Large Scale Central

Gettin Organized......(mebbe)

General Discussion
#1

I’m confronted with a problem. Its not that I like desire or interest in the railroad or projects thereof…I think I’m TOO interested…seems like I’m all the time working on something, but nothings getting finished…I’m in Mojo Overload most of the time…wanting to go off in 5 different directions…and rarely going anywhere…while I think 2013 has been a productive year for the most part, I’m still not happy…lots of projects I want to see finished…lots of projects I want to start just to try new techniques I’ve thought up/seen…

I’ve always kept a journal of my railroady thoughts…on everything from what I worked on that day to the supplies I’ve purchased…(no wonder I have a three year stockpile of ‘stuff’)…to things I want to build…and how to go about building them…The Late Great John Pritchard (rest in steam and cinders Ol’ Buddy) once told me that my projects are executed like a military campaign but I seem to have gotten away from that…

Here’s what I’m thinking…(yes another project) …Writing down everything I want to do…prioritze it by projects I have all the supplies to complete…and what still requires purrchases…and then cull the piles to what would take the least amount of time to finish, and what could be worked on inside after dark in the evenings…and what would be an outside on the weekends event…Then keep a record in a job book so I can see where my time is going…I know…I know…its a hobby , not a job…

Thoughts?

#2

An interesting concept.
I think many of us have the same problem.

I also have a multitude of projects. In the past when one project would become tedious, I’d switch to another for a bit and go back to the original after a “break”.

For the past year, between 12-13 hour work days, and chores around the house, I’ve not gotten anything done on the GRR or modeling projects.
What little “free” time I can manage, I don’t want to work on my GRR.
This should improve after the New Year, as a huge job at work should be winding down.

Keep us posted. I’m curious if keeping track of your time helps, or just eats up more time :wink:
Ralph

#3

I suggest keeping a calendar with large squares. Write down what you accomplish on a day, even if it is only “Updated Journal”. When you look at the end of the month, or back to a month, you can enjoy the positive things you have accomplished, rather than dwelling on what you have not gotten done.

#4

Rather than more sheets of paper, I keep my “active” projects in various cardboard boxes. That way I have everything I need in the box, and can easily pull it out to work on it.

I suppose you could carry this further, and have a green check mark if it’s ready to go, and a red “X” if it needs some more parts.

A sun for outdoor projects, a moon for the inside (night time) ones.

#5

I’m still trying to find my work bench. :slight_smile:

#6

No modeling projects Ralph? Don’t undersell your self. ha. ha. ha.

I was under the impression that you recently built that fine creamery and is presently rebuilding your freight depot. Thanks to your work (and one or two guys like you) I still read this Forum.

I have lot of building projects - all in my head - but few will ever get built mainly because there is insufficient room to place them. A Pennsy type barn, grain elevator, flag stop station and covered bridge are my “American” structures: the freight deopt is multinational.

I do think, frequently, about some form of log loading facility(NOT a sawmill; that takes space and skill) and part of my RR is, supposedly, in WVa. The VA part is well catered for by coal trains.

I do any construction work outdoors. The sawdust is more easily swept up, the light is better and of course I can run a train at the same time (Yeah! guys - roundy roundy)

#7

Alan Lott said:

No modeling projects Ralph? Don’t undersell your self. ha. ha. ha.

I was under the impression that you recently built that fine creamery and is presently rebuilding your freight depot.

That’s Ken Brunt…he’s the old guy, and I’m much better looking :slight_smile:
Ralph

#8

Apologies Ralph, put it down to either a ‘senior moment’ or that it is late in the evening here. A storm, which is unusual here, kept me awake for a couple of hours last night.

Notwithstanding you are one of the great Forum medelers I alluded to in my previos post.

#9

You’re too kind Alan.
I can whip out a nice paint job every now and then.
But I can’t hold a candle to Ray, Rooster, Bruce, Bart, Hollywood, Ken and many other modelers here on the forum.
I’m just glad they share their talent & skill with us :wink:
Ralph

#10

Bart…This is a good “Thinking” thread, and a place to open our minds to just surviving in a fast, work-a-day World. We all have been forced to feel that to be successful, we have to prove we have produced something. This might be fine at WORK (A dirty four letter word ending in “K”), but during our hobby time; success might be something as simple as speaking with a like minded friend, or sharing thoughts or ideas on a chat room.

We have to get away from the idea that “Production” is an indicator of success, in our leisure time.

So you have a list of great things you want to build or experience…great…may that “List” grow each day; and be shared with like minded friends…building that list, and improving on it is a success in itself, Don’t throw that away…cherish it…

Now, as to building something… Yes, it is a great feeling to start something, that you have planned, and collected the parts for, and even greater to get part way and rest, while sharing your successes with friends. Finishing is sometimes a letdown, because we have to start over on something else, or, a feeling of accomplishment…"Hey…see what I did…Egads…I even got the window straight in spite of David’s vain effort to direct me too far to the left… But you did get there…GREAT

BUT…was there some feeling that you were competing ? Competing with who…maybe yourself…who knows…Your friends helped you to finish…they won…You learned and finished…You WON…we all won…

…and you say you have more projects ready to start after that one…EGADS, Barty…WE ALL CAN BE WINNING FOR A LONG, LONG TIME…having fun together…every step of your way through a project, by sharing with us…we get great motivation…we pass it on to you…WE ALL KEEP WINNING, without that constant feeling of competition, which is what it’s all about at “WORK”

This is a hobby…we all want to enjoy, share and be happy…no frustrations about how much we have to do, to feel successful…

Bart…just by opening this thread…you are helping us all to be successful without any pressure…THANKS…

Fred

#11

I stopped caring if I did a durn thing in any given day, but when I did do something, I felt better, than if I did nothing…there must be a lesson there…

I even trimmed my toenails one day, and did nothing else, but my toes felt better, and they made me feel better, so the day ended up better than I had thought it might…

…maybe I should have shared my feeling better, that day, with someone else…they might have felt better, and shared their feeling with me…

Good feelings can start with so little, but if not shared, can never grow…

#12

Bart,

One does what one can do, feels like, finds necessary or whatever and … the rest gets done another day.

Hanging around here for eleven years has taught me that we aren’t getting any younger (bunch of old farts!) and at our age we better not start sweating the small stuff.

#13

How about less paperwork, more production…:wink:

#14

…that is a good thought, Ken…but some enjoy writing notes to themselves…it gives them the feeling that they won’t forget what day it is…I hate to miss Rabi Burns Day, and a good feed of nips and Haggis… so I keep writing down that date…whatever it is…remind me please…!!!

#15

Good topic Bart. Look at it this way, your still young like me (I think). You have plenty of time to get things done. I see too many people complain they have nothing to do. Then they retire and still have nothing to do, so they go back to work and are miserable. I have always been a firm believer in keeping busy with things you enjoy. The best part is when you do finish something you can sit back and relaxe for a little and admire your work, eve if it took 5 years lol. One of my biggest problems is I have too many things I like to do besides trains. As my wife says to me: “your biggest decision in a day is what will I you play with today” haha… so true.

Bruce I love your idea with the boxes. I might have to steal (or is it steel Rooster?) that.

#16

“We have to get away from the idea that “Production” is an indicator of success, in our leisure time.”

i think, that is the best sentence in this thread.

my whole hobbyroom is a collection of half done projects.
some eventually get finished, some serve as donors for other projects, some just serve as dust-catchers.

so what?
my hobby is not offscrewing my head by watching trains go roundy-round, but dreaming up things i want on my layout and making them - or not. once i accepted, that my personal deadline will be much nearer, than any realistic deadline for my layout, i just do, what my whims tell me to do.
and i feeel marvellous.

#17

Quote:“Here’s what I’m thinking…(yes another project) …Writing down everything I want to do…prioritze it by projects I have all the supplies to complete…and what still requires purrchases…and then cull the piles to what would take the least amount of time to finish, and what could be worked on inside after dark in the evenings…and what would be an outside on the weekends event…Then keep a record in a job book so I can see where my time is going.”

I hope you have funding for a secretary to keep up with the paperwork or you’ll find little time to actually do anything. I have to agree with Ken on this one.

:wink:

#18

To Do lists are a good thing, or so I’m told, I rarely use them. And if it weren’t for unfinished projects I’d have no projects at all :]

#19

Fred Mills said:

…that is a good thought, Ken…but some enjoy writing notes to themselves…

Don’t I know it…the entire kitchen is wallpapered in Post-It notes…:wink:

#20

(http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/533-to-do-list-making-cartoon.gif)