So, this week I started several new things.
Thing One: this blog. It has been a while since “Running With Scissors” – a previous blog I started in 2006 that focused on Instructional Technology (and sometimes the Orioles) during the startup days of DTLT at UMW.
Another new thing this week is that I’ve joined the ranks of students at UMW. I’m officially enrolled in the Bachelor of Liberal Studies program studying Historic Preservation. It would be another undergraduate degree for me in addition to the Associates in Engineering, BA in Communications, and the M Ed. in Instructional Technology I’ve already earned.
I think some colleagues might be wondering… well, why?
I’ve always enjoyed buildings and design. More recently, I’ve been more interested in old and/or historic buildings. Last fall there was a exhibit in the HCC Convergence Gallery that focused on Menokin – the home of Francis Lightfoot Lee, one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. The home (a US National Historic Monument) is currently mostly a ruin, but there is a very unique preservation plan in place where the Menokin Foundation is building new glass structure around the current ruin. This will allow visitors to see the inside of the ruin, as well as some restored parts of the house. I found this fascinating – so much so that I rode out to Warsaw, Virginia to take a look myself. I plan a future post about that trip and what I saw, but it really got me thinking about historic preservation in a whole new way.
It also got me thinking that one of the benefits I get as an employee of UMW (where I currently serve as Director of IT Support) is the opportunity to take UMW courses at no cost. It all seemed like it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Thus, I’m an undergrad again.
As part of this adventure, I thought I might blog a bit. So, I finally got my Domain of One’s Own (DoOO) account, and set this blog up. I found it hard to believe just how easy that process is now compared to 2006 (and how much nicer it looks right out of the box!) I’m sure I’ll be posting about DoOO and my exploration of those tools as well.
I’m approaching this blog with the idea of not letting perfection be the enemy of my posting. So I’ll ask you, dear reader, to forgive my lack of perfection. And I’ll also try to forgive myself for that.
Thus, another orbit through an academic program begins.
