Aroideana vs. Newsletter - food for thought

Perhaps it is for the general membership to realize that the Newsletter has become so much better and fun to read that it is OK for Aroideana to be taxonomic rather than cover both sides of the fence. I feel certain Carla, the Newsletter editor, would be delighted with offers of articles from the membership and just maybe, this is the place for little articles on more interests by amateurs to be established. I complained for a long time about the only technical aspect of Aroideana but just maybe we can be OK with it all since the Newsletter has become so much better. One could suggest that we have only one project by combining the two, but I personally like getting the Newsletter more often. Now, it may become a financial situation to contend with and that would leave an option open for less cost with one publication and one mailing per year. This is a good reason for individuals to pay their dues because we do get in a timely manner, the publications these days. I can remember when all was years behind and some gave up on the cause, but now, that is not an excuse. I know the holidays are here and paying dues is not what one wants to hear, but maybe come the first of the year, some of those who do reep the benefit of Aroid-l and shows and such will find a way to pay the dues for 2008. Think about it. We have some very dedicated individuals who do a really good job working on our behalf these days. Let's us do our part by making sure our dues are paid. Of course, if we want more subjects and our amateur members have knowledge, it is going to take those individuals to step up to the plate and offer their expertise in comments and articles so the rest of us can become more informed. It would seem to me that the Newsletter would be great place to get one's feet wet by writing on some subject that interests you. Or even to propose a question for others to answer.... even a shorter forum and less frightening. Start by letting it be known what you want and then by participating when it all gets going.
 
Betsy
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: "mossytrail" <mossytrail@hctc.com>
To: <aroid-l@gizmoworks.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 9:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] FW: Aroideana - and help to get it

>
>> Dear correspondent,
>> 
>> I am very glad that this has reached me [an interesting
>> letter on the contents of Aroideana - ed], and I have to
>> say that, as editor I cold not be more aware of the fact
>> that Aroideana has very little to offer much of the
>> society's membership. How to correct this is another
>> matter.
>> 
>> The Newsletter is getting
>> better and better, I think, while in Aroideana we remain a
>> place of good quality taxonomic material and very little
>> else.
>> So, is your
>> sharing of experience on either topic actively in your
>> computer even as we correspond ? Bashful about writing? I
>> can do it for you if you give me an article in rough form.
>> Not interested in these topics? Well, what the hell are
>> you interested in, and why I haven't I been told about it
>> directly, with an offer for a contribution as part of the
>> communication?
> 
> Well!
>
> I don't know who's been complaining about what, but I
> maintain my membership for professional reasons -- to stay
> abreast of Aroid research in ANY line of enquiry, taxonomic
> and otherwise.  I always assumed the main purpose of
> Aroideana was precisely to be an outlet for this kind of
> specialized work; otherwise we would publish in BioTropica,
> Actum Botanicum, or any number of more generalized journals.
> To me, the newsletter is just icing on the cake -- it is
> fun to read about collecting expeditions; but the point of
> those expeditions is to find the new species described in
> Aroideana.
>
> And I must say, when I contributed my first article 5 years
> ago, I was pleasantly surprised I did not have to pay a
> per-page printing fee.  I learned at university that most
> journals charge the authors.
>
> Nor am I sure I know what you mean when you say "taxonomic
> material and very little else."  In the most recent issue,
> there were 17 articles, of which only 3 were taxonomy; 4
> were about floristics, 3 were about horticulture, and the
> remaining 7 about a variety of other topics.
>
> It seems to me those with a serious interest in some
> particular subject, are already doing work on it and writing
> about it.  So if there is something some reader wishes to
> see covered, the best advice I could give would be to start
> by writing about what you yourself have learned; someone
> else reading that article may then be inspired to jump off
> from there.
>
> Jason Hernandez
> Naturalist-at-Large
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> 
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