Avocation

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 of 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.

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]

Contents 

Avocation in literature

But yield who will to their separation,
My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight.
Only where love and need are one,
And the work is play for mortal stakes,
Is the deed ever really done
For heaven and the future's sakes.
— Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time, st. 9

People whose avocations were not their vocations

A

August Wilhelm Ambros
Person Avocation Vocation
Adams, Frederickluthierphysician
Allen, WoodyJazz musicianfilmmaker
Alston, Joseph Cameronbadminton playerfederal agent
Ambros, August WilhelmMusical ArchaeologistAustrian civil service

B

Baden-Powell, Robert
Person Avocation Vocation
Baden-Powell, RobertScoutingMilitary Officer
Balzary, Michaelnon-profit ManagementMusician
Barr, WilliamBagpiperAttorney
Benedetto, AnthonyPainterSinger
Bennett, WilliamClarinetistPhysicist
Billroth, TheodorPianistSurgeon
Blom, GertrudeSocial anthropologistJournalist
Borodin, AlexanderComposerChemist
Butchart, HarveyGrand Canyon ExplorerMathematics Professor

C

Copernicus
Person Avocation Vocation
Carpenter, Charlesnaturalistminister
Chekhov, Antonwriter, playwrightphysician
Copeland, Johnnyboxerblues guitarist
Copernicus, NicolausAstronomerRoman Catholic cleric

D

Olivia d'Abo
Person Avocation Vocation
d'Abo, Oliviasinger-songwriterActress
Derleth, AugustnaturalistNovelist
Duncan, WatsonActorProfessor

E

Johannes Scotus Eriugena
Person Avocation Vocation
Eriugena, Johannes ScotusTheologianPoet

F

Veronica Franco
Person Avocation Vocation
Fermat, Pierre deMathematicianLawyer
Franco, VeronicaPoetCourtesan
Ford, HarrisonCarpenterActor

G

J. Paul Getty
Person Avocation Vocation
Getty, J. PaulArt collectorOilman

H

Hilda Hewlett
Person Avocation Vocation
Hewlett, Hilda woodwork, metalworkaviatrice
Hillary, Sir Edmundmountaineerbeekeeper
Hohlbaum, Robertwriterlibrarian
Houston, Charlesmountaineerphysician

I

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Person Avocation Vocation
Ingres, Jean Auguste Dominiqueviolinistpainter
Ives, Charlescomposerinsurance agent

J

Brian Jacques
Person Avocation Vocation
Jacques, Brianauthormilkman
Jędruch, JacekhistorianNuclear engineer

K

Ada Lovelace
Person Avocation Vocation
Kaleeba, Noerineactivistphysiotherapist
Kafka, Franzwriterinsurance assessor
King, Augusta Adamathematiciancourtier
Kogan, Richard, M.D.pianistpsychiatrist
Krakauer, Jonmountaineerjournalist/writer

L

Hedy Lamarr
Person Avocation Vocation
Lamarr, HedyInventorActress
Lifton, Robert JayCartoonistPsychiatrist
Lluberas, Gerónimomusicianphysician

M

Gaston Means
Person Avocation Vocation
Means, GastonCon artistsalesman

N

Emperor Norton
Person Avocation Vocation
Norton, Joshua A.Emperor of these United Statesbusinessman

O

Ottendorfer, Anna
Person Avocation Vocation
Obici, Amedeofarmerbusinessman
Ottendorfer, Annaphilanthropistjournalist

P

Michael Alfred Peszke
Person Avocation Vocation
Peszke, Michael Alfredhistorianpsychiatrist

Q

Quirinus
Person Avocation Vocation
Quirinus of Neussmissionarytribune

R

Jeri Ryan
Person Avocation Vocation
Radi, AkbarPlaywrightteacher
Reed, John SilasRevolutionaryjournalist
Roget, Peter MarkLexicographerPhysician
Ryan, JeriChefactress

S

Shelley, Mary
Person Avocation Vocation
Saro-Wiwa, KenEnvironmental activistTelevision producer
Shelley, MaryPolitical activistAuthor
Smith, Walter Parry HaskettBoulderinglawyer
Stevens, WallacePoetInsurance executive[5]

T

Baal Shem Tov
Person Avocation Vocation
Thomas, Jeanfolk festival promoterstenographer
Tov, Baal Shemarbitrator and mediatorRabbi
Tolkien, J. R. R.novelistPhilologist

U

Tracey Ullman
Person Avocation Vocation
Ullman, Tracey knitter and author[6]actress

W

Wells, Ida B.
Person Avocation Vocation
Weller, PeterArt historianactor
Wells, Ida B.suffragetteJournalist
White, Henryfox hunterdiplomat
Whorf, Benjamin LeeLinguistfire prevention engineer
Williams, William CarlosPoetPediatrician[5]

X

Xenakis, Iannis
Person Avocation Vocation
Xenakis, Ianniscomposerarchitect

Y

Yada, Lena
Person Avocation Vocation
Yada, Lenasurfermodel, actress

Z

Zappa, Frank
Person Avocation Vocation
Zappa, Frank20th-century composerPopular music (composer, performer, producer)

Fictional people whose avocations were not their vocations

Bruce Wayne as his alter ego Batman
Person Avocation Vocation
Kent, Clark / Kal-ElSuperheroReporter
Stark, TonySuperheroIndustrialist
Wayne, Brucecrime fighterPhilanthropist/Industrialist/Heir
Quijano, Alonso Knight-errantHidalgo

See also

References

  1. ↑ Travis Saunders. "Avocation-vs-vocation". Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  2. ↑ Robert Miller (10 February 2010). "Your avocation may save your life.". The News-Times. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  3. ↑ Boyd, B (20 October 2006). "A secret history of the old Ball game.". Irish Times. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  4. ↑ Craig Giammona. "Avocation in Wood". Bowdoin. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  5. 1 2 Neary, Lynn (6 September 2016). "Idea For 'Gentleman in Moscow' Came From Many Nights in Luxury Hotels". National Public Radio (Morning Edition). Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  6. ↑ "Tracey Ullman Takes on Knitting". NPR. NPR.org. Retrieved 14 September 2015.


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