This is a new space for me, as well as a new month; my birthday month. I have a lot of projects going on this month, one of which is to work on getting this website set up and running! I’m still not quite sure what form it will all take, and I find myself going back and forth between various templates, fiddling with them, rejecting them, wishing one of them were just, quite, right.

I am an alternative academic, a religious studies Ph.D. a religious liberal, a writer. When I have time I enjoy knitting, spinning yarn, sewing. But usually I am too busy with a five-year-old and an almost-toddler to have much time for these hobbies. Instead, I am focusing on a long-time passion, writing, with several blogging and writing projects under way.

This month, in addition to getting this website up and running, I have several projects I need to work on. I have a short article due about the recent American Academy of Religion annual meeting, an academic book review, several short (100-word) introductory pieces for a collation of primary sources. This is in addition to maintaining my blog about nature in the suburbs, working on Harvard Square Library, and oh, yes, the holidays, that time when there is classically too much to do, and too little time.

The past few years, ever since having children, I have struggled with holiday stress, something that never particularly bothered me before. I used to be more focused on holiday joy. I know some of it has to do with raising not just children in a busy time, but interfaith children, which complicates matters tremendously. I miss that old approach to the holiday, though, and this month will be reflecting purposefully on how to be less stressed, and more carefree — I hope — during the holidays.