Death of the Hobby

By Bob Pearson

Recently RMS has been running a thread on the death of the hobby, and various opinions pro and con have come forth in defence of this argument. Myself I feel it has never been stronger. One need only look at the proliferation of online magazines devoted to the hobby, or the new companies putting out better and better product.

However it is not just the product that prompts this attitude, rather it is one article in this issue. Namely that featuring the work of Cina Renee Perry, in her hands rests the future of the hobby. Despite the numerous distractions that this age provides, the desire to create will always win through, and as long as parents like Steve are willing to foster that desire we are in great shape. She may not build another model for years, but the day may come again when she is struck with the desire to do something creative.

How many of us have continuously built since childhood? Not I. However one day I saw that a kit I had longed for years earlier was re-released and this time it made it here .. Welcome back. Another friend never modeled in her youth, yet through her husband was struck by the urge. Lorna now edits her club's magazine as well as contributes to Internet Modeler.

And it isn't just the very young or the recently converted, two of our contributing editors, Juho Ala-Jaaski and Tony Goetz, are still in their early teens. All of these, the young child yearning to work with her parent, the 'traditional' male in their teen years and the recently converted all bring their particular enthusiasm to the hobby.

Dead or dying? I think not.