“The Journey Begins”

Thanks for joining me!

You know, the default name for this post was “The Journey Begins”– and I felt that it was appropriate, so I figured I would keep it.

I’ve been playing with this idea for 8 months now: creating a space where I could share academic knowledge of Mesoamerica in a way that makes it more accessible to anyone interested.

Because let’s face it:

Sometimes academic language is boring.

Sometimes it’s too full of jargon.

And sometimes, it’s hard to see why it matters where that piece of pottery was found.

But I am an academic, and I know how important our work is.

I believe that a lot of the misunderstandings about academia today are based on the fact that we don’t communicate enough with the public– and when we do, it usually isn’t the clearest communication.

I want people to understand what I do, and how it affects the world.

I want the humanities, social sciences and liberal arts to get better funding.

And that will only happen once they are made more real to the public, through clear and effective communication.

As I sat contemplating my idea for what felt like the millionth time in eight months, I realized that I had to take the first step in this journey and just get started.

So, here it is. My personal website, and the hub for all of the information that I want to share with you, your friends, your students, and your colleagues. I am dedicated to providing my readers with accurate knowledge, free of bias, and to bringing this ancient world to life.

Thank you for sharing in it with me.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

— Chinese Proverb