07-22-2011, 05:17 PM
You don't tell her you "play with trains" unless that's what you do. That's okay! Lots of grown men still 'play with trains', (or say they do because they feel their modeling is sub-par and don't want to be criticised so they talk down about it before someone else can). If you make models of railroads, then you are a railroad modeler. If you operate them then you are a model railroader. If she makes fun of it then you gotta ask yourself - am I really committed to this hobby? If the answer is yes then the next question is, Is she worth it?
I say, Love me, love my trains. I won't go so far as to say it like that bumper sticker - "My wife says if I buy one more train she's leaving....gosh I'm gonna miss that woman!". But if it's your hobby and you take it seriously then she needs to also if she respects you for who you are. Just remember that some folks don't have a hobby nearly half as interesting as ours and are a little unsure of how to act or what to say when they learn of your interest. And most girls think ANYTHING we do is 'cute' if it involves toy-like things whether that's RC cars, planes, trains, etc. But the really great ones admire you for your dedication to the hobby and, once they learn how you perceive it, will at least not laugh at you when you wear an engineer's cap to a train show...unless you can laugh at yourself. Some folks never learned that...
Galen
I say, Love me, love my trains. I won't go so far as to say it like that bumper sticker - "My wife says if I buy one more train she's leaving....gosh I'm gonna miss that woman!". But if it's your hobby and you take it seriously then she needs to also if she respects you for who you are. Just remember that some folks don't have a hobby nearly half as interesting as ours and are a little unsure of how to act or what to say when they learn of your interest. And most girls think ANYTHING we do is 'cute' if it involves toy-like things whether that's RC cars, planes, trains, etc. But the really great ones admire you for your dedication to the hobby and, once they learn how you perceive it, will at least not laugh at you when you wear an engineer's cap to a train show...unless you can laugh at yourself. Some folks never learned that...
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!