I really kind of feel like the person who wrote this post on her desire to be an archaeologist. More than once, I have wondered what different paths my life could have taken if I’d only known.

Truth be told, I think I knew about archaeology as a profession in middle school or high school. Oh, the things you can learn by watching Star Trek: the Next Generation! I have always loved reading folklore and exploring natural history museums. Ancient history, more specifically ancient rituals tied in with a culture’s understanding of math and science, has long held an undeniable fascination for me. My mother recently admitted that she was a bit surprised that I didn’t actually try for a career as an archaeologist or an anthropologist.

As it stands, I border on being an amateur anthropologist, even if I am slacking off these days. My areas of specialty include archaeoastronomy, monolithic archaeology (both focused on the American southwest), Greek mythology, and a dablling in Celtic mythology. I admit to being captivated by math and science as practiced by the Greeks, Egyptians, and Mayans as well. I’m fascinated that these people were able to cope with a sophisticated understanding of the higher math and science concepts without destroying the world around them. (Yes, there are days when I’m a high candidate for going anti-tech, but the ability to write prolifically without threatening the world’s tree supply still outweighs the evils of technology.)

People look at me and get the archaeology/anthropology scene. Somehow, I come across as She Who Loves Long Dead People and Would Love to See Their Ways Preserved for Future Generations to Learn About. I’m fine with this.

People also look at me and see my actual career, my passion- teaching. Don’t think for a moment I don’t incorporate a little anthropology into my teaching moments. The kids think it’s a hoot (especially when I can’t escape Egypt! Argh!!)

What most people miss, and I honestly didn’t realize it was a real, honest-to-God profession until a few years ago, is that I’d have trained up into one hell of a cryptanalysis. I grew up on all manner of puzzles. My mother would buy those pencil puzzle books (which I’m still terribly fond of), and my father and I would wrestle over who got to do what in it. I did cryptograms, crosskeys, crosswords puzzles, anagrams, word searches. Logic problems have always been a weakness of mine. If there was a puzzle that needed solving, I was on it in a heartbeat. (Still am, actually…)

I even developed my own codes to share with my best friend. I still will pick up books on breaking codes to thumb through them or attempt to solve some of them.

So there you go…more unraveling of Kiry. Teacher, writer, and crafter by day. Closet amateur anthropologist (who longs to go on a dig in the Four Corners region) and cryptanalyst when nobody’s looking!