Don't take it too seriously

[Ali Smith]

Good afternoon all,

I found this on YouTube whilst wasting time when I "should" have been working on Pullmans (see elsewhere on the Forum if you wish) and it made me think.

https://youtu.be/UHAqhP8EeYQ?si=6da98JthU1Mx-0pL

This is the first time I've linked to a YouTube video, fingers crossed that it works.

Have fun,

Ali

[Newportnobby]

There is some truth in it.
When I was was building my diesel brake tender I didn't think 'this will do'. I just kept thinking of other far more able model makers and got quite down with my own efforts. However, I have a model of something few others have and should be proud. At the time, I wasn't and sometimes it did become 'more work than play'.
I have seen sense now

[Southerngooner]

I was say that's it more the young that have done this, picking something they like and trying to make a business out of it. I have many hobbies, and the only one I share on any form of forum is N gauge modelling. However, that's only to show people what I've done, and not to expect that this is in any way a money making, work, venture.

I think it's just American whining.....!

Dave

[Train Waiting]

Interesting.

Thank you for posting it, @Ali Smith

To me, hobbies are for fun and enjoyment. I amazed a lot of people when I turned down the offer of an appointment as a BR Management Trainee in the spring of 1980. They believed the 'my work is my hobby' line. I feared my hobby would become work.

I have thought about this on and off over the years and believe firmly I made the right decision.

I kept the travel warrant, Dundee to Watford Jcn, as a souvenir. The interview process was over three days at 'The Grove' - the LMS Wartime headquarters. And, of course, the code for a Royal Train conveying the Sovereign.

'N' Gauge is Such Fun - let's keep it that way.

With all good wishes

John

[Bob G]

It's time to make a declaration.

I'm Bob G, and I'm NOT a rivet counter!

I choose what my standards are, and I live with the consequences.

Lima Deltic, anyone?

[chrism]

It's time to make a declaration.

I'm Bob G, and I'm NOT a rivet counter!

On the subject of rivets, I loved the bit in that film of the bloke lighting his fag off a hot rivet before it's put in place and hammered up 

[zwilnik]

I have a philosophy that you should have at least one 'crap hobby'. This is something you enjoy doing, but make absolutely no effort to get better at it beyond some initial learning. You just enjoy it (even if everyone around you doesn't, as is the case of my crap hobby of playing the recorder)

[Newportnobby]

as is the case of my crap hobby of playing the recorder

I think many parents went through sheer hell as their kids were taught the recorder at school. Of course, the violin is worse, but the recorders always seemed to be the teacher's 'weapon of choice', probably as it was just marginally more expensive than comb and paper

[Bob G]

as is the case of my crap hobby of playing the recorder

I think many parents went through sheer hell as their kids were taught the recorder at school. Of course, the violin is worse, but the recorders always seemed to be the teacher's 'weapon of choice', probably as it was just marginally more expensive than comb and paper

I still have the harmonica that my uncle and aunt gifted me from Germany. I can honestly say I was never called Bob D (as in Dylan).

[EtchedPixels]

as is the case of my crap hobby of playing the recorder

I think many parents went through sheer hell as their kids were taught the recorder at school. Of course, the violin is worse, but the recorders always seemed to be the teacher's 'weapon of choice', probably as it was just marginally more expensive than comb and paper

Recorder is just a hideous instrument to teach kids even from a musical point of view. They fingering is complicated, and convoluted and unlike a tin whistle you've effectively got to learn a lot of music theory (however well hidden) early on.

Tin whistle would be a lot better and small kids seem to have much more fun with a Kazoo (or indeed any instrument that can make fart noises).

I am a committed crap guitarist which suits me just fine, and my woodwork may work but it makes grown carpenters cry

[JanW]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with trying to achieve something in your hobby. For our hobby it can be very different, some like to get a lot of trains running soon and are not too worried about detail whilst others (me...) take ages to get something running and then it is even with track glued to bare plywood.
The thing is that you enjoy what you are doing.

As an example here my latest project.
I 'needed' a grounded coach for my layout of Blagdon station and I thought that it should be possible to build one with overlays of lasercut card/paper on a 3D printed shell. (I like to make things so I have a small lasercutter and a small filament printer)
It took me months to figure out how to do it but I really like the result. And I learnt how to build something with my little machines.

This is what it looks like now, still needs glazing and a window frame for the end window. I started this layout approx 15 years ago.....



And this is it before the paintshop:



The point I wanted to make here is that a hobby should be something you do for yourself and not to impress others.
I must say that I'm often jealous if I see beautiful layouts that are built within a year or so but it seems I have a more glacial way of making things 

Jan

[njee20]

I don't think the video is about not wanting to accomplish anything, that's almost a given with a hobby. That may be transient or almost a means to an end: playing a game, participating in a sport, or it may be creating a tangible 'thing': painting, pottery, model railways.

I'm one of those people whose ideas far outstrip my skill level! So I know what I want to accomplish, but I'm not good enough, and end up trying repeatedly until I get vaguely close to what I want to do! Over time I think that makes me better, and that feeling of progression and accomplishment is great. The sentiment of the video definitely resonates though; you do see people saying "I'm going to start a layout and I want to make a YouTube channel about it". That feels like madness to me. Why industrialise your hobby? If video editing is a hobby as well then crack on. If you're good then you'll develop a following. But creating a YouTube channel as the actual target? Sounds like a good way to destroy any element of fun, or escapism, or satisfaction or whatever we seek to accomplish.

I remain acutely aware of it with 3D printing. I enjoy it, and I'm lucky enough to make some pocket money selling bits, but I have to pay far too much tax on the sales to want to scale it, nor would I ever want it to become a job. I know Ross/RBTKraisee of this parish has found the same, and I'm not surprised, the batch nature forced by his remoteness means a lot of concentrated work which can really make things feel like a chore. Combined with "is this thing really good enough to sell...?" it can suck the fun out of things. I've just discarded three bodies because a lifting eye hasn't printed properly. Would I use them? Of course. But are they good enough? Maybe. That gets frustrating, and I have to remind myself it's all supposed to be fun. It's also good when people are super relaxed about timelines! Nothing worse than people saying "is it done yet?" each day when you've been clear it'll take x time!