Confessions of a Workaholic

I'm often at a loss to explain to people what exactly it is that I do.

Well, I research. And I read. And I think. And on the rare occasions that I actually speak aloud, it's because I'm teaching. But how can it be that this takes up all of my time?

Why, indeed, did it take me four months to prepare for a three hour exam?

Well, I had to read broadly in four different areas (where the sheer amount of primary and secondary sources is mind-boggling!), then identify a particular issue within each area to examine more deeply, and then construct an argument to defend my own position concerning these issues. And all to prove that I'm competent to teach in these areas.

But I was also teaching (10 hours a week, but two solid weeks of grading in April). And I was working (20 hours a week). And I was auditing a world religions course. And I was translating Greek inscriptions and papyri. And I went to an academic conference. And then I took on this project on women in the church.

Exhausting? Yes (to which the purple smudges under my eyes bear witness).

Tedious? Boring? Never. I really love what I do.

I warned you that mine is a truly weird world.