A HOBBY SHOULDN'T BE STRESSFUL

@BobRoyals posted:

My journey with OCD has cost me hundreds of dollars in undue costs in this hobby. Layout build 3.3 will be my last. For the previous 10+ years, I had been on a hamster wheel of getting the layout to a certain point, dismantling, and starting over. I have kept myself off the wheel by reminding myself what the goal of the layout was in the first place, and sticking to it. Also, treating my illness consistently and under the care and consult of professionals has helped me maintain a comfortable place in the hobby. Now I am attempting to complete this build and leave it alone as a therapy to conquer the OCD that creeps in the background trying to destroy what should be a source of enjoyment. I want to encourage anyone who feels that illness is clouding their goals or enjoyment in this hobby to look into it through the proper channels.

Bob, I relate to what you say about being prone to OCD when building a layout.

I remember during the 1st few months designing and building most of my layout in the late 1990s, to being very excited, driven, at times obsessed, working on it late at night until the wee hours of the morning. LOL. A word that comes to my mind when I think back on my experience is: "frenzy,"  but that may be an exaggeration. LOL.

I was relatively productive and made good progress in this highly excited state, so I think I made it work for me.

My hope is that you, Bob, can similarly channel your energy in a positive way that enables you to make good progress building your layout and have fun doing so. Arnold

In my little world, I leave this troubled world behind.

that says it all Arnold, …..I was waiting for you to chime in!!!..😉

Pat

Well, just for kicks and giggles, someone mentioned, when a small part falls on the floor, or flies out of one’s fingertips, it’s Frustrating. Well, I absolutely agree. My wife, thinking she could save me time and labor, bought me an I-Bot floor vacuum cleaner. Now, my layout area is pretty much covered with throw rugs and finding small DZ1000 switch springs, train parts, important small things, at age 78, it’s a true workout, getting the flashlight out, magnifying glass, you name it, it’s tuff. Well guess what, after running the little Assistant, my IBOT Cleaner, small parts are easy to find, just empty the dust collector…. So, it’s my new stress reliever in action. It seems to be very reliable and doesn’t break the parts. When I’m in the train room, I just turn this little round crawler on  and let it do it’s job. It’s reliable and good company. Happy Railroading Everyone

@Bob Delbridge posted:

LOL!!!  Just after Thanksgiving I got the notion of wearing a watch again (remember those???).  Over the years I've acquired several watches, from my dad's 2 old corroded Timex watches to an Omega Seamaster Soccer Timer Chronograph that I paid $150 for back in 1971 and now I see listed for upwards of $5,000!!!  She's a beauty but now I'm afraid to wear it .  I haven't worn a watch in years, everything I have has a clock built into it plus I have a clock in every room.

So I start pulling out the watches, the windups had long since stopped and so had all the battery-powered types.  Some have pop-off backs while some are screw-on.  I started looking for watch tools and found you can get a decent set of watch tools for little money.  Long story short I've gotten myself into my own "watch repair business"!

If you think finding a piece to an O-scale train is hard after it goes ballistic, finding a screw from inside a watch is total insanity

They need to make plastic bags big enough to climb into to while we work on these things keep all the parts within reach.

There's ol' Bob, suffocated inside his watch fixin' bag!

ECI

@RSJB18 posted:

Hobbies are supposed to be our escape from the daily pressures of life, so approach them with that in mind.    Being retired makes me wonder what you are talking about Bob........then I remember .......the exploding toilet , the very cold shower on the cold morning with the handle on full hot , the car nonfunctional after coming back from the dealer fix ,  the huge pile of snow at the end of the driveway after the snowplow clears the main road...........Oh OK

Do we put stress on ourselves when something in our little empires doesn't work? Sure.     Are you kidding Bob...?...I built this layout and  SOMETIMES Judy tells me I'm PERFECT......well not always.   

Do we often use this forum to vent our frustrations? Sure.     I never lose my composure Bob........and that's all I have to say about that .

Do we also use this forum to share our accomplishments and successes? YEP!       YA  OK.

You seem to be very well suited for this hobby Bob.   And I'm pretty sure you don't have any golf clubs bent in U shapes.     Nice commentary.

@ChiTown Steve posted:

I have come to realize that if I am frustrated in the hobby, it’s not the hobby that’s the problem. It’s feeling overwhelmed in some other part of my life that’s the real issue. Work insanity is the vast majority of it.   

Yep Steve....I often seemed to want to say yes or volunteer to help out even when my tank was getting near fumes trying to get other important things done.

In those cases I find a way to simplify the hobby. Run conventional engines, paint a building etc. Then all is good for me.

You have to make room for some fun and a feeling of accomplishment in something you enjoy doing.