“Henry Jones: I didn’t know you could fly a plane!
Indiana Jones: Fly — yes, land — no.”
― Rob MacGregor, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

I think this will be my Indiana Jones week. I need to reintroduce my teens to him, introduce my tot to him. I need to breath that story back into my life and feel the drive I once had.

It’s funny how something that is so a part of pop culture can have such an impact. Here’s some personal information time – my maiden name is Jones. I.Kid.You.Not. I DREAMED of being called Dr. Jones – the archaeologist (especially since I was far too introverted to be the musical performer I wanted to be lol). My nickname at my second university (where I actually did study Archaeology) was Gwendiana Jones. Again. I.Kid.You.Not.

Sidebar – my first degree was also a BA, but a double major in Anthropology and Classical Studies.

The dream was to do my Bachelor of Science in Archaeology at the University of Calgary, then I was to do a Masters in Roman Archaeology at the University of Cardiff in Wales. After that, I dreamed of doing my PhD in Rome, Italy.

Instead, I completed a BA because it took a year less time – as my fiancé at the time said I didn’t need the full BSc since I was just moving back home anyway. Can you taste that regret? It’s thick and clings like black tar.

I’ve been asked to do a talk to grade 5 students next week on Archaeology. I’m stoked. I can’t wait to talk about something I’m so passionate about. I also want to make sure that the students I speak to don’t give up – that if they want something, don’t let anyone get in their way.

People tell me it’s not too late for me. Maybe it’s not. I hope to contact the local Archaeological services branch here to see about volunteering to help catalogue artifacts at the very least (I hear they are back logged). Mostly, my dream for digging was to travel to Wales and then the Middle East, to explore the sands of the desserts, to find those treasures hidden so long ago by the shifting sands or wars. To study the past, through that culture’s lens, with a heart ready to learn all there was to know.

I know Indiana Jones is make believe. True archaeology is a lot of research, a lot of digging, a lot of cataloguing, a lot of tedious work.

One persons tedium, is another’s adventure. To me every artifact is an adventure onto itself.

Maybe I should see about upgrading that BA to a BSc…maybe…

Indiana Jones Theme Song