Way to go Amy.  I love the discussion on this list and
it has helped a great deal.  (I will be contacting a
few people soon about my own research and a possible
internship, just because of suggestions I had gotten
on this list.)

But, there is no need, and I have seen it on WAY too
many other lists, to tell someone to go bugger off
when they ask for a few ideas. Our ideas may be crap
but at least it gets the juices flowing.  These
people, like Jennifer, are not asking for you to
outline the six books they should read on this topic
and then write a paragraph for her, but they are
asking you--as the EXPERTS in the field--where to go
to start the process.  All too often advisors are
difficult to consult with.  Why not ask the group of
people, who collectively have a knowledge better than
a library, about the next steps to take.  I dont
expect Jennifer is writing her paper from our
suggestions.  Instead she hears about a topic "NAGPRA
policy and musuems" and goes off to find out about all
the books on NAGPRA. Suddenly she is vaulted to a
discussion on museums and native americans and her
thesis topic is only tangently associated with what we
discussed.

Us folks in the Masters programs are intellegent
people.  We aren't asking for the world from you.  We
are asking for a bit of help.  My last job was found
through a discussion group like this one.  I put out
my name, said HI! and asked if anyone knew of any
jobs.  I had looked at all the other listings.  Most
of them said "masters and 5 years required" when I had
a bachelors and SQUAT for experience beyond an
internship.  But on that list someone said "well we
are looking for a program assistant, would you be
interested" and suddenly I am in the best job of my
life.  They knew because they found me online, that I
knew how computers work.  That meant they could ask me
computer questions, something they were dying to know.

Instead what those of you who push us away are doing
is saying "leave us alone, go find your own job, but
not mine" or "my ideas are my own, not yours, so go
find someone else to bug"  I can get that kind of
treatment in my own library or bookstore.  Instead I
hope to come here in search of people who helped me
find places like the Pink Palace in Memphis or
Cheekwood in Nashville, places that will (hopefully)
someday lead me in directions I need to go with course
work.

Dont get too full of yourselves by thinking that you
are the first person we come to.  Far from it often
times.

Thank for listening, I hope I dont alienate my future
boss, and please remember we are just trying to make
it in the same world you are.

Aaron

=====
Aaron Marcavitch
www.aaronmarcavitch.com

(current) M.A. in Public History
Middle Tennessee State University

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