Skiing in June

I'm in Colorado for an academic conference.  I have no idea what to expect.  There's a pre-conference hike I decide to join.  I'm a total unknown in this world but my boss is not so I decided to wear my uniform.  

I'm not so good at the small talk with this crowd.  I'm trying to figure out the industry pick up lines.  I talk to a few people about their research.  As they explain I'm doing everything I can do track it and figure how to best put it in colloquial terms.

Any articulation of those colloquial terms doesn't seem to go over very well during these conversations.  I'm not trying to oversimplify, overgeneralize or drop nuances.  I am thinking about how to make this accessible.

I remind myself that in any industry people sometimes don't realized they're only talking to themselves.

The hike was lovely.  I saw snow and pretended I was skiing on it.