When one door closes...

When we moved to a small town in rural New Mexico last spring, I knew I was taking a chance that I might never find a job that would allow me to use my experience and education. But, we loved the lifestyle and the country and we were really burned out on the big city (Houston). After 20 years of working at a major research university, I was ready to try something else--something that made me feel like I was making a difference some how. So when the opportunity came up for my husband to transfer to southern New Mexico, I just said go for it...I'll find something to do with my career when we get there.

Boy, am I glad I did that. I would never in a million years have thought of museum education as a career. But here I am planning education programs around some of my lifelong passions. My interests outside of work and family are gardening--organically and using ecologically sound, sustainable methods--fiber arts, especially knitting and crochet and anything else that lets me play with gorgeous yarn; and historical crafts, patterns and gardening methods. So what am I doing right now at work, you may ask?? Well, I am planning a big event for spinners, weavers and other yarnies (in April-happy birthday to me), a rendezvous that includes traditional crafts that were part of the mountain man era--spinning, weaving, quilting, basket making, corn husk dolls (and I'm still researching it--it will be in mid-July), and I've been discussing a collaboration with Julia Price of Sierra Dove to establish community gardens in the area, with the museum garden having a focus on traditional methods used in the southwest. I am going to work every day and researching my hobbies and planning events with people who love the things I love.

Could it get any better than that? Whoop!!

So tell me--have you thought about what interests and passions you could turn into a career?