Street Cred

I love my job. I really do. I'm not sure how I was so blessed to have this job, but I'm so happy I do! I've gone from a minimum wage custodial job to working as an editor for the Ancient Text department with an increase in pay. I get to work from home most days and blast all of the ABBA songs I want on my iPod as I go through transcripts. There is something so empowering about learning something in one of my editing classes and being able to apply it immediately to my job.

I'm working on refining a transcription of a journal by a woman named Helen Harris who traveled around the Middle East and Europe during the late 1800s. She went to see the tombs in Egypt, talked to the shieks in India, and drank tea and gossiped with some priests near the Mediterranean Sea. It's simply fascinating! The importance of oral and written histories is continually impressed upon me in my life as I see how invaluable they can be to future generations.

I also have finished editing and proofing my 2nd book! First was the Book of Steps, which analyzed an ancient religious document from the Middle East, and this last one was Foundations for Syriac Lexicography. Here's one of the coolest parts:

Look at that! One day, someone who is eager enough and enjoys the book enough will look through the introduction and see that I helped change a few commas around and showed the publishers the proper way to write ellipses in Chicago style! It's really quite brilliant. One day, I aspire to have my name as the official editor of the book, right under the author's name. Edited by Rachel Taylor. Yeah, that sounds nice. Perhaps there will even be a note of me in the acknowledgements: "I couldn't have made this book without the constant support and wise advice of my editor. Rachel, this book wouldn't have been possible without you." Okay, maybe I'm dreaming a little. It could happen! One day. One. Day.