Remember the Alamo (and some dull acronyms)

Tomorrow early in the morning I'll get into my 92 red tercel and drive 543 miles to San Antonio Texas. Why? Because it is that time of year again, when boring people like me come to one place to talk about such fascinating things as red slip burnished pottery and the waw-consecutive. I'm a member of ASOR (the American Schools of Oriental Research) and SBL (Society of Biblical Literature) and they hold their national meetings over the next couple of days. They used to be joined, but due to financial reasons they split, and now ASOR is typically Thursday-Saturday, and SBL Saturday-Tuesday. I prefer ASOR, because I get to see many of my dearest friends. THese are people I lived with at the Albright Institute in Jerusalem, the American Center of Oriental Research in Amman, and also people I excavated with over the years. It is a much smaller meeting and more fun. SBL, on the other hand, is huge. The book display is much better though. I've heard that maybe ASOR and SBL will join together again, especially now that SBL is breaking from AAR (American Academy of Religion). I've never been to San Antonio, and I'm looking forward to drinking a giant margaritta and of course, seeing the Alamo. I find this whole Texas cult to be amusing, though of course proud Texans don't feel that way. By the way, I took off my Kerry bumpersticker on the Tercel. I want to make it home alive and without traffic fines just in time for Thanksgiving.