My Super Awkward Introduction

Is it just me or is there something really pompous about blogging? In my mind there always seems to be an inherent assumption of self-importance involved in the act that makes me very self-conscious about the whole idea. At least for ordinary mortals anyway. The assumption certainly doesn't exist in my mind when I think of people that I read regularly, mainly because I think they've earned the right to be listened to, which is something, I fear, I may never earn.  I have no great accomplishments or credentials to point to. I'm no Richard Feynman or Jonah Lehrer. So why write anything? How can I write anything? I think the answer, like so many answers in life, is startlingly simple: because I need to, as bad as it may turn out to be.  You see, I'm thinking of going back to school to study what I probably should have studied all along - theoretical physics. Which is what this blog will be about. Most of the time. In my education, both professional and personal, I've learned best by writing things down. More often than not, I'm flat out wrong, but it's always been interesting to have a record of my mistakes and naivete. It gives me a sense of growth. If nothing else, at least this provides a venue to try and wrap my mind around things that I find fascinating, difficult, or curious - and maybe even get some help with stuff. If anybody else finds it interesting, that'll be an added bonus. I'll try very hard to stay away from opinionated rants (though the mood occasionally strikes me). I've never attempted anything even remotely like this, so forgive me if I sound as out of place on the blogosphere as a Wookie in a hair salon.

Currently, I make a living teaching high school social science in (mostly) sunny California. (You can check me out on ratemyteachers.com if you're so inclined). My degree is in history, from California State University Los Angeles, but I'm an alumni of a lot of different schools, including UC Irvine. I love my job and I love the subject I teach, but I occasionally get pretty severe cases of academic wanderlust. I love learning everything and have never been able to shake the impulse to pick up studying anything and everything from Astronomy to Zoology and back again as if my life depended on it.  I very much doubt a degree in physics will be my last.

Well, I'm glad that's out of the way.  Lets hope this gets easier.  It should. Because after this, we'll be talking about things that are far, far more interesting.