Age , Experience and Courtesy at Shows and Contests

Thank goodness the clubs that I belong to have no such members. Although we do have some guys that will dwell a bit too much on things when they don’t take first occasionally. Move on to the next one guys. Better luck next time.

"Now at the I.P.M.S. shows I've been to there is very competitive folks who actually get angry if they don't place in a class .These same folks regardless of age will not talk to you about how they did something . Almost as if they are above answering these quirys . I never understood that !...There are  , what I call snobs , but I studiously avoid them."

"I've seen the people who get mad if they don't place..."

I know of a guy like that.  He builds a great model.  Beautiful to look at and museum quality.  I had joined the local IPMS chapter and approached him during the break in one of the first meetings I attended to ask him a few questions and to try to get a few pointers.  I build a pretty good model myself but I wanted to bring things up a bit.  I asked a couple of questions and he basically, with very short, curt answers and with his nose stuck up in the air while thinking he was walking on water attitude, told me to take a long walk off a short pier.  I thought of him as a total jackwad from that point on.  Many other club members confirmed my observations.  I never spoke to him again after that.

Fast forward a few years and I was helping organize one of our model contests and shows.  Our hero had entered a few models.  The grand prize for 'Best in Show' that year was a trip to Tamiyacon in California.  Our 'hero' won 'Best Aircraft' in the contest.  That was no surprise.  One of his tricks was to sit at the back of the room and when his name was called as a winner, he would slowly get up, strut with his proud as a peacock and 'Hey look at me' saunter to the front of the room and collect his prize.  It came time to announce with 'Best in Show' category and before it was announced, (many organizers and judges were looking at him) our man stood up and started walking towards the podium to claim his spoils of victory when the MC announced that the trophy and Tamiyacon prize had been won by someone else.  It was hilarious.  He stopped dead in his tracks and got that 'What!  I didn't win?!" surpised look on his face.  He then uttered a few choice words and turned around and stormed out of the room.  I, and many others who simply tolerated this guy, were so...happy?...relieved?...grateful?...giddy?...to see him put in his place and get his cumuppance.

At the next club meeting after the show, things went down the toilet very quickly.  Our hero demanded to know why he hadn't won 'Best in Show' and complained about the judging, set up, awards, and everything under the sun and when the President tried to explain and answer the questions that he had been asked, our man kept interrupting and finally came out with the childish statement of, "It's okay (name omitted).  We all know this was your show anyway and you told them who should win."  The entire room, except for our freind's bum buddies, were aghast with that statement.  Momentarily after that, one of his cronies piped up with, "We're the elite modelers here!" and all hell broke loose.  After five years or so of membership, it was the last IPMS meeting I ever attended and that was over a decade ago.

Our hero didn't sully my regard for the hobby but he did make himself look like an arrogant, conceited, chidlish buffoon in front of a room full of people.  I have since found another, smaller, off-shoot club from that IPMS chapter and have been attending those meetings because to us, it's about friendship, respectful critique, welcomed advice, telling stories and building together and having fun.  Life is too short to hang around with twatwaffles like our 'hero'.  I started calling him 'Black Hole' because he suck the life right out of you.

 

I've been going to contests in the Denver area, and various National (IPMS) since the 1970's.  Most of the people are very friendly.  I know of one, who is very competitive.  So much so that our club has suffered from it.  He is the type who can turn every thing sour.  A cloud hangs over him.  A great modeler, but he is so competitive that there isn't any joy in building anymore.  And I considered him a good friend, with reservation.  I don't see much of him recently.  He is still around.  His personal life is just a little messed up.  He still builds great,  just doesn't get to shows and meetings anymore.

The other members are fun to be with.  I have had them at various contests, parties, weddings, and, sadly, at funnerals. They are my extended family now.  More than just club members now.  They are my friends and family. So this hobby is, in a deep way, become a great part of my life.  

So it is more than just a hobby for some of us, it can be part of our life.  Sure I have other friends who are separate from the hobby, but occiosonly they can mingle just fine.

Very interesting discussion, which I believe has very much to do with human nature. 

To be honest, on this matter I am somewhat glad I am no where close to the level of the top level modelers, although I do aspire to that level of skill. Allows me to enjoy the hobby so much more, without having to treat every event like it is a life or death situation. When something doesn’t go well for me at the bench, I feel disappointed but appreciate the lesson learnt. Definitely not rage that it didn’t turn out well. I happily share about the models I’m working on with friends. I don’t care too much if they think my work is crappy. I figure we all have enough to deal with in our daily lives to invite more stress out of our hobby.

My guess is the higher you climb, the more invested you will be, and with that comes more defensiveness which leads to the negative behaviors described

Hey Rambo ;

 See , that's what I am talking about . If the modeler has a gentle demeaner he will take the third place graciously .Then you have the ones you mentioned .In one show I took my U.S.S. England ( Yeah ! The Blue one ) guess what It didn't even get judged ! Turns out it had been moved to the side to allow a larger ship center stage .

 Get mad , Heck no ! They came back and rejudged the ships and I got second for detail ! See sometimes stuff happens ! I was a happy camper when taking it to the car I had four or five folks ask about my model .Yes it is definitely Blue ! But what the heck it was still fun .I am going to have to build another in Grey !

 Seeing all my model building friends and the vendors was for me more fun than being in a judgeable class ! But once in a while I do it for fun ! I haven't swept a class for years and I don't care ! When I was younger and modeling for contests I always did well in Armor ( 1/48 Scale Bandai ) and Ships . 

   The guys got used to "Ole Doc" bringing modified ships of many types, even military ! I had a Legally Blind friend who would challenge me and all he would give me was a picture , sometimes a bad one . We had a ball and he constantly amazed me !  So for me modeling has always been fun .  When I started doing Commissions of models of all types I was always challenging myself to reach further .I wish I could've taken some of those to shows .

 Still it's fun and I intend to keep it that way . T.B.

 

I've seen the people who get mad if they don't place about six years ago I seen a guy take third in his catagory, get mad and throw the model in the trash. I have never seen him at another show again. I like to answer question about my builds as well if someone asks me how I did something I'm more than happy to answer. Some guys at shows act like its all a guarded secret.

Everyone from contest judges to the "grumps" to 1st timers should relish and share in the great skilled and artistic hobby that is scale modeling and ENJOY IT!! At the end of the day all that matters is that the gratified modeler is content with his or her project.

My frustration at the golf course is way more than at the bench

Ted4321

Is anger during hobby time equal to mild annoyance during real life?  It can't be the same.  If you get mad at your hobby is it time to pick up something relaxing like golf instead?  

T e d

In my experience, a person who behaves that way in his hobby, is likely to behave that way in other things, too.  So taking up something else to pass the time probably won't help him.

Is anger during hobby time equal to mild annoyance during real life?  It can't be the same.  If you get mad at your hobby is it time to pick up something relaxing like golf instead?  

T e d