Hey guys ,did you ever feel like you just have to take a break .I do sometimes ,I can sit for hours working .You get in a trance,ideas start flowing,dont want to stop,so you dont forget. Sometimes I just dont feel like it .I started the pool hall and know its been a week .Before I would be at work and i’ll get a idea then rush home.I guess it’s a good idea to take a break .so I was wondering if this is the same for you all.
SCRATCH
Scratch,
I’m the same. I build scale models, cars mostly, and there are times when I don’t feel like building. It can last any where from a few days to a few weeks. I think we inadvertantly make our hobbies and pastimes into something that resembles work and from time to time, we need a respite. Hey, you can’t eat ice cream all the time without tiring of it.
Jim
This is the exact reason why I like that I only have a Christmas layout. I get to do all phases each year and just when I start getting tired of a phase I’m done with it and move to the next.
Feb thru July - design new layout for upcoming Christmas season.
July thru October York - build new scenery things and or structures needed for new desgin.
October thru early December - set up new Christmas layout.
December thru late January - run trains.
Jan thru Feb - take down layout, clean stuff and put away.
START OVER!!!
BTW: I build models of structures too but limit myself to one, tops 2, per year so that I don’t get tired of it.
Al,
Yeah. It pays to enjoy a diversity of pursuits and hop from one to the other. For me, it’s rabbit chasing w/BB the beagle, writing projects, weight lifting, and sipping a brew with the history channel or science channel on; or American Chopper.
That’s pretty much my boring life, but it’s relaxing and fun to me.
Al,
I know in the future you are moving to a new house. When I did, I studied the basement blueprints for hours, coming up with 100 different track plans. When I moved in, I went with a completely different one.
SCRATCH thats why they invented BEER!!!
Sometimes you have to stop and take a break and think. For a While.???
laz57
Absolutely! There are times I don’t even want to think about toy trains. At other times they are my number one source of relaxation. I think most of us go through phases of interests. As the weather is getting warmer, I’ll spend more time outdoors, partly because I enjoy working in the yard, partly out of necessity. With a new house and yard, there will be more work this year.
Walt, you have an interesting and disciplined approach to the hobby. I can see how that prevents burn-out. I just don’t think I could limit my running of trains to such a short time. (Here I am talking and I don’t even have a layout at the moment!)
As long as I spend time with the kids, I don’t care what we are doing. We have a blast just hanging out. Trains, beach, Sea World, Legoland, Disneyland, the park, playing ball or bowling.
Tim
Taking a respite is intellectually and emotionally healthy - for all the good reasons mentioned here – I keenly appreciate the opportunity to ‘recharge my batteries’ in the good weather months (none of which are here yet - hmmm) and come up with good ideas to start in again. I’m not as disciplined as Walt - sometimes in the dog days of August - puttering around the basement with the trains is as enjoyable as when it is freezing outside.
Maybe there’s something to be said for “Christmas layouts.”
I never seem to get bored year-round w/mine because I’m rarely doing the same thing twice. I’m researching the prototype, scratchbuilding, painting, planning, wiring, etc etc etc in sort of random order; as well as doing non-train things.
I’m really anxious for spring to arrive just to be outside, working in the yard and then going for a 30 mile bicycle ride with my wife with lunch being at the half way point. Two years ago on July 4 it was so hot we went to the train room downstairs and did an inventory of everything and that felt really good, running some trains and enjoying the AC. I also know that when Oct. 1 rolls around I’m ready to be done with yard work (not biking) and I look forward to the fall/winter season, I just wish winter wasn’t so long.
I think diversity is the key. Last weekend we helped our youngest son mud/sand/paint his new home (old house) and that felt good and this weekend we will do more of that and we are actually looking forward to that again. I had a friend ask me one time about why I didn’t get into woodworking as a hobby, my quick answer was that I didn’t need another expensive hobby–family, trains, biking and yard work are just about enough fun for me.
Jon
I thnik you can get bored or be tired of just about anything sometimes. In the mid eighties I worked at a restaurant that specialized in prime rib. They unquestionably had the best prime rib around. I ate a LOT of prime rib while I worked there. Plus just about all of the employee meals were made based on prime rib. Hot roast beef (prime rib) sandwich, beef (prime rib) and noodles, spaghetti or lasagna etc. with the meat being made from ground prime trimmings. After a while I couldn’t eat prime rib…didn’t even want to try any for years after.
underworld
[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
Scratch,
Sometimes its good to give projects a rest for a while and come back with fresh eyes and ideas. I’ve got two hobbies, model railroading and woodcarving and being a retired widower I can pretty much do whatever I want (the problem with getting to be an old geezer is that you don’t want to do much) and I find that sometimes it’s best to put a project aside especially when you seem to be running stuck. I find this often happens when I’m whittling figures and the facial expression is just not right. After some time away I can pick up the piece again and know just where to cut . The same seems to be true with the trains and whether repairing an engine or building a highly detailed structure or scene a break often generates new ideas or enthuiasim ,of course it helps to have plenty of work space so the projects can accumulate. Ole
Friday is “My Night” my wife gives me my beer ration for the week and leaves me to my trains. I look forward to this night all week as most other days are busy with the kids. Last week I snuck in a few extra “rations” and got really motivated got a lot done and had a blast. But then on Saturday… well I guess I used it all up on Friday.
I found that moderation is the key both in trains and especially with beer!
Well, this is supposed to be a hobby, not a profession or, worst of all, an addiction. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking days, weeks, or even months off to pursue other interests. In fact, that’s probably a very healthy approach, and one that’s followed by even the most dedicated of hobbyists. As Houdy noted, moderation is the key, and that level of moderation will vary greatly from one person to another.
Scratch: I know what you are saying, was self employed for thirty years, I went through a seven year stretch going 6-7 days a week(almost lost family over it). Now I work 4-5 days for a big contractor & take days & holidays on my & my families terms. Enjoying the kids & wife & trains life is great, do everything in small portions, when it turns to work take a break & change direction. The project will be waiting for you when you feel like getting back to it. Laz also had good advice, But can you blame him, he’s an Indians fan. (Let’s Go Blue Jay’s). Kind Regards Steve
Hey thanks guy’s I think I just burnt myself out .Love the hobby .