Perhaps I should have started with a more formal introduction: I’m Laura Lee Patterson Huttenbach (Laura Lee’s my first name, not just Laura).  I’m from Atlanta, and I studied at the University of Virginia.  Nice to meet you, and welcome to my blog.  This blog’s main purpose is to talk about developments of The General History Project; however, you’ll probably learn a little bit about me at the same time.  There have been requests that I refrain from excessive pun use, since this should be a formal account of my experience.  I will seriously consider these requests but make no promises.

I hope that you take some time to review the website and acquaint yourself with The General History Project.  I am not an academic.  I am not a journalist.  I am just trying to tell stories of people who have created history in their own way.  I am starting with The General, an 88 year-old Kenyan man who fought for freedom and independence in his country.  His story needs to be recorded, for it reveals Kenyan history through the eyes of one man who helped shape it.  In learning about his life, I’ve learned more about our world and our connectedness to one another.  I can only hope that The General can share his story with a broader audience and educate more people about what he’s learned in his eighty-eight years.                 

I hope that you will visit me often here.  In the next six weeks, you can expect updates as I prepare to go to Kenya and learn how to go about recording The General’s history in the most effective way.  In March and April, you can expect updates of the project and my life on a Kenyan tea farm, which is sure to be eventful and informative (if you need references attesting to how interesting or intelligent I am, I’d be happy to provide my mother’s contact information, pending her approval).

In all seriousness, this is an important project.  I am committed to the cause, and I would be honored if you joined me in this endeavor.  I am working with various professors and librarians to ensure that I am qualified to produce a comprehensive account of The General’s life – through digital recordings of our conversations, transcriptions, and finally: a biographical narrative.  In future blog postings, I will go into greater detail on suggested research methodologies. 

I hope that I’ve said enough here to whet your intellectual appetite and that you’ll return for future postings.   Thank you for visiting, and I’ll be in touch soon.

My best – Laura Lee