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Re: Freebies/Show and tell!


   VERY well said Stuart! On the subject of letting kids (or adults for that
matter!) hold meteorites, there are plenty of Canyon Diablos, Gibeons, Odessas, 
for example that we really don't need to worry about some natural skin oils
damaging a few of them. You just HAVE to let people hold them! You can't
really help it. There are ways of cleaning them anyway right?! My first
meteorite (a 154gm canyon Diablo) is 10 years old (well, I've had it for 10
years anyway!) and has been handled by MANY people through those years. It
looks no worse for the "wear". The looks of awe on people's faces when they
see and hold it make it all worth while as far as I'm concerned. I'm
surprised that a lot of folks don't even realise that they too can buy
meteorites. 

  Now I can understand keeping the rare pieces under their cases but the
common, always available meteorites should be shown around to anyone
interested. We're the public relations people of meteorites after all. 

Kudos Staurt, keep the "Amy's" smiling!

Regards,
Tom Randall    


At 06:43 PM 9/12/98 EDT, you wrote:
>
><< <<  Each  has treated me with professionalism and in some cases outright
> kindness
>  (including some freebies). >>
> 
> Ahh... another recipient of the "freebie,"  you and Stuart  seem to have a
>lot
> in common! >>
>
>Ahhh, the sound of a cheap shot ringing through cyberspace. Always a pleasure.
>
>Sorry if "freebie" is a dirty word, but feel free to substitute "gift" or
>"donation" or "gesture of support" if you find them more palatable. 
>
>For the record, my particular "freebie" was sent to me, unrequested, in the
>sincere hope it would help me with my science outreach work in schools, and to
>allow kids to see and hold a variety of meteorites. And yes, I said "hold",
>because I know all the advice about natural oils etc being damaging to them,
>but I collect meteorites to share with people, especially kids, and let them
>experience what it's like to hold something special. Of course I let them hold
>them! 
>
>So, even though it might cause some to sneer, I have no qualms about accepting
>such "freebies" because they're being used, and not just collected as
>ornaments or investments. A lot of the kids in this rural area are from very
>poor families, and they never get the opportunity to travel to museums to see
>even the most common science exhibits you and I take for granted. So, as far
>as meteorites are concerned, in my part of the country if kids don't see mine
>they don't see *any*.   
>
>I only have a small collection of meteorites, but have a big filing cabinet
>drawer full of letters and drawings sent to me by kids thanking me for letting
>them hold my meteorites (or "meatyrites" !) so I'll take the sneers with a
>pinch of salt and a smile, because next week I'm talking to a class of 35 7
>year olds, and when I come out I'll feel great, the kids will feel great, and
>I'll be fired up about my collection all over again. And that evening I'll
>probably be stopped in the supermarket and hear from a mum or dad how much
>their child enjoyed getting to hold "that stone from space", and I'll smile at
>that. And if the cost of that smile is accepting "freebies" from people better
>off than myself, if the charge for making those kids smile is being sneered at
>for accepting the generosity of others then fine, because although I don't
>have a fraction of the number of specimens as the majority of the people on
>this List I have a letter here from a little girl called Amy, with a crayon
>drawing of her holding a piece of rock, above the words "Thank you!" and a
>huge "X". 
>
>There are thousands of meteorites out there. But only one smiling Amy.
>
>Good night List, wherever you are...
>
>Stuart

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