Please let something controversial break...

[Unitof1]

quote: I'm just a bit worried about my personal future

Gorilla, although I am not clear what your circumstances are, have you considered returning to the ranks, doing the circuit, not having a pension or home, until one day keeling over on some wet and miserable evaluation for an industrial farming unit (battery chickens) and falling face down into another 1 metre ditch section (10% of what) through a “possible field system” you had given up bailing out where the only find was a piece of white ware found cleaning back. Live by the trowel…

Sorry it comes naturally. I started getting those images working for an archaeological “charity” after the first four “lay offs” occurred in my first week on one-month contacts. What I think I am trying to say is how did you think commercial (enforced) archaeology was going to turn out. It is not as though there are many role models. Its one of those industries where the vast majority of people who have ever done it are still alive and where the ones who got in first are still mainly running it (and in the same way that they made up when they started). The term “professional” for other branches of life has a some kind of evolved stereotype for the retired professional: the retired wing commander, doctor, bank manager. What’s it for “commercial” archaeologist? The academics have port drinking Lord Dons, the curators become a boss of a planning department and admit that they are civil servants on final salary and museum people find that they are Librarians.

It seems to me that in commercial archaeology the “professional” is still given (if not misled into) the image of trowel in hand digger for want of any better and consequently I would suggest the miserable ending is the appropriate climax particularly as it gets one out of the problem of retirement.

I believe that I can see the glimmer of this reality when our host reported a discussion with his wife that being an archaeologist never ends, and came to the conclusion that an archaeologist is in a way, never off duty - - maybe what he is saying that he has not got the retirement plan sorted out.

PS. Have found The Digger. It seems that a simpler happier way of life can be found just around the corner.

http://www.diggersdiary.co.uk/Digging_Br...rdLane.htm