Orville Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Just tired and somewhat bored with it all for the moment. Upgraded computer and had issues, ran a show test and it tool 3 to 4+ minutes between songs, not good during display times. So probably not going to have a very big display this year for Halloween or Christmas. May put up a few static lights and blow molds, but that may be the extent of it. Finally got some of the kinks worked out of the computer and songs are loading like they should, but still just don't feel like sequencing or working on anything for the displays this year, maybe next year, unless I opt to start selling off everything, my CTB16PC controllers and decorations{no RGB stuff}, just old LED strands, blow molds and maybe some wireframe items. It was a real chore putting up and taking down my small display last year{2014}, so I'm just not feeling it this year at all{2015}. Will see what next year may bring, currently I'm spending more time on my other hobby, my Garden Railroad. And here's a link to the video on FB of my current G gauge garden set up, definitely still needs a bit of work. Well I guess you won't see the video, the link option isn't working and I can't get it to paste into the message body either. Never had this problem before. And I dropped my digital camera last year, so the video will look slanted and angled of the train rolling around in the background. It's cheaper to replace than to repair it, but it's all I have to take video with for the moment, so everything looks off kilter, even though everything is really quite level. Also I apologize for the shaky scenes of the train, hard to hold a camera at some of the angles I wanted to get since a tripod wouldn't go that low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) Well let's see if I can do it the hard way... Garden Railroad Video: https://www.facebook.com/FloridaWitch/videos/vb.100000804182774/864903556879776/?type=3&theater Hope this one works. Finally!, Success after several errors and corrections it finally works! Edited June 23, 2015 by Orville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Gotta do what you feel Oroville. Take a year off and relax a bit.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 It's still early in the year, the bug may still come around and bite you in a month or two. Every year I tell my wife that I don't want to do a setup, I don't want the hassle or the frustration and every year it gets bigger then the previous year. Relax and take some time for yourself, you may change your mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizywk Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Sorry to hear of your troubles Orville, and it seems like you're in excellent company with several others who lead in this hobby and are suffering from the same diminished enthusiasm over the last couple of years. I can certainly sympathize with you and know where you're coming from. Between those that are being forced out and those that are just plain tired, we're certainly losing a lot of the best displays in the country. I've heard a lot of reasons WHY people get into this hobby - for kids/grandkids, personal fun, curiosity, rememberance, holiday spirit and others. It's a big uphill climb as its not that easy, its expensive, and certainly time intensive. Most have to work on their displays year round which is probably one of the greatest causes of burnout. There's the rude people who just don't seem to know any better, the theives, and the mischievous which just have to destroy, and Grinchy neighbors who just aren't up for the inconvenience all play a factor. Might I suggest that we not forget those smiling faces when those families drive sometimes great distances to see these displays. It's part of the American celebration of Christmas - no offense to our Canadian and Austalian counterparts of course Some of my fondest childhood memories involve my Dad driving us around in the snow hunting light displays then getting a hot chocolate. I have no idea how much my parent's spent on presents and decorations, and I don't remember what I received - that parental effort on their part is long forgotten, but I do fondly remember our time as a family driving around laughing and singing together looking down every street hoping to discover the glow of those monstrous C9's. Its funny that the greatest memories I have, cost my parents next to nothing due to the generosity of a few homeowners that shared their display with us. I'd do about anything to help others get that same feeling, and I really hope that my effort helps those struggling parents keep their families bonded together. I am encouraged as I keep finding YouTube videos of our display that people put up on their own. Most of the videos tend to pan to the back seat at some point or even show the kids up front in their parent's lap to enjoy the show. The excitement in their eyes is enough for us to draw inspiration, and it sure makes some great family memories of our own as we work together to get the displays up. Maybe taking a break this year will help. You certainly earned a solid reputation and more than deserve a year to relax. Maybe this is your year to adopt a newbie and mentor them so they get off to a good start. I just hope that you, and the others that professed a feeling of burnout lately can find that fire again. There's a lot of people out there that enjoy these displays and I'll bet they could really use those great family memories too. And THANKS!! to all those guys who share wisdom, suggestions, and their prized programming work on these boards. You guys are the heart and soul keeping all this going, and are bringing in the next crop of hobbyists. You have my humble admiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Wow! Very nicely worded. If that doesn't give you a boost in the arm, then, unfortunately, you are burned out. Well said "bizywk". That was an awesome morale booster for everyone. Orville, Hope you get the bug again, but if you need some time off, then I think that's what you need to do. I do believe I'd have some sort of announcement for not doing a show though. Don't want to disappoint any of your viewers. I always hate to see a display go dark, but hopefully it will just dim and shine bright again later. Best to you,Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indi Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I understand about being burnt out. For me, after have the computer go South, and then having problems with getting the LOR software back up and running on the repaired computer, I couldn't get motivated to do anything so far this year. I had everything backed up, or thought I did, just couldn't get myself to turn on the computer and work on the Christmas show until this past weekend. When I did get into it, I couldn't stop. Then I remembered how much fun it is to put on the show. I have most of my show sequenced, but haven't finished all of them, it won't take long. I'm now back into it and waiting for S4 release. I guess I had a motivation problem. Hope to see you back into the hobby in the future. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezimnow Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Bizywk...I can relate....nicely written. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Maybe spend less time making Singing Cat videos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 (edited) Jim, that's just to take my mind off a host and off a lot of other things going on right now. There's a lot more to it than just tired and being bored with it, not really burned out per se. Those videos and working on the Garden RR take me out of the everyday humdrum of existence and give me something to also create that others do seem to enjoy. At least the folks on the train forums. Chances are I'll get back into it, tried working on a sequence, but just could not get into it. So it's time to move on to other things, at least for a while that I've let go for a long time, like building my outdoor railroad empire. Yes, bizywrk's post was very inspiring and heartfelt, I know that, I could feel it in his post, it's a great post, sadly, I just can not get into it, so am working on the RR and projects for that at this time. My display won't go completely dark, but it will probably be quite dim this year compared to what I had done the last few years. Like said, there will be some decorations up, and I may try and use just some animation sequences and play music in the background to fit the holiday, just not have it choreographed to the lights for 2015, that may or may not change. If I do an animated display, it will be the same as last years, just changing the items around perhaps. Will see what the next few months will bring or perhaps what next year may bring, like said, I'm not really burned out, I'm just bored with it all at the moment. Big difference, and, again, that could well change over the next couple of months. But that is going to depend on a few other things that need to happen first, providing they do happen. I'll still let folks here know whether or not things change. That's why I haven't really been around the lighting forums for a while, just got sort of bored and lost interest in doing anything with it for the time being. Edited June 25, 2015 by Orville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Lol...maybe you are burnt out from you writing mini novels... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Lol...maybe you are burnt out from you writing mini novels...There's no doubt about it. Orv's #1 (and by no small margin either) when it comes to using 250 words to give what amounts to a one sentence answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubado Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) I know how you feel Orv. Last year I didn't have the time and money to sequence to music and repair some stuff. I went static with a lot of meteor tubes. I really missed the lights with music. This year trying to get my landscape lights the way I want them and more meteor tubes. Still haven't started sequencing yet, and not sure if I will. I will be 'on call' 24/7 for work soon, so not sure what's gonna get done. I also haven't been on the forum as much as I used to. I miss some of the oldtimers and funny threads, plus everyone seems to be way ahead of me with pixels and stuff, I'm not ready for that yet and don't seem able to offer much help lately either since I'm behind the times. Edited June 26, 2015 by scubado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Know exactly what you mean scubado, that's kind of where I am too. I'm not up with the RGB stuff, just can't afford to go that route just yet. Was hoping I would have been able to, actually started converting some of my old sequences to RGB, but not actually having any to play around with and see what it really does, well, nothing new for me to play with and just bored with the same old LED and Incan strands at the moment. Just don't feel I can do very much more, if anything with them. Although I'm thinking I may set up a small musical display for Halloween, just use the old original sequences from 2014 and put a few things on a couple of controllers. Just not sure if I'll do the entire display as it was in 2014 for this year in 2015. This Florida heat is starting to get to me in my old age, if it gets cooler, I may try and do a bit more, but as It is now, just too dadburn hot and humid to work on anything outside, and for me to be ready for Halloween, and how it took so much out of me last year, I'd have to start wiring stuff up now for the October display! BTW: Sorry George, those mini novels are old work habits from writing process plans, diagrams, basic and technical info for others to work from, and make them easy enough to understand that even a moron with an IQ of less than 50 can comprehend what needs to be done, well, like said, old work habits like that are hard to stop. Especially when you did it for over 15+ years. But I do try, sometimes it just gets away from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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