I hate when the "spirit" leaves me

Thanks Fred.

We have an Orion Telescope store here in the San Francisco Bay area and I have been there a few times.

My son is in the Marine Corps now and does not have an interest in astronomy that I know of although I still do sometimes. I never really wanted a dobsonian telescope as they are not my thing you know? I would prefer a Schmidt-Cassegrain as they are easy to view regardless of their position although they are expensive.

I may someday get one and although the Ultima-11 is my dream scope I may just settle for an 8" one who knows. That is far down the road though as they are not cheap.

All I have at the present is my dad's older Celestron C90 on a sturdy tripod and my Celestron Ultima 8x56 binoculars which are fantastic for stargazing.  

MikeV wrote:

Very cool Fred! My son and I went to a star party several years ago and we got to see M57 through an NGT-18, 18" JMI which was cool! I also got to look at the moon through an Astro-Physics 6" Starfire refractor. What an amazing piece of optics those are! The price is equally impressive.

Mike,

if you and your son are seriously interested in astronomy, take a look at one of orion's dobs  http://www.telescope.com/control/category/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes;jsessionid=4877AB3FBB21EF241F0B926E02D8F564.ivprod2

The XT series is hard to beat.  Great optics and Orion has probably the absolute best customer service in the business.  And that's coming from someone who doesn't even own own of their scopes.

Her's a pic of my 10".  I've done some upgrades since this pic, but it's essentially close enough.

-Fred

My experience with hobbies over the years have been very similiar. First my interest will be piqued by something I see or read. Then as I learn more about it, I start to get psyched. I start buying supplies, tools, books, etc. And then after about 5 years, the interest starts to wane and I go on to something else.

Over the past 20 years I've been through woodworking, gardening, gun collecting and now modeling. I've learned quite a bit about each one and have gotten pretty proficient at woodworking and shooting. But now the tools and guns mostly just sit around for me to look at. 

As for my modeling, I have been in a funk for the past 6 months. I'll dabble a little and then get bored or frustrated and walk away. I've decided to try something different and have a Fine Molds X-Wing on the desk now. Hopefully this will get the juices flowing again. If not, maybe this is just another hobby that's run it's course for me. We shall see. 

Very cool Fred!

My son and I went to a star party several years ago and we got to see M57 through an NGT-18, 18" JMI which was cool!

I also got to look at the moon through an Astro-Physics 6" Starfire refractor. What an amazing piece of optics those are! The price is equally impressive.

MikeV wrote:

Gigatron wrote: It happens to me all the time.  There are times when I'll knock out half a kit in a day and times when I don't even want to look at it for weeks on end. Thankfully, I have a bunch of different hobbies, so I can cycle through them.  Besides model building, there's photography, astronomy and movie memorabilia collecting.  -Fred   Astronomy you say? Do you have a telescope? Refractor, reflector, Schmidt-Cassegrain? I wanted a Celestron Ultima 11 for a long time but could never afford it. I doubt I would have got my money's worth out of it anyhow as it's a lot of work setting them up all the time and I live in the city so light pollution is a problem.

Hey Mike,

2, in fact - a 10" Zhumell dob loaded out with all sorts of special homemade upgrades and a Meade ETX90.  The dob I usually set up when I get home from work or later in the afternoon on the weekends (assuming I'll actually get a chance to observe), so I have a chance to set up, zero the finders and collimate before it gets dark.  Then I just wait for it to cool down.  The ETX I can just pick up and go outside and be observing in just a few minutes.  Not as good a view as the dob, but the quick setup makes it worthwhile - especially if I'm only doing the moon or saturn.

I live in the middle of new york city, so I know all about light pollution.  I use an O-III filter on the dob.  It cuts out a lot of extraneous light and brings out the nebulosity in M42 and M57.  There's too much light to see galaxies, but I'm looking into a decent goto/tracking mount for the ETX and adding my camera for some photography.

-Fred

Gigatron wrote:

It happens to me all the time.  There are times when I'll knock out half a kit in a day and times when I don't even want to look at it for weeks on end. Thankfully, I have a bunch of different hobbies, so I can cycle through them.  Besides model building, there's photography, astronomy and movie memorabilia collecting.  -Fred

Astronomy you say?

Do you have a telescope? Refractor, reflector, Schmidt-Cassegrain?

I wanted a Celestron Ultima 11 for a long time but could never afford it.

I doubt I would have got my money's worth out of it anyhow as it's a lot of work setting them up all the time and I live in the city so light pollution is a problem.

It happens to me all the time.  There are times when I'll knock out half a kit in a day and times when I don't even want to look at it for weeks on end.

Thankfully, I have a bunch of different hobbies, so I can cycle through them.  Besides model building, there's photography, astronomy and movie memorabilia collecting. 

-Fred

the doog wrote:

Loss of interest in a beloved hobby is a sure sign of depression. If it persists, it would be good to look into it.

There must be a lot of us depressed then Doog.

I've been like that for 6 months. I haven't even been in here except a couple times. I'm just now getting back to the Fletcher thats been sitting for that whole time. I think it was trying to mask the Br52 that bumbed me out. However, in the last week or so, I bent a piece of PE and attached it. The next day I did another piece. And so on. I almost have the mast done now. Then I'll get the doors...oops...excuse me......the HATCHES.

Slooooooow and steady.

When this happens it is a good time to get caught up on other things.  As a home owner I have a list of about 1,000 things I would like to do.   I go back and get a few things done on that list and I find I am refreshed and have my "sprit" back. 

Mike, you are not alone.

I'm also in a slump right now. Warmer weather is the main culprit because I have a two wheeler that I'm trying to bring back from the dead and I want to ride. NOW. :) It's been taking up all my spare time and $, not to mention this is the busy season at work.

Thanks for the deal on the airbrush, BTW. It's now my primary brush and the CR sits.

I am in one now! I have had the same P-40 sitting there for three weeks now. I got a few places to touch up and then its ready for futuring and the decaling stage. But I just cann't get down to finish it. I am distracted by other projects (non-modeling related) right now. The last few years I have gotten in the habbit of getting a Tamiya P-47 during these times....I really enjoy building those...and I am hitching to go out and get another one. lol But I got to finish that P-40 first...or do I? lol

What Gerald said.....same idea.....I love baseball....so I can leave the bench behind and listen to a game.....then winding up putzing around with something else. And more often than not.....a modeling inspiration will hit me and I'll head for the cold dungeon.....or at least make some notes for later use!

Sometimes you have to step back. Organizing your workspace is a good start! It makes ideas! 

It happens to all of us. When it happens to me, my first course of action is to clean up the shop top to bottom, end for end and side to side. Having a fresh workshop usually helps revive the spirit.

If it runs deep, well then a hiatas is in order. I'll do other projects around the house and yard, give the kids a hand with a few of their projects (homeowners never run out of stuff to do) and just find some relaxation time to recharge. One such hiatas from modeling lasted several years!

I build to work, and work to build...it has become a blurr. It is rewarding at times as well as boring at times. 

Take a vacation! Enjoy the weather, get some sunshine and relax, the bench and the models will still be there.  

Rob Gronovius wrote:

Yes, but I usually slap together a snap tite car or build some old tank kit OOB for my 3 yr old. He gets so excited and plays with the kit until it falls apart.

How have you been Soldier? I hope all is well with you and yours.