Time to move on ... - Page 2

Stardrifter_WA · #21 14-09-2014, 01:12 AM

Sorry to see you leave the hobby behind Flash.

stephenb (Stephen) · #22 14-09-2014, 08:30 AM

I thought it was only me, Col.... After 30+ years in the hobby, I don't have the time, money, motivation or interest in the hobby. I've learnt so much from it over the years but I have other interests which have bubbles to the surface in recent years. In the last few years I've definately been a fair weather observer. Cold nights chill me to the bone. I cannot stand for long periods, plus other health issues which are compounded by standing at the 'scope. I'll keep the SDM for now but it doesn't see much action these days.

Col, don't feel any regrets for your decision.... Do what is best for you....
Cheers.
Stephen

The Mekon (John Briggs) · #23 14-09-2014, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sn1987a

20"+ SDM with all the goto fruit?. It's a whole new universe

yes, that along with the Argo Navis revived my interest, and I have been in the hobby since I was 11 years old - almost 50 years!

LewisM · #24 14-09-2014, 09:01 AM

That FC-76 of yours Col would be nice with my FC-100 and FSQ-86ED

Don't worry, Matt and I will help with the Astro Garage Sale... we promise to give you top dollar

Just teasing mate

I don't have the time - maybe once a week, IF that. My family knows, come a couple days either side of new moon, to expect me NOT to be in the house at night. It's enough for me.

I know what it's like trying to get a hold of you, so fully understand your situation.

rrussell1962 · #25 14-09-2014, 09:07 AM

A lot of these posts strike a chord with me too. For about 10 years I was working two jobs and the only telescope I had time to use was the Astroscan, the rest of my stuff sat in the spare room. Eventually I thought "what I need is just a Nexstar 8 and 3 eyepieces", easy to set up, just carry it into the garden when I want to etc. Deciding to treat my interest as a hobby to be enjoyed and not a chore to be endured on cold nights was a step in the right direction. Then an opportunity to acquire an Obsession 18 inch came along about 6 months ago...Still keeping it fairly casual though, not obsessing too much about dark skies and observing lists, basically confining myself to "Turn Left at Orion" for the time being. Oddly enough making a decision to treat the whole thing solely as an interest enabled me to realise what drew me to the hobby 40 or so years ago. If your interest is rekindled in the future the difference these days is that good gear is now very inexpensive compared to years ago, the barriers to entry, or re-entry, into the hobby are now lower than they have ever been before.

gaa_ian (Ian) · #26 14-09-2014, 10:02 AM

I know where you are coming from Col & I too had a lower level of involvement for a few years while I ran a major community festival & got quite involved with Radio Broadcasting.
All that is behind me now & I keep my astronomy to the simple pleasure of sharing the night sky with others & getting them set up to enjoy those simple pleasures through my business NightSkySecrets & making sure I live by my Motto "Astronomy the fun and easy way"
As others have said, keep it simple & it is so easy to come back to it at any time.
"Keep looking up" :-)

MortonH · #27 14-09-2014, 10:12 AM

Hopefully it's not so much time to "move on" but time for a break.

Stardrifter_WA · #28 14-09-2014, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MortonH

Hopefully it's not so much time to "move on" but time for a break.

I concur with that sentiment Morton. There have been times where I lost interest, particularly when I have been too busy chasing the fairer sex.

But, I seem to always return to it, particularly if some event sparks my interest again. Although, some of my other astro stuff may go, when I downsize (which is imminent), but I will always hang to my two refractors.

Tandum (Robin) · #29 14-09-2014, 10:36 PM

Sell it all Col, I did, get the cash in the vault and buy back when the itch reappears. I had a near new SX wheel fail at astrofest last year and it took 7 months to get it fixed. I had lots of time to add up how much cash was sitting around doing nothing for months on end. I'm just lucky no one bought my dome.

pgc hunter · #30 14-09-2014, 11:11 PM

Flash, mate, sorry to hear that you've burnt out. I can understand, I do shift work aswell, finishing work anywhere between 7-10pm after unloading pallets of 15-20kg bags of potting mix, dog food slabs/bags and drink slabs by hand, I am not exactly motivated to setup my gear, wait for it to cool, only to be confronted by poor seeing, clouds, fog and whatnot. The beer and TV seem to be a far more preferable option....

And combine that with living in a Donkey's rear end of a climate like Melbourne, I'm surprised I ever invested so much money in this hobby. I haven't been out much at all in the last year. I was just worn out from the constant crap conditions, poor seeing, working late etc. I rarely even visited the forums anymore. Infact, just a couple of weeks ago, I logged onto CN, IIS for the first time in months and reading some obs reports reignited the fire, so I set up the scope for the first time this year not 2 weeks ago. And I was rewarded with great seeing conditions on not one but TWO nights in the same week which is all it took to reignite the fire. Now, I look at Melbourne's forecasts with new found disgust LOL

Hope you don't throw in the towel for good, keep your favourite gear because you never know when the bug will bite again! Even if you do sell everything, set aside some of that cash.... just in case

PS. I would've bought that Vixen 140 in a Flash if I didn't need the money for boring things like setting myself up for the future etc lol

N1 (Mirko) · #31 15-09-2014, 08:19 AM

This is one sad thread. Good decision though to keep the 76, Flash. May you continue to enjoy the odd astronomy moment, even if you have "left the hobby" (Don't worry, you will). I agree with those who consider this an interest that can and should be pursued with as much or as little commitment/equipment as you please (and not the slightest bit more), and no particular approach is more valid than another. Personally I pack up, go home & do something else the moment it stops being fun, and by doing so, pleasure in looking up has never left me for the last 30 years. Perserverance is great, but it absolutely must be part of the fun. Otherwise it's wasted time.

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #32 15-09-2014, 02:53 PM

Man, you guys are gonna have me ' cryin ' shortly .....

I know ... it's a ' trap ' to keep me in the fold ... isn't it

Flash .....

gbeal · #33 15-09-2014, 05:28 PM

LOL, nope Flasher sorry. If you're gone you're gone.. LOL.
Trap? You bet.
Seriously, I've watched this thread evolve, and feel for what your going through, in fact been there done that.
We've had a very good relationship, no doubt many others have as well with you, and that doesn't spell the end.
I am sure you'll come to your senses, and come back, it will be good to see this.
In the meantime, you need to do what you need to do.
The only positive thing I can see from all this, your sig (just checked on a sale item you had listed) is only the one scope, LOL, simple, easy to write.
See you when you return, or in between.
GB

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #34 15-09-2014, 07:07 PM

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas .....

I'll be around for a little longer ... have eyepieces to sort out....now that's going to be hard for me as a couple of them are as ' rare ' as hen's teeth ....I reckon who ever has them also...will know why.

I'm prepared to ' give ' them up .... for the right price.

One is a 2" inch Eyepiece ... the other is 1.25 inch format.
And these 2 pieces ... I have only seen ' once ' on the Internet in recent years for sale.

Edit ... to tell you the truth ... a seller on Ebay recently listed their 1.25 eyepiece ( the same as I have ) ... and that's the 2nd time I have seen this eyepiece appear in many a year ... it sold for just on $200.00 + post.

There's no great mystery to this...they are just hard to find ...people hang on to them.....and they are very,very nice eyepieces to look thru'.

Col..........

Wavytone · #35 15-09-2014, 07:36 PM

Hehe I understand completely Col.

During the "long wet" of 1989-91 I was similarly cheesed-off and got rid of the astro gear to pursue other interests.

Got back into it in 2007 - a long break - though like you the past year has been terrible.

N1 (Mirko) · #36 16-09-2014, 07:52 AM

Flash, you do realise that once your exit is complete, you're gonna get the mother of all fine breaks?

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #37 16-09-2014, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N1

Flash, you do realise that once your exit is complete, you're gonna get the mother of all fine breaks?

... your in on it to ..aren't you... scheming with the others to keep the ' gate ' closed .. so I can't wander onto greener pastures.

Col.

Pinwheel (Doug) · #38 16-09-2014, 04:22 PM

I know where your coming from I have a shed full of R/C aircraft & radio gear after 20 years of flying, I just went cold on it all. Now in Cob webs..Maybe time to sell them..

TrevorW · #39 16-09-2014, 07:52 PM

I know where you are coming from I sold my GSO RC 8" recently, my camera etc hasn't seen the night of day for nearly 2 years.

Imaging took my fancy but I had neither the time nor $$ to compete with the big boys and nearly everything worthwhile has been imaged far better than I could do with my meager equipment.

So now everything is gathering dust the urge might come back, how long does grease last in your mount before seizing.

Kunama · #40 16-09-2014, 08:06 PM

I think we all have a "stash" of stuff that was left over when we called "time" on a hobby.
I did a minimum of 4 scuba dives each week (often up to 12 dives a week) for years and every scuba course possible, then one day I just did not feel like diving again.........
That granddaughter will keep you busy for some time to come Col. See you next week for a beer or should I say XXXX