ABOUT ME 

In different cultures, owls tend to be seen either as an omen of death or a symbol of wisdom and strategy. Though owls aren't the smartest animals, their enormous eyes allow them to see at night even without echolocation, and their heads swivel around completely so they have 360° vision. Regardless of the interpretation, the owl's hunting in the dark inspired humans to give it meaning. Darkness represents the unknown, mystery, or confusion. Hegel wrote in the Philosophy of Right, "The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk," meaning that understanding of events often does not occur until they have become history. Minerva is the Roman version of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, strategy, and skilled crafts, who is often associated with the owl. My passion for education and specialized interests in history, sociology, civics, journalism, and technology are all rooted in a desire to navigate the unknown from a place of knowledge and reason. We are all better off when we seek and acknowledge the truth, even when it is hidden or scary, and when we look around us from every perspective, even when it is uncomfortable. For this, I find it helpful to entertain certain ideas as metaphors, which makes me a fan of fantasy and science fiction. I also happen to have light sensitivity that causes me to prefer low-light environments and have always been a night owl. My brain comes alive at night. Without many alarms and melatonin, I become nocturnal.