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Last Update: May 29, 2007
IN A NUTSHELL: i'm fiercely independent, hopelessly optimistic and a perfectionist (almost to a fault), i procrastinate (to a fault), i'm a non-religious religious studies scholar (objectivity, i feel, is a must in this field), i think tattoos are beautiful and sexy, i drop the "f-bomb" often and indiscriminately (i should probably work on that, but i really don't give a fuck), i'm vegetarian (18 years and no chicken or fish you fake-ass "I'm a vegetarian" posers), i don't drink, smoke or do drugs (trust me, i have more fun sober than you have wasted), i'm an unapologetic music and film snob, i shook my ass straight through the 90s and although i've traded in my "phat pants" my inner raver lives on, i'm a serial monogamist, i'm obsessed with building my vocabulary and training myself to read faster, i have two lovely cats, i travel a lot, i hate white walls, i can't sing or draw to save my life, and i have a penchant for stillettos.
i moved out here about two years ago to start my doctoral studies and i absolutely LOVE it here... the weather, the people, the environment, my courses, everything. i finally feel "at home." and, i finally have my boyfriend out here with me! now, if i could just get all of my friends to move here everything would be peachy. ok, i would settle for them just visiting more often!!
what do i study, you ask (or, maybe you don't, but i'm gonna tell you anyways): i focus primarily on religious and cultural ideologies, as well as the organizations that promote and lobby for the public fulfillment of those ideologies, which shape contemporary American and Chinese policy where issues of sexuality and morality are concerned. More specifically, I examine, comparatively, how the U.S. government (guided by its Judeo-Christian/quasi-secular ideologies) and the Chinese government (guided by its Marxist/Atheist/traditionally Confucian ideologies) has (and still is) constructing public policy that regulates and/or promotes "appropriate" modes of human sexuality, and especially, how the rhetoric of the religious right and radical feminists is being employeed to shape public policy and the ways in which those policies are implemented. additionally, i examine how those policies directly effect the lives and rights of individuals in the sex industry and those who challenge the traditional boundaries of sexuality.
this is a somewhat radical departure from my background, which has been a study of the development and implementation (and lack thereof) of Chinese religious policy and its impact on the Chinese Roman Catholic community in the Mainland today. while this is no longer the subject of my dissertation, i remain interested in, indeed committed to, the subject and continue to enjoy meeting Chinese Catholics and learning how Chinese policy effects their religious community and faith.
other interests include faith-based grassroots political resistance and modes of contention, anything having to do with the evangelical/religious right and political ties, the decline of marxist/maoist ideologies as china moves beyond socialism towards a free-market economy and how that will effect policy, and chinese liberation theology, especially of the feminist persuasion.
yes, i'm a nerd. i've spent a deal of time in Asia travelling and doing research, conducting interviews, etc. and eventually i hope to live and work in China. i'm fairly proficient in mandarin. still working on that. (if you're genuinely interested in any of these topics, are a fellow student of Religious Studies, Political Science, or Sociology, or happen to be a sex-worker or Chinese Catholic [nice combo, right?!]. . . drop a line!)
what else? i don't know... ask, but ask nicely.
BASIC LIKES: waking up next to the one i love, international travel, good night kisses, cheez-its, taking showers by candlelight, intelligent human beings, witty conversation, people with strong convictions (that they can defend), good food, books and libraries and book shops, holding hands, watching my turk cook (he's the poop), the bay area, dancing, hard chicago house, wednesday nights at algebra teahouse, fireplaces, fashion, dark chocolate covered strawberries, turntablism, exotic flowers, hole-in-the-wall live blues clubs, autumn weather, minimalism (in life and art), tattoos, free wi-fi, aveda "euphoric" candles, motorcycles, lap dances, manual transmission, photography, cuddling after making love, architecture, my ipod, massages, collecting photos of bizarre signs, a fresh haircut, carbs, lingerie, starbucks grande breve five-pump white mocha, slow dancing in the kitchen, strolls through campus, and driving around listening to music - loud.
BASIC DISLIKES: infidelity, dishonesty, cowardice, ignorance, incompetence, typos, insomnia, fiction (in life and literature), jerry falwell and the religious right, telemarketers, algebra, people who can only have fun with alcohol in their system, cigarette smoke, ann coulter and her minions, humidity, the sound of cracking knuckles, broken promises, extremely hot or cold weather, fur, meat, cruelty to animals, the post office, glass-half-empty people, mushrooms, curry, people who drive indefinitely in the passing lane, having to wake up early (read: before 9am), bees and other such critters that sting, low water pressure, racism and prejudice, when cell phones ruin perfect moments, sparkling water, people who adopt animals and then give them up for selfish, lame-ass reasons, putting away laundry after i wash clothes, and generally inconsiderate human beings.
MY RECENT GOOD NEWS: recent shitty news is overshadowing recent good news . . . MAC has died and will soon meet EBAY, and it's raining here. a lot. oh, and grades have yet to be released, which is driving me batty. other than that, everything is just peachy.