HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
BTW, somebody showed her the Sak's Fifth Avenue Xmas catalog today. She zeroed in on the stuff with the 5 and 6 digit prices.....
Kennedy
Kennedy
Do you have a hard time balancing hobby vs. life?
- Thread starter mtrpls
- Start date
jacon12
Member
There once was a time that I would've had a very hard time working in model railroading. I had a full time job, roughly 50 hours a week, and on weekends I did wedding photography. There was about 15 to 20 years I, and my wife, did this. Thinking back I wonder how I did manage to work in any hobbies at all, and then I remember.... I was 20 to 30 years younger and had the stamina to do it. At 63 and retired I don't have that kind of energy anymore..
Still... even being retired... you always have other jobs you have to do. There's the yard work, ordinary maintanience of the house, going to elderly parents house to care for them. Hey, I'm just thankful I have a house to work on and a yard I can walk around in when I care to. There are many in the world that don't.
But, I still manage to get in at least an hour a day in the trainroom, sometimes 3 or 4. And sometimes I ACTUALLY get something accomplished on the layout, and not just run trains.
Any who... just keep your priorities straight. Family and job/career, then hobby. Without the first two you really won't feel like working on a layout and/or you can't afford to.
Jarrell
Still... even being retired... you always have other jobs you have to do. There's the yard work, ordinary maintanience of the house, going to elderly parents house to care for them. Hey, I'm just thankful I have a house to work on and a yard I can walk around in when I care to. There are many in the world that don't.
But, I still manage to get in at least an hour a day in the trainroom, sometimes 3 or 4. And sometimes I ACTUALLY get something accomplished on the layout, and not just run trains.
Any who... just keep your priorities straight. Family and job/career, then hobby. Without the first two you really won't feel like working on a layout and/or you can't afford to.
Jarrell
A balance, well yes in a way that's more like a see saw, teeter totter or whatever.
I too am retired have a place to call home and requires maintenance with a rather large yard that takes a lot of my time. What I find is when the house and yard work mount upwards, the balance shifts to where it's needed most, and the modeling goes out of sight. When the work is done then there is little money but lots of time to spend on hobbies. Being retired has the disadvantage in that now I have to do the work that at one time I paid others to do. I could afford it then . I also seem to be much busier than when I was in the work force and now wonder where I got the time to go to work. When asked how I like retirement, I often tell people that I'd like to go back to work for a rest.
Winter time is my best hobby time, and it is then I most enjoy the comforts of being inside where it's warm. So I guess my balance of hobby and work is a bit lopsided to the work times of Spring Summer and Fall, but Winter is my rest time except for clearing the driveway of snow.
Money, well I don't have too much so I'm forced to making a lot of my own stuff, which is not a bad thing. Nope not too bad a balance after all.
Cheers Willis
I too am retired have a place to call home and requires maintenance with a rather large yard that takes a lot of my time. What I find is when the house and yard work mount upwards, the balance shifts to where it's needed most, and the modeling goes out of sight. When the work is done then there is little money but lots of time to spend on hobbies. Being retired has the disadvantage in that now I have to do the work that at one time I paid others to do. I could afford it then
. I also seem to be much busier than when I was in the work force and now wonder where I got the time to go to work. When asked how I like retirement, I often tell people that I'd like to go back to work for a rest.Winter time is my best hobby time, and it is then I most enjoy the comforts of being inside where it's warm. So I guess my balance of hobby and work is a bit lopsided to the work times of Spring Summer and Fall, but Winter is my rest time except for clearing the driveway of snow.
Money, well I don't have too much so I'm forced to making a lot of my own stuff, which is not a bad thing. Nope not too bad a balance after all.
Cheers Willis
Alcomotive
Grandson of an ALCO Builder
I was really enjoying reading some of these comments...I know it has been a while since the last post on this subject...but here is my 2 cents worth...
Balance...is the key to not only your hobby but your way of life. I tend to do all of my hobbies in seasons but MRR has always been the mainstay but in small moderations. Funny though, life is what happens to you while you are making plans.
I am happily married and have a beautiful small family. Wife is my soul mate and best friend. My step-son is a blessing in disguise. I have no children of my own we plan on someday having maybe 1 or 2 but if doesnt happen either it is ok.
I stay busy as we all do. Living in Florida has its challenges but that is my opinion being a country boy from the great upstate NY living in the mountains and on the farm embracing the 4 seasons of change. Florida has 2 to 3 seasons depending on the hurricanes. Hot to Damn Hot to Wet Hot. LOL
So as I said, I do my hobbies sometimes with my family and sometimes not in seasons.
It goes something like this...
Early Spring - Fishing and some mrr shows and RR photog
Late Spring - Drag racing and some mrr and RR photog
Summer - Diving a new hobby with my step-son along with the usual Boys Scouts activities.
Late Summer - Diving and some mrr and RR photog
Early Fall - Competition Shooting, fishing, a few dives and mrr
Fall - Drag racing, fishing and mrr shows and RR photog
Early winter - MRR
Winter - MRR
Some where in all that I do manage to do re-model the home in phases for the wife and stay very busy with my step son on working in BSA, Manatee Reef Rakers and Manateens volunteer groups for community service hours.
Always the number one priority is keeping my family healthy and happy in the grace of GOD that way I am able to do things for me or together with my family.
Peace
Balance...is the key to not only your hobby but your way of life. I tend to do all of my hobbies in seasons but MRR has always been the mainstay but in small moderations. Funny though, life is what happens to you while you are making plans.
I am happily married and have a beautiful small family. Wife is my soul mate and best friend. My step-son is a blessing in disguise. I have no children of my own we plan on someday having maybe 1 or 2 but if doesnt happen either it is ok.
I stay busy as we all do. Living in Florida has its challenges but that is my opinion being a country boy from the great upstate NY living in the mountains and on the farm embracing the 4 seasons of change. Florida has 2 to 3 seasons depending on the hurricanes. Hot to Damn Hot to Wet Hot. LOL
So as I said, I do my hobbies sometimes with my family and sometimes not in seasons.
It goes something like this...
Early Spring - Fishing and some mrr shows and RR photog
Late Spring - Drag racing and some mrr and RR photog
Summer - Diving a new hobby with my step-son along with the usual Boys Scouts activities.
Late Summer - Diving and some mrr and RR photog
Early Fall - Competition Shooting, fishing, a few dives and mrr
Fall - Drag racing, fishing and mrr shows and RR photog
Early winter - MRR
Winter - MRR
Some where in all that I do manage to do re-model the home in phases for the wife and stay very busy with my step son on working in BSA, Manatee Reef Rakers and Manateens volunteer groups for community service hours.
Always the number one priority is keeping my family healthy and happy in the grace of GOD that way I am able to do things for me or together with my family.
Peace
