You can get dinner in Vancouver for less than fifteen dollars, but you can’t get a beer for less than eight dollars. The Germans and the Aussies are complaining.

My paper was well received yesterday afternoon, though I ran out of time. It’s the case when you’re sudying something new and you need to spend time talking about the phenomenon you’re actually studying and the methods by which you do it. I got some interesting questions out of it, and I feel good about having presented, despite the fact I was so nervous (I’m normally a confident speaker, but yesterday the nerves seem to get with me, and I’m not good at dealing with nerves).

After the session there was a small meeting of those researching (or interested in researching) religion online. It was a great conversation where new directions in research may be explored. I talked up what’s happening at RMIT, but I was also intrigued by what’s happening in Buffalo, where one sociologist, Pauline Cheong, is working with people from the geography department looking at a “geography of online sacred spaces”. There’s an interest in particular in how global ethnicities form, say where a Korean diaspora connects through online ritual to their home communities. As an old geography major (former life), it may be something I could explore in the future.

A couple of students at the University of Heidelberg mentioned that there is a summer school happening in 2008 on media, religion and culture, and that they are looking for experts to provide seminars. Sitting behind them, I leaned forward and whispered “You know, I’m an expert”. It was loud enough for everyone to hear. They turned and said, “Well, let’s talk tomorrow”. Don’t think it’ll get anywhere, but they know I’d be very happy for them to pay me to go to Germany to speak. He he he he.