A little bit about me

While many people contemplate a mid-life crisis as they enter their 40s, I discovered a passion for archaeology and a new career instead. My career as an administrative assistant had stagnated and became quite boring. My employer paid for college tuition and also paid an additional salary incentive when the degree was finished. This gave me the enticement to finish the Bachelor’s degree that I had begun nearly 20 years prior. I worked full-time and attended class part-time. I found that I had a new appreciation for college this second time around. I was more mature, and better able to focus on my studies. I graduated May 2011, and soon after became restless and bored with my job. I needed the intellectual stimulation my studies had given me.

The summer after my graduation I participated in an archaeological excavation while on vacation. The work of excavation was physically exhausting at times, and quite tedious, carefully scraping away soil in centimeter increments. I was fascinated, however, and completely lost track of time while I was in the pit, immersed in thoughts about the people who lived there and what the artifacts we were finding had meant to them. In the moment where I was hunched over an ancient hearth uncovering the charcoal left from the fire 7,000 years ago, with its smoky aroma still lingering, I knew this is it. This is what I wanted to do. I was determined to find a way to make it happen. I researched the possibilities and concluded I could choose one of two paths: I could continue to volunteer for excavations during my vacations and stay in a mind-numbing job, or obtain a master’s degree to meet the professional standard for archaeologists. I chose the latter.
I resigned from my job and started the Master’s program at Fall of 2012, having secured funding that paid my tuition and paid a small stipend for research or teaching assistance. I thrived in graduate school. I was a full time student and fully immersed in the experience. I gained experience in archaeology as a graduate intern for a Smithsonian Institution excavation and field school, and other archaeological projects. I did quite well in some upper division and graduate writing classes as well, and found that I truly enjoyed research and writing. This came in handy when it came time to write my thesis. I completed my program, defended my thesis, and graduated May 2016. (The dean of my college complimented my thesis by saying it was so well written he had forgotten he was reading for work, not for enjoyment – pretty high praise in my estimation.) I got a regular full-time job as an archaeologist even before my degree was conferred.

Now as I approach my 50s I find myself at a familiar crossroads. I love the work of archaeology, especially research and writing, but my job isn’t challenging me. I found during my graduate studies and thesis writing that I had a passion and talent for writing. I began writing historical fiction and creative non-fiction in my spare time, but my full-time job interferes with my really immersing myself in any side project. My goal now is to develop my skills so that I can make a reasonable income from writing and resign from the day job. I joined steemit to hone my craft. I plan on posting my work here regularly to practice and refine my writing, I hope you come along for the adventure!