Actors search for rejection. If they don’t get it they reject themselves.
The same could be said for academics. In a sense, then, I’m lucky that others have saved me the trouble.
I’m more than a little disappointed that my proposal for a conference at Cambridge wasn’t accepted. I still might go to the conference–I’ll be in Europe anyway–but that’s not the same.
I already have my ticket to London, but that’s because whether or not I go to the conference it’s cheaper to fly through London than straight to Germany thanks to all the discount airlines in Europe. If I stay for the conference I can fly to Berlin afterwards for 1 EUR plus taxes and fees; if I don’t stay for the conference or any site-seeing, it’ll be a bit more expensive because it’s a peak time.
It sucks to be rejected for a conference. Chris was denied in much the same manner recently…you should go anyway though! Conferences are good.
I might… it’d be good to see/hear what other people are doing, and hanging out on the campus wouldn’t suck.