Avocation

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American First Lady Bess Truman with Girl Scouts and their volunteer leaders Photograph of First Lady Bess Truman at the White House with a delegation of Girl Scouts, who are presenting her with... - NARA - 200404.jpg
American First Lady Bess Truman with Girl Scouts and their volunteer leaders

An avocation is an activity that someone engages in as a hobby outside their main occupation. There are many examples of people whose professions were the ways that they made their livings, but for whom their activities outside their workplaces were their true passions in life. [1] [2] Occasionally, as with Lord Baden-Powell and others, people who pursue an avocation are more remembered by history for their avocation than for their professional career.

Contents

Many times, a person's regular vocation may lead to an avocation. Many forms of humanitarian campaigning, such as work for organizations like Amnesty International and Greenpeace, may be done by people involved in the law or human rights issues as part of their work. [3]

Many people involved with youth work pursue this as an avocation. [4]

People whose avocations were not their vocations

A

August Wilhelm Ambros Ambros August Wilhelm 1862.jpg
August Wilhelm Ambros
PersonAvocationVocation
Adams, Frederick Luthier Physician
Allen, Woody Jazz musicianFilmmaker
Alston, Joseph Cameron Badminton player Federal agent
Ambros, August Wilhelm Musical archaeologist Austrian civil service

B

Baden-Powell, Robert Robert Baden-Powell in South Africa, 1896 (2).jpg
Baden-Powell, Robert
PersonAvocationVocation
Baden-Powell, Robert Scouting Military officer
Balzary, Michael Non-profit management Musician
Barr, William Bagpiper Attorney
Benedetto, Anthony Painter Singer
Bennett, William Clarinetist Physicist
Billroth, Theodor PianistSurgeon
Blades, Rubén ActivistMusician
Blom, Gertrude Social anthropologist Journalist
Borodin, Alexander Composer Chemist
Brontë, Charlotte Author Governess
Butchart, Harvey Grand Canyon explorer Mathematics professor

C

Copernicus Nikolaus Kopernikus.jpg
Copernicus
PersonAvocationVocation
Carpenter, Charles Naturalist Minister
Chekhov, Anton Writer, playwrightPhysician
Copernicus, Nicolaus Astronomer Roman Catholic cleric
Cervantes, Miguel Writer Marine
Carter, Allister Pilot Snooker player

D

Olivia d'Abo Olivia d'Abo 2010.jpg
Olivia d'Abo
PersonAvocationVocation
d'Abo, Olivia Singer-songwriterActress
Darger, Henry Author, illustratorCustodian
Derleth, August Naturalist Novelist
Duncan, Watson ActorProfessor

E

Johannes Scotus Eriugena Johannes-Scotus-Erigena.jpg
Johannes Scotus Eriugena
PersonAvocationVocation
Eriugena, Johannes Scotus Theologian Courtier
Ekimyan, Alexey ComposerSenior police official

F

Veronica Franco VeronicaFranco.jpg
Veronica Franco
PersonAvocationVocation
Fermat, Pierre de MathematicianLawyer
Foecke, Tim Whittler, wooden toy makerMetallurgist
Franco, Veronica Poet Courtesan
Ford, Harrison Carpenter, pilot Actor
Feynman, Richard [5] DrummerPhysicist

G

J. Paul Getty J Paul Getty crop.jpg
J. Paul Getty
PersonAvocationVocation
Getty, J. Paul Art collector Oilman
Gilbert, William Natural philosopher Physician
Gill, John Boulderer Mathematician
Goldblum, Jeff Jazz musician Actor
Grahame, Kenneth Writer Bank of England executive

H

Hilda Hewlett Hilda Hewlett.jpg
Hilda Hewlett
PersonAvocationVocation
Hass, Rudolph BotanyLetter carrier
Hewlett, Hilda Woodwork, metalwork Aviatrice
Hillary, Sir Edmund Mountaineer Beekeeper
Hohlbaum, Robert WriterLibrarian
Houston, Charles Mountaineer Physician

I

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres Ingres, Self-portrait.jpg
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
PersonAvocationVocation
Ingres, Jean Auguste Dominique ViolinistPainter
Ives, Charles ComposerInsurance agent

J

Brian Jacques Brian Jacques1 crop.jpg
Brian Jacques
PersonAvocationVocation
Jacques, Brian Author Milkman
Jędruch, Jacek Historian Nuclear engineer

K

Ada Lovelace Ada Byron aged seventeen (1832).jpg
Ada Lovelace
PersonAvocationVocation
Kaleeba, Noerine Activist Physiotherapist
Kafka, Franz Writer Insurance assessor
Kent, Corita Artist, printmakerRoman Catholic nun
King, Augusta Ada Mathematician Courtier
Kogan, Richard, M.D. Pianist Psychiatrist
Krakauer, Jon Mountaineer Journalist/writer
Kruger, Barbara ArtistGraphic designer

L

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr in Dishonored Lady 5.jpg
Hedy Lamarr
PersonAvocationVocation
Lamarr, Hedy InventorActress
Lehrer, Tom Singer/songwriterMathematician
Lifton, Robert Jay Cartoonist Psychiatrist
Lluberas, GerónimoMusicianPhysician
Luna, James ArtistCounselor

M

Gaston Means Gaston B. Means NPC.jpg
Gaston Means
PersonAvocationVocation
Maier, Vivian Photographer Au pair
Means, Gaston Con artist Salesman
Meschian, Arthur Singer & songwriterArchitect
Morrison, Toni AuthorEditor
Moses, Anna Mary Robertson PainterFarmer

N

Emperor Norton His-Imperial-Majesty-Emperor-Norton-I-portrait-crop.jpg
Emperor Norton
PersonAvocationVocation
Norton, Joshua A. Eccentric (self-declared "Emperor of these United States")Businessman
Nabokov, Vladimir Lepidopterist Novelist

O

Ottendorfer, Anna Anna Behr Uhl Ottendorfer.jpg
Ottendorfer, Anna
PersonAvocationVocation
Obici, Amedeo FarmerBusinessman
Ottendorfer, Anna PhilanthropistJournalist

P

Michael Alfred Peszke MichaelAlfredPeszke.jpg
Michael Alfred Peszke
PersonAvocationVocation
Peszke, Michael Alfred Historian Psychiatrist
Pekar, Harvey Comic book writerFile clerk

Q

Quirinus Nuremberg chronicles f 122r 2.png
Quirinus
PersonAvocationVocation
Quirinus of Neuss Missionary Tribune

R

Jeri Ryan Jeri Ryan (2012).jpg
Jeri Ryan
PersonAvocationVocation
Radi, Akbar PlaywrightTeacher
Rodriguez, Sixto Folk musicianDemolition worker
Roget, Peter Mark Lexicographer Physician
Rousseau, Henri PainterTax collector
Ryan, Jeri Chef Actress

S

Shelley, Mary Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Rothwell.tif
Shelley, Mary
PersonAvocationVocation
Santos, Reynaldo dos Art historian Physician
Saro-Wiwa, Ken Environmental activist Television producer
Shelley, Mary Political activistAuthor
Silva, Inocêncio Francisco da Bibliographer Clerk
Smith, Walter Parry Haskett Bouldering Lawyer
Stevens, Wallace PoetInsurance executive [6]

T

Tolkien, J. R. R. J. R. R. Tolkien, ca. 1925.jpg
Tolkien, J. R. R.
PersonAvocationVocation
Thomas, Jean Folk festival promoter Stenographer
Tov, Baal Shem Arbitrator and mediator Rabbi
Tolkien, J. R. R. Novelist Philologist
Trollope, Anthony Novelist Royal Mail executive

U

Tracey Ullman Tracey Ullman 1990.jpg
Tracey Ullman
PersonAvocationVocation
Ullman, Tracey Knitter and author [7] Actress

V

Jean-Claude Van Damme Jean-Claude Van Damme June 2, 2007, cropped.jpg
Jean-Claude Van Damme
PersonAvocationVocation
Van Damme, Jean-Claude Martial artist Actor

W

Wells, Ida B. Mary Garrity - Ida B. Wells-Barnett - Google Art Project - restoration crop.jpg
Wells, Ida B.
PersonAvocationVocation
Weller, Peter Art historian Actor
Wells, Ida B. Suffragette Journalist
White, Henry Fox hunter Diplomat
White, Kate AuthorEditor-in-chief
Whorf, Benjamin Lee Linguist fire prevention engineer
Williams, William Carlos Poet Pediatrician [6]

X

Xenakis, Iannis Iannis Xenakis 1975.jpg
Xenakis, Iannis
PersonAvocationVocation
Xenakis, Iannis Composer Architect

Y

PersonAvocationVocation
Yada, Lena Surfer Model, actress

Fictional people whose avocations were not their vocations

Bruce Wayne as his alter ego Batman Batman Cosplayer at DragonCon.jpg
Bruce Wayne as his alter ego Batman
PersonAvocationVocation
Kent, Clark / Kal-El (DC Comics) Superhero Reporter
Stark, Tony (Marvel Comics) Superhero Industrialist
Wayne, Bruce (DC Comics) Crime fighter Philanthropist/industrialist/heir
Quijano, Alonso (Don Quixote) Knight-errant Hidalgo
Schrute, Dwight (The Office) Beet farmer Paper salesman

See also

References

  1. Saunders, Travis. "Avocation vs. Vocation". Dragon Intuitive. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  2. Miller, Robert (10 February 2010). "Your avocation may save your life". The News-Times. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  3. Boyd, Brian (20 October 2006). "A secret history of the old Ball game". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  4. Giammona, Craig. "Avocation in Wood". Bowdoin. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  5. Gleick, James (1992). Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman . Pantheon Books. p.  296. ISBN   978-0-679-40836-9. OCLC   243743850.
  6. 1 2 Neary, Lynn (6 September 2016). "Idea For 'Gentleman in Moscow' Came From Many Nights in Luxury Hotels". National Public Radio. No. Morning Edition. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  7. Montagne, Renee (29 September 2006). "Tracey Ullman Takes on Knitting". NPR. NPR.org. Retrieved 14 September 2015.