A friend recently said she thought I should have become an archaeologist, but after some thought I disagree. My passion is studying the past, particularly the written record. I love stories that pass down from one generation to another. The career I should have chosen is historian. Digging up bones, and studying about them doesn't pique my interest.

I notice that the word history comes from the Greek, and means learning by inquiry, to examine, to observe, to inquire. "Academically, history is the field of research producing a continuous narrative and a systematic analysis of past events of importance to the human race." Doesn't that sound fun.

I might enjoy ethnography which studies groups through direct contact with the culture. For a high school English paper I studied different forms of marriage. It must have touched my soul because since that time these types of studies interest me.

I could be wrong because in doing research it says that historical archaeology is the study of cultures with some form of writing. I did like wandering in medieval villages while I was in England. I just don't want to dig them up. Several times I've visited sites where students were out in the hot sun digging with little spoons.

History and prehistory might be an area I would like to investiage. Recovering knowledge of the past in an area where there is no written record would make me stand up and take notice. I've always believed that history begins with the handing down of traditions. We should carry on habits and lessons of the past into our future.

I actually think since I'm not a new kid on the block, and my career days are almost behind me I'll just concentrate on being a writer, but exploring the possibilities was fun.