SC - rare foods at feasts-rant

[Catherine Deville]

I said:
> > When someone is doing a volunteer work, especially one as time
consuming as
> > collecting and cateloguing information, it is more productive to offer
help
> > than to criticize the way in which the task is being done.

and Lord Stefan replied.
> Yes, help would be appreciated. However, criticism does have its place.
> I have often commented more on the internal dilemmas and philosophies
> found in my handling of the Florilegium here on this list. For several
> reasons. First, as a group, you are probably one of heaviest users
> of the Florilegium that I can reach. Secondus, I hope that if you have
> suggestions or criticisms you will come forward with them. And third,
> this list doesn't seem prone to flame wars. Ras does have some
> suggestions that I have either previously considered or will. Since
> this message is long, I'll address some of this in another message.

Oh!  I absolutely did not mean to imply that constructive criticism was not
a good thing, only that criticism is more effective when backed up by
proposals to resolve the percieved problem or offers to assist with the
process, especially when the proposal is one which will create more work.

As someone who has a tendancy to volunteer until I've *passed* the point of
burnout, I know how discouraging it can be to receive non-constructive
complaints with no proposed resolution which does not take into
consideration the limitations under which one is working (not to imply that
any of the previous criticisms did so, I was simply trying to assure that
we remained in the realm of *constructive* criticisms and moved towards
resolutions rather than simply vented or moved towards unproductive
complaining.)

All that said, I would like to once again offer my assistance if it would
be of value.  I have a good deal of word processing and organizational
skills, as well as access to Office 97 and Word 2000, which might be
helpful in doing some things such as editing and putting things into a more
accessible form.  I also have *some* database experience and am in the
process of gaining more.  (I also type 60+ wpm and have typesetting /
formatting experience, so that might also help.)  I work out of my home
currently (but also teach classes online full time so I do tend to stay
busy) so I have a flexible schedule.

If there's any way that you think I could be helpful, please don't hesitate
to let me know.

My Deepest Regards and as always, I remain, in service to Meridies,
Lady Celia des L'archier