I go for "immersion".

Whether it's whitewater canoeing, backpacking, motorcycles, archery,
sometimes my work, woodturning, etc.etc.etc. It just seems that whatever is
my interest is at this moment then it's my passion. Creates a depth of
appreciation for the "thing" that can't be achieved with a 'just visiting'
approach.

And, if I move on to other interests instead of staying with it all my life
(dabbling?), then that's fine because I've increased my experience base, my
store of memories, and my ability to bring those experiences to the next
"thing". This creates personal depth and might even develop wisdom.

It's a case of exploration in depth. Maybe achieving a level of 8 or 9 but
not spending your life in order to achieve a level of 10. General goal is to
be in the top 10% of anything. Beyond that the diminishing returns are
considered a poor investment of time, resources, energy.

Thank God not everyone feels this way. For the greatest advances have been
by the few who strive for the 10.1 level.

In the microcosm of woodturning specifically I intend to dabble and explore
bowl turning until a passion within that form starts. So, it's always dabble
with an open, adventurous mind; then immerse; dabble; then immerse; and so
on.

TomNie





"charlie b" wrote in message
...
When I was a kid, growing up In the tropics, Mango Season was a marker
of every year. We learned which Mango trees had the best mangoes and
developed an eye for when they were at their ripening best. We also came
up with ingenious methods for getting the particular mango we wanted off
that tree and into our salivating mouths. We'd cut long bamboo poles,
fashion a coat hanger "picker" and even adapted a butterfly net to our
contraptions in order the capture our mango and get it to us unbruised
by a fall.

But the BEST mangoes couldn't be reached from the ground, at least not
by a kid. Adults had devices that could probably do it, but we didn't
have access to those devices (oh to have had a cherry picker back
then). The alternative was to climb the tree and get the mango we
wanted - from inside. And thus we learned many things - to distinguish
between a branch that would support us and the ones that wouldn't
(critical when you're 30 or more feet off the ground), which side of the
tree the mangoes ripened first, where on the tree the best mangos could
usually be found, etc.. We also found tree climbing, even when there
were no mangoes on it, was fun all by itself.

Woodworking is a very broad term, and like a Mango tree, has many
branches (and roots). There are countless mangoes ultimately connecting
back to the woodworking trunk. Following any given branch presents many
forks in the path to a particular perfect mango. Some people follow one
branch to that mango, never doubling back to see where another branch at
the last fork might lead. Others want to explore ALL the main branches
and perhaps go out two or three forks before encountering the place on
the tree they're comfortable and satisfied with. They are content to
just imagine what that ripe mango out on the end of that branch would
taste like. Then there's the Curious George monkey, who wants to explore
the WHOLE tree, and dies trying, never finding The Perfect Mango, but
having touched, or tasted as many mangoes as possible.

If you stand back from the woodworking tree and study it a bit before
beginning to climb, you may be able to see the branch or even the mango
you want to get to. But you might not be able to see, or could
overlook, a branch or two or a few choice mangoes that would suit you
better.

So, after all that lead in, and to get back to the subject line, my
question is:

Do you think it's better to try many areas of woodworking and only then
pursue a particular path

or

Would it be better to read about, and perhaps observe a lot of different
types of woodworking and THEN select one or two to pursue seriously?

Or

Try them all and shoot for "adequate" in most of them?

Personally, I like to try a bit (and then some) of everything and if one
interests me, follow it 'til it requires more skill and/or abilities
than I'm willing to put out - OR - some other shiny thing catches my
eye.

Is turning your choice mango, or one of the many you enjoy?

Do you dabble in everything or immerse yourself totally in one area of
woodworking?

charlie b