 |
| Posted: Fri Jan 6th, 2012 06:12 pm |
|
1st Post |
ravenmoon
Member
| Joined: | Fri Jan 6th, 2012 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 2 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Hello, all! Forgive me if I'm punchy, I've been waiting a long time to join and I'm happy to be here! So who the heck am I?
I'm a professor and scholar who is old enough to know better, a Mom who is young enough to rock out with the greatest kid in the world. Pretty much an atheist, but with an abiding love for mythology, art, cathedrals, Dante, and medieval history. Counter culture enough to maybe get in just a bit of trouble, but wise enough to know how (or perhaps when) not to.
I have a BA in Humanities/Religious Studies (magna cum), with a Jewish Studies minor, and an MA in Humanities (Religious Studies & Literature), and a graduate certificate in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. I wrote my undergrad honors thesis on Evolution, Patriarchy, and the Sexual Politics of the Religious Right, and then went on to dive head-first into the Middle Ages, and mixed it up by writing my thesis on the Religious Right and Crusade Language in Post 9/11 America.
My focus is (currently) on heretics & Jews within Christian societies, parallel developments in Jewish and Christian mysticism, and the impact (or lack thereof) of of the Black Death on these areas. I also have side interests in the machinations of the Medieval Papacy before and during the Avignon Papacy. I'm currently writing on specific segments in Dante's Divina Commedia and their implications in terms of medieval Eucharistic theology. I am discovering that the medievals were a rather ghastly bunch, in quixotic and wonderful ways. I am also discovering that Aquinas is beginning to make sense to me, which concerns me just the tiniest bit.
As enamored as I am of the Middle Ages, the Tarot has fascinated me far longer. From Tarot, I've wandered to Kabbalah (by which I mean historical, medieval Kabbalah - I'm not really into 'new age' interpretations, with a few notable exceptions - no offense meant) I'm also fascinated by the origins of western esotericism, especially (I bet you guessed it) in the late medieval and early modern periods.
I'm also hopelessly addicted to fountain pens (and inks) which I use and collect, both modern and vintage. I haven't held a Bic in years! In addition to my passion for books (even beyond the obvious academic addiction), and pens, I am also vegetarian, a Mac geek, love coffee & chocolate, and occasionally have residual pretensions of being a costumer.
I look forward to meeting all of you out in the forums. Cheers!
|
|
|
| Posted: Fri Jan 6th, 2012 06:29 pm |
|
2nd Post |
Chiska
Member
| Joined: | Fri Jan 6th, 2012 |
| Location: | Washington USA |
| Posts: | 14 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Welcome to you, too!
Yes, I pounced on the opportunity to join the forum! I have been reading past threads and am already learning.
Your background is fascinating. I often wonder why I spent all that time in math classes when I could have been studying people and history. However, student loans remind me that I must at least make an effort in my field! But as my dear departed grandfather always said, "You are never too old to learn something new!"
I look forward to "seeing" you around the forum.
Chiska
|
|
|
| Posted: Fri Jan 6th, 2012 10:11 pm |
|
3rd Post |
nicole
Member
|
I mostly studied sex and drugs when I was in college but if they offered that as a major I am sure I would have been on the honor role.
Welcome to the forum !
|
|
|
| Posted: Fri Jan 6th, 2012 10:16 pm |
|
4th Post |
Current time is 06:18 pm | |
|
|
|
