Bad scene down at the club

[Geek44]

Nick, we had very similar trouble here with my local club. The politics and back stabbing just isn't worth the trouble....I left, and never see many of them petty people again. I did more good without that club than with it. All it was about was bickering, control, and "I am better than you" ..... I did all the same for the bunch I was with, shared tips, info, and parts....and when it was seen I was better than their best.....I got a fast track to being shelved. I no longer need a club and am much happier for it.

What they did to you was wrong....you made an honest mistake, (Same as the people who took your books) and now I fear they will treat you a shade different. Do what you gotta do, mate, but If I were you, I'd move on when you feel it is the right time. All clubs are cliquish and you just made the "out". I know it's juvenile and petty, but many folks in this hobby are just that. (If you recall my story from tyhe other site, about the Master Modeler I waited forever to meet....and he turned out to be a jackass with better things to do than give pointers to a young enthusiast.) That's the best I can offer ya.It is a real shame some folks gotta take the fun out of a hobby like this, and turn it all into politics and cliques like Junior high school. Unfortunately, it seems to be human nature....

I remember you telling me all this before mate and I've been waiting for you to have a say to be honest. It never hurts to hear stuff again mate and I thank you for the wisdom. I wouldn't say I was better than their best but heck...I don't even know who I think their 'best' is. I don't care. But I know that many do. When I first joined, they were all whispering the Prez's name...ooh, you should see his stuff. Well, I've seen a mixed bag from him. One I saw was utterly sublime, others have been 'okay' or 'pretty good' IMO. It's all so subjective though. That's what I like about it.
Panzer, you warned me. You were dead right mate.
Peace.

[Panzermacher]

Your "legend" Nick. You will surely come through all this wiser and better. It is such a shame a group of folks can't get together like we do here in the model forum and do what we do best...without the petty bickering and side games. I don't know what it is....the internet's impersonal being, or what, but our "club" here is much MUCH better than anything I would get in a face to face meeting with most modelers I know. Your work is tops, along with everyone in the "ModelZone" And I have yet to see any clashes in the ModelZone yet (Not like I saw in my Local club) I have known you for like what, 3 years? And I perceive you to be an Honest, stand -up guy, who would NOT have swiped anyone's kits. (Let alone have the honesty to return them and admit the error... Which should have said VOLUMES about the person you are...) If those guys couldn't figure that out in the time you were there, I'd say it's THEIR loss.

[Geek44]

Funny mate...I was just down at my local shop doing a bit of 'looking' so I can suggest ideas to Santa...I'm after Dragon's very, very new JS-2 Premium Edition in 1/35. There was a guy from the club in the shop. There often is...as usual, he pretended not to recognize me...even though the shop owner knows me by name. Sad buggers.
Peace.

[cyberia]

Aww Jeez guys dat's okay. I tink I can handle dese no account lard-asses my own self. But tanks fer de awffer do'.
Peace.

Man, Nick. You do a rotten Brooklyn accent.

But on the upside your Yahoo Serious is perfect!!!

[cyberia]

I have to say that I got a big surprise at my son's graduation last week (senior high). He was never going to get dux but he does very well for himself so I was proud to be there for his graduation.

When the individual awards were being given, a new award was unveiled. This was the surprise as it went to the student who, in their five years at high school had given the most help to other students and teachers without reward. I had never seen an award like this before. The person who won had always helped in media and music as well as many other areas - setting up and running the PA for entire night shows they were not even involved in (other year classes etc). The list goes on and is what Geek was doing, helping because someone needed it. The even bigger surprise was the award went to my son. That to me was very important because he got some acknowledgement for his efforts.

Great story David and thanks for sharing.

Give this to your son once he is old enough...Prosit!

[MAGNA]

Thanks Cyberia. I knew you blokes would understand the meaning of an award like that. I'll ell the boy Prosit - he'll look at me sideways and grunt so I'll tell him it's a good thing.

As far as I'm concerned with the club thing it should be a case of heavy emphasis on involving junior members - full stop.

Competitions for juniors which they go in until they win a certain number of times is good. Then they go in open comp with everyone else. Outside judges are essential too.

Case in point - another horse story. At a local club novices went in their classes until they win so many of them. They must then go in open competition. The reason being that no improvement will come until you go up against someone as good or better. That's the way we all improve.

A couple of people got on the committee who had vested interests in their own horses winning things (they bought and sold whatever they could and that was all that mattered). Not unusual so far.

These people had the novice system changed so that an open rider could ride a novice horse or a novice rider could ride an open horse in the JUNIOR events. By swapping riders and horses each month their horses kept winning the novice events and trophies all year. No one else stood a chance. This to me is blatant cheating as it was done to advertise and sell their own horses.

The upshot - 20 - 30 junior riders per month before the changes. About 8 after 3 months of the changed system. My wife and others were livid - they had worked for years in the junior section and it was ruined in a few months by some greedy %$#@$. They have also left the club as their kids grew up. The club itself is now struggling to operate at all as older riders are not being replaced by a new crop.

This is what Geek has copped. The train models are just the excuse a few are using. It probably goes further back to petty jealousy as Geek is a superb modeller from what I've seen and is very helpful to boot. That is a dangerous combination to self serving gits who want to keep everything the same. Same people on the committees, same people in charge of competitions, same people in charge of judging...... same people getting all the kudos (from each other)..... lot's of other people getting cheesed off and leaving.

[Panzermacher]

This is what Geek has copped. The train models are just the excuse a few are using. It probably goes further back to petty jealousy as Geek is a superb modeller from what I've seen and is very helpful to boot. That is a dangerous combination to self serving gits who want to keep everything the same. Same people on the committees, same people in charge of competitions, same people in charge of judging...... same people getting all the kudos (from each other)..... lot's of other people getting cheesed off and leaving.

MAGNA hit it spot on.....

[cyberia]

Well, there has been talk about kicking these guys asses but why bother.
When they realize what they lost with Nick as a member, they'll be doing it to themselves.

[Geek44]

Aww Jeez guys dat's okay. I tink I can handle dese no account lard-asses my own self. But tanks fer de awffer do'.
Peace.

Man, Nick. You do a rotten Brooklyn accent.

But on the upside your Yahoo Serious is perfect!!!

Aah, thanks mate. I've really been working on that.
Silly buggers. I'm not interested in their stupid committee...but there are areas where we don't see eye to eye...so what? It's a big club and I'm one guy. They aren't going to embrace competitions just because I see merit in them. They're voluntary, nobody has to compete, it should always stay friendly...it doesn't matter who wins. I think people fear criticism but those folks don't need to enter. In short, I guess we all learn stuff in different ways. I like the comps...they make me try harder, spend more time and be more disciplined. There's a member who's asked me if I'll give him some constructive criticism...we talked about a thread but I think privately is the way to do it...I applaude him. It's his way of learning and my price? He has to critique me in return. He can also count on me to be constructive and to share anything I've learned...secrets are for the insecure.
Thanks again chaps.
Peace.