Office hours/Archaeology

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel had stuck a note on the classroom door directing any archaeology students who turned up to find him in his office if they needed him.

Having sent his letter of acceptance off yesterday afternoon, he was now listing what needed to be done before he went.

He also had Expedia open on his computer.

Comments

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

He smiled. "I'm glad about that," he said. "Hopefully with a larger class we can do more group discussion next year. Especially as I'll probably stick to the more cultural aspects and leave biology to, well, the science teacher, providing we get a new one!

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"I hear that." Blair nodded. "I didn't care for that whole part of class so much."

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel shook his head. "It's not exactly my area of expertise, but I felt that as I was offering an introduction to the subject, it needed to be looked at."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"I agree. It was just..." Blair shrugged. He hadn't liked the eye color lesson becuase he didn't know his dad, but that didn't make it a bad lesson. "Not as interesting as other things."

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel nodded. "I understand that. Perhaps if there was a great interest towards it, I would offer it. But I don't see that happening, so I think you're safe," he grinned.

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Yay!" Blair nodded. "If you were offering it, I'd take it just because, so I'm sorta glad there's not an interest for it."

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

He laughed. "It's nice to see you have such an interest," he said. "Anything you particularly want to study next year?"

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair bounced excitedly and pulled out a notebook. "Actually, I've got a list (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Anthropology/) of things I'm interested in!"

"How much do you know about shamanism and sentinels?"

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Not as much as I probably should do, I'm afraid."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"It's like the most exciting subject ever!" Blair bounced rather spastically. "The senses and the mystic and the spirit plane and just...everything!"

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

"My studies have generally leant more towards the culture of people," Daniel explained. He blushed slightly. "Although I had a period where I was interested in the medical aspects as well."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Really? What lead you there?"

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

"The cultural stuff? Oh, a lot of it had to do with growing up in foster homes I guess. I saw a lot of different ways of living just in the New York system."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, that makes sense. I learned a lot by living all over the world." Blair bit his lip. "So you grew up in foster homes?"

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, my parents were killed in an accident when I was eight. My grandfather was in no position to adopt me, so it was foster care."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Whoa, man." Blair shook his head. "That sucks, man."

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel shrugged slightly. "It's life, I'm afraid. You've just got to take what it deals and roll with the blows... or whatever it says. The way I see it, if things had been different I probably wouldn't be here now."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"That's true." Blair played with a string on his pants for a minute.

"I never knew my father. Naomi said there were a few possibilities but that it wasn't something I needed to know."

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel looked thoughtful for a moment. "Do you feel incomplete for not knowing him?" he asked.

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair shrugged and looked at the floor. "I don't know, man. I've never had a dad, so I don't really know how I'd be with one."

"Do you feel incomplete without your parents?"

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel sighed. "There are times when I miss them. Or, to be more accurate, I miss the idea of them. I was eight when they died. How much do you remember of being eight and before then?"

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Some, but I know that I a lot of it is suggested memories of what Naomi's told me."

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel nodded. "Exactly. I have vague memories of these two people, who I know I love dearly and who loved me. I also know that I wouldn't be in anthropology and archaeology if it wasn't for them. But my experiences in foster homes helped make me the man I am. Would I have graduated high school at sixteen if my parents had lived? Probably not. Who's to say that I would have even been educated in America?"

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"That's true." Blair nodded. "As much as you miss having them around, you have to be grateful for the rest of the oppurtunitys that life gave you."

"That's very karmically sound."

[the-ascended.livejournal.com]

"I find it's best not to look upon life as what could have been," Daniel said. "Look on it as something that has happened, be it for better or worse. With your case, would growing up with a father have been better?" He shrugged. "We don't know. How about other male role models? Have you had those?"