17th February 2010, 08:26 PM
I do believe that there may be a very interesting discussion on the cards here. It has to be said that this is the place to host it. Jeremiah and Grindlecat have raised some extremely important and controversial points. Whether we agree with them or not is in my view irrelevant-the fact that we have an opportunity to enter into constructive dialogue on these issues is far more important. Being pro-active is all about expressing an opinion and short of standing on street corners dishing out leaflets...the BAJR forum is the best option by far. For me, as I have been out of the country for a few years after taking a "sabbatical" to the beach in the Med, Im not really well-informed enough on current conditions to comment so forgive me for not having an opinion for now.
That said, these last posts by Jeremiah and Grindlecat ring a few of my old bells namely..... the feeling of absolute exasperation, isolation and worthlessness on the part of coal-face field staff, the feeling of being utterly let-down if not ignored by a professional Institute and frankly, more than a bit miffed. Many of the issues raised by these posts have (for some) underpinned archaeology for years if not decades. One thing that strikes me is that despite the obvious frustration of the subscribers, yet again, field staff are the ones who seem to push for real tangible progress and not just in terms and conditions of employment. As I said earlier, I`m a returner to the industry so the meat and two veg of the issues are for others to comment on. Personally, I look forward to this thread developing into a constructive and (for me) informative dialogue.:face-approve:
That said, these last posts by Jeremiah and Grindlecat ring a few of my old bells namely..... the feeling of absolute exasperation, isolation and worthlessness on the part of coal-face field staff, the feeling of being utterly let-down if not ignored by a professional Institute and frankly, more than a bit miffed. Many of the issues raised by these posts have (for some) underpinned archaeology for years if not decades. One thing that strikes me is that despite the obvious frustration of the subscribers, yet again, field staff are the ones who seem to push for real tangible progress and not just in terms and conditions of employment. As I said earlier, I`m a returner to the industry so the meat and two veg of the issues are for others to comment on. Personally, I look forward to this thread developing into a constructive and (for me) informative dialogue.:face-approve: