I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. So far, I’ve accumulated a degree for every decade of my adult life.

First, a bachelor’s in political science, which propelled me through the first ten years of my career, working for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. I developed the curriculum and blueprint for planning and executing regional activist conferences and the empathy training PETA provided for Michael Vick when he was arrested for dogfighting; I managed campaign coordinators working on grassroots education and targeted corporate campaigns and provided them with basic media training; assisted in the development and launch of multiple grassroots campaigns, including the controversial “Animal Liberation Project;” served on the steering committee of the first “Taking Action for Animals” national conference; and managed a bunch of different random departments because I’m really good at jumping into a muddled situation and figuring out what needs to be done to set it on track.

In my thirties, I enrolled in Palmer Theological Seminary and earned a Master of Theological Studies with a concentration in Christian Faith and Public Policy. I worked for a long time with Eastern University at the Sider Center / Christians for Social Action and helped start an organization called CreatureKind, where we helped Christians think about farmed animals and food justice. I published a couple of books and a few chapters in books, and a lot of other writing.

In my forties, I went to nursing school and got another bachelor’s degree. I wanted to spend less time interacting with people on a computer, have lots of learning opportunities, clock in and out of work every day, earn enough money to have some financial security, and have options for when I inevitably get bored with whatever job I’m doing that year. I also wanted to help people and work with people who wanted to help people. Nursing seemed like a good fit. The transition to professional nursing practice has been extraordinarily challenging for my mental health. Someday, I’ll help ease that transition for other new graduates.

About ten years ago, I started working out for fun and mental health instead of to change my body size. This is one of the greatest miracles of my life.

I’ve been married for a couple of decades to a good man, and we have a son who is almost an adult. We’ve adopted and experienced the loss of a slew of dogs and cats. I need to figure out a better solution than to keep their ashes on my dresser, because the pile of boxes is getting a little out of hand.

My faith is going through an upheaval. I don’t know where I’m going to land. I miss being part of a church community, but for the last decade-plus, that’s mostly been an exercise in restraining rage. So for now, I sit with uncertainty and ambiguity.

I’m thinking about taking sailing lessons, so that I can work on a boat. I’d like to learn to crochet or needlepoint. I do a crossword every day. It is my deep desire to see everywhere and read a lot of books and put together many puzzles (without using the box, because why do things the easy way when you can be a little miserable?).