Re: A WASTE OF TIME?

[Tompaleo@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/1/98 8:08:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
darren.naish@port.ac.uk writes:

> 
>  Without involving myself at all in this debate, please allow me to 
>  point out that there are these things called 'grad students'. Like 
>  other non-professionals pursuing a vested interest in dinosaur 
>  science, they are unpaid for their endeavours and often prepare works 
>  for publication at >extreme< personal cost. 

<snip>

>  And if wonder if John Hutchinson, Pete Makovicky, Jeff Wilson, Gareth 
>  Dyke, Oliver Rauhut, Steve Hutt and a number of grad students on this 
>  list all feel the same way?
>  



My turn! In my case, I am an _UNDERGRAD_ student. I am involved in PRIMARY
(i.e., graduate level) research. I too work for a living. I work SWING SHIFT
often 7 days straight and any ungodly shift my employer chooses. I also attend
class 4 nights per week EVERY semester except summer.
        I too am not compensated, I have a wife pregnant with twins which are 
due any
day now, Money is tight because she is not working full time and I still use
personal funds, time, blood, sweat and tears to do my field work. I finally
have a paper in press on the Arundel theropods that took over 4 months to do
often at the expense of my undergrad homework (my grades suffered) ,
coauthored on a second paper (I actually had to beg off at being PA for the
above and other reasons) and it costs me dearly. I have the makings for at
least two more papers in the near future but finding the time to do all of the
above is a feat in and of itself. I pay my own way to conferences (often by
borrowing money). And, I am close to actually going to grad school where I
know this problem will only worsen. 

There you have it, I have the same (and worse) problems listed by George and
by grad students and I empathize with you all!  I refuse to allow them to stop
me from reaching my goal, nor will I let it stop me from my current work and
publishing the results!

Regards,

Thomas R. Lipka
Paleontological/Geological Studies