Cleaner Wrasse??

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Myka

Thanks for your review (I appreciated these). I will keep in this mind in future writing. It is a style I have adopted as a method to try to keep inappropriate emotion out of my writing and come across neutral (as I've been called an elitist too), but maybe it doesn't read the best? I find forum discussion can often be misinterpreted, so I try to be neutral, but maybe I'm over doing it.

So far, I have only written one article, although I have been asked to write more since. I'm not sure that profiling would be appropriate for what I have been asked to do. On the other hand, I thought you didn't like my writing skills?

Myka, I think your writing skills are good. I just don't know where you stand sometimes. You need to think more about what audience you are addressing. Is it the newbies, avg SW aquarist, or the advanced reef keeper? You label both Naesco and Daniella as "extremists" and "elitists". I see them quite differently.

Naesco seems to be stuck in conventional wisdom. And yes, he indeed linked to a Cleaner Wrasse article that used references from the 70's to the 90's. I don't think he is extreme, just very old school and unwilling to learn anything new. He tries to be elitist, but comes across as being more pompous.

Daniella, on the other hand, I would call an advanced reef keeper. When I suggested to profile her, I meant her techniques, and how she has been successful. She is definitely unconventional. Whether it is white worms, vitamin C, the many chemicals and parasite remedies, difficult fish and coral, or Kent carbon issues, she definitely brings up stuff that I have not read or heard about elsewhere. And she seems to know her stuff, too. But I only see bits and pieces when she chimes in on a thread to help someone. I would bet she has a lot more knowledge and experience to share, and a good writer could make it very interesting and valuable, I'm sure.

I wouldn't call Daniella an elitist either, as she often starts a thread asking about something (often an advanced topic though), so it shows that she is always learning and open minded. The only knock against her, might be that she comes across sometimes as not being very tactful. I initially thought that too, with my early Copperband encounter. But I think she is a lot better at that lately, even with her direct approach.

So, I still say your writing skills profiling Daniella and her reef keeping experiences would make for a very interesting and valuable read.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Myka, I think your writing skills are good. I just don't know where you stand sometimes. You need to think more about what audience you are addressing. Is it the newbies, avg SW aquarist, or the advanced reef keeper?

I address newbies and average SW aquarists. It depends what you class as an advanced reefkeeper though? I really think advanced reefkeepers take their advice from the experts in the field, many of who have letters after their names. I don't put myself in that class, so I don't try to address advanced reefkeepers. I also think I have to prove myself to the average crowd before I could ever get any recognition with the advanced crowd. Know what I mean?

Naesco seems to be stuck in conventional wisdom. And yes, he indeed linked to a Cleaner Wrasse article that used references from the 70's to the 90's.

There's nothing entirely wrong with that as often there is nothing new in the hobby to reference. Some of the best in the field did their best work in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Take Martin Moe for example, he was breeding fish in the 70s and 80s that most people can't breed today. People are still looking back to his works to try to figure it all out. Although I get your point.

I wouldn't call Daniella an elitist either[...]The only knock against her, might be that she comes across sometimes as not being very tactful.

That's what I mean, Daniella comes across as an elitist, but I don't think she is arrogant at all. She ruffles lots of feathers around here, although I agree with you, she knows a lot of stuff. "Extremist" is really just another way of saying "perfectionist" in the case of Daniella, she puts a lot more effort into her reefkeeping than the average hobbyist.

I just looked up the meaning of elitist, as I thought one of us must have a misunderstanding of the word. "A person considered superior by others or by themselves; as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society." By the dictionary meaning though, you could class both as elitist as you think Daniella is elite, and you think Naesco thinks he is elite. My understanding was simply that I thought elitism was someone who thought they were elite, regardless of their actual knowledge. I actually didn't call either of them elitist, I said they make elitist posts. I enjoy both Daniellas and Naesco's posts.

Hmm...not sure how we got from Cleaner Wrasses to Naesco and Daniella.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Myka

I just looked up the meaning of elitist, as I thought one of us must have a misunderstanding of the word. "A person considered superior by others or by themselves; as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society." By the dictionary meaning though, you could class both as elitist as you think Daniella is elite, and you think Naesco thinks he is elite. My understanding was simply that I thought elitism was someone who thought they were elite, regardless of their actual knowledge. I actually didn't call either of them elitist, I said they make elitist posts. I enjoy both Daniellas and Naesco's posts.

Hmm...not sure how we got from Cleaner Wrasses to Naesco and Daniella.

OK..., since we are now down to hair splitting, I guess we have beat this topic long enough....

[naesco]

Removed

[jtbadco]

Wow, guys......ease up. We're all supposed to be adults here.