I Feel a Rant Coming On

I hate it when it happens to me.  I like to think of myself as an open minded person, accepting people where they are in their station in life, their circumstances, abilities, desires, etc.  Then it happens, I open a site and violate what I wrote yesterday about being "contributors."  A modeler had been asked to write an article about how he built a depot using foam core board.  I read through the article, began looking at the pictures and there it was "The chimney is the wrong size!"  I have become the dreaded rivet counter, or as POGO used to say, "We have met the enemy and he is us!"

Our prejudices are just laying there under our skin, waiting to jump out at our most embarrassing moments.  Most of us say that we are not prejudiced, it is not the politically right thing to be.  We want to be better people, more understanding people, less offending people.  When ever those thoughts spring up we push them down and overcome them at that moment.  But, if the right thing happens at the wrong time, or the wrong thing at the right time, those pushed down thoughts and feelings squirt out like a popped zit.

I believe it would be better if we would just admit that we are flawed humans, not bad humans, just not perfect humans.  For most of us, modeling is a modest part of our lives.  He have our spiritual part, family part, work part, community part, maybe even more parts.  When we see the efforts of another modeler we are  only seeing that limited part of them.  Maybe, when we see someone's modest efforts and say "I could do better than that" we should say thank you for being an encourager, pushing me to set a higher goal and improve my efforts.

An Expert? Who? What? How? When?

A long time ago it was said that an expert was "someone over a hundred miles from home."  In modeling an expert might be someone who is a better modeler than I, therefore if someone believes I am a better modeler than they then I am an expert.  So, in that case, we all may be experts in another person's eyes.  What I mean through all this convoluted mush is that in our hobby we all contribute something of value.  Maybe we should think of ourselves as "contributors."  Tom contributes on track-work, Mary on scenery, Joe on structures, etc. I like building layouts, but the 4'x4' Camp Swampy is the only one that runs.  But I do make great shingles.  I had a great time doing the clinic on Building a Diorama, and do know I encouraged some to pursue putting scenery on a layout, but when I see the work of others I see my own lack of expertise.

I've said it before and I will say it again, sometimes I believe that the "really great"  layouts scare away some from our hobby because it sets a bar higher than they believe they can achieve.  Believe it or not, even my feeble efforts in "Building a Diorama"  have elicited such comments.  We all will become more proficient in our efforts as we practice our trade so from now on I will try to see the contribution a modeler brings to the table that will encourage someone to pursue our hobby, reach a little higher or in a direction they have not yet pursued.  And let us all remember, it is a hobby and should be fun and enjoyable.


As Roy and Dale used to sing "Happy trails to you"

Armchair