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Sabrina Heise

Editorial Assistant

True confessions: * Not as politically aware as I should be. * I bite my nails. * I didn't love the Sex and the City movie. * I am actually, really addicted to sugar and should probably be in a 12-step program. * By addicted, I mean, I lash out at people and get grumpy when I haven't had my sug...

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Hieroglyphics

Today Margaret explained the film, Stargate, to me. While she spent a lot of time explaining all that this “stargate” really was, to a mere mortal like myself, the concept is still somewhat difficult to grasp. Apparently, it’s a way to somehow transport one’s self to ancient Egypt, where the god, Ra, and his followers murder mammoth-riding villagers. The nerdly protagonist in this movie is played by James Spader, who seems to be some sort of hieroglyphics expert with fascination with the past.

Here is where I will leave behind my discussion of Margaret’s discussion of the film and enter into my own dialogue.

Hearing about the film made me realize that I am somewhat akin to Spader’s character.

Growing up (and still now, a little) I was probably considered by some (or many) to be a little bit nerdy. After a summer trip to Arizona, where my parents took me to several achaeological digs, I was convinced I had found my life’s calling. After reading The Egypt Game, by  Zilpha Keatley Snyder, my interest was honed on ancient Egypt. I couldn’t get enough.

My Christmases and birthdays were filled with sets of hieroglyphics stamps, Egyptian bead jewelry sets, “Put together your own realistic looking artifact” sets. I tried rustling up the Egypt fever in my friends: “Come on, let’s bury these mummy statues in the garden and then dig them up again!” My friends weren’t having any of it. “Can’t we just watch TV? There’s dirt in the garden.” Egypt became my solitary game. I learned about Isis and Nefertiti and mummifying procedures. Any time an Egyptian exhibit came through town, you could bet I was there.

However, having a solitary persuit at that young age is always difficult. As I grew older, I was pulled from the world of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids and into the world of lip gloss, volleyball, and the boys in my class.

Every once in a while, I still imagine what it was like for this mystical culture, seeped in tradition and secrets. I suppose my only hope now is for someone to find the Stargate, so maybe, just maybe, I could get sucked into that time again, for just a little bit.