Archaeology Clubs for Amateurs

Archaeology Clubs for Amateurs Archaeology clubs and societies are one of the best ways for aspiring amateur and professional archaeologists to get started in their passion: find a group of people who also want to learn about archaeology or work as volunteers on archaeological digs. Even if youre not in school, or ever plan to be a professional archaeologist, you too can explore your passion for the field and even get trained and go on excavations. For that, you need an amateur archaeology club. There are numerous local and regional clubs throughout the world, with activities that range from Saturday morning reading groups to full-fledged societies with publications and conferences and opportunities to work on archaeological excavations. Some amateurs write their own reports and give presentations. If you live in a fairly good-sized city, chances are there are local amateur archaeology clubs right near you. The trouble is, how do you find them, and how do you pick the right one for you? Artifact Collector Groups There are, at heart, two kinds of amateur archaeology clubs. The first kind is an artifact collector club. These clubs are primarily interested in artifacts of the past, looking at artifacts, buying and selling artifacts, telling stories about how they found this artifact or another. Some collector groups have publications and regular swap meets. But most of these groups are not really invested in archaeology as a science. This is not to say that collectors are bad people or not enthusiastic about what they do. In fact, many amateur collectors register their collections and work with professional archaeologists to identify unknown or endangered archaeological sites. But their primary interest is not in the events or people of the past, it is in the objects. Art Versus Science To professional archaeologists (and many amateurs), an artifact is far more interesting within its context, as a part of an ancient culture, as part of the entire collection (assemblage) of artifacts and studies from an archaeological site. That includes intensive artifact studies, like where an artifact came from (called the provenience), what kind of material it was made from (sourcing) when it was used (dating), and what it might have meant to people of the past (interpretation). Bottom line, by and large, collector groups are more interested in the artistic aspects of archaeological artifacts: nothing wrong with that, but thats only a tiny aspect of the totality of learning about the cultures of the past.   Avocational Archaeology Groups The other type of archaeology club is the avocational club. The largest of these in the United States is the professional/amateur run Archaeological Institute of America. This type of club also has newsletters and local and regional meetings. But in addition, they have strong ties to the professional community, and sometimes publish full-fledged publications with reports on archaeological sites. Some sponsor group tours of archaeological sites, have regular talks by professional archaeologists, certification programs so you can get trained to volunteer at excavations, and even special sessions for children. Some even sponsor and help conduct archaeological surveys or even excavations, in conjunction with universities, that amateur members can take part in. They dont sell artifacts, and if they talk about artifacts, it is within context, what the society who made it was like, where it came from, what it was used for. Finding a Local Group So, how do you find an avocational society to join? In every American state, Canadian province, Australian territory, and British county (not to mention almost every other country in the world), you can find a professional archaeological society. Most of them keep strong ties with the avocational societies in their region, and they will know who to contact. For example, in the Americas, the Society for American Archaeology has a special Council of Affiliated Societies, in which it maintains close contact with avocational groups that support professional archaeological ethics. The Archaeological Institute of America has a list of collaborating organizations; and in the UK, try the Council for British Archaeologys website for CBA Groups. We Need You To be perfectly honest, the archaeological profession needs you, needs your support and your passion for archaeology, to grow, to increase our numbers, to help protect the archaeological sites and cultural heritage of the world. Join an amateur society soon. Youll never regret it.

Should You Do What You Love for a Living What are the Pros and Cons

Should You Do What You Love for a Living What are the Pros and Cons Do what you love. That sounds so lovely and so easy, right? Pick your obvious passion, and find a way to get paid for it. Easy peasy†¦except when it’s not. Doing what you love isn’t always the easy option- it could require sacrifices, complicated decisions, or even the realization that you don’t know what you love to do after all. So what do you do? Should you find a reliable career path that doesn’t stress you out, but also doesn’t really excite you? Or should you pursue that passion project, and risk it all on that path? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. Both have benefits and drawbacks. Let’s look at some of both.THE PROSLet’s say you’re feeling ready to turn that photography hobby into a small business, or take the job working for that tiny nonprofit instead of the wealthy conglomerate. What are the benefits?â€Å"Legacy is greater than currency.†If you choose a job that pays the bills but doesnâ⠂¬â„¢t feel like your calling, you don’t get any promises that it will pan out as the best financial option. But entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk is pretty militantly on the go for it side, arguing that you can monetize what you love, as long as you hustle.Money doesn’t have to be your personal currency.And I’m not talking about bitcoin or Chuck E. Cheese tokens here. Your relationship to your work may be your own personal currency, worth as much as the financial benefits you might find elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong, you still need money of the cold hard variety if you enjoy food, shelter, and wifi, but your personal currency might not always align with money considerations.You’re more invested in your job.If you’re doing something that engages you personally and professionally, you may be more likely to be attentive and creative.Stability might not outweigh misery.If you’re truly unhappy or under-stimulated at your stable-but-meh job, th e resulting stress and malaise could actually be harmful to your emotional and physical health. Some research suggests that happy employees are 12% more productive, so why not find work that makes you actually happy?You spend more time at work than anywhere else, so why not make it countWhen you think about spending 40+ hours a week doing something (anything), how does that make you feel? If the idea of spending that time processing Excel reports makes your face involuntarily scrunch up, that’s a sign that maybe you should look for something more in line with your interests.THE CONSNow let’s take a peek at the devil’s advocate side. What are the potential drawbacks of making your passion your career?It may close off other paths.If you lock yourself into a path you may have chosen as a youngster, you may not find it as easy to branch out and develop other skills, growth areas, etc. In his book So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Author Cal Newport argues that y ou’re better off bolstering skills instead of interests, and giving yourself career capital that you can use in various avenues throughout your career.There’s no guarantee your passion will be a fulfilling professional choice.Have you ever really wanted something, then gotten it, and realized that hmm, this isn’t as great as you thought it would be, in your head? There’s a real chance that following the â€Å"follow your passion† advice (you follow me?) isn’t a great long-term choice for you, once you get into the stage of needing it to pay the bills.â€Å"If you follow your passion, you’re probably going to fail.†Another Ted Talk-er, this time Benjamin Todd, a career coach, walks through the scenario of pursuing that passion, and finding that the work itself isn’t all that fulfilling. Todd argues that there’s no real evidence linking interest-matched jobs and job satisfaction.What if your passion changes?Most car eer choices don’t have to be made once and kept forever, but changing paths can be a major challenge. If you do choose your passion as a career, think hard about what happens if you wake up one morning and decide that you’re not so keen on that hobby that’s now your livelihood.What you love may not be where your talents lie.For example, I love TV. I love watching it, talking about it, reading about it. But as much as I enjoy it as an art form, the industry isn’t really aligned with my educational background or skill sets. Those are both things that can be picked up and developed, but personal investment isn’t always enough to make the professional leap. If you’re a rockstar at accounting, and can put together a profitable and reasonably satisfying career doing that, is that the worst thing in the world?How Do I Pursue My Passion as a Career?Okay, so if you’ve gotten through the pros and the cons, and still want to move forward with th is â€Å"do what you love† thing, there’s a major logistical problem: how? How do you get started? What do you consider? What do you do to move this ball forward, so that it’s no longer an â€Å"I should do this† pipe dream?Think hard about the choice you’re making.Career choices shouldn’t be made lightly, or impulsively- the consequences of your decision can mean the difference between loving your job and being unemployed and unhappy.Set a timeline.So many awesome ideas die on the vine because they get lost in the realities of daily life, and don’t have a schedule attached to them. I’ll do it later, tomorrow, next week. Once you’ve made the decision to pursue your passion project as a career, come up with your game plan. That includes timing. If you want to be in a new job by next year, start working on your resume and building skills now. Set interim goals that you can hit in the meantime, so you feel like you’r e making progress toward the ultimate goal of working in your passion field.Be realistic.If you’re 36, it’s probably too late to be a ballet dancer or an astronaut if you’re not already on that path. Turning to your inner child to help identify what you’re passionate about can be great, but this choice really needs to line up with the adult you’ve become, and your realities. Similarly, here’s where you decide if your love of Ukranian chamber music affords any actual job opportunities in your area. Dig in and do some research about what the job opportunities are for your interest.Take classes and build your skills.It may be that pursuing your passion means starting your own business. If that’s the case, learn everything you possibly can about how to start and run a business, and the various hardships you might face. Take classes online or in person to start building a structure to go with your new career goals.Be brave.At some point, y ou’re going to have to take a leap here. You should absolutely take the time to figure out if this is the right path for you, but you also need to be prepared to end that phase and just go for it.When you make the decision to go for it, understand that you’re taking a risk. But isn’t everything a risk when you get right down to it?What If I Don’t Know My Passion?A lot of pressure is put on the phrase â€Å"doing what you love,† that sweet spot where your interests, skills, and opportunities line up so magically. What if you like some things, are good at some things, but don’t know if that constitutes the kind of passion that demands a career change?Life coach Terri Trespicio advises you to stop looking so hard for that â€Å"passion.† Try different things, and don’t be afraid to fail while you look for the most fulfilling career path. â€Å"[Passion] is the full force of your attention and energy that you give to whatever is r ight in front of you. And if you’re so busy looking for this passion, you could miss opportunities that change your life. You could also miss out on great love because that’s what happens when you have tunnel vision trying to find the one.† Start by finding what you like to do, what you’re good at doing, and go from there. If you’re open to letting your passion find you instead of the other way around, you could find yourself on that â€Å"doing what you love† path without even meaning to be there.There’s no single way to pursue your â€Å"passion,† but as long as you put time and energy into figuring out a) what that is; or b) how that fits into your life and your career, chances are you’ll be just fine.

Reaction paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Reaction - Research Paper Example In the case of Hose, media had an active role, knocking down individual voices of concern, and spreading words contradictory to the reality, igniting hatred in the public minds. I was taken aback by the fact that though the wife of the killed revealed in investigation that Hose committed the murder in self-protection and that there was no rape, no one including the media or government gave attention to the same. I feel that the main reason for this extreme aggression and shameless activities is the self-interest of the media to offer the Whites with the kind of news they loved to hear about the Blacks. As the chapter reveals, so many Blacks met their end almost in the same way. To sum up, I would like to say that government, media, and religion are the only forces powerful enough to make mass movements. Once they are prejudiced, the whole society remains prejudiced. Once this happens, moral values and rational thinking disappear from the minds of even the so-called educated and civilized

Critical Issues Review #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Critical Issues Review #2 - Essay Example In identifying future strategy for imminent war, Clausewitz states that a determination of necessary resources will entail an examination of the political aims of both the potential warring states; the strength and nature of political aims and the abilities of government and people of both.2 It is also necessary to factor into this equation, the political sympathies of other states and the implications of war on the directly warring states as well as other states which may be affected by it, which in itself is a colossal task and thus requires flexibility in military planning and execution. Moltke;s views on war strategy were also in line with Clausewitz, in that he accepts the major role played by chance and uncertainty, and also the existence of a moral element in war which contributes towards victory. However, he differed from Clausewitz in his belief that politics and war cannot be mingled with each other; policy should not be the guiding force that influences military operations. In his view, â€Å"policy uses war for the attainment of its goals; it works decisively at the beginning and end of war† but where strategy is concerned, it â€Å"works best for the goals of policy, but in its actions is fully independent of policy.3 Thus, according to Moltke, while it is likely that policy decisions may set out the initial objectives of war, once war has been declared, political ends are to be achieved only through military means; battle becomes the single means for military and grand national strategy. Machiavelli recognizes the importance of adaptability, in view of its changing nature of war and offers the view that â€Å"he errs the least and will be most favored by fortune who suits his proceedings to the times† and illustrates this with the examples of Hannibal and Scipio.4 Machiavelli points out that the ability of

Organizational Behavior Essay Example for Free

Organizational Behavior Essay An effective organization or agency exhibits behavior conducive to a healthy workplace. The employees are motivated, satisfied, good communicators, and team-oriented. These elements help to promote a successful organization. Missing elements could disband an agency or create a hostile environment. Specific fundamentals can develop skills necessary to improve individual and organizational practices. Scientific foundations of organizational behavior suggest that individual attitudes, group dynamics, and relationships between managers and workers are an important focus (Schermerhorn, 2010). A positive attitude can have many benefits: less stress, self control, better relationships, and job security. A positive attitude can influence others and help build strong working relationships. This also affects job performance and assures the organization that its employees are satisfied. The goal of organizational behavior is to improve the performance of people, groups, organizations, and improve the quality of life (Schermerhorn, 2010). Motivation is an element that can be a driving force to an organization or the individuals involved. An employee’s sole motivation is personal or job development or financial purposes. The solution is to identify the factor that motivates an employee to attend work every day as scheduled and performs to the best of his or her abilities. These individuals set and achieve goals consistently and with persistence. This type of determination benefits the agency and the individual’s reputation. High employee performance relies on effective communication, creativity, and respect. Managers must be able to communicate with employees without fear. The mutual respect allows employees to provide feedback and actively respond. This permits an equal contribution within the team. The employee dynamic is the way in which coworkers interact with one another and their managers. Managers can assess the behavioral and organizational status of their workplace by asking employees to approach them when a problem arises  (Marquis, n.d.). Management practices must be tailored to fit the exact nature of each situation or individual. Managers must be able to understand the challenges and demands for different situations and craft responses to them that best fit circumstances or people involved (Schermerhorn, 2010). This makes the agency resilient and adaptable to various situations. Diversity in an organization is essential to recognize differences based on gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and only considering the performance of the individual. A diverse set of skills allows the agency to assist customers on a global scale. Successful organizations foster an attitude of openness and encourage new ideas and challenges. This is especially important in criminal justice and security organizations in which diversity is evident in communities. Employees will be introduced to a variety of cultures and diverse situations in which they will have to know how to correspond. Diversity in justice and security agencies promotes equal treatment under law. This protects the agency from over representing a specific racial group or other population from the streets to the court. Diversity is an element that proves effective internally and externally of any organization. No employee will be the same; personalities, social traits, and values will differ. It is the way the agency manages these situations that sets them apart. Ultimately, employee commitment defines the agency. Employee performance is directly related to his or her commitment to the jobs and the agency. Employees are representatives of the agency mission statement. The employee’s performance is motivated by passion or reward. The agency must reinforce positive behavior that demonstrates commitment. Employees exchange his or her commitment to performance to the organizations commitment of reward. The reward can be promotional, pay grade increase, material, or other form of recognition. Some employees are high performers because they love their job and are results driven. In every organization is a natural or appointed leader. The leader must be able to influence others to perform the organizations expectations and beyond. A formal leader is responsible for his or her results through talent management. Any agency is only as good as its employees; it is the duty of the leader to level set those expectations and lead through example. A leader is confident in his ability to encourage his staff to produce positive outcomes. The leader is concerned with task objectives, ethical, and well adjusted. Leaders in a criminal justice or security agency have many strong individuals to lead. Each of them is carefully selected and most of them will be leaders in his or her right. They are of good moral and ethical character, intelligent, professional, and influential. These individuals are representing a government agency working to accomplish a shared objective. These elements are crucial to the success of the organization and its members. References Marquis, A. (n.d.). Key Elements for Effective Behavior and Organizational Management. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from http://smallbusiness.chrone.com/key-elements-effective-behavior-organizational-management-43874.html Schermerhorn, R., Hunt, J.G., Osborn, R.N., Uhl-Blen, M. (2010). Organizational Behavior (7th ed.) Hoboken, NJ: JohnWiley Sons.

Azalea Seafood Gumbo Shoppe Essay -- Business Marketing Case Study, so

Azalea Seafood Gumbo Shoppe Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Found in approximately 1000 supermarkets and 300 restaurants, Azalea Seafood and Gumbo Shoppe is among the largest producers of ready-to-eat gumbo with annual revenues in 2000 of more than $1 million. The company's gumbo was their best selling item earning nearly 90% of yearly sales. Although Azalea has a competitive advantage with its tasty gumbo, Azalea is looking to maintain long-term growth and obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. In order increase its profitability, the company needs to consider options to improve its business strategies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Currently Azalea's facilities are located in a small country side building and many large restaurants do not find it at par with their standards. This causes Azalea to lose sales from businesses like Applebee?s and Cracker Barrel. In addition, major highways for the rapid distribution of their product are not available and easily accessible. Despite the location, Azalea?s owners are satisfied with the new facility and its improved capabilities, compared to that of their old location.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to increase sales by 50% and help Azalea to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage, the company needs to develop four strategic plans. The first one includes staying in their current location. Staying at this location will maintain their satisfaction with the facility and allow them to maximize their efficiency. Next, Azalea should implement a Total Quality Management (...

Moral compass Essay

In my past 18 years, I have been living in an environment that people telling me what should I do and what should I not to do. My mum taught me to be a good role model for my younger sister, my dad told me to study hard so I can have a good future. By going to school, teachers teach me that what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ from the textbook and I have also been learning that from the TV, newspaper and radio. The mass media is always a channel for me to receive what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ about the social. For example, there are critics about the politics, environmental issues etc.From time to time, my moral compass had been shaped by my parents and the social norms. Human beings always place their own interest on the top priority while thinking of what they should do. My moral compass go wrong without recognising that it had done so because I wanted to satisfy my own wish and do something that others taught me was ‘wrong’ before. I remember I was at the age of seven, I went to a stationary shop with my parents and I discovered a beautiful ruler. I begged my parents to buy it for me but they said it was too expensive and I had already got a lot of rulers at home so they refused to buy. At that moment, my moral compass told me not to steal the ruler because it is illegal to do so. However, I really liked the ruler so I put it inside my pocket secretly when no one is looking at me. It was the first and the last time I steal from a shop. After I went back home, I found out that the ruler was not as beautiful as the time I first glanced on it. I just steal it because of a moment f wanting to own it. I am still keeping the ruler until now in my drawer because I wanted to remind myself that I should not do something wrong because of greed. I want to be perfect at all times. I think I am a typical Virgo because Virgo is always seeking for the perfection. Therefore, I would like to try my best not to do anything disappoint the others which bring a big pressure to me. At home, I have a younger sister and my parents always tell me to be a role model for her to follow. When I was small, I was the only child in my home so I can do whatever I like as long as my parents allow me to do so. Now, I have to behave well in front of my sister. My moral compass tells me what to do as a good sister and this always stop me from what I really want to do in my heart. It upsets me because ‘role model’ has become a burden for  me to do something I really like. For example, I would like to learn street dance but my mother rejected it with not to affect adversely on my sister. She thought that I should put more effort on studying but not something which is not related to academic. In school, I am the pianist of the school choir and I am responsible for the playing the piano part in different occasion. When I was in form 1, I was told to be the pianist for the Speech Day and it really affected my life in secondary school a lot. Since all the pianists playing in Speech Day were in Form 5 before, I became the youngest pianist ever in my school. People questioned why I can stand on the stage because they think I am not qualified for that. I would like to do my best every time on stage so that people would agree with me and understand the effort that I have paid. As a result, I have tremendous pressure as my moral compass tells me to perform well before going out to perform as there are a lot of people looking at me and I would want to show them I am excellent player. Moral compass is easily affected by others. I am a person always get lost although I know clearly what should I do. I went to the Occupy Central movement last week for a consecutive five days. When I was small, my parents always tell me about the bad things of Chinese government, for instance, how they control the press and people’s freedom. My moral compass has been shaping since that time by absorbing the comments on the Chinese government and I think that being against the leftist is correct. So at that time, I thought I am a Hong Kong student who should be fighting for Hong Kong democracy so I should stand out. I know that the movement would affect the neighbourhood as this will disturb their life and bring them inconvenience, however, I still believe that civil disobedience is the only way to help with Hong Kong’s future. However, the comments and critics from radio and newspaper saying that the Occupying movement only bring harm to the society rather than benefit. I started to questioned myself â€Å"Am I really doing the right thing?† and this makes me hesitate to join the protest sometimes. On the other hand, my parents support me joining the protest as they think it is right to fight for justice. Therefore, I am always in a situation which is not sure about am I doing what I suppose to do because my moral compass changes once I receive different comment from the others. To sum up, moral compass is good because it comes out by listening to the others from time to time in order to give me a view of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. It guides me to what is correct and remind me what do do every time when I am facing dilemma. However, moral compass maybe a limit for me as I want to please the others so I give up doing something I actually want to do. I am still learning not to be affected by the others easily and believe in my own moral compass.