Controlling the point of view

[Steve Ski]

To modify a phrase from the movie Magnificent Seven:

"If he is the best with a hobby knife and an airbrush, with whom does he compete?"
"Himself."

I build for myself. If others like what I have built, fine and good. Otherwise, I don't care as long as I've done the best I can with it. Contests? <large, loud raspberry>!

On the other hand, all humans like, and need recognition. It is obvious to me that people get a lot of that right here. That's great for me, because the nearest IPMS chapter is a 3 hour drive each way, in traffic.

The other reason to be "here" is to help, and be helped, by others. Sometimes only by encouragement, sometimes by sharing knowledge and technique. All in all, it's a great community.

Bingo, you nailed it, Marten, all of it, imho! I am not the best, by any stretch of the imagination, still learning, but I only compete against myself. I've been saying that for years. I only try to improve on what I can do myself, learn from others, and help others, if I can. So, ya, great point. I too am a distance from any comps, 6hrs from Seattle, so I don't bother.

That being said, I've already mentioned in another thread how I "play to the camera", so I do intentionally attempt to control the point of view, so I won't go into that again here. But I refer back to urumomo's comment;

Get building !
post lots of pix

Well said.

Besides, if we were all extroverts, we wouldn't be spending so much time alone at the bench building plastic models!

Not gonna agree with that personally, "in a box all shall fit", but I know you were just generalizing, right? I am considered by many to be hyper, even at almost 63. I don't sit still for nothin, never have, always been having to do something, physical or mental. And before somebody tries to label it as ADHD, just remember, you have fallen for Big Pharma money magic with a label that makes them money, so knock that off! It's called an expressive personality, so when I actually sit down to draw, or paint, people scratch their heads, at least those that know me personally, and wonder how I do it. Honestly, it got my attention, that's how, HA! Sorry, that was hyper long winded

 

[BarleyBop]

generalizing, right?

Yup! I like that idea of the 'expressive personality', vague enough not to be a clan or a club, or a marketing opportunity... I can remember a time when a lot of us might've fallen into the mildly 'eccentric' demographic, before branding (the new and improved labeling) and the need for 'I-everything' and 'differentiation-as-a-way-of-life'.

 

[Littlemarten]

Honestly, it got my attention, that's how,

Exactly. While I've slowed physically, my mind rarely stops (which can make it hard to sleep.) The head of my undergrad geology department introduced one of his classes this way: "My name is ______ _______. And we are going to study this (pick something geologic) because it interests me." I took the spirit of that as my philosophy for all fields of endeavor, ever since. (By the way, "something geologic" includes "life, the universe, and everything."

 

[Littlemarten]

a lot of us might've fallen into the mildly 'eccentric' demographic,

What is this "mildly" of which you speak?

 

[BarleyBop]

That's 'Canadian, eh?' polite understatement.

 

[Littlemarten]

That's 'Canadian, eh?' polite understatement.

Noworries. I am not only stranger than you imagine, I am stranger than I can imagine!

 

[Edbert]

I can't speak for others, but in my experience it tends to go in waves, some weeks lots, some less; I honestly don't think it is a lack of caring for most members.

I definitely do not think there's a lack of caring anywhere, but sometimes life can be...watching my language...a bear!

Then there are weather concerns. I know winters are brutal in many places, modeling can be done in spring and fall only because the basement is frozen in winter and the kids are on vacation all summer and the wife wants to travel. Around here summers are slow just because I spray in thew garage and 100+ degree heat is prohibitive. (I have measured 120+ in the garage before...does saltwater dissolve enamel paint?)

Anyway...there's a thousand things that make you take a break, I took a 25-year break from modeling before, and I'll be out of town this weekend for Mother's day. Just trying to add that when people stop posting progress pics, or go quiet, it is most likely not that they do not care.

 

[Steve Ski]

Noworries. I am not only stranger than you imagine, I am stranger than I can imagine!

So, you're normal, just like the rest of us, good deal.

I know winters are brutal in many places, modeling can be done in spring and fall only because the basement is frozen in winter and the kids are on vacation all summer and the wife wants to travel. Around here summers are slow just because I spray in thew garage and 100+ degree heat is prohibitive. (I have measured 120+ in the garage before...does saltwater dissolve enamel paint?)

Man, I sure am glad I'm up here close to the 49th parallel. I'm not a fan of the heat at all, but give me the snow and after plowing, it's all bunker time, Baby!

 

[Grumpa]

So, you're normal, just like the rest of us, good deal.

Man, I sure am glad I'm up here close to the 49th parallel. I'm not a fan of the heat at all, but give me the snow and after plowing, it's all bunker time, Baby!

D

 

[Littlemarten]

Man, I sure am glad I'm up here close to the 49th parallel. I'm not a fan of the heat at all, but give me the snow and after plowing, it's all bunker time, Baby!

Ah! Real winter—not the slop we are now getting down here!

 

[Edbert]

We had record snowfall, as in "ever", just a few years ago. The cities and much of the State shut down, no way to clear roads, but then the electricity was out for millions of people. We were lucky and kept power during the 5-day storm, because my residence is on a hospital grid. I even had internet the whole time, but that meant I had to work overtime since other team members were down.

I have a pic somewhere....

Ahhh, here is proof of the snowpocalypse!


OVER 3/4 OF A FOOT!

 

[BarleyBop]

If it's not over your knees, it doesn't count.

 

[Edbert]

If it's not over your knees, it doesn't count.

People died.

No, I am not kidding.

It made major news at the time, but sometimes people like to shat on Texas/Texans, we consider typically that a combination of jealousy and praise, but this time I think some of the detractors are right. We were caught with our pants down. https://www.tdem.texas.gov/disasters/winter-storm-uri

When the temps get over 110 and everyone's 18-seer 4-ton 50,000BTU air conditioners are humming we sell excess electricity to other states. But a few inches of snow-/ice for more than a day or two and look out!

 

[Grumpa]

People died.

No, I am not kidding.

It made major news at the time, but sometimes people like to shat on Texas/Texans, we consider typically that a combination of jealousy and praise, but this time I think some of the detractors are right. We were caught with our pants down. https://www.tdem.texas.gov/disasters/winter-storm-uri

When the temps get over 110 and everyone's 18-seer 4-ton 50,000BTU air conditioners are humming we sell excess electricity to other states. But a few inches of snow-/ice for more than a day or two and look out!

Yeah, I hear them windmills work great in snow and ice storms, oh yeah and we all know how great those Chinese
solar panels work when covered in snow and ice.
Well at least one can feel the warm satisfaction of knowing that one is doing one's part in saving the planet.
Too bad those without power weren't feeling so warm.
"Pants down"? Well a bit of forethought would have kept those knickers where they belong.
More like "Guard down" much, much worse! When will people realize this "Green scam" is only a
huge money making and laundering operation preying on a well meaning but woefully misinformed
and disinformed public.




Did ya ever think of that?!

Jim.

 

[Grumpa]

Ah yes...Winter, my favorite time of year,



And then there is always Spring to look forward to,

 

[Jakko]

Heh, snow and wildlife. If we get snow here that's finger-deep — as in a finger laid flat on a surface — and it's still there the next day, we're doing well. The only wild animals I see around are these:

 

[BarleyBop]

Heh, snow and wildlife. If we get snow here that's finger-deep — as in a finger laid flat on a surface — and it's still there the next day, we're doing well. The only wild animals I see around are these:

View attachment 147464

Is that a hedgehog, or have you been planting LEDs in your stuffies again?

 

[locomotive]

Yeah, I hear them windmills work great in snow and ice storms, oh yeah and we all know how great those Chinese
solar panels work when covered in snow and ice.
Well at least one can feel the warm satisfaction of knowing that one is doing one's part in saving the planet.
Too bad those without power weren't feeling so warm.
"Pants down"? Well a bit of forethought would have kept those knickers where they belong.
More like "Guard down" much, much worse! When will people realize this "Green scam" is only a
huge money making and laundering operation preying on a well meaning but woefully misinformed
and disinformed public.

Actually….solar panels still produce about 30% of their normal capacity when covered with snow.
And wind turbines work perfectly well in snow and ice over here. They have de-icer equipment built in, just like airplanes.

Don't believe everything Trumpton says….

 

[Jakko]

Is that a hedgehog, or have you been planting LEDs in your stuffies again?

It is a hedgehog They scurry around here every night from ca. mid-spring to late autumn — helped by putting out cat food and water for them, of course It's why I bought a wildlife camera some years ago.

I suppose I'm one of a handful of people who regularly sees (and hears) fighting hedgehogs, both on camera and IRL, through the window. None yet this year, though the other night there were two that were circling each other.

Edit: Oh yeah, and there was this incident some years ago:



Warm evening, with the back door open, and there's a cat flap in the screen door. One hedgehog decided that the cat food inside was better than outside, and the first warning of that was the cat in the photo meowing in despair that there was one of those dangerous animals in the way of his food

 

[BarleyBop]

helped by putting out cat food and water for them, of course It's why I bought a wildlife camera some years ago.

Thanks for bringing the thread back to 'controlling the point of view'.
We have city raccoons, and they can be very big! And no mistaking their caterwaling in the middle of night.