Johannes Schult

The German psychological association (DGPS) is holding its biannual conference next week. I will be there, giving a talk on Wednesday. This means that earlier this year I submitted an abstract, looked for funding, and registered. As always, it has been a long process with many gaps in between. Here is a – possibly incomplete – list of my preparations a few days before the actual event.

• Compile the actual talk, practice the talk on my own (10 minutes), give the talk to members of our department (9 minutes 40 seconds).
• Send slides to the organizers, back-up slides on two USB sticks as well as in my email account.
• Be annoyed that slides are seemingly mandatory.
• Buy train ticket.
• Read the program, select interesting talks, compile a preliminary list of sessions to attend.
• Get an impression of the conference site by looking at maps, if necessary print maps.
• Check the local public transport system, print out timetables, if necessary obtain taxi phone numbers.
• Check the weather forecast.
• Make a packing list, take as little with me as possible, bring my conference ticket.
• Print out the trivia like the city’s Wikipedia page for on board entertainment if travelling in a group.

Reading through this list I realize two things.

1. This doesn’t look like a lot of preparation to me. Yet, I’ve often found myself being better prepared than most others.
2. Maybe I should print out a set of my slides just in case.

This is one of my more pointless songs. I wrote the lyrics on a plane approaching Ljubljana. I did not paint the interior of the aircraft, mind you. In fact, don’t try this at home or in any aircraft, at least not without appropriate permissions.

The two guitar tracks are both first takes. Not that the chord changes are difficult or anything. I’m just glad this weekly song thing is good for something. I’m also still amazed how bad I am at adjusting the drum volume. The rhythm is usually very loud while I’m recording in order for everything to be in time. Eventually, I try to level the other tracks up to match the drum volume. Still, every time the drums remain much too loud. I force myself to lower their volume until I momentarily think the mix is ridiculous. That’s usually when the sound balance is almost good. (The bass became pretty prominent and I’m not sure this is a good thing.)

#22 Painting the Plane

I’m sitting here for hours now
I’m bored and we are still not there
But I have a Biro
And some paintings I want to share

So now I’m painting the plane from inside
As we’re flying through the night
Circles and frames and famous people’s names
I’m painting the plane from inside

So now I’m painting the plane from inside
As we’re flying through the night
Circles and frames and famous people’s names
I’m painting the plane from inside

(words and music by Johannes Schult)