"It's a only a hobby ..." and "Have fun, enjoy yourself". Sometimes these phrases come back to bite you in the a** at the most inappropriate times.

• When you've tried for the lost-count-of-how-many-times to attach a balky piece of fine detail correctly.

• When you're gaining a new appreciation of your floor looking for a piece of photoetch only to find it's there on the workbench.

• When you decide adding a little bit of extra detail won't be all that difficult only to close up the fuselage and discover you can't see it anyway (you console yourself with the idea that *you* know it's there).

• When you've finished that contest-winning model and on the day of the contest drop something on it.

• When you've carefully mixed up just the right color, get half the model painted and knock the container over, obscuring the paint recipe as it flows over the workbench thereby ensuring you can't match it.

• When you've got a bad case of modeler's block because all these things seem to have happened to you lately and your modeling workbench resembles a disaster area (or even more of one than usual - there are some modelers with neat benches I'm sure, I just haven't met any of them).

Depressing isn't it? We've all been there or somewhere not too far off. Common sense would dictate that we change hobbies for something less frustrating.... breeding swamp dragons perhaps.

But then there's the lure of the new kit or the chance to finally get a kit you've always wanted to build; the excitement when a technique you weren't sure would work, not only works but also looks great. The fun of attending shows - even if you don't compete - and seeing what other people are doing and maybe learning something new. The sheer fun you can have with other modelers. The satisfaction of building something and improving your skills ... it's a fairly good list.

Maybe I'll post it above my workbench so that the next time things are not going as I'd like I'll remember that after all, making models is FUN.