Introduction: Why a Geology Blog?

2020 wasn't a great year. There's no going around that fact for many.

Including me.

Burned out and unhappy, I tried my best to do something out of the usual desk job and household chores to not let the depression episodes return. For years, digital illustration and casual writing had been occupying my free time (plus a bit of binge-watching Netflix and mobile video games...I mean, in the new norm of working from home and having movements restricted, who doesn't at least do these once?), and with the Covid-19 pandemic looming on Earth, it is safe to say these are all I could do at night, on holidays and on weekends.

I enjoyed doing these activities. I truly do. However, there is a small empty space inside me. Something was definitely missing. 

I had gone through this in my head like a theater actress practicing her lines on stage in front of empty seats. I thought of my hobbies, the passions I had on certain matters, the things that kept me going as a person...

Then, boom. I got my answer.

Geology.

A subject I often find akin to surgery, minus the human body and operation theater. A knowledge I gained for 5 years and had the good fortune of experiencing it for another 3. An old but striving passion that I still have even if my day job no longer entertain the idea. 

Even thinking about it now, all those memories of struggling to learn it beyond just a mere 1 hour interest came back. 

The rocks I studied in the lab and field trips.

The sediment logs and maps I drew for assignments.

The network of friends I made, sharing the same love for geology.

Then my thoughts chugged on to another territory - what can I do to relive those memories, but in an amalgamation of what new skills I learnt and what I am good at currently?

Hence, this blog.

Why a Geology blog?

Writing this very first post of the blog, I had my doubts about the content that I'm planning to write about. It is not like this is the first time someone equipped with the knowledge of Earth Sciences to write a blog; most are undeniable successful at the feat.

Observing, however, it is rarely find a comprehensive blog that teaches and shares Geology as something...fun. 

Childish fun, to be exact.

As mentioned before, my current job isn't close to being a job with rocks and minerals, but it had exposed me to a lot of possibilities with science education. I had worked with educators, teacher trainers and experts in education over the past year, and had studied teaching modules and lesson plans for school children aged between 6 to 12.

I felt that Geology can definitely have a chance to slither into that realm. 

I have no high power nor a reputable title to my name, but I do value education and I see so much potential in that through Geology. 

Education can always come from somewhere. And of course, must be easy to be accessed.

So if this blog isn't exclusively Geology, or at least my own experiences as a Geologist (once upon a time)...

What is this blog about?

As a writer, I can simply say that this blog can be anything I fancied to write.

But as a reader, I know I have to have consistency in what is displayed in the blog.

To sum it up, this is still a Geology blog, but it is also a place where I will write about:

• Inquiry-based Science Education
• Climate Change Education
• Risk Management Education
• Reviews of publications, websites, games etc. regarding Geology for Kids
• Questions and Answers about Geology and my personal experiences with it

In this blog, I will also introduce the readers to organizations I had worked with, and perhaps in time, the people I worked with as well.

Talking about people...

Who can benefit from this blog?

I will say it now - this blog isn't meant for the experts.

I mean, surely academicians and researchers in Earth Sciences wouldn't want to see my cartoonish drawings as compared to their brilliant field trip sketches, or my writing skills to their published research papers?

I'd hide under a rock from the embarrassment! Literally!

So I toned down my audience, and can calmly say that this blog can be utilized by the following people:

• Casual internet surfer
• School children 
• School teachers 
• Parents
• College students 

That's not to say an academician cannot visit this blog for a good read and engage in private discussions. But, for the time being, these are the audience I will be presenting my blog to.

And over time, I will update the direction of this blog, depending on the content and audience.

2020 is a painful year indeed, but that shouldn't be a reason to stop people from learning.

And it shouldn't be the reason for me to not make this blog successful to the best of my abilities.