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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Rishile on Tuesday 24 September 13 13:37 BST (UK)
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I have just been having a debate (argument) with a work colleague who enjoys fishing. I was telling him about my latest brick wall that tumbled last night and he said that it was just a passtime whereas fishing is a hobby.
I claim that geneology and fishing are both hobbies because they are both 'planned' but he claims I just tap away at a computer and that I'm just 'passing the time'.
Any views before it gets too heated?
Rishile
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I would say that it is more than tapping away at a computer. There are research visits to the local archives, the local library. Visits to the towns or villages where our ancestors may have come from, visits to the churches, church yards etc. I would guess that a non fisherman would say that fishing is no more than holding on to a pole, whilst sitting on a riverbank.. :)
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According to the Oxford dictionary, the definition of a hobby is:
An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.
The definition of pastime is:
An activity that someone does regularly for enjoyment rather than work; a hobby:
So they are just different words but mean the same thing. ;D
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Two very different hobbies, however both very similar in many ways he goes and dangles a bit of line into the water in the HOPE he will catch a fish, you search written record in the HOPE to find your ancestor and both used to enjoy leisure time.
Your work colleague knows little about family history if he thinks it is 'tapping away at a computer' far more to it than that, ask him when the internet was invented and before home computers became the 'norm' FH was very sucessfully done in records offices and churches and for those of us now that who are not seduced by genealogy companies marketing into thinking that you 'find your ancestry online' we still do...
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The problem is, that programmes such as "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the television adverts where they say, "Just type in your name and you will get your ancestors" have made people think it is easy.
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The problem is, that programmes such as "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the television adverts where they say, "Just type in your name and you will get your ancestors" have made people think it is easy.
Yes, I agree with you there. Maybe that is what he is thinking and if it was really that simple I would tend to agree with him.
However, I generally consider it an obsession rather than a hobby :)
Rishile
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I think it's an obsessive hobby! I have loads of hobbies (my Dad always said that I had too many!) - genealogy (obviously), gardening, card-making, our equines and other pets, and story-writing. Some might say that gardening isn't a hobby, but something that has to be done, therefore a household chore. And some would query whether looking after pets is a hobby. Personally, being someone who likes paperwork, I get almost as much pleasure out of keeping all my family history papers nicely presented, as I do in the research itself. Family history research isn't just passing time, because you're actually learning, and piecing things together. Btw, a friend's husband goes fishing, he rarely catches anything, so isn't that just passing time?
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Anyone who thinks genealogy is passing the time has quite obviously never attempted it . Maybe starts as a hobby then an addiction and obsession ,which as we know can be life long.
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I wouldn't waste time arguing - I'd just push him in the canal!
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I wouldn't waste time arguing - I'd just push him in the canal!
;D
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I wouldn't waste time arguing - I'd just push him in the canal!
Don't tempt me ;D
Rishile
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I wouldn't waste time arguing - I'd just push him in the canal!
Don't tempt me ;D
Rishile
Tie a few bricks round his neck for good measure ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
The problem is, that programmes such as "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the television adverts where they say, "Just type in your name and you will get your ancestors" have made people think it is easy.
That advert makes me cringe every time I see it, if only it was that easy ::).
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I wouldn't waste time arguing - I'd just push him in the canal!
Don't tempt me ;D
Rishile
Tie a few bricks round his neck for good measure ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
The problem is, that programmes such as "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the television adverts where they say, "Just type in your name and you will get your ancestors" have made people think it is easy.
That advert makes me cringe every time I see it, if only it was that easy ::).
I take it that's the 'Find Your Past' website. I've never been able to find anyone on that site, whereas I have on other genealogy site. I don't know what I was doing wrong, but I gave up trying.
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bearsome
[I've never been able to find anyone on that site, whereas I have on other genealogy site. I don't know what I was doing wrong, but I gave up trying. /quote]
I had problems with FindMyPast to begin with, I think it's what you get used to. Less is more when searching, don't give too much info then trawl through the results.
I've had some good luck with the Newspapers and the Military Records and people do say that the census records are better transcribed than Ancestry.
My only criticism with FindMyPast is that unless you can afford a sub it can soon gobble up credits at an alarming rate!
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However, I generally consider it an obsession rather than a hobby :)
Rishile
And bearsome and alienlady . . .
I was thinking the same thing - and I'm sure my hubby would agree! He definitely thinks I'm obsessed!! ;) His obsession is cars so surely I'm allowed something?!
Toffee :)
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However, I generally consider it an obsession rather than a hobby :)
Rishile
And bearsome and alienlady . . .
I was thinking the same thing - and I'm sure my hubby would agree! He definitely thinks I'm obsessed!! ;) His obsession is cars so surely I'm allowed something?!
Toffee :)
Absolutely, Toffee! ;D
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Whilst for some Family History may be a hobby or even a pastime to me it is part of my way of life.
Briefly-
At the age of about 4 years old it was my introduction to learning to write (tracing parish registers in a church).
It later extended my education helping my maths, geography, history, french and latin. My physical health was improved cleaning ancestors tombstones and walking new graveyards looking for relevant graves.
In later years it helped road safety by my parking my truck up outside a church or cemetery etc. for at least the minimum half hour rest between driving periods.
Now as the years pass it extends my mind with problems that need solving both in accessing online records but also designing webpages, digital books etc for others.
A pastime ; well it has certainly helped pass nearly 60 years.
A hobby : I don't know, I do it in my spare time for pleasure and relaxation, but also it is my employment.
No as Family Dogg sang in 69 its Just a Way of Life.
http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/a/awayoflife.shtml
Cheers
Guy
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How absolutely fascinating Guy ! Would like to hear more.
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For me it's a hobby and an education....Before I started researching my family history... my geography and history left a lot to be desired...there is so much to genealogy than tracing ancestors. I have had a lot of help in the past from some very helpful Rootschatters...now I am happy to give something back through helping others and having fun along the way.
It's the thrill of the chase for me and the sheer pleasure of knocking down brick walls ;D
Carol
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Apart from learning who my ancestors were, it's certainly taught me a lot about the trades my ancestors were involved in, and it's been absolutely fascinating. The research into one trade was sparked by a last moment comment by my mother, as I'd been asking her, on the phone, about her paternal grandparents. Her final comment, after our goodbye, about her grandmother was, "Oh, and she made lace." I had this idyllic picture in my mind of the lady sitting in a comfortable chair, doing bobbin lace on her lap, or a small table. Not even close to reality, as I found out that lace-making was an industrial process, carried out on huge metal-framed looms, with all that goes with such processes. I'd always loved Tudor and Stuart history, but suddenly the more recent social history of the 'ordinary' person came to life! I love it!
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Hi, tell him to research his family history for a couple of days, ...............
Then in six months ask him the last time he went fishing. ;D
Frank.
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Hi, tell him to research his family history for a couple of days, ...............
Then in six months ask him the last time he went fishing. ;D
Frank.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Nice one Frank ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;
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Hi, tell him to research his family history for a couple of days, ...............
Then in six months ask him the last time he went fishing. ;D
Frank.
Unfortunately I think it would have the same effect if he told me to go fishing a couple of times and then asked me in six months how my research was going ;)
Rishile
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Having two fisherman in the house, they do not consider this "thing" of mine either a hobby or a pastime. ???
I think for me long ago it went way past both hobby and pastime and is now firmly in the "obsession" category. ;D
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Whilst I hate to side with your fishing colleague over anything, I suppose we should point out that you can't cook and eat a newly discovered ancestor...... ::)
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Whilst I hate to side with your fishing colleague over anything, I suppose we should point out that you can't cook and eat a newly discovered ancestor...... ::)
...he doesn't cook or eat the fish either - he throws them back. At least we don't do that with our ancestors ;D
Rishile
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...he doesn't cook or eat the fish either - he throws them back. At least we don't do that with our ancestors ;D
Rishile
I've had to do that with too many duff certificates though.