Happy Anniversary! A few days late...

So, o.k. I promised a special anniversary posting on the actual anniversary, which was last Friday. And here it is the following Wednesday already. I've been busy!! And sick. Ah, yes...fall is here. Time for six cups of coffee in the morning, a Lunesta in the evening, late-night reading, last-minute paper finishing, bitching about professors who still insist on busy work in graduate school, and of course popping zinc lozenges like they were white crosses. (Anyone know where I can get some of those, by the way?) I'm kidding. For now.

Anyhoo, here we are one year later. What have I learned? A lot. Let's review:
1.) Graduate school is not the last bastion of intelligence, erudition, and sophistication I hoped it would be. It seems ignorance and naivete still thrive in one of the top-ranked universities in the country.

2.) Even the most liberal-minded Christians can still be intolerant and hypocritical, or moony-eyed, irrational whack-jobs who define themselves within a world that bears no resemblance to reality.

3.) Despite the personal beliefs of the students and some faculty members, relativism, as a modus operandi, is alive and well in the practicum and contextual education of this seminary. I've been a keen observer for a year now (not to mention being raised Methodist) and I still have no idea what it is exactly we are supposed to believe.

4.) Developing deep bonds with new friends and colleagues can happen in the most unexpected moments, and in less than a heartbeat. Some days truly have been grace-filled, and these are the days that take my breath away.

5.) I belong in academia; I have found my home.

6.) I have found more strength and intelligence than I expected to find within me. And I'm the only one who seems surprised by this. Classmates and professors alike look to me for advice and opinions. And, apparently, I'm discussed in the faculty lounge and other places. My reputation precedes me, and this time it's a good thing.

7.) Undergrads keep getting younger and more obnoxious with each passing semester.

8.) And, therefore, I do not want to be a professor. I just finished applying to San Jose State University's Master of Library and Information Science program. If you're looking for me, try the Stacks. Or Rare Books.

9.) The need for a PhD is becoming less urgent. Maybe I'm tired. Maybe I'm satisfied with what I'm doing and the respect I have gained. Maybe I thought those three little letters were the only way towards validation, and I have since learned otherwise. If that turned out to be my only motivation for earning a PhD, just to prove something, that would have been a huge mistake.

10.) I am no longer very interested in what I thought I would be teaching and researching the rest of my life. Another reason for not pursuing the PhD right away, perhaps. I'm just not that sure about what I want to study anymore.

11.) I have found other sources of interest that I never considered before: Afro-Caribbean religions, Diaspora Studies, World Religions and Sufism, to name a few. I have far too many sources of fascination to be happy with the very narrow scope of a doctoral dissertation. So, can I be happy without the "Dr." thing? We shall see.

I am sure there are more things I have learned, and certainly more things I will learn. So, stay tuned for the big Graduation Special! I'll come up with a better list by then.

In the meantime, I have had several people tell me I should turn this into a novel and try to have it published. I agree! So, here is what I need you to do, dear readers: Tell your friends about the blog. Have them visit. Create buzz. I have no way of determining the number of hits to the site except to see how many people have viewed my profile. I know it isn't very detailed, and we all know why that is! But if people visit, make sure they click on the profile so their visit is counted. I'm thinking of starting my own covert marketing campaign. There are far too many bulletin boards on campus not to take advantage of them.

Increased readership also means a greater obligation on my part. If you make the commitment to tell your friends, and they visit, and you all demonstrate your interest in this blog and your support for me, I will continue to deliver the goods, and try to get here more often. Which means I desperately need to find a replacement for Jane and John Godley! Perhaps I should post an ad:

Cynical, acerbic seminary student seeks Evangelical couple for comic relief and mockery. Not terribly bright, self-righteousness a must. Prefer All-American and cheerleader types. No geeks, please.

Hmmm...perhaps not. I'll have to think about it.