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It was a post of my dear LaTeX ninja, talking about the pros and cons (okay, basically the pros) of one getting started doing Digital Humanities (you can find the original post here). I just flipped through it, until the following sentences:Because the whole point of DH is that you’re not either a programmer XOR a Humanities scholar. It’s the combination of both. Most people see that combination as some sort of 30/70 or 40/60 kind of thing. I think it has to be 100/100. And yes, that means you’ll have to be a freak with a 200% workload. I’m pretty alone with this opinion, however, so don’t panic. Most people don’t see it like that at all.  I’m generally a bit of an eccentric and maybe some might perceive my opinion to be extreme. Well, sorry, but I like extreme. I think that “real DH” should mean 200%, or even better: 300%. 150% programmer and 150% Humanities. Be hardcore at both. At least that’s my personal goal.So, I learnt that she is somehow extreme and liking it, what I actually always thought about her, and I learnt that 100/100 is a quite ambitious goal. And then I started thinking about myself and my abilities in DH. I splitted it up, there is an "D"-part and an "H"-part. So, I would like to start with my "H"-part, meaning the humanities, basically Archaeology and Classics. I am archaeologist by training, as well as ancient historian. I sometimes like my description of myself as an archaeologist with "special features". You know, coming from a field dealing with images, but also able to read ancient sources (well, of course, all my colleagues are able to read, but I discovered that many historians and philologists keep thinking that an archaeologist just does not use written sources -  or at least, in the wrong way).But my special features are not just my "reading skills" all alone. I did some courses in linguistics and in geomatic engineering as well, some workshops on digital methods in the humanities, ...So, if the "H"-part, meaning my archaeology-me by training, is 100%, because I have a degree and doing my PhD, then how does my "D"-part look like?[caption id="attachment_123" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My first tries with SFM - I worked with freeware and was amazed by the quality. Here you can see a relief side of a sarkophagus with some holes, because my photos were not that good.[/caption]I told Sarah that my "D" part is about 24.6%. The workshop on Digital and Practical Epigraphy in London (click here to read the whole post) increased my knowledge about 4.2% (don't get me wrong, it was a 100% success, but a 100% in my "D"-part are standing for a degree, so I had to convert it). So, we are located at 28.8% by now. The moment I can run my first Python scripts in a way the are meant to run and work out, I think, my rating will increase up to 36.9%. :) Cheers to that, I think.  I am convinced that this is a great number, for the sum of 3 and 6 is 9... Isn't that beautiful? Okay, enough with the maths.Then I thought about which part is more important to me. Basically, this is like the question, if I like bones or late antique Church Fathers the most. I cannot decide, so it is quite unfair. I need both parts, never mind how much percent they have. I am convinced that my archaeology-part is sometimes at 120%, 20% are just crazy happiness, e.g. because I am allowed to take photos in a museum on monday (so, when all museums are normally closed and it is just me and the artefacts). Sometimes ist about 84,7%, because I am that exhausted after a very concentrated climbing session or my fitness workout. My "D"-part is like a static shadow behind my the "H"-part, smiling on the archaeology-me playing with bones or being fascinated by stones. The "D"-part does perfectly know that its whole existence is mainly about my archaeology-me letting it be. So maybe the "H"-part is first place in a hierachical structure. The "D"-part comes second and is caused by the "H"-part. Does sound like some kind of splitted personality, am I right? (Just a reminder: Yes, we are all crazy here, trust the Hatter, I tell you that).[caption id="attachment_124" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My photos are better, my knowledge of the software has increased. But still, there are a lot of "mysteries" for a happy noob like me. And I like mysteries. :)[/caption]So, if I had never ever found the idea of being able to do SFM and 3D-stuff fascinating, if I had never ever the interest in photography, I would never ever have ended up this way. I am a trained archaeologist, capable of mastering the "H", and a proud and happy noob, dealing with and experiencing the "D", while learning on the job. I think, this is a very good mixture.What about you? What is your "D" to "H" ratio? How are you working on yourself and your skills?All the best,Astrid (currently 28.8%/105% - because I could post some of my screenshots of my SFM-journey...) :)