I must admit, before I comment, that I have not read this entire thread.

In fact, I got about 3/4 way thru the first page and then jumped to the end of the book

(hoping to see the conversation had changed from "Marge's Recipe Corner" to "modeling for divorced dads")

It hadn't.

Do I find cooking and scale modeling similar?

Yes.

But only if we are talking about:

"things I can do with my two hands".

"things I do sitting down - if I can put up with the stool in front of my stove"

"things I like to eat - I enjoy melted plastic with a little chianti"

"things that cost way too much"

"things I don't need to put on clothes for"

Yes, if we're talking about literally any comparison of any two actions that a human can do.

No, if we are talking specifically about food and cooking, versus scale model building.

Sure, some people consider cooking a "hobby".

But I don't eat my scale models to stay alive.

Cooking is something that many have developed into a more enjoyable chore or requirement of life.

Model building is an enjoyable way to waste time and money and forget about life.

Cooking is something my wife wanted me to do once in a while.

Building models is something my wife didn't understand.

What has happened here?