Should read

"While I do have many of the same concerns about "professionalization of life" that others have raised, I guess I make a distinction between doing something (even if totally amateur) that is skillful and individual (like collecting a bunch of stuff from your own life and making something personal out of it) as opposed to being "pre-created" to give the impression of having created something (like commercial scrapbooking)."

Hey, it's still early here.

. . . is that I don't do home first-aid and say "look, I'm doing what a nurse does" because I know that is an absurd comparison.

People who do things professionally are not just doing TASKS that others may or may not do, they have a whole set of knowledge and experience that drives the higher-level decision-making processes required for their job all day, every day, in every possible circumstance.

The reason this is so sensitive for those of us who work in creative professions for our living is that (like many other professions, I admit) our skills are seen as "fun" and "hobby" and this often translates directly to significant financial abuse by clients and employers.

1) I worked for a company that was almost sued because the client refused to take the advice of the design team and ended up in a situation that was borderline criminal. Can't give actual details, but we were basically told "You had YOUR creative thing (choosing the typeface!) now we want to do OUR creative thing." And play they did, with disastrous results, thousands of dollars wasted, and more than a little public embarrassment

2) I did a project for a certain Feminist organization, and was told repeatedly to "put in a few mistakes in the document because it shouldn't be too nice. If it's too professional, it will be intimidating for women, who are less informed about professional matters." Talk about condescending! This same woman decided she only wanted to pay me half of the negotiated price (for 80 hours of evening and weekend time) because what I did looked "easy" and besides I would just be "playing around on the computer" if I was at home anyway.

3) I have had clients hold cheques for months for projects that brought them thousands of dollars of worth business, because they didn't know that I actualy "needed" the money and "My wife does that kind of thing but just for fun and she doesn't expect to get paid."

4) I have seen a lovely and dedicated community volunteer completely bullied by a committee of amateurs who undermined every single design decision she approved on a major document, because they told her "she couldn't have a monopoly on creativity." In the end, the committee printed the thing with tiny grey type on shiny glossy paper — so the project was completely unreadable by the audience it was intended for, Seniors. More money wasted on something unusable, more paper in the landfill.

5) I get tired of people asking if I like "working in my pajamas and getting paid to watch Oprah all afternoon" —maybe some freelancers get away with this, but I work in a professionally-equipped office, dressed appropriately for doing my work and meeting with clients. And no, I don't watch TV while I work but I guess it is obvious that I can fire off a letter or two to this blog while I wait for the courier to arrive.

While I do have many of the same concerns about "professionalization of life" that others have raised, I guess I make a distinction between doing something (even if totally amateur) that is skillful and individual (like commercial scrapbooking) as opposed to being "pre-created" to give the impression of having created something (like collecting a bunch of stuff from your own life and making something personal out of it.)

I will bow out of this debate with this question: is playing "Guitar Hero" the same as playing the guitar?

YES! THAT'S IT!

Thank you, and thank you again for expressing so precisely and so eloquently exactly what I was attempting to express but failing to get across, in all my spitting and sputtering.

You've stated what bugs me so much about things like scrapbooking as Helfland describes.

Especially "the process of becoming a designer -- a real designer -- entails having your work exposed and criticized, often ruthlessly . . ." (Yes, it's a brutal process and clearly I have scars!)

and

"Creating good art and good design is a serious and intensive process, and the presence of pajamas and Twinkies are indicators that these scrapbookers are more engaged in a social event than in a serious creative expression. Which is perfectly fine, in and of itself, but let's not pretend the two are equivalent . . "

I am going to re-read that part again, calmly and reflectively, and keep it in mind whenever this "amateur vs professional" debate threatens to rile me up again. (And if I have to re-do the boss' niece's "project" again, I'll just smile and bill double time . . . )