Symposium on PRSC's Future

Dear Beloveds,

As I (and thousands of other aspiring academics) wait for the fall job lists, it occurs to me that the Ivory Tower may not be the place for me. It is beginning to feel like time to change directions. I know, it takes me a while to stop. And I need your help.

You see, I'll be 40 in November. Signs that this is actually true are these: a mamogram ordered de rigeur by my doctor, a prescription for a statin drug (proving both age and Celtic genetics). Other than that, I'm just me doing my thing.

So, if I quit trying to join a club that is much less cool now than it was when I first wanted to join it*, what do I do? What's my new job? Because, as eco-friendly as it is to live in a passive solar house with my parents and reduce my overall carbon footprint by living in a small town, I really, really cannot live here all that much longer. It's starting, as sweet as this deal is, to mess with my sense of independence and autonomy. It's objective purposes are partly served.

Here's my request: a Symposium on PRSC's Future. I am asking you to give me the biggest birthday present ever: help me get my next move in life moving.

Here's how: help me envision how my smarts and skills and interests work outside of the little academic world. Suggest fields, industries, political organizations, non-profits or, and this is probably the best, write the resume you think I could offer the world. If I need more education or training, fine, I get it, suggest it. I am not opposed to working in the corporate world, as long that corporation treats me like a human and isn't "part of the problem."

I'm asking you because you know me, and not being me, you see me from another perspective. I need that perspective and suggestions that come from that wisdom. Partly because there's too much other stuff I kind of want to do, and I simply can't get a focus going.

Here's stuff I'm doing now:

I'm thinking that an intership with the Network for Spiritual Progressives might be both happy and lead somewhere good. It would allow me to use lots of my skills and integrate lots of my interests (writing, literature, editing, politics, spirituality, social justice and feminist issues, getting out of the morass into a differently messy future, so forth).

Margaret and I are starting a writing services biz: web, editing, content development. It's nacent, but we're very interested in making it go. This too could lead to work in areas that I care for and use of some of my skills and maybe even some independence. Either way, it's a freelance gig that I can always work on and maintain, and helping Margaret get of the corporate hell is important.

Finishing the last rounds of the poetics book (soon). Finishing the editorship of Murdoch anthology (by next June). Sending poems to mags/contests, getting a chapbook together. Looking for a part-time job in town to enable all this. Going to London for a conference on Murdoch and editing session with Alison. Going to NY in Nov for double scorpio birthday and networking artsy friend with artsy cousins in The City because Heather knows the arts world is where she needs to be. Cold calling small liberal arts colleges with a letter and vita in hopes of inspiring/seducing them into giving me a home.

Wondering what in the world to do next. Which is where you come in. Here's how: go to my little personal blog (link takes you to this post) and leave a comment with your ideas, responses, general imaginative musing.

Get back to me when you can. I know all of you have lots of balls in the air.

With much thanks and love,
Post-Modernity's Red-Headed Step-Child
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* On this cool-deficit see How the University Works. This explains my current campaign to cold-call small liberal arts colleges and see if I can seduce one of them into just hiring me because I'm that moxy-fied and motivated and generally rock at what I do.