Tom Geiger

Many thanks to all who responded. I have left this thread alone, not responding, so that I didn't change the direction of the responses. It's all good input. I am at a crossroads in my career. I'm looking for a new job for over a year, but it's real slow going for a professional over 55 these days. Of the positions I've interviewed for 25% of them were filled internally, 25% filled externally, but with someone junior to me, and a staggering 50% were never filled, and cancelled. In my support groups I know many very talented and accomplished professionals who have been out of work a year to two years. So I've been exploring options with my career councilor and senior leaders group. My previous boss lost his job before me, and has bought a restaurant franchise. The last time I saw him, sitting in his restaurant, he looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said maybe I needed to buy my next job like he did. That got me thinking. I do have the resources IF I want to gamble my family future. Friends and family have said that I have good business sense and if anyone could make it work, it would be me. In my career group, the first thing that jumps out in this exercise, is your personal interests and past experiences. I have access to some great business professionals in my group, so I'm putting together costs and a business model. And we're exploring some other businesses as well. So I'm not saying I'm going to take this plunge, but it's a consideration. My own feeling is that most hobby shops suffer from the shortcomings of their owners. Most barely cover the very basics of most hobbies that a beginner may need, trying to be all things, without the deeper knowledge of any. For instance I know of a shop that is owned by an IPMS military enthusiast. He has everything, including aftermarket in that area, but when you tell him you're into cars, he treats you like an alien, even as he's selling you things. I can see similar themes in other shops, where RC is king in one, railroad in another, and I even know of a store where model cars are the owner's preference and he has no RC at all. They don't seem to be interested in learning other hobbies well enough to serve them. And that is their shortcoming. Narrow focus. And often lack of customer service unless you are in their pet hobby. In my mind, a hobby shop that catered to the serious hobbyists in a number of hobbies. As our group ages, the model companies are aiming new product at our age group since we are retiring every day and have both time and money to pursue hobby activities. A shop that would provide extreme customer service, and will go find product for customers. One with a coffee machine and a table for people to meet and congregate. I know I used to go to a local shop on Saturday just to see what was up and who was coming in. And I never left there without dropping $50. There would be regular seminars on a variety of topics, an offer to hold club meetings, or sponsor the start of clubs, and an eye on youth and involvement in the local scouts and schools. Maybe even kids parties related to doll house and model car make and takes. And in my mind where there is a true and just world, I believe if you did all the right things, you could be successful. So I'm investigating a few things, both going franchise and independent. My financial gurus have more of the independent idea, starting with a single store with a very professional package that could eventually spawn additional stores or even franchises. My issue is that these are senior guys from business who are used to dealing in the millions. The cost model is showing the daily profit requirements, and that alone is staggering. If you didn't have to pay for rent and employees you'd be golden! Keep the ideas coming... franchise vs independent would be a good follow up. My initial idea was to buy a Hobbytown USA franchise, but I see people here who would shy away from going there, seeing it as not a serious hobby shop. The franchise branding, initial set up of a store and computer systems etc is attractive, but is being a franchise a detriment? I'll let you know how this transpires...

With the current theme of snow, here's my 1991 Geo Tracker 4x4 convertible. I bought it new and it has something like 240,000 miles on it, but who's counting? 1996 Grand Caravan Mark III Hightop. This was Caravan number three and we bought it new. Back then I'd buy a new Caravan everytime one had mileage in the 80s since it still had good trade in value. We just kept this one, mileage around 185,000 right now. The Breezes - We had this bookend pair, both bought with mileage around 30,000 and paid $4200 each for them a year apart. The red one was mine and died around 198,000 miles. The gold one has about 145,000 on it now and drives like new. My wife drives it to work. My 2000 Jaguar S Type and TJ The Wonder Dog! We treated ourselves to this 30,000 mile car a few years ago. It's our special outing car. My 1995 Celica convertible... which is currently stored in the garage of my house back in NJ. There was nothing wrong with it, just didn't need it last winter and didn't go get it this past year. Will retrieve it again in the spring. Now the mind boggler. This photo was taken on the waterfront in Union Beach, NJ. See next photo for a post Hurricane Sandy shot... This was right after the hurricane. All of these buildings have since been demolished And maybe one more... The house with the whale on the side is waterfront... Yes this whole town was devastated. The interesting part is that its on the bay, not the ocean. The good news is that the entire area has been scraped to bare earth except for a few modern buildings that survived like that big house in the background. So soon that entire beach town will be brand new.

Okay, how about a winter theme post?? ] The funny thing is that all of these photos were taken in different years. I never pass up an opportunity for a snow shot!

I didn't see a McDonalds until I was 14! Back in '62 era when we lived in Kansas, we had a "Dog & Suds" drive in restaurant. That was the big treat then and I think I still have the little root beer mug somewhere. I lived in Turkey from 1966-8, then we lived in Jersey City NJ the year of 1968-9. McDonalds was suburban back then so there weren't any near me. We did feast on White Castle though! Then from 1969-72 I lived in Germany. That was before the American chains had established themselves in Europe. I remember going to a British hamburger chain called "Wimpy's" in Paris back then. The Germans had a chain called "WeinerWald" which had wursts. I learned that later on they actually had a Burger King on the army post that I lived on! Anyway, when we got back to the states in late 1972, we were in Heaven! McDonalds, Burger King and even sub sandwiches were all new to us!

Back around 1990 we had a major snowstorm in New Jersey. It snowed so much that my company didn't have room on the property to put the snow and had it dump trucked off the property. The Facility Services Manager had a couch in his office just for these occasions. I don't believe he left the property for at least 3 days. They had crews that hand shoveled the snow off all the flat roofs. When that fellow left the company, I took over that role that year, and I was really worried about this kind of event. I even bought my Geo Tracker 4x4 so I could get there in any weather. And what happened? There wasn't a significant snow event the entire time I held the job!

If you have the Slingster, pull out the Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit and the Double Dragster Fiat kit. Between these there kits you could build for the rest of your life!

Just a few thoughts on tapes... as mentioned above, BMF is a good mask for fine details, and I'm in love with Tamiya tapes. I have yet to get a bad line from them. The tip about spraying clear first to seal the tape is also valid and a good idea. Regarding regular masking tapes... whether regular or blue. The tip above about working with a 'cut' edge is a good one. Note that when a roll of tape sits on your work bench it picks up bits of dust, sanding residue etc on the edge. That then transfers with the tape to your model and doesn't provide a good edge at all. A friend who works on 1:1s in a body shop once told me that when someone drops a roll of masking tape on the floor, it's considered tainted and goes right in the trash! So be careful here. And why my masking tapes sit on hooks off the edge of the shelf over my work bench. Note that the Tamiya tapes are inside the dispenser and that helps protect and preserve it's edge. My usual mask is first Tamiya tape at the critical edge point, then regular masking tape that starts on top of the Tamiya and continues to the rest of the car. I've also used Glad cling wrap on the major portion of the car and sealed that the masking tape. Alec- do you know another modeler from Perth who also goes by "AB"? Good friend of mine who visited me here in the USA recently!

Very cool classic Jag! Love the lines on it. That's a kit I don't have, so I'll have to keep an eye out for one. How is the kit overall? Is it ROG or something they reboxed?

Al, I trust you have mended well enough to come to our meeting on Saturday? This is the meeting where we do the NNL East mailing, so be prepared to put address sticker and stamps on a bunch of postcards! And of course, bring your appetite, as usual we will have lots of food!

I have let all my friends and relatives NOT to buy me anything hobby related for presents, pretty much because like said above, I have most everything I want or need, certainly much more than I am entitled to! Also, being inside the hobby, I have better cheaper sources for kits than the local hobby shop. So it bothered me when someone paid full boat retail for a kit I already had. Plus non hobby folks tend to look at models like we're assembling puzzles. They would give me either as complicated a kit as they could find (Bet ya can't build this one!) or I got my share of large scale (Lookit I got you a real biggun!) Overall I'm much happier giving presents than receiving them. I pretty much tell people not to get me presents at all. I'm blessed to have all I need in life. For instance, in my wife's family we had a $25 grab bag on Christmas day. I wound up with a $25 ITunes gift certificate, and I've never even been to that site, nor have any interest. And that's how presents to me usually go. One exception is that my sister and I find each other odd, gag and unusual gifts from time to time. This year she had mentioned a game we played as kids, so I found one on eBay and gave it to her for Christmas.

I start with "My Content" and then "New Content". I never browse by category,

I don't like to build a kit unless I have an extra to use for reference or do overs. For instance, I'm working on a Dodge Little Red Wagon with a Jimmy Flintstone resin van body. I had already glued the engine cover into the interior but needed to cut carpet for the back. So I grabbed my extra kit and traced the spare engine cover onto the carpet. Made the job much easier. And if I screw up a part, I just grab one from the spare kit. I did an inventory and found I had 6-12 copies of some of my favorite kits. Not bought for full freight at hobby shops, but cheap at shows and club meetings. I'm a sucker for that $5-10 kit. Put a $5 1950s or 1960s pickup kit in front of me and my reflex is to reach for my wallet. Only when I did inventory I found I had better than a dozen of the Revell 1950 Ford pickup and AMT 55-67 Chevy Pickups.

Back in that era I had a '64 Valiant Signet 2 door hardtop I had advertised on Hemmings or Old Car Weekly. I'm in NJ and a guy calls me from California and he's in a corner. He has the same car with a bad repro interior. He wants to get his redone closer to stock but needs photos. So me, being a sucker for a good story and project, take nearly a whole roll of 35 mm photos and pop the roll in the mail to him. I have no idea what happened past that because I never heard from him again, no thanks, no money for the photos!

Cool! I've had that kit since I was 14 and still have it unbuilt and intact. Funny story, I lived in Germany and as an American the Revell kits were quite expensive in the local hobby shops, The equivalent of $10 US while kits were maybe $2.50 at home. I get back to the states, and what is the first kit I buy? The 914 kit that was available in Germany... only I couldn't resist it at a quarter of what I had lusted after it at in Germany. And of course I haven't built it yet. believe I'm missing the windshield surround. I hope to built it fairly stock someday!

I noticed right after the holidays the car title loan folks are advertising on the low budget tv channels to pay your Christmas bill by taking out a loan on your car!

It's the reality of an over saturated eBay! Back in the good ole days you could start auctions at a penny or 99 cents and be confident that the market would get the bids up high. Today you are likely to only get one bid, if that. So the rule of thumb today is to start bidding at the minimum price that you'd be happy to sell the item for.

Ya never know, New Hope, PA Ford Focus. I'll bet some agency somewhere used just about every car ever made.

Congrats Bill! You will need to wear a nametag to shows this year because people will not recognize you!

I think you are confusing R&R for F&F. Ray just died this year. Ed Fluck's son did just what you said, about in that time frame.

Here's my 1979 Capri V8 with the TRX package. All I remember was that those tires wore out fast and were expensive. I believe I got about 20,000 miles out of them, and that was with my wife driving it as her daily driver. Traded it in at 32,000 miles. This is the parting shot.

A question - near me there's a 1986 Mustang coupe with a 4 cylinder automatic. It's near mint and has 40,000 miles on it for $2500. What do you guys think of a 4 cylinder car? My pontificating bro-in-law who knows everything about nothing, told me it was junk because it has a different chassis than a V8 GT Mustang. He said those 4-6 cylinder cars had tinsel chassis. Thoughts?

This showed up from eBay! It may not look lie a big deal to you, but it's a fresh clean 1972 Chevy Impala interior! The last part I needed to complete my car, which is the last car I needed to complete my Chevy run from the early 1950s to 1976! Yea! And why am I doing the happy dance? The interior bucket is the one part that Modelhaus doesn't make. I had a search agent looking for it on eBay for something like six months. Mission accomplished and for only $10 too!

Just checked, 7 degrees here and windy. The furthest I ventured out today was to the end of the driveway to get the mail and my empty garbage can! I've had the gas fireplace going all day. And it's still chilly in here!

I got a lot of work done on this one this weekend. The interior is pretty much in it, the seats have been in and out three times. Last time because once I got the door panels glued in, they hit. So out they came to pull them in tighter to the center engine cover, which also had to come back out when I saw I forgot the install the friggin radiator before I glued it in. And it's tough to remember what you were thinking during the build of a model that has been sitting 15 years. See the porthole tear drop window hole? I had some neat kit part ones, that would have been installed from inside the body on whatever van kit I swiped them from. But the resin body was too thick and I didn't have the holes carved out big enough to accept them anyway. So out came the Vac-U-Form and I made myself a thin pair that are now glued to the outside of the body. I used a silver Sharpie to give them a frame and they look A-Okay. It's things like this that have made the final details of this one very slow going! The project is at that point where you glue on one part and need to walk away to wait for it to dry. Now onward to figure out a better way to do the jalousie windows on the passenger side!