SS GB has been a very popular GB for 10+ members every year. It’s fun exhanging gifts and watching them come to life.
This year has shown a trend that started a couple of years back where everyone would get super excited and send and recieve their gifts and building would start and most would finish. Some would not, it happens, life gets in the way. No worries. However, this year started off with a huge group, the largest ever and ran well until April. Then it just stopped. I had other GB commitments early on and made sure to get those out of the way and then real life got in my way and I haven’t gotten to my kit yet, soon though. We have something like 3 built out of 13 or so entrants. I get it, life gets in the way. I guess at this point should we even continue?
So, here is the question. Reply so I have a good count.
Should the SSGB continue as it has in the past, no changes?
OR, should we just do a SS gift exchange and call it that?
Suggestions, ideas are welcome. I put a great deal of effort into this every year. If all everyone wants is to exhange, I’m down. But we need to have more builds if we are to continue this: it just takes far too much time to set up and run for nearly everyone to ignore.
First, thanks for hosting the GB and I share your feelings about it. In the past I have sent two gifts, none of them get built. It is nice to see people get happy when they receive the kit but at the same time it is dissapointing to not see them built.
As for how to continue, I am ok to make it a gift exchange.
I’ve built all of mine except this year due to moving. My shop won’t be setup until next year [:(]. I say let’s keep it going and encourage participation.
For encouragement:
2019 - Tamiya Brewster Buffalo
2020 - Eduard BF-109
2021 - Revell Airbus A380 (finished a bit late)
2022 - SMER Fairey Swordfish, never started before moving - currently in some ware house in San Diego [:P]
And thanks for managing it all these years Brandon!
G’day Brandon. First of all, I too would like to express my appreciation for all your hard work. This is my first SSGB and I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Unfortunately I am a full time career for my wife, (not complaining), so have a house and garden to maintain by myself. So I’m kept pretty busy and model when I can. Having said that, I definitely over committed myself this year and have a number of builds to complete. I expect to finish my Tiger in mid November. It is my intention to complete all other builds by the end of February.
I would relish the opportunity to participate in another SSGB under the same arrangements and will commit to making that build a priority. Aside from a possible SSGB, I have only two builds planned for 2023. A figure and a 48th scale Corsair for the Absent Friends GB.
Once again I’d like to thank you for all your hard work. It is much appreciated.
Brandon, you and I text occasionally, and I believe you know my thoughts. I think a gift exchange may be a nice pause. Any GB is difficult to run.
I have been extremely busy between moving, new job, then a job change, changing shifts and remodeling my house in my free time. I do sincerely apologize to my SS! I very much like my gift and will complete it, in fact, I’m very excited to get back to it. Unfortunately, like John, it will probably be mid next year.
I enjoy the giving more than the building so I would still like to participate. I’ll go with whatever everybody else decides.
I’m gonna let this run for the week. I think I know what I’m going to do, but I want to see and hear from more folks. I have the suspicion I have already heard from most who see this anyway. Many of the folks that bounced haven’t been around the forums for many months either.
Lets keep the SSGB going. I, like others, probably enjoy the giving slightly more than the building. I have not gotten around to my gift I recieved this past Group build, but it is in the Que. hope to get to it after I complete my current build.
Hard to believe, but next year will be my 4th go around, so thanks to BK for organizing it, and Modelcrazy for stepping in last year to fill in. I am fine either way, still running it as a GB or just a gift exchange. I certainly know how hard it is just keeping a standard year long GB running without it fizzling out, to say nothing of the logistic nightmare of organizing gift list that leads up to it.
I try to prioritze the SS kit, started early in the year and (ideally) finished before the end of the year, though it is probably torture to Santa that I take a couple months in between.
While I’d like seeing my giftee post progress pics and finish theirs, I am not put off if they don’t. It is basically drop shipped from an online store anyway, so I don’t really have a special attachment to the kit, other than it caught my eye based on their desired genres.
Anyway, I have really appreciated getting the chance to build these gems in the past:
I, too, have enjoyed the opportunity to build each kit I’ve received for the GB (I hope to have this year’s done soon Santa). I’m happy with whichever direction you decide to take this BK.
Well, this is exactly what I thought was gonna happen. I am not referring to those of you who responded, thank you all for that. I am referring to the serious lack of response overall given the scope of this build this year. Not at all surprised.
Ok then, so be it.
I have a plan moving forward, stay tuned with a new thread coming soon. Relax, take a deep breath and build on.
I’ve glanced though this GB every now and again. Never joined because I don’t really like surprises- even pleasant ones. But I hope you guys get things straightened out- good luck!!!
I have a suspicion that view counter is misleading, I honestly can’t believe these forums have so much human traffic viewing every single thread…but your general point stands, only less than a dozen responses after a couple days. I bet the response traffic will pick up when it actually opens.
Please keep the SSGB going! This year was my first, but I also started college (probably bad timing on my end.) Still, I’ve come very far on my Stalingrad diorama!
