David Deutsch wrote:
>
> I'm watching the list for almost a year now and am finding patterns.
> There are only a handful of real enthusiasts out there and an awful lot
> of winers and excuse makers. I understand family commitments and job
> related time restrictions. The facts are if you want it bad enough you
> will find or make time to achieve your goals. Whether those goals are
> to get out to a few more events, finishing the interior kit install or
> maybe just finally replacing that broken side view mirror.
> .....
Well, Dave:
I have to say I take offense to what you have written here. (Please
don't
take this wrong it's friendly offence :) I don't know what catagory you
would put me in, I've put many a $ and many an hour into my MGB but
right
now it's in storage (since august) back in Nova Scotia waiting for me to
have
a chance to bring it down to NJ. Does this make me and all the other
people
who for one reason or another don't have their cars in tip top shape or
havn't
completed that restoration yet, a whinner or excuse maker, I don't think
so. It
may be just a matter of priorities. I love british cars, I love my MG
and like
nothing better than working on it, and driving it but in the big scheme
of
things it's (GASP) just a car! Does this make me not a "true"
enthusiast, I
don't think so. (I think those who know me would say I'm a real nut
when it
comes to british autos). It's just I have a different set of priorities
right
now, perhaps I'm in a different stage of my life than you are. See my
list
would go something like:
1. Find the girl of my dreams (Who must like or at least tolerate LBCs)
2. Get married/have a family
3. Buy a house (with a garage for LBCs)
4. Job/Career
5. Buy/work on LBCs
As you can see LBCs are #5 and actually #4 seems to be most in control
these
days. Does this set of priorities make me not a "true" enthusiast I
don't
think so, It just makes me a person who love LBCs but has other things
in his
life which must come first. I'd love to go buy your bugeye and start
restoring
it but when it comes right down to it it's just not #1 on my list. But
that
doesn't make me any less an enthusiast. My time is just allocated
differently
right now.
Please Dave before you go making blanket statements about people and
levels
of enthusiasm/whining try to put yourself in their shoes. We are all
enthusiast, we just all have different priorities, simply put, we are
all
different. Thats what makes these list great. (Although I could really
do without the cat and mowag threads) Some of use have more
experience,
some are newbies, some have time to contribute, some don't but all are
enthusiast in some form or another. To stand on a soapbox and to say
that
because someone does this or that makes them more or less of an
enthusiast
really doesn't help the list or the hobby, it IMHO just makes you look
like
someone who got up on the wrong side of the bed. Knowing your post from
the past I know full well that you didn't mean anything by it, and that
you
make some very valuable contributions to the list and the hobby but I
hope
you and others recognise that this type of post is not one of them.
I really respect the effort people like you put into the hobby, and wish
I
could do the same. I'm just not in a position in my life to do so.
There
are many others who for one reason or another can't make that commitment
as well. Dave keep up the good work but please don't critize those of
us who
can't make those contributions at this time. Hopefully someday we will
be
able to do more. If not, every little bit helps to keep the enthusiasm
alive.
Gary Burrell
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