How do You Feel About Others' Viewpoints About You an O-Gauge Trains?

In essence, I agree with you both. I think we do care about what others think; otherwise we can end up in a cell if we are just too flippant about "doing our own thing." The trick or "balance" as you say is the degree to which we let others control our happiness and lives.

There are laws, for example, to which we must bend the knee . That's obvious (though perhaps not to some we see on the news raising mischief or hurting others.) That's why such anti-social actions are news - most people don't allow themselves unlimited freedom to commit any sort of self-indulgence.

Another example, though on a lighter note, to be sure, is that when my wife and I know we are "getting company" or might have somebody appear at the door, I do go about the task of "picking up" all my junk and dropped clothes that have been deposited here-n-there around places like my craft-room, or finding the occasional sock deposited where it has no business being ( a standard of conduct I recognize - upon the "urging" by you-can-guess-who.) I recognize the accepted/suggested standard for neatness in a person's domicile, but do play fast-and-loose with the rules when the spirit moves me.

However, for myself, it is of primary importance to be understood and appreciated as a person of morals and ethics, one committed to kindness to others, to the well-being of others, and to helping others feel happiness, esp. children and the elderly.

Regarding my trains, as I said previously in this post, they are much enjoyed. I don't really brook any conversation to the contrary. I'm busy being happy with others.

FrankM

I'm very secure in myself and really don't care what others think or do.

I think they are mistaken, that should be 'Artistic'  

I wouldn't tell a woman on a first date about my interest in electric toy trains, but my family, friends, and workmates know about my interest.

Let me guess, you'd wait until the second date, right Paul? 

Well she really was browsing pictures on my phone and saw some of the layout and asked what those where..... she asked if I was serious about having that in my house and I said yes.   Thats when I realized she wasn't being asked out again!

I previously posted on this thread about some of the difficulties I incurred because of my enduring fascination with toy and model trains at my place of employment.  Based on my personal experience I'm not too sure we can generalize about educated people being more understanding about adults and toy trains.  Every individual I worked with with was either a college graduate like myself or they possessed a Masters or law degree so they certainly met the definition of being educated.  Nevertheless, the vast majority of these people were at the very least condescending if not downright belittling and insulting concerning my interest in trains.  In my opinion, they were typical examples of the social elitist crowd who denigrate others for their interests in things they consider beneath them.  You can imagine, of course, how they reacted to my love of hunting; I was considered the embodiment of Attila the Hun.   Interestingly enough I never experienced any difficulty about my love of toy trains with my so called "red neck macho" hunting buddies.  Go figure. 

I see the pick up line: Want to see my toy train? and that's if he even gets to the second date.

 I don't know about that RHPS knowing their count, Back then yes as it was also a social thing, Started when I was a Junior in high school, didn't miss a show for about 3 years. Started driving a cab, working days I still went but when but not as often. I started nights. It pretty much stopped as Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights were money nights. Wasn't it great to be young and dumb. Of course I didn't really grow up until I retired from the Army. Had way to much fun. Where else can you get paid for jumping out of perfectly good airplanes if you consider C130s/C141 and C17s perfect good airplanes. Be a gunner on an M1A1, TC on a brad, Get paid to 4wheel. Yeah, just way to much fun!!!  

Yeah, the very first day I realized I was a grownup was the first (or three) death notifications I made to women who didn't know they were widows yet. It's one of the few things the war movies get 100% correct, it turns out. Two chopper crashes, getting shot in the foot by a Marine in a training exercise (that Gyrene is probably still doing pushups for that) and a chain of command that really left anything else to be desired. And a wife who truly hated being an officer's wife. Oh, and repetitive stress fractures they'd never take me off running long enough to heal (yes, stress fractures can show up on an X-ray, I had them that bad at one point). Not wonderful times. I resigned after my 8 years was up, mixed between active duty and reserve time.

Still, I did have some fun. Got to helocast out of a Huey over a lake, did a drag race of a Bradley v/s an M-1 in my motoro pool once (the Abrams won with me at the controls) and I loved the weapons ranges, I always volunteered to shoot everything I could.

Mark, I am so impressed by your story. What a wonderful ambassador you are for our hobby.

I have no issue in wearing a jacket, sweat shirt, or anything else that displays my interest in trains. I am proud of what this represents and in your case, it led to a wonderful evening.

"I wouldn't tell a woman on a first date about my interest in electric toy trains"

Well Paul, I did.    Might just as well deal with any objections up front. Maybe too much experience in sales to waste your time if there will not be a result for your efforts.

I got my first electric train when I was 3, a cheap little Marx set.  I loved it and wanted more and my folks were able to add more trains to what I had until I actually had six working trains.  But my Dad was not a "train sort of guy" he was an athlete, an outdoorsman and loved sports.  Not me.  he tried to get me interested in team sports and I could develop no enthusiasm.   I tried fishing with him but also no interest.  Eventually he tried to discourage my interest in trains, but that was to no avail.  I tried golf and played seven times, the last time making such a fool of myself with some far better golfers that I never played golf again.

In later life I always had interest in some form of railroading:  HO gauge trains, operation of a full sized trolley museum, ultimately back to "0" gauge, first toy train collecting, then a Hi Rail layout designed for operations.   My wife and family do not share my hobby at all.  In fact, I have bought trains for all of my grandsons and none of them care enough to even put the trains back up around the Christmas tree each year.

My wife says that I talk too much about trains and railroading, and maybe I do.  No one else in my family cares at all about my hobby so it is mine alone; no participation from any other family member.  I do have friends with a shared interest in trains but due to the fact that we live quite a distance away from most of these guys, what gets done on the layout is pretty much my own doing.

I do have mixed emotions about this situation but I guess that I can't do anything about it.  I wish that I had a couple of friends that would want to share my layout, efforts, enjoyment, etc. but I can't imagine that this will be in the cards.  So, for me, my train interests are pretty much on a "loner" basis, and are likely to stay that way.

Paul Fischer

P51  You Sir, Need to go bowling More Often!  Hit those pins not the refill's!!

I always tell people I build models (which happen to be trains) or maybe say that I collect train models.

I would never tell people I "play with trains".  Its like the difference between saying that you collect classic Barbie dolls of historic and collectible importance (a completely respectable past-time) VERSUS "I play with Barbie dolls in my spare time."

Try saying both of those while doing some business-networking in a social setting - then see which of those two statements kills your credibility as a serious businessman.

Sir

The 90s was not that great of a time to be in the army, Lot of issues with the females soldiers with sexual harassment and EO complaints of which 90% was unfounded. (That stopped when they had to sign statements that if they were found laying that they would have UMCJ action against them)careers were ruined on false accusations. My favorite was the stress cards coming out of Jackson. You didn't see that with the guys coming out of OSUT( Knox and Benning). As for me yeah I paid a price, almost deaf in one ear 60 loss of hearing in the other, Both lower back, right shoulder completely shot, left Knee will never be the same and Upper and lower spine issues, that was the big one. (enough to pull me from jump status). no more running, jumping, No heavy lifting, etc, It was time to retire, besides I hated working at CENTCOM. Too many FOB rats!!!!!!

Doug.  

Funny how you knew I was talking about the 90s without me mentioning it. Yeah, I went active in 98 and resigned in 06. The pre-9/11 'budget' Army was a joke, we had no money for any useful training. Many weapons ranges were cancelled for lack of ammo support. I pulled off my Battalion's first grenade range in years.

I kept hearing about the stress cards from my NCOs but never saw one. I've since read it's more an urban legend than anything:

http://www.snopes.com/military/stresscards.asp

or

http://www.stripes.com/blogs/t...to-recruits-1.151803

But yeah, I heard about the cards several times.

The final nail in the Army coffin for me was when one of my soldiers died in an accident, my Company CO only cared that the paperwork was right, didn't go even see the widow or show up for the memorial. That, and having viral pneumonia at JRTC and being accused of malingering to my face when I'd been pulled from going to the box and held by med hold. That Major has no idea how close he came to having the holy [bleep] stomped out of him. Yes, I seriously considered if it would be worth it and if I'd hit him once, I'd have kept going until someone pulled me off. Yeah, I came that close and I thought maybe it was time to do something else with my life after that day.

That's UCMJ, soldier!  Drop and give us twenty!

I wasn't army (Navy airedale here) and I was active during that time.  My command felt similar to what Lee (p51) shared.  That's why I got out.  But on top of Doug's story, I remember all the pregnancies that happened when the Navy started doing the enlisted "co-ed" thing onboard ships.  A couple of them were sent home in the middle of deployment to the Gulf.  Can't help but conclude a lot of it was intentional so they could get out of there.

Wow!!! You guys are really off on a tangent!!! 

 

 

A little thread creep here and there never harmed anybody.

Although I'm basically a private person and not quick to reveal private information. When I do get to that point, I've never had an issue about divulging my interests with dates, admitting I play with trains is no different than talking about my dogs.  I like playful girls. If they can't appreciate my personal interests I probably don't want them playing in my sandbox.

You cannot live your life on other peoples terms. I do everything in my power to lead an ethical, moral, religious and just life, so it is no concern with what other people think about my train hobby. Most people compliment my modeling work ( and I compliment there's)  but if they don't like it or negatively comment, too bad!  Screw em! 

Yes, it's a tangent, much like real-life conversations.

Yeah, we had females in our units (I was Army Ordnance Corps) and at least a couple of them got preggers when they had to deploy anywhere, even CONUS training. The joke was one of them should have named her kids, "Yakima," "Irwin" and "Polk," for the various stateside posts she was going to do TDY in but got out of going...

Wow!!! You guys are really off on a tangent!!! 

 

 

Originally Posted by John Korling:

Originally Posted by suzukovich:

(That stopped when they had to sign statements that if they were found laying that they would have UMCJ action against them)

 

Doug.  

 

That's UCMJ, soldier!  Drop and give us twenty!

 

I wasn't army (Navy airedale here) and I was active during that time.  My command felt similar to what Lee (p51) shared.  That's why I got out.  But on top of Doug's story, I remember all the pregnancies that happened when the Navy started doing the enlisted "co-ed" thing onboard ships.  A couple of them were sent home in the middle of deployment to the Gulf.  Can't help but conclude a lot of it was intentional so they could get out of there.

 

OK I am guilty of fat fingering. But I will add this At the same time we were in the mist of draw down number 4. When I arrived at Ft Hood in 94( My Brigade 3rd Bde 1st AD had gone to FT Lewis from Germany late 94 as I was Rear D in Germany) I was assigned to 2nd AD In 96 the Army went from 10 to 8 Div. 2nd AD became 4th ID at Ft Hood and all the 4th ID units at Carson except 1 Brigade deactivated . So I knew that there was pressure on the Officers and senior enlisted as they were still cutting end strength and people were being put out for anything. Lee's brigade( my old Brigade from Germany) was also slated to be deactivated until the stryker thing came along( the Good Idea Fairy) At Ft hood, Force XXI kept 4th ID alive. So yes there was a lot of issues going on at that time. I could only imagine the pain the Navy felt. On top of all this you had Bosnia/IFOR.

Doug

P51 I have a friend who collects and restores WW2 vehicles. He has quite a collection. I almost bought one of his jeeps restored when he needed some quick. cash

I just wanted to add my 2cents. I proudly talk about this greatest of hobbies. Mostly in what it has done for my son as well as both of us.

When he was a Kindergardener he had some difficulty reading and his teachers were concerned . He had started to get interested in trains  and my wife and I indulged him. As time went on we bought him a "set" and one thing lead to another.

He found my Dad's collection which I had packed away years ago, and after a lot of begging I set it up found my own latent interest ignited and what a ride.

Anyway with all the reading about railroads, trains etc. My son learned his geography, history, and so much else

long story short he now reads at a level 2 grades above where he is at now. 

Without getting so long winded the benefits of this hobby outweigh any negative criticism one could muster.

Besides anyone who would disparage this hobby makes a fool of themselves as they do not know what they are talking about.

I could list so many benefits as well as those on this forum of belonging to this hobby.

Learning carpentry, electrical matters, repair of things, reading, research, history and all that goes along with it.NOT to mention the wonderful people one meets along the way thus the social aspect. etc etc etc.

I hope this thread runs a little longer as I am picking up a lot of positive input about everyone's experiences!!

Yes, it's a tangent, much like real-life conversations.

 

Originally Posted by John Korling:

But on top of Doug's story, I remember all the pregnancies that happened when the Navy started doing the enlisted "co-ed" thing onboard ships.  A couple of them were sent home in the middle of deployment to the Gulf.  Can't help but conclude a lot of it was intentional so they could get out of there.

Yeah, we had females in our units (I was Army Ordnance Corps) and at least a couple of them got preggers when they had to deploy anywhere, even CONUS training. The joke was one of them should have named her kids, "Yakima," "Irwin" and "Polk," for the various stateside posts she was going to do TDY in but got out of going...

Same thing here My company at Hood was 90% female when I got there. Every time NTC was mentioned suddenly people were pregnant.

Lee as to the cards, They were real. I had soldiers pull them on me. I usually took them and then ripped them up and wrote the soldier up. I got quite a few EO complaints from doing that.  

Doug

 You are right about the last sentence. I work at a university and I'm the old guy

 in my department. I remind them that in the 50's trains were the Iphone / Ipad

 of the day. So how many games you got on that Apple thing there ?

 So one day I brought some pre-war stuff in. These trains may have been your

 grandfathers Christmas gift. They still run and now I enjoy them to this day.

Wow!!! You guys are really off on a tangent!!! 

 

 

Originally Posted by John Korling:

Originally Posted by suzukovich:

(That stopped when they had to sign statements that if they were found laying that they would have UMCJ action against them)

 

Doug.  

 

That's UCMJ, soldier!  Drop and give us twenty!

 

I wasn't army (Navy airedale here) and I was active during that time.  My command felt similar to what Lee (p51) shared.  That's why I got out.  But on top of Doug's story, I remember all the pregnancies that happened when the Navy started doing the enlisted "co-ed" thing onboard ships.  A couple of them were sent home in the middle of deployment to the Gulf.  Can't help but conclude a lot of it was intentional so they could get out of there.

 

 Martin.

I am surprise you understand the lingo. althought I do expect Rich to drag John, Lee and myself into his office over the EO complaints. Yeah I not politically correct. I sure someone has been offended. 

Doug

The simple answer is I don't.

Great topic is my first response. My second thought is overall I really enjoy

people with all kinds of hobbies because they have more passion then most

people IMO to live life!

In a good way, by my early 20's I became the guy who knew every thing about football, youth to the NFL, model trains, slot cars, Ferrari's and Alfa Romeo's,
Formula 1 and real trains. I am well read with a photographic memory, so this

is close to true with a ton of experience in all listed above.

I am also the guy incapable of making toast or shopping at the grocery store,

if I need a pair of socks or T-shirt, I would go to a tailor, if I needed milk I would

go to a farm.

I am one of awareness and cluelessness I guess!

ncng

ncng, I suppose you burn ice cubes too.

I know a couple of people who could burn water.  Never met anyone that could do the same for ice cubes though, need to remember that one!