bjford: who he? why?

[VALERIE PARTRIDGE]

In article <3gr64e$46b at cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> toodles at wam.umd.edu (Ellen I. Paul) writes:
>From: toodles at wam.umd.edu (Ellen I. Paul)
>Subject: Re: bjford: who he? why?
>Date: 2 Feb 1995 17:52:14 GMT

>In article <wendyw.11.2F307090 at staff.monash.edu.au>,
> <wendyw at staff.monash.edu.au> wrote:
>>On 29 Jan 1995 14:35:15 GMT, Ellen Paul wrote (amongst other things):
>>
>>
>>> I was hoping, eventually, to ask all of you 
>>>for advice on my situation (earning a master's at 39, then thinking about 
>>>doctoral work) but I don't want to hang out with a bunch of intolerant 
>>>people - and this is the first hint of intolerance I've ever seen here - 
>>>and it really surprised me....
>>
>>>Ellen Paul
>>>University of Maryland
>>>Graduate Program in Sustainable (ahem) Development and Conservation Biology
>>
>>
>>Ellen, 
>>
>>From my experience of lurking on this newsgroup, any advice you are seeking 
>>is likely to be found here!
>>
>>I was wondering why the "(ahem)"..do you not think 
>>development is sustainable?
>>
>>Wendy
>>
>>Wendyw at gas.cc.monash.edu.au

>Wendy - thanks for your response.  No, I have yet to see any examples of 
>sustainable development except some very small projects, and these 
>generally don't generate enough income to have much future.

>Having been encouraged by your kind response, and also by the presence of 
>my good friend, Cathy Quinones, I will indeed seek the advice of all here 
>-including Brian Ford!  I practiced law for 10 years, hated every minute 
>of it, along the way became addicted to birding, then to nature, then 
>decided to work in conservation, since I couldn't figure out a way to get 
>paid for watching birds.  I didn't think I could handle the math and 
>science for a PhD, so I chose this program instead - although it requires 
>a fair amount of math and science.  Now I have conquered many mountains - 
>for instance, I worked through a self-directed math program, starting 
>with high school algebra and ultimately, took two semesters of calculus. 
>I have started my second semester of biometry, and I have found that I 
>can not only handle the biological sciences, I also find them to be the 
>most interesting, worthwhile classes I have ever taken.  So I have 
>decided to backtrack into undergraduate work, complete the requirements 
>for entering the PhD program, and do what I originally wanted to do - 
>field biology.

>What I want to know is whether this is an absurd thing to do, considering 
>I will be 45 when I finish?  Would it be better to stay in conservation 
>and sit behind a desk (I do this very well, but I hate it!) - not better 
>for me, but where can I make more of a contribution?

>Sorry this was so long, but I have condensed four years into one post - 
>hope to hear what all of you have to say.

>Ellen Paul

Ellen,

Whenever I start thinking about how "old" I am for what I'm doing, I am
reminded of something that either Dear Abby or Ann Landers says:

(paraphrase) If you're concerned that if you follow your dream for X years 
you will be 45 years old, how old will you be in X years if you DON'T follow 
your dream?

Hope this helps!

Valerie Partridge