Promoting the Hobby We all have railroad magazines lying around on shelves, in bookcases and in boxes under the layout never again to be read except on that rare occasion we need information on something we read somewhere. I purchased the Model Railroader 75th anniversary DVD a few years ago and decided to get rid of those old magazines prior to 2009. I tried giving them away at my last two open houses but everyone laughed and said they had their own piles at home. Then I got the idea of taking four Model Railroader magazines and leaving them at the doctor’s office, dentist office or anywhere I go that has reading material in the waiting room. When I go back the next time they’re nowhere to be found. Someone is taking them home. That’s a good thing! Doing this serves a twofold purpose. Getting much needed space at home and most importantly “Promoting the Hobby”. Remember the more model railroader's, the more manufactures and local hobby shops stay in business. We should do this as a way of getting people interested in Model Railroading. Bill Fagan Warminster, PA NMRA member
As long as you cut out the address label before dropping them off. The receptionists straighten up the lobby before the start of the day. Missing labels could indicate they are planned to be there.
That sounds like a really good idea. I hope you are telling the receptionist and doctors/attorneys/CPA etc... that you are leaving them behind to promote the hobby. If you are NOT... then... it is possible that the magazines are being removed to the circular file by the occupant. It may be these magazines are not 'appropriate' for their waiting rooms. Hopefully... it is the way you see it.
Calzephyr I have been doing this for quite some time, especially at our childrens' doctors office. I also cut the address labels and notify the Dr on down the staff of what I am doing and intending. As for me, never any mags in the waiting rooms when I arrive, so I think they were taken by patients, too. Before I moved to my retirement community, the "Saturday morning open house training session" was getting more and more participation, that is until the know it all rivet counting jerks started frequenting my garage more and more. Imagine going to someones house with the intent of criticizing them. That is one main reason why I do not show my layouts off any more, nor participate in any layout tours. It seems like life is pro wrestling, and the bad guys are in charge. No wonder why the hobby is in rapid decline in South Florida compared to what is once was. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
I think it is important to not let the negative people get us down. Promoting the hobby is going to require some thick skin, and perhaps some smart people (read "jerk") management strategy. May I suggest that a "rivet counter" who is CRITICIZING your layout be deflected with questions about HIS layout, and when you can see it. After all, you are showing him yours, so reciprocation is not unexpected. If you indeed have a SUCCESSFUL modeler you are being criticized by, at least you should get a chance to see an amazing layout. But, more often than not, you are being criticized by an "armchair" modeler who does NOT have a working layout, and asking him questions about what he has done will tend to shut him up, as it should. On the other hand, some rivet counters are actually trying to be helpful, or at least just trying to have an intelligent discussion, and we need to be careful not to feel inferior for not being perfect in our representation of real life. And, if you are in the "rivet counting" genre and have not yet learned politeness, please realize that rudeness hurts OUR hobby. (Of course, in a retirement community, the on-set of dementia can create some jerks who will never be polite again, so that is where our thick skin MUST come into play.)
Re: Rivet counting: The same is true for railfanning. Where the self-anointed pros look down their noses and give unsolicited critiques to those who don't do it their way. Makes it hard to simply go out, photo and enjoy sharing the experience with a few friends.
There are the equivlent of "rivet counters" everywhere. Birdwatching is especially full of them, although there are plenty of nice ones, as well. That type of person is going to involve themselves in whatever we do for pleasure, so we all just need to develop a strategy for keeping them from spoiling our fun.
