A Tour of My Home - Unlike Anywhere in the World

Okay.  I will not post anything more, nor here nor ever about this guy.  My opinion has been expressed and that is about it. Im not about to continue beating a dead horse or giving this irrelevant argument anymore importance that it deserves.  I will not let this guy nor his attitude spoil my experience here, which has been a mostly positive one.  Good night.

Terry - thanks much for your kind comments and understandings. You're right about building for others or contracted buildings. Most hobby shops in Thailand offer this services and I see that they have lot of customers, especially warship models. Some of those who disagreed with me also worked for others. As for my huge collection, anyone can surpass if he or she has two things - resources and determination. So many people have much more resources than I do, but do they have the determination?. Many people stand to gain from my enthusiasm in this hobby - kit manufacturers, modeling magazine owners, some talented builders, and worldwide viewers.    

Karl - thanks so much for your kind, lengthy and thoughtful comments! Talking about 'FineScale Modeler, the essential magazine for the model BUILDER", I'm no longer a builder but I'm still a subscriber and I think they're happy with that. And here I posted the works of my builders, telling who did what and never once claimed to be my own work. My builders don't post here, they have their own world. Here I let you peep into "Art Instructor"'s timeline. See how many Like clicks he got with his 2 WIP images of Dragon's T-34/85 (you'll get to see more in my next page very soon):

www.facebook.com/.../1127096500640411

GMorrison - thank you very much for your kind comments. I really appreciate them!

It's been happier to be a DJ on Youtube than to be a modeler turned collector here. On Youtube nobody yells at me and says "Hey, you're not a singer or musician, how can you become a DJ?". Everybody enjoy the music and songs in my playlists, and some of them even subscribed to my channel. My "Pan Flute Music" playlist has hit a bug on Youtube - it can't display more than 4 digits of "number of play" of the playlist. I've reported this bug to Youtube twice, but still no response. Today the number stands at 9,991. I'm sure it can't display anything past 9,999. But never mind, just play it!

Phaisal, that T34 is AWESOME!! He's really quite the talented modeler!!!

One of the primary reasons I have been a regular reader of FSM since it's premiere issue back in junior high school is because I truly enjoy looking at the work of fellow modelers from around the world. Back then, in a time where the Internet was more science fiction than daily reality, the hobby could be sort of lonely, particularly in rural Montana where clubs and well stocked hobby shops were rare and hundreds of miles from home. The magazine, especially the Readers' Gallery, made the world a smaller place. The same principles apply to this forum, where I can look in on other's peoples triumphs and tragedies at any given hour.

In some ways, I have come to admire Model Maniac's appreciation for the hobby. Whether he builds or commissions is irrelevant to me - that he shares his collection with us is admirable and a point that I find to be very much in-line with the spirit of FSM as I understand it. Of even greater importance is the grace he displays time and time again in the face of criticism. As Doog has already pointed out, Model Maniac consistently takes the high road and remains a gentleman. There is much to be said about that and it is a point we may all draw a lesson from in this forum.

Model Maniac, you have been kind enough to share a great deal with all of us, including an invitation to dinner if we should find ourselves in your corner of the world. Please allow me to return that favor - if ever chance allows you to visit central Montana, contact me and I will be pleased to reserve a seat at my table for you.

One of the best steak dinners ever at Red Lake Lodge.

Thanks Karl!  My new page is available now and in it I tell what "applied material" he used to weather the T-34.

KnightTemplar5150 - thanks much for your kind comments supporting my presence here. Apart from modeling magazines, the world has been made smaller by social media like Facebook and Youtube. Models and music are two things without border.

There is a poem that I admire and it remains in my long-term memory:

"You may be sorry that you spoke, sorry you stayed or went,

Sorry you won or lost, sorry so much was spent;

But as you go through life you'll find

You're never sorry you were kind"

I just try to be kind to all - man and animals alike. Apart from my golden retriever James Bond and hundreds of peacock-tailed fish that I raise, I also feed free sparrows, pigeons and squirrels around my house twice a day. I knew food is scarce for them and I'm glad to help.

Before returning my favor, you'll have to come to Thailand first and we talk about it later. Is Montana somewhere near Nebraska?

--

GMorrison - Steak is fine with me, along with some wine. But half the world travel is another story!

GMorrison

What makes me accept and enjoy MM's posts, Joe, is that he has NEVER concealed the fact that he commissions his builds. I really think criticism is misplaced.

I also can list a long string of people on this forum who also actively participate, but to the best of my knowledge, from any evidence, have not built a kit in recent time.

I hate semantic arguments, so I'll only note but not defend that the world is full of building contractors who market themselves as "builders", myself among them, but the Owners of same either never have, or haven't for years, worn tools.

Consider MM the conductor and Art Instructor, Jo and the rest musicians.

He's an entirely pleasant fellow, and readily will engage in all the other *** conversations that go on here, about motorcycles, cars, food and hometowns.

Just my two bits.

I wasn't going to bother posting here any more as I simply didn't want to get into any sort of argument. But it feel it only right to say that there is more to this than simply the fact that MM contracts his builds out. As you say, there are plenty of guys here who builds commissions. But while a few do have a gripe with him paying others to build for him, there are other issues, one of which Joe has already allude to, that have gotten peoples backs up.

I just don't want out newer members to think that some on here are just being snobs. If you wish to post comments on MM's builds, that's fine by me.

But just remember, nothing negative please.

Love the pics MM. Might stop by and check them out myself in person someday.

I love how every so often the same voice show up to tries and start some stuff over your posts and usually one or two other people will show up and echo the first person. You never play their game you just move on. And inevitable way more people will show up showing support for you and what you do instead of trying to judge you.

In it's most basic form this forum is just a place to show off pictures of models and to give advice on how to build models. All you are doing is showing off pictures. If someone doesn't like it they can just not open your posts. Pretty easy. I guess some people just can't handle it when everyone isn't playing by their rules.

Kind of like the doog I was not a big fan of yours years ago but I came around. Ironically it was the words of the people that try to tear you down that got me to take a second look at you. So in that vein of thought I hope they keep bashing you, might get you a few more fans. Just make sure you never let em get to you.

Stay classy MM.

Coldsteel6d - Thanks so much for showing up and giving full support to my cause! Perhaps I should thank those few guys too. Without their action, you might have not showed up and I would not have known that I have more well-wishers here than I knew before hand.

I joined FSM in 2003 while my own website has been online since late 1998. I am not a good modeler, but a good poet. I wrote a poem for my site's Contented-Based Menu, long before I joined here, as if I foresee the future. It reads:

"In the sky, the mighty Falcon

Flies across the lost horizon;

Reaching the top of hostile sky

Creating "Model Maniac" Empire!

With fire power of all tanks' guns

With realisticity, and precision;

The world has greeted with love and joy

The power exists in all these toys!"  

The power also exists in me, I'll stay classy for sure!

PS. It would be my great pleasure to welcome you in person some day!

I've been around here a couple years, now. When I first saw the posts from Model maniac, I thought the guy was an incredibly fast, very gifted builder. Then I learned that he commissions the builds, and I thought, this guy clearly has more money then me! ;-) I don't get as excited when he posts new models for people to see, because I know it isn't his work, but it isn't as though he forces me to look at them. Surely, there's plenty of space on the FSM server for MM to post pics of models he has added to his collection. When he posts pictures, I know they are from him, and sometimes I look and sometimes I don't. It's my choice to make. Sometimes, I'm embarrassed for him. He has paid people for some pretty pathetic builds some times, like trucks with floating wheels. Other times, I'm in awe at the quality of workmanship. If MM commissioned me to build a model for him, I'd be honored to be asked, pleased to be paid to do what I love to do, and excited that I could create something that someone else would enjoy. So, I let him do his thing, and I engage when I want to. Other times, I don't. Besides, it's not my website. It's shared public space.