I started to attend a (religious) book study with a bunch of women who are connected to the seminary in one way or another (some are students, some are graduates, some are wives, I am a dropout). It isn't a Bible study, but we discuss various books in the category of religious studies. It's great to be doing something that is somehow connected to the academic world again. I spend so much time with a baby or reading about babies or talking about babies that I really need this break. Granted, Alliclaus comes with me, but I am convinced that someday soon Andiclaus will have a Monday night off and I will be able to go to the study ALONE.

Anyway, we were talking about stuff and I mentioned that I'm really struggling with my life goals right now. (I am of the opinion that this happens with a lot, if not most, new moms.) My best friend Sarah is teaching at the community college now. Before I got pregnant, I was three years away from being able to teach. Now, who knows?

One of the other ladies (who is getting ready to go to Oxford for her Ph.D. studies in Old Testament) asked me after the study what I wanted to teach. I told her, "Contemporary Theology and Comparative Religions." Then I felt the need to be totally honest with her.

"Actually, my dream career is to chronicle feminist happenings."

See, Sarah and I are of the opinion that if you're going to change the world, you can't take a job that already exists. You have to dream up your job and then find someone who will pay you to do it.

Feminist (or women's or human) studies is such a rapidly changing field that the students who are studying it in the universities are always at least five years behind the actually community. What I want to do is keep an up-to-date thing (I'm not sure how it would work out) that chronicles writings, conferences, music, art, etc. that the creator considers to be feminist. Also, sometimes things that observers consider feminist in spite of the creator's intention.

This job does not exist. I can't apply anywhere to become the Chronicler of Feminism. (I do think that will be my title.) But ever since that conversation, I realized that this is really what I want to do.

I have a strong desire to contribute to the feminist academic community, but I don't believe my contribution will be in the form of publishing original works. Hell, sometimes I have difficulty coming up with enough words to fill a blog post. But I see this area as a real void in the academic community right now.

I'm just not sure how to get started. (Actually, I have some ideas but I'm pretty sure everyone except Sarah fell asleep five paragraphs ago.)