I'm Back!

In line with the theme of this post, here is a shameless selfie. :)

It has been quite a while since my last post. There are a few reasons for that, for example:
1) I have been too busy to post
2) most of my work has been on projects that are for publications and I am not sure how to write about them in a public format...

but the truth is: I have been scared.

I don't know if there is a term "blogger's regret" but there should be. Its like over-sharing regret. Its when you are so excited to post a video or picture in the moment, but look back on it 6 months later and you are mortified. You think - "What the heck was I thinking??? That is the most embarrassing thing I have ever done! Why did I share that with EVERYONE IN THE WORLD!!"

This is all amplified 1000 times by academic self consciousness. The biggest thing my PhD has taught me over the last 2.5 years is how very little I know. About anything. The more I know the more aware I am of how little I know. And suddenly it becomes quite terrifying to say ANYTHING at ALL! Especially in a public format. Especially in a blog when my thoughts are not complete, or vetted, or edited.

So, the result has been that I have stepped back from online posting.

I've been hiding.

BUT.

I also have been considering that this is not my nature. It is also not how I imagine academics will further the discussions around important ideas. I should take the risk of saying a few things that are raw and askew, in order to participate in the conversation around things that matter to me. Frankly, making connections with people who are keenly interested in similar things as I am, is worth the risk.

So I am restarting this blog.

But with a disclaimer:

What I post here is rough and off-the cuff. My opinions are most likely wrong, misinformed and will progress over time. My hope is to continue a dialogue and broaden the discussion. I acknowledge to myself that looking back on old posts will invariably be embarrassing, but I promise that my future self will be kind, and I will view this change in perspective as a sign of growth. 

I declare! The whole point is to participate. So here I am. Participating.

Thanks all.

Angie