tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post3171243756090057204..comments2023-10-05T07:23:26.536-07:00Comments on The Journey Takers Blog: Hobbyists in Our MidstLeslie Albrecht Huberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305468226348652669noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-6782267359105232542011-04-10T16:14:58.217-07:002011-04-10T16:14:58.217-07:00Thanks for the comments. I certainly didn't me...Thanks for the comments. I certainly didn't mean "hobbyist" as an insult and I do see your point on moving away from simplistic terminology. I do not mean to label and divide people - but mean to argue for the exact opposite: that we be inclusive in our approach to genealogy and genealogical educational opportunities. I think it's helpful to remember that not only do we come from different research backgrounds, but we don't all have the same goals for the future either. And I think that's okay.<br /><br />And by the way, I do not take outside clients right now either (although I once did). I don't feel that means I am not a professional.Leslie Albrecht Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03305468226348652669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-24093948072084367372011-04-08T20:42:47.581-07:002011-04-08T20:42:47.581-07:00Thank you, Craig. You essentially spoke to what I ...Thank you, Craig. You essentially spoke to what I wanted to mention as I read through the neat post and the great comments. How nice to have a real discussion on this blog. <br />I do not take outside clients, so I am not a professional. But, the 'hobbyist' is certainly not descriptive either. I hold a research Ph.D., I've studied and practiced genealogy research seriously for over 15 years. I submitted a portfolio for certification a few years ago, but was turned down because of lack of 'social involvement' not for an deficiency in all of my reports, citations, etc. I have published four family histories and two articles in a genealogy journal. I blog and write, continuously. I published a 900 plus page online family history compilation. That doesn't feel 'hobbyist' - sorry.<br />Thanks, again Craig, for suggesting we develop some more descriptive 'titles.' Thanks for the opportunity to comment. ;-)Dr. Bill (William L.) Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04857619677138020430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-20728124115352760342011-04-08T13:43:21.318-07:002011-04-08T13:43:21.318-07:00I agree with your basic premise and your messages ...I agree with your basic premise and your messages to both groups. But I wish we could get away from labels like "professional" and "hobbyist." It seems to me that a dichotomous nomenclature contributes to the differences in quality of work, to a degree.<br /><br />Unfortunately,the terms come to genealogy with their own sets of baggage. Genealogy is one of a set of unique pursuits like astronomy or ornithology. In any of these fields, on any given day, the so-called hobbyist or "amateur" may be as likely as the "pro" make a significant discovery or contribution.<br /><br />Now have I a better idea for the terminology of practitioners in genealogy? Not yet, but I am working on it!Craig Mansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06567686559055003349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-30941803867050638772011-04-08T13:41:15.956-07:002011-04-08T13:41:15.956-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Craig Mansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06567686559055003349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-27816312524414376192011-04-06T21:32:24.606-07:002011-04-06T21:32:24.606-07:00Leslie, it was great meeting you at OGS! I found y...Leslie, it was great meeting you at OGS! I found your lecture very inspiring, just like your blog. As someone who enjoys writing but often gets bogged down in the details, I appreciate the encouragement to just do it. I also got a lot of good information from your session on immigration records. And by the way, I love having a whole hotel room all to myself, too!Shelley Bishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07488453243236670013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-39164008850122680312011-04-05T13:51:07.031-07:002011-04-05T13:51:07.031-07:00I also attended the OGS Conference and attended tw...I also attended the OGS Conference and attended two of your talks. I thought they were great! In reflecting on this post, I realize that I am definitely in the hobbyist category -- yet I am constantly trying to improve. I was inspired by a one-day workshop our chapter held two years ago to get something written. It inspired me to write a family history blog. Blogging has been far more rewarding than I anticipated. I hope you don't mind that I linked to your blog in my most recent post.<br /><br />KathyKathy Reedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09417754385375586302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-60556944799110606722011-04-05T12:38:49.175-07:002011-04-05T12:38:49.175-07:00I love that you are looking forward to time alone ...I love that you are looking forward to time alone in the hotel room. I'm looking forward to some time just resting. Dinner that late may kill me.Midge Frazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05817669854967092840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-69413975330279820732011-04-04T09:56:23.921-07:002011-04-04T09:56:23.921-07:00Hi Leslie ~
Speaking as one of those "hobbyis...Hi Leslie ~<br />Speaking as one of those "hobbyists" I believe this is an important distinction. <br /><br />I really enjoyed your presentation about writing family history - and the main thing that I took away from it, the part that I was sharing with someone when I got back home, was that family will appreciate the 20 less than perfect pages you DO write more than the 200 pages you MEANT to write. I need to put that on a plaque and hang it over my computer!!<br /><br />I find that many hobbyists in genealogy tend to understand the higher standards and strive to emulate them. Even people who never hope to have a client would hope to be "professional" in their own work on their own family. That's great but the down side, at least speaking for me, is that sometimes I don't do anything because I know if I had more time I could do it better.<br /><br />Thanks for an inspiring talk at OGS - you definitely gave me the feeling that we all can - and SHOULD - write :-)Diana Ritchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05954839264299339937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-50509269453955941132011-04-04T06:01:42.478-07:002011-04-04T06:01:42.478-07:00I agree that there is certainly a place for passiv...I agree that there is certainly a place for passive voice. (Look - I just used it there:) It shouldn't be avoided, it should just not be overused. The point is to choose strong verbs that convey a person's meaning effectively.Leslie Albrecht Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03305468226348652669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540353207535235590.post-12731157808124138052011-04-03T19:45:54.954-07:002011-04-03T19:45:54.954-07:00I think your distinction based on goals rather tha...I think your distinction based on goals rather than skill levels is very perceptive - too many people tend to emphasize a difference in skills. By the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with passive verbs. The "rule" about avoiding the passive voice, even more so than the one on not splitting infinitives, is actually an arbitrary preference, despite what generations of English teachers have preached. The passive voice, while a less common form than the active, is useful both for the function it performs (including following theme-rheme order in narration) and for the nuances in style and in point of view that it makes possible.Greta Koehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05429623811794360612noreply@blogger.com