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Re: (meteorobs) Re: Statistics & Stationary Meteors
George,
> Malcolm>>When I read George's reply I had to chuckle. "Where did *that* come
> from?" I thought. It was so much off the mark that I'm not taking
> umbrance at the personal attack (but thanks Lew for coming to support
> me). No dig was intended, in fact it never crossed my mind when I
> wrote it.<<
>
> I'm glad you enjoyed your laugh. :o) In your original statement you were
> using the words "you", which I interpret as referring to at least others and
> perhaps yourself as well? If you had used "I", I would have understood that
> you were describing your own difficulties. But there's no problem in your
> meaning now.
No you (George) still haven't grasped it. If I were addressing you
and you alone, I would have begun the message "George," like above.
The "you" and "your" in my original message was in the sense of "one"
and "one's", talking in the abstract and applying to the whole
readership. The word "one" in this sense sounds very English
upperclass so I used the alternative pronoun.
Before you leap up again because you George are part of meteorobs,
notice the words "can be" in the original sentence. It was not "will
be" or "is". I'm not saying that the downside applies to anyone on
meteorobs, but I have seen this behaviour before in others and myself
(fortunately no longer). My remark was a warning, not an accusation.
> for the quality and not the quantity. If you can combine quality and quantity,
> then you are going places.
We do actually agreed about most of this. It's just the interpretation
of English where we have difficulty. (-:
> >From my observing I haven't experienced anything that I would classify as
> guilt yet? I have a fairly busy and full spectrum of activities that keeps me
> going.
Good to know.
Most observers start young and some don't have the experience or
maturity to cope. We see a similar addiction with video games. It
takes a while to find a balance between the various activities. So to
reiterate, my remark was friendly advice aimed mostly at young
observers bitten by the meteor bug.
> As for a career...that is winding down. I plan on retiring sometime in
> the next year to 3 years. My overall health will mostly determine when I'll
> actually take this step? I think of my observing efforts as something I plan
> on sliding right into more fully when I finally retire. This will sort of be
> my new "career". Nothing worse than to retire and have no personal interests
> to keep you going?
Agree with you on the last point. I'm trying to make suggestions to
my mother, who is talking about retiring next year. (I'll believe
when I see it.) If you find you have time on your hands, I could
always do with some helping measuring old telescopic observations and
entering the data in the computer, doing analysis and paper writing.
(-:
> the family or other purposes. You will find planning your observing nights
> ahead of time is more productive than haphazardly doing it with no real
> preparations.
Indeed, but what happened to me for a couple of years that my planned
observing campaigns, when I had taken leave from work, were thwarted
by cloud. Very frustrating.
> I know I didn't write the word "summarization" anywhere...at least not
> consciously?
Another pronoun! The "you" referred to another contributor.
Malcolm
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