to the creation and proliferation of many more new favorites (M&M, Pathfinder). What to do?

In these economic times, you make one statement that is very important. ... "and potentially becoming more visible to potential employers" ...

Go to the Academic Conference.

[Turin the Mad]

Memphis to/from St Louis appears to be roughly 300 miles apart - call it a 5 to 6 hour drive one-way.

Is there a way you can shoe-horn the con trip to meet-n-greet Monte Cook for a bit ? I don't know how the two would conflict/interact for the one vs. the other.

Although from the stand point of "future success to lemme buy kewl stuff Monte Cook writes", the professional conference is probably a LOT more important.

[James Martin]

Not to join the mob, but I work in academia, and brother, it is all about who you know and who knows you. Go to the Conference. Monte's not going away anytime soon, but your career may if you don't network your Ivory Tower'd bum off.

[Jerald Schrimsher]

Thanks,
That was the same thing I was thinking, but I just wanted to hear someone else put it into perspective.

[Kthulhu]

I'm not the best guy to ask, since for me blowing off a professional conference would mean I'm AWOL and with the resulting penalties...but I'd probably do the academic conference. Your career pays your bills, including your RPG purchases. Food first, then fun.

[Joey Virtue]

I say go to the conference

I bet Monte himself would tell you to go to the conference.
Maybe you can drive from Saturday night till sunday morning and meet with Monte after you meet and greet and work on getting that most important JOB

[DrGames]

Jerald Schrimsher wrote:

I know these boards may be biased, but I think there are some level headed folks here who could give me some advice.

March 25-27th 2011 I have conflicting needs/desires. There is an academic conference in St Loius, MO in my discipline that is the yearly migration for most of my department. I am a grad student approaching my dissertation and I have been "encouraged" to present my research at a regional conference (I already did one, but it was smaller and less known). On the same weekend, Monte Friggin' Cook will be at my favorite Con in Memphis TN. So, my question to you, should I go for personal and professional development, placating my advisor and potentially becoming more visible to potential employers or should I meet a gaming figure who was a major player in developing an improved version of my favorite game, which has directly lead to the creation and proliferation of many more new favorites (M&M, Pathfinder). What to do?

Monte Cook is a great guy, but getting your degree in good order seems like the appropriate choice.

Just my $.02

In service,

Rich

[Malaclypse]

Jerald Schrimsher wrote:

I am a grad student approaching my dissertation and I have been "encouraged" to present my research at a regional conference (I already did one, but it was smaller and less known). On the same weekend, Monte Friggin' Cook will be at my favorite Con in Memphis TN.

Oh, go to the Con and meet Monte Cook.

There are so many conferences all the time, just send your paper to some other one - one conference is like the next one. I never thought 'oh too bad I missed that conference'. Ever.

[Disturbed1]

Go to the conference, obviously. BUT, write a letter...I said write, dont email, Monte Cook and tel him how you really want to come see him, but cant cause of the conference.

Major brown nosing could score you some major autographed loot.

If nothing else, it might get you a handwritten letter in return from Monte Cook, which would definitely outdo a regular autograph.